Notes

New Zealand Tablet, 1 July 1915, Page 34

Notes

Lusitania Sailors: A Priest’s Tribute ' Speaking at a mission in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Waterbury, Conn., just after the news of the sinking of the Lusitania reached America, the Rev. Patrick J. Casey, S.J., made the following interesting statement regarding the stokers of that illfated vessel;—‘l heard confessions from those poor stokers on the Lusitania whenever the boat arrived from one of its voyages to New York and a better class of Catholic men I have never met. Those poor fellows working down at the bottom of the liner, and it's mighty hard work, too, told me they never have the time to displease God nor do they fall off the water waggon, because there is no liquor in their quarters even if they were tempted. They came to confession to me every time before sailing and often declared that inwardly they were happy because they were working towards a great end, preparing to meet their God.’ The German Way A striking illustration of the thoroughness of German organisation and of the care with which the authorities watch over the smallest details in which a saving can be effected in the resources of the nation is furnished in a series of orders which has just been issued bv the Berlin municipality to its employees regarding the necessity of economy in writing materials. Beginning with writing paper, the order says: ‘The instruction already given that in petty cash notes and suchlike communications which can be put on a single page only half-sheets of paper are to be used is still often disregarded. The cases, however, in which a half, or even a quarter sheet of paper will suffice can be considerably increased, for example, notices of meetings. Of course, for taking notes, making calculations, and so on, only scraps of paper are to be used.' * Next come pencils, regarding which the order reads: —‘In future, however, pencil holders are to be given out for holding short stumps, in which way the life of pencils can be considerably prolonged.’ Regarding envelopes, the order says: —‘Envelopes, if carefully opened, can be used again and again. In suitable cases also they can be turned inside out and the paper used again. Sealing wax is only to be used on communications for outside addresses.’ Care is also enjoined with respect to ink, which is to be properly protected against dust and evaporation. Inkpots are always to be covered over after use, even if only with a sheet of thick paper. Special attention is given to steel pens, which the municipality declares should be made to last at least a week. This is one direction, at least, in which German methods are worthy of admiration—and imitation.

For the Belgian Home-Going A particularly happy and charming suggestion, with an essentially feminine touch, has found expression in the London Spectator from the pen of a lady contributor, Mrs. Wedgwood. This lady suggests, in brief, that as far as possible Belgian refugees should be set to making things of use when their home-going comes along ! ‘lf we are not merely to rebuild houses, but also to rebuild a nation, I would urge that, in addition to any communal scheme, w r e should supply each refugee family of the industrial and laboring classes with material to make for themselves in accordance with their own ideas, not ours —a little store of household properties, against the day of return with such things, for instance, as linen for sheets, tablecloths, towels, etc., and tick for the flock-stuffed mattress covers. Let even the children dress their dolls for the home-coming. In working for the future, belief in it will revive. Further, each family should be provided with a private box and key for storing what they make. These should be kept in a convenient place in each locality, and their

owners, and they alone, should have regular access to them. The sole duty of the superintendent would be to see that the articles stored in each case balanced the quantity of material supplied, and that they were duly registered. These boxes would be handed over to their owners on the day they return to Belgium, and, if funds suffice, to the contents of each might then be added the primary tools of the breadwinner’s trade, and a few simple utensils, such as saucepan, coffee pot, etc. These “dower-chests” would mean more to the possessor than any grant of supplies from the State, and would remain a personal relic of English friendship when the Great War shall have become a talc of history.’ It is perhaps a little early in the day to be getting ready for the happy return that we all hope is coming ; but it cannot be doubted that the thought that they are preparing for the little home that is to be would be calculated to put heart into many a homeless Belgian to-day.

Mr. H. Belloc on Ammunition Like all other careful and competent observers of the war situation, Mr. Hilaire Belloc, both in lectures and in articles, has long been insisting on the necessity of ammunition without end. When shall we solve the problem of the trenches in the western theatre? Mr. Belloc answers that the problem will be solved when, and only when, we have sufficient ammunition for our heavy guns. In a recent lecture he gave some interesting particulars regarding the manufacture of these much-desired shells. ' How are we going to give the guns enough shells? Remember that it takes more hours to finish the shell of a big gun than it takes seconds to fire it. In I lie north 1 came across a manufacturer of Sin. shells. He had hundreds of men working for him. Yet the whole of their output would have been fired away by the French batteries at Perthes on a front of twelve miles in less than a morning. Round the shell of a sin. gun is a copper band weighing about 1 jib. The amount of copper shot away in shells between Souain and Beausejour by the heavy artillery came to 460 tons. Let me put it another way. If all our industrial effort were turned to nothing but the production of shells there would then not be enough to feed the heavy artillery properly. There are only two things required to make the provision of ammunition sufficient. The first is that the politician shall understand it is essential that we shall have shells for our heavy artillery in adequate quantity ; the second is that all interests concerned in the manufacture of shells must be made to appreciate that shells must be turned out as quickly as possible, for everything depends upon it. The delay all comes from people preferring their personal interests to the immediate and crying need of the army in France. Far more than recruits at this moment; far more than the call for such and such drastic measures against the enemy by reprisals, at last more than anything else that counts, is ammunition for the heavy guns.’