T. N. T., A SOCIAL UPLIFT

Occasionally, even in this age of "canned" music and "movie-ized" art, we hear of men who, apart from the world, quietly conduct far-sighted experiments to revolutionize the future. In the midst of the wranglings of the World War, a few men were secretly working for the advancement of science. Untouched by passions for conquest and power, like the alchemists of old they worked on a device fully as great as the discovery of the philosopher's stone, a device for dumping seventy-five tons of T. N. T. on Berlin.

So retiring were these men, that not until very recently have their discoveries been made public. Fifty planes were to approach Berlin from all directions, guiding aerial torpedoes which would continue to the city while the pilots returned to their own lines. Blowing up Berlin was undoubtedly the conception of a high mind at an inspired moment. Well may the rest of humanity wonder why such an idea never occurred to anybody else during the war; it is thus with all inventions. When once suggested, they look obvious. Often, to be sure, an inspiration comes to two separate men simultaneously. But this time the honor remains with America, the first country to make public the idea. We may expect much good to come of it. Every novelty helps which detracts the mind from the wicked, designing atrocities of the Turk or the bomb-plotting anarchist. Then, if considerable progress is made on this new line, the world may witness a universal "back to the country" movement. The interest in astronomy and interplanetary transportation will surely increase by leaps and bounds. Such is the train of progress started by one noble conception.

Of course a few sentimental pacifists will offer a mild protest. There are always those who fail to distinguish progress. But the rest of mankind will shout "Onward Civilization!" as the watchword of an enlightened race.