AMERICA DAY BY DAY

Evening Star, Issue 16082, 6 April 1916, Page 9

AMERICA DAY BY DAY

1 [From Our San Francisco Corre-

spondent.]

WOES THREATEN “PICTURE BRIDE.”

The woes of the “ picture bride,” have just been revealed in connection with'the perennial. Immigration Bill fight, with its throat of international complications lietween America and Japan. The subject is again being introduced in the House at Washington. Chairman Burnett, of the Immigration Committee, said that thq proposed legislation would eliminate, the Japanese “picture bride” practice, which, ho says, is a growing evil. The “ picture bride ” is a woman who pretends to marry by proxy in Japan and then journeys to the United Slates or its territories to meet her “ husband,” whom generally she has never seen. These couples seldom marry, according to the chairman, but usually part 'soon after the woman is safely landed, never to meet again. “’" Statistics filed with the committee show that 2,000 “picture brides” entered Hawaii last year and 1.800 entered the United States. Friends of the literacy test measure boasted at Washington that they had enough votes to pass it over another veto by the President, which is confidently expected if tlie Bill reaches him. Supporters of the Asiatic Exclusion Bills are making a determined effort to have one of them reported, despite the purpose of the State Department to prevent consideration of any such legislation this session. . Burnett hopes that either his Bill or that of Representative Raker, of California, can bo amended so as to cause the Slate 'Department to withdraw opposition.

AMERICA’S LATEST SOCIETY DANCE.

America, the home of the crazy dance,has just introduced another to the long list of grotesque -dances indulged in by the so-called smart set. The latest is the Indian trot. Washington society has greeted * the newcomer with palpitating feet, and it promises to outdo the maxixe, the hesitation waltz, and others for popularity. The Indian trot war, originated by the Misses Burleson, daughters of the Postmaster-General, and Airs Burleson, and is of Hawaiian character. Dancing students say it really is a modern variation of the Indian dances-of the West. COPIES MRS WILSON’S GOWNS FOR SOCIETY.

Breakers are looming ahead for one fashionable Washington modiste. The wives of- a diplomat, a Supreme Court Justice, and a Senator all were astonished at the last White House reception to find that, their new gowns were the exact replicas except in color of one of Mrs Wilson's gowns. All thought they had*exclusive models. Mrs Wilson’s’was black; the others were white, gold, and midnight bine. Washington society was speculating ns to the fate of the modiste. SOCIOLOGICAL HONEYMOON OPENS. Sixteen months after the ,clo;-:e of their

“sociological honeymoon,” Air and Airs .Stuart Chase, of Boston, have given their idea-s and conclusions gained in a year and a-lialf of married life. They assert that their ideals have not been shattered, and that thev have been able to carry out

the ir theories devolopd during courtship and the eight weeks’ honeymoon. The six conclusions of the Rochester “sociological honeymoon-” were; 1. That the idea that "any worthy person who wants a job can get it” is a ridiculous falsehood. 2. That the income, of the average American family is not enough to provide America with physically efficient and .mentally alert and contented citizens. .

3. 'That the wages and hours of labor of women arc a, disgrace to a civilised State and a menace to future generations.

4. That- life white slave problem is hylic means an imaginary one. 5. That human nature is fundamentally good,and will show itself more consistently good when -it has a decent environment in which to develop. 6. That “while we could not have continued to do more than exist at our Rochester scale of lOdol „n, week, for 25d0l a week we would guarantee to live efficiently and comfortably, thus demolishing the class standard of perhaps 5,000d0l a year to which wc had J>rcn accustomed. We learned to distinguish between reality and frills. Alost well-to-do people are frittering their lives > away trying to take care of and live up to frills.” SEAPLANE ESTABLISHES RECORD. A remarkable aviation feat has just been established in the United States, near San Diego. California.. Aviator Floyd Smith, at the United States army aviation field at North Island, registered a new

world’s record for pilot and three passengers in a seaplane by reaching an altitude of 9,600 ft. He used a new 120 horsepower hydroaeroplane, and in the air 2 hours and 10 minutes. This is the

third world’s record for seaplanes established by Smith at North, Island since January'last. , ;

GOAIAIERCE BECKONS CONVICT SHIP,

The famous’ old British convict shin Success, built, 126 years ago, and used to

carry prisoners from Great Britain to Australia, has for the last year or more been visiting ports on the Pacific seaboard for exhibition purposes, and the celebrated old vessel has been visited by hundreds of thousands, of Westerners. The boat is now at Puget Sound, and Captain H. D. Smith, commander and owner, claims that Portland interests have offered him 105s a ton for the charter of the vessel to carry a cargo of wheat from Columbia River to Australia. So far Captain Smith has 'not acce'pted the commercial offer, as he realises there is more profit in exhibiting the severely-condemned alleged torture-chambers on the ancient vessel, which give a “black eye” not only to England, but Australia as well. Some irate Britishers in San Francisco have recommended a repetition of the sinking of the Success in the harbor of Sydney in order .to effectually choke off the tendency of sensationalism in the rush for the almighty dollar on tho part of Captain Smith and his associates.

BILLY SUNDAY CONVERTING AT

TWO DOLLARS A HEAD!

If there is anything the average Yankee delights in more than surpasses imagine- ' tion it is the unconscious act of being I humbugged. In this respect the Rev. Billy- Sunday, the baseball parson revivalist, has scored mote successes than can be counted. One of the American ne\v;sapers in noting a recent revival campaign Billy Sunday-offered'the following comment in bold-faced type: —Sunday the Cynic.— Billy Sunday received a . little less than two dollars a head for converting 16,000 inhabitants of Trenton, New Jersey.' At this rate the entire population of the United States could bo subjected to Mr Sunday’s treatment- for about 200,000,000 dollars. Tor such a large job Mr Sunday might be willing to make a discount—say, 25 per cent., with an additional 10 per cent, off for eash. This \fould make the cost 135,000,000 dollars. If Mr Sunday's operations put an end to industrial' strife we might clear .ten times this much in . a year by going into the foreign markets and taking. the control of the world’s trade away from‘Europe; or "save the • same amount over aiM.over again in the added, hours .which' ' sawdust-trailed-working xpen. would , iusistlon putting in at their employments, and the trifling wages which-would be all that theywould consent to take. If Billy Sunday were as good a financier as some people think he is, lie could’organise a revival trust, capitalise it at .a- billion dollars at least, and pay 8 per cent, per annum from the start, In-carrying Billy Sunday ip this way out to the end "of the dollar and cents 1 column there mav seem to be a trace of cynicism. But the real cynic is Sunday himself, going out- from city .after city, whose, poverty, reeks to I heaven, whoso injustice poisons their j beauty, with huge cheques tucked away j in his pocket. He would do belter to j go oh toot in the rain, if he could go 1 untainted with monev-treasmed success.