The Alamance gleaner 1
? ' GRAHAM, N, C., THURSDAY SEPTEMBER 22, 1927. N0 34
1 ? ?? -?
DOINGS OF THE WF.F.K ^
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENTEVENTS
Round-the-World Aviators
Abandon Flight Over
Pacific Ocean.
By EDWARD W. PICKARD
HAVING "bucked a monsoon over
India and a typhoon over Japan,"
as Schlee and Brock, the Detroit world
circling aviators, said, they arrived at
a flying field near Tokyo and then
yielded to the appeals of relatives and
friends and abandoned their projected
flight across the Pacific via the Mid
way islands. They announced they
would take an early boat for the
United States and would have their
monoplane shipped home. This de
cision was reached after a conference
with aviation experts In Tokyo and
was influenced by many cablegrams
from America urging the flyers not to
attempt the Pacific* flight. Schlee's
children sent # message begging their
father to think of them before making
the perilous attempt. Another factor
was the lack of gasoline and oil on the
Midway Islands. The aviators had ex
pected supplies to be sent there by the
American Navy department hut Ad
miral MnfTett in Washington denied he
had promised this, saying he had no
authority to use navy vessels in trans
porting private supplies.
Though they fail In establishing a
new record for speed in circling the
globe. Schlee and Brock made one of
the most successful of long distance
flights. Starting from Harbor Grace.
N. F? on August 27, the Pride of De
troit had flown 12,275 miles when it
landed near Tokyo on September 14.
The aviators were delayed in Constan
tinople by governmental red tape, but
had ao other serious trouble until they
undertook the hop from Shanghai to
Tokyo. They ran right into the ty
phoon that was sweeping over that re
gion and were forced down near
Omura. whence they made another hop
to the naval flying field at Knsuml
gaara. The Japanese intelligence po
lice annoyed them exceedingly hut
everyone else thefe was helpful and
considerate.
Six hundred miles oft the Newfound
land coast the steamer Kyle picked
h? part of the wreckage of the plane
old Glory In which Bertaud, Hill and
I'ayne undertook to cross the Atlantic.
The condition of the wreckage gave
little hope that the crew was still
alive, but the search for the three men
was continued.
Tarts of other planes were reported
sighted oft the Corwall coast and
about 300 miles west of Halifax, N. S.
It was thought these might he from
the St. Raphael and Nungesser's plane.
Miss Ruth Elder and George LI aide
man, who planned to fly from New
York to Paris, despite the recent dis
asters, arrived at Roosevelt field with
their plane and said they would start
as soon as the weather was pro
pitious.
CM FT BEN balloons started from De
" troit In the ahnual race for the
Gordon Bennett trophy, and the De
troit. polited by R. G. Hill, was de
clared the winner. It came down at
Haxley, Ga., having traveled 725 miles.
Ihis was little more than half the dis
tance record for the event, set by
ihenairae of France In 1920. W. T.
*an Orman with the Goodyear VI took
second place. All the balloons landed
safely.
Qilt AUSTEN CHAMBERLAIN.
British foreign secretary, told the
league of Nations assembly flatly that
Great Britain would sign no more
security guarantee protocols because
England could no longer speak for the
(1?minioiis except as they authorize In
specific cases. He thus revealed the
e*tent to wliich the component parts
*f the British empire have assumed
^epondence. He admitted that the
??inions are empowered if they like
0 make separate accords in the in
Urest of preserving peace with other
Powers, and can accept the arbitration
"/ The Hague court if they choose.
^ Sir Austen:
There is no government of the
British empire and we can only speak
through the voices of six or seven gov
ernments. I occupy a league council
seat as delegate of the British empire,
but do you think as a representative
of his majesty I can speak without
consulting the members of the group
forming the empire? I can only speak
when I have their assent to speak for
them.
MWe can separate the United King
dom from the empire for negotiating
a commercial treaty, but suppose we
signed a compulsory arbitration treaty
and the dominions did not?where is
the unity of the empire?it does not
exist."
Dr. Kusebio Morales, Panama dele
gate at Geneva, ereajed a stir when lie
suggested that the dispute between
his country and the United States over
American sovereignty in the Canal
zone might form a subject for arbitra
tion before an impartial court of jus
tice. Secretary of State Kellogg
promptly announced that there is no
question about the Canal zone sov
ereignty and that, anyway, the League
of Nations has nothing to do with the
matter. At the State department it
was said that there are no serious dis- |
putes between this government and
Panama and that any differences of I
opinion will be easily adjusted.
President Chiari of Panama then is- j
sued a statement in which he said:
"Doctor Morales not only did not carry j
instructions to take up the question
in the league assembly, but my gov
ernment absolutely disapproves of the
reported procedure of the Panama del
egate at Geneva regurding sovereignty
over the Canal zone."
Canada, Cuba and Finland were
elected to nonpermanent seats in the
league council.
rjMtANCE recently put into effect a
* new tariff that hit American ex
porters hard, and the Washington gov
ernment made representations to
I'aris. In reply the French foreign
ollice set forth the French conception
of reciprocity us the condition for en
tering upon fruitful negotiation of a
tariff treaty.
Nothing less than the present high
rates in force are offered until the
American reply to this note shall he
received. When the United States re
plies that the American government is
ready to begin such discussions, then
the French government will substitute
for the prgsent scale a modified
schedule, giving American goods con
siderably lower rates, hut not up to
the limit of those granted to countries
with which France has commercial
treaties, notably Germany.
WHETHER or not to call special
iongresslonal sesslonswasu prob
lem on which President Coolidge spent
considerable time immediately after
his return to Washington. Some per
sons have been urging that the senate
be called together to deal with the
Vare and Smith cases, and the Demo
crats want a special session of both
houses to take up general legislation.
Senator CffPtis and Representative
Tilson. Republican leaders of the re
spective houses, were consulted by
Mr. Coolidge and both advised him
that nothing would be accomplished
by calling the senators and repre
sentatives back to Washington in ad
vance of the regular session in Decem
ber. It was believed the President
would accept this advice.
WI.. MELLON, chairman of the
? Republican state committee of
Pennsylvania, is said to have carried
to party leaders in Pittsburgh the
word that his uncle, the secretary of
the treasury, had selected Charles E.
Hughes as his favorite cundldate for
the Republican Presidential nomina
tion. It was at once whispered about
that the Pennsylvania delegation of
79 would be instructed for Hughes and
that Secretary Mellon would be able to
dictate the nomination by tlie conven
tion. It was assumed that New York's
91 votes would be for Hughes, and
Mellon was said to count on New Eng
land as a certainty for his candidate.
That, with what he might garner from
other states, would give Hughes a run
ning start in the balloting Washing
ton was immensuly interested in the
Pittsburgh story. Secretary Mellon,
however, seemed rather displeased by
it and told interviewers that it was too
early to make a decision on the mat
ter of candidates. Mr. Hughes has re
frained from comment on his possible
candidacy.
Al "Smith in his campaign for the
Democratic nomination is about to in
vade the West, or at least his sup
porters are. With the knowledge and
consent of the Eastern Smith men, a
conference of leading Democrats from
12 Western states was called for Sep
tember 23 and 24 in Ogden, Utah, ant
it was understood the availability of
Smitti as a Presidential nominee would
be discussed. The letter of invitation
said the subjects to be considered
would be : 1?The present two-thirds
rule prevailing in the Democratic na
tional committee. 2?Who is the most
available Presidential candidate? 3?
The need of a united intermountain
Democracy. 4?-More recognition of
Western industries in our tariff leg
islation.
JAPAN a ml Mexico were visited by
cataclysms, the former last week
und the latter on September 7. The
Japanese Island of Kiushiu was swept
by a typhoon, flood and tidal wave
that killed and injured many hundreds
and caused property losses of perhaps
$10,000,000. The tall of the storm
hit Tokyo, and thousands of homes
were flooded. Delayed and still mea
ger reports from Mexico said the west
coust of that country for some 2,400
miles was devastated by terrific tidal
waves following a hurricanes- Walls
of water rolled into seaport towns and
laid them waste, and all along the
coast the people who survived were
driven far Inland. The number of
those drowned. It was feared, would ?
be very large, (iuayinas. Munzanlllo '
and especially Hallna Cruz suffered
great property losses.
ISADORA DUNCAN'S bizarre life
came to a bizarre end last week in
Nice. The famous American dancer
was being given a demonstration ride
In a car she Intended to buy and a
long red scarf, which she had worn
since she became a communist, be
came entangled In the wheel. Her
neck was broken, death being Instan
taneous.
WITH Governor Jackson Indicted
and Mayor Duvail of Indian
apolis on trial for political corruption,
Indiana Is getting the long expected
expose which may result in a great
house cleaning?and may not. The In
dianapolis Times recently expressed
editorially the opinion that Senators
Watson and Itoblnson should resign
because of their alleged relations with
politicians whose honesty Is attacked.
Senator Robinson demanded a retrac
tion and Kditor Gurley retorted with
new and more specific charges. These
the senator denied, und threatened a
libel suit.
ON TIIE fourth anniversary of the
li*"ption of the military director
ate of Spain under Gen. Primo de
Rivera, a new development In that
country's government began. The di
rectory was modified Info a semi-mill
tarv ministry, but operated without a
parliament. TJie place of parliament
now Is to be filled by the long-prom
ised national assembly, convocation
of which was decreed by King Alfonso
at the request of Prlmo de Rivera. |
The assembly Is expected to meet on
October 14 for the primary purpose
of advising the government on the
draft of a new constitution and other
matters of state, including the budget
The people will have no direct voice
In the selection of the assembly mem
bers. all of whom are to be nppointed i
by the government Primo de Rl-1
vera has prondsed, however, to give
all shades of public opinion a con
sulting voice, excluding only politicians
of the old schoffl. whom he ousted
from their posts.
American legion members by
the thousands were on the At
lantic last week on their way to Paris
for the annual meeting which opened
September ID. And the Paris authori
ties spent the week "cleaning up" the
naughty resorts so the Yanks shonld
come to no harm. The landing of the
legionnaires at Cherbourg was marked
by elnUirate ceremonies, and plans,
were made for a magnificent parade In
Paris on the opening day. despite the
fact that one or two radical organiza
tions of French service men refused to '
participate.
i
?mcn in Government
Service Poorly Paid
number anil status 6f women
^ ??vemnient service receiving $1,800
..*ear and over was thoroughly inves
"?"ed by the United States Depart
''' of Labor last year.
.V" teport includes the service rec
? of women employed In the Dis
? ?f Columbia and receivlna sal
[ y* of *1,860 and over per annum
,r Prior to April. 1925. as well as
L ' "oords of all men employed In
? !d positions of a similar nature.
I The executive establishments em
ployed 15.777 women and 15.900 men
in 1025. A little more than one-third
of all employees In the establishments
reviewed in their entirety received sal
aries of JI.S50 and every 21 |>er cent
receiving such salaries were women
and 79 per cent were men. Of the
2,198 women receiving such salaries
in these government establishments,
almost two-thirds were In clerical,
typing and stenographic position*. 8
per cent were engaged in accounting
, an1! auditing and (he remaining oce
fourtli were scheduled In admlnlstra-,
live, professional. scientific nod special
positions, In on one branch of which
was there so large a proportion as 5
per rent Of (he women Included,
only 38 received $3,000 or more, and
only 10 had a salary as high as $3,200.
In all the positions paying $1,800 or
more In which women and men were
employed. 48 per cent of the woman
employees received Just $1,800 a year,
as compared with approximately IS
per cent of the men in like poaltioaa.
BOOST FOR
DR. JIMMIE'S
HOSPITAL
(? by D. J. Walsh.)
Mrs. wainwright hosier
was having one of ber spells,
a fact telepathlcally A>m
munlcated to all of her
neighbors by the general air of
gloom about the bouse and by the
fact that her next-door neighbor, Mrs.
Tom Parker, way hurrying her six
children out to play in order that she
might wait upou the Invalid. Every
one said It was a shame the way a
wealthy woman like Mrs. Hosier Im
posed upon a poor creature like Hrs.
Parker.
"This time It's serious, Carrie"
moaned Hrs. Hosier on this special
occasion from the depths of her lav
ender plush davenport. "Everything
always comes to a climax with me.
I've said It time and time again. Poor
dear Wain understood and he warned
me?* Hrs. Hosier sniffed audibly
Into a violet-scented handkerchief.
"Anything but a tumor, Carrie, any
thing but a tumor I It's what I've
been dreading all these years and you
know what one dreads is bound to
come, Carrie."
"Don't you worry now, Hiss' Ho
sier."
"I wouldn't be half so frightened,
Carrie, if I w.ere In the city where I
would get the proper medical care.
If I should have to call a doctor In
this little suburban town I know I'd
Just naturally pass away."
Her tragic tones had diminished to
a whisper at the terrible thought. "If
Wain were' only here," rose In cres
nnn Hrt
"Everybody Bays the new doctor,
Jlmmle Taylor, Is a tine young (el
low, Miss' Mosler."
"Any doctor who would let people
call him Jlminle can't be of much
account Whoever heard of such a
thing I I'm feeling worse, Carrie."
"Do let me make you a nice cup
of te?"
"Tea'U only make It worse. Put
your hand there on my stomach and
see If you don't feel a terrible hlg
lump."
Mrs. Parker felt obediently, placing
a large wrinkled hand tenderly on
the spot Indicated. Suddenly over
her thin, placid face there passed a
look of alarm.
"You feel It, Carrie?" Mrs. Moslems
chin quivered and she ran her hands
wildly through her carefully mar
celled hair.
"I do, Miss' Mosler."
"Call that Jlmmle doctor quick. I
knew It would come, and here, of all
places! To think I should have to
be operated upon here by a know
nothing doctor! Oh, I don't dare to
think!" frantically holding her side
and her temples alternately. And
then for the first time In her life,
Mrs. Mosler fainted.
Dr. Jlmmle Taylor arrived prompt
ly In his bullt-over car In response
to Mrs. Parker's tremulous call. With
the assistance of Mrs. Parker, he got
Mrs. Mosler safely Into the car with
him. When Mrs. Mosler whimpered
that she would die If Mrs. Parker did
not come, too, that kindly soul scram
bled Into the back seat After a few
wheexy coughs they were merrily on
their way to the "hospital?merrily so
far as the doctor was concerned.
"Fix you up In no time!" said he,
grinning.
Mrs. Hosier resented the grin, hut
since (he must lean on some one, she
felt a certain sense of security In a
doctor's presence.
It wns a well-known fact that Dr.
Taylor's hospital was not run on a
paying basis. The suburbanites pre
ferred the city hospitals and special
ists. Still Dr. Taylor was canny and
full of hope. He knew that If he
cotild persaude one of the social lead
ers In the little town to come an a
patient to the hospital, the precedent
wonld be all that would be necessary.
Bat thus far bis moat enthusiastic
rases had been charity cases. Today,
as he sped toward the hospital with
his wealthy charge, his heart was
light. He would at least hare a
chance to prove his theory and his
worth.
"Don't leave me for a minute, Car
rie," Mrs. Mosler pleaded as they as
sisted her out of the car.
"But the children?" began Mrs.
| Parker.
"Don't you worry about them, my
dear. Ton need a rest from your
household as much as I need yon
near me. If I hnve to stay In the
hospital, you're going to stay right
here with me. Mrs. Sims would be
only too glad ,to earn a little extra
money taking care of them. I'll pay
all the expenses and you'll get a well
deserved rest"
"I agree with Mrs. Mosler," the doc
tor Interposed heartily. "lou'll do
good all around If yon do as Mrs.
Mosler says."
"Thank yon, doctor," Mrs. Mosler
- said In a different tone from that she
had used with him before, and for
the first time she looked straight
into his fine, sensitive eyes.
Mrs. Motler went through her ex
amination In a state of nervous ex
citement All of her weak spots were
relentlessly ferreted out and marked
down Imposingly on a chart. The
doctor inude no reply to her many
questions. The cool, white-clad nurse
was as enigmatic as a sphinx. How
ever, after what seemed hours of
torture and proddlngs to Mrs. Mosler,
Dr. Jlmnile Taylor helped her to a
sitting posture, looked her straight In
the eyes and told her that the sooner
she submitted to'an operation the
better. There was something about
this serious, young doctor that robbed
her of all command. Wain would
have liked him, she thbught, us she
meekly intrusted her hope for an
earthly future Into his slim, young
hands.
Close upon the heels of the deci
sion, the family counselor pufTed up
the steps to attend to the good lady's
last will and testament, and no less
a personage than the archbishop him
self, who happened to be visiting In
the suburb at the time, administered
the last sacrament.
"She Is completely anaesthetised,
doctor," the nurse at Mrs. Mosier's
bead announced crisply as she held
the limp hand and counted the slow
pulse beat
"Lift the mask," the doctor com
manded In a sharp tone as lie passed
his hand for the second time tlndig
nantly over Mrs. Mosier's torso.
"Doctor!" the young nurse ques
tioned In spite of her training, "are
you quite all right?"
"Yes," he answered tersely to the
two nurses and the hospital assistant
who drew nearer. Then, pointing to
the psostrate Mrs. Mosler, he added.
"And so Is she. See," he continued,
his voice rising In spite of his efforts
to control It, "this woman here was
suffering from a nerve congestion In
her abdomen and ail she needed was
the complete relaxation afforded by
the ether to relieve It. Don't smile,"
he Interposed sadly upon seeing their
unsuppressed grins, "It Is no smiling
matter for this hospital. If It wasn't
against my principles, I'd go ahead
and operate anyway," and he
chucked his Instrtmients Into their
cases. "Take her hack to her room
and don't say a word of this to any
one, yet." He then flung himself out
of the room, almost falling over the
trembling and speechless Mrs. Parker
who had been waiting prayerfully Iq
the hallway.
"It's all right," lie flung back at
her as she half ran down the corridor
and disappeared through one of the
many white doorways.
When Mrs. Mosler came from un
der the Influence of the ether she was
hardly prepared for the amazing rev
elation that Dr. Taylor made to her.
The wonderstruek Carrie was scarce
ly less Impressed as she sat down
on the clean white hospital cot sur
rounded by bouquets of gorgeous
flowers. Mrs. Mosler listened dumbly
while Carrie confirmed the news. Fi
nally the patient grasped the situa
tion by the forelock.
"Does any one know of I his, doe
tor?"
"No one except those present In the
operating room and they have
promised silence until they krfow
your wishes," hf replied deferentially,
a gleam of hope breaking through his
well-concenle<f despair.
Mrs. Walowrlght Mosler was silent
a moment, studying Carrie with al
most maternal compassion: then her
gaze wandered over the flowers, and
lastly to the notes of consolation and
cheer on the table beside the bed.
"I've never broken iny word yet,
doctor," she snhj Impressively, the
bint of a twinkle In her eyes. "And
I'm too thankful In my good fortune
to start In doing It now. There Is no
woman In this town who needs a rest
as bad as Carrie, there." she raised
her plump hand to silence a coming
protest from Mrs. Parker. "Besides.
I wouldn't want this Joke on me to
get out. so Carrie and I will stay here
a couple of weeks and enjoy our
selves. If you don't mind. Nobody
need ever know the difference. It
will do your hospital good Just to
have people took ct a patient like me.
What do you say?"
"Amen." breathed Dr. Jlmmfe Tay
lor, and caught her outstretched hand
warmly between bis own.
King or Slave?
At each moment of a man's life he
I* either a king or a slave. As he sur
renders to a wronit appetite, to any
human weakness; as he falls prostrate
In hopeless subjection to any condi
tion. to any environment, to any fail
are. he Is a slave. As he day by day
crushes out human weakness, masters
opposing elements within him. and
day by day recreates a new self from
the sin and the folly of his post?then
he Is king. He Is a king ruling with
wisdom over himself. Alexander con
quered the whole world except?Alex
ander. Emperor of the earth, he was
the servile slave of his own passions.
?Exchange.
7ft e PONTINE
MARSHES:
View of th? Applan Way. """
(Prepared by the National Geographta
Society. Washington. D. C.)
THE Pontine marshes, close to
Koine yet little known, form one
of tlie strangest corners of Italy.
It Is paradoxical that this region
la not better known, for one of the
world's most famous roads, the Applan
tVay, leads straight to It.
The Via Appln. built by Applua
Claudius about 300 years B. C., starts
from Porta San Sebastlnno, the south
ern gate of Home, and leads toward
Naples, for the flrst CO miles It runs
as straight as a taut string, until It
reaches the town of Terraclna, where
It passes under the cliff of Moute
Saint Angelo that overhangs the sea.
The Romans had to chisel off part
of the rock to make space for the
roadbed. After passing this point It
makes a flrst bend and then goes to
Nnples.
When you leave the Eternal City on
this classic road you puss at first along
a wonderful array of old Itoman
sepulchral monuments; then you climb
up the Alhan hills, extinct volcanoes
of prehistoric times, and from there
you gradually descend U|K>n a great
plain, some 30 miles from Itotne.
known to history as the Pontine
marshes.
On the left, as you travel toward
Terraclna. are the olive-covercd Re
pine mountains, of gray limestone,
that at sunset tfre veiled hy that beau
tiful purple haze one sees so often
reproduced on the background of the
i early Renaissance paintings. To the
right Is the Tyrrhenian sea. along the
border of which runs a large sand
dune covered hy a wonderful oak for
I est some 30 miles In length. Between
the dune and the sea Is a series of
I lagoons.
At the extreme end a solitary moun
tain rises, to all appearances from
the sen. It Is Mount Clrceo. the cor
nerstone of the Pontine marshes. This
I mount was an Island In bygone ages.
| as geologists have proved, and Homer,
eight centuries before Christ, s|a>nks
I of It In the "Odyssey" as an Island.
1 though probably It was not so any
| longer.
Water of the Marshes Confined.
The large quadrangle formed by the
foothills of the Alhan volcanoes, by
the Repine mountains, hy the wooded
sand dunes of the const, and hy Mount
Clrceo. measuring some RVMSJO acres
of extraordinary fertile land. Is known
to history as the Pontine marshes.
1 The water, hemmed In on all sides.
I cannot flow out.
In winter the mountain streams
pour their foaming, muddy torrents
| upon this lowland, flooding thousands
j of acres; the rich mud slowly settles.
: coating the fields With a Kilt which Is
j the finest of fertilizers; then the wa
ters gradually flow out through nar
row channels until. In summer, only
the lowest portion o," the land, that
which lies practically at sen-level, re )
mains in a swampy condition.
A dense, luxuriant growth of water
plants springs up with the approach
of the warmer season; the stagnant,
lukewarm waters teem with life of
every description, and toward the
month of July the treacherous 'Ano
pheles mosquito drops Its fllmy larval
veil, rises out of the marshes, and.
flying around In search of a living for
itself, sows death upon humanity.
Many centuries ago most of the In
habitants fled to the mountains, built
tbelr towns on some steep hills, and
from these vantage points made
dashes Info the plain to work the
fields and tend the cattle. Such a
place was ancient Oart. founded by
the Trojan Dardanoa, with Its city
I, M<|,
walla constructed of huge polygonal
blocks and with Its beautifully pre
served temple of Hercules.
Aneisnt Towns of the Hills.
A little farther on rose Norma, on
the very edge of s vertical dlff OIW
feet high, as ancient as the city of
itnnie. If not more so. In olden times
It was called Norba, and the cyclopean
walls, formed out of huge, curefnlly
trimmed boulders, are still a marvel
To those who visit this not easily ac
cesslhle place.
At the foot of Norma is the aban
doned medieval town of Ninfa. the
l'omi>ell of the Middle ages, as Greg
orovlus called It, covered with Ivy
and brambles. This Is one of the most
poetic spots of the world.
A little farther along the range Is
Sermoneta, with the Thirteenth cen
tury castle of the Caetanl towering
on o high mountain spur and dominat
ing the vast plain of the Pontine
nmrshes. Then follow Seize, Piper
no, and other towns.
These are the Inhabited places to
day; but in olden times the whole land
was densely populated and highly pro
ductive. Twenty-three towns are sup
posed lo have existed where now one
sees not the trace of a single build
ing. The most famous of these cities
which have disappeared was Poinetla,
conquered and sacked by the ttoman
king. Tarqulnius the Superb. In the
Sixth century before Christ.
The lagoons of the marshes have
formed between the great prehistoric
dune covered with oak forest and the
more recent one thrown up by the
sea. There Is no natural communica
tion between the lagoons and the sea.
When these lakes swell, during the
rainy season, the fishermen cut a small
ditch across the dune, and the waters,
rushing out to the sea. In a few hours
widen to a broad river. The fish taste
this lukewarm, brackish water and ?
swltn by the thousands and millions
into the lagoon, where they are
caught.
How the Marshes Were Created.
At the time of the Roman republic.
In the Fourth and Klftb centuries R.
C.. the Pontine region seems to have
been free of waters, healthful and
densely populated. Then, a little be
fore 300 B. C.. near the time the Ap
ptan road was built, something hap
l>ened thai has not been fully under
stood.
The natural outlet of the waters la
the depression between the city of
Terrneina and Mount Clrceo waa ob
structed. probnbly through some seis
mic movement; a raising of the ground
a few feet was quite sufficient to stop
the outflow of the waters; and the
sea Increased the obstruction by piling
up sand dunes.
In this way the great plain of P?
metia became hemmed Id on all sides
by higher lands and converted Into a
large hasln. Into which the wrafers
naturally converged from everywhere,
hut from which they could not flow
except through the narrow channels
dug near Terraclna to connect the
marshes with the sea.
New Italy Intends now to tnckle
the problem of draining the mnrshes
that has baffled each succeeding gen
eration for more than two thousand
years. The government Is approach
ing It with all the means and techni
cal knowledge of modern times and
will accomplish the work.
The ancient canal of Rio Martlno
will be opened agnin. the mountain
streams will be placed under control
by building a reservoir at the fool at
the mountains, and large pumping sta
tions are to be erected for draining
the swampv land that la practically