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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 20, 1914)
THE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 2Q, 1914. 6 PORTLAND, OREGON. Entered at Portland. Oreon. Potofflce as Second-class matter. Subscription Rates Invariably In Advanca. (By Mall) Daily. Sunday Included, one year $? Daily. Sunday Included, at months J-J Dally. Sunday Included threa months. . X- Daily. Sunday Included, one month '.J Daily, without Sunday, one year J-JV Daily, without Sunday, six months J-" 'Daily, without Sunday, three months 1" Dally, without Sunday, one month -V Weekly, one year J-g Sunday, one year fH Sunday and Weekly, one year " (BT CARRIER) Dally. Sunday Included, one year 9-5'.' Daily. Sunday Included, one month How to Remit Send Pnstofflce money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Give Postofftcs address In full. Including county and state. I'nxtaxe Kate 11 to 15 paes, 1 cent; H to S2 pag-es. 2 cents; 14 tn 4S pages. J cants: (0 to SO paces. 4 cents: 62 to 7 pages. cents: tc 92 pages, ti cents. Foreign post ace, double rates Eastern Buidnees Office Verree A Conk Un. .' r York. Brunswick building Chi cago. Steger building. San Francisco Office R. J. Bldwell Co.. 14:; Market street. POKTLAXI), FBUaUWuVT, AUGUR 1914. WHERE DITTY CALLS. The turmoil of the world through the great war and the acute anxiety of the United States that its position of neutrality be maintained at any cost, short of the sacrifice of honor or the National integrity, have led President Wilson to insist that Con gress abandon its plan of early ad journment and remain in "session in definitely. It is a crisis that calls for the highest expression of patriotic devotion to duty from President down to the humblest citizen. The President will not be found wanting. Nor will the American Con gress. Nor will the great body of citizens. It would be nothing less than trea son for any American, by any act of commission or omission, to endeavor either to commit the United States to any entangling alliance in this mighty crisis, or to precipitate the country actively into the disastrous struggle. , Only one member of Congress from the Pacific Northwest remains absent from his post of duty in this momen tous emergency. He has been away "from Washington since April. He is the Representative for Oregon from the Third District (Multnomah Coun ty). He alone is deaf to the call to duty. By his persistent absenteeism, and by his flippant, irrelevant and untruthful statement of his reasons for his presence here, he makes it clear that he thinks he can well be spared from Congress. He can be; but he is nevertheless derelict, and he ought to be held acoountable to his constituency for what he fails to do in this important matter, as he fails in all other important matters. A NEAR-WAR EXPERT. Some queer literary productions are doled out these days by a certain class of publications under the representa tion that they are the work of mili tary experts. About the most weird that has come to our attention bears the signature of Dr. Carl Armgaard Graves and is presented in Collier's Weekly. Expert Graves claims to have been one of the Kaiser's military spies and he undertakes to tell all about the Kaiser's great fighting ma chine the German army. After wandering through a couple of thousand words without shedding any light on the subject which heads his article, and revealing little about the reputedly great German fighting machine except his own lack of def inite information on the subject, the writer launches into an awe-inspiring word picture of the terrible German dirigible air craft. With a few deft strokes on his typewriter he throws a Zeppelin into action, drops a few tons of explosives from the clouds and sets ablaze such villages as Paris and London. Furthermore he shows that there is no escaping these aerial mon sters. They can rise to such height that the aeroplane cannot well follow. As for aiming, the dirigible gunners don't have to aim. They rtverely soar over London or Paris and let drop a couple of tons or so of special explo sives and the town catches fire im- : -mediately. ' It is probable that Collier's im ported military expert prepared his enlightening article before the Ger man fighting machine got fairly into action. Otherwise the thought might have occurred to him that the Ger mans should have used one of these dirigibles at the Liege forts. The spec tacle f infantry and cavalry charges on -these forls was doubly sad If the Germans had the means at hand to destroy the forts by dint of a little atrial voyage in a Zeppelin monster. He might also have wondered just why the English fleet' is being permitted to sweep the greater portion of the .North Sea and why the Germans are s having such a desperate time forcing their way past Namur and French artillery positions. CANCER HOISES. The British have an Imperial Can cer Research Fund which has just Is sued its annual report. Part of the "report was written by Dr. Bashford, un eminent investigator, who treats the subject of "cancer houses." There is a common belief that certain hruses are infected with the cancer germ or virus and that they communicate it to their inmates.' A person dwelling in such a house is supposed to be far more liable to acquire cancer than other people. Dr. Bashford makes light of this belief. He reminds us that every male above' the age of 35 stands one chance in ten at least of dying from cancer and every woman one in seven. It Is not necessary, therefore, to introduce any errect from Inrected nouses in ' order to account for a group of can cer cases. The law of chances dis poses of them satisfactorily if we may believe Dr. Bashford. In his opinion it is perfectly safe to live in a "can cer house," or as safe as it is to live anywhere. In this age of the world the danger Is great enough wherever one may happen to have his abode. This Is all very well from the stand point of pure soience. Dr. Bashford's remarks will be reassuring to persons who are obliged to live In houses sup posed to be infected with cancer. But after all he may be mistaken. He draws his conclusions from a series of facts which may readily yield the opposite conclusion. The whole sub ject of cancer is enveloped in mystery and "cancer houses" are as mysteri ous as the other circumstances con nected with that terrible malady. As long as there remains a bare possibil ity that cancer may be communicated from a house to its Inhabitants the 'prudent will avoid suspected dwell ings. There may be no danger from them, and yet there may be serious danger. Nobody really knows. It is all guesswork. The Judicious v will keep on the safe side. f Dr. Bashford's work is useful be cause It warns us not to put too much confidence in an unproved- theory, but on the other hand the theory which he opposes may be true. The public believes that certain houses are infected with cancer. They believe the same of certain tracts of country. Until the contrary is proved beyond doubt It is best to heed the popular faith. TWO QUESTIONS. Our displeased friend, the Salem Capital Journal, does not understand how, without inconsistency. The Ore gonian can complain of dull times, unemployed labor and declining wages, when it prints conspicuously and even jubilantly the fact that the buyers of the state bought a million dollars' worth of goods in Portland last week "buyers" week and when It comments favorably upon the optimistic and confident speech of Mr. Mills as to the banking situation. Evidently the Capital Journal would deny to The Oregonian the consola tion of being hopeful under adverse circumstances. We agree with Mr. Mills that the position of the country, so far as the banks are concerned, is fundamentally sound. We permit our selves to rejoice when the barometer of trade shows an occasional sign of fair weather. What would our Salem friend have us do? But The Oregonian on its part de sires to direct an inquiry or two to the Capital Journal as the representative organ of Oregon Democracy in its ap peal to the public for nonpartisan con sideration of the merits of all candi date, particularly the important candidates. Does the Salem paper support the Oregon campaign for made-in-Oregon goods? If so, why does it approve the tariff which encourages, and di rectly brings about, the importation of made-in-Europe or made-in-Asia goods? Does the Salem paper know of any Democratic Oregon newspaper that through its professions of nonparti sanship or in" any other way. has been led to the support of any other can didate than a Democrat for an im portant office? In other words, when there is a fair choice to be made be tween a Democrat and a Republican, when has the Republican been pre ferred to the Democrat? MARRIED VOLUNTEERS RESTRAINED. The Canadian young man who would go to war is being required first to secure in writing the consent of his wife. Without this precious document no married man Is permit ted to cast his lot with the British army and go forth in quest of advenr turc and the glories of war. This is a wise measure. It indicates that the Canadian government is more solic itous as to the welfare of wives and children than are many husbands and fathers. In the last stages of a great racial struggle, of course," it might be well enough to take every available man and force to go those who showed no willingness. But the head of a family who would rush off at the first beat ing of the drums should be restrained. He may not be needed. Certain it is that there are plenty of single men to fill up the ranks. Besides, how is his family to subsist on the miserly allowances that are given .the man in the ranks? In no army does the re muneration suffice to maintain a fam ily; and this is particularly so in the British service, where a few shillings a month make up the soldier's pay. Even British officers do not receive anything to speak of, either in peace or war. A man has reached a sad stage when he will desert his family at the first blare of the trumpets, led away by a mere lust of battle which Is given a halo by- the rffuch-abused senti ment of patriotism. Such a man Is not patriotic. He is more brute than man and it is well indeed to restrain him, at least until such time as he becomes a real necessity on the firing line. ALGEBRA FOR GIRLS. We have just read In a contempo rary some remarkable observations upon algebra. The author is furious ly opposed to it 'as a study for girls. He says nothing and apparently knows nothing about its value to boys. But that It is sadly injurious to girls he is convinced upon the au thority of J. H. Francis, superintend ent of the Los Angeles schools. Mr. Francis propounds five objec tions to algebra. The first is that "women absolutely and positively have no use for it." The only re sponse one can make to this state ment is that it isn't true. Women have as much use for algebra as men have. If they intend to be engineers, as many women do in these days, or if they are preparing to teach, algebra is Indispensable to them. It is needed by a woman chemist as much as by a man chemist. A woman architect would find herself In sad straits with out algebra, exactly as a man would. We wish Mr. Larkin had been a little more moderate in his first ob jection, and in his second too, for that matter. He says "it is a total waste of women's time to study algebra." It Is a waste of their time if they do not need it in their careers. If they do need it nothing could be more profitable to them. Mr. Larkin says In the third place that algebra Injures women's minds. It was not so very long ago that we were told that" any serious study in jured women's minds. Algebra af fects women's minds Just as it does men's. Some it injures, some it bene fits. There are women mathemati- Lcians who study algebra, calculus and determinants Win Keen rensn. A Madame Kowalewski would smile to learn that algebra had Injured her. The fourth objection is that algebra has "perm'anently Injured women's health in hundreds of cases." This statement requires proof. Any study may be injurious if It is unwisely pur sued. Algebra is like all the rest in that particular. Neither sex is im mune from such injury and neither is exceptionally subject to it. Eating pie has "permanently injured the health of hundreds of women" and hundreds of men, too. So has drink ing ice water on a hot day. Unhap pily the time has not yet come when we can dispense with common sense in educating the young apy more than we can in feeding and clothing them. Finally, says Mr. Francis, in view of all these hideous facts it is "a rime to teach algebra to girls." Mr. Francis' address was delivered before the National Educational Association at St. Paul. It is a pity that the teachers of the land were compelled to listen to such nonsense. It Is not a "crime" , to teach any branch of knowledge to girls. It is foolish and often -injurious to teach them subjects for which they have rp aptitude and no use, but it is just as foolish and injurious to teach such subjects to boys. v " " Mr. Francis might have spent his allotted half hour before the 'associa tion to noble advantage had he en larged upon the folly of forcing in digestible knowledge into the heads of either sex. Applied to girls only and not to boys his remarks bespeak a narrow mind swayed by antiquated superstitions. INCORRECT EXPRESSIONS. A correspondent at Salem writes The Oregonian to inquire whether such expressions as "blacksmith shop, barber shop, carpenter shop" and the like are correct. There is no author ity for any of them. He also asks the same question about "blacksmiths' shop, barbers' shop, carpenters' shop." These are also incorrect. In the first list the apostrophe is omitted. In the second it Is placed after the final "a." The proper usage is to place the apostrophe before the final "s." The correct expressions are blacksmith's shop, barber's shop, carpenter's shop. The same rule applies in all similar cases, but it must be applied discrim inatingly, if two blacksmiths owned a shop together we might properly speak of "the blacksmiths' shop" and in like circumstances it would be cor rect to write "barbers' shop." Good English is, not a thing that can be attained by following blind rules without thought. It requires both knowledge and sound judgment. There is hardly a rule of grammar that does not have a great many qualifications and exceptions. AMEND SHIPPING LAWS. The bill now before the Senate per mitting the registry of foreign-built ships without restriction as to age can only benefit the American merchant marine, if Americans take the oppor tunity to btiy foreign ships and regis ter them in this country. The United States is nreoluded bv treaty from admitting "to American registry ships owned by citizens of Deingerents, anu belligerents will treat as enemy's ships any vessels transferred within thirty days of the declaration of war unless they have passed into American own ership. Americans can, however, se cure the rights of neutrals for vessels of belligerents which they buy and register in this country. The benefit of this law in enlarging our merchant marine will, however, prove only temporary unless congress revises our navigation and shipping laws generally. As these laws now stand, the cost of operating ships un der American register is much greater than under foreign register. The nat ural tendency after tne war win De for American owners to sell ships to foreigners, who will then get the ad vantage of lower operating cost. We should then become no better off than x-o are nnw The onlv means of sain ing permanent accessions to our mer chant marine is to revise the laws in such manner that ships can be oper ated as cheaply under American as iinrlor foreien ownership. No time should be lost about this, for the war may be over before Congress meets again in December. A commission to examine into the whole matter snouia be appointed at the present session otvH eVinnlrl renort at the next session. that a law may be passed and that the shipowners may get the benefit of it before competition forces tnem to sen. NOT A SAFEGUARD. One of the fanciful arguments in support of proportional representa tion is that its effect would be to shorten the initiative and referendum ballot. The theory is that propor tional representation would insure minority organizations proportionate representation in the Legislature which would result in the Assembly in "fair discussion of minority meas ures. . . . Because of this pub licity ,of the merits and demerits of bills offered by the minority mem bers favorable action cannot then be long delayed on their good meas ures. Introduction of a bill and the Dresence as a member of some one or several men who approve it do not necessarily mean that there will be discussion of its merits on the floor of the assembly. A majority is a majority whether it be one or twenty in excess of the minority and a ma jority in control of membership and committee assignments can kill a bill as promptly as It desires. But were the facts otherwise ana had there been proportional repre sentation in the last Legislature there is absolutely no indication in the list of measures submitted for the com- ne election that any one of them would already have been enacted. The Legislature does not pass constitu tional amendments. They must be submitted to vote of the people. Nine teen of tne twenty-nine measures arc proposed amendments to the consti tution. None of the ten bills Is a measure offered by party or organi zation of sufficient strength to se cure distinctive representation even under the proportional system. Of the ten bills submitted two were Droposed bv the Legislature Itself. They are not such as should have been adopted by the Legislature. They provide for millage taxes to sup port two normal schools now ciosea by vote of the people. If these schools are to be reopened the people themselves should so elect. Undoubtedly six of the remaining bills would be duly discussed and de bated were they submitted tt the Legislature as it Is now constituted. Two perhaps would be summarily dis posed of, whether the Legislature were "proportional" or not. One reg ulates the hours and working condi tions of female workers in certain employments, which Is a matter al ready delegated by law to the Public Welfare Commission, an earnest, capable body which makes Its orders and rules after careful investigation. The other creates a tax code commis sion, something we already have. Neither one should be on the ballot or occupy the time of the' Legislature. The six remaining measures are the following: Nonpartisan judiciary measure. Authorizing municipal wharves and docks. Consolidating state corporation and insurance "departments. Dentistry bill. Abolishing Desert Land Board. Providing for primary delegate elections. The voter should not have been bothered with the necessity of con sidering several of the foregoing, but there is not the slightest assurance that he would have had that relief were proportional representation in effect. That particular proposal must stand on its own bottom. It is not an adjunct or safeguard of direct leg islation. It is a proposal to sacrifice direct and definite representation by making the Legislator's constituency widely scattered and unknown to him. In exchange for representation based on population, residence and well identified constituency, it offers rep resentation on the basis of the Legis lator's general political beliefs and on a constituency throughout the state unidentified except as having so much numerical strength. Russian millionaires expelled from Germany say they "now for the first time in their lives know what poverty means." Having learned the hard lesson it is to be hoped that they will not forget it and will feel sympathy for those who suffer poverty not merely "for a few days in an emerg ency but all their lives long. Many wealthy persons are cruel to the poor, not so much from Intention as from ignorance. Experience never has taught them what poverty means. Of late years a great many old stables in New York have been made over into dwellings. They are spa cious, well-built and readily lend themselves to artistic fancies. Peo ple who do not like the narrow quar ters offered by apartment houses have found comfortable refuge in these buildings where the wealthy once kept their horses. They can be transformed to houses at small cost and the result is said to be high ly satisfactory. Edinburgh has been" celebrating John Napier's tercentenary. He was the man who invented logarithms, the greatest labor saver ever devised for calculators. He was a contemporary of Kepler and Shakespeare and in his own province was as remarkable as either of those geniuses. His log arithms were calculated by delving into the inner nature of numbers without help from the higher mathe matics. Now they are readily repro duced from easy formulas. Now theDemocrats are attempting to blame their tariff failure and treasury deficit onto the war. The weather, no doubt, is to blame for their other shortcomings. Just one gleam of humor glints through the murk of war. If the Kaiser should win there are not enough crows In the world for the subsequent big feed. There is here a Federal Commis sion to learn what is the matter with Oregon. That is easy work. There is nothing the matter with Oregon. Oregon is all right. After thirty-five years of wedded life a local couple seek divorce. After sticking it out that long they should have learned to adjust all differences between them. An American Just back from Ber lin says he saw in the streets of the Imperial capital Russians kicked by Germans. Did he expect to see the reverse ? To avoid complications Germany would like to give her territory- over to China. But China very naturally sidesteps the troublesome gift. It appears that we narrowly es caped being forced into Mexico two weeks ago. The possibility still looms ominously on the horizon. It was high time John Barrett broke loose on American opportunity in the dinky republics. It is that for which he draws pay. Anyway the price of dried fruits has dropped so that the boarding house habitues will be able to have pie for dessert. When Knowles emerges from the woods today he will find that hlstory has made rapid strides during his brief absence. It ' is reported officially that the Rritish armv has landed in France. Another drop in the international bucket. Canadian wives object to their hus mands going to war, but they will warm up when the big fighting be gins. Transfer from Brussels to Antwerp Is said to be not of immediate neces sity; Just merely to be on the safe side. Although' the distance in miles is small the Germans still have a long way.to travel before they reach Paris. The hunter who starts a forest fire to run the deer out of the woods should get at least a life term. The ' vaudeville end of it will be staged when Turkey, Italy and Greece begin in the Dardanelles. With the international lineup twelve to three some interesting fighting may be looked for. Well-oiled machines handled the Nebraska primaries. Nearly every body was renominated. Colonel Hofer might at least make an atterhpt to break the drouth with material at hand. It appears as if Italy will have to fight after all in order to keep out of the war. Victory seems to rest with the country which gets out the last dis patch. Now that the Czar Is done "making medicine," his troops will begin to fight. The President urges us not even to take sides psychologically in the fuss. That is a "ripping" fine board of directors for next year's Rose Festi val. Villa, who is a real fighter, must regret he is not living in Europe. Western -Oregon's most delightful season Is now at hand. The real victim of the war is the Swiss hotelkeeper. Are you still able to afford sugar with youx tea? Alfonso and his , minister have short memory. DIAGNOSES FAR FROM CERTAIN For That Reason Contributor Ques tions Value of Dr. White's Plan. PORTLAND, Or., Aug. 19- (To the Editor) Be his views ever so much at variance with those of the ordinary medical man, one cannot help but marvel at the impregnable assur ance nf those doctors on whom falls the duty of acquainting the public with the policies or tne Amenrau -'i-. i . ....: n- rivin S White's views as reported in last Sunday s Oregonian are as fair an example of this as can be louna. Briefly, he "advocates the "socializa tion of medicine" with a view to ex amining every man. woman and child at least once a year. The doctor very astutely observes that under the pres ent .regime people "don't go to a doc tor VUht.il they are forced to," so it is ..-,. 1 nnr... . .' .. flint t h fi dOCtOr'S Ctopia would involve examination that was compulsory. He is reported further as affirming .v, '.ffn.,. n trot . tn have L 1 1 IV I guvi to . J n - ( ' . I -. themselves examined at least once a year have borne some results, out not i .nmtirh The nnlv wav this can be managed Is 'for the state itself to take hold of it. Of course, the avowed end in view Is the lengthening of our days and de populating our eleemosynary institu tions. The question Is, "Will it do it?" . .i mav nn over :is merely in cidental the point which some might raise as to the profit which would ac crue to an army of state-paid M. D.'s. In answering this. let me counter assertion with a few observed facts. These facts pertain to the uncertainty of medical diagnosis, and let it be re membered that the success of Dr. White's plan must depend in the first place upon the accuracy of his yearly diagnosis. In 1910 Dr. Richard C. Cabot read a notable paper at the annual meeting of the American Medical Association, entitled, "A Study in Mistaken Diag nosis," in which he analyzed "the clinical history of one thousand cases, diagnosed by himself in the Massachu setts General Hosr tal, which after ward came to autopsy.'' In the course of this discussion Dr. "Cabot frankly admitted an appalling discrepancy be tween his clinical findings and the revelations of the post-mortem exam inations. The net result showed that the diagnosis was correct in only about 50 per cent of the entire aggregation of cases; In the other 50 per cent the post-morten demonstrated that he was mistaken in his diagnosis, either by commission or omission; I. e.. he had either diagnosed conditions which were not present, or had overlooked those that were there. According to Dr. Cabot's statements, . the percentage of correct diagnosis reached the low figure of 16 per cent in acute nephri tis, 20 per cent in acute pericarditis, 22 per cent in chronic myocarditis, and so on. , In commenting on this, the National Druggist says: "Now, If a man of Dr. Cabot's rec ognized supremacy in the field of diag nosis, with the courage and candor to face the real facts, confesses that he i only able to make a correct diag nosis in something ll-e 50 per cent of - - .., Vio undertakes and all Liie i. t .3 -- - considerably less than that in those diseases which make anytning ime -. tax unon expert skill what is the ir resistible conclusion concerning the thousands of practicing physicians whose skill In this direction is admit tedly far below that of Dr. Cabot, who have not the facilities that lie at his command, and whose opportunities for verification or disprooof are practi cally nil?" , There Is much evidence that might be submitted on this subject and that might prove more damaging than the above. Under the circufstances 1 submit that the state would be act- nr it. nrrtvinm In enforc ing the physical examination of its citizens when rued examination fraught with so much uncertainty. THOMAS R. KEED. ALARM OVER WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN Correspondent Sees "Medical Trust" at Work Again in Henlth Suggestion. HOOD RIVER. Or., Aug. 19. (To the Editor.) In The Oregonian, Sunday, August 16, there appeared an article headed "Periodical Health Tests Are Advised," most of which was quoted from Dr. Calvin S. White, secretary of the State Board of Health. Dr. White states that "The question of universal periodic medical examina tion is now a foremost topic in the big Eastern centers." Who is keeping it "foremost," the people or the doctors? Are the people crying for and insisting on compulsory medical inspection? Further on Dr. White says, "Efforts to get people to have themselves exam ined at least once a year have borne some results, but not widespread enough. The only way this can be man aged he says, "is for the state itself to take hold of it." In other words it is is plainly evident that Dr. White is in favor of a law In Oregon which will make medical inspection compulsory at least once a year, and if such a law is enacted every man, woman and child will be compelled to present themselves before a doctor and be examined. Who will the examining physician be? Consider this question for Just a moment. This is to be a state law and it Is advocated by the secretary of the State Board of Health. From this wo can be reasonably sure that the en forcement of this law will be left to the State Board of Health and that the Board of Health of each county, city and village will be instructed to look after their respective districts. Who comprises the membership or the Boards of Health throughout not onV this, but other states? They are. almost without exception, members of thte American Medical Association, who are practically all "regular" or Allo pathic physicians. . If such a law Is passed will we be permitted to choose our own physician for this examination? Will the State Board of Health be satisfied with a cer tificate of health from a Homeopathic or an Osteopathic physician, or anyone else not a member of the American Medical Association? Tou can rest as sured they will not. The doctors complain that the legal price of examination for a marriage license is too low. Suppose we set the price of this compulsory examination at two dollars each. With a population of 672 765 (1910 census) the American Medical Association in Oregon alone would reap over $1,345,530, to say noth ing of the amount that would be added to their coffers through the treatment of diseases they would "find." No won der they want compulsory medical ex amination under their supervision. A-e the people of the State of Oregon to be compelled to consult a physician and yet be prohibited from having the nhysictan of their choice? FRANK B. CRAM. Sugar In United State. PORTLAND. Aug. 19. (To the Edi tor ) What per cent of the suger con sumed in the United States is home production, including American pos sessions? x What is the percentage that is im ported from Germany? C. T. S. The United States has been getting Its supply from Porto Rico, Hawaii and the Philippines, with occasional very small Importations from Java, Mexico and Chill none from Germany. The beet sugar crop of this country Is 600.000 tons, which will supply the domestic demand for two months. The consumption of sugar in the United States In the calendar year 1912, estimated by Collett & Gray, New York, was as follows: Imported from Hawaii, Porto Rico and Philip pines, 2,608,632 tons; domestic total (cane, maple, beet and manufactured from imported molasses), 789,200 tons. MORE QUANTITY THAW QUALITY Commercialisation Extends to General Literature as Well as Poetry. MULTNOMAH, Or., Aug. 19. (To the Editor.) One who devotes any time to study and reads the Oregonian must re mark from time to time such editorials as the one entitled "Commercialized Muse." published recently. In The Oregonian a few years back one poet contributed his wail captioned "Starving to Death as a Poet." It shows that the people can have a dead Homer for almost nothing. Why, then, afford means of livelihood to a lazy, good-for-nothing lout Whose wife if he had one was probably taking in washing? We don't want any prying and impu dent Homers or Platos reporting our business deals to future generations. We are so ashamed of them ourselves that if there was any possibility of their becoming known even though we ourselves were dead und forgotten we fear it would disturb our rest. Our railroad embankments will speak some kind of riddle In the 75 or 100 centuries they last but the language will be more obecure than that of the sphinx or the pyramids. One feels Inclined to smile on looking up from Homer's descriptive language about the swine and sees how exactly he has depicted the human heart today as well as In the day he wrote. "Seven Cities begged Homer dead where living Homer begged his bread." The poet drawing down from $20,000 to $100,000 a year royalty doesn't need to meditate as strenuously as did Homer, so while his needs are better supplied his words may not be quoted as gospel as long as was Homer. So what will the book worm in 3000 years think of the con trast between Homer who will still be on the shelves of any good library and our present-day outbursts- of exalted lingo fn praise of some breakfast food, automobile or patent nostrum? We add more volumes to the shelves of the library in one year than repre sents the entire output of ancient poetry, philosophy and all other sub jects for 2000 years. What chance then can such ephemeral logic have with that which has sfbod the acid test so long and is still above the water-mark of the strongest tempest that the ages have hurled upon us? If it could be generally known that Captain Kidd and Benedict Arnold In tended on dying to bequeath their Ill gotten gains to the cause of education what a spur the enterprising American would have to follow in their footsteps. If the verses could be printed It would say that a graduate of the Chica go University and a book -worm in a Carnegie library could find places in which they were regarded with con tempt, but of course such places are ex tremely rare and are easily avoided, but still one must deplore the fact that "learning" was "late deceased in beg gary" and wonder when an American can be found who has devoted his life to study Instead of the sporting page and has met with his reward. I sincerely hope you give the enter prising people who also claim them selves to be tho. true seed more nuts to crack. D. HOLADAT. KAISER'S POWER IS DISCI SSl'.I) Extent of His Authority In Making Peace and War. TACOMA, Aug. 18. (To the Editor.) The Amen Corner of the Tacoma Commercial Club is an institution where the members J'contradlct" and read The Oregonian. One member from The Dalles calls it his Bible. Reference is had In this contribution to an edi torial upon the powers of the Kaiser In the matter of declaring wur. A friend of the war lord quotes the imperial constitution that says: "In declaring war the Kaiser can act upon his own Initiative only In repelling an invasion of German soil" and In all other in stances the consent of the Bundesrath or Federal Council, representing the states, is necessary. In making treaties the Kaiser's power is limited by this clause of the constitution: "When a treaty with a for eign state Involves matters which come under article four of the imperial con stitution not only is the consent of the Bundesrat necessary for their conclu sion but the approval of the Reichstag Is essential to their validity." Another bone of contention in the corner is the right of the Kaiser to dissolve the Reichstag. His friend says, in substance, that he ennnot dissolve at his own sweet will the Reichstag. That power the constitution lodges with the Bundesrat with the consent of the Kaiser. The dissolution is upon the initiative of the Federal Council. When dissolved, an election of new members, always for five years, must follow and thereafter within 90 days tho' new Reichstag must be convened. THE AMEN CORNER. The Encyclopedia Brltannlca says: "The executive power Is In the Em peror's hands. He represents the em pire internationally and can declare war, if defensive, and make peace ns well as enter into treaties with other nations. For declaring offensive war the consent of the Federal Council (Bundesrat) must be obtained. Of the 58 members of tho Bundesrat 17 are appointed by the Emperor as King of Prussia and his Influence Is such that he dominates that body and is therefore practically ubsolute In for eign affairs. For the same reason he can bring about dissolution of the Reichstag at will, for he' ca$j) cause the Bundesrat to take the initiative. We may have erred as to the form of the constitution, but we were substan tially right as to Its practical work ing. Un of DrsrenS In W ashington THE DALLES, OR, Aug. 18. (To the Editor.) Kindly tell me to whom prop erty would go in tho state of Washing ton if said property was left by a de ceased wife who was survived by children by a first marriage and by a second husband. If property was ac quired before the second marriage and with the help of the children? The lady's first husband being deCesUssd, and having no children by the second marriage, could tho second husband claim a share of the property according to the laws of the state of Washington? INQUIRER. The property would go to the child ren; the husband would receive no part. Garnishment of Wages. PORTLAND. Aug. 19. (To the Edi tor Klndlv Inform me if vendor can attach vendee's wages to enforce pay ment of account. A iJOiiioE.n. Was-cs nn to $75 earned In the 30 days preceding attachment are exempt. except that one-half or such amount may be attached for Indebtedness In curred for actual family necessities Would Starve Belligerents. ROSEBURG, Or.. Aug. 17. (To the Editor.) In The Oregonian today you hive a lengthy article, "We Must Feed Europe." I believe you are right about the source of supplies for the fighting countries, but would it not be far bet ter for the United States to notify the belligerent nations that they can have neither food nor money to continue their warfare, but both as soon .is peace is declared? CURTIS P. COE. Where Mints Are Located SYLVAN, Or.. Aug. 17 (To the tUtl' tor.) Please enlighten your country readers as to the various places where the United States Government has es tablished mints. Each coin bears an In itial Indicating point of origin, but some of these are unknown to our citi zens. COUNTRY SUBSCRIBER. New Orleans. Philadelphia, San Fran cisco, Denver and Carson City. Little Editorials on Business The Value of a Trade-Mark. The trade-mark is the nianWao turer's "eoat-ot'-arnis." As the nris tooratic families of KuroK are known by their heraldic cniblems, the American iiauufacturer is known by the trade-mark on bis product. It is a mark of identification, the assurance of quality, and a guaran ty of value. No trade-mark yet devised wa.s worth very much until il was ad vertised. To name a piece of mer chandio is like naming ii-ehild. In either case the name isn't worth very much until it stands for some thing. The President of the United State is one of tcM products of the Wilson family. His name didn't make him hiiv different from any other baby, but now most any man in the United States would bo plad to take the name and place of Woodrow Wilson. Uneeda Biscuit is a product of the National Biscuit Co. When it was named it wasn't mueh differ ent from any other soda eraeker, but now the Uneeda trade-mark is worth several million dollars. Any cracker manufacturer could in crease his sales a thousand -fold with this name on his package. There are just two things that make a trade-mark valuable. The first is the good, honest quality nf the article that bears the name, the second is advertising. Honest values and advertising must go to gether. There are probably many lines of hosiery as good as Onyx Hosiery, but few lines have as large a sale. The Onyx trade-mark lias been eonsistently advertised. The own ers of the Onyx are not manufac turers, but jobbers. The label H. S. & M. or Alfred Benjamin in a suit of clothes means something to the wearer and to the dealer, as well as to the manufac turer. The Keen Kuttcr brand on tools and the trade-mark on the heel of a shoe stand for unvarying quality and honest values. The well-known advertised trade marked merchandise is sold with out question or argument concern ing its value. The -Trent American consumer is buying the things beM known to him. This is human na ture. The largest selling lines of food, clothing, and other necessities, as well as many of the luxuries, bear the brand and trade-mark of the manufacturer. For over ,0 years The Oregonian has been a big fac tor in creating a demand tor these articles. As a consumer it will pay yon to ask for and. insist upon having advertised goods. As a rrtailci with a trade-marked line of your own il will pay you to advertise tin goods to the homes reached every day by The Oregonian. If you are a manufacturer or a jobber we will be glad to help you extend your market and increase the consumption of your trade marked product. You can make your I nub mark more variable to you, to your dealers, and to the users of your goods. LIghfnInsr Kms- Wall Street Journal, agent can soon be expected. According Reappearance of the lightning rod to a bulletin of the Ontario Department Of Agriculture, IS years of Investiga tions demonstrate that lightning rods are now 94 H per cent efficient In the province. In the state of towa thsy are 98.1 per cent efficient, und In Michi gan !'9.9 per cent. Total lightning claims paid by Insur ance companies on rodded buildings In Iowa during eluht years was only $1444. while on unrodded buildings, which were of the same number, they pal. I $341.0t5. In Ontario, out of every 200 farm bulldlnns Insur-d. (1! .ir Il-d. Yet out of every 20 struck by llghl nlna In 1912 only three were rod-led buildings. But don't let the agent put up rod thai run through glass insulators. Ac cording to the Ontario bulletin, they should he In metallic connection with th bulldln and no insulators should the building and no insulators should be used. tirowtli of Western Canada. Toronto Globe. It Is predicted that by l18 Western Canada will produce ti00.000.000 bushela of wheat annually. The population Is Increasing mor- iapldly than th tall road development and there la serious apprehension that It will not b possi ble to handle the enormous crops. The Better Part of Valor Hr Drll ColllBB. My grandslres were of Irish stuff, And Teutons tough and Britain bluff. And Hlahlaiid Scotchmen wild Mi rough. A bunch of fighting stock; So of a warlike mood I am A modern son of Uncle Sam 1 like to see them smash and slam a i ..... i .. .'.t . r . :, rork : AI1U HHH - " " r -. I like to WHtrh the distant fray. Where varied nations ro "- It makes me want to yelp "Hooray! The riot and tho rout of It But still I guess Our own !' 8. Is better ofr left out or it. I'm strong for Mars, the god of f la lit; The victor's might; the foeman' flight: I like to ee the thrilling sight Of armies in a scrap; And so with glee I contemplate The powers as they congregato From every kingdom, clime and state. To modify the map. I like to see the big turmoil; I like to see the hosts embroil. In battle, plunder, loot anM apotl. And make a mighty bout of It But Uncle Sam. Indeed 1 am. Well pleased that you're left out of It. The world is mlnttled In the fray In every way, and every day We rend about some brand Mf way That armies smash each other. Indeed It Ir a brilliant thing To think how heavy forces fling Themselves on center, flnnk and wing. Beneath the powder smother. This Is a time that doth produce And turn a bunch of heroes loose In camp and field. In fight and truce. And myriad poets spout of It Rut still I say The U. S. A. Does very nicely out of IL