Tesis para obtener el grado de Máster Internacional en Tecnología de los Alimentos, presentada en la Universitá Degli Studi Di Parma; Facultad de Agronomía de la Universidad de Buenos Aires en marzo de 2016 ; Desarrollo de un producto en base a carne de corderocon énfasis en su contenido de sodio. En Argentina la carne de cordero es la menos consumida en relación a las demás carnes (1,5kg/hab/año de un total aproximado de 127 kg de carne/hab/año). Este producto no forma parte de la dieta habitual por múltiples razones: por falta de costumbre y desconocimiento, porque no se ofrece en cortes prácticos, porque su disponibilidad suele ser más bien estacional y por prejuicios en cuanto a su valor nutricional, entre otras causas. Por otro lado la hamburguesa es uno de los productos congelados más consumidos y uno de los productos cárnicos más comunes, extensamente aceptado por la población. En general este es un producto cárnico que contiene elevadas cantidades de sodio. En relación a esto, uno de los problemas más preocupantes de la actualidad a nivel global son las enfermedades no transmisibles que generan en conjunto más muertes al año que todas las demás causas combinadas. La hipertensión es la principal causante de enfermedades cardiovasculares y cerebrovasculares y se relaciona íntimamente con consumo elevado de sodio de la población. En Argentina se consumen en promedio 12g de sal por día (≈4800mg de sodio) cuando el máximo recomendado por la Organización Mundial de la Salud son 5g (≈2000mg de sodio). Aproximadamente el 70% del sodio que se ingiere diariamente proviene de los alimentos procesados y ultraprocesados, y el estilo de vida actual de las sociedades urbanas está ligado al incremento de su consumo. Sin embargo, es posible la reducción de sodio en los alimentos por diversas técnicas. La legislación actual contempla esta problemática y mediante la Ley de regulación del consumo de sodio tiende a adecuar los contenidos hacia valores mínimos. El objetivo de esta Tesis fue desarrollar un producto a base de carne de cordero como alternativa innovadora para incentivar el consumo de este tipo de carne, poniendo especial énfasis en su contenido de sodio sin afectar la percepción de gusto salado. Se trabajó con carne de corderos de ≈25kg de peso vivo procedentes de la Región Mesopotámica argentina. Como estrategia para generar un producto con menor contenido de sodio sin alterar la percepción de gusto salado, se utilizó una sal especial conformada por microesferas cristalinas huecas de cloruro de sodio de 10-20μm de diámetro (SODA-LO™). Al no disponer en nuestro mercado de productos cárnicos similares, se definió como referencia del contenido de sodio la concentración mínima hallada entre las hamburguesas de carne bovina disponibles comercialmente. Se caracterizó la calidad de carne de los corderos utilizados. La misma presentó valores de pH normales (pH45: 6,67 ± 0,16; pHu: 5,72 ± 0,16), parámetros de color: L*: 35,85 ± 3,27, a*: 13,13 ± 2,11, b*: 11,75 ± 1,31, pérdidas por cocción (39,50 ± 3,12%) levemente mayores a los reportadas por otros autores, resistencia a un esfuerzo de cizalla (29,95 ± 3,49N) similar a las reportadas en corderos livianos, contenido de grasa intramuscular (2,35 ± 0,76g/100g de carne) reducido con respecto a la bibliografía revisada y composición lipídica comparable, constituyendo una materia prima de calidad. Se logró formular una hamburguesa con un 17% de reducción de sodio respecto a la hamburguesa control. Para definir esta formulación se constituyó un panel sensorial de evaluadores entrenados en percepción de gusto salado con el cual, mediante pruebas, se determinó la formulación a la que no se hallaron diferencias estadísticamente significativas de gusto salado con respecto a la hamburguesa control. El producto final presentó calidad microbiológica (recuentos totales en placa 4,17 y 6,11 log UFC/g y recuento de coliformes totales hasta 43 NMP/g), propiedades tecnológicas aceptables (rendimiento luego de cocción: 77,07 ± 4,31%, Humedad Expresable: 20,92 ± 1,26%, análisis del perfil de textura: dureza: 271,51 ± 19,58N, elasticidad: 0,81 ± 0,03, cohesividad: 0,54 ± 0,05, masticabilidad: 119,24 ± 23,25N) y propiedades nutricionales comparables a las hamburguesas comerciales (por porción de 70g: valor energético 125 Kcal; proteínas 12,11g; grasas totales 8,53g de las cuales: grasas saturadas 4,07g y grasas trans 0g, y sodio 371mg). Como herramienta a considerar para una futura comercialización de las hamburguesas de cordero, es importante destacar que el producto final obtuvo un nivel alto aceptabilidad sensorial en la prueba realizada con consumidores, con un 87,5% de opiniones positivas. Abstract: Development of a lamb meat product with emphasis on its sodium content. Lamb meat is the less consumed by the population in Argentina comparing to all other meats (1.5kg/hab/year of a total meat consumption of 127kg/hab/year). The lack of habit and knowledge plus a prejudgment regarding its nutritional value are some of the reasons. Its seasonal availability and the absence of cuts also play an important role. On the other hand, the burger is one of the most consumed frozen products and one of the most common meat products extensively accepted by the population. In general, this is a meat-based product that contains high amounts of sodium. In this regard, one of major topics globally speaking today are the non-communicable diseases (NCDs), that yearly cause more deaths than all other causes combined. Hypertension is the principal cause of heart diseases and strokes and it is intimately related to the excessive intake of sodium within the population. The mean intake of salt in Argentina is 12g daily (≈4800g of sodium) despite the recommendation of the WHO is 5g/day (≈2000mg of sodium). Approximately 70% of the sodium daily intake comes from processed and ultra-processed food. It is worth pointing out that the actual lifestyle of urban communities is linked to the increase of consumption of these. Nevertheless, it is possible to reduce food sodium through various techniques. The current legislation contemplates this problematic and, through the Regulation of Sodium Intake Statute, tends to adequate the contents to minimum values. The aim of this Thesis was to develop a product made with lamb meat as an innovative alternative to encourage the consumption of this type of meat with special attention to its sodium content without affecting the perception of a salty taste. The lambs used in this work (≈25kg live weight) came from the Mesopotamic Region of Argentina and it was used a special salt conformed of hollow crystalline microspheres of sodium chloride (NaCl) of 10-20m of diameter (SODA-LO™). This salt constituted the strategy to achieve the same salty perception with less sodium content. Due to the absence of similar lamb meat products in the local market, it was defined as reference of the sodium content the minimum found among beef burgers available in the local market. Meat quality of lambs was assessed. pH values were normal (pH45: 6.67 ± 0.16; pHu: 5.72 ± 0.16); meat color parameters (L*: 35.85 ± 3.27, a*: 13.13 ± 2.11, b*: 11.75 ± 1.31) showed differences with respect to other sources consulted; cooking loss values (39.50 ± 3.12%) were slightly higher than the reported by other authors; the results of Warner Bratzler Shear Force (29.95 ± 3.49N) were similar to the reports in light lambs. Intramuscular fat value (2.35 ± 0.76g/100g of meat) was the lowest respect to values reported by other authors and lipid composition was comparable, constituting a quality raw material. A lamb burger with 17% less sodium with respect to the control burger was developed. To define that formulation, a sensory panel of members was trained in salty taste perception to establish the formulation where no statistically significant differences in salty taste respect to the control burger were found. The final product presented microbiological quality (total plate counts between 4.17 and 6.11 log CFUs/g and total coliform counts to 43 MPN/g), acceptable technological properties (Cooking Yield: 77.07±4.31%, Expressible Moisture: 20.92±1.26%, Texture Profile Analysis: hardness: 271.51±19.58 N, springiness: 0.81±0,03, cohesiveness: 0.54±0,05, chewiness: 119.24±23.25 N) and nutritional properties comparable to those of commercial burgers (per portion of 70g: energetic value 125Kcal; protein 12.11g; total fat: 8.53g of which: saturated fats: 4.07g and trans fat: 0g; and sodium 371mg) The final product obtained a high rate in hedonic test with consumers, with 87.5% of positive reviews. This result is an essential tool to be taken into consideration in a future commercialization of lamb burgers. ; Lamb meat is the less consumed by the population in Argentina comparing to all other meats (1.5kg/hab/year of a total meat consumption of 127kg/hab/year). The lack of habit and knowledge plus a prejudgment regarding its nutritional value are some of the reasons. Its seasonal availability and the absence of cuts also play an important role. On the other hand, the burger is one of the most consumed frozen products and one of the most common meat products extensively accepted by the population. In general, this is a meat-based product that contains high amounts of sodium. In this regard, one of major topics globally speaking today are the non-communicable diseases (NCDs), that yearly cause more deaths than all other causes combined. Hypertension is the principal cause of heart diseases and strokes and it is intimately related to the excessive intake of sodium within the population. The mean intake of salt in Argentina is 12g daily (≈4800g of sodium) despite the recommendation of the WHO is 5g/day (≈2000mg of sodium). Approximately 70% of the sodium daily intake comes from processed and ultra-processed food. It is worth pointing out that the actual lifestyle of urban communities is linked to the increase of consumption of these. Nevertheless, it is possible to reduce food sodium through various techniques. The current legislation contemplates this problematic and, through the Regulation of Sodium Intake Statute, tends to adequate the contents to minimum values. The aim of this Thesis was to develop a product made with lamb meat as an innovative alternative to encourage the consumption of this type of meat with special attention to its sodium content without affecting the perception of a salty taste. The lambs used in this work (≈25kg live weight) came from the Mesopotamic Region of Argentina and it was used a special salt conformed of hollow crystalline microspheres of sodium chloride (NaCl) of 10-20m of diameter (SODA-LO™). This salt constituted the strategy to achieve the same salty perception with less sodium content. Due to the absence of similar lamb meat products in the local market, it was defined as reference of the sodium content the minimum found among beef burgers available in the local market. Meat quality of lambs was assessed. pH values were normal (pH45: 6.67 ± 0.16; pHu: 5.72 ± 0.16); meat color parameters (L*: 35.85 ± 3.27, a*: 13.13 ± 2.11, b*: 11.75 ± 1.31) showed differences with respect to other sources consulted; cooking loss values (39.50 ± 3.12%) were slightly higher than the reported by other authors; the results of Warner Bratzler Shear Force (29.95 ± 3.49N) were similar to the reports in light lambs. Intramuscular fat value (2.35 ± 0.76g/100g of meat) was the lowest respect to values reported by other authors and lipid composition was comparable, constituting a quality raw material. A lamb burger with 17% less sodium with respect to the control burger was developed. To define that formulation, a sensory panel of members was trained in salty taste perception to establish the formulation where no statistically significant differences in salty taste respect to the control burger were found. The final product presented microbiological quality (total plate counts between 4.17 and 6.11 log CFUs/g and total coliform counts to 43 MPN/g), acceptable technological properties (Cooking Yield: 77.07±4.31%, Expressible Moisture: 20.92±1.26%, Texture Profile Analysis: hardness: 271.51±19.58 N, springiness: 0.81±0,03, cohesiveness: 0.54±0,05, chewiness: 119.24±23.25 N) and nutritional properties comparable to those of commercial burgers (per portion of 70g: energetic value 125Kcal; protein 12.11g; total fat: 8.53g of which: saturated fats: 4.07g and trans fat: 0g; and sodium 371mg). The final product obtained a high rate in hedonic test with consumers, with 87.5% of positive reviews. This result is an essential tool to be taken into consideration in a future commercialization of lamb burgers. ; Fil: Soteras, Trinidad. Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria (INTA). Instituto de Tecnología de Alimentos; Argentina.
Ni un solo país del mundo, cualquiera que sea su sistema político ha logrado, jamás, modernizarse con una política de puerta cerrada.Deng Xiaoping, 1982.Luego de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, EE.UU. intentó redefinir su relación con Latinoamérica a través de diferentes planes de cooperación. Desde la Alianza para el Progreso de John F. Kennedy, pasando por el nuevo acercamiento promovido por el Secretario de Estado Henry Kissinger y más tarde la Iniciativa de las Américas de George Bush, varios han sido los esfuerzos pero poco tangibles los resultados positivos o el alejamiento de los resquemores.La llegada a la presidencia de Barack Obama, con su inspiradora historia personal, generó expectativas promisorias en la eventual definición de su política para con América Latina, especialmente entre los afro-descendientes e indígenas siempre postergados en la agenda social de sus naciones. En abril de 2009, en el marco de la Cumbre de la Américas en Trinidad, Barack Obama parecía estar a la altura de esas expectativas, con un discurso conciliador en el que apelaba a la construcción de una "relación de iguales" entre su país y Latinoamericana. Sin embargo, el nuevo orden mundial establecido a partir del 11 de septiembre y la reconfiguración de las zonas de interés de EE.UU., sumado a la crisis financiero-económica de 2008 conspiraron contra el desarrollo de un intercambio más fluido y equilibrado. La teoría de que América Latina es un área de irrelevancia creciente y de escaso valor comienza a tomar fuerza.La reciente gira del Presidente estadounidense a la región (Brasil, Chile y El Salvador) ha sido interpretada como un intento de contener esa creencia. En una entrevista concedida a la revista Veja de Brasil (23 de marzo de 2011), Barack Obama expresaba su deseo de reforzar la relación económica con la región, destacando la importancia de Brasil como socio comercial y el apoyo expreso de EE.UU. para que el gigante sudamericano amplíe su rol en instituciones globales financieras (G 20, FMI, Banco Mundial).La gestación del Área de Libre Comercio de las Américas (ALCA) y la idea de vincular más profundamente las economías de las Américas en una zona de libre comercio única habían comenzado en la Cumbre de las Américas de diciembre de 1994 en Miami, EE.UU. Los Jefes de Estado y de Gobierno de las 34 democracias de la región acordaron la construcción de un Área de Libre Comercio en la que las barreras al comercio y la inversión se eliminarían progresivamente.Algunos países Latinoamericanos se mostraron ansiosos en formar parte del ALCA, pero gradualmente han perdido interés o registrado un cambio de rumbo tras la llegada al poder de nuevos gobiernos y, no menos importante, la inacción de Estados Unidos. América Central y el Caribe y, particularmente, Brasil en Sudamérica ocupan un lugar estratégico en la agenda norteamericana. Los primeros, por su nivel de integración con EE.UU. y por cuestiones de seguridad vinculadas con la inmigración y el narcotráfico. Brasil, por su creciente poder y su intención de limitar la influencia estadounidense en Sudamérica.Sin embargo, el nivel de influencia de EE.UU. en la región parece realmente estar redefiniéndose. El surgimiento de otros actores, principalmente nuevos socios comerciales, le ofrece a los países latinoamericanos un nuevo nivel de confianza y una plataforma más firme desde la cual negociar. China se confirma cada día como uno de los principales compradores de materias primas, India comienza a mostrar su potencial y la Unión Europea pretende relanzar las negociaciones con el MERCOSUR de cara a un Tratado de Libre Comercio (TLC). Así, paralelamente a la firma de TCLs con EE.UU., los países de la región firman TLCs con países asiáticos. Chile y Perú y sus tratados con EE.UU. y Corea del Sur son un buen ejemplo de ello.Si bien EE.UU. podría jugar un rol estratégico en la promoción de la libertad económica, la estabilidad política y el crecimiento en América Latina, eso significaría una revisión de su política para con la región que ha incluido rescates financieros, medidas proteccionistas y mensajes mixtos, en ocasiones explicados por las políticas divergentes de gobiernos demócratas y republicanos.Por otro lado, no puede menospreciarse la pérdida de prestigio internacional que han sufrido las instituciones estadounidenses en su persistencia de ignorar el derecho internacional y también, en nombre de la seguridad nacional, decretar medidas excepcionales. Varios son los ejemplos: la invasión a Iraq, los abusos a los derechos humanos (Abu Ghraib), los detenidos en Guantánamo, las víctimas civiles en Iraq y Afganistán o las revelaciones de Wikileaks. Estas situaciones colocan al gobierno estadounidense en una permanente contradicción entre su discurso y su práctica.En ese contexto, ¿Cómo apelar a EE.UU. como referente para la región? La oportunidad pudo haber surgido en el marco de la crisis hondureña en la que ni EE.UU., ni la OEA, ni la sorpresiva intervención de Brasil consiguieron aportar claridad o una salida digna a la situación.En esa misma crisis quedaron evidenciadas las contradicciones de la región. Mientras algunos pedían la intervención de EE.UU. para encontrar una solución a la crisis política e institucional de Honduras, otros actores criticaban las acciones del gobierno estadounidense y lo tildaban de intervencionistas. Más allá del discurso formal, y la postura oficial de cada país en relación con su política exterior, toma creciente importancia la política interna de los países. En su libro "El fin de la historia y el último hombre" Francis Fukuyama sostiene que, dado que las democracias no se enfrentan o luchan unas contra otras, se genera un entorno pacífico y próspero, siendo la legitimidad de esas democracias una forma de poder. En la región han surgido gobiernos que, elegidos democráticamente, esgrimen un discurso y un accionar de corte populista que dificulta la lectura de la orientación de su política exterior. Estos gobiernos han concentrado un gran nivel de poder en el Ejecutivo, debilitando en parte la legitimidad de esa democracia. Si de algo parece carecer Latinoamérica, es de políticas de estado que se basen en proyectos de país que se impongan en el tiempo y a través de los gobiernos y no en modelos de país basados en ideologías. En los hechos, no es viable que con cada cambio de gobierno que se de en la región, EE.UU. se vea en la necesidad de recomenzar su relación con el gobierno de turno. Ello solo puede generar un desgaste y una pérdida de tiempo que ningún país de Latinoamérica está en real posición de promover.La Relación EE.UU. – UruguaySi bien Uruguay siempre ha tenido en EE.UU. a uno de sus principales socios comerciales, el relacionamiento político ha sido fluctuante. En su reciente libro "Os redentores" (en su traducción al portugués), el escritor mexicano Enrique Krauze identifica a Argentina y Uruguay como "la cuna intelectual del antiamericanismo" y los gestores de la idea de una región unida, por ser países más ricos y profundamente influenciados por pensadores franceses. Las ideas del escritor uruguayo Enrique Rodó y su visión de la cultura estadounidense junto con las ideas del periodista cubano José Martí, influenciaron fuertemente a las posteriores generaciones de intelectuales latinoamericanos y actores sociales, entre los que se destaca Eduardo Galeano y su obra de referencia "Las venas abiertas de América Latina".Desde el retorno a la democracia en 1985, la relación de Uruguay con EE.UU. ha sido armónica, esencialmente justificada por el intercambio comercial y, en menor medida, por temas vinculados a seguridad y defensa. Probablemente, el mejor momento de la relación bilateral se produjo en el marco de la 3ra. Cumbre de las Américas en Quebec, Canadá, en abril de 2001. En aquella ocasión, el presidente de EE.UU., George W. Bush, agradeció al presidente de Uruguay Jorge Batlle su mediación, sin aparente pedido expreso, ante el presidente chino Jiang Zemin en pos de la liberación de un grupo de 24 soldados estadounidenses retenidos por el gobierno de ese país en Hainan.Más tarde, cuando Bush defendió el proyecto del ALCA y sus ventajas para todas las partes involucradas ante la presencia de la mayoría de los presidentes de la región, Batlle abandonó el discurso que había preparado y centró su intervención en apoyar la propuesta de Bush, anulando toda voz en contrario (consciente de que la siguiente intervención sería de Venezuela en la persona de su presidente, Hugo Chávez) dando ejemplos del intenso intercambio comercial que ya existía entre EE.UU. y Latinoamérica. El periodista uruguayo, Claudio Paolillo, describe ese momento como "amor a primera vista" en su libro "Con los días contados". A partir de allí el dialogo entre ambos presidente fue permanente y se cursaron invitaciones para visitar EE.UU. y Uruguay.Unos meses después, en el desarrollo de la crisis financiera que afectare a Uruguay, como resultado de la corrida bancaria y posterior default en Argentina, el FMI, a través de su representante el chileno Eduardo Aninat, exigía a Uruguay la declaración de default a cambio de recibir asistencia financiera. El rescate de Uruguay llegó en la forma de un préstamo del gobierno estadounidense que le dio la liquidez necesaria para evitar el default.El acercamiento del gobierno de Batlle a su contraparte estadounidense dio sus frutos, aunque la intención inicial de su gobierno era la de alcanzar un acuerdo comercial profundo con EE.UU. Las dificultades que el país atravesó por aquel entonces y el reordenamientos de sus prioridades impidieron mayores avances en ese sentido. Con la llegada a la presidencia uruguaya de Tabaré Vázquez (2005-2010), primer representante de la coalición de izquierdas Frente Amplio, surgieron dudas respecto de la continuación del acercamiento entre ambos países. Vázquez y su equipo económico eran partidarios de fortalecer la relación comercial y política con EE.UU., no así sectores de su coalición que se opusieron fuertemente, destacándose la posición de su propio Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores e histórico referente del Partido Socialista, Reinaldo Gargano.Durante el gobierno de Vázquez, el presidente Bush visitó el país y manifestó sentirse "sorprendido" por lo que el país estaba en condiciones de ofrecer en términos comerciales y políticos como referente regional de prácticas políticas moderadas.El momento político entre ambos países era inmejorable pero las posiciones disidentes dentro del partido de gobierno y la falta de un acuerdo social, impidieron, una vez más, que el Uruguay se posicionare como un socio estratégico de EE.UU. en la región. Algunos miembros del gobierno consideraron que el país ya tenía un socio poderoso en la figura de Brasil, mientras que otros actores políticos consideraban que Uruguay debía generar el mayor número posible de socios poderosos y estaba dejando pasar una oportunidad histórica. El actual gobierno pertenece a la misma coalición de izquierda y es liderado por Jose Mujica. Hasta el momento, no ha mostrado indicios precisos sobre qué tipo de relacionamiento procura sostener con EE.UU. Hay una clara apuesta por fortalecer la relación con los vecinos de la región, lo que es apreciado especialmente por gobiernos populistas, con necesidad permanente de validación internacional.No resulta claro si ello es parte de una estrategia de construir buenas relaciones con los vecinos más próximos y así perfilarse como facilitador y canalizador de contactos entre terceros cuyos vínculos no sean tan fluidos o, en cambio, se trata de nuevos caminos que el presente gobierno pretende tomar.En ese sentido, existen posiciones que sostienen que Uruguay debe ser un país bisagra en la región, mientras otros sostienen que basado en la solidez de sus instituciones debería posicionarse como referente de compromiso democrático y transparencia y, desde esa plataforma, validar sus expectativas, reclamos y negociar su posición y votos en foros internacionales. Uruguay debe recuperar su histórico rol como interlocutor coherente, serio y moderado, respetuoso de las leyes y el derecho internacional y así destacarse en la región como un potencial mejor socio latinoamericano.BibliografíaDougherty J y Pfaltzgraff R, 1993. Teorías en pugna en las relaciones internacionales, Grupo Editor Latinoamericano, Buenos Aires. Fukuyama, Francis, 1992. El fin de la historia y el último hombre, Editorial Planeta, Barcelona.Fukuyama, Francis, 2010. Ficando para trás, Explicando a crescente distancia entre América Latina e Estados Unidos, Editora Rocco, Río de Janeiro.Huntington, Samuel P, 1997. El choque de Civilizaciones, Editorial Paidós, Buenos Aires.Krauze, Enrique, 2011. Os redentores, Editorial Benvirá, Sao Paulo.Paolillo, Claudio, 2004. Con los días contados, Editorial Fin de Siglo, Montevideo.*Analista en Comercio Exterior y traductora comercial.
El factor de la amenazaEl refinamiento y desarrollo de la noción de status quo e insatisfacción debe estar entre las prioridades del programa de investigación de la teoría de la transición. Las deficiencias mencionadas en la entrega anterior son suficientemente relevantes como para impulsar nuevos estudios que reformulen la teoría desde ese punto de partida. En el caso del presente trabajo, el objetivo no será reinterpretar estos conceptos, sino desarrollar una serie de herramientas teóricas que permitan complementar la variable de la insatisfacción. Dedicarse a un desarrollo original que reformule el factor de insatisfacción sobrepasa los fines de este análisis. Por tanto, se seguirán tomando algunos de los supuestos que anteriormente se demostraron incompletos. Aún así, el intento de complementar la teoría con nuevas herramientas se mantiene en la línea de aumentar la consistencia y el poder explicativo de la teoría de la transición.La insatisfacción se encuentra significativamente alejada de los supuestos de poder puro, predominantes en los estudios estructurales que prevalecen en la escuela realista. En contraposición con los análisis esencialmente cuantitativos, en los que se debe tener en cuenta únicamente el poder desnudo –desestimando todo tipo de intencionalidad-, la voluntad de cambio o insatisfacción se estructura desde una posición más cualitativa. En la naturaleza de la insatisfacción priman las intenciones y las percepciones. Lo relevante es cómo los estados ascendentes evalúan y entienden el status quo, visto desde el prisma de sus propios objetivos nacionales. Dicho esto, está claro que cualquier concepto teórico que se quiera agregar debe seguir la línea cualitativa de la insatisfacción.Actuando paralelamente con la insatisfacción o no del contendiente y la transición en al jerarquía de poder en el sistema se introducirá una variable que daremos a llamar insatisfacción por amenaza. El conflicto deja de ser la consecuencia de una transición de poder con un estado contendiente insatisfecho –como condición sine qua non- para pasar a ser el resultado de una transición de poder con un estado contendiente insatisfecho o uno de los dos estados -o ambos- insatisfechos por amenaza. La insatisfacción por amenaza resulta de qué tan amenazante sea el estado dominante para el contendiente y viceversa. El contendiente puede estar satisfecho con el status quo pero sentir que el hegemón puede amenazar su crecimiento y desarrollo en un futuro cercano. A su vez, el dominante –siempre satisfecho- puede entender que el ascendente supone una amenaza significativa para el orden que administra y para su poderío actual.La insatisfacción por amenaza surge de tres variables : a) proximidad geográfica; b) capacidades ofensivas; c) intenciones ofensivas. La amenaza aumenta paralelamente con el aumento de las variables. Es decir, a mayor proximidad geográfica; cuanto mayor sean las capacidades ofensivas y cuanto más importante sea la percepción de intenciones ofensivas, mayor será la amenaza para un estado. A continuación se desarrollará la noción de insatisfacción por amenaza, primero en el estado contendiente y luego en el estado dominante.El contendiente y la insatisfacción por amenazaComo se dejó claro anteriormente, se deja abierta la posibilidad que un estado ascendente esté insatisfecho con el status quo y busque modificarlo, incluso con la amenaza de la fuerza. En estas situaciones la insatisfacción por amenaza tendría un papel menor. Si en cambio, el ascendente está satisfecho con el orden y no presiente amenaza alguna del hegemón, no se debería esperar un conflicto entre éstos. El complemento esencial de la insatisfacción por amenaza en la política del contendiente serían los casos en los que éste se encuentra satisfecho con el status quo, pero se ve amenazado por el estado dominante. Aquí, la insatisfacción por amenaza puede llevar a un conflicto aunque las normas del orden internacional dominante no fueran significativamente perjudiciales para el ascendente.No es difícil imaginar un estado satisfecho con el status quo a medida que se acerca a la paridad de poder. Este tendría que estar en medio de un proceso de importante desarrollo económico e industrial, y, consecuentemente, sufriendo una acumulación de poderío –que necesariamente se reflejaría en las capacidades militares y armamentistas-. Si éstas fuesen las únicas variables a considerar, se podría afirmar que la transición de poder a la que se encamina el sistema debería ser pacífica. Pero ¿qué pasaría si un estado satisfecho siente que su ascenso se podría ver truncado, tarde o temprano, por el hegemón? Esta sensación de inseguridad aumentaría la tensión entre ambos, llevando a un escenario en que el contendiente se vería insatisfecho por la amenaza del dominante. La amenaza no deviene de un análisis estático, sino que es cambiante y gradual. El problema deja de ser la incompatibilidad de las normas del status quo y las que él querría aplicar. El ascendente se torna insatisfecho por amenaza como resultado de la percepción del estado hegemónico como capaz de utilizar la fuerza para mantener su hegemonía, limitando la capacidad de crecimiento y expansión del ascendente. Sumando que gracias a la transición de poder el contendiente posee ahora la capacidad de impedir estos perjuicios futuros, la posibilidad de un conflicto armado aumenta significativamente.La amenaza –como fue mencionado supra- depende de tres variables. A mayor cercanía, mayor sensación de amenaza. Esta es una tendencia clásica en el estudio de la política internacional y puede ser aplicada no sólo a las grandes potencias. La República Popular China se vio inmersa en un conflicto de seguridad con la URSS, no porque ésta última fuese más poderosa que EUA, sino porque compartían más de 3.000 kms de frontera, o como dijera un funcionario del Foreign Office británico: "If the British press pays more attention to the increase of Germany's naval power than to a similar movement in Brazil…this is no doubt due to the proximity of the German coasts and the remoteness of Brazil."En segundo lugar, un estado dominante con capacidad militar ofensiva importante, será más amenazante para el ascendente que uno que no tenga estas capacidades. El concepto de capacidades ofensivas es elusivo. La disciplina no tiene una convención clara y suele ser un tema de debate. Aún así, grosso modo, se puede afirmar que si el estado hegemónico tiene una capacidad efectiva de aplicar su poder en territorio del ascendente va a aparecer más amenazador a ojos del contendiente.Finalmente, las intenciones ofensivas afectan de manera sustantiva la percepción del contendiente hacia el dominante. Si el contendiente cree que el hegemón tiene intenciones agresivas y puede intervenir para truncar la transición de poder, la insatisfacción por amenaza va a aumentar. En la formulación de Organski resulta difícil pensar en un dominante amenazante. El hegemónico ha creado el status quo; está satisfecho; ¿por qué habría de tener una conducta agresiva hacia el ascendente? La conducta del dominante debe ser reformulada. El hegemónico está atento al ascenso del contendiente. Si aquel entiende que la mejor política a tomar es enfrentar o disuadir al contendiente antes que se realice la transición de poder, y quede en desventaja relativa, podría desarrollar una política que aparezca amenazante ante el ascendente –desarrollo armamentista, concertación de alianzas, enfriamiento de las relaciones diplomáticas, entre otros-. Así, el contendiente puede pasar de una situación de satisfacción a una de insatisfacción por amenaza. En este modelo las percepciones pasan a tener un rol esencial. Por ejemplo, la alianza anglo-francesa en los albores del siglo XX, puede haber sido una demostración de la intención británica de hacer frente al ascenso alemán, aumentando así la tensión entre ambos.Desde una visión inversa, la nula conflictividad en la transición de poder entre Gran Bretaña y Estados Unidos refleja no sólo la satisfacción de éste con el status quo, sino la inexistencia de una amenaza desde el imperio británico. Un amplio océano diluía la amenaza por cercanía geográfica. Las capacidades ofensivas británicas no eran significativas con respecto a Estados Unidos; limitadas básicamente por el factor geográfico. Por último, las intenciones británicas no eran agresivas. Así, Estados Unidos consolidó su hegemonía en la región, expandiéndose ampliamente, sin que Gran Bretaña amenazara este proceso, incluso respetando iniciativas como la Doctrina Monroe.El estado contendiente puede pasar de la satisfacción con el orden establecido por el hegemón a una insatisfacción por amenaza si alguno de los tres factores, o más de uno, influyen sustantivamente en su política exterior.El Dominante y la insatisfacción por amenazaLa relación del estado hegemónico y el status quo debe ser siempre armónica, es decir, de satisfacción. El ha creado el orden a su antojo, necesariamente coordinando las normas con sus objetivos nacionales. Del anterior razonamiento, Organski deduce, lógicamente, que el único capaz de romper el status quo es el estado ascendente, ya que sólo él puede estar insatisfecho. Pero ¿es acertado limitar al dominante a un rol secundario, esencialmente de reacción? La intuición automática es que no. Aún así, incluir al hegemónico en el análisis de la teoría de la transición no es tan sencillo por la magnitud de la reforma que sería necesaria en la teoría. Por tanto, el objetivo es –manteniendo la premisa de la insatisfacción del contendiente como una variable jerárquicamente superior- encontrar una serie de patrones dentro del marco de la insatisfacción por amenaza, que permitan al dominante jugar e interactuar en la teoría.El estado dominante tiene dos formas de reaccionar ante el proceso de transición de poder. Puede adoptar una percepción de amenaza o no ante el ascendente. La amenaza en el dominante es un producto de la visión que tenga éste del ascenso del contendiente. La amenaza en el dominante sirve para entender la posibilidad del conflicto desde otros enfoques. Por ejemplo, un ataque preventivo del estado hegemónico.Las tres variables que definen la amenaza en el caso del contendiente se mantienen inalterables para el dominante. A mayor cercanía geográfica, mayor la amenaza; las capacidades ofensivas tienden a aumentar la sensación de amenaza; y por último, si el estado dominante tiene una percepción negativa de las intenciones del ascendente, mayor será la amenaza. Esto factores, en última instancia, reflejan el miedo primario del dominante: la posibilidad que un ascendente agresivo cambie drásticamente el status quo afectando sus intereses primordiales.El Tercer Reich es un caso interesante. Estaba geográficamente cerca del dominante, Gran Bretaña. La capacidad ofensiva se encontró, a partir de 1933 en un vertiginoso desarrollo. Aún así, eran pocos –con la excepción de la clarividente retórica parlamentaria de Winston Churchill- los que entendían que Alemania se dirigía nuevamente a una confrontación para modificar el status quo. En el momento en que se define concretamente a Alemania como una amenaza, gracias a la conducta alemana posterior al acuerdo de Munich de 1938, las tres variables se hacen presentes y el conflicto comienza. Este caso no concuerda enteramente con el marco de la insatisfacción por amenaza. El Tercer Reich era, sin lugar a dudas, un estado revisionista e insatisfecho con el status quo. Como se mencionó supra, el poder explicativo más sólido continúa siendo la insatisfacción del ascendente –con la condición, claro está, de que exista una transición de poder-. Aún así, la insatisfacción por amenaza puede ayudar a la comprensión de la actitud del dominante.El caso de Gran Bretaña y Estados Unidos refleja lo opuesto. El poder hegemónico no se sintió amenazado en ningún momento. Gran Bretaña entendió que Estados Unidos no era un estado insatisfecho y que de haber transición de poder, sus intereses no se verían significativamente lesionados. El resultado fue una transición pacífica.Por tanto, un estado dominante amenazado puede entender que le conviene atacar al ascendente antes de que la transición tenga lugar y su poder pase a ser relativamente menor, aumentando inexorablemente la posibilidad de un conflicto. Pero tan –o más- relevante es el patrón de interacción que produce. Si el dominante está amenazado, pero toma una conducta de apaciguamiento, el escenario no debería cambiar. Pero, si como consecuencia de la amenaza toma una postura belicosa, la situación se modifica. Las conductas que forje este hegemón amenazado, pueden generar insatisfacción por amenaza en el contendiente. Lo mismo se aplica a la inversa. Esta es la reciprocidad cíclica en las percepciones inter-estatales formulada en el "Spiral Model" de R. Jervis. Así, se obtiene un modelo en que la percepción de amenaza del dominante debe ser tomada en cuenta. Tanto porque puede ser él quien desate un conflicto, como por la amenaza de que podría infundir en el contendiente, llevándolo a una situación de insatisfacción por amenaza.En una última entrega se tomarán estas nuevas formulaciones y se intentarán aplicar al caso de la República Popular China y se inminente ascenso en el sistema internacional. El concepto de amenaza es el mismo que ha desarrollado S. Walt en sendos trabajos. *Candidato a la Maestría en Estudios Internacionales, Universidad Torcuato di Tella Buenos Aires, Argentina
The module was administered as a post-election interview. The resulting data are provided along with voting, demographic, district and macro variables in a single dataset.
CSES Variable Table The list of variables is being provided on the CSES Website to help in understanding what content is available from CSES, and to compare the content available in each module.
Themes:
MICRO-LEVEL DATA:
Identification and study administration variables: weighting factors; election type; date of election 1st and 2nd round; study timing (post-election study, pre-election and post-election study, between rounds of majoritarian election); mode of interview; gender of interviewer; date questionnaire administered; primary electoral district of respondent; number of days the interview was conducted after the election; language of questionnaire.
Demography: year and month of birth; gender; education; marital status; union membership; union membership of others in household; business association membership, farmers´ association membership; professional association membership; current employment status; main occupation; socio economic status; employment type - public or private; industrial sector; current employment status, occupation, socio economic status, employment type - public or private, and industrial sector of spouse; household income; number of persons in household; number of children in household under the age of 18; number of children in household under the age of 6; attendance at religious services; religiosity; religious denomination; language usually spoken at home; region of residence; race; ethnicity; rural or urban residence; primary electoral district; country of birth; year arrived in current country.
Survey variables: perception of public expenditure on health, education, unemployment benefits, defense, old-age pensions, business and industry, police and law enforcement, welfare benefits; perception of improving individual standard of living, state of economy, government's action on income inequality; respondent cast a ballot at the current and the previous election; vote choice (presidential, lower house and upper house elections) at the current and the previous election; respondent cast candidate preference vote at the current and the previous election; difference who is in power and who people vote for; sympathy scale for selected parties and political leaders; assessment of parties on the left-right-scale and/or an alternative scale; self-assessment on a left-right-scale and an optional scale; satisfaction with democracy; party identification; intensity of party identification, institutional and personal contact in the electoral campaigning, in person, by mail, phone, text message, email or social networks, institutional contact by whom; political information questions; expected development of household income in the next twelve month; ownership of residence, business or property or farm or livestock, stocks or bonds, savings; likelihood to find another job within the next twelve month; spouse likelihood to find another job within the next twelve month.
DISTRICT-LEVEL DATA: number of seats contested in electoral district; number of candidates; number of party lists; percent vote of different parties; official voter turnout in electoral district.
MACRO-LEVEL DATA: election outcomes by parties in current (lower house/upper house) legislative election; percent of seats in lower house received by parties in current lower house/upper house election; percent of seats in upper house received by parties in current lower house/upper house election; percent of votes received by presidential candidate of parties in current elections; electoral turnout; party of the president and the prime minister before and after the election; number of portfolios held by each party in cabinet, prior to and after the most recent election; size of the cabinet after the most recent election; number of parties participating in election; ideological families of parties; left-right position of parties assigned by experts and alternative dimensions; most salient factors in the election; fairness of the election; formal complaints against national level results; election irregularities reported; scheduled and held date of election; irregularities of election date; extent of election violence and post-election violence; geographic concentration of violence; post-election protest; electoral alliances permitted during the election campaign; existing electoral alliances; requirements for joint party lists; possibility of apparentement and types of apparentement agreements; multi-party endorsements on ballot; votes cast; voting procedure; voting rounds; party lists close, open, or flexible; transferable votes; cumulated votes if more than one can be cast; compulsory voting; party threshold; unit for the threshold; freedom house rating; democracy-autocracy polity IV rating; age of the current regime; regime: type of executive; number of months since last lower house and last presidential election; electoral formula for presidential elections; electoral formula in all electoral tiers (majoritarian, proportional or mixed); for lower and upper houses was coded: number of electoral segments; linked electoral segments; dependent formulae in mixed systems; subtypes of mixed electoral systems; district magnitude (number of members elected from each district); number of secondary and tertiary electoral districts; fused vote; size of the lower house; GDP growth (annual percent); GDP per capita; inflation, GDP Deflator (annual percent); Human development index; total population; total unemployment; TI corruption perception index; international migrant stock and net migration rate; general government final consumption expenditure; public spending on education; health expenditure; military expenditure; central government debt; Gini index; internet users per 100 inhabitants; mobile phone subscriptions per 100 inhabitants; fixed telephone lines per 100 inhabitants; daily newspapers; constitutional federal structure; number of legislative chambers; electoral results data available; effective number of electoral and parliamentary parties.
Das International Social Survey Programme (ISSP) ist ein länderübergreifendes, fortlaufendes Umfrageprogramm, das jährlich Erhebungen zu Themen durchführt, die für die Sozialwissenschaften wichtig sind. Das Programm begann 1984 mit vier Gründungsmitgliedern - Australien, Deutschland, Großbritannien und den Vereinigten Staaten - und ist inzwischen auf fast 50 Mitgliedsländer aus aller Welt angewachsen. Da die Umfragen auf Replikationen ausgelegt sind, können die Daten sowohl für länder- als auch für zeitübergreifende Vergleiche genutzt werden. Jedes ISSP-Modul konzentriert sich auf ein bestimmtes Thema, das in regelmäßigen Zeitabständen wiederholt wird. Details zur Durchführung der nationalen ISSP-Umfragen entnehmen Sie bitte der Dokumentation. Die vorliegende Studie konzentriert sich auf Fragen zu Freizeitaktivitäten und Sport.
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The Literary Journal of Gettysburg College. Vol. XIV. GETTYSBURG, PA., DECEMBER 1906. No. 7 CONTENTS "THE PASSING"—Poem 182 FRANK W. MOSER, '07. " ECONOMIC EFFECTS OF PENSIONS FOR TEACHERS " —Essay 183 SAMUEL E. SMITH, '07. "OUR LIBRARIES "—Essay .188 THOMAS E. SHEARER, '07. "A MILLIONAIRE"—Story. . . 191 F. M. HARMON, '08. "POE: POET OR CHARLATAN "—Essay. . 19s W. WISSLEU HACKMAN, '08. I "THE TWENTIETH CENTURY'S DEMANDS UPON WOMAN "—Oration 201 ELSIE A. GERLACH, '07. "A MYSTERY SOLVED "—Story 204 LEVERING TYSON, '09. EDITORIALS, . . . 208 182 THE MERCURY. . THE PASSING. FRANK W. MOSER, '07. kHE pleasant Autumn days are gone, Their joys have passed away ; Girt with the legions of the North Old Boreas has issued forth To dominate the day. The pumpkins all are gathered in, The corn flags all are furled ; The trees have wept to see them go And fling their leaves like falling snow- Across the dying world. Right valiantly did Autumn strive To yield a bounteous store ; Her granaries were opened wide That lavishly from every side The golden fruit might pour. The snapping of the backlog sounds A message old yet new ; Pile up the fire and let it roar To match the winds that downward pour, The blackened fireplace through. The chestnuts crackle with delight To welcome Winter in ; But Autumn goes with face forlorn, Beat by the surly Winter's storm, A.11 pinched and wan and thin. So life will pass from morn to eve, From noontide glow to dark The cheerful voices of the day Will cease their songs and fade away ; Death kills the vital spark. • »i THE MERCURY. 183 ECONOMICAL EFFECTS OF PENSIONS FOR TEACHERS. SAMUEI, E. SMITH, 07. ASUBJECT of this nature is necessarily very broad. Teachers are of many grades. The teacher of the country school, receiving thirty-five dollars per month, or even less, marks the lowest grade. The college professor, whose compensation is five thousand dollars or more per year, may serve to establish the other margin, although only in rare in-stances is such a sum received by a professor. Between these two limits are many different classes of teachers, whose rates of wages are comparatively well defined. In the discussion of this topic our observations shall be confined, for the most part, to the highest class, college professors, since what pertains to them with reference to public pensions, is also applicable to the teachers of lower grades. Public pensions for .teachers would naturally involve a great variety of economical questions, since those instructing the youth form a large and influential element in society. In our opinion the economical effects would be both direct and indirect; direct in that they affect teachers as a class, and indirect seeing that they would undoubtedly in-fluence society in general. Beginning with the direct economical effects of pensioning teachers, it may first of all be affirmed that a better class of men would take up teaching as a profession. The degree of efficiency in the profession of teaching varies just as it does in the business world. In business the marginal factors are the day laborer and the entrepreneur; in teaching the adher-ent and advocate of a parrot-like mastery of book theories, too often antiquated, and the teacher with a personality, a thinker and one capable of stimulating thought, and yet withal severe in his demands for careful study on the part of students. To the instructor of the youth, a compelling personality is just as essential as it is to the entrepreneur. Rarely does one find a successful business man without a decided personality and yet multitudes of men, are attempting to mould young lives, who are lacking in this essential characteristic. ■ 184 THE MERCURY. Why is it that the men of power more frequently choose a business career than the noble calling, that of instructing the young ? Simply beeause the inducements are mostly on the side of the business career. The professor never receives a large salary and after his days of usefulness are over he may, as a rule, look forward to a mere pittance which he has labori-ously saved during his active service. On the other hand the successful business man looks forward to a comfortable old age made possible by the property acquired during a period when his own efforts were the only limits to his acquisition of wealth. This very difference in prospects makes the business career the more desirable as no man is desirous of spending his old age deprived of the comforts of life. In the event of teachers re-ceiving a pension, after years of faithful service, the natural horror of an old age spent in poverty would be removed. Men are ever willing to toil for a livelihood during their years of strength when a future day of comfort is in prospect, but look with fear upon that calling whose active days require a struggle which is unattended by the promise of support in the declining years. When teachers receive pensions more of the choice spirits will take up the noble work. The result will be that teachers of inferior personality and attainment will be forced into other lines of activity, and it is safe to say that the new work will be for the most part of a clerical nature. Having thus seen that the teaching force would be materially changed by the establishment of pensions, it is also worthy to note that a higher standard of living would prevail among teachers. The teacher would have more money to spend dur-ing the time of his active service. As the teachers number a small army, throughout the country, this item would be of no little importance. More books would be purchased, travel would be more extensive, there would be more and better food and clothing. Thus demand would be increased and produc-tion would naturally be increased to meet the demand. Another direct result of public pension would be the in-creasing number of teachers. For example, if a man after forty years of service should be granted a pension, he would usually be glad to retire to follow various pursuits of a literary, THE MERCURY. I85 political or social nature, pursuits which could not be noticed during the period of active service. Provided a man began teaching at the age of twenty-five he would retire at the age of sixty-five. Under the present system, many men teach until long after the age of sixtv-five. Retirement at this age would make the period of service shorter for each teacher and thus more instructors would be required. These are the direct economical results which would be brought about by the pen-sioning of teachers. However, there are yet more important considerations to be regarded, namely, the effect upon society of granting of such •pensions. These we would characterize by the term indirect. Many branches of commercial activity would be affected. The prospect of a pension, as has already been shown, would attract more and a better class of men to the profession of teaching. Consequently, men now engaged in banking and various business pursuits, whose compensation is equal or con-siderably superior to the salary of teachers, would be eager to enter the ranks of teachers as there would be the strong inducement of being provided for in old age. This same proposition would hold good for all the grades of positions in the profession. Besides, the opinion is almost univer-sally held that teaching is more honorable than a business career. The teacher has also more leisure as the summer months are completely his own. With the added advantage of a pension in old age, great numbers would turn from pur-suits essentially commercial to teaching. In order to retain the most efficient individuals in the business world wages would of necessity increase in a great many lines of business. For example certain men leaving college, would find it more to their advantage to accept an instructorship in a college or high school with the prospect of at length receiving $2,000 per year as a professor and a pension in old age, than to enter a bank with the prospect of becoming cashier at $2500 per year and no pension in old age. Again the girls who must earn their own living, would find it better to become teachers at $40, $50 or $60 per month and receive a pension in old age, than to stand behind a counter or in the telephone ex- UMUn 186 THE MERCURV. change for a compensation of $8, $10, or $12 per week, with-out prospect of a pension, and then oft times be exposed to the indecent and insulting propositions of their employers and the men with whom they are compelled to associate. Besides,, in the case of a woman, it is considered much more respect- ■ able to be a teacher than to be a saleslady, stenographer or cloak model. Without a doubt, the granting of pensions to-teachers would attract the choice spirits to that line of work and all wages in the business world would be advanced in order to keep up the required standard of efficiency. Then too, the standard, of the teaching force having been raised, as has been shown, a gradual change would be effected in the habits and ideals of the people who would receive in-struction under the better teachers. As was intimated before, in the event of pensions being granted to teachers, the change in efficiency would be largely marked by the improved person-, ality of those instructing the young. The teacher who is lack-ing in magnetism and tact is bound to present books and en-force discipline in such a way as to alienate the restless young spirit from scholarly pursuits and respect for authority. Too often the youth having experienced the ennui, pro-duced by books and theories, made possible by the bund-derings of a teacher totally lacking in personality, rushes forth into commercial life, turns his back on true knowl-, edge and culture, and strives only for the dollar. To this man gratification of the senses is the only form of pleasure. He lives a selfish life, ever seeking to take advantage of his fellow-men. He amasses great wealth at the expense of his neigh-bors. Better teachers, especially those with high ideals and a compelling personality would in time help materially to correct this selfish spirit. The young would be taught to respect scholarship and finally to love it. The youth, with a virile mind directing his training, would eventually see that mere money is not the goal to be attained, but that the acquisition of wealth in order to help one's fellowmen is the summum bonum. The young, thus having been inspired with higher ideals would gradually change social and economical conditions in a decided manner. THE MERCURY. I87 However, in another way the granting of pensions would affect society in general. A pension having been granted, after a number of years of service, would surely retire many men, comparatively vigorous in body and mind. Men of this class would naturally take an interest in the social and politi-cal life of the community in which they reside. Having both time and money at their disposal and being filled with high ideals, they would undoubtedly be a power in their community. First there would be a moral uplift but eventually material conditions would be changed. The retired educators would be as a leaven in the social mass. For example, reading cir-cles and culture clubs would be more popular than the gather-ings for playing bridge whist. This would soon have its ef-fects on the manner of dress and the nature of amusements, both of which have to do with the wants of the people. Thus a change in economical conditions. In this brief manner we have endeavored to show the direct and indirect economical effects, which would arise from the pensioning of teachers. However, since no extensive experi-ments have been tried along these lines, most of the discussion relative to this subject is theoretical. It is to be hoped that the next few decades will afford practical examples of pensions for teachers so that the truth or falsity of present conjectures may be demonstrated. i88 THE MERCURY. OUR LIBRARIES. THOMAS E. SHEARER, '07. THE time is now ripe, it seems, to set forth the belief that our libraries would fulfiill their purpose with greater effi-ciency and more satisfaction to all parties concerned, if they were united and systematized under a single index. This idea of a unified library is undergoing some agitation at the pres-ent time, and if this article in anyway increases that agitation and helps to bring about the desired result its purpose shall have been accomplished. Libraries have existed from the remotest times of antiquity. Ever since man was first able to put his thoughts into writing of any form, whether on papyrus, stones, tiles, or paper there have been books and consequently libraries. All our great modern libraries—and particularly is it true of college libraries —are established and maintained for the purpose of research in all the branches of knowledge. In order that a library may effectively fulfill this great purpose, it must be exhaustive, i. e., it must contain all the works necessary for research work in any branch of knowledge. Our present system of libraries is not the best possible for us under the present circumstances. There is too much wasted energy in it. In our three libraries we have a total of about thirty thousand volumes. Of the eighteen thousand volumes of the College Library over one-third are government reports and records of one kind or another—works distinctively of a referential character ; and of each of the societies six thou-sand volumes, practically one fourth are magazine vohimes. Now do not misunderstand this. It is not meant that these books could at all be dispensed with. Far from it. No college library would be at all complete without them. But these volumes are not used very much. These divisions are made merely to get an estimate of what we may call our working library. Therefore, estimating about twelve thousand volumes in College Library and four thousand five hundred in each of the Society Libraries, that are of such a character as to be put into regular use, we have at most twenty-one thousand volumes THE MERCURY. 189 in our working library. This number includes all encyclope-dias, hir.tories, gazetteers, etc., and all other works of reference, with the exception of, as has been noted, government reports, records, and bound magazines. Now, if we had this many different books we would be very well off indeed, but we find a very great number of the same books in all three libraries. For example, among the encyclo-pedias in College Library are: Chambers, The Edinburg, Penny's, The New American and The Americana ; all of which are found in one of the Society Libraries also, and some in both. Now this seems to be an altogether unnecessary outlay of money for such works when we have so many other good works of the same kind in College Library. But, it may be said, that these works named are all old and not up-to-date. That is true, and so much the more reason why we should not have two and three sets of them. The fact that we have more than one set of these works brings out the point that there has been little or no system or unison in the selectfon of books by the different library committees. If there had been system there would not be this useless overlapping of Encyclopedias. That this is a fault not only of the past but also of the pres-ent regulations, is shown by the fact that this overlapping is found not only in the older encyclopedias but also in other de-partments. There is in each of the three libraries the set of The British Poets, in one hundred volumes, one set of which would be sufficient for our Library. The same overlapping is seen in Biography, History and in the standard authors such as Ruskin, Carlyle, Dickens, Scott, Thackery, Cooper, Bulwer- Lytton, Irving, Emerson, Hawthorne, Holmes, and all the standard poets. This overlapping, all told, amounts to a good many hundred volumes. It is necessary to have more than one copy of some of these works, but of the vast majority of them, especially of the sets, a single copy or set is sufficient in a college of our size. It is evident from the extent of the overlapping that a change in the system of selecting our books is necessary. But what change shall we make ? Shall it be a general merger of the 190 THE MERCURY. three libraries into one, or simply a joint committee to select the books? At all events there must be cooperation. The merger idea seems to be the one in popular favor, and would, no doubt, 'solve the problem most satisfactorily. To have our libraries under a single index, systematically and logically arranged in one apartment, and in charge of a person who is acquainted with the entire library, and then to have a unified method of procuring new books, would be almost in-calculably better than the present system. But, it might be objected, that under these conditions the Literary Societies would no longer be ambitious to add a goodly number of books each year. This need not be so. Under this merger let each society put its seal in its new books but leave the numbering and shelving directions to come in under the College system. Each society could also keep a record of the books it adds to the library. In this way the societies could keep up their libraries, but merged into and subject to the College Library. Under this plan we see no reason what-ever why the societies should not continue to vie with each other in securing as many good books each year as possible, under this plan, this expensive and futile overlapping would be done away with, and a wider field of Literature, History and Science would be open to the students. But, most of this, it might be said, could be secured by the mere working of a joint committee to select the books. But that would leave the three libraries separate with their in-complete indices and would not unify matters as they should be. Although a joint committee could do good work in this matter, yet we believe that one good, exhaustive Library would be much better than three, each of which is incomplete in itself. THE MERCURY. IQI A MILLIONAIRE. F. M. HARMON, '08. THE deep-toned noon whistle on the -boiler-house called a thousand men and boys away from their work of prepar-ing "anthracite " for commercial use. The huge breaker en-gines quickly ceased their dreary roaring ; the " lokies " were side-tracked and deserted ; and in every direction hurried the tired, begrimed men to secure their dinner-pails and partake of a cold and unsatisfying lunch. Little knots of congenial spirits were soon assembled in every convenient, shad}' spot, for the sun was hot and the air sultry. Topics of local and universal interest were eagerly taken up and hotly debated. It is wonderful with what earnestness and attention these debates are entered into and listened to by these men of toil. The baseball situation in the major leagues .hav-ing been discussed at length; the protracted and intensely hot weather forcibly disapproved ; plans for the approaching na-tional holiday, the Fourth, eagerly arranged—an article on the next inter-national automobile race was read from the city paper by the breaker engineer, who was the only man around the colliery that indulged in having his paper delivered to him while at work. Immediately arose speculations as to the out-come of the race. In the ensuing discussion about automo-biles in general, a little slate picker exclaimed " Gee, it must take a heap of tin to run one of them things:" " You bet, those guys must have money to burn." Up sprang a grey-haired old man, old " Danny," the boss of the chutes, " Yes, and where do they get their money? They steal it from us workin' men, what earn it hard and then never get it! " The old man's eyes flashed and his voice quivered ■with anger—" I have worked for this company for thirty years ; I have given my best days in its service. What have I to show for it ?—a miserable job at the chutes when I might Vbeen engineer at No. 6." " Yes, but Danny, you're way off, we were talking about automobiles," I 192 1HE MERCURY. " So am I," yelled Danny, highly excited, " Look at old P , (president of the company) just last week he went an' bought one of them noisy back-kickin' machines. They say it cost him twenty thousand. Well, I say that the old miser didn't pay for that thing himself, I paid for it! " " You don't say,'' teased one of the chaingang men. " Yes I did ! though not of my own choosing. Old P has cheated me out of that much money and more since I first started to work for him over in ' Orphan's Home' gangway. Why they tell me he's got twenty million hoarded up. How-much of that did he honestly earn ? Not a cent! He stole it, every penny." " But, Danny, he inherited over five million." " Well then, his people before him stole that too. You needn't try to tell me that any man can honestly work hard enough in a life-time to pile up that much money. He's got to be crooked some place. I've worked my whole life, ever since I was a little shaver of twelve—and I did honest work, too—and to-day I'm an old man and haven't a cent stored up for a rainy-day. If I do earn a little money, they get it back again in the company store. What's he going to do with all his money anyway ? Why can't we have a share in it ? There are a few big thieves who steal up a billion dollars, and then store it away some place. If that would be given out to us who earned it and deserve it, none of us would have to work no more and we'd have plenty of grub and clothes and a little left over for the tobacco. Emitting a flow of strong language directed against all rich men in general, Danny, with an air of the sense of the injustice of the whole thing, sat down again A burly young chain-gangman, closing his emptied dinner can with a bang, began : " Danny is right; those rich old duf-fers have no right to hang on to all that money. The money in the first place come from some place in the earth ; we are all on the earth. In the second place, every man is just as-good as the next one, so no man has any call to get something more than any other man can get. You see old P strut THE MERCURY. 193 down the street in his swell clothes, smoking dollar cigars and looking as if he was the only pebble. He's got a string of race horses that bring him in a good many thousands a year. They have those races all fixed, anyhow. That's all right, for one thief to rob another thief, but who earns the money which those big suckers are stealing ? We do ! It's our money ! How could anything be done except for the working man. Suppose these old soaks had to work the way we do i I'd given a week's pay to have gotton old P on one end of that fan we carried up the west slope of the old Hollywood stripping. We'd have either broken his back or his head. There are over a thousand men working here in this colliery and those thousand are under the thumbs of one or two big bugs. Why do we let them tramp on us like this ? We could easily put them out of business and run things to suit ourselves. I know if we just had some fellow to lead us we could soon make old P .duff up." " Well, why don't you lead off, Tippey ?" " No, thanks, I am not anxious for the job ; but just the same I'm ready to follow a good leader." "Same here—So am I" "That's the cheese," and similar expressions were muttered by the listening men. Just then the warning whistle blew and the men hurried to their places of work to be ready when the engines started again. Among those who heard the discussion that noon hour was a young fellow who went to college, but who liked to spend his summers working among the laboring people. This discus-sion occupied his thoughts all afternoon and when quitting time came he was anxious to get home and find the opinion of some other person upon some of the questions brought up by the miners. The man whose opinion he sought was the cashier of one of the largest banks in the city and was noted for his knowl-edge of things in genera! and knowledge of money in particu-lar. The one question which had arisen in the youth's mind was whether the money owned by the millionaire was really hoarded up. 194 THE MERCURY. The cashier answered this question immediately and decis-ively : "No, that money, said to be owned by a single indi-vidual, is in constant circulation throughout the financial uni-verse. What difference does it make whether one man owns the million dollars or whether a hundred or a thousand men own it. A millionaire is generally a shrewd business man or he would never have acquired his possessions. So the money in his hands is made to do the greatest possible work, while in the hands of a number of people it might not be used to such wise advantage. It takes brains as well as energy to become a millionaire. Those men over there at the colliery who were today ignorantly discussing a great subject have not the mental capacity required to control and use rightly a vast fortune. I'll admit that people of great wealth very often waste their money in extravagant affairs. But is that money really lost ? No, it returns into the general circulation and remains a part of the inestimable wealth of the world. The working man does not really desire to live like a mil lionaire and even if he did have the opportunity of indulging in the little follies of the rich, he couldn't endure them long, for generations of the one plane of living have habituated him to his occupation in life and he will be out of place anywhere away from his natural work. I am no defender of the million aire in his follies, but I do believe that his money does as much good and more when manipulated by his keen business ability than if divided among people who in conceit think themselves capable of using wealth, but who in truth are in no way able to use wisely more money than seems to be their just amount. So let us not envy the rich man or be harsh in our judgment of his actions. Our manner of living is different from his and so we cannot be fair in our estimate of his conduct." !' THE MERCURY. 195 POE: POET OR CHARLATAN? W. WISSLER HACKMAN. II. AS POET. IT is not our intention to usurp the office of critic—had we even the ability—the need were lacking. It is not so much a question whether or no Poe wrote good poetry, or bad poetry, or mediocre, for he did, as, is he sincere, is he consistent with his own. declaration of faith ; are the motives and emotions he displays genuine. There is however, a deeper, a subtler, a more intangible phase to be determined which does involve a certain consideration of style. The question that confronts us at the very outset is such as would—to satisfy the hypocritical—-necessitate a del-ving to the very roots and vital bases of poetry—even more a determination of the very nature and essence of poety it-selt. To state clearly, concisely, and convincingly what POETRY is per se, is a proposition before which greater intel-lects than ours have quailed. It is therefore, with a sense of gratefulness that we may assert that for our purposes we" need go no further than the poet's own assertion in the matter— " Poetry in words is therythmical creation of beauty." Yet let us be a little clearer on this matter of poetry before we draw deductions. Just as red light, brass bands, and tri-colored draperies in-spire an exaltation of emotion by no means necessarily iden-tical with patriotism, and as the abnormal stir of passion pro-duced by the snare drums' spirited roll is not, nor should be, confounded with love of fatherland; so let us not confuse me-chanical means and effects, be they ever so admirable, with the true soul exaltation of poesy. To the majority of the public Poe appears in the single role 'of Poet. This is rather significant, for the sum of his poetry, in bulk, is comparatively slight. Yet so completely has he won the title of Poet from the masses as to have it eclipse, in a manner, the other and more extensive phases of his literary activity. I have said this was significant. And this signifi- 190 THE MERCURY. cance will be apparent when we turn to the poet's own words, " With me poetry has been, not a purpose, but a passion." * If anywhere Poe is sincere it must be in his poems. All through his career " Poet" was the one goal of his ambition, the passionate aspiration of his being. Almost all his prose was written in the form of " pot boilers," or to wreak ven-geance or perchance malice on rivals or critics, supposed or real. Eureka alone I think may be set aside as wrought in purity and reverence; and toward poetry he maintains much the same worshipful, sincere attitude. Note his words: " Events not to be controlled have prevented me from making, at any time, any serious efforts in what [poetry,] under happier circumstances, would have been the field of my choice." f Fur-ther down ; "and. the passions [among them that of poetry] should be held in reverence: they must not—they cannot at will be excited, with an eye to paltry compensations, etc." \ That the subject of poetry powerfully appealed to Poe is evident in his own prose work. He has devoted five articles to poetry in one phase or another ; more than to any one other subject. And almost always his treatment is serious ; bitter often, carping frequently, but in the main sincere. The tenets of his poetic faith are set forth in apparent good faith, and lived up to with remarkable fidelity. Only once does his man-ner descend dangerously near to buffoonery, the concluding paragraph of his Rationale of Verse—a nasty fling at Long-fellow, for whom Poe, as a rival perhaps, had scant love. Yet even here it is an injury aimed rather at a school of writers than an evidence of irreverence to poetry. One other instance of a similar attack may be lound in his poetry proper, "The Einigma" a take sonnet which will be again noted in this article. What, then, are the principles of Poe's poetical creed ? 1st principle—"The value of the poem is in the ratio of this elevating excitement [i. e. of soul]." 2nd principle—" Beauty is the sole legitimate province of * Preface to edition of Poems in 1845. t Preface to edition of Poems in 1H45. % Italics are mine. THE MERCURY. 197 the poem."* Postulate—a POEM should not aim to satisfy intel-lect by Truth, or excite the heart by passion, but should aim to give the highest, purest, intensest pleasure. A little farther on in this same essay of his he argues forci-bly against didactic poetry. He continues all effort to teach for the sake of teaching. Truth he boldly asserts may be in-troduced merely to illucidate, to be a foil, as intended discords in music, or low comedy in Shakespeare. All, then, is subser-viant to " beauty "; " The Beautiful " is paramount in the cre-ation of POETRY. Bear in mind, however, he does not utterly banish TRUTH from the realm of poesy; he distinctly concedes that at such times as he has stipulated TRUTH may be profitably introduced. In the mechanism of his verse there are four characteristics worthy of especial attention; the refrain, alliteration, intraand interlinier rhyme, and a daring independence in material ar-rangement. Poe was a keen analyst, and consequently an able mathematician. He was fond of calculus, and both at college and West Point took high rank in mathematics. To the popu-lar mind there presents itself somewhat incongruous, a so close union between two so seemingly diametrically opposed forms of mental activity. The Poet is the very antithesis to the Mathematician, such seems the general sentiment, and to have them brought together thus rudely and unceremoniously is a shock, sudden and unprecedented, to accepted ideals. Yet is there really such incongruity ? Poe's arguments are then re-markably lucid and plausible. He not only preaches but practices. Now for a brief review of his more important poems, they fall naturally into four groups; personal, meditative, melan-cholic, abnormal or supernatural. Throughout all winds the tragic thread of hysteria, all are marked or marred by an ab-normal egotism, a morbid self interest. I have said Poe was Byronic in egotism, this is nowhere so evident as in these poems. Under the first group come his tributes to benefactors and sympathizers, the best of which is probably the one "To * Philosophy of Composition. 198 THE MERCURY. Helen,"* the worst "The Enigma." "To Hellen " was written at the age of fourteen, yet the illusive flow and exalted grandeur of this slight poem caused Lowell to exclaim in wonder, "A standard to which many in their maturity fail to approach !" The poem starts with a line of peculiar beauty, " Helen thy beauty is to me—" The second stanza ends in the magnificent couplet: '' To the glory that was Greece, And the grandeur that was Rome." Words crammed with centuries, resonant of the ages! The final stanza is evidently reminiscent of some occasion strongly impressed; the "agate lamp" lends a touch of homely reality that attests to sincerity, although it mars the atmosphere of the elevated, and otherwise classic setting. Compared to this "The Enigma" is rank doggerel, and it is a blessed relief to feel Poe so intended it. It is rather coarsely ironic, yet it is clever. It is a trick poem, an accostic hinted in the last line containing the names Anna and Lewis. Aside from this it is a mere blunt stab at the then existing popularity and abuse of the \ sonnet, in which form this same is written. To the second group belong a larger part of Poe's poems. Foremost: are " A Dream Within a Dream," " The Coliseum," " Silence," " Dreams," " Romance." Of these " The Coliseum " is in my judgment the noblest. The sustained loftiness, the classic stateliness of its measures, is happily free from the blem-ishes of ill-timed commonplaces which so often mar his other poems. The second stanza is an invocation ; sombre and sonorous. Note the slow, stately sweep of the feet like the measured tread of legions. Vastness ! and Age ! and memories of Eld. Then follows a remarkable series of parallels, the final being elimacteric in its somber irony : " Here, where on golden throne the monarch lolled, Glides, specter-like, unto his marble home ; *I refer to the " To Helen " addressed to Mrs. Stanard, the mother of a school-mate, who, by her kindness, wielded a remarkable influence over the sensitive youth. Her death called forth this poem together with " The Sleeper." THE MERCURY. 199 Lit by the wan light of the ronnd moon, The swift and silent lizatd of the stones." Then the query, full of a vast regret : "These stones—alas ! these grey stones—are they all- Left ********** By the corosive Hours to Fate and me ? " And the triumphant reply : " ' Not all '—the Echoes answer me—' not all! , Prophetic sounds and loud, arise forever From us, and from all Ruin unto the wise, Not all * * * * that hang upon And cling around about us as a garment, Clothing us in a robe of more than glory.' " Of the Melancholic there are a host. In fact very few of Poe's poems are free from melancholia. Although Poe in his "Philosophy of Composition" makes melancholia an impera-tive necessity in a poet's equipment—yet I feel that Poe's poems in the main are melancholiy because they are autobiographic. They are of the soul; and that soul warped, distorted and embittered. Of these I can but note, in passing, "Ulalume " and " Tamerlane," the former mystic, the latter lucid ; they stand widely apart and yet they are akin in spirit. Tragedy, deep, vague, flows through them like a turgid, stream, livid and unwholesome. " Al ArafT" together with "Tamerlane" show marked traces of the influences of Byron and Moor, both of whom Poe intensely admired. Peculiarly redolent with Poe's own aspirations, fresh in youth, yet already tainted with the bitter edge of dissappointment, are the lines : " I wrapped myself in grandeur then And donned a visionary crown— Yet it was not that of fantasy Had thrown her mantle over me— But that, among the rabble—men, Lion ambition is chained down— And crouches to a keeper's hand— Not so in deserts where the grand— The wild—the terrible conspire With their own breath to fan his fire."* The final group- * Tamerlane. -the fantastic, the wierd, the grewsome 200 THE MERCURY. this is Poe's special sphere. The somber tragedy of " The Raven," the morbid unhumaness of " Anabell Lee," the quaint fantastic irony of " For Arnnie,"the creeping, slimy, awful still-ness ; the brazen waters, the livid sky—the silence, downpress-ing and palpable ; the noisless stir—the dull horror of " The City of the Sea," in " The Sleeper; " the human common place-ness of its former part, the growing mystery, the freedom from natural grief, the the dull repression of its latter part; the un-seemly cheerfulness grating harshly to stimulate a feeling very like repugnance; to all this the allegory of " The Haunted Palace " insistently seems to offer a clew—it is Poe's INTELLECT ! " The olden time of long ago," is his childhood and early youth—the demon haunted palace is the present;—the demon's —thoughts! How many have crept their slimy selves into dis-torted perpetuity. It is terrible to conceive of a human be-ing cursed with such a horror-breeding brain bordering on de-mentia— it is more terrible to think of a man deliberately manu-facturing in cold blood such twisting, grinny, ghoulish crea-tions. No, this is too profound—in parts, too diabolic—if you please, to pass for mere buffoonery ; it may be charlatanism in dead earnest—but to me it smells of downright magic and fellest black-art. NOTE—"The Raven," " The Bells," "Tamerlane," "Leonore" will receive fuller attention in a later article embracing these together with " Eureka " under the head of Poe's Masterpieces. The next installment will treat of Poe under the phase as Critic and Essayist. —Ed. THE MERCURY. 201 THE TWENTIETH CENTURY'S DEMANDS UPON WOMAN. ELSIE A. GERLACH, '07. BEFORE the present century dawned it was not uncom-mon to hear the mannish woman styled the twentieth century woman. Where the idea originated is not known. But it was possibly due to the fact that woman was becoming more self-reliant, was taking her place in the business world, and was entering with keen appreciation into the sports which were hers for the asking but which only men had indulged in heretofore. The last and perhaps the greatest reason was that woman was coming to the front in education, and standing on an equal plane with the men, both in our own country and Europe. In the early part of the last century the women of the West worked shoulder to shoulder with their husbands on the farm- Willingly they helped to tame the wilderness, following the plow and gathering the harvest, and bravely they faced the danger when death threatened them in the shape of wild beasts or wilder men. But alas! their willing hands often faltered under a burden too heavy for them to bear. And while these women were helping wich strenuous manual labor to build up a new life in the West, our Southern women, with innumerable slaves at their command, were living a life of ease and luxury, basking under a tropical sun. For a Southern woman of gentle birth to work was considered a disgrace. House work was forbidden, and to go out into the world to earn a living was not to be thought of. So it seemed to fall to the lot of the Northern woman to set the pace for a happy medium. Stirred to activity by the cool winds of the North, work seemed the most natural thing in the world for her. Yet it was not all work and no play which she desired. If necessity compelled her to make her living she did it willingly, and was respected for it. But at the same time she entered with zeal into the healthful out-of-door sports and exercises. She also advanced step by step toward the higher education formerly attained only by the men, until 202 THE MERCURY. to-day she stands at the zenith. Can the extent of this for-ward movement be measured? " In man there is nothing great but mind " is the familiar abhorism of Hamilton, and the men-tal endowment is received directly from the mother. Find, if you can, one man who has been truly great whose mother was not a wise woman, and now since higher education has become universal, with such a heritage from his mother the man of the twentieth century ought to achieve things inconcievable to-former generations. The Western and Southern women soon realized and ac-knowledged the superiority of the course which the Northern woman was pursuing, and to-day not only they, but the wo-men all over the world, are following her example of Sana metis in corpore sono. With such privileges granted her, what does the century de mand of woman? One thing is certain, that the present cen-tury demands far more than former centuries. The reason for this may. be that we are living in a more strenuous age and one must live faster to keep abreast of the times. The cen-tury's primal demand is that woman must be educated. No-matter in what sphere of life she may be she must be educated that she may be able to cope with the many perplexing prob-lems which arise daily. If her sphere is the home, she must be familiar with the science of cooking. If she has servants she must know how to bring out the best that is in them. She must be able to answer the questions of her children, who know more at ten than their great-grandfathers did at fifty. She must be able to be a good companion to a husband who-is alert, well balanced in business affairs, and keeping pace with the times. There is an urgent demand for the cheaper labor of woman. Many a foolish girl leaves a good home where she has all the necessities of" life, and a not a few luxuries, to enter a factory. She has, as one says, " All she needs but not all she wants." To earn a few trifling luxuries and to enjoy, a few worthless pleasures, she will forego all the joys of home life, and will go from the guiding hand of a loving mother, out into the world, into the oftimes degrading factories, with their deafening, mad- THE MERCURY. 203 dening roar, their awful monotony of work, and in many cases their dull and coarse workmen. Mrs. Van Vorst writes that a girl working by her in the factory said to her, " I'll bet you can't guess how old I am." The lady records, " I look at her. Her face and throat are wrinkled. Her hands broad and scrawney. She is tall and has short skirts. What shall be my clue ? If I judge by pleasures " Unborn " would be my an-swer. If by effort then " A thousand years." " Twenty " I hazard as a safe medium, " Fourteen " she laughs. " I don't like it at home. The kids bother me so, Mamma's people are. well to do. I'm working for my own pleasure." Is it right for a girl to throw her life away in this manner? The answer is emphatically " No." This demand ought not to be com-plied with. She ought to learn a higher aim than the mere making of money. Still worse is the case of the sweat shop, where the cheap bargain-counter goods are made. Cheap ? Yes, cheap in money value, but dearly bought at the price of the lives of women and children who are not able to demand high wages. This demand for labor ought to be prohibited by law, law closing the sweat shops. At least all good women ought to know the significance of the bargain-counters and shun them. On the other hand, and here is a puzzling question, if the century demands a place for women in the congenial business world with the men, does she find it, after all, her sphere ? When the number of women who enter the business world is increasing year by year, what will be the outcome ? Is it, after all, best ? The " Homeletic Review " gives the following sta-tistics : In 1890 about 4,000,000 women were engaged in gain-ful occupations. Ten years later they had increased 36 per cent. Relatively to men the number of women engaged in domestic and personal service actually fell off in this same time, while in trade and transportation it rose from 6 per cent, to 10. True, hundreds and thousands of women are working on an equal basis with men, equally capable and receiving equal salaries, and we would not say that it is not for woman to earn a living: far from it. It is only when the work she does unfits her for higher spheres or detracts from the gentle- 204 THE MERCURY. ness, modesty and virtue that is the true heritage of every woman. The demands of the century are many, and it would be im-possible to discuss them all. I have treated only those which are most evident. But now let us consider, finally, the demand that woman shall be effective in bringing about a higher stand-ard of living. Many specific examples might be cited, as the Hull House, in Chicago, which has accomplished a wonderful work in the elevation of the people of the slums, mentally, morally, and physically. The work of the Woman's Mission-ary Society, and their Christian Association is well known to all. The Woman's Temperance Union is often scoffed at, but along what line have we made more progress than the lessen-ing of the curse of drunkenness ? Early in the last century liquor flowed freely at the harvesting, the dances, the weddings, and even at the funerals. Although drunkenness prevails today, there has been a great reformation along this line. This im-provement is universally attributed to the influence of woman. Considering the strength of this single argument, we could boldly affirm, that the world is growing better. " God's in His Heaven, all's well with the world." A MYSTERY SOLVED. LEVERING TYSON, '09. SOON after my graduation from Yale University, my thoughts turned to inventive channels. I left my home in New Haven and moved to Kansas. On a wide, barren stretch of prairie land in the outskirts of Topeka, I built a handsome residence and near by an observatory and a laboratory. I de-voted all my spare time to astronomical researches, and the heavens ever proved a source of interest and pleasure. There were two principal inventions which I contemplated ; the first—an exceptionally powerful light, whose rays would be brilliant enough to penetrate many, many miles through any obstacle; the second—an automatic shell, which, when hurled forth into space, would gain in velocity, the greater the oppos- THE MERCURY. 205 ing force. This latter was the result of many years of hard labor and concentrated thought. It was about seventeen feet long and five wide, and was shaped like a projectile. The outer shell was so constructed of scales or plates of steel, that they regulated a motor inside the shell and thus the velocity was increased when it struck an obstruction. This huge piece of mechanism was nearing completion, and was standing on a high scaffold a short distance from my lab-oratory. Not long after this, in the dead of night, I was awak-ened by a loud, fierce, crashing, I dressed immediately and hurried downstairs. My foreman began to pound on the door furiously and, when I answered his urgent summons, said that the scaffolding which supported the automatic shell, had given 'way, and that the shell had struck the ground and begun to bore into the earth. We hurried to the scene of action and found a hole five feet in diameter, reaching down, down, down, nobody knew where. After setting men to work to ascertain the depth of the shaft, I again retired. The men worked on, lowering a cord with a lead on the end. Late in the forenoon of the next day they struck bottom four-teen and one-half miles below the surface of the earth. I then decided to find out all I could about the course of my shell and why it had finally stopped. My first step was to lower a camera with electrical appliances into the shaft. The pictures were developed and those taken at different depths showed very interesting strata formations. Those, however, which were taken at the bottom of the shaft showed nothing but light, light, nothing but light. One pe-culiarity existed in every picture—every one had a dark blur in some part. This I finally decided was my shell. I finally hit upon an idea. My powerful Xray ! The very thing ! It was nearly completed and now everything was laid aside until it should be tested and proved a success. I sent away for the most powerful telescope made to examine the path of my light. This I erected above the mouth of the shaft, and under the balcony on which it rested, were the pow-erful batteries of this wonderful light. 206 THE-MERCURY. It was ready for a trial in a few: weeks' time, and the time had come, as I thought, to solve the mystery of the light. I stationed myself just above the mouth of the shaft and turned the switch. With a tremenduous hiss, the enclosure was brilliantly illuminated with the ray. I finally lowered it and it slowly ate its way downward, seeming to devour layer after layer of rock and bed after bed of coal and other products of nature hidden beneath the earth's surface. . This continued for nearly half an hour, when suddenly my ray did not disclose anything. There was the bright beam seemingly penetrating into the depths of the earth. I ordered my foreman to turn on all power possible. He complied with my requests but all ef-forts were fruitless. That steady, glow still met my gaze at the end of my glass and there was always a small dark corner projecting into view. Again I was baffled by the strange light, at a loss as to its meaning. I returned to spend a sleep-less night, tossing from side to side in my vain efforts to solve the phenomenon. I finally dozed off, I reached a conclusion while I slept, and it seemed that in the few hours I rested, my brain was still active. I would descend the shaft. As soon as I awoke I summoned my foreman, told him my resolution and put him in full charge of constructing a huge hoisting engine and a car the exact shape of my shell. Preparations were completed in a little less than seven months, I named a day when I was to descend into the earth's depths and final arrangements were at length completed. I entered the car and began to descend slowly, down, down, down. The car was so constructed that you could see on all sides while the descent was being made. My car Was comfortably constructed and elaborately fitted out. I had a telephone at my elbow and conversed with my foreman about many matters while I slowly descended. I passed through coal beds, and stratum upon stratum of rock and sandstone. These wonders I reported to my foreman who took notes so that, if any acci-dent occurred, my venture would still be of some use to scien-tists. I finally reached the bottom of the shaft safely after a most interesting journey. THE MERCURY. 207 No sooner had I struck bottom,* than a blinding glare met my eyes. It was several moments before I could see objects distinctly. I then noticed that the light was all about me. My car was suspended in space, and was in a cavern about twenty feet above my shell, lying on its side, not injured in the least by its strenuous journey. I directed my car to be slowly lowered until it was but several inches above the shell. The light still puzzled me. My shell rested upon it, but as far as •eye could see there was that unconquerable light, that light that had baffled me so often. .1 stepped from my car to the shell, but still kept firm hold of the bottom of the car. Low-ering myself gradually I finally stood on the light. Noticing some small pieces of some substance lying at my feet I picked them up and to my astonishment found that these fragments of " light " were pure diamond. I gathered several more speci-mens of " light" and, seized with a sudden fear; again entered my car and was slowly drawn upward. The problem was deeper than before, the mystery was not yet solved. As I slowly ascended to the upper air, the revelation of the whole matter buist upon me. The earth, like most of the other planets was, in the primaeval age, part of the tail of a •comet. Her whole interior was a solid diamond and this was charred and burned by the action of the elements. The upper crust was nothing more than an accumulation of ashes during many, many stages of natural development. At last every-thing seemed plain to me. I finally reached the upper air. Closeting myself for three months I prepared a book containing my views. Naturally this created a sensation in the scientific world. After a com-mittee of college professors and noted scientists visited my works and inspected the shaft I ordered it closed by the use of dynamite. Much to my satisfaction 'my theory was finally verified. The diamonds brought from the earth's depths were bought by a syndicate of kings and remained in their possession for many centuries. THE MERCURY Entered at the Postoffice at Gettysburg as second-class Matter VOL. XIV GETTYSBURG, PA., DECEMBER, 1906 No. 7 Editor-in-chief WARD B. S. RICE, '07 Exchange Editor THOS. E. SHEARER, '07 Business Manager THOMAS A. FAUST, '07 Ass't Bus. Managers. HENRY M. BOWER, '08 H. WATSON DAVISON. 'OS Associate Editors GEO. W. KESSLER, '08 J. K. ROBB, '08 EDMUND L. MANGES, '08 Advisory Board PROF. J. A. HIMES, LITT.D. PROF. G. D. STAHLEY, M.D. PROF. J. W. RICHARD, D.D. Published each month, from October to June inclusive, by the joint literary societies of Pennsylvania (Gettysburg) College. Subscription price, one dollar a year in advance; single copies 15 cents. Notice to discontinue sending the MERCURY to any address must be accompanied by all arrearages. Students, Professors and Alumni are cordially invited to contribute. All subscriptions and business matter should be addressed to the Busi-ness Manager. Articles for publication should be addressed to the Editor. Address THE MERCURY, GETTYSBURG, PA. EDITORIALS. One of the Y. M. C. A. COURSE. most ed. uca-tional and cultivating features of the college year is* about to be-gin, that of the Y. M. C. A. Course. Through the manage-ment of this branch of work a course of performances has been arranged which no one who is-interested in the rareties of lite can well afford to miss. It consists of a good variety of lec-tures, musicals and recitals, given by some of the most highly THE MERCURY. 209 skilled artisans of the season. As promoters of the educa-tional and literary spirit, we would urge all, especially students, to attend these intellectual feasts. The committee in charge have gone to no little trouble, and have assumed no little-risk in scheduling these numbers, for which they deserve much credit and loyal support. The cause for which this course is promoted would alone be worthy of our aid ; but when duty is so coupled with an extraordinary privilege, it should martial an unusual support. In taking advantage of this course we not only help a good cause, but adds very* materially to our gen-eral and aesthetic knowledge. DUTY. If you are a a member of this or that activity, what are you doing? Is the activity indebted to you, or are you indebted to it? In other words : Are you doing your duty ? We are all a little inclined to shift a responsibility, if we can, and we believe that it is due to this fact that the proper spirit is lacking in some departments, especially the literary. How many of us, when asked to serve on the society program, have not said: "It doesn't suit me this week, I don't have time?" There are, no doubt, many valid excuses given, but in a num-ber of cases, is it not simply an effort to avoid the task ? How many, when asked to contribute to the monthly journal, have not said : " Oh, I can't write; " or, " I don't have the time ?'' Again there may be legitimate reasons, but many times it is merely a way of putting it off. Other instances may be cited in which we are too ready to shirk our duty. Is this not more of a habit than anything else? We are so accustomed to excusing ourselves that we often give some excuse when we consent with the next breath. Let us break away from this ; when asked to perform a reasonable task, consider it a duty and do it, unless a plausible excuse can be offered. Many ot these departments are of our own institution ; and they will succeed only in so far as they are supported by their constituents. Therefore, when asked to do a service, let us not say we do not have time—others may be as busy as we—but remember it is our duty. 2IO THE MERCURY. It is the consensus of opinion that Gettysburg has played a remarkable game this foot ball season, having lost but one game. Her success was proven not to be the result of force and brute strength, but of good coaching and a team with a capacity for being coached. It is not our intention to discuss the game as played, but to emphasize an-other factor to which we attribute much of the success ; one whose value is sometimes underestimated ; one which is very rare in the case of athletic teams, especially successful ones. It is one which is highly commendable and worthy of example. All are well aware of the fact that at most universities and colleges there are a certain number of players who are contin-ually " cutting " classes, that is not including trips and times when they are obliged to absent themselves. We are glad to say that this was not the case at Gettysburg. The intellectual was not sacrificed to the physical. It can be said with all sin-cerity that the men who represented Gettysburg on the Grid-iron this season were men who were here for an education and of no mean standing in their class work; not one of them were here especially to play foot-ball. We believe then that the success in a large measure lay in the fact that the school was represented not by mere residents, but real students; men who have the true college spirit and a deep sense of interest in their Alma Mater. This is a record to be envied; let us keep it up, the success and honor will be the greater for it. As is customary, on account of the winter vacation, there will be no January issue of the MERCURY. Lack of space prevents the publication of the usual exchange column in this issue. PATRONIZE OUR ADVERTISER'S FURNITURE Mattresses, Bed Springs, Iron Beds, Picture Frames, Repair Work done promptly. Under-taking a specialty. * Telephone No. 97. EE_ IB. :i3e:cLd.ez 37 Baltimore St., Gettysburg, Pa. The Windsor Hotel 1217=2 Filbert St., Philadelphia. Headquarters for Students. Thoroughly Renovated, Refurnished and Remodeled FRANK M. SCHEIBLEY, Manager. Graduate of Lafayette College 1898. A. G. Spalding & Bros. Largest Manufacturers in the World of Official Athletic Supplies Base Bali Lawn Tennis Foot Bali Archery Roque Quoits Cricket Lacrosse Golf Implements for all Sports Spalding's Official Base Ball Guide for 1906. Edited by Henry Chadwick. The most complete and up-to-date book ever published on the subject. Fully illustrated. Price 10 Cents. Spalding's Official League Ball is the adopted ball of the National League, and must be used in all match games. Every requisite for Lawn Ten-nis and Golf. For over a quarter of a century Spalding's Trade-Mark on Base Ball implements has marked the advancement in this particular sport. Spalding's Trade Mark on our Athletic Implement gives you an advantage over the other player as you have a better article, lasts longer, gives more satisfaction. Every Base Ball Manager should send at once/or a copy of Spalding's Spring and Sum-mer Catalogue—FREE. A. G. SPALDING 6 BROS. 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EMIL ZOTHE COLLEGE EMBLEMS Engraver, Designer and Manufacturing Jeweler, 722 CHESTNUT STREET, PHILADELPHIA Specialties: Masonic Marks, Society Badges, College Buttons, Pins, Scarf Pins, Stick Pins and Athletic Prizes All Goods ordered through F. A. Faust. .s. Dealer in E Picture Frames of All Sorts. Repair work done promptly. i^*I will also buy or exchange any second-hand, furniture 40hamberaburgSt., GETTYSBURG, PA. SEFTON & FLEMMINGS LIVERY Baltimore Street, First Square, Gettysburg, Pa. Competent Guides for all parts of the Battlefield. Arrangements by telegram or letter. Lock Box 257. J. I. MUMPER. 41 Baltimore St., Gettysburg, Pa. The improvements to our Studio have proven a perfect success and we are now better prepared than ever to give you satisfactory work. Under New Management The Peoples Drug Store Invites you to visit tliem and select your needs from a fresh, new, and up-to-date stock. ■ C. WM. BEALES, Ph.G., Prop. 1). J. 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The Situation In The Middle East Report Of The Secretary-General On The Implementation Of Security Council Resolutions 2139 (2014), 2165 (2014), 2191 (2014), 2258 (2015), 2332 (2016) And 2393 (2017) ; United Nations S/PV.8206 Security Council Seventy-third year 8206th meeting Friday, 16 March 2018, 10 a.m. New York Provisional President: Mr. Van Oosterom. . (Netherlands) Members: Bolivia (Plurinational State of). . Mr. Inchauste Jordán China. . Mr. Ma Zhaoxu Côte d'Ivoire. . Mr. Tanoh-Boutchoue Equatorial Guinea. . Mr. Esono Mbengono Ethiopia. . Ms. Guadey France. . Mr. Delattre Kazakhstan. . Mr. Umarov Kuwait. . Mr. Alotaibi Peru. . Mr. Tenya Poland. . Ms. Wronecka Russian Federation. . Mr. Nebenzia Sweden . Mr. Skoog United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland . Mr. Allen United States of America. . Mr. Miller Agenda The situation in the Middle East This record contains the text of speeches delivered in English and of the translation of speeches delivered in other languages. The final text will be printed in the Official Records of the Security Council. Corrections should be submitted to the original languages only. They should be incorporated in a copy of the record and sent under the signature of a member of the delegation concerned to the Chief of the Verbatim Reporting Service, room U-0506 (verbatimrecords@un.org). Corrected records will be reissued electronically on the Official Document System of the United Nations (http://documents.un.org). 18-07334 (E) *1807334* S/PV.8206 The situation in the Middle East 16/03/2018 2/10 18-07334 The meeting was called to order at 10.10 a.m. Adoption of the agenda The agenda was adopted. The situation in the Middle East The President: In accordance with rule 39 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite Mr. Staffan de Mistura, Special Envoy of the Secretary- General for Syria, to participate in this meeting. Mr. De Mistura is joining the meeting via video-teleconference from Brussels. The Security Council will now begin its consideration of the item on its agenda. Recalling the Security Council's latest note 507 on its working methods (S/2017/507), I wish to encourage all participants, both members and non-members of the Council, to deliver their statements in five minutes or less. Note 507 also encourages briefers to be succinct and to focus on key issues. Briefers are further encouraged to limit initial remarks to 15 minutes or less. I now give the floor to Mr. De Mistura. Mr. De Mistura: We have been constantly, around the clock, in touch with the Secretary-General, my colleagues in the field and all those with influence because, as the Security Council knows, many events, some of which are very worrisome, have taken place in the past few days. On 7 March, I briefed the Council in consultations on the status of the implementation of resolution 2401 (2018). At that time, I said that there had not been any sustained ceasefire or adequate humanitarian access at that stage. On 12 March, the Secretary-General himself orally reported to the Council on the implementation of resolution 2401 (2018) and United Nations efforts to create such conditions by using his own good offices or those of his own team, including ourselves (see S/PV.8201). The Secretary-General also underscored that it was incumbent on all the parties and on all those with influence in the Council, in the Astana process and in the broader International Syria Support Group to act on the resolution throughout Syria without delay. Allow me to update the Council on where we stand on the matter since then — that is, since the Secretary- General gave a very comprehensive report — on the very day after the sad anniversary of the beginning of the conflict. We are entering the eighth year. In everything that we are doing in the horrific conflict, our compass — and I know the Council feels the same — has been, is and should be the Syrian people, wherever they are, who are telling us that they are fed up with the conflict and the way in which civilians are being affected in the cross-fighting. That is our compass. So whatever we do these days and whatever we suggest, including our current facilitation role, is constantly framed by the urgent needs of ordinary civilians — women, children and men. Since the briefing by the Secretary-General, in the past few days further meetings have taken place between the Russian Federation and Jaysh Al-Islam on the outskirts of Douma, which is the northernmost of the three opposition-controlled enclaves in eastern Ghouta. The result of that engagement is a tenuous and fragile ceasefire between the Government, the Russian military and the Jaysh Al-Islam forces, which has now largely continued to hold for the sixth day. We hope that it will continue to do so, notwithstanding the engagement between Government forces and Jaysh Al-Islam in other areas outside Douma, such as the village of Reihan. In other words, the talks, the discussions and the ceasefire have been effected and implemented with Jaysh Al-Islam in Douma but not beyond. However, that is only one part of eastern Ghouta. For example, the ceasefire is not being replicated in the rest of eastern Ghouta or elsewhere, and it is extremely fragile. While I speak, I understand that at this very moment there are some delicate meetings taking place regarding the follow-up to the arrangement regarding Douma. Let us therefore hope that the ceasefire holds because that would be at least one good piece of news among very bad news. The United Nations has been practicably offering its good offices but efforts to facilitate meaningful contacts between the Russian Federation and Faylaq Al-Rahman or Ahrar Al-Sham have not yet produced results. They are dominant forces in the two other enclaves in eastern Ghouta — in Harasta and around Kafr Batna, Ayn Tarma, Arbin, Zamalka and Jobar, respectively. In those two other areas, we have not seen any ceasefire to speak of. Rather we have seen Government forces and their allies pursue a concerted escalation against those two enclaves with rapid ground offensives, accompanied by shelling and airstrikes. Reports of a public market in Kafr Batna having been 16/03/2018 The situation in the Middle East S/PV.8206 18-07334 3/10 hit are just coming in. Of course, we need to verify them, since they are new reports. Again, regrettably, there are numerous civilian casualties. We have also seen continuous shelling coming from those areas of eastern Ghouta inside civilian areas of Damascus again. We are also hearing from people inside eastern Ghouta, asking the United Nations, the Council and Member States with influence to pressure the armed opposition groups to let civilians leave and to pressure all parties for a ceasefire and protection for those who do not want to leave but want to stay. The bottom line of all this is that too many civilians are suffering and too many have died in that area. Let me first say that it need not be that way. Negotiations in Douma in the past few days show that there is a way to create the conditions to advance the implementation of resolution 2401 (2018). As we have done so far, the United Nations therefore stands ready to offer its good offices to all parties to facilitate further engagement of that kind so as to make a concrete contribution to the implementation of resolution 2401 (2018) in all areas of eastern Ghouta. The United Nations is not ready to facilitate ultimatums from either side. It stands ready to facilitate discussion, a ceasefire and evacuations. Meanwhile, violence has escalated across many other parts of Syria, where there is no ceasefire to speak of. In Afrin, the Turkish Government forces and their armed allies continue to gain ground rapidly. We have also received reports of shelling in besieged Fo'ah and Kafraya — two villages which, for a long time, have been held by the opposition. There have also been air strikes in Idlib and a new armed-opposition offensive in Hama. Clashes and air strikes have also occurred in Dar'a, southern Syria. If now is the time for de-escalation, the Security Council had better convince me that de-escalation is indeed taking place. What we see on the map looks like the opposite — escalation. Let me re-emphasize that resolution 2401 (2018) cannot be applied piecemeal. It is not an à la carte menu. It applies to all non-Security- Council-listed terrorist groups across Syria. Let me also reiterate the words of the Secretary-General who stated that even efforts to combat terrorist groups identified by the Council do not supersede obligations under international law. I am sure that members of the Council will have the opportunity to hear a briefing from Mr. Mark Lowcock. Meanwhile, since I have the opportunity to brief the Council today, let me provide some information about the humanitarian situation. On 13 March, the United Nations observed the evacuation of 147 civilians, including 10 critical medical cases — the majority of them women and children from Douma who sought shelter in rural Damascus. Based on the outcome of discussions and meetings between the Russian military and Jaysh al-Islam, facilitated by the United Nations, on 15 March, United Nations colleagues also delivered a convoy of food assistance to Douma for 26,100 people in need. Additional medical cases were also evacuated. Let us be honest and admit that positive efforts are generally welcome and long overdue, but remain limited. Civilians require much more, including medical and health-care supplies, the restoration of water, commercial access and freedom of movement. Members of the Council must have seen the report in which Mr. Peter Maurer, who had been meeting with some of the people in eastern Ghouta, stated they were simply asking for water. They just needed water. Humanitarian colleagues who entered those areas spoke of having seen hunger, dire want, poverty, haggard faces and despair all around. Even for experienced people, such as my own humanitarian colleagues, it is an unsustainable situation in which people are on the brink of collapse a few kilometres — 20 minutes' drive — from Damascus. Let me be clear, that is only in Douma — an area which has seen a few days of ceasefire and positive movement on humanitarian access. Can we imagine the situation elsewhere? In other words, in the other two enclaves of eastern Ghouta further south, we have seen no ceasefire to speak of and to borrow the words of the Secretary-General, people are still living in hell on Earth. Scores of people have been killed and the injured left unattended because health workers could not reach them due to the relentless air strikes. We have heard fresh allegations about the use of incendiary weapons in various urban areas and the targeting of medical facilities since 12 March, as well as new and disturbing allegations of chlorine use in those areas. As the Secretary-General has stated, we cannot independently verify those allegations but we also cannot and should not ignore them. We have also received reports of thousands of people displaced, some moving further into eastern Ghouta and many others exiting en masse in large groups, as a result of the advances of the Syrian Government in Hama, Noria and in Saqba. S/PV.8206 The situation in the Middle East 16/03/2018 4/10 18-07334 Evacuations not observed by the United Nations are also reported to have taken place, including from Misraba and other areas. The United Nations was not present to observe those evacuations and is unable to know the precise number of them. We urge parties that all evacuations must take place in accordance with the highest protection standards under international humanitarian law and international human rights law. Whether civilians choose to stay or leave, they must be protected against attacks and have access to the essentials to survive. They must be safe and voluntarily enter a place of their of choosing. The United Nations stands ready to provide assistance to people in need — those who choose to stay and those who want to leave. We are also extremely concerned about the plight of civilians throughout Syria. They include the displaced, as well as almost 3 million in besieged and hard-to-reach areas and those caught up in escalations in Idlib, Hama, Aleppo and Dar'a. Resolution 2401 (2018) demands that all parties immediately lift the sieges of populated areas. To date, that has not occurred. According to my colleagues, the situation in Afrin is particularly worrying. We have received reports of tens of thousands of people displaced within Afrin and to nearby Tell Rifaat and surrounding villages, Nubul and Zahra, and other areas of Aleppo governorate. The United Nations has also received reports of civilian casualties and restrictions on movement for many of the large numbers of civilians seeking to leave the city. I urge all parties to ensure that civilians seeking to leave Afrin be given safe passage. Since 6 March, it has been reported that people in Afrin city have suffered from severe water shortages as its source of water has been damaged by the fighting. Allow me to add a point of particular importance that was revealed in a recent report. The safety of Syrian women in particular is threatened when they are evacuated following the lifting of a siege or end of a battle. Threats include widespread sexual and gender-based violence, which has been widely documented and mentioned by women's groups. The protection and needs of women must be at the forefront of our response. With regard to a separate humanitarian issue, on 14 March my technical team participated in the first meeting of the Working Group on detainees and missing persons that took place in Astana. We pressed the Astana guarantors at that meeting and before to make progress on the crucial issue, which to us, is one of the main reasons we attend meetings in Astana. It is an issue that has been at the forefront of our concerns. We have offered to host a standing secretariat so that information on detainees can be distributed in all meetings of the Working Group. Thus far, the guarantors have simply agreed to consider our proposal about a standing secretariat in Geneva to monitor the issue of detainees, but no final decision has been taken. We will intensify our contact with them and the parties in order to accelerate work on that important — frankly, crucial — humanitarian issue. We should remind ourselves that the issue of detainees and missing persons was first raised in Astana a year ago and, sadly, no concrete progress has been made so far. We owe it to the Syrian families on all sides who have long been awaiting word on the fate of their relatives. Although the logic of war clearly still prevails and resolution 2401 (2018) is not being implemented as it should be, as the Secretary-General stated, we absolutely refuse to give up hope of seeing Syria rising from the ashes. The Syrian people deserve to be helped. The Syrian people are proud. They love their country. We need to help them to go back to having a normal country. There too, it is with the people of Syria in mind and their legitimate aspirations for the long-term shape of their country that we continue our political efforts — in spite of what we see on the ground — for a sustainable settlement of the conflict. And there too, the voices of women across Syria conveying their wish to play a meaningful role — just as with our own civil society — in the next stage of the political process must be heard. Therefore, my team and I have continued to consult, in the context of the political side, widely and intensively on the formation of the constitutional committee in Geneva in an effort to advance the full and complete implementation of resolution 2254 (2015) within the framework of the United Nations-facilitated political process in Geneva. To this end, we seek to leverage the momentum produced by the Sochi final declaration, which emphasizes the fact that we should have a constitutional committee in Geneva with the assistance of the United Nations. We take note, therefore, of the statement issued — today, I believe — by the Astana guarantors in their own ministerial meeting, in which they reaffirmed that "the results of the Sochi Congress, especially to form the constitutional committee and to facilitate the 16/03/2018 The situation in the Middle East S/PV.8206 18-07334 5/10 beginning of its work in Geneva with the assistance of the United Nations Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Syria as soon as possible." However, I have to be frank. I must report that at this stage — more than two weeks beyond one month since the National Dialogue Congress in Sochi — we have not yet received the complete inputs on the pool of candidates for a constitutional committee developed in Sochi, from the three guarantors. It is my intention, in close consultations with all concerned, to look carefully at this pool when we receive it, and at others as required and consistent with resolution 2254 (2015), to facilitate the establishment of the constitutional committee. I must also report, once again, that there is still some serious homework to be done regarding the Syrian Government's readiness to engage on implementing the Sochi final declaration and moving forward with a constitutional committee in Geneva. I have impressed that on the relevant guarantors repeatedly in recent weeks, just as I continue to make clear the readiness of the United Nations to engage the Government of Syria on this matter. We need them to be part of it. We need to have the comprehensive participation of all Syrian parties. In the meantime, we have been proactive in offering creative suggestions as to how to expedite the formation of that constitutional committee. We continue to assess various options on how to advance discussions on all four baskets of the political process in Geneva. In particular, it is clear that there must be more and serious talks with the Government, the opposition and all Syrian and international stakeholders on what is required in order to establish a secure, calm, neutral environment, as per resolution 2254 (2015), in which a constitutional process and United Nations-supervised presidential and parliamentary elections, pursuant to a new constitution, could viably take place. We remained determined to engage all parties. As I said in my most recent briefing, a month ago (see S/PV.8181), conflict is increasingly spilling over Syria's borders, or at least risks doing so. This month we have further incidents of potential and real international confrontation within Syria that we cannot independently verify, but which concern us. That is precisely we need urgent action on the political front. Syrians need to see some positive movement on the political process. On Monday I will be attending a meeting of European Union (EU) Foreign Ministers here in Brussels. On Tuesday, I should be back in Geneva. I will attend the meeting at the invitation of High Representative Mogherini, in the context of the preparatory efforts of the EU and the United Nations for their joint ministerial conference in Brussels at the end of April. I hope that the Conference will provide a significant opportunity to bolster international support for the Syrian people though humanitarian commitments. I also hope that the gathering of a significant number of Foreign Ministers will also provide an opportunity to reinvigorate the collective efforts of the international community towards a sustainable peace through the United Nations-led peace process in Geneva, within the framework of resolution 2254 (2015) and other relevant resolutions. In conclusion, I urge caution. We must recognize that we are witnessing developments of the utmost gravity on the ground. These events demand action, and the world is worried and watching. I remain concerned that concrete matters that we have been trying to advance — resolution 2401 (2018), detainees and a constitutional committee — need to move faster and with more meaningful impact than has so far proven possible. And de-escalation must replace what we are watching at the moment — a clear tendency towards escalation. I will continue, creatively and determinedly, to seek to facilitate the overall political process. As the Secretary-General said on Monday, the ultimate goal is to help the Syrians and to "see a united, democratic Syria able to avoid fragmentation and sectarianism and with its sovereignty and territorial integrity respected, and to see a Syrian people able to freely decide their future and choose their political leadership." (S/PV.8201, p. 5) The President: I thank Mr. De Mistura for his briefing. I now give the floor to those Council members who wish to make statements. Mr. Tenya (Peru) (spoke in Spanish): We thank you, Sir, for convening this meeting and Mr. De Mistura for his briefing. We are grateful for his tireless and important efforts. We agree that the continuation of the conflict and the regrettable humanitarian situation in Syria undermines the prospects of making political S/PV.8206 The situation in the Middle East 16/03/2018 6/10 18-07334 progress. The unpunished lack of compliance with international law, international humanitarian law and Security Council resolutions erode the needed trust for sustainable peacebuilding. While we express our deep sympathy and solidarity with the victims, we would like at the same time to indicate our concern over the impact of the Syrian conflict on regional stability, the Council's credibility and the functioning of an rules-based international system. More specifically, the international community is awaiting an immediate ceasefire throughout Syria, full access to the needed humanitarian assistance, the attainment of a political agreement that could bring about sustainable peace in Syria, and accountability for the heinous crimes committed, including the use of chemical weapons. There can be no more excuses and no more delays. The humanitarian ceasefire, as stipulated in resolution 2401 (2018), must be implemented immediately in eastern Ghouta, Idlib, Afrin, Raqqa, Rukban and throughout Syria. All parties should commit to resolving the conflict peacefully, in accordance with resolution 2254 (2015) and the Geneva communiqué (S/2012/522, annex). That will require the constructive participation of the Syrian Government and the opposition groups in establishing a constitutional committee, as agreed in Sochi. We believe that a new constitution must be drafted to lay the political and institutional groundwork for sustainable peace in Syria. The Syrian Government and all parties to the conflict must rise to the occasion in confronting the gravity of the situation, prevent its further deterioration and escalation, and fulfil their obligations and responsibilities. The Astana guarantors must also meet expectations in terms of the special responsibility entailed by their influence and involvement on the ground. Yesterday's meeting in Astana and the meeting to be held in Istanbul in early April must yield concrete outcomes, including in the matter of those detained and missing. As a member of the Council, Peru believes that its own responsibility vis-à-vis the tragic humanitarian situation in Syria entails requiring all parties involved in the conflict, especially those with greater ability to influence events on the ground, to comply with international law and international humanitarian law. Peru places priority on the protection of civilians, in particular women and children, and stresses the importance of maintaining the unity of the Council concerning this and all other conflicts and humanitarian crises, wherever they might arise. In conclusion, we convey our support for Mr. De Mistura's work to encourage dialogue among the Syrian opposition groups that have expressed their willingness to comply with the ceasefire and expel terrorists from eastern Ghouta and other parties to the Syrian conflict. Mr. Esono Mbengono (Equatorial Guinea) (spoke in Spanish): We appreciate the initiative of convening this meeting owing to the gravity of the situation on the ground. We also thank the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, Mr. De Mistura, for his informative briefing. As we continue to seek a solution to the tragic humanitarian situation throughout the country, it is also important to continue pursuing political efforts. We all believe that there is no military solution to the Syrian issue. The international community must continue to support and encourage the intra-Syrian negotiations and impress upon all parties that it is only by sitting around the negotiating table and engaging in frank, direct and inclusive dialogue that a solution can be reached that addresses everyone's concerns. In such a process, we must ensure that the sovereignty and unity of Syria are respected. We support the United Nations in its mission as a mediator in finding a political solution to the Syrian issue, pursuant to resolution 2254 (2015). It is imperative to relaunch negotiations in Geneva and all other peace initiatives, including those in Astana and Sochi, which must lead to the resumption of negotiations in Geneva. The final outcome must ensure the well-being of the Syrian people. Consolidating a political process in Syria will be difficult without eradicating terrorism. The international community must also demonstrate its unfaltering unity by joining forces and following the same criteria to combat the various terrorist organizations operating in Syria. Mr. Umarov (Kazakhstan): We thank Special Envoy De Mistura for his update. The humanitarian situation in Syria remains dire. We echo the United Nations call on all parties to facilitate a ceasefire and unconditional, unimpeded and sustained access to all people in need throughout the country, pursuant to resolution 2401 (2018). It is also vital to take the measures necessary to protect civilians 16/03/2018 The situation in the Middle East S/PV.8206 18-07334 7/10 and civilian infrastructure, including schools and medical facilities, as required under international law and human rights standards. As members of the Security Council are aware, the guarantor States of the agreement on the cessation of hostilities adopted a joint statement on the settlement of the conflict and its future direction at the meeting of Foreign Ministers on 16 March in Astana. Kazakhstan remains committed to bringing peace to Syria. The situation is not simple, but nevertheless we cannot give up. Kazakhstan has taken the following positions. First, we do not believe in a military solution, for that would only aggravate an already difficult situation. We need serious compromises from every side. Any conflict — even the most serious — ends with negotiations, and we must strive to achieve the goal of bringing peace to Syria. We know of many fine examples in which conflicting parties in many other countries have come together despite difficult negotiations so as to find common prosperity for their peoples. Secondly, Kazakhstan calls on the Syrian Government and opposition parties to immediately begin substantive talks on the entire spectrum of issues. Astana does not anticipate any political or international miracles, yet sees great promise in a collective and pragmatic approach. Kazakhstan, for its part, is deeply committed to ending the intense suffering, which has lasted for eight long years. We all know that today Syria is undergoing a significant challenge that must not lead to a deadlock, but offer new opportunities to pave the way to a peaceful and lasting political settlement to the crisis. We hope that the forthcoming ninth round of talks, to be held in Astana in May, will offer an opportunity to end the war. In that regard, we will urge the guarantors and Syrian parties to overcome their differences through dialogue and reach a final agreement covering every aspect of the issue. Mr. Tanoh-Boutchoue (Côte D'Ivoire) (spoke in French): Côte d'Ivoire thanks Mr. De Mistura, Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, for his briefing on the latest developments in the political process and the situation in the country, and for his work to find a solution to the ongoing crisis. The Ivorian delegation remains concerned about the upsurge in fighting, which with every passing day further distances us from finding a peaceful settlement through political negotiations. Despite the efforts of the international community to establish a ceasefire, we continue to witness indiscriminate attacks and bombardments in eastern Ghouta and other areas in Syria, thereby resulting in a large number of casualties among civilians and the destruction of important infrastructure. My country therefore calls once again for an immediate cessation of hostilities and urges the international community to work together towards the effective implementation of resolution 2401 (2018). That resolution, which was unanimously adopted by the Security Council, calls for establishing a humanitarian cessation of hostilities of at least 30 days so as to allow for the safe, lasting and unhindered access of humanitarian convoys to deliver essential supplies to the people of eastern Ghouta and other areas in Syria. Should it be implemented, such a temporary cessation of hostilities could not only alleviate the suffering of millions of people living in distress and hopelessness, but also allow for the resumption of political talks among Syrian parties in a peaceful environment. In that regard, Côte d'Ivoire hopes that the Astana meeting will lead to a lasting ceasefire, improve the humanitarian situation and establish the conditions for advancing the political process. My country welcomes all initiatives aimed at reviving the inter-Syrian dialogue and encourages Mr. De Mistura to continue undertaking, within the framework of the Geneva process, the steps needed to set up the committee responsible for drafting Syria's new constitution, as agreed at the meeting in Sochi in the Russian Federation. In conclusion, my delegation urges the Syrian parties to give priority to dialogue, which is the only way to advance the political process with a view to a definitive end to the crisis, in accordance with the road map laid out by resolution 2254 (2015). That is Côte d'Ivoire's profound conviction and it is in the interests of the Syrian people. Mr. Inchauste Jordán (Plurinational States of Bolivia) (spoke in Spanish): We appreciate the briefing given by the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General for Syria, Mr. Staffan de Mistura, to whom we reiterate our support in the discharge of his duties. As on previous occasions, my delegation wishes to express its support for the various meetings held in S/PV.8206 The situation in the Middle East 16/03/2018 8/10 18-07334 different contexts and at different levels, which have allowed for the creation of de-escalation zones, the cessation of hostilities and humanitarian access. At the same time, we remain converned over the urgent need to advance in a political process that will help to resolve the conflict in Syria so that the people can return to peace. That is why we again highlight the commitments made at the Syrian National Dialogue Congress, held in Sochi on 30 January. It focused on strengthening the political process led by the United Nations within the framework of resolution 2254 (2015), particularly through the drafting of a new constitution by a constitutional committee, which we believe should be representative and neutral. We underscore in particular that the mandate, terms of reference, powers, rules of procedure and selection criteria for the composition of the committee must be agreed in the United Nations-supported talks held in Geneva. In that regard, we firmly believe that the principles agreed at the Sochi Congress will lead to a strong commitment on the part of the parties to respecting the unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Syria, in the context of its right to choose its own political, economic and social systems, without pressure or foreign interference. We are certain that the political process will resume as a result of those dialogues. However, and despite the advances in the political arena, we remain concerned over the critical situation of the Syrian people. In that regard, we welcome the holding of the Astana meeting and its outcome, and we hope that those political agreements will be reflected on the ground. We also express our greatest hopes for the success of the summit to be held shortly among high-level representatives of Turkey, Iran and Russia. We hope that it will serve to reaffirm the Astana agreements and de-escalation zones with a view to reducing violence and addressing the needs of families of detained, kidnapped and disappeared persons. Once again, the Council has the challenge of remaining united and calling on the parties involved to join forces and maintain the impetus of the Astana talks and the political process in Sochi, among others, the outcomes of which, we reiterate, must strengthen the political process in Geneva. We hope that those forums for dialogue will promote points of convergence and consensus in order to reduce violence and allow the humanitarian access that is so necessary, not only for the safe and dignified return of refugees and internally displaced persons, but also to achieve sustainable peace in Syria. To that end, it is crucial for the parties to demonstrate their willingness to seek a settlement to the conflict, which has persisted for more than 8 years. We again call on all parties involved to effectively implement resolution 2401 (2018) throughout the entire Syrian territory in order to achieve unrestricted humanitarian access and permit the necessary urgent medical evacuations. We reject any attempt at fragmentation or sectarianism in Syria, and believe that the Syrian people must be able to freely decide their future and political leadership within the framework of their sovereignty and territorial integrity. In that regard, we reiterate that the only way to resolve the conflict is through an inclusive, negotiated and concerted political process, led by the Syrian people for the Syrian people, which will enable a peaceful solution for all parties involved. The President: In accordance with rule 37 of the Council's provisional rules of procedure, I invite the representative of the Syrian Arab Republic to participate in this meeting. I wish to again remind all speakers to limit their statements to no more than five minutes in order to enable to Council to carry out its work expeditiously. Mr. Ja'afari (Syria) (spoke in Arabic): On 12 March (see S/PV.8201), I informed the members of the Security Council of a number of measures undertaken by the Syrian Government to alleviate the suffering of Syrians throughout my country caused by armed terrorist groups. Today, I assure those present once again that the Government of Syria is indeed most keen to save the lives of its citizens and continues to take all necessary measures to ensure their safety and security. In line with those efforts, the Government of Syria opened the new secure corridor in Hamouriyah village, which was liberated from terrorists yesterday in eastern Ghouta. Its aim is to assist the evacuation of civilians who are being used as human shields by terrorist groups. Just yesterday, Thursday, 15 March, more than 40,000 civilians exited eastern Ghouta through the new additional corridor. They went to the Syrian Government, which coordinated with the Syrian Red Crescent, to facilitate their safe transportation to temporary shelters that are equipped with all the necessary resources. They were not transferred to camps, or tents. The Syrian Army, in coordination with 16/03/2018 The situation in the Middle East S/PV.8206 18-07334 9/10 the Russian Reconciliation Centre for Syria, has opened a total of three corridors in Hamouriyah, Jisreen and Wafideen. Yesterday, the Government of Syria also allowed the entry of a joint assistance convoy of the Red Crescent, the Red Cross and the United Nations, made up of 25 trucks carrying 340 tons of various medical and nutritional supplies. The Syrian Government will continue to allow the passage of such convoys, security conditions permitting. In return for all those efforts undertaken by the Government of Syria to protect its citizens, the armed terrorist groups — upon direct instructions from the Governments of the States supporting them — continue to use civilians as human shields in eastern Ghouta and prevent them from using the corridors as they target them with bullets and missiles. It is quite strange that the Government of Syria is shouldering the huge responsibility of implementing resolution 2401 (2018) and responding to the needs of civilians exiting the inferno of terror in the eastern Ghouta, while the United Nations agencies working in Damascus, including the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, and Governments of other countries that are lamenting the destiny of our civilian population have done nothing materially or morally to alleviate the suffering of tens of thousands of people who have escaped from terrorism. One hundred thousand civilians were displaced in Afrin and around 100,000 fled eastern Ghouta —— a total of almost 200,000 civilians — yet no one has provided them with help. Some States members of the Security Council are abusing the work of the Council in launching campaigns to defame and spread misinformation about the Government of Syria, especially with respect to the unofficial Arria Formula meeting that the Council held on 12 March. However, I recall that the United Nations is an Organization of Governments and not a theatre for the display of power, and that giving the opportunity to terrorist groups, including the so called White Helmets affiliated with the Al-Nusra Front, to use the platform of the Security Council represents a gross violation of Security Council resolutions, especially those on combating terrorism. The biggest scandal is that one of the United Nations agencies working in Damascus has asked for the transfer of 76 White Helmets out of eastern Ghouta. It does not care about the tens of thousands of civilians but it cares about 76 White Helmet terrorists. If the Security Council really wants to know about what is happening in Syria, it should ask some of our people who are still living in the city of Raqqa to talk before the Council about the scandals perpetrated against civilians by the outlaw coalition, and its extreme respect for international law after it completely destroyed their city. The coalition has committed the most terrible massacres against civilians, provided protection to 4,000 terrorists affiliated with Da'esh, and facilitated their exit from the city of Raqqa in order to use them somewhere else in Syria. The city of Raqqa is to us what Dresden is to Germany. The Security Council should also ask to hear from some of our people in Afrin, who could tell its members about the ideal implementation of the provisions of international humanitarian law and resolution 2401 (2018) by the invading Turkish forces that have perpetrated terrible massacres against civilians and displaced tens of thousands of them. The Council should also ask some foreign terrorist fighters who have returned to their countries to explain in an open meeting of the Security Council how the Governments of their countries were actually involved in their recruitment, training and financing and how they provided them with arms and sent them to Syria to commit massacres against the Syrian people. The problem is, however, that these fighters have been recycled, renamed and rebranded as the moderate opposition in Syria. The Security Council should also ask some of our people who have left eastern Ghouta over the past few days to talk about the terrorist practices of Jaysh Al-Islam, Faylaq Al-Rahman and Ahrar Al-Sham, the three groups that have been called the moderate Syrian opposition by the United States, France, Britain and their agents in the Gulf Sheikhdoms, and to talk in particular about how those groups kill anyone who tries to get out. They have seized all forms of humanitarian and medical assistance and sold it at very high prices. The Council should also ask some of our people from Fo'ah and Kafraya to talk about their years of suffering in the ongoing oppressive siege there, which has been conducted by Al-Nusra Front with direct assistance from Turkey and Qatar. However, it seems that those defenders of humanity have no ears and tongues to listen about the suffering of those civilians and talk about it. If Western countries in the Security Council were one part in a thousand as sincere as the Russian Federation in their assertions that they really care about the Syrian people and respect the provisions S/PV.8206 The situation in the Middle East 16/03/2018 10/10 18-07334 of the international law, the purposes and principles of the Charter and the Security Council resolutions, particularly those pertaining to combating terrorism, then terrorism would not have emerged in Syria and in other countries. No civilian would have suffered in eastern Ghouta or in eastern Aleppo or in the old city of Homs, Raqqa or any other Syrian city. Those Western countries have invested in terrorism to bring down Iraq, Libya and Yemen. Now, they have also invested in terrorism in Syria and that investment has failed. It is as if these countries were saying that, given a choice between supporting the demons of terrorism, on one the hand, and the Syrian State, on the other, they, the sponsors of terrorism, would choose the demons. In conclusion, the Government of my country reiterates its principled position that the solution to the Syrian crisis is a political one, based on an intra-Syrian dialogue led by Syria without any foreign interference or preconditions. I have spent hours and hours in negotiations with Mr. De Mistura on those very words in resolution 2254 (2015). I remind Council members that the success of the political track and the tangible enhancement of the humanitarian situation will depend primarily on creating an environment conducive to international and regional commitment to seriously fighting terrorism in Syria and freeing the process from politicization. The President: There are no more names inscribed on the list of speakers. I now invite Council members to informal consultations to continue our discussion on the subject. The meeting rose at 11.05 a.m.