Tuer Disaster to the Empress of Ireland last week, 
following so closely the great calamity that befell the 
ill-stared Titanic, will undoubtedly cause many people 
to wonder if the benefits of civilization do not also 
carry with them penalties,—penalties for having so many 
conveniences. Since 1903 over 12,000 people have been 
killed by accident—more than 1,000 each year; possibly 
a greater number of travellers killed than were murder- 
ed by highway men in all of the dark ages! The ‘‘Gen- 
eral Slocum’’ disaster, the Iroquois Theatre panic, the 
railroad wrecks of the past few years, the sinking of 
the Titanic, and a few days ago of the Empress of Ire- 
land—what a toll of lives! Is there any way that safety 
ean be strengthened—any way to. prevent wholesale 
deaths? If so the duty of inventors is to make it 
known. When great disasters occur, the great enemy 
—Death—does not choose his victims; he takes them 
as they happen to come—the weak and the strong, the 
unknown and the great. Isidor Strauss, Major Butt, 
Lawrence Irving, Henry Harris—these are men whose 
passing makes of a great disaster a monstrous thing. 
The time will come, indeed it must, when marine disas- 
ters, panics, railroad wrecks and the like will be mini- 
mized. Invention, the lessons of caution and greater 
efficiency must make improbable if not impossible whole- 
sale harvests for the grim reaper. But at what a cost 
these lessons are taught! 
THe Crty of Brverty pays its Mayor the smallest 
salary of any city of its size on the North Shore and can- 
not see its way clear to make even a slight increase. It 
is a mistake for any municipality to fail to maintain its 
highest office at a salary commensurate with the duties 
involved and the time the work demands. 
Tue Members of the National House of Representa- 
tives are anxious for adjournment. ‘There is abundant 
reasons why Congress should adjourn early... As in state 
affairs so may it be said of national affairs there is too 
much tinkering with our laws. 
THE SPLENDID TRIBUTE paid by the Memorial Day 
orator to Miss Sohier for her heroic work to save the 
Bulfinch front of the State House, was merited. The 
splendid service rendered in those trying days ought not 
to be allowed to pass unacknowledged and unhonored. 
Tuer Drrecror oF Pusiic Work of the City of Bev- 
erly is going “to line” the dangerous corners in Beverly 
Farms with white. This will make travel through Central 
Square less dangerous than it has been before. ‘This 
move is in the direction of progress, 
THe Motor Boat Murriers Assocration has ren- 
dered a public service in organizing and pushing to com- 
pleteness the bill now signed by Governor Walsh. ‘The 
unmuffled motor exhaust has been a nuisance. 
Mocpy Boynvon gives the present generation a strik- 
ing illustration of “stick-to-it-iveness.” 
Tur Boarp or ALDERMEN of Beverly have had their 
attention called by the Homestead Commission to the 
plan for Planning Boards proposed by the state legisla- © 
ture. ‘There are some disadvantages in the ‘“‘scheme” and 
opportunities for misunderstandings with the Board of 
Aldermen, but the plan should be given a trial. It is 
hoped that a planning board will arrange for city im- 
provements, year by year over a long peroid of years, 
thus making it possible to undertake systematically and 
to execute large plans for city improvement which would 
naturally be left undone by boards operating for a single 
year. 
Tur Cost of our Law ‘Courts now is great, but 
justice must be had at any cost. If the proposed statute 
becomes law the jurors’ expense in this county will be 
increased from $35,000 to $43,000. There is no reason 
why men denied the privileges of their own personal 
business should not receive suitable compensation for their 
loss of time. | 
Tm Peace PLANS are developing and it appears that 
President Wilson’s policy is not altogether wrong. Pat- 
ience is a virtue that the public should practice. The 
President is going to fight it out in the peace line if it 
takes all summer. 4 
J 
t 
It Is Posstpie, of course, to arouse race prejudices, 
against the Italian race for the misdeeds of one of their 
countrymen, but it must be borne in mind that Beverly 
has had tragedies involving individuals whose names were 
thoroughly American. 
Wrrn A CANapa question, a toll question, a Colombia 
question, a Mexico question and a Philippine problem the 
United States Government has foreign problems enough 
to keep the diplomatic department busy. 
In Turse Days oF PEaAcE IDEALS no one doubts that 
the Civil war could have been avoided, but when once 
begun its gruesome work had to be prosecuted to the end. 
Peace is the great end of government. 
Wuen CompratNine of the tent caterpillar, remem- 
ber that Barnstable County leads in the suppression of 
the caterpillars. There’s a reason. ‘They don’t hatch on 
sand. 
Tt First Crrizen of Massachusetts cannot be de- 
termined by any counsel of men; there are many leading 
citizens. There is no first citizen and it is well that it 
iS SO. 
Tue Natural AND STEADY increases shown by the 
New Haven and Boston Elevated railroad reports show 
that the turn in the road has come. 
Boston University has had 
Class Day and likes it. 
fresco affair, 
its first out-of-door 
Class Day is .essentially an al. 
tee 
