THE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, AUGUST 2Q, 1914.
6
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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