Joseph L. Kelly, George M. Harrison, and Richard H. Cardwell; Clerk, H. Stewart Jones. Joint Ballot 76 108 Democratic majority.. 32 A State institu VIRGINIA, UNIVERSITY OF. tion for higher education, founded in 1818 at Charlottesville, Va. The total enrollment in all departments in the autumn of 1915 was 1014. There were 100 members in the faculty, including professors, instructors, and assistants. There were no notable changes in the faculty during the year. Bequests and donations amounting to $286,790 were received. The endowment funds at the end of the fiscal year amounted to $2,211,472, and the total income to $344,315. The library contained about 100,000 volumes. The president was E. A. Alderman, D.C.L., L.L.D. VIRGIN ISLANDS. A presidency of the Leeward Islands colony. Tortola is the largest island (there are about 32); Road Town (in Tortola), the chief town, had in 1911, 410 inhabitants. Cotton, sugar-cane, and limes are rate has sensibly diminished. The year 1914 closed in Berlin with a birth record which was 3500 less than in 1913. The excess of births over deaths was 5100 less. Parkes of Great Britain estimates the total destruction of life in Europe in the two years of war as nearly 20,000,000 persons. The factors causing unfavorable conditions for the birth rate after the war are an increase in the excess of females, and the survival of the weaker men, physically and mentally. History shows that after war the birth rate declines, but rises again in the following years, above the position it occupied before. A victorious war is followed by an economic advance, during which also fertility is increased. In New York State the infant mortality has dropped from 137 to 112 births per thousand, which denotes an actual saving of over 1400 lives annually, and which followed an educational campaign of a year, costing $14,500. New York City's death rate was 14 per 1000. The mortality of children of alien parents is lower than that of the native population. This is explained by the statement that foreign mothers stay at home more, and are more with their children, and that health authorities come into more frequent and personal contact with the foreign mothers. According to a recent bulletin issued by the Census Bureau, the total number of deaths in the 25 States comprised within the 1918-14 registration area, for 1914, was 898,059, cor28,397 responding to a death rate of 13.6 per thousand, which is 16 per cent less than the average for 7,335 6,036 the decade between 1901 and 1905. Rhode Is13,195 land, New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Vermont, Connecticut, Indiana, Maine, and New Hampshire showed decreases, while Michigan showed a slight increase in the death rate. In cities of 100,000 or over the tendency is still to show a decrease, notably Jersey City, New York, San Francisco, Denver, Newark, N. J., Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Ga., Lowell, Mass., and Paterson, N. J. But from these figures the relative health advantages of different States cannot be inferred without further investigation. Nearly 18 per cent of all deaths were of infants under 1 year, and more than 25 per cent were among children under 5 years. After 5 years the highest rates obtained between the ages of 70 and 74 for both sexes, a little higher for women alone. The death rate for tuberculosis declined from 149.5 per thousand in 1912 to 147.6 in 1913. The rates for typhoid fever, scarlet fever, diphtheria, croup, pneumonia (all forms), diarrhoea, and enteritis have shown a general decline since 1900; while there has been an almost continuous increase from year to year since 1900 in the death rates from cancer, organic heart diseases, endocarditis, and nephritis. The rate for cancer rose from 63 per hundred thousand in 1900 to 78.9 in 1913. Similar alarming increase of the death rate from cancer is noted in Great Britain. See also STATISTICAL ASSOCIATION, AMERICAN. 7,301 VITAL STATISTICS. The decrease in the birth rate throughout the Western world has been noticeable for years. In Great Britain it was 22.9 per thousand during the last year, a decrease of 3.3 below the mean rate for 10 preceding years. At the same time the death rate shows an increase, being 14.9 per thousand, 1.2 above the mean for the last decade. A compilation of the birth and death rates in several foreign countries yields the following statistics. In 1913 the birth rate per thousand population was as follows: Russia, 43.9; Bulgaria, 42.0; Rumania, 39.2; Serbia, 38.5; Austria, 32.6; Hungary, 35.7; Italy, 33.3; Spain, 33.1; Portugal, 32.3; Germany, 29.8; Holland, 28.6; Denmark, 27.5; Norway, 26.1; Sweden, 24.7; Great Britain, 25.0; Switzerland, 25.0; Belgium, 23.6; France, 19.6. Hand in hand with the decrease in birth rate, however, the death rate similarly decreased from East to West. The death rate per thousand population in 1913 was: Italy, 28.9; Rumania, 24.8; Bulgaria, 23.5; Serbia, 22.1; Hungary, 23.1; Spain, 23.3; Austria, 23.0; Portugal, 19.8; France, 17.8; Germany, 16.2; Belgium, 15.2; Switzerland, 15.1; Great Britain, 14.0; Sweden, 14.0; Holland, 13.6; Denmark, 12.9. From the comparison of these two series of numbers, the following conclusion can be drawn. The increase of population in 1913 per thousand population has been: Bulgaria, 18.5; Serbia, 16.4; Holland, 15.0; Russia, 15.0; Denmark, 14.6; Rumania, 14.4; Germany, 15.6; Italy, 13.4; Portugal, 12.7; Norway, 12.6; Hungary, 12.1; Austria, 11.3; Great Britain, 11.0; Sweden, 10.7; Switzerland, 7.9; Spain, 9.8; Belgium, 8.6; France, 1.8. During the war period, of course, the birth The following statistics as to contagious diseases throughout the world are compiled from the United States Public Health Reports. While in many instances incomplete and misleading, they are the best obtainable. SMALLPOX. Arabia, 57 cases, 53 deaths; Argentina, 1 death; Australia, 470 cases, 3 deaths; Austria-Hungary, 1436 cases, 250 deaths; Belgium, 8039 cases, 14 deaths; Brazil, 1114 cases, 414 deaths; British South Africa, 3 cases, 1 death; British Honduras, 1 case; Bulgaria, 121 cases; Canada, 199 cases, 7 deaths; Canary Islands, 3 deaths; Ceylon, 459 cases, 125 deaths; China, 112 cases, 164 deaths; Cuba, 8 cases, 2 deaths; Dutch East Indies, 3205 cases, 825 deaths; Egypt, 243 cases, 70 deaths; France, "present"; Germany, 93 cases, 2 deaths; Great Britain, 72 cases, 10 deaths; Greece, 98 cases, 83 deaths; Guadalupe, "present"; India, 1346 cases, 1164 deaths; Indo-China, 163 cases, 33 deaths; Italy, 9 cases; Japan, 147 cases, 45 deaths; Martinique, 5 cases; Mexico, 978 cases, 477 deaths; Netherlands, 5 cases, 1 death; Newfoundland, 1 case; Norway, 8 cases, 2 deaths; Persia, "present"; Peru, "epidemic"; Philippine Islands, 2 cases; Porto Rico, cases, 1 death; Portugal, 83 cases; Russia, 2220 cases, 583 deaths; Serbia, 356 cases; Santo Domingo, 2 deaths; Siam, 1 death; Spain, 1446 cases, 253 deaths; Straits Settlements, 29 cases, 11 deaths; Sweden, 1 case, 1 death; Switzerland, 162 cases; Turkey in Asia, 423 cases, 127 deaths; Union of South Africa, 4 cases; Venezuela, "present"; Zanzibar, 7 deaths; at sea, 1 case, 1 death. PLAGUE. Argentina, 1 case; Azores, "present"; Bahrein, 20 cases, 9 deaths; Brazil, 46 deaths; Ceylon, 139 cases, 122 deaths; China, 99 cases, 85 deaths (increasing 40 deaths daily estimated); Cuba, 21 cases, 9 deaths; Dutch East Indies, 7917 cases, 6260 deaths; Ecuador, 382 cases, 157 deaths; Egypt, 170 cases, 62 deaths; Greece, 20 cases, 20 deaths; Hawaii, 4 cases, 3 deaths; India, 427,381 cases, 347,821 deaths (Jan. 1 to Oct. 30, 1915); Indo-China, 501 cases, 385 deaths; Japan, 473 cases, 399 deaths; Mauritius, 90 cases; Persia, 86 cases, 82 deaths; Peru, 557 cases, 190 deaths; Russia, 9 cases, 2 deaths; Senegal, "present"; Siam, 22 deaths; Straits Settlements, 34 cases, 24 deaths; Turkey in Asia, 1456 cases, 1064 deaths; Union of South Africa, 39 cases, 22 deaths; Zanzibar, 4 deaths. CHOLERA. Austria-Hungary, 2325 cases, 640 deaths; Borneo, 71 deaths; Ceylon, 9 cases, 2 deaths; China, "present," 10 cases, 9 deaths; Dutch East Indies, 1639 cases, 1395 deaths; Germany, 1293 cases, 231 deaths; India, 1642 deaths; Indo-China, 3461 cases, 1869 deaths; Italy, 4 cases; Japan, 11 cases, 1 death; Philippine Islands, 104 cases, 60 deaths; Persia, 175 cases, 10 deaths; Russia, 317 cases, 114 deaths; Serbia, 2 cases; Siam, 24 deaths; Straits Settlements, 169 cases, 118 deaths. YELLOW FEVER. Brazil, 6 cases, deaths; Canal Zone, 4 cases; Ecuador, 6 cases, 4 deaths; French Guiana, 15 cases, 8 deaths; Mexico, 4 cases, 2 deaths; Venezuela, 1 case. 11,594 TYPHUS FEVER. Austria-Hungary, cases, 12 deaths; Azores, "present," 1 case; Bermuda, 1 case; Canada, 1 case, 1 death; Canary Islands, 4 deaths; China, 15 cases, 3 deaths; Cuba, 2 cases, 2 deaths; Curacao, 4 cases, 1 death; Dominican Republic, 2 deaths; Dutch East Indies, 423 cases, 64 deaths; Eovpt, 741 cases, 586 deaths; France, 1 case, 1 death; Germany, 564 cases, 11 deaths; Great Britain, 41 cases, 4 deaths; Greece, 283 deaths; Guatemala, "present"; Italy, 68 cases, 20 deaths; Jamaica, 1 case; Japan, 62 cases, 3 deaths; Mexico, 16 deaths; Netherlands, 1 case; Russia, 2307 cases, 201 deaths; Serbia, "epidemic" (500 daily); Spain, 13 deaths; Sweden, 5 cases; Switzerland, 8 cases; Turkey in Asia, 72 cases, 30 deaths. VIVISECTION. A partial enumeration of the benefits of animal experimentation appeared in an address by Landis, health officer of Cincinnati. He showed that the objects sought are simply the prevention of suffering, disease, and death, and the prolongation of life of man and of animals. The lower animals have been so far benefited that many diseases which formerly levied a tremendous toll of animal lives, are now under control or stamped out in large areas. Anthrax, which killed millions of stock a few years ago; pleuropneumonia (entirely eliminated in this country at a cost of $1,500,000), which caused in England alone a loss of $450,000,000 during the first quarter of the nineteenth century, and threatened to ruin the cattle industry in the United States; glanders formerly causing thousands of deaths; Texas fever which destroyed thousands of cattle; hog cholera and bovine tuberculosis-all these diseases are now understood and their prevention is being increasingly brought about, and largely through animal experimentation. Turning to the consideration of human beings, diphtheria in Cincinnati, for example, was so controlled by the use of antitoxin, that the mortality fell from 71 to 12 per cent. Had the deaths from this disease kept pace with the population as in the days before Behring's discovery was utilized, 56,345 children would have died in that city alone from diphtheria, who were saved through the knowledge gained by animal experimentation. The prevention of lockjaw and of hydrophobia is due to results obtained from similar experiments, and likewise the control of cholera, the plague, smallpox, malaria, yellow fever, and epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis. Many rats were sacrificed to learn how to control the plague, as well as a vast number of perfectly innocent mosquitoes in the investiga tion of malaria. In his brilliant and successful work which terminated in the devising of the successful serum for meningitis, Flexner used 25 monkeys and 100 guinea pigs. Childbed fever, in the olden time, claimed as many as 75 per cent of the inmates of maternity hospitals. Through the results of the animal experimentation of Lister and Pasteur, the mortality now is 1 per cent. Landis sums up thus: "All advances in therapy, whether due to specific serums, vaccines, antitoxins, or drugs, are the direct results of experiment on man or animals." VOCATIONAL EDUCATION. See EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES. VOCATIONAL TRAINING, FEDERAL AID FOR. See EDUCATION IN THE UNITED STATES, section so entitled. VOLCANOES. The continued manifestations of activity by Lassen Peak, which suddenly broke out in eruption on May 30, 1914, attracted much attention during the early part of the year 1915, when they assumed a rather violent phase. No lava was ejected, but large amounts of ash and clouds of vapor gave a formidable aspect to the rejuvenated volcano which long had been thought to be extinct. On May 19, 1915, a river of mud poured from the north side of the crater down the mountain and into Hat Creek; it inflicted much damage to the ranches in the vicinity and to the government forests. After this the conditions became more tranquil, and it appeared that the volcano had spent its force. An eruption in the volcanic belt of the Alaskan Peninsula was brought to light by reports from the ship Patterson of the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey; loud detonations and the fall of ash were observed on July 6, 1914, while the ship was in the vicinity of Korovin Island. The source of the disturbance was thought to be Pavlof volcano, about 50 miles away, which later was proved to be the case. Spasmodic activity has been manifest in this section for some time. See GEOLOGY. VOLUNTEERS OF AMERICA, THE. A Christian and social organization modeled on the United States army, and incorporated in 1896 under the laws of the State of New York. Although ruled by military discipline and methods, it is democratic in its constitution, which was framed by a Grand Field Council which consists of representatives of minor and local councils of officers elected annually. The Volunteers in 1915 had 48 homes and charitable institutions in the leading cities and towns of the United States. During 1915 the Volunteer workers visited and aided 28,362 families, and in their charitable institutions 241,297 free lodgings were given. Lodgings were paid for by work found for 247,855 persons; free meals were given to 875,000 persons, and 303,200 meals were given to persons who paid for them either by money or work. The Volunteer Prisoners' League had enrolled in 1915 upwards of 81,000 members, had organized leagues in 28 State prisons, and by means of its Hope Halls had enabled more than 70 per cent of the discharged prisoners to lead better lives. During 1915, 783,279 persons attended indoor meetings, and 1,895,686 persons attended open-air meetings. Nearly 5500 persons were converted at the services. At the Volunteer Hospital in New York City there have been 2212 ambulance calls, 11, 713 days' treatment of patients in the surgical and medical wards, 9435 new cases treated, and 14,298 old cases treated. Large quantities of Christian literature have been sent to the State prisons, jails, hospitals, soldiers' homes, and children's homes. The Volunteers have also organized different departments for sewing classes, financial relief, fresh air resorts, hospital nurs ing, etc. The headquarters are at 34 West Twenty-eighth Street, New York City. The of ficers are: Gen. and Mrs. Ballington Booth, presidents; Gen. Edward Fielding, vice-president; Col. Walter J. Crafts, treasurer; and Col. James W. Merrill, national secretary. VON PAPEN, CAPTAIN FRANZ. See UNITED STATES AND THE WAR. VORARLBERG. See AUSTRIA-HUNGARY. VOTING, PREFERENTIAL. See MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT, Proportional Voting. WAGES. See LABOR; LABOR LEGISLATION; MINIMUM WAGE. WALDTEUFEL, EMILE CHARLES. A French composer, died Feb. 17, 1915. He was born in Alsace in 1837, and at the Conservatory in Paris he studied composition and the piano. Although successful as a pianist and appointed pianist to the Empress Eugénie, he was chiefly known as a composer of dance music. His numerous compositions for a time rivaled the popularity of those of Johann Strauss. His waltzes were played by orchestras throughout the world. WALES. See GREAT BRITAIN. WALSH, BLANCHE (Mrs. W. M. Travers). American actress, died Oct. 31, 1915. She was born in New York City in 1873, and was educated in the public schools and in the New York Normal College. She made her first appearance on the stage in Chicago in September, 1889, as "Queen Elizabeth" in Amy Robsart. In the same year she appeared in the Fifth Avenue Theatre as "Olivia" in Twelfth Night. Her success was pronounced from the beginning of her career, and she appeared in many plays, among them Aristocracy, Trilby, Secret Service, The Great Diamond Robbery, and The Conquerors. She was seen first in London in 1897, in Secret Service. In 1900 she married William M. Travers. WALTON, WILLIAM. American artist, died Nov. 23, 1915. He was born in Philadelphia in 1843, and was educated in the public schools. He studied painting at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, at the National Academy of Design, New York, and under Carolus Duran at Paris. His reputation was gained chiefly as a painter of figures and landscapes. He wrote much on subjects connected with art. WAR BOOKS. See LITERATURE; PHILOSOPHY; and works noted in WAR OF THE NATIONS. WAR BREAD. See FOOD AND NUTRITION. WARD, EDGAR MELVILLE. American artist, died May 15, 1915. He was born in 1838 at Urbana, Ohio, and graduated from Miami University in 1858. He spent the next eight years in Paris in the study of art, receiving there a medal for the "Sabot Maker," which was exhibited at the Paris Salon, and was later acquired by the French government. Among the works which gained him fame before he returned to the United States were "Paternal Pride," "Blessing," and "Brittany Washer-women." In 1887 he was elected a member of the National Academy of Design, and professor of drawing and painting in the academy school. Some of his best known works are "The Coppersmith," "The Block Maker," "The Last Sheaf," and the "Quilting Party." WARE, WILLIAM ROBERT. American architect and educator, died June 9, 1915. He was born in Cambridge, Mass., in 1832, and graduated from Harvard in 1852. From 1860-81 he practiced architecture in Boston, and from 1865-81 was professor of architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. In the latter year he was appointed to the same chair in Columbia University, and held this position until 1903, when he became professor emeritus. He was a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, and an honorary corresponding member of the Royal Institute of British Architects. He was the author of, notably, two books-Modern Perspective (1882) and the American Vignola (1903). WAR LOANS. See FINANCIAL REVIEW, Foreign Credits. WARNER, ANNA BARTLETT. An American writer, died Jan. 22, 1915. She was born in New York City in 1828, and at an early age began writing under the pen name of "Amy Lothrop." She was a sister of the late Susan Warner, who was also well known under the pen name of "Elizabeth Wetherell." She wrote many novels and stories for children, and a biography of her sister. Miss Warner was the owner of the Gilbert Stuart painting of Washington, and bequeathed the portrait to the corps of cadets at West Point, where it is hung in the Headquarters building. WAR OF THE NATIONS, THE. The history of the war during the year 1915 is treated below under the following captions: I. THE WAR IN BRIEF. II. III. IV. V. CONTROVERSIALISTS ON THE WAR. THE SITUATION ON JAN. 1, 1915. (1) The Allied Offensive in France: (2) Winter Campaigns in Poland and (3) The Russians in Galicia and (6) The Battle of Artois: May-June. (8) Italy's Intervention: May. (9) Lull in the Serbian Operations: January-September. (10) Von Hindenburg's Drive: AugustSeptember. (11) The Anglo-French Forward Movement in France: September-Oc tober. (12) The Diplomatic Failure in the Balkans. (13) The Conquest of Serbia: October November. (14) The Battle of the Vardar: De cember. ginning of Russian mobilization, and the refusal of Russia to countermand the mobilization order, were considered by the German government sufficient cause for declaring war on Russia, Aug. 1, 1914. Two days later, Germany declared war on Russia's ally, France. Preparatory to the invasion of France, German troops had already occupied the neutral Duchy of Luxemburg, August 2nd, and begun to invade Belgium, August 4th, notwithstanding Belgian opposition. The British government regarded the German violation of Belgian neutrality as a casus belli, and declared war against Germany, August 4th. Serbia and the "Allies," or Entente PowersRussia, France, and Great Britain-were subsequently joined by Montenegro (Aug. 8, 1914), Japan (Aug. 23, 1914), and Italy (May 23, or Central Powers1915). The "Teutonic," hand, while they failed to receive the support Austria-Hungary and Germany-on the other of their former confederate, Italy, succeeded in enlisting the aid of Turkey ("state of war" with Russia, Oct. 30, 1914; attacked by Great Britain and France, Nov. 5, 1914) and Bulgaria and Allied navies commanded the seas, putting (Oct. 14, 1915). From the outset the British ing the German battle fleet to remain in home an end to German overseas traffic and compellwaters under the protection of mines and fortresses. A few daring German commerce raiders and the surprisingly effective German submarines were able to inflict considerable damage upon the Allied and neutral merchant marines, but not to break the virtual blockade by means of which Great Britain hoped to starve Bight of Heligoland (Aug. 24, 1914), off Coroout her enemy. The naval engagements in the The nel (Nov. 1, 1914), off the Falkland Islands (Dec. 8, 1914), and near Dogger Bank (Jan. 24, 1915) were of secondary importance. The military operations may be briefly summarized as follows: (1) In the Franco-Belgian theatre, the gallant Belgian defense of Liége (Aug. 4-15, at Mons-Namur-Charleroi 1914), the stand (Aug. 21-24, 1914), and a French counter-invasion of Alsace failed to stop the onward sweep of the German armies through Belgium, Luxemburg, and Lorraine toward Paris. high tide of the German invasion was reached after which the German right wing fell back in the battle of the Marne (Sept. 6-10, 1914), upon the Aisne River and extended itself northward through Artois and Flanders to the BelFrom October, 1914, to December, gian coast. 1915, the long intrenched battle line from Flanders to Alsace has remained almost stationary, although terrific attempts to break through have been made by the Germans at Ypres (October-November, 1914), again at Ypres (AprilMay, 1915), and in the Argonne (July, 1915); and by the Allies at Neuve Chapelle (March 10, 1915), at the Labyrinth (June, 1915), in Champagne (September-October, 1915), and in Artois near Lens (September-October, 1915). In the East, the initial Russian offensive in East Prussia was shattered at Tannenberg (Aug. 26-31, 1914); an Austro-German counter-invasion of Russian Poland was checked before Warsaw (February, 1915); Russian armies invading Austrian Galicia reached the passes of the Carpathians early in 1915, but were almost completely expelled from Austrian territory by "von Mackensen's Drive" (May-June, 1915); and an Austro-German invasion of Russia, un (2) |