Extinguishing a blazing oil gusher is a tremendous job. As described in "Collier's," several hundred men were engaged for seventeen hours in preparing to put out a fire of this kind at Humble, Texas; then a crew attacked the blaze with steam from twenty-seven boilers and water from many lines of hose. The assault was made from behind sheet-iron shields, and it literally sent over three huge columns of flame and drove them into a tunnel that had been dug into the ground. Here the fire was smothered in a few minutes.

"Switchel" is advocated as a summer drink by a contributor to the " Rural New Yorker." Ginger root, sugar, and a quart of water are boiled to a syrup, strained, and some vinegar added; this concoction is diluted with ice water, and drunk in the harvest field to the accompaniment of appreciative smacks and cries of "That's good!"

"What misfortune then happened to Bishop Odo?" was a question asked of the history class, according to a correspondent of the London "Spectator." "He went blind," one pupil answered. An explanation was demanded. "There, sir!" triumphantly exclaimed the youthful historian, "the book says so." The sentence indicated read, "Odo was deprived of his see.'

In Denver, says an exchange, a building erected in 1909 has that date in Roman notation, MCMIX, engraved on its portal. The other day a citizen asked another man if he had seen anything of their common friend Danny that day. "I sure did," was the reply, "A few minutes ago I seen him standing in front of McMick's building over there on the corner."

The Premier of Australia has, according to a despatch, purchased fifteen large steamships in London for moving the Australian harvest. The ships will be operated as the Commonwealth Government Line. The price is said to have been $650,000 for each boat.

"Target toss" is recommended by "Good Health as a lawn game. Draw three circles on the grass-the first one to be one foot in diameter, the second two and a half feet, the third three feet. Stand about ten feet away from the edge of the outer circle. A bean-bag is used to toss into the circles. If it enters the small circle, twenty-five is counted. The second circle counts fifteen, the third five. Any number of people may play.

"Arabian Nights princesses. The abovenamed baths are all priced at $3 except the "oil rub," which costs only a dollar.

A curious "international incident is thus recorded by an exchange: "The strict regula tions against evening lighting in England lead to some singular occurrences. A woman was fined at Woking recently, although she protested that the light had been switched on by the small child who climbed out of bed to get the teddy bear."

Prices of photographic chemicals have advanced from 100 to 1,000 per cent, the "Journal of Commerce" states. The greatest consumer of these chemicals is now the motion-picture industry, ordinary commercial photography and "snap-shotting" being subordinate to the

movies.

The cost of repairing seagoing vessels has more than doubled in the last twelve months, so "Shipping Illustrated" says, and has caused in some cases the abandonment of damaged vessels. A case quoted is that of the Lucinda Sutton : 'Owing to the prohibitive cost of re pairs she will be abandoned by the owners; the cargo will be forwarded by another vessel."

Walnut has "come back." Years ago it was considered the most attractive wood on the market, but fashion changed. Now it has been in a measure restored to faver. It is said that over two hundred American manufacturers of furniture are now using walnut, and that many important buildings are being finished with it.

The death of Mrs. Hetty Green, widely proclaimed the richest woman in the world, is likely to be followed by interesting and expensive litigation. The State of New York will try to collect $5,000,000 as inheritance tax on Mrs. Green's estate, which has been popularly esti mated at $125,000,000. But Mrs. Green, in death as in life, had no intention that her estate should let any money go which it could hold. Her will was filed for probate in Vermont, and in that State it is said that only $1,250 can be claimed as inheritance tax. A new law in New York makes it more difficult for a person who lives part of the time in New York and part of the time elsewhere to claim non-residence as to New York. Here, then, is a fine opportunity for the lawyers. Another peculiarity is that Mrs. Green during her life received the income from an estate of a million and a half dollars left in 1832 by a great-uncle, with the condition that the principal should revert to his own heirs at Mrs. Green's death. Colonel Green, the son of Hetty Green, is now quoted as saying that there are at least seventeen thousand heirs to that old estate. Reckoning them at fifteen thou sand, and supposing that all can be found, there would be just a hundred dollars for each.

THE STORY OF THE WAR

The Allies continue steadily on the offensive,

and the contrast in this respect to the situation a year ago adds point and emphasis to Lloyd George's recent declaration : "We have crossed the watershed, and now victory is flowing in our direction.' He added that this was due to the improvement in equip ment; and Mr. Asquith, in the House of Commons, announced that, if the workers would forego summer holidays and keep up the supply, the present intensity of fighting could and would be kept up indefinitely. Equally significant is the German General Staff's appeal to the German people at large to have faith and endure; for the General Staff has in times past proudly ignored the common people, and it is evidently seriously uneasy at the many indications of popular unrest. In another direction a similar sign of change is the outspoken advocacy by Count Michael Karolyi of a separate peace between Hungary and Russia, "with or without the consent of Germany and Austria "—although it is fair to add that Count Karolyi has long been ardently in favor of Hungarian independence.

In the week ending July 19 the French and British consolidated their lines and made progress. Their immediate objectives (Péronne for the French and Bapaume for the British) were still unattained, and the ultimate objectives of Cambrai and St. Quentin (the occupation of which, the military experts say,. would mean an extended retiral of the Germans) are still future hopes. But the British have occupied the German second lines for a considerable extent, and have even attacked the third lines at some points. At the end of the week fierce fighting was going on between Germans and British at the Longueval salient northwest of Combles. A London newspaper says that half a million shells daily have been fired by the British in this offensive. Sir Douglas Haig announces the capture of many heavy guns, a noteworthy evidence of German haste in retreat. The French last week held all they had gained,

have taken part in the operations in Champagne, and new Russian forces have landed in France.

Nor has there been any setback to the Russian offensive. After a pause for adjusting the relations between the several Russian armies, new and important Russian operations began about July 15 west and southwest of Lutsk. The Germans admit that their forces have retired; the Russians say that they have driven General von Linsingen's army across the River Lipa, southwest of Lutsk, and have opened a road to their own great objective, Lemberg. General Brusiloff reports that his left wing, in Bukowina, is advancing rapidly on Hungary and that fighting is going on in the Carpathians.

The revolt against Turkish rule in Arabia is of more than local importance, for it proves again, as has been proved in India and Egypt, that vast numbers of Mohammedans refuse to regard Turkey's alliance with Germany as a cause for a holy war. The seizure of the sacred place of Mecca was the first move in the revolt, and the grand Sherif of Mecca is its leader. Medina is threatened. Reports state that Constantinople is greatly alarmed at the situation. A London paper says: "The rising against the Turks in Arabia is probably due to the wholesale executions of Mohammedan and Syrian notables and well-known ecclesiastical and religious leaders, and also to the fact that the Arabs are beginning to realize that the Turks have abdicated their position as protectors of Mohammedans and become vassals of Germany." The Turkish attempt to suppress the use of the Arabic language has much to do with the revolt, while there has long been in Arabia an anti-Turkish religious cult and a Pan-Arab movement.

THE FOOD SITUATION IN
AUSTRIA AND GERMANY

Two friends of The Outlook who have just arrived from Austria and Germany report, contrary to certain despatches from Europe,

that they found food conditions more favorable in Austria than in Germany, the most striking lacks being those of meat, sugar, and butter. That of meat is especially serious; from a report emanating from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at Washington, it would appear that meats in Austria are more than five hundred per cent higher than before the outbreak of hostilities.

In Germany the Berlin "Vorwärts" and the Cologne "Volkszeitung" have long been -seemingly without any hindrance from the Government censors-crying out against the rapacity of certain purveyors of food, backed as they are by certain Prussian landlords. In severely criticising the Prussian Minister of Agriculture for lack of energy, the "Volkszeitung" recently remarked:

The prices of the bare necessities of life have become impossible. . . It is an ostrich-like policy to wonder at the increasing discontent which is overmastering large sections of the people. This dismal and unholy practice must not proceed further. It must be stopped. The Government must immediately take steps to make life possible for the poorer classes.

The Government acted on this advice. It created the office of "Food Dictator," and it appointed Adolf von Batocki. He immediately addressed himself, first of all, to the meat situation, and proclaimed that for the next eight weeks civilians must eat no meat. As to food in general, Herr von Batocki proceeded with such Prussian prevision as to produce the feeling in Bavaria, Baden, Wurtemberg, and Saxony that their duty was to hold supplies so as to feed the less rich Prussia next winter. Reuter's Amsterdam correspondent reports "menacing letters protesting against the sucking dry of Wurtemberg by Prussia," and the London "Chronicle " declares that recently in the Bavarian Diet members complained of what they call "Prussian food egotism "-that is, the attempts being made to induce the Bavarian food powers to send their stuffs to Berlin.

Not only are the German states outside of Prussia getting restive, but, owing to friction between Herr von Batocki's Central Purchasing Bureau and the authorities of various municipalities, these cities are showing energy in deciding for themselves as to the question of buying or withholding their own food with or without the Central Bureau's permission. We learn that members of the Hanover City Council, for instance, have been accusing the Central Bureau of boy

cotting that city, though other near-by towns were sufficiently supplied. In this connection it should be noted that Hanover, Coblenz, and Mayence have bought large landed estates for municipal cultivation, having as an especial purpose the better supply of milk and pork; that Ulm has undertaken chicken farming on a large scale; and that Eisenach has forbidden the exportation from its district of meats, eggs, and other comestibles.

This is not the first time that small states have grown restive under the monopoly of a large state, or that municipalities have defied a central government. The economic result in Germany is, of course, intimately allied. with the political, and the result will be awaited with much interest.

THE MEXICAN

CONUNDRUM

The state of feeling between Mexico and the United States flares up and relapses as suddenly as a blacksmith's forge. Just now, as this is written, it is in the glowing ember state. Perhaps in the short interval before this reaches our readers it will become a raging conflagration, as it was a month ago.

It is hardly necessary to point out that supposedly "official" assurances from Mexico City that the.difference between the two countries now may be considered as "satisfactorily settled " are premature. Any hour may bring forth another Carrizal incident. Whether there shall be peace or war seems to depend more on the Mexicans than on us; for President Wilson has accepted Carranza's offer of mediation, and before this issue of The Outlook reaches our readers a commission of arbitration may have been appointed. It is reported that this commission will be composed of six members, three from each country, and that it will concern itself with the proper policing of the border, the disavowal by Carranza of the Carrizal attack on Americans, the withdrawal of General Pershing's expedition, and the resumption of trade between Mexico and the United States. The embargo on food and clothing has already been lifted.

At this juncture all intelligent Americans must hope, though they can hardly expect, that any arrangement to be made between the United States and the de facto Government of Mexico will look toward a permanent adjustment. A temporary settlement of temporary issues will satisfy no one save, perhaps, a few politicians. A settlement

which merely obviates immediate war, but which leaves the causes of war untouched, is almost as bad as no settlement, because both Mexicans and Americans have already had their feelings worn to the ragged edge by the impermanency of all arrangements between the two Governments. The reason why there is little ground for expecting a permanent settlement under present conditions is that the action so far taken has been based on the false assumption that there is a quarrel between the people of Mexico and the people of the United States. This is not true. The difficulty is altogether an internal difficulty within Mexico, which affects injuriously both Mexicans and Americans. There will be no adjustment until law and order are established in Mexico and the people who live in Mexico as well as those who live on the American border are safeguarded. There is no power in sight that can do this except that of the United States. Both the masses of Mexico and the masses of the United States have a right to a settlement of this Mexican question.

THE PROGRESS OF CONGRESS

Unless the present plans of the Democrats in Congress go astray, the adjournment of the National Legislature will take place not later than August 20. The House has already completed its programme of legislation, or rather it has completed such work as can be done before the conference reports on the appropriation and defense bills come before the Representatives for action. The Senate Democrats have unanimously adopted a resolution directing the party" Steering Committee " to prepare a programme to be acted upon during the comparatively few remaining days of the present session. This programme is to include the appropriation bills and the bills on shipping, revenue, workmen's compensation, corrupt practices, Philippine self-govment, Civil War and Spanish War pensions, and the bill to enlarge the Inter-State Commerce Commission. Under this programme the Child Labor and Immigration Bills, the bills in regard to flood control, vocational education, the woman suffrage amendment, and other measures would be held over until the reopening of Congress in December. The measures to be considered are those which have already passed the House. It is to be regretted that the Democrats of the Senate did not see fit to put the Child Labor Bill upon their emergency list. The Presi

dent, it is understood, demands that it shall be passed at this session. A notable event of last week was Mr. Wilson's signature to the Rural Credits Bill, perhaps the most important piece of constructive legislation passed at the present session.

Among the most important of the appropriation bills is, of course, the bill for naval appropriations. The Senate leaders have taken a much more liberal attitude towards the navy than that which has been assumed by the leaders in the House. The indications are that the Senate will vote for at least four battlecruisers and four dreadnoughts, the construction of which will be scheduled to begin during the present year. Since the two dreadnoughts authorized last year have not yet been begun, this will mean the initiation of construction upon ten capital ships, the largest amount of naval construction ever attempted in this country at one time. The allowance, however, is none too large, nor can work upon these ships be begun any too soon. If the Senate will stick to its programme for capital ships throughout its conference with the House, it will have performed valuable service for National defense. It is to be hoped that the Senate will not consider any compromise on this point, as it did in the matter of Federalizing the militia.

NAVAL EXPERTS ON OUR
PRESENT NEEDS

In regard to the naval programme, Secretary Daniels has just made public the most recent recommendations from Rear-Admiral Austin M. Knight, President of the Naval War College at Newport. These recommendations were based upon the latest developments of naval opinion as influenced by the Battle of Jutland. Rear-Admiral Knight

states:

If the number of capital ships to be provided for this year is four, I recommend that all be battle-cruisers.

If the number is six, I recommend four battlecruisers and two dreadnoughts.

If the number is eight, I recommend four battle-cruisers and four dreadnoughts.

If the number is ten, I recommend six battlecruisers and four dreadnoughts.

The immediate need of ships powerful enough to keep the seas and to confront anything but the modern dreadnought and fast enough to be able to offer or refuse battle at will has been repeatedly pointed out by our naval experts. In this particular our navy

has been woefully lacking, for with the scanty appropriations of Congress we have been forced to limit our navy to practically the bare necessities of defense. As Admiral Dewey recently said in an article in the "Scientific American :"

The General Board has recommended for fifteen years that the United States continue the policy of placing its chief reliance in big ships. Since the dreadnought came into being it has maintained that that vessel should be made the backbone of the fleet. If appropriations were sufficient to provide but one class of ships, the General Board has insisted that they be dreadnoughts.

In this same article Admiral Dewey points out the danger of permitting the events of the moment to change policies which have been built up upon the teachings of experience. He says:

There is a constant tendency on the part of the public to go off at a tangent in its enthusiasm for the class of ship that at a given time is attracting wide attention. Last fall, for instance, the public clamored for many submarines and favored disregarding appropriations for dreadnoughts or battle-cruisers. Later, the battlecruiser has been attracting much attention to itself, because the incidental clashes of the present war have been battles between scout ships. So the clamor this spring has been very largely for battle-cruisers.

Admiral Dewey continues:

The cruiser is a necesssity in any modern fleet unless that fleet is willing to grant certain advantages to its rivals which are provided with these fast ships. The theory that a time would come when they would displace dreadnoughts must, however, in the face of the new facts, be given over.

It is the conviction, not only of Admiral Dewey, but of all naval experts, that, despite the need for battle-cruisers in the United States navy, the dreadnought must remain the final factor which determines defeat or victory.

made Judge Clarke's name was hardly mentioned among the list of probable candidates. He had not been a National figure or one generally supposed to represent Supreme Court" timber." But those who know him best contend that he does represent it.

Mr. Clarke is fifty-nine years old, and a bachelor. His father was prominent as a lawyer and a Democrat. Young Clarke was graduated from Western Reserve University, and the following year was admitted to the Ohio bar. Two years later he moved to Youngstown, where he practiced law until his removal to Cleveland, nineteen years ago. For a number of years thereafter he was chief counsel to the New York, Chicago, and St. Louis (the so-called "Nickel Plate ") railway system. Despite this, and while he was still attorney for the "Nickel Plate," he urged the enactment of a two-cent railway fare law and other radical legislation. was specially moved thereto by his campaign for the United States Senatorship against the late Mark Hanna, by whom he was beaten. Two years ago, before he was appointed Federal Judge, Mr. Clarke again decided to be a candidate for the Senate, and issued the following interesting, informative, and characteristic statement:

He

I shall ask the support of the people because I favored progressive measures when it was far from popular to do so. I favored the direct election of United States Senators in the first arguments made for the measure in an Ohio Democratic Convention, in 1894, and was almost mobbed for doing so. I have lived very comfortably without office through what is certainly the greater part of my life; and I should not care to enter public life except in answer to a very substantial call to serve the public with as much freedom of opinion as I have always expressed in my unofficial life.

Perhaps the most notable incident of Judge Clarke's term on the bench occurred in November, 1914, when he ordered that the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad's shops at Brewster and Ironville, Ohio, be opened. For two months they had been closed by receiver's orders, so that certain interest payments might be met. Judge Clarke declared of this policy that it was neither wise economically nor just socially. A thousand workmen saved their jobs through his order.

As the volume of business of the Federal Court at Cleveland is third in the country (exceeded only by those sitting at New York and Chicago), there was some talk at the time of Mr. Clarke's appointment of the