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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 6, 1913)
TTTE MOTtNIXG O It E d O NT A N". SATURDAY. DECEMBER 0. - T913. ALASKA-HONDURAS TRADE UNPOPULAR Congress Unlikely to Give Ear to Scheme of Universal Peace Union. BSIC IDEA IS UNTENABLE Scheme to Exchange British Terri tory for lower California In Pnl reqpaMit Deal Open to Vari ous Objections. OREGONTAX SEWS BUREAU. Wash Ington. Dec 1 Congress will not .Ikely rive serious consideration to the bill drawn by the Universal Peace Union of Philadelphia, and Introduced in the House by Representative Smith, of Maryland, proposing to transfer Southeastern Alaska to Canada. Such a proposal may appeal to some of the Kastern peace advocates, but the West Is sufficiently strong-, particularly in the Senate, to prevent the passage of any such legislation as this. The plan, as embodied in the Smith bill, proposes a sacrifice of some of the best territory in Alaska, for which the United b'tates is to receive something of comparatively little value. Mr. Smith suggests that the British gov ernment, in exchange for the Alaskan panhandle, could turn over British Hon duras to the United States, and if the Mexican government were willing, this Government could then transfer Hon duras to Mexico in exchange for Lower California, the most barren land in the known world. Territory "t Little Value. From a business standpoint, if the plan were otherwise feasible, the Unit ed States would be taking In exchange for Southeastern Alaska a dry, parched territory, valuable only for Magna lena Bay, which is admittedly desir able as an American naval base. The proposal of the Universal Peace Union 19 both objectionable and Im practicable for numerous reasons. Aside from the opposition to giving up Southeastern Alaska, which is known to be valuable, there can be no assur ance that Mexico would bo willing to exchange Lower California for British Honduras. There is today no Mexican government which the United States is willing to recognize, and there Is no Indication that such a government Is likely to be established for some time to come. Even when such a gov ernment is established, there is no as surance that that government would deem such a trade deslrabl-. British Honduras, adjoining Mexico on the south and lying immediately west of Guatemala, facing the Caribbean Sea. might be left on the hands of the United States, and would likely prove more an annoyance than en asset. Certainly there is no comparison netween British Honduras and Southeast Alaska. Their exchange would not be as equitable one and the United States would lose by such a trade. Utile Territory Clear. The theory on which Mr. Smith pro poses the exchango is that the vast Canadian territory lying back of the Alaskan panhandle is virtually cut off from access to the harbors on the Alas kan coast. Mr. Smith and the Univer sal Peace Union seem to believe the people of Western Canada are deeply wrought up over the fact that a strip of American territory intervene be tween them and the western ocean, and some time they think there may be a bloody conflict between Canada and the United States unless this Government voluntarily relinquishes its title to all Southeast Alaska, and thus turns over to British control all the harbors lying xouth of the 60th parallel, a strip of country C36 miles long, in which lie the present capital of Alaska and some of its most important towns and most valuable industries. The Peace Union and Representative Smith seem to think that Canada has a Just complaint because the United Statea retains control of Southeastern Alaska, thus forming an unnatural boundary for Western Canada, let the right of the United States to that ter ritory has been definitely and finally settled and Is not longer open to dis pute. The New York Sun. commenting editorially on our right to the Alaskan panhandle, says: "The "unnatural boundary' was de fined by an international tribunal of British and American Jurists in Lon don In 1903, Lord Alverstone casting the deciding vote for the claim of the United States that the Intent of the treaty of 1825 between Great Britain and Russia was that the line running east and north of Cape Muzon should not cress fjords of the coast, but pass ten marine leagues from and back of them. It Is true that the Canadian Commissioners protested bitterly, but Lord Alverstone's intellectual honesty and patriotism could not be Impugned. The result was the shutting off of Northern British Columbia from the sea, and the grievance, although stifled, has always been acute. ' Sitka Would ot nave Dees Loat. "But If the Canadian contention had been upheld, the Alexander archipelago with Sitka would not have passed from the possession of the United Statea, and at most the Panhandle would have been divided. The Americans would, how ever, have lost Lynn Canal, a very Important link of the inland passage of which Chatham Strait Is the chief wa terway. It Is undoubtedly a hardship that British Columbia and the Yukon territory are denied their natural out lets to the Lynn Canal and. to the in ner waters of the Alexander archipel ago, but the award of the London tri bunal waa based upon a common sense construction of terms in the Anglo Russian treaty and the- finality of it cannot be reasonably challenged. In course of time the Panhandle, which has a temperate climate and Is an ex tensive territory with rich resources, will prove valuable to the United Statea. It lies In part across the path of opportunity for the great Northwest of Canada, but the handicap Is not great er thai other states suffer from In similar cases, notably Germany, which finds the Netherlands obstructing her access to the North Sea and In envied possession of the mouth of the Rhine." Ball Dislikes Red. K. M. Wright' "Dodge City, the Cow boy Capital." During the excitement Just before our great bull fight, the only one ever to take place In the United States, the boys were cutting out and trying the bulls, to find which would be the roost vicious and the best fighters. A gentle roan, whom we will call Brown, said It waa all nonsense about shaking a red flag In a bull's face: that he knew it would not make him fight because he had tried it. A man, overhearing the remark, said: "Brown. I will bet you a tiO suit of clothes you can't shake a red flag In a bull's fare without his fighting, and you have the privilege of selecting the most docile bull In this lot of fighter a" Tit bat waa soon made, and Brows i got a red shirt and climbed down Into the corral. The bull was looking as calm as a Summer morning, and Brown went towards the animal, keeping the red shirt well behind him. As he came close to the brute, he suddenly pro duced the shirt and llirted it in the bull's face. The beast Jumped back in astonishment and kept his eye on Brown, while Brown waved the old ver milion gown vigorously. Then the bull shook his head several times, as if he declined to have anything to do with that business, and Brown turned to wards us and put his thumb to his nose and made a sign of victory. Just then an Idea seemed to strike that bull. He put bis head down and moved swiftly forward. Brown, at first, thought there had been an earthquake. Upon his descent he thought he'd try to run, but the old long born waa In serted In the seat of his trousers, and again he went up, high enouKh to take a bird's-eye view or the surrounding country. On the SSth descent he fell on the other side of the corral, and we picked him up. His mouth was full of grass and sand. We asked him If his views about bulls had undergone any change; but he walked silently along. We wanted to know how he enjoyed the scenery, the last time he went up; but he would not say. He merely went Into the cookhouse, filled up both bar rels of his gun with old nails and screws and scrap Iron, and then went to interview that bull. BART FETE OLD MtSTKRS' BALL. IV LO.DO' TO BE SE9ATIOVAL KVEVT. Klag. Twe Qaeeu, I'onr Princesses and Five Durhrases Head Patroa List. For Affair December 3. LONDON. Dec. 1. (Special.) The smart set In London are busy Just now making their plans for the Old Masters' Ball which. It Is believed, will furnish the most startling and sensational so cial gathering in England this season. A king, two queens, four princesses and five duchesses head the list il patrons; and the event Is fixed for December 3 at the largest hall 'n Lon don the Albert Hall, which it is In tended to make the scene of a mar velous stream of living color. Osten sibly the ball has been organized in aid of the Invalid Kitchens of London, which supply poor invalids In Bcr mondsey, 11 ox ton. Stepney and Victoria Docks with chicken broth and Jelllos for two cents and with all economy lose II cents every time they do It. The Napoleon, Von Moltke, and Oyama of the occasion is feherwood Foster, of the Chelsea Arts Club, wno first made London familiar with the possibilities of the Albert Hall as a national ballroom. Foster's earliest victory was when four or five years ago he organized the Chelsea Arts Ball. Then came in quick succession the first Three Arts Ball, the Shakespearean BalL the Pantomime Ball of 1912. Lie ball of a Hundred Years Ago. and the Versailles Fete victory after victory, but he now declares the Old Masters' Ball will easily be the greatest of his triumphs. "At it. he says, there will be five living friezes representing ancient wall paintings of Egypt. Greece. China, Per sia, and the Byzantine Empire. After these will bo shown groups of five pictures. "All the costumes shown, from Giotto downwards, will be reproductions of famous pictures. This is rather a new venture, and It will be well carried out. Those taking part will Include some of the most beautiful women in London. "Four thousand dancers will be ad mitted to the floor, and :,000 of the public will be admitted to the gallery as spectators at a small fee. "The dancing begins at 10 and stops at IS. "On the atroks of midnight, in an oblong framed space 130 feet in length, over the boxes, one by one the early 'frieze' groups will appear and pass on. When they are done, the oblong space will be divided up Into five frames, two full-length frames at each eixl. two three-quarter-length frames within these, and in the center one head and shoulder frame. "In constant succession, these frames, which are the fit of llfcslze pictures, will be filled with five examples of each of the schools of painting to be sliowu. There is to be no delay and no hitch; the whole series of tableaux takes only 40 minutes to show. "Among the well-known society beauties who are to take part in the tableaux are: Mrs. Stuart Wortley (Early Frolentlne. Baroness IJrEr lnnger (Tuscan). Mrs. Frank Tennant (Late Florentine), the Duchess of Som erset and Viscountess of St. Cyrcs (Early Spanish), the Duchess of Port land (Early French), Lady Helen Vin cent (18th Century French). Lady Evelyn James and Lady Speyer (Dutch). "Assisting me In the direction of the artistic side of the ball are a number of well-known artlets. It was a moot question with us whether we should go beyond the pre-Raphaellte school and Introduce a futurist and cubist tableau. "Something of the sort might be done, though It is to be handled very gingerly, for goodness only know what some of these modernist folk would want to do." AIR B0M3SAT NIGHT HIT Gorman Airship Corps Finlli Ex periments Said to Bo Success. BERLIN. Dec. 6. (Special.) Bomb throwing experiments from aeroplanes and airships have been concluded at the Doeberltz military camp, and, al though the strictest secrecy is pre served by the authorities. It is reported they have been most successful. Al though the experiments took place at night, and sometimes in a strong wind, the target was hit nine times out of 10 by both classes of aerial craft. HOmE RULERS PLAN FURTHER CAMPAIGN Widespread Activity Is Pro gramme of Secessionists During Autumn Months. CONFERENCE IDEA GIVEN UP Kcoiiomln, the Xew Motor Jr"uel. American Machinist. A new fuel for automobile and other Internal-combustion engines Is an nounced In British papers under the name of kconomln. This has for its base SO per cent of kerosene, the re mainder being chemicals which form an emulsion. Then the mixture is dis tilled and gives a fuel which is cheaper than gasoline (In England at least) and which gives more power from the same motor. It is further claimed to give practically perfect combustion so that there is almost no carbon de posit in the cylinders, to be almost odorless and to make an easy-starting motor. It can be used with the same carbureter adjustment as gasoline. The fuel is not yet on the market, but a plant to turn out 20.000.00 gallons a year Is under construction. Mexican Mines Become Wells. Engineering and Mining Journal. Practically all of the mines of Parral are now closed except the Alvarado. A large party of Americans baa recently come out of the country, under the leadership of Mr. Dufoureq, enduring much hardship on the way. During a part of the Journey they were in com pany with the refugees from Maplml. which place has been entirely aban doned by foreigners: the mines are fill ing with water at the rate of 2000 gal lons per minute. The condition of the refugees In many cases Is pitiful. Most of them have lost all their belongings. Some hav lost lortunea, , Speakers Declare Unionist!! Will Employ Every Advantage Held by Them to Defeat Measure and Upset Liberal Programme. DUBLIN, Dec 1 (Special.) The Home Rule Council is rapidly complet ing preparations for a great Autumn campaign, in conjunction with the Lib eral associations of the. constituencies of Great Britain, on behalf of the home rule bill. All the Nationalist members, as well as Liberal members or parliament, will take part. John Redmond, the Irish leader, will speak at Northampton on November 17. at Birmingham on November 11,-and at Alloa on November 21. This series of mass meetings will give the Irish leader an opportunity of re-statlng the case for home rule. -end the country will await with some Interest to see to whet extent Mr. Redmond has been In fluenced by the cross-currents of the recess of Parliament. John Dillon will speak at Devon port on November 12. at Newton Abbot on November 13, and at Dewsbury on November H. At the last place Walter Runciman, president of the board of agriculture, will speak also. T. P. O'Connor will speak at Peter borough on October la. Leading Ulster protectants like the Right Hon. Thomas Shlllington. the Right Hun. R. U. Glendlnning. David Hogg. M. P.; R. N. N. Boyd, W. Ma cadco (Ballymoney). II. II. Graham (Belfast), and W. II. Davey ("Ulster guardian") will also lend their help. The Home Rule Council believes that the result of this comprehensive scheme of propaganda work will be to deepen the conviction of the electorate that the home rule bill is a fair and ade quate solution of a long-standing prob lem, and that the complete absence of any alternative proposal makes it es sential, not only in the interests of Ireland, but In the Interests of Great Britain and the empire, that the bill should pass aa promptly as the Par liament act permits. Lord Lorcburn's proposal for a conference Is clearly re garded by Sir Edward Carson as Im practicable, and at the headquarters of the Home Rule Council there is no disposition to differ from that view. Everybody acknowledges the ex-Lord Chancellor's sincerity, patriotism. In tegrity and desire to do a good turn for Ireland, to whose national cause he has ever been a staunch friend, but Irish Unionists and Irish Nationalists alike declare that he has evidently got out of touch with the realities of the Irish situation. Mr. Redmond's speech at Glasgow a short time ago shows that the Nation alists would not take part In any con ference the basis of which was not an Irish Parliament, with an executive responsible to it. Mr. Dillon asserts that a conference under those circum stances would be "futilo and mischiev ous," and would encourage t'lsjer torles In the belief that their bluff and threats are calculated to Intimidate the gov ernment and the Nationalist party. Conference Held Impracticable. Ellis Griffith's speech. In which he said that Liberals and Nationalists had never bi.-cn unwilling to confer with their opponents upon the subject of home rule. Is an absolutely true state ment, so far as Nationalists are con cerned. But, as he added, they could not hopefully or practically enter upon a conference of the kind suggested un less they had some measure and agree ment as a common basis for proceed ing to business. It Is now clear enough that such a "common basis" is prac tically impossible, Mr. Parncll once said on the plat form of the Ulster Hall, In Belfast, af ter the split, that ho would sacrifice much to secure the adherence of the Orangemen and the Ulster Unionists to the principle of an Irish Parliament, but that If they would not Join with their countrymen in the effort to as sert it. Nationalists must go straight ahead towards their goal. At a great Nationalist demonstration at Listowel. Joseph Devlin, N. P., said that although the end of the str ggle for home rule for Ireland was nea . the fight was not yet over. The Tory arty In England had opened a fresh cam paign against home rule, and had at their conrmund all the resources which rank and wealth, privilege and monop oly could give. That party felt that If the democratic party went on shaping legislation much longer, and if the government's programme of reforms found Its way to the statute book, the days of castle and aristocratic rule would be numbered, and that nothing could prevent the Inauguration of a new era of democracy. PARCEL POST PROFITS Tear's Xet Earnings Will Amount to at Leuet $30,000,000. Washington, D. C, Correspondent New York Times. It became known toduy that the profits to the Government from the operation of the new parcel post sys tem during the calendar year lsll would be about $20,000,000. The new system became effective on January 1 last. It was estimated that the profits for the first year would be about 116.- 000.000, but the actual figures now In possession of postal officials convince them that the profit. Instead of being $15,000,000. will be $30,000,000 for the first yea" This will he interesting news to rail way officials, who have been contend ing that their roads were entitled to extra remuneration for carrying the mails on account of the operation of the parcel post. It was learned from reliable quarter tonight that, even assuming that the contention of the railroads was correct, there still would have been a good margin of profit at the end of the calendar year ISIS after the payment of extra remuneration to the roads. If a parcel post adjustment were made along the lines suggested by some of the railroads, probably not more than $10,000,000 of this $30,000.- 000 would be due to the railroads as extra pay. The total income from the parcel post for 1913 will be around $80,000,000. . The whole question of railway mall pay, that Is, compensation to the rail roads for carrying the mails, is likely to be readjusted next year. Immedi ately after the meeting of Congress in regular session in December, a bill will be Introduced providing for this read justment. The measure Is now being drafted. It will seek to establish an entirely new method of paying the rail roads for carrying the malls and do away with the present archaic method of computing, the payment of roads. S6355",. "The Aristocrats of the Road" -SKSsq. 31irS& The World-Famous SfS&t. Kt5SS5v "Nobby Tread" JgU S- fcChato Tread" ( I I In all kinds of weather, on all kinds of roads these "Aristocrats of the Road" are giving thousands upon thousands of Motorists perfect protection against Skidding, The automobile owners of the West have found that these two famous anti-skid treads are better than any form of car insur ance that can be bought They have found that the "Nobby Tread" and "Chain Tread" are absolute and practical protection against skidding. The have found that these two famous treads the "Nobby" and the "Chain" give a remarkable amount of extra wear. They have found that the consolidation of four famous factories which made such tires as the "Nobby" and "Chain" treads possible, has marked an epoch in the tire industry. This is shown every day by the compelling numbers of the famous "Nobby Tread" and "Chain Tread" tires in use on automobiles. When you purchase United States Tires you are sure of these vitally important facts: J. Of the Four Factory Organization behind these famous tires. 2. Of vast experience in tire build' ing. 3. Of a tremendous organization that actually backs up its tires. The overwhelming number of automobile manufacturers who have selected United States Tires as the standard equipment of their 1914 cars proves unquestionably that United State3 . Tires , are , today - the accepted standard for real tire service. Portland Service Branch 24-26 Fifth Street, North ; Don't Be Talked Into a Substitute Your own dealer or any reliable dealer can supply you with United States Tires Smooth Tread, "Nobby Tread," or "Chain Tread." If he has no stock on hand, insist that he get them for you at once, or go to another dealer. Note This Dealers who sell United States Tires sell the best of everything. w4 wssrisii ii ! in iji s.usii linen i n Bin. . iju,; isijsi s mi eml tir : - " For some time members of the Houre postofflce committee hare bin con sidering the question of providing a new method of paying for mall trans portation. Tbey have been cunsulte-l in connection with the preparation of the new bill, as have also the officials of the Postofflce Department most In timately Identified with mall transpor tation. The bill will bu an Adminis tration measure. Pay for carrying the mails Is read justed only once every four years. For purposes of the computation the coun. try Is divided into four grand sub divisions, in each of which the mail is weighed once every four years. This is accomplished In such a way that the weighing is clone in one district this year. In the second district next year, the third district the next year and the fourth district the following year. The mail Is weighed for 30 daya, and upon this basis a computation Is made for an entire year, showing the aver age monthlv amount of mall carried. When once mwde this computation con tinues for a single road for four years, and payment Is made accordingly. The bill now being prepared will pro- yose &w jnethod, of fixing the basis of payment. It will propose a radical change In the whole system of railway mall pay. and a readjustment that is ex pected to be fairer both to the Govern ment and the railroads. The new rail way pay bill also will take Into consid eration the payljig of the ralroads for carrying the parcel-post matter, and will seek to meet the complaints that have been filed by different roads, sev eral of which were willing to throw up their railway mall contracts rather than carry the parcel post without additional pay. An American In the Balkans. Christian Herald. The activities of Dr. J. 11. House, whose work at the Tbessalonlca Agri cultural and Industrial Institute, Sa lon lea. Greece, la well known, have had to assume a rather dlffrent char acter since the close of the Balkan War. The school was founded tf train boys of all nationalities In agriculture and the trades as well as in Chris tianity. Its new efforts are to care for and train as many possible of the refugees who by one or another of the , warring nations were driven from their Macedonian homes. Their needs would be thus supplied, and at the same time they would have the ad vantage of learning scientific meth ods of farm work. and. when they re turned home, they wouM carry to various lands the inspiration thus se cured for better modes of life. The schocj Is Incorporated under the laws of the state of New York, and Is sup ported by voluntary gifts administered by a board of directors of five differ ent denominations. Kaiser Has "Firedamp WlilfUle." Coal Age. Word comes from Germany that a new "firedamp whistle" has Just been invented by Privy Councilor Haber an! Dr. Oelser, as a result of the appeal of the Kmperor. made a year ago, that an attempt should be made to discover some means of preventing mine catas trophes due to the explosion of fire damp. The device Just exhibited to t!ie Kaiser and which lias met with his ap proval consists of a metallic cylinder 10 inches long and 2i inches in diam eter, operated by means of an air pump. The sound of the whistle is said to be audible 300 feet away. When blown In pure air. the whistle gives an even tone; but when blown in air charged with marsh gas. the tone Is said to vary from a shrill tremolo to a Jerky staccato, d-per.ding on the per centage of gas present. It seems strange that this dev!;e should bo described es something n w. It arpears to be a resurrection of he old Forbes gas Indicator, invented Vy Professor Forbes more than half a cen tury ago. but fouml to be of no prsril cal application as a means of detecting gas In mines. i:ilri)uur? Blects Physician. 5 KLLEXSEfltG, Wash, Dec 6. (Spe cial.) The city election resulted In the return of Dr. .T. A. Marian to the Mayor's rhair. He Iiad no oppoi-itlon. and has held th office three coiik.th tlve years. A. F. Schultz, W". J. I,uff and John Burcli were elected Co:in il men. A- M. Hall was eltcted Treas urer. F. T. Hoffman, Clerk, and 11. W. Uale, Attorney.