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WATCHING THE PLAY A PAGE OF EDITORIAL COMMENT FOR WHICH RESPONSIBILITY IS ASSUMED "All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players." -Jacques in "As You Like It." Christmas Presents for the Boys EARLY THIS MORNING-before the South was pink, (the sun doesn't rise in the East anymore, it comes up out of the South about where Miami, Florida ought to be), Midland Review watching the light come, suddenly caught a short wave radio conversation from the land of Santa Claus. It carried Santa Claus' instructions to his helpers. Above the noise of the wind and the antics of the eager reindeers and the jangling of the sleigh bells his kindly old voice came quite distinctly: "Be good to Billings," he said, "fill all the stockings with candy and presents." "To Mayor Tilton, give lower taxes, keen good-judgment-results to match his earnest desires. "To the Commercial Club, be sure and leave a full budget and a check from Gas-co for $50,000 to help the Commercial Club get the freight rates down. "To the committee for the reduction of gas rates, send a just decision from the Public Service commission, reducing gas rates 50 per cent. "In old Gas-co's huge stocking put actual operating expense-depreciation at the rate of 8.28 per cent-and earnings at 8 per centbut no more. Give the other $300,000 to all the people of Billings. In every stocking hanging before a gas fireplace. put a check for $600 representing ten years saving on gas bills, payable $60 each year. "To Champertous' Fowler, give a reasonable fee for his work. Success for his big venture and the kindly regard of his neighbors whom he is trying to benefit. "To Leon Shaw, give an advertising department that won't leave out the ads for the Sunday mass meetings of the gas consumers. "To Editor MacKinnon give a toy cannon to replace the big one he has been using to shoot at "Champertous" that won't go off at the wrong time and hurt the whole town." Five Hundred Clean Years COMMENTING on the reports of the Federal Reserve board showing that a total of 1,345 bank suspensions took place in the year 1930. a clever commentator calls attention to the fact that for 500 years of recorded history there is said to have been no record of a bank failure in China. And for aught the records show to the contrary for 500 years further back the same remarkable state of things persists. Musing aloud he wonders if, an ancient Chinese custom has any bearing on this situation. which is that the offending officials of a failed bank should be beheaded in the public square and that the graves of his revered ancestors should be defiled. Probably not, legend runs to the effect that the Chinese are fundamentally honest; that a Chinaman never forgets the difference between what belongs to him and what the public has entrusted to him relying upon his integrity. Agitation for "Community Profit" "GAS"-ETTE COULDN'T QUIT without one last yelp at the Committee for Reduction of Gas Rates. The heading of what it indicates is to be its last editorial on the gas rate situation reads: "Agitation for Profit?" That's a good head! "Gas"-ette might have made it read, "Agitation for Community Profit!" If out of this effort Billings and her sister cities can save during the next ten years $3,000,000-less whatever it may cost for expenses and a reasonable fee for "Champertous" Fowler-from money now going out of Montana it is difficult to see how any agitation could be for greater community profit. By C. W. FOWLER Peace and Good Will N° THAT THE ENEMY'S batteries have been silenced-now that the clang of the anvils where chains are being forged, has subsided-now that there is a moment of armistice-we can pause, on the firing line, to give gratitude for safe and kindly guidance through all the storm-gratitude for the knowledge that truth-always final victor-still points the way. We can pause long enough to remember that this is the season of "Peace on earth, Good Will toward men." These kindly thoughts across the harp strings of the mind, are as soothing as the music of a wind harp afloat on the lazy breeze of a sunny day in spring. "Peace on earth, Good Will toward men." Down the long hallways of time, through all the centuries since the midnight journey of the three wise men; have echoed the strains of the soul satisfying music of these thoughts. They are the very heart of the Christian religion. They reach us now-in this time of great international danger, this time of bitter discord, this time of world wide economic sickness and headache from years of over-indulgence in greed, avarice and selfishness-with all their original healing power. Let us be grateful for these sweet thoughts which can-for the few days we keep them upermost in our minds-blot out all the hatred of a misguided world. Three very wise men traveled all night once toward the birthplace of immortality, guided by a shining star. A few wise men through the centuries have followed the same path made bright on the first night of the Christian era. Why not all of us be wise men! Why not keep Christmas with us all the year! School of Hard Knocks HARD KNOCKS are good teachers. Billings learned in that school. Billings, struggling upward from the relapse of the war, had no taste for the monkey-dance of 1928 and 1929 nor the wild debauch of the Florida land boom. Just how fortunate our knowledge gained in the school of hard knocks may have been is illustrated by a letter just received from the president of an ex-financial institution in Miami, Florida which says: "Every bank in Miami has finally closed except the First National (First National leading seven other banks in 1925, one by only two millions was a sixty-two million dollar institution). All the trust companies have closed too. The Trust Company of Florida and all G. L. Miller's subsidiaries were the last to go-a few days ago. "I have a job with the city; my salary is $2,100 per year with a 10 per cent depression reduction. It gives me a meal ticket while I wait." Then he adds, with a note of optimism. "The dog races started here tonight, and the horse races begin on the 26th. We expect the city to fill up with people but everything is SO cheap that not much profit is made by anyone. A few homes are selling but no lots to speak of-BUT WE HAVE THE SAME PERFECT CLIMATE and you must plan to run down this winter." Let us tuck in snugly, remember our lessons in the school of hard knocks and be grateful. "To thine own self be true: and it must follow, as the night the day, thou canst not then be false to any man." -Laertes in "Hamlet" A Shining Light THE APPOINTMENT of Arthur L. Hewett to be Superintendent of the Billings Water department and successor to J. F. Willet, who had been at the helm of the Municipal Water department since its inception, is occasion to congratulate the city administration and the Board of Water Commissioners upon what would seem to be a splendid decision. Mr. Hewett's long service in kindred lines, his broad experience as an executive and his excellent reputation and character should equip him well to direct the further destinies of the City Water department. The City Water department is a splendid illustration of successful municipal ownership, and its success is due in no small measure to the late J. F. Willett. Mr. Willett was a kindly man, filled with sympathy for the public; honest and determined to do his duty. Under his careful direction splendid service has been given the people of Billings. Once upon a time muddy and disease-tainted water from the Yellowstone was served them to drink. Now these waters are delivered to our people in pure and sparkling form through a thoroughly modern plant valued at approximately one million dollars. The City owes only $120,000 in bonds on the plant. These will soon be eliminated. Then we can have water at cost of operation and upkeep. Willett was like a candle blazing brightly at noon-dark at night-fall. But the light of his labors will go on down through the years. His is the lasting reward due a man for simple, honest, unselfish service to his common kind. His reward extends beyond the grave. Let us say "Splendid Predecessor-Worthy Successor. May time justify our confidence "Riding" to the Poor House WILL ROGERS recently said: "We are the first nation in the history of the world to go to the poor house in an automobile. Our potters fields are surrounded with grana es full of grain. Now if there ain't something cock-eyed in an arrangement like that then this microphone in front of me is a mousetrap." In the same radio talk he further said, "The working classes didn't bring this on, it was the big boys that thought the financial drunk was going to last forever, and over-bought, overmerged, and over-capitalized." Will Rogers was urging us to give to help our less-fortunate neighbors, and he said at the wind up, "I don't know anything about America being fundamentally sound and all that after-dinner "Hooey," but I do know that America is "Fundamentally Generous. I have seen lots of audiences and heard lots of appeals but I have yet to see one where the people knew the need and the cause was there. that they didn't come through." Greater Than City Taxes CITY TREASURER STOLTZ has just announced that taxes amounting to a total of $245,295.94 have been collected at the end of the long first heat of the race to keep ahead of the sheriff. This figure sets forth in bold relief the importance of the present movement for a reduction in gas rates. If gas rates can be reduced 50 per cent,as seems proper from the figures taken by certified accountants. from the gas company's sworn reports over a period of nine years the reduction would amount to more than the entire amount including improvement district assessments paid into the tax coffers of the City of Billings SO far this year and thats the big end of the tax bill.