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Show MTIQNAL OPITAL AITAIDS Nation-Wide Campaign on Illiteracy WASHINGTON. That the blot of 6,000,000 Illiterate adults may be wiped from the records of the United States, four national organizations held here recently a four-day conference confer-ence to outline a nation-wide campaign cam-paign against illiteracy. . The National Conference on Illiteracy Illiter-acy brought together leaders of the National Education association, the United States Bureau of Education, the General Federation of Women's Clubs and the American Legion, each of these organizations having worked actively In the cause of education by means of Its own representative committees. com-mittees. The opening meeting was presided over by Dr. Hubert Work, secretary of the Interior. The address of welcome was given by Dr. John J. Tigert, United States commissioner of education. A strong address was delivered by Mrs. Cora Wilson Stewart, chairman of Illiteracy for the National Education Educa-tion association and for Die General Federation of Women's Clubs. Mrs. Stewart, the founder of the "moonlight "moon-light schools" In the Southern mountains, moun-tains, pointed out that the fight agulnst Illiteracy Is no new thing, but that only concentration of effort on the part of these four organizations could bring the desired results. Combined Com-bined effort, she said, will reach every state, avoid duplication, and bring the desired goal many years nearer. She said, among other things: "Illiteracy Is encamped all about us, In every city and every state. If we look for a shining example of literacy lit-eracy where shall we find it? In the nation's capital? Not according to the tale told the census-takers by 10.506 Washlngtonians, who declared that they could neither read nor write. "Can we find It In Boston, the center cen-ter of culture and 'Hub of the Universe?' Uni-verse?' No, for 24,524 Illiterates are gathered there. "Philadelphia, the Quaker city, old enough and proud enough to be free from Illiteracy, harbors 58,631, mors than all the Illiterates In the large and populous state of Indiana. "New York city tins more Illiterates than Mississippi or Alabama, and the state of New York has one-tenth of the Illiterates In this country. "We must not stop at educat'ng the Illiterates, but may this conference and the sentiments and efforts growing grow-ing out of It so popularize education for young and old as to make going to school the rule for all in, other words to make going to school the fashion." How Uncle Sam Assists Automobilists BELIEVING that the research work of the automotive section of the United States bureau of standards Is of greater value to the automobile owners of the country coun-try In proportion to the amount of federal money expended than any other activity of the government In behalf of motorists, the American Automobile Au-tomobile association urged congress to Increase the appropriations for 1924 from $15,000 allotted In the budget bud-get to $30,000, the minimum amount estimated as required to carry on the work on a scale equal to that of the last year. The automotive section In the study made for the motor transport corps on the behavior of brake-lining materials alone made possible the saving of $10,000,000 annually for the motorists of the nation. The annual brake-lining bill was $20,000,000. Through experimental ex-perimental work carried on the life of brake linings was doubled without extra cost to the consumer. Muny of the savings for motorists have been the result of tests conducted conduct-ed for the army, navy, motor transport trans-port corps, Post Offlce department. 'and general supply committee on problems involving aircraft and automobile auto-mobile power plants, fuels, lubricants, and accessories. The total expenditure expendi-ture of the association was approximately approxi-mately $125,000 annually. Unfortunately Unfortu-nately a large part of the work for the government departments has been completed, so that the support for the laboratories from other governmental sources Is reduced and the public will be deprived largely of these by-products. There Is also an urgent demand for the extension of Investigations directly di-rectly beneficial to the public. This demand can be met only In a very limited lim-ited way, It Is pointed out, unless the appropriation is materially Increased. A project recently undertaken and for which only limited support Is as yet available, Is the development of methods for testing the braking ability abil-ity of automobiles. This is a question now actively before the various state and municipal agencies for the control con-trol of traffic and has come to be recognized rec-ognized as the most vital element In the securing of safety In highway transportation. The value of this work to the country Is represented not in dollars but in lives. 1924 Citizens' Military Training Camps WAR department plans for 1024 disclose that 40,000 students stu-dents between the ages of seventeen and twenty-four will be enrolled throughout the country coun-try for Instruction at the citizens' military training camps, which open In ail army corps areas August 1. These camps offer a 30-day course In outdoor training to volunteer candidates can-didates who can measure up to the moral and physical standards set by the department. All expense Is borne by the government. Instruction Is divided Into four groups, designated as the basic, red, white and blue courses. In the basic course only the elementary drills are taught; athletics and citizenship studies receive the principal attention. Hut students In the advanced classes may specialize In Infantry, cavalry, engineers or other branches of the service. As a result of experiments at the 1923 camps, Important changes to go Into effect this year appear In the Wur department announcement. Advanced Ad-vanced students who have attended previous C. M. T. camps will go Into the ranks with the regulars, drilling, hiking and shooting alongside seasoned sea-soned veterans. These youths, however, how-ever, will occupy quarters and take their meals with the main body of C M. T. candidates. The Military Training Camps association asso-ciation has undertaken to launch a na-tlon-wide drive to bring the benefits of a course at the C. M. T. camps to the attention of eligible youths. The purposes of the camps, the War department says. Is to bring together young men of all types, both foreign and native born, to develop closer national na-tional and social unity, to teach the duties and privileges of American cltl-eenshlp, cltl-eenshlp, to show the parents by actual example that camp Instructions of the kind contemplated will be to the liking of their sons and that It will develop them physically, mentally and morally, and will teach Americanism In Us true sense. In accomplishing this purpose It will be the endeavor of the best Instructors In-structors in the army to teach respect for proper authority, to add strength and virility to the manhood of the country, teach observation and prompt decision,, remove misconception misconcep-tion and make for true democracy, promote physical and moral courage, strengthen self-respect, Increase patriotism pa-triotism and regard for the rights of others and make the Individual healthier and more efficient, thus Increasing In-creasing the collective wealth of the country. War Surplus Property to Be Sold Out TUB War department makes the announcement that, beginning at once, every effort will be made to clean up the remaining war surplus property before the close of the fiscal year, which ends June 30. Sales at lioston, Brooklyn, Chicago, San Francisco and San Antonio will bo quartermaster auctions and for the major part consist of textiles, wearing apparel and general merchandise. Sules of an entirely different character char-acter are also to be held. Iurlng the past year the question of disposing of the remulnlng surplus In two or three large block sales to the highest bidders and winding up the War department's liquidation activities ac-tivities at the earliest possible date, has been under Consideration. This Idea bus been dismissed, however, us having too Injurious probabilities In Its effect mi American Industry and trade. Such a scheme was attempted by (ireat Hrltaln last March. War department de-partment oilicluls pointed out, when Hie Urltisli government, anxious to wind up lis disposal campaign, of-red of-red In a single blot-k Its remaining Fundus, ippriilpd at approximately V'O.OiXJ.IMMI. Th British government received no offer which could, In the public Interest, Inter-est, be accepted. The policy of the United States government as regards War department liquidation, has from the outset been "one of sympathy toward to-ward I(s manufactories and business firms," stated a War department official, offi-cial, "and to have thrown excessive stocks on the market at any one time would have Incurred harsh and Just criticism of our government." "If the comment In Hngllsh trade publications Is to be taken seriously," a War department spokesman remarked, re-marked, "that policy wos less considerate consid-erate of homo manufacturing and mercantile mer-cantile Interests than tha American government's policy. Furthermore, It must he remembered that tha British government sold Its surplus to the wide, wide world, whereas the United States government has sold to American Ameri-can markets only, except in cases of stock for which no American market existed." War department officials assert that the success of the War department's liquidation campaign, which tins sold in five years' time materials costing the government nearly $.'!,immi ruHi.tW), Is due to newspaper and hii-im. s p. per advertising. |