- ••• EOUR OCEAN CITY SENTINEL, THURSDAY. JULY 12. 1923

Qcean City Sentinel OCEAN CITY PRINTING AND PUBLISHING CO. S*Btinel BuiH.fi/. 7 !<-?«« Aiimrr Amar. Ouu City. P. J. EVANS. Editor LEWIS U BAKKKTT. G*wrml Monairor TkU Compajir ramrrit the riuht 10 niti **r »4AU rrunnttiAirutioJir to ihi. pop «-r trill it iml.li.hed «iBt» over the name ot the writer. Theatre of adroniriMC ropy muit he et itue office J oh work promptly done by rkperieaced h.nJ. TKUBSQAY, JULY 12, 1828 Entered ol the Poet Office et Ocean CUy. New Jerery. The Conflagration At Wildwood Which is the saner and which is the more economic policy, lo huiltl a fenre around the top of a precipice, or erect a hospital at the foot? Early in the morning of July 4, the citizens of Wildwood were awakened from their slum- ] hers, by a fire, the most disastrous in the history of the resort. An entire block of buildings on the Boardwalk was destroyed, the loss variously estimated as being between $ 100,000 and *200,000. The Casino block with its pier ami tlieutie, was seriously threatened. Only through the heroic efforts of the fire fighters, was the conflagration confined to the Sweet block, ami prevented from wiping out the entire business section, ami crippling the resort for the eiitire season. With the origin of the fire we are not concerned at this stage. For what little value and relief they are, our sincere sympathies are with those who have suffered loss ami inconvenience through the blaze, and with the city administration, as far as deserved. What we do hope however is, that the authorities of this resort will take warning from WBdwood's misfortune, and dig out of the limbo of "received and filed for future reference" the amended fire ordinance which has been promised at practically every meeting of the Chamiier of Commerce for the past year, and to numerous civic organizations, which have repeatedly petitioned the City Commismissioners for its passage. John F~ Trout, a builder of extensive experience, ami a member of one of (he most reputable firms of contractors in the city, has prosecuted his case for improved fire laws with unremitting tenacity. Convinced of the urge.it necessity for such improvements, he has allowed no opportunity to secape him for pressing his case. Elmer Jackson I'earl has proved himself a staunch supporter, and useful ally. He has been in communication with some of the greatest experts in the country upon fire prevention, ami has accumulated a vast array of ' statistic* upon the question. The Wildwood conflagration however, has ' given new impetus to the demand for some action by the City Commissioners. Men of cool and dispassionate temperament, without ' a spark of the alarmist in their constitution are painting livid word pictures of what may within all bounds of possibility occur, should such a fire break out in some congested sec- ' tiro, nf this ritv tion city.

Much speculation has become current, why the new- fire ordinance has been held up indefinitely. What can be the cause of the deadlock? Mayor Joseph G. Champion has ' expressed himself as favoring an amemled code of fire regulations as also have other members of the Board of City Commissioners All over the country there is a evidence of a rapid growth of public sentiment against all forms of non-fire-resisting forms of roofing material. The materials in favor are: (a) brick or concrete surface; (b) clay or Portland cement tiles; (c) tin or slate; (d) asbestos shingles; (e) pitch or felt, built up type, four or five plies, gravel or slag surface; (f) asbestos asphalt, built -up type, four or five plies, smooth ; or grit surfaces. The majority of cities or towns moreover,! are making it imperative that, should a wood; shingle roof be damaged by fire more than 20 per cent, the entire roof shall be replaced j with fire-resisting materials. Year after year in this resort, buildings of; a more ornate ami expensive character are being erected, which should be given proper protection from fire. Certain sections of the ' city nre crowded with fire traps and fire haz- j ards, which invite disaster with every wind that blows. An illuminating example of the value of fire-resisting roof materials, came to light in the recent fire at Wildwood. In an alarmingly near proximity to 'the conflagration, there is a very nice home. The roof and sides of the structure are covered by asbestos shingles. While the fire raged, numerous friends of the proprietor of the house aforementioned, suggested the wisdom of removing tlie furniture and other valuables, and volunteered their assistance. Although the flames were gaining headway in the direction of the house, and although at times the structure was deluged with sparks and flying embers from the conflagration, the • Lwner refused to have a single article removed, confident that the asbestos shingles would preserve the property. * His faith proved well-founded. The house was not in the remotest degree damaged. It! stands a glowing, if dusty, tribute to the wisdom and foresight of the owner, and to the infinite superiority of its roof to that of wood shingles. The argument that wood shingles are . ' cheaper, and it would impose a severe hardship upon people of mo<lerate means struggling to own a home, to insist upon them using fire-resisting materials, does not bear close analysis. The initial cost may be less for "a woodshiogie roof; but apart from its combustibility and Inflammability, the upkeep of a wood

L| roof in a period of to the most five years, would more than equal the difference between — it ami an asbestos roof. "One coat of paint in fact would cost more thnnvtlic difference saved, in the first place, j by usihg""Wopd shingles instead of asbestos. •r-( Once plare-i'«ji asbestos, or other fire-re-sisting roof, permanent, and entails no ex7 • pensc in preservation. We repeat, which is l lie saner anil more | economic policy, to build a fence around the 4. ! top of a precipice, or a hospital at the foot ? I It is devoutly to lie that the cjty tilled ! thorities will -00 fit to expedite the passing ' of an amended fire oniinance at the earliest x* j possible meeting, liefore a heavy toll is e\lr ! acted for procrastinating, i At any hour the experience through which j the sister resort is passing through may l>e 1 ours. There are a score of places scattered j over the city, which invite a conflagration ~ | sufficient to wipe out half the city. Respectable Lawlessness At the first glance, many will doubtless regard the above caption as a flagrant contradiction of terms. No form of lawlessness can t>e respectable, it will be contended. Second thoughts should convince all however, that there is more than a "sprinkling of sense and sanity" in the phrase. Respect - ' able lawlessness is no more impossible than " respectable sins, and respectable immorality. 1 Certain violations of divine law hove become 18 common, that society Has come to regard them as highly excusable and venaL So far lias 1 this become true in fact, the man or woman who abstains from the commission of such h venalities, to the extent social convention has » decreed pardonable, is dubbed a crank or a "I fool, lacking the necessary quantity of red's Mood to be decently naughty. 1- Similarly there are forms of lawlessness which have become so prevalent, as to become j 1- respectable — which lawlessness, one of the , e greatest of American jurists, has declared to •s l>e the greatest mer^ce confronting the nation 1- at the present time. e Many years ago the distinguished English . statesman, William Ewart Gladstone said:,. "The American constitution, so far as I can n see, is the most wonderful work ever struck ! e off at a given time, by the brain and purpose ■ .. of man." „ Notwithstanding, if we can accept the tes- ( j timony of one of our greatest of living states- f r> men, "tliere is no country in the world, with , (J the exception of Russia, where the consUtu- ' tion and laws of the land, are held in less respect anil obedience." A fearful indictment this, calling for im- , J t mediate investigation, and if found true, for g immediate and concerted action. ( s In one of his memorable speeches, Abraham - B Lincoln said: "Let every American, every , e lover of liberty, swear by the blood of the f r Revolution, never to violate in the least par- , ticular the laws of the country, ami never to f tolerate their violation by others. Let every s man remember that to violate the laws, is to trample on the blood of ids father, and to teai t . the charter of bis own and his children's lib<"V |i

I*t reverence of the laws I* breathed by i . R every American mother to her lisping babe , thai prattles on her lap; let it be taught in . f schools, seminaries and in colleges, let it lie- ( t come the political religion of the nation." , How far are we observing this counsel, the , words of n statesman who loved his country I »'«h a love passing that of a woman? In all], . the land there are probably none so highly , qaulified to answer the question as the mem- j f bery of the legal profession. • At its' last annual meeting, the American f'Bnr Association, without n dissenting vote,', „ adopted the report of a committee appointed , I to investigate prevailing conditions concern- ( r ing law-enforcement, and law- obedience. ,, A few extracts are deserving of serious { thought. "The criminal situation in thej, t United States, so far as crimes of violence are j concerned, is worse than that in any other civilized country. Here there is less respect ' r for law. 1 1 t Particularly since 1890 has there been, and! . ; continues a widening, deepening tide of lawe ' lessness in this country." J In giving evidence before the committee, h | ex-justice John W. Golf, who is also an qx- 1 j recorder of New York, stated: "In the his-! r tory of this country, we have never before jl been confronted with anything like the crim-| n|lnal renditions we have today." ,1 Doubtless every American would rise up in j righteous wrath, and,.-- brand the foregoing ,fj statements as utter falsehoods if they were! e 'not corroborrated by voluminous statistics. In fjthe category of crimes o\violence. we find « ; that in the seven years runghtg from 1912 to!, ,- 11928, there were 59,377 murders committed in . ,1 the United States, or 9,505 more than the number of soldiers killed in the World War. ,f In the year 1920, 352 murders were com- „ milted in Chica»p>, nearly one daily, and an in- : y crease of 121 percent over previous records. 1 s Ixw Angeles in 1917 had ten more murders 1 e than London, which has twenty times its population. f In the year 1916, New York had six times I ( I, as many mur.ler* as London. The mur.ler roll .. for America in ten years, amounts to 85,000. d The American Bar Association report also i shows that crimes r/jainst property are likey wise on the increase to an alarming extent. ; I I Witin the last ten years, burglaries have in- ; s creased 1.200 per cent. Burglarly insurance '1 e losses have increased 543 per cent within the ( .. last five years. William J. Burns, the well-! s known detective i« the authority for the state- 1 meat that theft from railroad*, express come ponies, steamships and piers aggregate $106.- 1 ( 000,000 annually. Forgeries * mount to $50.- _ 000,1)00. The total losses b ytheft in the year e 1921, are estimated at $302,799,000. j One automobile out of every thirty regis- : tered in New York was stolen in 1920, one in Bj every twenty -two in Chicago, an<l one in every . thirty-one in theBcities of Detroit and Cleve- . j land. ( ill Six years prior to the war. ex-President | r Taft sounded the tocsin in a remarkable ad- - dress, delivered liefore the Civic Forum inv . New York City. i ' "The administration of criminal law in this] 1 ] country is a disgrace to our civilization. The j 1

prevalence of crime and fraud, which here 1- I n greatly in excess of that in European countries, is due largely to the failure of the law ■e and its administration to bring criminals t.» e. justice." . There ean I* no doubt this will continue un- *- le- s the criminal laws are enforced with more .• uniformity, and with the greater severity than they are now." e It would require more than ordinary cour- j ie age on the part of n mere layman, to give utterance to the above dicta; notwithstanding 1- no layman can fail to observe how faithful g to fatt the statements are. ■t The frequency with which the "unwritten ;- law" is successfully pleaded in our courts, is an everlasting reproach to American juris- . It prudence. It would seem that a woman of du- . e bious morals may live -in open shame with d a man of wealth, and should he eventually r. tire of her, she may with perfect impunity , take the life of her paramour, confident that , an astute lawyer, a few tears, and the "un- , written law " will secure her freedom, ami a j ,_ lucrative career in films or upon the music . hall stage. n If true that the courts are lax in the en- f forrement of law, society is guilty to a greater degree -of aiding /Uid aliening this laxity by a g' lionizing the -criminal. f We are reminded here of a confession made , n by a young man of education, the son of an . honorable home, ami the child of affluence, to g a prison chapalin. ni "1 am thirty years of age. for a number , g | of years I moved in society unnoticed. Neither . n men nor women seemed to find great interh est in me. I was conscious they regarded s me in thenature of a bore, severely respect - a able aqd mihqd. Through no fault of my own, my name becanhr— sasoclated with that of a " marricil woman, and immediately I became 1 g the hefo of the hour. Women who had avoid- 1 led mg previously sought my company, and •" ' hinted vaguely I was something of a Lothario. ' P The popularity intoxicated me, and the effort t« maintain the reputation 1 did not deserve. 1 landed me here." 1 For a brief moment society waxed piously ' indignant against Fatty Arbuckie. Granting ' • that the indignation was fully justified, the f principle of decimation and discrimination was 1 [ wrong arid criminal. If society desired to 1 5 "clean house" it should visit the same severe r condemnation upon the idols of its courts, as it did upon a penniless actor. The fact is, 1 ' who were loudest demanding the ni- r ' j traeism of Arbuckie, were guilty of equally as r ' great offences against the law. ' Crimes of violence however do not come ex1 actly within the category of respectable law- ■ ' i lessness. r The spirit of rebellion against the restraints of law and order are everywhere observed. ' a certain measure this is due largely to tlie war— an aftermath of the war; for e- , ! , sentially war is legalized and sanctioned lawlessness. War Ls horn of and thrives on licence. All laws human and divine are repudiated. | . The spirit lingers. The liberty granted by the constitution is interpreted as the right to .lo as one pleases. Society is steeped in selfishness, and any outrage against order and alw is considered perfectly justifiable. The countless offences committed daily I against the law and the constitution relative the sale and manufacture of intoxicating drink, is a case in point, the violation of the ' Sabbatic laws ia another. Prosperity has bred the idea in the brain ;of the successful, that he is a law unto him- ' ! self. We may not approve of a certain law, but it is of the essence of good government, that ' , we should submit lo the law w hen it expresses • the wishes of the majority. Any other course of procedure must end in anarchy, social 1 chaos, and the utter disruption of civiliza- ! tion. j I I America has risen to its present status 1 1 [ among tlie nations of the earth, in obedience i [I to the laws of the land, and will preserve its I t influence and power, and its prestige by respecting and obeying the law. jj — — .

State Summer School For the tenth year the State Summer ' School has been officially welcomed into Ocean 1 . j City. By a lucky chance we came upon a e number of the sriulents ami learned from them • I their views concerning our resort. ' It transpired that one member of the com1 jpany was a lady of extensive travel, who had e j visited practically every resort along the At- I , Ian tic coast. In her judgment, Ocean City j 1 j has no competitor as an ideal place for a > ; State Summer School. To quote her words: , [ Here we find sufficient entertainment and f healthy pleasure to make the visit an enjoy- I ' | able vacation, without interfering with our _ I studies. The greater number of us take tlie Summer School very seriously. We are here ! r ■ to better equip ourselves for our work. While ! • I at the same time we enjoy a little recreation and social entertainment, we are here prij ! marily to study. "The people of Oeran City are very hos- : ( pi table, and are doing all they can to make . our stay both pleasant and profitable." Obviously we were pleased to hear this and . - hastened to assure the lady and the company ' that Ocean City deems it an honor and privif | to receive the State Summer School, and entertain both teachers and stu.lenta. As a medium of advertisement and public- i - 1 ity, all the money in the world could not buy ! • a better. The students are drawn from pracr tically every state in the Union. These will ! j return to their several homes and proclaim | i what they have seen and heard to good ad- , Several of them, we hare learned, "dabble 1 little in newspaper work" and write weekly | 1 home for publication in local papers. I ^ The more we ean do therefore toward theii j _ ; comfort and convenience while here as our ; ,j guests, the more favorable the impression o 1 they will carry away. _ j •

dr. handley heard in able defence of virgin birth EXCELLENT UROGRAM OF • s.vc RED SONGS RENDERED : ItY QUARTETTE 1 Veiy recently two* able preach- 1 or- and distinguished biblical 1 scholars were called t,. the Isir of ! 1 judgement on charges of heresy- 1 " chargr* which revolved around ' " their denial of the virgin birth of 1 1 Jesus Christ. J Numerous ..t*er clergymen and 1 ministers all over the country 1 1 therefore hare felt it incumbent " them to explain their attitude 1 ' intellectual and religious to their. 1 : congregations, and defend the 1 dogma w ith all the eloquence and I fervour they can command. ' Some have argued their accept- < of the virgin birth from the 1 evidences of history, others from I ' the viewpoint of metaphysics. I 1 Or. John Han.licy, pastor of the; ' First M. E. Church in this resort, 1 . however elected to argue his be- ' lief in the virgin birth of Christ 1 from tlie only logical and unassail- ■ | 'able standpoint — that of personal ' experience. As I'r. Handley emphatically , ! stated, the first essential in weigh- . , ing the credibility of the dogma, is t» ddTerentnte between divinity!' I anu diety. All men are possessed of s..mo spark of divinity. Jew-s ' the divinity of Christ; hut they deny his deity. On the other hand, the Christian ,'fath stands upon the bedrock of ' , fuith in the deity of Christ; toj . those therefore who acknowledge 1 , his deity, the virgin birth presents no difficulty. Still further it may be argued that there Ls only one infallible J 'method of discovering whether or not Christ was and is divine — God 1 of God — that by personal experi-J.

ence. The man or woman who has cl had a personal knowledge of Christ a as God, to Whom v all things are ; possible, finds no effort demanded A to accept the story of His virgin I. birth. In defending his faith in the vir- f gin birth however, Dr. -Handley dealt in a manly and honorable tj 7 way with all who differed with liini He did not join tlie ranks of those ,| who shout heretic, as though the h entire system of Chri-tinn doctrine t| I would collapse in ruin liecause one ,| f person here and there, do not I*- f in the virgin birth. Wisely p I claime.1 that nothing coul.l help f propagate heresy as iwrseeution ! T and advertisement. The ."rial arl.lI must he personal experience; . through faith. t Proceeding from the premises , .. . that no period in the life of Christ. ^ ncan lie arcounte.1 for on purely .; ! ! naWral or rational grounds. Dr. I stated it was neither easier- nor more difficult to accept the - deity of Christ at his baptism., t • transfiguration or death, than at ■ 1 birth. If a God once, a Godjt always. j J It was also utterly useless, continued Dr. Handley to classify; . Christ with other great mcn_an<l 1 , minds of history. Any attempt at . i such n classification was a tacit 1 | denial of Christ's deity, and rank ' . Science has no evidence to offer; ' in support, or against the virgin j birth. Dr. Handley .claimed. Sci- 1 • ence does not profess to underI i stand the supernatural. Science! •confines its investigations strictly . to the realm nf the material, to the j : realm of the natural senses ami j anything appertaining to the world : beyond that of the senses, does not j f con<*rn sc,e"0P ,j Th« Metropolitan Quartetts ren-j s ' dere.1 a very fine program of sac- j s red music. Gifted w-ith very beau- j : tiful voices, and cultured artists,; I I their contributions to the evening's ; 1 worship left nothing to he desired. r The large auditorium and the1 i lecture room adjoining were liter- ! - J ally paeke«l with the congregation.

C. Ellwood Carpenter's | ccrB° NOW OPEN SEASON MEMBERSHIP RATE Individual, (One Person) $5.00 Couple, Ticket 750 Family Ticket (Five) .... 15.00 DANCING fRATti'AtaA AIT rax 00 N DANCING Extraordinary Orrhestra of Eight Selected Mumciana CHILDREN'S DANCING CLASS Every Tuesday and Friday Morning at Ten LADIES' CARD PARTY Every Thursday Afternoon at Three . *

' having l*en placed in every V available inch of space. At TOS WANTED TO CONVEY VISITORS TO SHORE HOME ' A motor service to take visitors the Boardwalk to the Sea- 0 shore Home for Babies at stated 1 times has l>een asked for and ar- ii rangements will lie made to grant : the requests* «8..ring v.S' Visiting 1 hour:, from to to t P. M., every Volunteers are nee, led; all'1 those who are Interested, kindlyl* Call or phone to the Hazard Real Estate office. Adriatic Building, lie j j twecn Ocean and Atlantic avenues. , Telephone 285. ( ! . n — h Jedge Jenkins Sez — "We uster hear a heap about 1 "taking the wind out of his sails." ( it's "taking the nir outta his 1

MEETINGS RESUMED OF GOLDEN RULE SOapry The weekly meetings of the Co| den Rule Society will be re*^ at the Seashore Home for Habi®, Tuesday morning, July 10.30 A. M. E,„y „ 1„„^ the work is Invited to attend 1 All piembers of the organization | are particularly requested t0 t, i present at this first meeting of th, season as matters of important, will be discussed. Now For Some poetry ! Old Mother Hubbard. | Went to tlie cupboard. A sur— prise awaited her ther,. ruplioard was full, a mad-raging bull, she hasn't worry or care. Stopped Him

I THE PRESTIGE WHICH ATTACHES | to have a Checking Account with the First National ! " Hank— a hanking institution long establish, -.1 and j ' having financial stability, is a good reason for making it your depository. 3", Interest Paid on Savings Fund Accounts First National Bank OCEAN CITY.N.J. l-.'i. 11., 1 ■xlii'i.iM — -wiaan.. . v,'.. i ! FRIENDLY COUNSEL and assistance The Ocean City Title & Trust Company offers you friendly counsel and assistance — service of well known usefulness. A desirable depositary for your funds. 3 c/c Interest Paid on Time Deposits OCEAN CITY TITLE & TRUST CO. Ocean City, N. J.

If- 1| ocean city's | ©ccan City's Cbut cbcs LEADING First M. E. Church First Presbyterian Church a j |t , B Eighth Street and Central Arennr. Seventh Street and Wesley Advertising B The Rev. Dr. John Handley, Avenne. ° 8 P Pastor. The Rev. Chan. F. N. Voegelin, ma >. 'j ;g Sunday services, 10:30 a. m. and Pastor. Medmm I'm ~ ^ P- m- Sunday School, 2:30 Morning worship 10:30 Mid-week prayer meeting, Wed- Friendship Bible Class for nesday, 7:80 p. m. Men 2:30 j Mary of Bethany Bible Class for Women 2:30 (I Evening Worship 7:30 jl Wednesday — Communicants' __ __ ■ class 4.00 THE E Holy Trinity Protestant Episcopal Church Boardwalk every Monday.. 3.00 Dnniinnl ' W o,™., NPll I 1 II P I . I rU C 11 I 1 11 C 1 I n. H.v. W. A. v.. '«,■ Keetor' dial welcome. Sunday Service* _ SB 9:30 a. m. — Sunday School. *|| I First Baptist Church fi I dress. Tfn,h s,reet and Weoley Avenne. Holy Communion first Sunday Milton George Buck, n , ' g of each month, 10.45 a. m. Saints' Pastor. KA168 Oil ■ Days and Holy Days, 10 a. m. "The Church with a Cordial .... I Welcome." ^ Application S Preaching services, 10:30 a. m. |lj and 7:30 p. m. BiUe School, 12 m. jl Prayer service Wednesday evening, 7:30. [! ■ C. A . • • ,-,1 | Christian Endeavor, Sunday 6:30 ■ Dt. Augustine s Church p. m. g Asbnry Ave, near Fonrteenth St. * MT jg The Rev. Thos. F. Blake, Rector. Jj !g Mass at 10 o'clock, followed by l!N,ON CHAPEL BY THE SEA Kj Benediction. 551 h and Aahury Ave. B Mass Sunday at 10 o'clock, fol- Ever5' Sabb,lh During B lowed by Benediction. „ , lhe Summer 1 V- ^ W,n., M, a.Li| r^\ 6-. .Z » X » of Philadelphia, are here for the ] B ) j