THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 1917. '
' iwi .UCAUfi EVENllsO'
: .".IWIi ' rUUIV . , . 7 . ' '
EDITORIAL PAGEOF THE LA GRANDE EVENING OBSERVER
:
An Tnononrlon NflWflnAIlftr
Published Daily and Weekly at La Grande, Oregon, by the
LA GRANDE EVENING OBSERVER PUBLISHING CO.
J. I). MEYERS H. B. LEITER CLARKE LEITER
President Vice-President ' Editor and Pubhsher
Entered at the Postcffice at La Grande, Oregon, as sccond
. ;; . class matter. - -
; Address all communications to
THE OBSERVER, 1710 Sixth St.
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A PUBLIC SERVANT. -In
these days of dictators and autocrats, let us not
spread the autocratic principle into our daily life. Let us
remember that a municipality depends upon its citizens
for support; let us remember that those who draw salar
ies and wages from the city are servants of the citizens1.
The chief of police is one of .them. The; City Commission
owes it to the body of citizens to see .that its employes are
civil, decent and courteous. The chief of police has been
charged with incivility, profane and abusive language to
wards citizens and assaults upon two citizens.
The Observer believes that the City Commission owes it
to the public to hold a public healing and to investigate
the charges against the chief of police. No doubt there
are other citizens, who would make complaints, if assured
by the Commission of protection from future persecution.
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SOME POLITICAL ECONOMY.
The argument has bepen advanced that the wealth and
resources of the United States are impaired to the extent
of all the money spent by the Government for war purpos
es. The'argument is very unsound. , There is a sharp con
trast between cost to the Government and cost to the peo
ple of the country.
The United States has sold two billion dollars worth of
liberty loan bonds to the people of the United States and
therefore owes two billion dollars more than it did a few
months ago. When the money for the bonds has been
collected in full and been expended in full the matter will
stand in this shape
The people of the United States will have loaned to their
Government two billion dollars in return for which they
will have received two billion dollars worth of liberty
loan borius which is as valuable security as the world af
fords. Moreover they will have in their pockets or their
banks the two billion dollars which they loaned their Gov
eminent.. The Government will have expended part of
this money itself and those European nations engaged in
war with Germany, whose obligations our Government has
purchased with part of the money realized from the sale
of liberty loan bonds, will have expended the other part,
and-all of it will have been spent in America for American
products and in payment of American wages.
The resources of the Nation, its capital stock so to speak,
will not have becen impaird at all. Qur farms, our mines,
our factories, in fact all of our fixed property and indus
tries will remain intact. Our people will simply have sold
some of the annual products of the country, the products
of its farms, the products of its mines and products of its
factories. , '
Thus the Government will have value received for the
monev it borrowed from the people and the people will
have value received for the money they! loaned the Gov
ernment and the products they sold their Government ana
the European nations engaged in war with Germany. As
Secretary of the Treasury McAdoo has expressed it "all
of this financing is largely merely a matter of shifting
credits. All of the money will remain in this country and
will not involve any loss of gold or any loss of values."
Of course the United States is going to pay these bonds
at maturity and is going to pay interest on them in the
meanwhile. It is eoine to pav part with the money it will
later collect from our debtor European governments en-.
gaged in war with Germany; it is going to pay part wi
money raised by taxation, 'i t is not going to pay them out
of the capital of the "United States or out of the capital of
the people of the United States. . The money is to come (
from the annual income and production of the country;
which now amount to fifty billion. . The yearly agricultur- J
al production of the United.States is more than ten billion ,
dollars and the mineral production .three billion. The
profits of converting raw material into finished products ;
amount annually to ten billion dollars. These are just;
some of our main resources of annual income. ;
The raising of money by the sale of bonds and the ex,--penditure
of that money for purposes of warf are not go-
HILL LU m. U1C JJT UOHUT CXiVj i-fx vv vv xjj. v v " .
fields, factories, or mines. There is waste in war, and a ,
great deal of waste, but war is not all waste. The actual
waste in this war may be more than made up by the speed
ing up of our industries under the stimulus of the war.
There is going to be loss by reason of this war wealth
shot away in battle and wealth sunk at sea. And there is
earner to be loss of some of America's bravest sons. But
the price is one that America is willing to pay, that her j
fighting men and her people are willing to pavfor the j
maintenance of our rights and of our National honor, the, i
cause of democracy, the preservation of liberty and civili-'
zation and humanity. The loss caused by war will be small,
indeed, compared to the worth of these things, to America
and to the world. J !! - '
-M) :
Governor Issues Proclamation at Request of Women's :
Committee ot the council 01 .National
Defense.
Whereas, the women of America, as well as the men who
are giving themselves to our Nation's cause, can now per
form a great and timely public service; and
""Whereas, The Women's Committee of the Council of
National Defense is organizing local councils in every com
munity in this state . withjthe purpose of, systematizing
and making effective women's patriotic services; and
.Whereas, the Oregon division of the Women's Commit
teeiof the Council of National Defense desires that Satur
day, September 15, 1917, be set aside as the day for the
registration of women in this state for service;
Now therefore, in view of the foregoing premises and by
virtue of the authority in me vested, I, James Withy
combe, Governor of the state of Oregon, do hereby pro
claim Saturday, September-15, 1917, as Women's Registra
tion Day, and I do earnestly ask that all patriotic women
on that day register for patriotic service.
In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and
cause the seal of the state of Oregon to be hereunto affix
ed this first day of September, A. D. 1917.
JAMES WITHYCOMBE,
Governor.
Is Your Money Supporting
the Government?
At this critical period in our history our manufac
turers are offering thoir mills, and our young men
are offering thoir sorvlces to tho United States Gov
ernment. Would you like to do your share and help by put
ting your money whore it will support the new Fed
eral Reserve Banking System, which the Government
has established to stand back of our commerce, in
dustry and agriculture?
You can do this by opening an account with us, as
part of every dollar so deposited goes directly into
the new system, whore it will always bo ready for
you when wanted.
Member
Federal Reserve
System
La Grande National Bank
LIBRARIES AND THE WAR.
The American soldiers need good reading matter during
the Avar and they are going to get it. Notice on the corner
of a magazine that after a postage stamp is
placed in tho corner, the Postal Department will transmit
it to the Army. This is easv and simple. Every one is
mailing letters and printed matter daily. Send the maga- j
zmes to the soldiers. The local library will also receive ;
books to be sent to the soldiers' libraries or money, if one j
wishes to give it to the fund. Send good books, not the old i
ones you do not want. Every one should be able to spare
one book fur the soldiers.
Ooprrlfibt Hut Sdiaffner A Marx
TURN YOUR BACK ON SUBSTITUTES FOR
ALL WOOL
There's a lot of talk going around about the bad
conditions of the Clothing' market; poorly made
goods, cotton mixed fabrics .
You really should be mighty careful what you buy
; and where you buy it this year of all years
You don't need to worry if you buy it at this store.
Will sell you HART, SCHAFFNER & MARX
Clothes; they're all wool, the
best in the land.
If after you wear these clothes
and you are not satisfied, we
will refund your money. .
We absolutely guarantee every
suit of Hart Schaffner & Marx
Clothes.
Ask to. ' see them
Green and Brown are
strong this fall, they're
great in the belt all
around military mo
dels. There are a number of
these in a variety of
style valuations at $20
and up.
head dress opposite the left shoulder until the last note is
played, except in inclement weather, when the head dress
may be held slightly raised."
Rippling Rhymes
By WALT MASON
LEGALLY AMERICA HAS NO NATIONAL ANTHEM.
(Bv United Press.)
WASHING TON, D. C, Sept. 13. The surprising news
was forthcoming from Adjutant-General II. P. McCain
today that America has no national anthem, hymn or air
by the provisions of any Federal law. Armv and Navy reg-
ulaHions constitute the only authority for proclaiming
, 1 he Star-Spangled Banner" the Nationa 1 air. No Kedcr-
1 i L e l . .1 j. i.
ui court vl law iiL't'u recognize li as suc u,
! Army and Navy regulations are binding only upon the '
personnel or the Army and Navy. "However," said Gen
eral McCam, "the custom of rising and remaining standing
and uncovered while the "Star-Spangled Banner" is be
ing played is growing in favor among civilians. J
"Among Army and Navy men it is obligatory.
"Whenever the National air is played at any place where
persons belonging to the military or naval service are pres
ent, all officers and enlisted men not in formation are re
quired to stand at attention, facing toward the music, ex cepting
when the flag is being lowered at sunset, on which
occasion they are required to face toward the flag.
"If in civilian dress and uncovered, they are required to
stand and salute at the first note of the air, retaining their
position of salute until the last note of the air is played.
"Tf in civilian dress and covered, thev nr mmi?','
stand and uncover at the first note of the air, holding the '
The Fault Hunter.
The most unfortunate of men
is he who hunts for something
wrong, who strains his ear,
again, again, to hear the false
note in a song. 'Tis he who
marks with gloomy eye the
bridal couple as they pass, and
says, "Their joy will soon pass
by, and they '11 grow old; all
flesh is grass." 'Tis he who
who stops the flow of mirth by preaching
preaching trouble and despair, who says that
everything on earth is but a pitfall and a snare.
He sees the ring around the moon, when other
men the moon behold, and says a storm will
come full soon, with hail and sleet and bitter
cold. :IIe sees the sundogs standing guard,
when other men behold the sun, and says we'l
all be frozen hard before the current week is
done. Oh, gloom and trouble are his pets, with
them he eats and drinks and sleeps; he's only
happy when he frets, he's only joyous when
he weeps. It would be no concern of mine, if
he would nurse his grouch alone; but publicly
he weeps his brine, and heaves his deen heart
rending groan. And in these crucial times we
need no added weight to loads of care, no signs
that make our bosoms bleed, no threats or
omens by despair.
(Copyright 1917 by George Matthew Adams.)
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