THE FRUITS OF PRAYER God lets men work with him. God works through men. He lets them help him run the universe; and ofttimes he lets his mills grind slowly in order that men may better understand and may superintend the process. The mystery of suffering and of inequality in this world of human souls may, we believe, be explained along this line. God believes that it is better that man should have a part in setting the world right, and so he waits for man to bear his part. And so we believe that the most important effect of true prayer is not so much to bring God down to minister to man's needs, be they great or small, but prayer lifts man up nearer to God, so that he thinks as God thinks, he sees as God sees, he purposes as God purposes. The divine spirit breathed into his soul enables him to rise above the passing things of life, and out of his labors and burdens and defeats he builds "the ladder leaning on the cloud." Prayer should not so much bring God down to man as it should lift man up toward God. Orange, Connecticut.

mas.

E. L. C.

CHRISTMAS AT RIIS HOUSE

For weeks we have been planning for ChristWe have ordered a great big tree and have asked Santa Claus to be sure that no little girl of doll age is left childless, and that every little boy finds what he most wants to find in Santa Claus's sack. We are also planning to have parties for the mothers, big boys and girls, and the little tots-parties where there is icecream, and where Italians, Jews, Irish, Greeks, and even our one little Chinese maiden, all come together in the spirit of love and goodwill to have a merry Christmas time.

They all have gifts for their new country, if we could but know how to accept them. Sometimes, because we do not understand, the gifts they bring are broken and thrown away, and ugly things grow and flourish in their place.

This is the season when we don't try to be wise or organized or economical or any of the other things we know we ought to be, and are all the rest of the year.

The summer with its scourge of poliomyelitis has gone and left us with a record of not a single case among the members of our big settlement family. This we should consider a happy accident were it not for the same report coming from all the New York settlements of which we have inquired. Why have the women and children, the boys and girls, belonging to settlement activities escaped when the disease raged in their neighborhoods? Is it because they de-. velop a social spirit which made them ready to

follow the advice and instruction given in the early summer? Whatever it is, the fact remains and has made us feel that the day has not yet come when we can give over all our work to the school centers.

Perhaps we ought to tell you that we are very poor, but we hate to cloud Christmas with mercenary difficulties. Since October 1 it has been hard to get money for needs at home. We would not divert one cent from the sufferers in Europe, but isn't there enough for both home and abroad? The dragon of the East Side still stalks in New York.

May we count on you to be an early Santa Claus and make our Christmas come true? Remember, when you have a family of fourteen hundred it takes time to get ready, especially when so many of your children have marked preferences and desires.

Riis House sends Christmas greetings to The Outlook readers. MARY RIIS (Mrs. Jacob A. Riis). The Jacob A. Riis Neighborhood Settlement, 48 Henry Street, New York City.

THE HAZEL TWIG

The Outlook in the issue of September 6, in commenting on "The Moon and the High Cost of Living" by Lewis Edwin Theiss in an earlier issue, makes a digression to attack "another superstition," the belief that the presence of water underground is indicated by the action of a hazel twig.

Did the writer in The Outlook of September 6, or did John Fiske, both of whom so lightly dismiss as a "myth" the practice of finding water by means of a hazel twig, ever try the experiment? The experiment is not a difficult one to try, and the verification of the claim of its virtue is comparatively easy. The writer has held a forked peach twig and seen it point downward at certain places and not at others, and this not only without his volition, but against his effort. If the twig was grasped tightly enough to preclude its turning in his hands, it bent. He never personally proved that water was to be found at the place indicated, but others have. An intelligent man, a college graduate, and by no means a man of 'granitic mind," well known to the writer, re peatedly "found water." He did not attempt to explain his power, but he accepted it, as did many others who often called upon him to exercise it in their service. He accepted no pay for 'finding water," but did it as a neighborly favor. He was not superstitious; but when he saw a giraffe at the circus, he did not say, like The Out-I mean the farmer-" There ain't no such animal." W. S. CROUSE.

Denton, Maryland.

The picture in The Outlook of November 22 of Governor George W. P. Hunt, of Arizona, was wrongly headed "Re-elected." The official review of the returns, we are informed, shows that Thomas E. Campbell, the Republican candidate, was elected by a majority of fifty-five votes, notwithstanding the fact that practically the entire Democratic ticket in Arizona led by a large majority. The matter may be taken to the courts.

The subscriber who sends the above correction also says that the maintenance of order during the Clifton strike of some months ago (credit for which was given to Governor Hunt) was due principally to the fact that Arizona has prohibition, and consequently there was no liquor in the Clifton camp to act as a riotbreeder.

Wireless telegraphic communication has been opened with Japan. President Wilson sent the first message, expressing the hope that this wonderful event might "confirm the unbroken friendship of our two nations." The Japanese Emperor responded with a similar expression of good will. The commercial rate for messages by wireless between California and Japan will be eighty cents a word.

Witchcraft still has a hold on the popular mind, even in enlightened America. A news item in the Philadelphia "North American " tells of the acquittal of a man charged with arson at Pottsville, his excuse being that he was obsessed with a black "hex" or "witch cat." He carried with him as a talisman a silver bullet, but its charms did not affect the "hex" on this occasion, for the man set fire to a row of houses of which he was himself the

Owner.

A writer in the "Harvard Alumni Bulletin says that the famous college "snake dance " originated quite by accident, about twenty years ago, at the celebration of the golden anniversary of Cambridge as a chartered city. Crowding and jostling in the ranks of the student body in the parade caused a swaying movement, and instinctively the marchers struck up the snake dance." That happy accident in '98, the contributor to the "Bulletin" avers, was the origin of the zigzag march that is now so picturesque a feature of college students' celebrations.

A bulletin issued by the Irish Department of Agriculture, as quoted by an exchange, says that it has been found, as the result of experiments, that pigs thrive better on uncooked than on cooked food. This, in a way, justifies the indifference of the hog-raiser in a well-known story. The professor had said to him, while watching him feed his hogs uncooked food, "If you would cook that stuff, the hogs would digest

it in half the time." "What's a hog's time worth?" was the unfeeling reply. And now science justifies empiricism!

Encouragement to the struggling editor may be found in the newspaper announcement that "Arthur Brisbane, editor, to-day purchased seven lots on the southeast corner of Fifth Avenue and One Hundred and Third Street at a price of about $250,000. The purchase is intended solely as an investment."

The two sections of a new tunnel under the East River, connecting New York City and Brooklyn, have just met, completing the drive. The tunnel is notable because in its construction not a single workman was lost from the "bends," or caisson disease; because the work was completed ten months ahead of the time set; and because the two shafts met in the center of the river within three-quarters of an inch of the calculations. A lunch was served to the 1,200 "sand hogs" who worked in the tubes on the day the two gangs of workmen met, in celebration of the event.

One of the great athletic events of the year 1916, says "Good Health," was the run of one hundred miles between Chicago and Milwaukee, made in fourteen hours by Sydney Hatch. The best previous time was eighteen hours. Mr. Hatch, it is stated, is an abstainer from alcohol and tobacco, and has never developed "athletic heart," though he has done much running and is thirty-four years old.

Terra-cottas by Luca della Robbia, candlesticks by Sansovino, an incense-burner by Il Riccio-an auction sale with items like these seems to bring the Renaissance pretty near to Fifth Avenue. The treasures were brought from Florence by Professor Volpi, and were sold in New York City the other day. The incense-burner, made of bronze and twenty. three inches high, brought the record price of $66,000.

The "Bookman" of December calls attention to a slip on the part of a New York "Sun" reviewer who said that the allusion in Gilbert and Sullivan's comic opera " Patience" to " Howells and James young men " referred to the American novelists W. D. Howells and Henry James! The "Bookman " says that "Howells and James" was the firm name of "a very fastidious London tailoring establishment." The fact is, as ascertained by reference to the authorized vocal score, that the firm's name was Howell and James

"A Sewell and Cross young man, A Howell and James young man,

A pushing young particle-what's the next articleWaterloo House young man,"

and these young men are described in a footnote as "clerks connected in large dry-goods establishments."

THE STORY OF THE WAR

We discuss the two great war events of the week-Germany's proposal to enter into peace negotiations and the Cabinet reconstruction in England and France-in two editorials in this issue.

Apart from unauthorized speculation as to the terms which Germany might propose at such a conference, the facts as to Germany's new move are these: On Tuesday, December 12, the German Chancellor, Bethmann Hollweg, announced in the Reichstag that, in union with the Governments of Austria, Turkey, and Bulgaria, Germany, through its Chancellor, had handed to the diplomatic representatives in Berlin of Spain, Switzerland, and the United States identic notes to be transmitted to their Governments, and through them to the Governments of the nations hostile to Germany. The three nations were selected because their representatives are looking after the interests of subjects of the Central Powers in hostile countries. The identic note in substance is a proposal for a peace conference, and if it is accompanied by specific terms of peace it is not known what they are. That the note names specific terms is inferred from the Chancellor's statement: "The four allied [Central] Powers propose to enter forthwith on peace negotiations. The propositions which they bring for such negotiations . . are, according to their firm belief, an appropriate basis for the establishment of a lasting peace."

The note is somewhat vague in its wording, and some of its phrases will strike many readers who are not partisans of Germany as grandiloquent. It declares that Germany's aim is not to annihilate its adversaries, but that Germany is ready to continue "the war forced upon us." Reference is made to the recent events in the Balkans, to the expectation of further successes, and to the power of Germany "to continue to a victorious end," disclaiming responsibility to humanity and the world if the proposal is rejected.

The Chancellor enlarged on the note in

his speech, going into details as to German claims of military success, and even saying, "To these great events on land heroic deeds of equal importance are added by our submarines"! Compressed into a few words, the note itself and the Chancellor's exposition merely say that Germany is ready to fight on, but, assuming that German arms are triumphant, believes that the time has come for the nations to confer about terms of peace.

The terms which have been mentioned in press dispatches from Washington as those which are said to be regarded as probable for Germany to offer, in the opinion of "persons close to the German Embassy," are as follows: 1 Complete restoration of Belgium.

2. Evacuation by Germany of all territory captured in northern France.

3. Establishment of Poland and Lithuania as independent kingdoms.

4. Restoration to Austria of territory captured by Italy in the neighborhood of the Adriatic Sea.

5. Restoration to Germany of all her colonial possessions.

6. Retention of Constantinople by Turkey. 7. Retention of Serbia by Austria-Hungary and the restoration to Bulgaria of all territory lost by that country in the second Balkan War.

Intelligent discussion of Germany's terms of peace is of course impossible until they are made known officially. All that can be discussed is the situation created by Germany's offer to negotiate. It is to this that we confine the editorial discussion on another page.

WHAT RUMANIA IS FACING

If the despatches from Berlin and Sofia are anything like accurate, the Rumanian army in itself is not now in much better condition than the Serbian army after the AustroGerman drive through Serbia. Last week's despatches from Berlin claim that the total losses of the Rumanians in this war up to December 11 have been 250,000 killed or wounded and 150,000 prisoners, while 600 large guns are reported captured, and the

amount of ammunition, grain, petroleum, and other supplies is described as enormous.

With all due discount for partisan exaggeration, the Rumanian loss has undoubtedly been great. The news of the week included the statement that the section of the Rumanian army which was cut off in extreme western Rumania (or Little Wallachia) in and about Orsova had in large part surrendered.

What is left of the main Rumanian army has succeeded in getting so far northward in eastern Rumania as to make its connection with the Russian armies moving from the north complete, and it is from the joint effort of Russian and Rumanian armies in Moldavia that resistance or future advance is to be expected. The German forces have crossed the Danube in two or three places, have taken possession of the ground west of the Cernavoda bridge, and have occupied all railways and principal points, such as Ploesci, in southern and western Rumania.

DOUBLE DEALING IN GREECE

The Greek situation continues to be criti

cal. Despatches from London predict that King Constantine will be deposed, Venizelos put in charge of the Greek Government, and the Greek army disarmed. This is pure speculation, but it is true that the subjects of the Allies' Governments have been notified to leave Athens, and most of them have done so. Viscount Grey, until last week British Foreign Secretary, has made for the press an authorized statement of the history of King Constantine's dealings with the Allies, in which he says:

The unconstitutional behavior of King Constantine, his refusal to abide by the terms of the Greek treaty with Serbia, and the flouting of the decisions of M. Venizelos and his Parliamentary majority hardly admit of denial even by the Germans themselves, who content themselves with saying that he [the King] acted for what he believed to be the best interests of his country.

Greece voluntarily promised "benevolent neutrality" toward the Allies; it promised to give certain war material to the Allies to balance that which it had given Bulgaria by "the prearranged surrender of Fort Rupel and Kavala." These and other promises were broken and the forces of the Allies were treacherously attacked in Athens. If Germany had been in the place of Great Britain or France, the King would long since have been coerced and rendered harmless.

LIBERTY VERSUS COMFORT

IN BELGIUM

839

Indignation at the German deportation of the Belgian workers will not down; from every side come protests. Ours, among other governments, has sent what it calls a formal protest. It consisted of a note cabled to Mr. Grew, our Chargé at Berlin in the absence of our Ambassador, with instructions to Mr. Grew to read the note to the German Chancellor.

This seems to be a cross between the old and somewhat outworn method of the Administration in note-writing and that of a verbal lecture. In this communication our Government protested solemnly in a friendly spirit against the deportation as "in contravention of all precedents and of those humane principles of international practice which have long been accepted and followed by civilized nations in their treatment of noncombatants."

A reply has been made by the German Government, which in substance asserts that there are 1,250,000 people suffering in Belgium because of the lack of work, that idleness was causing demoralization, that those who have gone to Germany are happy and contented" (which a large body of evidence shows to be a straight-out falsehood), and that the deportation has been carried out in a humane and kindly way.

That Germany suggests peace while she is deporting Belgians in this wholesale fashion indicates that not even two and a half years of war have taught her to what lengths of sacrifice a liberty-loving people will go to defend their freedom.

PRINCE OYAMA

With the death of Prince Oyama passes one of the great figures of the RussoJapanese War. He had been a man of influence in Japan for thirty years or more before the war of 1894 between China and Japan. It was for his services in this war, culminating in the capture of Port Arthur and Weihaiwei, that he was made marquis and field marshal by the Emperor. In the war with Russia Oyama was commander-in-chief of the Japanese army in Manchuria, and after that war he was made a prince. He came of a race of warriors, the Satsumas, and was prominent in the political revolution which in 1868 restored to power the father of the present Emperor.

In order to give our readers an impression