largest and most influential in the land-published by the American Metric Association and the World Trade Club, the latter of San Francisco, show with equal conclusiveness, a large body of American manufacturers unreservedly in favor of the freest international and national usage of the International Metric system. It is our candid belief, judging from such evidence as we have been able to gather, that for every manufacturer in the United States opposed to an extension in the use of the Metric system, another of equal or even greater prominence may be named as favoring the use of the Metric system to the exclusion of all other systems, especially in the marketing of our products both for home and foreign consumption. For not a few manufacturers, and among them the publisher of THE VALVE WORLD, favor an extension in the use of the International Metric system in order to facilitate trading with other countries, without, for the present, at least, considering it essential that the system should be used exclusively in the processes of manufacture. The bill now before Congress recognizes this situation and specifically exempts manufacturing establishments in the making of their products from any compulsion in the use of the system. But if every manufacturing interest in the country should be opposed to the Metric system and wish to cling to the antiquated system now officially used in but two countries of the world, would that furnish a good reason for THE VALVE WORLD to refrain from saying it would be a good thing for this country and for the world if we had but one universal system of weighing and measuring, if it really believed it would be a good thing? Would we increase our influence with our readers if we looked around first to see who might agree or not agree with us before we expressed our opinions? It is safe to say that when THE VALVE WORLD first declared itself in 1912 an advocate of the widest usage of the International Metric system, it could not have found a dozen prominent manufacturing concerns in the country in agreement with it. Now it can easily find twelve times that number. We took up this question more as an international than as a narrow national matter, because we earnestly believed that the people of the world would be infinitely better off and would understand one another better if we had something approaching an international language for international trade and commerce. This is why we have advocated, still advocate and shall continue to advocate the following: An international decimal system of weighing and measuring. International standardization of sizes, and wherever practicable, of methods. All for the purpose, chiefly, of increasing international good-will. 261 We still believe this to be a good and progressive platform, and therefore can see no reason why we should not advocate it without reserve. It is most gratifying to us to note from Mr. Hosford's letter that we have succeeded in interesting him in all but one of the topics we have considered in THE VALVE WORLD-which we are quite sure is not the case with many another reader. And as we print THE VALVE WORLD with the aim of interesting as many of our readers as we can and as often as we can, perhaps Mr. Hosford may bring himself to feel less disappointment in our efforts should we now and then consider it opportune or desirable to please those of our readers who are in favor of our position on the Metric system by saying something in favor of this international language for weighing and measuring the products we wish to sell to the people of other lands. UNIVERSAL TRAINING VERSUS LAWLESSNESS 'HE VALVE WORLD is a consistent champion of some system of Universal physical and mental training for the youth of our land in order that they may become good citizens. We believe that such training ought to be compulsory within stated ages and that it would not necessarily involve training specifically for military purposes. In a recent interview the chief of police of Chicago said: "It is because of the fact that normally healthy persons do not commit crimes that I am so much interested in athletic sports. For athletics is one of the great preventives of crime and vice. I think compulsory athletics for all boys would do more than the police force can do in preventing crime. The 'waves' of crime rise and fall with the mental and physical health of any community. And athletic sports bring health." This statement is sound in every particular. Compulsory physical and mental training aiming to build up a sound mind in a sound body for every boy in the United States-would be one of the best investments the citizens could make. We can picture no surer road to the attainment of the American ideal-an intelligent, tolerant, industrious, justice-loving, law-abiding body of self-governing people. Why any parent in the land should object to such training and for such a purpose is quite beyond our comprehension. Yet there has been enough opposition to it to keep it still within the realms of academic discussion. Let us hope, for the good of our youth and the good of our country and of the world, that we shall presently find it among the practical things undertaken with that true American spirit which spells success. Calgary, Alberta-Center of a Vast Region By R. E. Doherty C NALGARY, Alberta, is the largest and most important city in Canada between Winnipeg and Vancouver and is two hundred miles south of Edmonton, the capital of the Province of Alberta, and a city almost as large. While Calgary is in one of the so-called Prairie Provinces, it is more picturesque than most of the cities on the prairies, being in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains at the junction of the Bow and Elbow rivers. Contrary to the general opinion, in the United States at least, Calgary is a city of hills, the business section being surrounded by heights affording splendid views of the country for miles in all directions. The stately Rocky Mountains stand guard on the west and their snow-capped peaks are visible practically throughout the whole year, as Alberta skies are very seldom marred by clouds, while fogs and mists are unknown. The world-famous resort, Banff, is but eighty miles from Calgary and is easily accessible by train or motor. Banff is in the heart of the mountains at an elevation of forty-five hundred feet above sea level, while Calgary has an altitude of thirty-four hundred feet, from which it will be noted that the trip to Banff is really a case of mountain climbing. While the general impression seems to prevail that Calgary is a "Wild West" town, the fact is that it is a modern city with many miles of paved streets, excellent electric light, water, sewer and street railway systems and natural gas. It is a city of homes and much time and thought have been devoted to laying out beautiful residential sections. While trees and flowers do not grow with the abandon that they do on the Pacific Coast, during the last twelve or fifteen years much progress has been made in beautifying the city by the planting of trees and the development of gardens and lawns, and in this respect the community can justly boast of much beauty. There are eleven excellent parks within the city's boundaries, covering an area of about six hundred acres. A Delightful Climate Having all the advantages that result from almost continual sunshine, both winter and summer; from mountain breezes and from sparkling mountain river water, Calgary is considered one of the healthiest cities on the American Continent. The City Health Department is continually working to make living conditions ideal and the results during the last eight or nine years have been very gratifying. Contrary to the general understanding, Calgary enjoys a very mild climate, the winters being not nearly so severe as supposed by most persons not familiar with the climate of Southern Alberta. It is true that the thermometer drops on occasions to thirty and forty degrees below zero during some months of the winter season, but such periods of extreme cold are of very short duration, the sunshine and Chinook winds which prevail here affording Calgary a much milder winter than any other large city in Canada, with the exception of the cities of Vancouver and Victoria. As a business center, Calgary occupies a unique position in the extent of the territory which it serves. Located on the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway, eight hundred and forty miles west of Winnipeg and six hundred and twenty miles east of Vancouver, it is, as stated previously, the largest and most important city between the two points mentioned. It is served by three transcontinental railroads and is the hub of many branch lines radiating in all directions. The territory served, so far as extent is concerned, is very much larger than that served by most eastern cities. At present there are approximately two hundred wholesale firms engaged in business in this city and approximately twelve hundred commercial travelers make it their headquarters. There are over seven hundred retail stores which cater not only to the local residents but to many visitors from the surrounding districts, Calgary being considered the shopping center for a vast territory. As an indication of the commercial importance of this city, the local bank clearings usually rank sixth among the cities of the Dominion, Calgary being surpassed in this respect only by Montreal, Toronto, Winnipeg, Vancouver and Ottawa, in the order named. An Active Railroad Point The Ogden Shops of the Canadian Pacific Railway Company, representing an investment of $3,500,000 and with a payroll exceeding $3,400,000 annually, are located at Calgary and a large force of mechanics is employed to take care of the maintenance of all of the rolling stock of the company on its Western Lines. This company also maintains large general offices to administer to the requirements of their business Street Scene in Calgary in this section. The headquarters of their Department of Natural Resources is also located at Calgary. This department of the company operates and maintains the second largest irrigation project in the world, a few miles east of Calgary. Calgary is the center of a vast agricultural country in which the growing of wheat and other cereals and the raising of live stock have so far formed the chief industries. As a natural consequence of these resources there are many large grain elevators, flour mills and-packing plants in the city, the export business of these firms running into millions of dollars annually. The growth of the live-stock industry has been phenomenal, the quantity of stock of all kinds handled at the Calgary Stock Yards showing an enormous and steady increase each year since the yards were built. Center of Coal Mining Of late years there has been great development in the coal-mining sections of Alberta, and Calgary is the center of this industry. It is not generally realized that 265 fourteen per cent, or one seventh, of the known coal deposits in the world are located within the boundaries of the Province of Alberta, and when it is considered that development work on this immense field is practically only just beginning, the possibilities are greater than can be even approximately prophesied. The coal production of the mines in Alberta during the year 1919 was 6,700,000 tons and this production is constantly being increased as transportation facilities improve and the demand increases. There is also much new development in the oil fields of Alberta. Since the strike at Fort Norman by the Imperial Oil Company there has been activity in drilling closely approaching an oil boom, such as was experienced in Calgary about eight years ago, and the Alberta fields have once again become the center of interest, not only to the citizens of Calgary and Edmonton but to business men throughout the country. A City of Rapid Growth As a result of the rich territory in which Calgary is located, the city has grown from |