Armenia, or any other country in the world. There are more lunatics in our country than in all the countries of the world put together. There are more people killed by railroads in this country than in all the countries put together. There are more people that are unfit for service in this country than in almost every other country. They don't like to hear that. They want us to brag about our reserve banks and the great stores of gold they can bear, and the railroads and steamboats, mines, and physicians and medical products; but that is not what I think makes the country great. I think what makes the country great is its people; and when I can get up at a Fourth of July oration and, according to my own conscience, say that we have the best and healthiest people in the world, then I will commence making Fourth of July orations again, because that is the real grandeur and glory of a country, the kind of people that are in it, the kind of people it contains.

I made inquiries of competent officers of the Army and Navy as to just what proportion of the young men who offer themselves for service in the Army and Navy are accepted, and why they are rejected. Now, just let me read you one or two little things here; they will astonish you:

Through the courtesy of the Navy and the War Departments I have obtained the following data relating to the physical inefficiency of volunteers for the respective services. In the Navy Department the data are as follows:

For the fiscal year of 1912, applicants for enlistment, 72,364; applicants rejected for physical reasons, 36,999; fifty and five-tenths per cent. For the fiscal year of 1913, applicants for enlistment, 75,457; applicants rejected for physical reasons, 39,070; fifty-one and five tenths per cent.

For the fiscal year of 1914, applicants for enlistment, 88,943; applicants rejected for physical reasons, 47,240; fifty-two and five tenths per cent.

Going up, you see, going up.

For the War Department: For the fiscal year of 1915- that is all I can give applicants for enlistment, 168,842; applicants rejected for physical reasons, 84,167; sixty-eight per cent.

Sixty-eight per cent. of the young men who offered themselves to the Army in 1915 were rejected because of physical inefficiency; and many were rejected for other reasons; a great many could not read and write; a great many because they had a criminal history; but all of the number was not very much greater than I have given you. The number rejected for the other reasons was small. Now, what does that mean? What is the lesson of those statistics? Well, you can draw your conclusion as well as I. Over half of the people of this country are unfit to serve the country when their services are needed. And, if that is true of young men between the ages of twenty and thirty, how much more true is it of other ages, and how equally true is it of women? They are physically unfit. What is the cause of this physical unfitness? Now, I cannot give any data on that at all. But I know what the cause is: Improper diet is the chief cause of physical inefficiency. Everybody knows that. Every physician will tell you that when a boy does not grow or when a girl does not grow, or grows too rapidly, that there is something wrong

with the diet. And what is wrong with the diet? I have told you already that in this country we are eating things that are not good for us; we are rejecting things that are good for us; and if we want to remove this difficulty which faces this country as a problem of supremest importance, we have got to come back to the fundamental principles of nutrition and food. This country — and especially the children of this country — is in need of a wholesome, simple diet. Now, are you going to do that? Are you willing to break away from your habits of life? Are you willing to banish tea and coffee from your table because you don't want your children to learn to drink them? You know you won't. If you are a father, you should not smoke. What is to keep the boys and girls from doing it if you do? You don't want them to do those things. I don't want them to do those things. I don't believe there is a father here who would teach his boy to use tobacco - boy or girl. Do you believe there is one here who would teach them to drink alcohol? I don't think so. And why do you do it?

Dr. Benedict, of the Carnegie Institute of Nutrition, of this city, a great authority on nutrition, says that drunkenness begins with the first drop of alcohol you take. See the difference: Most people think that it is the last drop that makes them drunk. But his idea is, and the fact is, that you never take the last until you took the first one. The moment you take the first one you are drunk. Dr. Benedict measured the knee jerks, and he photographed the patella of the knee, while the man walked; then he gave the subject a teaspoon of alcohol and then photographed the knee jerks, and then he photographed the winking of the eye, by throwing a ray of light into the eye and measuring the time it took to wink, and demonstrated that from the moment that you begin to drink alcohol your wink becomes retarded and it is lower and less vigorous.

Total Abstinence from Alcohol

Why do we foster a habit which only injures, which only takes our money, which ruins our sons? I have not been a Prohibitionist all my life; I am not a teetotaler now; I am just a Prohibitionist. A good, simple, old-fashioned Prohibitionist. I am willing to give up my sip of wine any day if by doing that I can save the lives and families of others. What does Paul say, that rabid antagonist of women's suffrage; he is wrong on that question, but he is right on this: "If eating meat maketh my brother to offend, I will eat no meat while the world stands; if drinking wine maketh my brother to offend, I will drink no wine while the world stands." And I have just got two of the very best reasons in the world for having become a Prohibitionist: One of them is four years and nine months old, and the other is two years and seven months old. Those are the best reasons in the world. Oh, could I look forward! Oh, may the Lord pluck the light of my eyes before I could look forward and see one of those boys a drunkard; and what a horrible vision it is to me, and to you, even to think of such a thing as that! Nutrition? There is nothing in it; no nutrition. Alcohol burns in the body before Nature. tries to get rid of it. In that way it does not furnish any valuable food, because the energy required to rid the body of the physic takes up more

fuel than is furnished by the burning of the alcohol. That has been demonstrated beyond any doubt. As far as the appetite is concerned, remember the old Latin maxim: Fames optimus condimentum esthunger is the best sauce.

IMPORTANT NOTICE TO HOLDERS OF CLUB DEBENTURES

The new Federal Income Tax law, passed September 8, 1916, requires Ownership Certificates to accompany each maturity of coupons from the Club Debentures when they are presented for payment, either through your bank or direct to the trustee, the American Trust Company. If a certificate Claiming Exemption accompanies the coupons, no tax will be deducted from the face of the coupon. If accompanied by certificate Not Claiming Exemption, 2% will be deducted.

The trustee suggests that much time will be saved when cashing coupons if you will provide yourself in advance with Certificates of Ownership. Attention is also called to the fact that coupons may be deposited in your bank like checks.

HOUSE COMMITTEE

No wines or liquors shall be served at any dinner, banquet or entertainment within the Clubhouse to any person other than a member or a guest regularly registered and introduced for the usual period. Wines or liquors may, however, be served to a visitor, introduced and registered by a member, in accordance with the provisions of Section 7, Article VIII, of the Club By-Laws, provided such visitor, having a one-day's visitor's card (duly endorsed by the introducing member), shall sign an order for these wines or liquors.

This rule must be rigidly lived up to, and must not be broken under any circumstances.

Individual Articles for Members' Accommodation Members will find. in the barber shop, collars of all styles and sizes, whenever desired.

Some time ago the committee, in deference to the many requests, purchased a supply of umbrellas to be rented to members who might be caught unprepared in a rainstorm. Pajamas, tooth-brushes and paste are also to be had for members who may be called upon to stay at the Club overnight on short notice.

All these articles may be obtained of the Room Clerk, on the street floor.

Billiard Instruction

The House Committee has set apart Room W, on the tenth floor. to be used for instruction. Arrangements may be made with George F. Slosson, in charge of the billiard room, who will give personal lessons to members.

A Locker Room, situated on the sixth floor of the Clubhouse, is at the disposal of members who wish to use it to make a change of clothing, etc.

Blue Plate Luncheons

There are now being served in the Main Dining Room, eleventh floor, Blue Plate Luncheons, at 50 cents. These will provide - at a slightly less cost than the regular table d'hôte a simpler, more compactly served meal, and have been instituted to meet the request for a somewhat less elaborate luncheon than the usual one.

In the Main Dining Room on the eleventh floor, members may have the choice of a table d'hôte dinner, one served at $1.00 and one at 75c., from 5.30 to 7.30 P.M.

Coffee in the Lounge

Coffee is served in the Main Lounge to members. There is a charge for same.

ART AND LIBRARY

The Boston Association for the Relief and Control of Tuberculosis will have an exhibit on Open-Air Schools, in the Art Gallery, third floor, beginning Tuesday, January 2.

Acknowledgment is made to William Prescott Greenlaw, for the donation of six framed pictures of game birds, which have been hung in the newly-opened Game Room on the third floor.

The thanks of the committee are extended to Charles T. McCotter, for the donation of several sketches.

The committee has received, as a gift from Daniel Bloomfield, at book of poems by John Rose.

CHESS, CHECKERS AND DOMINOES

All members of the Club who desire to take part in the 1917 Tournament in Chess, Checkers and Dominoes are urged to send in their names at once to the Chairman of the Committee on Games, Mr. Winthrop G. Norris. Entries close Monday noon, January 15.

New Game Room

The new Game Room over the Library has been redecorated and has been equipped with new lighting fixtures designed especially to give ideal illumination at each table. The room was opened on December 22 with the President of the Club and the Chairman of the Committee present, to congratulate the members interested in these games.

BOWLING

As the Bowling Tournament progresses, some remarkably creditable scores are being made both by individuals and teams. The enthusiasm among the various men engaged in the contest as well as individual fans is keeping up to a very high pitch.

Already applications for places in the Candle Pin Tournament which will be inaugurated shortly after the close of the present tournament are being received. All those desirous of being absolutely sure of a place in this Tournament should send in their applications early, as there are sure to be more applicants than places. Notice of the time of the beginning of the new tournament, with terms and conditions, will be duly posted in a few weeks.

The House Committee has determined to keep the Bowling Alleys in perfect condition in deference to the comfort of the large number of patrons of this department, in order that the reputation of the alleys for being among the very best in the city may be kept up, and in order that the skill of our master bowlers may be rewarded with the best results, and to this end has made arrangements to have all the alleys carefully gone over by an expert and made absolutely true.

Tickets for bowling will shortly be sold at the rate of eight for one dollar, to enable those who desire to bowl more than two strings to have the advantage of the 12 cent rate.

Bowling records to December 26 are as follows:

Week ending November 25, 1916, Records

Team three-string total:

(11) 1506, November 21, 1916.

Single string:

(12) 528, November 15, 1916.

Individual three-string total:

R. S. Bradner, 365, November 24, 1916.

Single string:

J. L. Ivison, 138, November 14, 1916.

Week ending December 2, 1916, Records

Team three-string total:

(11) 1506, November 21, 1916.

Single string:

(11) 537, November 28, 1916.

Individual three-string total:

R. S. Bradner, 365, November 24, 1916.
Single string:

J. L. Ivison, 138, November 14, 1916.

Week ending December 9, 1916, Records

Team three-string total:

(11) 1506, November 21, 1916.

Single string:

(11) 537, November 28, 1916.