DEMOCRATIC SPELLBINDERS will have a difficult task 
when they try to explain the benefits that will arise to the 
country from the passage of the eight hour railroad law 
by Congress at the instigation of President Wilson. When 
the public begins to feel the burden of increased operating 
expenses which will be reflected in higher freight rates 
and ultimately in increased prices of all commodities it 
may take a view of the Democratic “legislative triumph” 
not particularly satisfying to the supporters of the Wilson 
administration. The possibilities of a nation-wide strike 
were appalling, but had it come to a head it is doubtful if 
its dan cge would have been as permanent and far reach- 
ing as the passage of the alleged eight-hour law. The 
Brotherhoods will not remain content while the law con- 
tains a provision for compulsory arbitration and the pub- 
lic wil! not be safe without such a provision. Added to 
the probability of increased prices must be faced the 
possibilty of future holdups whenever the men in the 
train service feel disposed make demands. Congress suc- 
ceeded in averting the threatened strike temporarily by 
olaying directly into the hands of the employes, but to 
claim that the administration has brought about permaneni 
metered benefit to the country by the act is absurd. 
Mayor MAcbONALD OF BEVERLY is still doing guard 
duty-as a Lieutenant in the federal artillery. He was 
called from his desk by the President’s message and has 
been at his post despite the fact that he was recovering 
from an injury received in the service. He is the logical 
candidate for Mayor of the enterprising city and should 
and probably will be overwhelmingly elected. There are 
several candidates in the field, but Mr. Macdonald’s effi- 
cient record as Mayor and his faithful service in the 
border patrol entitles him to the support which the voters 
will undoubtedly give him. 
ONE ENTERPRISING TOWN has seen fit to take a cen- 
sus of the most used roads in the town with the end in 
view of presenting to the town meeting a careful analysis 
of the traffic with the purpose that the voters may more 
intelligibly determine which streets should be repaired. 
3ut why not put them all in good. condition? On such a 
policy as that some streets would never be traveled enough 
to warrant an expenditure. The analysis should reveal 
the facts that the voters should have well in hand, but 
there are other elements to be considered when the ques- 
tion of road construction is involved. 
OnE oF THE Pitres of the threatened strike was the 
haste with which many summer visitors were rushed 
home from the many watering places in northern New 
England. The North Shore was unaffected by the im- 
pending strike. Very few persons are known to have 
shortened their summer vacations because of it. But 
many tourists have had plans upset and_ incalculable 
anxiety and money expense resulted. 
Wuen THE History of the World’s war is written 
the positions that Greece has taken will be difficult to ex- 
plain to the generations that will hear of the war through 
the pages of a book. 
Tuts 1s THE TIME of the year when parents are mak- 
ing plans for their children’s education. The graduates 
of last year’s high school classes have had an opportunity 
to determine the practical value of their education and 
whether they desire to make further preparations for 
their life work. Parents should carefully encourage the 
educational ambitions of their children. There are many 
men in every community who will gladly advise parents 
who do not know how to plan for their children’s work. 
The teachers of the high school, the men at work in the . 
community who have sent their own children away to 
school and especially the ministers will be in a position 
‘o tell parents of many schools and ‘colleges. This is the 
age of training and development and every child to be 
cfficient and prepared to meet the responsibilities and op- 
portunities of life needs to be equipped to do his work 
and educated to enjoy life. There is no reason in these 
days why any ambitious youth should be denied the op- 
portunity of obtaining a thorough education. New Eng- 
land is amply provided with educational institutions of 
the highest grades and no young person needs go very 
far from home to obtain the best that the world can 
afford. 
ONE OF THE MARKED results of the world’s war has 
been the place which America has assumed in the edu- 
cational nO In this sense at least the beginning will 
mark an epoch in the scholastic world. Previous to the 
war it was not only the custom, but real educational op- 
portunity demanded a finishing of the educational train- 
ing of many professional young men in the schools and 
colleges of Europe. The war has turned the tide for two 
reasons because, steadily, the American schools have been 
inaking progress and are prepared’ to assume the posi- 
tion which the situation presents and because the scholas- 
tic institutions of Europe are unprepared to give young 
men the training which they desire. 
Mr. THropore Roosevelt has maintained for some 
‘ronths a discreet silence and for a while it appeared that 
he was out of politics, but he has come back with his old 
time vehemence and strength. The address in his Maine 
itinerary put him back upon the first pages of the papers 
despite a world’s war and the threatened railroad strike. 
Mr. Roosevelt is still a man of affairs and wields a large 
influence in American affairs. One ex-President at least 
knows how to care for himself. 
Ir A MANn’s WaGEs increase ten percent and the cost 
of living increases twelve percent, how much longer will 
his income be at the end of the year and how much per- 
cent will earning and saving capacity be increased? 
Dip You Notrcre how rapidly the infantile paralysis 
faded away before the impending railroad troubles? The 
summer months are trying to the operators of news jour- 
nals. Any issue for a “seller!” 
No One Faris To REALIZE now-a-days that the dear 
long suffering and patient public always pays the bills, 
