gettes have used their womanly charm to gain favor for their cause, instead of adopting the tactics of the English militants. She also quotes Jean Finot's recent book to support the view that the intellectual life, far from robbing women of youth and beauty, is the most potent factor in the conservation of both. M. Finot says emphatically: their talent and charm. And they reign in life exactly as they do upon the stage, their second youth beginning at the very period when the idle women of the upper and middle classes have long vanished from the scene. The writer bolsters her argument with an extract of a similar import from Erich Wulffen: tiful at 45. Cleo To preserve the charm of a woman she must above all be allowed to work and act for herHelena was 48 when she was carried off to Troy. self. . Like those ancient artists who carved Aspasia married Pericles at 37 and passed for a grotesque fauns upon sarcophagi, man has covered beauty for another eight and thirty years. the premature grave of the woman with absurd- patra was over 40 when she met Antony. Diane ities. The figures of the step-mother, the comic, de Poitiers won Henry II's love at 36: Anne of good old aunt, the funny old maid hunting a hus Austria was considered the most beautiful woman Mme. de Maintenon met Louis band, the spiteful spinster filled with envy and in Europe at 38. malice-these are the images of women condemned XIV when 43. The actress Mars was most beauto spend long years of idleness and ennui awaiting the release of eternal sleep. The new woman knows how to enlarge essentially the boundaries of All of these examples, in short, go to prove her existence. We can already see that the weight of Finot's statement that women remain young much longer when they succeed in conquering the obstacles that lie between woman's beauty "consists not only in the more them and active lives. Women writers and artists, or less perfect harmony of the various parts and all women active in any way in the cause of of her body, but also in the expression of her humanity, rejoice in a longer youth than others. countenance and in the mysterious and indeWhen we consider the women prominent on the stage or in the musical world we find that the finable something that emanates from her burden of years has robbed them of scarce any of personality." WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE THAT a HAT the American college of to-day is percentage of boys from "our best families," on the defensive is forcibly impressed on graduates of our secondary schools, enter the reader's consciousness by at least three upon any enterprise without a definite, seriarticles appearing in December magazines. ous, carefully considered motive. The reThe first of these, contributed to the Forum sponsibility must be shared alike, it appears, (New York) by Principal Joseph A. Reed, by the fitting school and the college. of the Franklin High School, Seattle, Wash., A second cause of failure is to be found in puts the question plainly, "Does the college the "side shows"-fraternity life, athletics, send out into the world men who are abler in and dramatic and musical clubs. Mr. Reed intellect, purer in heart, stronger in right liv- is convinced that there has been a marked ing and right thinking as a result of its four decline in fraternity standards during recent years of influence?" Sometimes, Mr. Reed years and advocates two positive reforms: thinks, it does, but too often it does not. postponement of initiation until a full year From estimates furnished by a large number of college has been completed, so as to do of members of college faculties, he computes away with the most serious evils of the "rushthe waste of financial investment, and .of ing" system, and the proper supervision of youth, at 50 per cent. chapter-houses. Among the causes of this alleged failure Still another cause of college failures is on the part of the colleges this writer men- described by Mr. Reed as a lack of intellections, first, the fact that the colleges are con- tual ideals. He raises the question whether tinually receiving too many boys who should the other members of the average college never have gone to college at all. After in- faculty study their problems as the athletic terviewing many young men as to their mo- coach studies his "sizing up" his material, tives for attending college, he found that less registering especially promising men, disthan 5 per cent. of the number interviewed covering latent qualities of either weakness were in college for the love of learning, "and or strength, and training to overcome or these were mostly men of mature years and strengthen such qualitics. Why are not all little money." He regards it as "a severe in- the college instructors seeking out talent, each dictment of American standards" that a large in his own line? Why do they not study the personal tastes, the tual fiber of the students," Mr. Stearns adpeculiarities and weaknesses of each boy, and mits that he owes much to Harvard. then, with the wisdom of maturity, try to guide him into the line for which he is best fitted? Dur- With its excellent instructors, its libraries, and ing my professional life I have met many athletic its traditions of learning, Harvard furnished me coaches out drumming up football material, and my greatest intellectual opportunity. Yet during I have received professional calls from many only one year did I fully avail myself of this more, but I do not remember meeting a single opportunity. In truth, one must bring a strong pedagogical coach out searching for student ma- desire to Harvard for a fuller individuality. To terial. many students the life and the customs of the college are actually forces making against a deeper I have known more men who have lost early ideals during their four years than I have known men who have won new ones. How few were they who saw visions and dreamed dreams! Here is Mr. Reed's summary of the col- character. lege situation to-day: The public and the parent are investing funds in a venture which brings no suitable return, but which, for some reason, they do not appear will ing either to abandon or to reorganize. The boy is being placed in a situation where, at the very outset, for lack of proper guidance, he is absorbed by the wrong group and hence looks at college from the wrong point of view. Often the very surroundings in which he lives destroy the ideals which he has brought from home and substitute lower ones. I have found that the intellectual discipline I received was inadequate, that Harvard failed to direct my mental habits as well as it both could and ought to have done, and I believe this is likewise true of all except the unusual student. Furthermore, instead of becoming a better workman, when I left I found that I had become a worse. I had learned habits of shirking and procrastination. I knew how to skim lightly over the surface of difficult problems with a show of intelligence. Every custom, almost every professor, encouraged these bad habits. I could pass in my theses late; if I did well on midyear examinations by hurried "crammings," I could afterwards "cut" many classes with impunity. There was practiSecondary schools, too, have their full share of cally no supervision of my habits of work. Every blame. We may find fault with the college for influence was toward hurried and ill-digested offering thousand-dollar boys fifty-cent educations, work for a brief, frantic period and then a long but we must also be willing to admit that we send period of relaxation. Such "concentration" is not many a fifty-cent boy to college and expect a the concentration of steady self-control or even of thousand-dollar education. The secondary schools steady supervision; it is that of fear. The college president and the faculties are uneasy. They realize that the college world is not the world it should be, but they are conservative, their salaries are at stake, and if the public is satisfied why should they complain? turn out “uncooked beefsteaks"; the colleges turn out "dead-game sports." It is a case of tweedledee and tweedle-dum; neither institution can about the boy? The Guilty Professor overblame the other. But in the meantime, how Dr. P. H. Churchman's discussion of President Woodrow Wilson, in Pittsburgh, "The Place of Study in the College CurApril 17, 1910, uttered the following words: "I riculum," in the Popular Science Monthly, know that the colleges of this country must be reminds us that certain college professors reconstructed from top to bottom, and I know that America is going to demand it." Consensus of opinion in the educational world would lay emphasis upon this prophecy and hasten the day of its fulfilment. Shortcomings at Harvard still cherish the belief that study has a place in the college program, although the Forum articles would have us infer that such a belief is almost ready to be numbered among exploded delusions. Dr. Churchman is severe in his censure of those professors who tolerate poor work and A striking confirmation of some of the even idleness in students. He goes so far as points in Mr. Reed's arraignment of the col- to intimate that the real cause of the symleges is offered by another article in the De- pathy sometimes manifested with idle stucember Forum-"The Confessions of a Har- dents is often "a kind of unconscious fellow vard Man," by Harold E. Stearns, of last feeling." year's graduating class. According to this In few other professions is it easier for the writer, Harvard fails to stimulate the ma- strenuous man to be overworked or for the oppojority of its students to take advantage of site kind of man to appear to fill his post; so their intellectual opportunities. Further- much of the teacher's labor is elusive and immore, the college provides an inadequate in- possible to fit into an exact schedule of hours that tellectual discipline and even "encourages call him to account for loafing, and nothing but practically nothing but conscience or ambition can lazy and vicious habits." his nerves warn him when to rest. Hence arises Although he asserts that these three faults the fatal risk that-given fallible humanity-this are organic weaknesses of the college, its liberty may be abused, and that bridge, golf, or customs, and its system of teaching, and "do literary browsing may take the place of real work; hence, too, the danger that the instructor not arise from the moral quality or intellec- who is living this delightful life of ease in Zion papers. may not hold before his student the ideal of tire- discover why it is so popular-to determine, that less effort, particularly when he finds that the only is to say, whether he is exacting a decent amount sure road to the goal lies through the horrid of collateral work week by week, or whether he drudgery of frequent conferences or written is simply delivering an innocuous series of lectures, followed by an examination which practiSome of the causes of unwise leniency toward cally any student can pass after four or five hours inefficient students which we have been discussing over a printed syllabus; and who, if some base are administrative rather than pedagogical; such traitor hints at inefficiency, is eloquent with denials are not always conspicuously operative in the cre- in regard to conditions which he has never taken ation of "snap" courses. But ignorance of bad the trouble to investigate. And yet it would seem conditions-be it perverse or innocent-is harmful a quite easy matter to discover why our courses in both directions at once; it militates against the appeal to the student body. For instance, we toning up of weak courses as well as against might inquire of graduates (for they are beyond honest dealing with obviously worthless students. fear or favor) whether, in the course which is on Take, for instance, the amiable or uncourageous our conscience, they ever did any reading before pedagogue who conducts a "popular" course year examination time, and how much they found it after year without making the slightest effort to necessary to do then. NERVOUSNESS IN THE LIGHT OF CHEMICAL RESEARCH THAT HAT the diagnosis of disease depends Such views, thougn apparently based on at present too exclusively on physical- correct ideas, have hitherto lacked an adeanatomic methods of investigation is the con- quate support in the form of experimental tention of Dr. Ludwig Hirschstein, of Ham- observation, and it is this support which Dr. burg. The physician depends chiefly on his Hirschstein now finds himself in a position to own observation by sight, hearing, and touch, supply for a definite class of diseases—those and by the reports made by such instruments known as nervous affections, which, in fact, as the microscope, stethoscope, thermometer, elude anatomical diagnosis. A series of exblood-pressure gauge, Roentgen-ray appara- periments have convinced him that such intus, et cetera. Chemical diagnosis, on the jurious acid substances collect in the body in other hand, is confined chiefly to the analysis enormous quantities as a result of imperfectly of excretions to determine the presence of assimilated food. He says: such things as albumen, sugar, blood-pigment, The fact that under certain conditions acids are et cetera, which are not found in the case of not excreted, but are retained in the body, was healthy subjects. first forced on my attention some eight years ago. In the German scientific journal, Kosmos, At that time I was engaged in studying the chemBerlin, Dr. Hirschstein makes a vigorous plea for the extension of chemical methods of diagnosis and cure, based on some remarkable experiments made upon himself and upon other subjects, pointing out the quantitative variations in normal chemical constituents as well as presence of abnormal products. ical processes going on during sleep. I found that the organs of excretion, particularly the kidneys, performed their chief labor of ridding the body of waste matter precisely during this time of repose. It is especially true that if we curtail our sleep or repose the acid substances formed from the albumen of the food are retained in the body for several days. When, a few years later, Dr. Hirschstein Certain physicians, particularly Von Lahmann, and more recently Haig, Bachmann, and others, was himself the victim of a nervous breaksteadfastly hold the view that the anatomical down and found his ability to work seriously alterations observed in sick persons must be re- affected, his former observations led him garded as results. The true causes of the illness naturally to the conclusion that the main are chemical poisons circulating in the blood and other fluids of the body and which collect in the causes of the prevalence of nervous troubles body, commonly because of imperfect nutrition, in our state of civilization are the lack of and effect damage. sufficient rest on the one hand and an excess The acids have long been under suspicion as of albuminous food on the other, since those such causes of disease, especially those acids w ich have their origin in meat, the uric acid formed two things tend to produce that "acid poisonfrom the constituents of cell nuclei being consid- ing" which he had previously noted. ered especially harmful and the cause not only of gout, but of most other diseases. Hence vege Some observations seemed to indicate especially tarian diet has been recommended as being not the phosphoric acid richly present in both flesh and only free from the "toxins" of meat, but as fur- vegetable diet as such a food-poison. I followed nishing mineral constituents of a basic nature this idea experimentally on myself and another capable of neutralizing these acid poisons and person. We adopted an acid-free diet, to which making them harmless. certain bases were added, and went through a series of highly remarkable experiences-not always pleasant and sometimes even dangerous until finally, though very gradually, in the course of nearly two years we found our physical and intellectual powers fully restored. The phenomena observed could be explained only by the theory that my regimen had set in operation violent reactions which resulted in the removal from our bodies of the injurious substances. rid itself of the injurious substances heaped up in its tissues, and also that other forms of illness may be similarly accounted for. In the concluding paragraphs of his article Dr. Hirschstein advises care to secure a balanced diet. He finds that it is easy to have the diet overloaded with phosphoric acid, with "the greatly overprized nitrogen of alSomewhat later Dr. Hirschstein's views bumens, and with the hydrochloric acid from were confirmed by extensive chemical experi- table salt. On the other hand, the food is ments on a patient similarly affected. In this very often too poorly supplied with the basic actual chemical tests demonstrated that the elements-calcium, sodium, potash, iron, and tissues were heavily charged not only with the sulphur of albumen." phosphoric acid, but with the chlorine from ordinary salt (sodium chloride) and the nitrogen from albuminous substances, the latter a totally unexpected fact. He continues: Thus the study of the phenomena of disease leads to the question of the normal nutrition of the human being. It is necessary that chemistry and medicine should seek hand in hand to solve this problem. An example Later investigations in a number of cases showed me that the "acid poisoning" which I had worth giving is that of the Danish Governfound present in nervous affections in such high ment, which has founded, under the auspices degree was a very widespread phenomenon and of the distinguished physician and investigamust apparently be regarded as a cause of illness of the utmost importance. . . . These discoveries tor, Dr. Hindhede, an admirably equipped suggest that the nervous phenomena are merely "Institution for Research Regarding Nutrireactions, fruitless attempts of the organism to tion." SOME UNFORESEEN RESULTS OF COFFEE THE VALORIZATION HE present status and possible results 17,108,000 bags, brought matters to a crisis, of the attempt made by the Brazilian for it was regarded as indubitable that should State of São Paulo to maintain the price of this enormous quantity of coffee be thrown its chief product, coffee, the much-discussed upon the market a disastrous break in prices scheme of valorization, is the subject of an would ensue. article by Signor Elmo de' Paoli in the Ri- This consideration served to determine the forma Sociala, the Italian review of Turin. initiation of a policy that had long been This action on the part of the State govern- urged. ment has been characterized by those who approve it as a notable instance of economic foresight, and by those opposed to it as an unwarrantable effort to secure and sustain monopoly of one of the staple products. a It was believed to be demonstrable that an ex ceptionally large annual crop was always followed by two or three short crops, and that at the same time the world's demand was steadily increasing. Hence there was fair promise that if the surplus product of an unusually fruitful year could be reserved it could be gradually worked off in the succeeding years without causing any fall in prices. The fall in the price of coffee, resulting in a minimum quotation of 30 francs for 50 To attain this end the government of kilograms (110 pounds) in 1902, and the São Paulo finally determined to enter the market consequent impoverishment of the coffee as a buver. Considerable difficulty was experiplanters of São Paulo, made a strong appeal enced in securing the necessary funds, as in the to the State authorities, and seemed to them absence of a guarantee by the Federal Governto invite official action, more especially as the ment of Brazil, foreign bankers were somewhat State revenue derived from taxation would disinclined to advance money. However, in 1906, two loans of £3,000,000 were secured, some addibe greatly reduced thereby. Many different tional support being provided by the imposition plans were proposed, and efforts were made of an export tax of 3 francs on each bag of coffee The State government to form a commercial syndicate that might shipped to foreign ports. be powerful enough to steady prices, but somewhat higher than the current one. now proceeded to buy up coffee, offering a price This natthese efforts were ineffectual. Finally, how- urally resulted in the accumulation of a large ever, the immense crop of coffee raised in stock, and although a third loan of £3,000,000 São Paulo in 1906-7, amounting to 20,190,- had been obtained in 1907, by the time the State 000 bags, more than five-sixths of the world's in 1908, the difficulty of working off the stock had secured possession of 8,475,000 bags of coffee, supply, while the world's demand was but without demoralizing the market became apparent, more especially because little confidence was felt operations, if the present high prices conin the ability of the State to keep its holdings and tinue to rule. at the same time to satisfy the obligations already incurred in the operation. A somewhat unsuccess- Of eventual results, Signor de' Paoli writes ful attempt to unload a part of the accumulations as follows: served as a danger signal, and recourse was finally had to a syndicate of bankers who advanced From what we have said it appears that the £15,000,000 to the State of São Paulo, with the natural development of the present situation, artiguarantee of the Federal Government, on the ficially created and sustained, will result in a new express condition, however, that no further purchases should be made by the State and that the syndicate should have a controlling voice in the disposition of the stock. overproduction, and this not in Brazil only, for other coffee-producing lands may increase the quantity of their production, as the commodity can now be sold at such a remunerative price. Certainly the State of São Paulo would find itself much better able to meet such a crisis than it was avoided-to a great extent, at least for there are in 1906, but very probably the trouble may be strong indications of a tendency on the part of the planters to raise other crops, such as rice, corn, sugar, and cotton, instead of confining themselves exclusively to coffee. As it was now felt that the product was held by financial interests amply able to handle it, the market was steadied, and prices soon began to advance, rising in two years' time almost 100 per cent. At the higher figures it has been a comparatively easy task As we see, the last word in regard to the success to unload enough for the extinction of the in- of this gigantic enterprise has not yet been spoken, debtedness incurred, and yet leave some and it is still impossible to determine whether the 3,000,000 bags of coffee as the property of the advantages or the disadvantages predominate. State, which, would thus seem to have un- vide a permanent and durable gain for Brazil, or realized profits of about $50,000,000 on its merely an ephemeral and fictitious one. THE The future alone can decide whether it shall pro GEOGRAPHICAL VS. OCCUPATIONAL HE attacks on parliamentary government principal problem before the western nations based on geographical representation con- to-day is how to check the encroachments of tinue in almost every European country. And the great occupational organizations, and not increasingly they emanate from the employ- how to give them additional voice in the ing rather than from the employed classes, affairs of the state. although the latter classes started them. Now He points out fallacies in the reasoning of the matter has passed from abstract discussion the innovators that are no better than the in periodicals to concrete political proposi- fallacies of which the defenders of the old tions. That the upper house of the Diet be forms of government have been guilty. Origcomposed of representatives elected by the inally the parliamentary theory of government large occupational groups was suggested in rested on the conception of each individual as Belgium as early as 1893. The same propo- an abstract unit, and the state was supposed sition was made in England by Graham to be composed of the sum total of such units. Wallas only a few months ago. But Den- Now the advocates of a changed system of mark seems to be the first country where a representation contend that the state is made similar proposition has been made a part of up, not of units, but of "organs,' each occua regular party program. It is characteristic- pational group being such an organ. And ally the Conservative party which is trying they maintain that "the interest of the state to reorganize the upper house, or the Lands- is the sum of the interest of all its organs." ting, on this basis. Dr. Nielsen retorts that this is simply to The proposition which is thus placed in place theory against theory. tangible form before the voters of Denmark He then goes on to prove that the occupahas caused a prominent Danish student of tional organizations are, by virtue of their politics, Dr. Axel Nielsen, to take up the en- nature and origin, fighting bodies meant to tire matter for discussion in the Tilskueren protect the interests of their own members (Copenhagen). He does so quite dispassion- against the rival interests of all others. He ately and with evident knowledge of the best shows how their influence on the political life arguments on both sides. But while he has of all the western nations has been steadily much to say for the tendency to place in increasing until, in fact, they constitute what creased emphasis on occupational representa- almost amounts to another set of legislative tion, he arrives at the conclusion that the bodies. And he shows, furthermore, that |