Wisconsin convicts are receiving lessons by mail in a correspondence school conducted by the State University. Many of the prisoners who are thus seeking to better their condition after they are liberated are studying mechanical engineering, and others are taking courses in Spanish and French.

The ukulele, a pseudo-Hawaiian musical instrument invented by a Portuguese, has jumped into great popularity in this country. The Department of Commerce reports that the American demand is so great that Hawaiian manufacturers are now turning out 1,600 instruments a month.

The rapid elimination of the horse from the streets of New York is shown by official records just issued. Nearly seven-tenths of all vehicular traffic, not including street cars and motor cycles, is self-propelled. On Fifth Avenue, at Forty-second Street, 91% per cent of the traffic last month consisted of motor vehicles and only 81⁄2 per cent was horse-drawn.

The gold challenge cup for the fastest motor boat, which went last year to "Miss Detroit," goes this year, as a result of the races last month, to "Miss Minneapolis." The East seems to be forgotten in these contests.

"The British Ladies' School of Motoring announces in an English weekly that motoring now offers "a healthy, enjoyable, and, if desired, highly remunerative outdoor occupation for ladies, in which they can help their country, which is in great need of women drivers owing to the scarcity of men. Our pupils are driving for the Government Departments, Trade and Commerce, and Red Cross Ambulances, etc. It is easy and inexpensive to learn."

James Whitcomb Riley, remarks a writer in the "Atlantic Monthly," was hard to "draw out." At a dinner to Henry James he maintained a strict silence until another guest spoke to him of the felicity of the titles of Thomas Hardy's novels, instancing "Under the Greenwood Tree and A Pair of Blue Eyes." Riley remarked, dryly, "It's an odd thing about eyes, that they usually come in sets!" Henry James, it is said, failed to see the humor of the

comment.

"Jacques, Emperor of Sahara," has refused to receive the sum of $152,156.54, awarded to him by the courts of New York, and a celebrated case thus comes to an end. Jacques was the son of Max Lebaudy, the "Sugar King of France." After inheriting a vast fortune, he went with five hundred followers to establish an empire in the heart of Africa. He finally deserted his empire, returned to France, and sold his valuable estates there, becoming involved in the transaction with the Carnegie Trust Company of New York. That concern failed, and protracted litigation ensued, with the above

result. The money has been turned over to the city of New York.

A "bean hole," allusion to which was made in The Outlook of September 20 as a "bean pole" in the article on "An Enforced Vacation," is, we are informed, a "Maine woods institution." It is used for cooking baked beans, and is built in the ground, of stones "laid up like a wall," the sides being about eight inches thick. The bean hole, when complete, is about four feet deep and two feet across, inside of the stone lining.

Enlarging on the above statement, the author of the article quoted says:

A bean hole for half a century has been one of the essentials in a Maine lumber camp, but, with a large crew to feed, the hole is larger than the measurements given by me. A hot fire is kept burning for hours in the hole until the stone lining is sizzling hot. The fire is then pulled out. The beans, having been previously softened by parboiling, are put into a large iron pot, covered, and lowered into the hole. The embers are raked back over it. Earth is then pulled over the top after the hole is filled with embers, and there the beans stay for twenty-four hours. When they come out, they are food for the gods.

A Boston lawyer and his wife were recently lost for four days in the deep woods near Dixville Notch, New Hampshire. They nearly starved to death during their wanderings, finding nothing to eat but a few berries. Yet this is the season when the bears that still haunt New England's wilder mountain districts fatten up previous to hibernation. Will some naturalist kindly say what food the bears can find in plenty at this season? Is it wild honey? or is that delectable confection only the bear's dessert?

People of the West have sometimes been thought apathetic as regards the European war, yet from The Outlook's Chicago office comes the statement that one citizen of Chicago, a subscriber to The Outlook, is contributing from $1,000 to $1,500 each month to relief work for the Allies, "since Belgium's neutrality was violated."

Judge Lindsey, of Denver, was lunching one hot day, "Everybody's Magazine" says, when a politician paused beside his table. "Judge," said he, "I see you're drinking coffee. That's a heating drink. In this weather you want to drink iced drinks, Judge-sharp iced drinks. Did you ever try gin and ginger ale?" "No," said the Judge, smiling, "but I've tried several fellows who have."

Oriental rugs, it is said, are coming to this country in much smaller quantities than before the war, and possibly from more remote parts of the East. This may account for these unusual varieties of rugs advertised in a recent auction sale: Kellugui, Dozar, Melayer, Endjelas, Zaronimi, Famenine, Kaboutrahang, Elvendi, Mushkabad, Lelihan, and Dagadagabad.

THE OUTLOOK AND MEXICO

The New York "World" of October 17 contains a despatch from Mexico City which quotes from an interview given to Mr. Gregory Mason, of The Outlook's staff, who is now in Mexico, by General Pablo Gonzales, one of General Carranza's right-hand men. In the interview as reported in the "World" General Gonzales condemns President Wilson for his treatment of Mexico on the ground of "his repeated lack of frankness and clarity," and expresses himself as preferring to intrust the welfare of his country to any conceivable "aggression from Hughes" rather than "to the doubtful friendship of Wilson." In this despatch the " World" makes the following statement: "Speaking for the Government, General Pablo Gonzales to-day gave replies to a representative of The Outlook, of New York, to a series of questions on Mexican affairs and conditions, and concerning the relations between Mexico and the United States."

Mr. Mason telegraphs us that he is on his way home and is bringing the full text of this interview with him. We hope to be able to publish it in the next issue of The Outlook. In his telegram he says: "General Gonzales blames President Taft for the downfall of Madero, but assails President Wilson and prefers Hughes.”

Since the death of Madero we have endeavored to keep our readers informed, at first hand as far as possible, as to the Mexican situation. In pursuit of this policy we have published during the last two years articles that have attracted wide attention. Among these were a series of papers by Mr. Caspar Whitney, published in The Outlook for May 5, 12, 19, and 26, 1915, which included a narration of maltreatment of innocent persons, many of whom were Americans, in Mexico: articles by Edward I. Bell, published in The Outlook for October 6, 13, and 20, 1915. in the course of which he pointed out those respects in which General Carranza has failed to observe the ordinary laws of justice and

fair dealing in his administration of Mexico; an article by President Charles W. Dabney, of the University of Cincinnati, in our issue of March 22, 1916, outlining a policy of helpfulness toward Mexico; and an article in our issue of October 27, 1915, by Mr. Andrés Osuna, a Mexican, formerly of the Educational Department of that country, eulogizing the personality and character of General Carranza.

In addition to publishing these special articles we sent Mr. Mason to Mexico, once in May, 1914, and again in April, 1916. has now been visiting that country for the third time in behalf of The Outlook.

He

We believe that our readers will find Mr. Mason's forthcoming articles on the Mexican situation illuminating and instructive. His visits to Mexico have been made, not to further any preconceived political notions or the fortunes of any party or faction, but to learn at first hand something about the prevailing social and industrial conditions in that country. We have sent him on these missions of investigation in the hope and belief that they will aid The Outlook in its efforts to discuss the Mexican problem with intelligence, candor, and human sympathy.

THE STORY OF THE WAR:
GREECE AND THE ALLIES

The complex situation in Greece was probably brought to a head last week by the action of the Allies in taking over the Greek naval ships at Piræus, Athens's port, and in landing marines in Athens itself. This was followed by demonstrations in the streets of Athens made by those who sympathize with the King and his party. Naturally in the capital the royal influence is stronger than throughout the country. As we write, French marines are reported to be near the palace, and a delegation of Greeks have left at the American Legation resolutions asking the sympathy and protection of the United States against foreign encroachment in Greece.

It will be remembered that some of the ships of the weak Greek navy were taken charge of by the Allies on October 11.

Those now taken over include two ships bought over two years ago from the United States. The reason ascribed for the seizing of the ships is to insure the safety of the Allies' ships in Greek waters. The landing of marines is for the preservation of order in the capital, and to prevent such a situation arising as. would hinder the Allies in the campaign already begun against the Bulgarian, Austrian, and German forces, a campaign which has and must have its base in Greece.

Thus comes to a crisis the serious situation in Greece. It is generally admitted that a majority of the people of the country are favorable to the Allies and would like to see Greece ranged in the ranks of the Allies. On the other hand, King Constantine, whose wife is a sister of the Kaiser, and who has many German affiliations, has more or less openly opposed this desire of the Greek people, and with him naturally stand many officers of the army appointed by him and members of that political party which is closely under Government control. From the beginning the Greek Government, whenever the King's influence was in the ascendency, has tried to carry water on both shoulders, to placate the Allies temporarily and yet to embarrass them and delay action by Greece.

Venizelos represents the pro-Ally Greek sentiment, and is already at the head of a provisional revolutionary government at Salonika. He is to-day, as he long has been, the ablest and most influential man in Greece; if he has his way, Greece will definitely follow the example of Rumania and become an active ally of the Entente Powers.

It is imperative that the situation in Greece should be cleared up before the Allies' great advance through Macedonia and to the relief of Servia and Rumania is pushed on a large scale. This is for the simple reason that such an advance, with the seaport of Salonika as its base, must not be exposed to treacherous attack or sudden quarrels in its rear. The Allies entered Greece with the informal consent of the Government as it stood then, and from that day to this have waited patiently for a definite decision by the tricky and undependable Greek Cabinets which have tried to steer a middle course. If Venizelos had continued in power and the Court influence had been restrained, it would have been better, not only for the Allies, but for Greece and for the world at large. Greece, it is supposed, could put an army of three hundred thousand men in the field, and it is incon

ceivable that the Allies should not protect themselves against the danger that this army should be misused by a reactionary Government and a reactionary element in the army itself.

ON THE BATTLE-LINES

The latest reports in our week-October 11 to 18-indicate that the Rumanian armies both in Transylvania and the Dobrudja are offering more resistance to the attacks by the Teuton forces under General von Falkenhayn and General von Mackensen than their previous repulses had promised. There is no doubt that the Rumanian army was at first badly beaten back in Transylvania, but on October 18 Bucharest despatches asserted that it had in turn actually driven back the Teuton forces near Kronstadt. The almost piteous appeal of the King of Rumania to the Allies for assistance lest Rumania share the fate of Servia and Belgium perhaps nade the situation look a little more desperate than it is. That immediate aid can come from the Allies advancing on Macedonia or Bulgaria is not, from the military point of view, possible. More probable is the advent of Russian forces under the command of the Grand Duke Nicholas through the eastern part of the Rumanian territory; indeed, there are signs of Russian assistance on a large scale already appearing.

In another way Russia is aiding Rumania by the intensity and violence of its attacks against the common enemy farther north, where the movements towards Kovel and Lemberg continue. The German and Austrian reports of October 17 assert that these Russian attacks are being withstood, but admit that the attacks continue "without the slightest sign of diminution of fury." The Germans have been carrying out a new and active offensive in the Carpathians.

Meanwhile Italy is doing her part in the great game of striking the enemy at widely removed points on its whole line by renewing the Italian drive against Trieste. Last week brought reports of smashing drives by the Italians on the Carso Plateau and of valuable gains in the general offensive along the entire Isonzo line.

In the Somme offensive the most noted gain of the week was that of France in getting possession of a considerable part of the village of Sailly, northeast of Combles, which forms a strong part of the German defense