Miscellaneous Mentions

At an election in Kansas, more than 300,000 children voted and elected the Western Meadowlark (Rep.) the State bird of Kansas. The Meadowlark did not have anything like a majority, but it led the field with 48,395 votes, a plurality over the Quail (Dem.) and the Cardinal Bird (Prog.). The election was conducted by the Audubon Society.

In Massachusetts, a bill was passed authorizing that there be hung in the State Senate Chamber the portrait of the only man who ever was President of the State Senate, President of the U. S. Senate and President of the U. S.

In the North Carolina Legislature, a bill to forbid the teaching of evolution was defeated and another bill to forbid anyone to flirt with college girls or teachers was introduced.

In the New Hampshire Legislature, a bill was introduced by Edward D. Toland, State Representative and master at St. Paul's school, Concord, providing a fine of $1 for failure of a qualified voter to vote; $2 for a second offense; $4 and public posting of his name for a third offense; $5 and debarment from voting or holding public office during ten years following, for a fourth offense.*

The Indiana House of Representatives passed, 67 to 22, a bill to prohibit the wearing of a "distinctive religious garb" by public school teachers. It is aimed at driving nuns out of public schools. It had been previously defeated in the Senate.

Charles G. Dawes announced his intention of retiring to his cool retreat at Evanston, Chicago suburb, during the summer recess of the Senate. Clem L. Shaver, chairman of the Democratic National Committee during its disastrous fall campaign, announced that he had raised $250,000 of the amount necessary to wipe out the campaign deficit of $260,000 which the Democrats had incurred; also that he did not believe that John W. Davis would be a candidate for the next Democratic nomination.

King Gustav of Sweden, through his Ambassador at Washington, asked the State Department whether Congress could be induced to pass a bill authorizing one of the U. S. world fliers to accept from him the Order of the Sword. The flier chosen for this honor is Lieut. Eric Nelson.

In Pensacola, Fla., a traffic officer reported that he had been obliged to drive his motorcycle at 72 miles an hour in order to overtake a speeding auto and issue a summons. The halted motorist was Charles W. Bryan, ex-Governor of Nebraska, ex-candidate for Vice President, touring south to visit his brother, William J., ex-Secretary of State.

* A similar law was written into the Belgian constitution in 1893. Before that time, between 25% and 30% of eligible Belgians were not voting. Subsequently, the number of nonvoters was reduced to 5% or a little more.