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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 14, 1914)
'THE MORNTVG OREGONUX, 3HVNDAY, DECE3IBER 14, 1914. PORTLAND, OREGON. Entered at Portland. Oregon, Postoffice-.as second-class matter. Eubscriptiou Kates Invariably In Advance: , . (By Mall.) . Da 1 1 v Sundav Included, one vear 1 .58.00 Ially, Sunday Included, six months Xjally. Sunday included, three months - 2.145 Xaily. Sunday lncludetl, one month -' 5 Jaily, without SunUaj4. one year ... a-.- 6.00 Xaily, without Sunday, six months ...... 3.Z0 lnlv wi hmir KnnHa v tHruAnmntha -..1-1.15 Uaily. without Sunday. "one month Veekly, one year . l.oO Sunday, one year ... 2.50 feunday and Weekly, one year 3.50 (By Carrier.) 7ally. Sunday Included, one year .9.00 laily, Sunday included, one month ...... .75 How to 'Remit Send postoffice money or. cer. expresaorder or persona check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at Pender's risk, uive postoffice address In lull. Including county and state. PostaRe Rates 12 to 18 pages. 1 cent; 18 to a-J DatM '2 centM: 84 to 48 naees. 3 cents: !0 to BO pages. 4 cents; 62 to 76 pages, 5- cents; 78 to pages, 6 cents., foreign post age, double rate. , ' Kawtrra Business Office Verree A Conk lln. New York, Brunswick building; Chi cago. Stnger building. Kan Francisco Office R- J. Bldwell Com pany. 74- Market street. . . PORTLAND, MONDAY, DEC. 14, 1814. A PACIFICIST'S ANAEOTHETIO. Our old, peace-at-any-price friend, the New York Evening- Post, asks for what should we prepareby improving our means of defense; It denies that what it calls "the present excitement" arises out of 'fear that our military forces are not sufficient to cope Vith any situation that may present Itself in Mexico or in any part of Central and South America." ' In so doing, it assumes much, for all things are pos sible with Mexico. It may become necessary for us to occupy and pacify that country as the only alternative to permitting some European' power to undertake the task; Had ' not the European war intervened, the choice between these alternatives might be before us even now. Should not "the Mexican situation improve more rapidly than there Is any reason to hope, that alternative may be offered us after the European powers have recovered from the exhaustion of the present war. The Post boldly asserts that "the military policy of the United States Is at least adequate" for this' task. Secretary of War Garrison's report warrants flat denial oC.this assertion. He says that the mobile regular army consists of only 24,602 men and that the militia totals 127.410 officers and men, but he declares it inconceivable that all the militia would respond and he counts all as available 'only-"If they were all found fairly efficient in the first line." That they are not all even fairly efficient may be inferred from M representative . Gardner's statements ' that 23000 of them did not even show up last year for annual inspec tion; that 31,00p did not appear at. the annual encampment; that 53,000 -nevcr appeared at the rifle range during the whole course of last year." It has been estimated by competent authority that 250,000 men would beH required to restore and keep peace in Mexico, but the statements of Mr. Garrison, taken in conjunction - with those of Mr. Gardner, show that we should be fortunate if we could put half that number In the field and that then we should strip the United States of trained soldiers, except the coast artillery companies, dur only recourse would be to volunteers, who, Mr. Garrison says, could not be ready for the field in less than six months, at the smallest possible estimate. But boldly assuming that there Is no necessity to Improve our armament for possible contingencies in Mexico or other American countries, the Post says: . - . -- The whole motive and force of . the move ment, so far as it is honest and consis tent, are to put this country ia position to repel any invasion that may be at tempted bv the most powerful nation, or crouD of nations, in Uuroue. The Post then caricatures the pro posals of men who demand that the "Nation prepare for defense. It says they ask "a few more battleships, a couple of hundred thousand " more men in the regular Army, & second line of reserves, more officers, and so on." It calls this "merely squirting rosewater on a big fire, if all that they allege is true." It "tries to frighten its readers by saying that, "if the United States is really going to put itself in a posture to meet and fight to the death England or Germany or some possible combination of European enemies, we have got to raise a regular army of millions of men. and to "enact compulsory military service".; that "the cost of our entire military establishment will be five or six times ni0 greater, the income tax doubled or Quadrupled and additional forms of taxation devised." This Is the old game of setting up a man of straw in order to knock him down. The task before us is to de termine what is the greatest military and naval force likely to be brought against us, and then to equip our selves to meet It. We should not need" a regular Army of millions of men; Germany never had a million men" in her active army in time of peace. We should need an army large enough and a term of service short, enough to build up a body of trained' men equal or superior to that of any probable enemy. We could do tiis-by enlisting men for a full term of service both with the colors and the reserves, pro viding that after they have become proficient they shall pass into the reserves. Mr. Garrison says he has proved by actual tests "that by in tensive military training any young man of good health and average men tality can be made a serviceable soldier in 12 months." By thus using the regular Army as a training school for men to pass back into civil life as reserves and by requiring a brief period of annual training by reserves, we could increase our available supply of trained soldiers to a largo total at much less increase of expense than the Post estimates. An attempt is made by the Post to lull us to sleep with the assurance that Europe will be so exhausted by the war that we should have at least ten years to put our house in order. Even so, ten years is not too long a time to reach the stage of military efficiency necessary to convince a pos sible enemy that attack on the United States would be unwise. The hope is held out that a concerted movement for disarmament will follow the war. but how do we knew? A triumph of militarism would produce the opposite result, and we must be prepared for either outcome. Whichever party wins will be cocky and inflated with victory. A proposal from us that all lay down their arms and live In peace win be far more likely to re ceive respectful attention if we are in fighting trim than if our proposal should be in effect a request to other nations to lay down their arms and thereby meet our unprepared condi tion - A JOBHOLDER'S PARADISE. ' That Oregon become a sportsman's paradise and that fishing streams . in Eastern, Central and Southern Oregon be supplied- with trout hatcheries are desires, of the Medford Mail Tribune. But' it has the odd idea that these things can be accomplished by permitting the Fish and Game Com mission full freedom to expend with prodigality all the revenues that'ac crue to the game protection fund. . So long as 60 per cent of the land area of Oregon is held as waste places by a cautious government we are will ing to admit that about the best thing that can be done is to make at least that portion of the 6tate a sportsman's paradise. But it is somewhat discon certing to this noble ambition to learn that practically two-thirds of the game protection fund collected in the year ending November 1, 1914, went for salaries, and office and other ex penses of a horde of Jobholders." The state cannot readily turn itself Into a sportsmen's paradise and main tain a Jobholders' paradise at the same time. It Is too costly. If all the income of the game protection fund Is to be "expended for. salaries and for maintenance" of the hatcheries and game farms now existing how are we to acquire more hatcheries and more game farms? By direct appropria tion from the general tax money? HOW TO. spread prosperity;. Every person in Oregon desirea prosperity for Oregon. This is the day to begin putting the desire into prac tical effect, for it is" Oregon Prosper ity day. Prosperity is largely the product of mutual helpfulness, taking the shape of buying from our neigh bors in preference to buying from strangers. 'Apply the term "neigh bors" to all Oregon producers of every kind and we shall carry out the spirit of Oregon Prosperity day. This is. the season when everybody is buying things to give and things to use at Christmas. If each one, when shown an article in a store, will ask whether it is made in Oregon and, if the answer is-"No," will ask for and buy similar goods made in Oregon,-he will not only help his neighbor but will help himself; he will enhance his own prosperity by' enhancing that of his neighbor, for in a large sense we in Oregon are all neighbors. He will increase the production of Oregon in dustries and will enlarge the buying power of their owners and employes. He will increase the amount of money wage-earners have to spend, for half of the price of each article is paid for labor. :He will ths increase the-pros-perlty.not only of the manufacturers and 'their employes but of those from whom they buy. By providing work for more men and women'he will help to settle the unemployed problem. A long list of articles made in Ore gon Was published in The Oregonian yesterday. When buying any one of those articles ask for "Made-Jn-Ore-gon" goods. By. so doing you will put a shingle on your neighbor's roof and will put him in better position and better humor to put one on yours; you will be passing prosperity around, and you will -surely get your- share. SIORE OF THE SAME MEDICINE. Secretary of Labor Wilson tells in his annual report of a number of suc cesses in settlement of strikes and lesser labor disputes by conciliation and mediation. His work in that line would alone Justify the 'existence of his department, but it would have done far more good and prevented far more harm if he hadbeen able to forestall instead of-, to settle strikes.. The Erdman law, as amended by the Newlands law, lias been beneficial in preventing . several railroad strikes which "would have" brought great loss and suffering to the country- A law which is gojod for the railroads Is good for every industry. The same law should be made of general application, to all labor dis putes and should be strengthened in such a way that they may never go so far as to cause strikes. This can be accomplished by forbidding a strike or lockout until a board of conciliation has made inquiry and reported to the parties to" the dispute what it con siders a fair settlement. If either party thenSaiects . the terms proposed by the board, let the strike or lockout begin, but Let the" board's findings be published, that the people may form a Judgment on the merits of the con troversy. Few men making unreason able demands will persist when they must appear at the bar of public opin ion. The success achieved by Secretary Wilson and his subordinates with an Imperfect law Is the best argument for expanding their power, for a larger measure of success would then be possible. The strike' is as much a relic of barbarism- in industry' as war is in the relations between nations. Until we have done our utmost to ex tinguish strikes, we are not In a posi tion to condemn Europe for not hav ing extinguished war. INFLUENCING Ol It YOUTH. The Green Bag publishes in full and pronounces able an essay written by a Minnesota "boy'.' of 17 which won for the youth a prize, of $40 offered by the American Bar Association com mittee to Oppose the Judicial Re call. The essay,-is able In the sense that it presents'' in - remarkably well chosen English for one so young the academic theories which the commit tee would 'doubtless like to see cher ished in the minds of a coming gen eration ef voters. But it ignores that practical experience which is now available for consideration and which utterly shatters the doubts and fears of the alarmists among members of the bar. - , There is to be found in the essay the preposterous assumption that a de feated litigant may inaugurate recall proceedings and perhaps obtain the sympathy and support of an electorate which knows nothing about the merits of his case.' In everyday life the elec torate of a state or district cares about as much whether Farmer Smith won his suit with Farmer Jones over a brindle calf as whether Farmer Smith planted his potatoes in the dark or the light of the moon. Common sense ought to teach every body that the recall is a wholly use less implement In the hands -of the vengeful litigant, no matter how rich or powerful. But here are some of the old familiar doubts and fears that made Arthur Lee's essay valuable to the committee opposed to the Judicial recall: The Indignity and disrespect to which our Judges will be made subject under the threat and operation of the recall will work disaster on the personnel of our Judiciary. What successful lawyer will leave his practice to hold an uncertain and discredited office? "What class of Judges will such a state of affair tend to produce? Docs it stand to reason that the threat of recall, hanging over the head of a Judge like a sword of Damocles, will make him a better Judge? Will men who possess true Judicial caliber consent to beins: coddled into accepting an office whose tenure Is controlled by fluctuating popular majorities? A Do the questions answer them selves? , They do in the mind of the academic alarmist. They do . in the mind ' of him who has a practical knowledge of the effect of the recall. But in one case the answers are the reverse of the answers In the other. "Oregon ? has existed more than six years under the reputed menace of the recall, yet the most hidebound, stand pat theorist in the American Bar Association could not discover the slightest tendency backward In the personnel of the Oregon Judiciary, or the smallest disinclination of men-'of true Judicial character to seek Judicial office .because the recall has been adopted. - - The wisdom, of encouraging debates among high school students on politi cal topics cannot be. .honestly ques tioned, for both sides .are then con sidered.; But there is something not exactly- ''pleasant in a money induce ment to boys to argue themselves into a frame of mind antagonistic to new principles of government. We can conceive of no other purpose in the prize essay offer. The. American. Bar Association committee could not hojpe to acquire new ideas or profound ar gument from high school boys. Arthur Lee. and. the many cfthers who doubt less competed have perhaps had useful "exercise in composition, but the tenor of Arthur's essay leads one. to suspect that he -has fcost more than.1 her has gained. He has .learned -that it is sometimes profitable to employ shal low theories to combat readily avail able proofs. He has learned to argue rather than investigate where inves tigation's the logical course. He has formed opinions by the most specious process available.'. TARIFF-BUNGLERS REMORSEFUL. . .' Democrats are coming to a realiza tion of the defects of their own tariff and of the fact that most of those de fects arise from the manner in which lt'. was ' framed. Some Democratic members of Congress are said to have considered the creation of a non-par- tlsan tariff commission with a view to further, revision .on scientific- princi ples while the Democratic' party still controls Congress. . So consistent a supporter of the Administration as. the Indianapolis ' News . commends this scheme and quotes approvingly from ah artlcle-in- the Philadelphia Ledger laying down the lines on which a tar iff commission should work and polnt lngput the .advantages to be gained thereby. ', These signs of a change of front may be the result of the chastening to which the voters subjected the pemo cr&tic party in November. They are the fruits of remoise, which a humor ist defined' as "a humiliating sense of abject failure." The Republican party experienced the sam sensations,' even while it was revising the tariff in 1909, for the Payne-Aldrlch law Itself con tained provision for a tariff commis sion with limited powers. Its remorse was intensified by adversity until it made atariff commission'a leading principle in its platform in 1910 and 1912... Like the- Republicans, - the Democrats now oeglti to realize thai by the log-rolling method', they can make nothing but a botch of tariff revision, and they are turning to the advice of that much-reviled Republi can, ex-President Taft. -. It is for the voters to take care that the repentance of both parties shall be lasting and. fruitful of good works. An old trick of offenders, when chas tised, is to promise that they will do better next time, but the promise is too often forgotten with the smart of the wounds. The people will do well to keeps, the promises of amendment fresh in the memories of the tariff bunglers. JEFFERSOJj DAVIS AND SECESSION. During the quarter century which has elapsed since the death of Jeffer son Davis, President of the Southern Confederacy, .some of the National policies for which he stood have been revived and pushed to a successful Issue. He desired, for one thing, the annexation of Cuba, and, Although this has not " been done explicitly, ' the United States has acquired a dominant Interest In, that island which at. some future time may ..easily harden into possession. Davis also wished to seize the territory in Panama whre the great canal is now located, while he cherished vast schemes for enlarging our trade with Latin-America and the peaceful penetration of Central Amer ica. His youth was passed on a Mis sissippi cotton plantation in the days when slaverywas young and vigorous in that region. His father did not in herit wealth, but he acquired it by cotton planting and the exploitation of siave labor. The family went to Mis sissippi with the rough manners and primitiye traditions of the Klentucky border, -but the ownership of slaves soon transformed their ideals and they all became thorough-going aristocrats. Jefferson Davis, who finished his edu cation at JVest Point, found the cus-, toms of that -.military school entirely consonant with his own feelings. In the Mexican War he won a cer tain fame as a soldier and. revisited his beloved Mississippi to find himself a political lion.' Governor Walker ap pointed him to a vacant seat in the United States Senate, and when his partial term expired he was re-elected by the State Legislature. In he Sen ate Davis began his career among the relics of an expiring age. ' Calhoun was there in the vigorous and fanati cal twilight of his extraordinary ca reer, and so was Daniel Webster, who still fanned the hopeless embers of his Presidential- ambition. Jefferson Davis Immediately took rank with the foremost. His 'physique Vas delicate, his figure spare and his face thin. But his intelligence burned with a quench less fire and the acyvity of his -mind made him a master among men. When Pierce became President he made Davis, an old friend of his. Secretary of War. The ambitious Southerner thus enjoyed the privilege of planning the final Mexican campaigns and reaped the renown of a successful ag gressive war. From that time until the outbreak of the Rebellion Davis represented the wishes and furthered the schemes of the imperialist slave holders of the South. His own state, Mississippi, had replaced South Caro lina as the most vigorous advocate of slavery and state rights. In 1850 Davis, as a good Mississippian, was ready to secede from the Union if California were admitted as a free state, but wiser counsels prevailed with him and his fellow hotheads and long before 1860 his views regarding secession had totally changed. The Mexican War was fought in. the Interest of the elave-oligarchs who de sired to retain the whole country as conquered territory with the Intention of colonizing it with their slaves. Davis favored this plan," but Calhoun, who opposed it, retained enough power in the dominant Democratic party to carry his point. There is no question that Davis saw more clearly--than his rival. Had Mexico been retained and built into the slave- empire the oli garchy would have been able to defy the free sentiment of the country and could have done whatever it liked in politics and . war. Davis' plan, i'f it had been" followed, would have made the United States a -slave-holding em pire throughout and it would have been the most powerful Nation in the world. Davis abandoned his early .se cession ideas for what seemed to him the best of reasons. He believed that the great property interests of " the South were more secure under the Federal constitution than they could possibly hope to be under a separate government. These interests con trolled the -Democratic party,.' which had a seemingly secure hold upon the Senate, the Suprefcie Court and the Presidency All the slave oligarchy had to do' was "to sit tight" and rule the .. country, gradually conquering everything by the policy of "peaceful penetration." It was .by "peaceful penetration" that the slave imperialists expected to gain' possession of Kansas and New Mexico. ' Governor Wise, of Virginia, told the -whole secret of their policy when he said that the winning of Kan sas would double the value of every slave itt Virginia. - Jefferson Davis ex pected, to extend slavery throughout the Mississippi northwest by the as sistance of Douglas, who had a great following among . the big-. commercial men and the small farmers'. " He-was not a pronounced imperialist as far as slavery was concerned, bul lie was a born compromiser,' and Davis well .knew that he. would always yield to adequate pressure from the -South. In the struggle ' between Lincoln . and Douglas, Lincoln stood for radical morality. He. was the" idealist of his day and he won because through long agitation idealism had . momentarily triumphed over compromise among the people. But even after Lincoln's election" Davis did not join in the mad cry" for, secession'-, which resounded through the South. "He relied on Sew- Jkp"d to secure the Interests of the slave oligarchy and tone down Lincoln's radicalism. Seward despised the new President and was himself a slaveholder.. Davis therefore felt reasonably certain of his favorable influence. Up to the last moment he shunned the thought of war and labored for a peaceful "settle ment. It was only after the firing on Fort Sumpter had made war Inevit able that he finally gave up hope and turned his attention to military meas ures. ' The -fatal shot was not fired by hla order. It was the.-work of stmie military hotheads who feared that Davis' negotiations w'ith Washington might issue in peace. We cannot hold Davis accountable for bringing on the Civil War. His real crime -was ; the cherishing ef ambitions whose conse- quences to thexcountry would have been infinitely worse than war. There may be some truth in' the suggestion that Italy Intends to come to the aid of the losing side in the war. With a fresh army equipped to the', last point and profiting by the experiences of the war, Italy might be able, to dictate to the belligerents, which will be battered, bleeding and "broke." The Balkan states may be reserving their strength to play a sim-. ilar part, remembering how Roumania acquired a piece of Bulgaria, though she scarcely fired a shot. . The Louisiana parish with eight lynchings this year is the record.. That the victims were negroes is matter of fact and to be expected. -That all evi dence of crime was circumstantial is also to be expected. When a commu nity has the blood lust, the sole requi site is the color of the unfortunate object. The farming communities of Oregon have opportunity to help the needy of Portland from their abundance. Any thing in the vegetable line, boxed or sacked and delivered at a depot, will be carried free. The next Congress, with an eye to the election of 1916, may take kindly to ex-President Taft's economy sug gestions,' but not this Congress. It is lined up for its last grab at the pork barrel. The Fashion Art League of America whatever that rnay be decrees from Chicago' the return to the styles of 1830. This is comforting to the bowlegged woman. Judging by Admiral Blue's figures, in case of war, our entire merchant marine would be needed to supply coal and food to our Navy. What a grand merchant marine! Lassen Peak might as well subside. By comparison with the eruption in Europe it cannot create any more ex cltment than would theeruptlon of a soda syphon. Two thousand striking miners In the Eastern Ohio coal district get their Christmas presents this morning in the shape of their old jobs. In Portland 50.416 people take water and pay for it. This does not mean that all are prohibitionists. They use it in everyday life. Jefferson County has official exist ence. There is yet room for creating more counties to be named for the Presidents. ' The captain of the Hanalei is sus pended for two years, but the twenty three victims of his neglect stay dead forever. There Is one comfort for the crew of the stranded German cruiser Dres den; this la Summer in Patagonia. The eloquent silence of Austria im plies that there is some foundation for Servia's boast of victories. Eastern Oregon will provide rabbits for Portland poor. The Valley can supply the vegetables. The allies must leave a few German warships afloat for the big Canal pa rade in March. Neutrality of the Canal Zone must be preserved, if we have to fight for it. In this week before Christmas there are many days in which to do good. The man who donates a load of fuel Is an up-to-date Samaritan. Have you got your specimen of the new currency? The Pitiful Prospect. By Dean Collins. Oft have I wailed the woes of war. And fated Przemysl's fall, And wept in deepest sorrow for The foes that camped about its wall. The Austrian or Russian crowd. Or Germans press it everywhere. And Prsemysl, bent and cowed. Keeps falling, falling here and there. Yet all the time it was my wish That fate would spare proud Prznasnysz. In vain. In vain I hoped and prayed. . To fend it from the bullet's whistle. Today Prznasnysz, I'm afraid. Is in the fix of PriemysL The German banners flap and swish. So the dispatches lately run. In the confines of Prznasnyss, And foreign foes her walls have won. Woe to Prznasnysz! What, and how And who shall stem the war tide now? May not the enemy advance '' - Next to Przlbram's peaceful town; Or shell the 'walls of Przemyslana. . Or batter fair Przhedborcamwn? -, Or. since" Przn&snyse now is low,. May not the. German army soon-V' ' Through peacef al-Przlbislav go, ' ' Mid flying bullets-fearful croon; Or, dashing into Przewprsk, . ' '. Charse Russia's troops clear 'back to Orsk? Oh. how, oh, how can I be calm. When German, battle banners dance . About the town of Frzibram, Or maybe threaten Przemyslanz? t Amid the shrieking; shot and shell ' And bullets darkening the "air. You know ho:Pnemyal fell, . - Some seven times;, both here and; there; And Oh, whaf sour and- bitter-;dish! Look. what they did to PrznasnysxJ ' .' - -v-, '.'"' .0 .' ' " - alcohol is'- Ain ijt diphtheria Specialist Ia Quoted on Value of Stimu lant In Grave Canes. 1 PORTLAND, Dec. 13 (To the Edi tor.) Let us stop' and reason a minute before we utterly condemn alcohol as a medicine. A good deal is to be said in favor of the claim that, under proper conditions with careful administration, alcohol as a medication is far from be ing looked down upon by some of the best physicians -in the world.. Such a statement as "alcohol has never been incorporated in a legitimate prescrip tion" represents nothing less than Igno rance. Is. it not time we were recover ing from our "alcoholophobia?" Let me quote from an article on "Al cohol Medication" by Dr. Abraham Jacobi, president of the American Medi cal Association, in the Medico-fharma-ceutical Critic and Guide, May, 1914, pp. 189-192. Dr. Jacobi is recognized as one of the greatest living- authorities on children's diseases. He has had more than half a century of experience" In his specialty. He enjoys the well nigh universal respect and esteem of the medical profession.' It ts his delib erate Judgment that "there are condi tions which, absolutely demand the use of alcohol as aprominent part of medi cation." Dr. Jacobi says further that In diph theria cases,- classinnd as "mixed infec tion," the patient ' is not amenable to the action of antitoxin. It would take too much space to. tell why Dr. Jacobi holds that success in a few cases has been only apparent. But the outcome of treating diphtheria for many years In various ways Is that he is willing to go on record in theserwords: 7 After 60 years of -practice when I trnst In alcohol as a powerful remedy In caaes of diphtheritic and other sepsis. I may be cred ited with ample experience both In. -auo' susses and failures extending over half a cen tury. What I offbr is no theory, and noiab orRtbry experiments on well or -sick gru'inea pigs. . My, laboratory has been different. My M fe has been spent amongst sick humanity only, and the recovering; and dying. - - The dean of American medicine then gives a few detailed cases showing how the proper administration of whisky In diphtheria cases saved the lives of pa tients actually given up .for dead.- I will cite one case in Dr. Jacobi's own words: ' Boy, aged 5. restless In- his semi-coma, tossing: about, feet bluish, .not cold, cov ered u-ith erosions and subcutaneous hemor rhagres of different sizes. His -whole sur face discolored, from drab to blue;' hemor rhages small and large in and under the skin. No Intestinal hemorrhage. Urine could not be obtained. My friend told- me I was not called by him. but by the family of the dying boy; he was going down town and on his way would order the undertaker to Bend the coffin after dark. I begged him not to do that,, but to wait until tomorrow. The undertaker, however, came after dark and left disgusted. Meanwhile. I had per mission to act. The boy's stomach retained my whisky, from one to two teaspoonfulB every 15 or 25 minutes, diluted in water, oc casionally In milk and coffee, and his rec tum retained a few doses. Within a day he took a pint and a half, perhaps -.more. No amount of alcohol will intoxicate a thor oughly septic person. We kept -on, the boy and I. He was alive when I happened to meet him 20 years afterwards. Ho closes the article in these words: My cases : of thorough sepsis relieved or cured by alcohol extend over more than half a century. My cases have not all been cured, for I belong to the class that has to. meet failures. But I have seen what was con sidered hopeless take a favorable turn. There are diphtheria cases which are not in fluenced by antitoxin In small or big doses. That class of cases Is not always hopeless when the doctor has hope and discrimination and the courage to fight infection and to cheat the undertaker. I refuse to deal in theories. I cannot tell the cause of the ac tion of alcoholic beverages when adminis tered in sufficient doses. I merely refer to occurrences and observations extending over half a century and more. Let somebody else explain. Meanwhile, take the hint. After testimony like this from one of the world's most eminent physicians. It Is either the height ,of folly or the limit of sanctimonious pretense for any drug gist or practitioner to declare that alco hol has no place in modern therapeutics. - . MED1CU& RX'-LE THAT SHOULD BE ENFORCED Conversation With Dlotarmsn Hot Con' dnelve to "Safety First." PORTLAND, Dec' 12. (To the Ed itor.) On my way home recently I saw the unfortunate victim of a car acci dent. Whether this accident could dos sibly have been avoided I am not in a position to say, but, in view of the company's "don'ts" all over town and on the cars, and their appeals to the public to help them to avoid accidents I would suggest that as a very consid erable factor to obtain this much-to-be-desired end, they should enforce their rule: "Don't talk to the motor- man. And, in order to be sure of en forcement, exclude the public from the motor end of the car. More often than not the motorman's end of the car is crowded, and even if not in actual conversation with a pas senger (which, from personal observa tion, I should say was generally the case). the conversation going on around him must necessarily divert bis .attention from his work, which I should think, needs all the concentra tion of mind he can give It. On board ships, with generally plenty of searoom, the rule "do not talk to the man at the wheel is rigidly en forced. Surely on a streetcar in a busy town, with people, motor cars. motorcycles and other vehicles liable to pop out around any street corner, this rule should be still more rigidly enforced. F. BAYARD. Convenience for Water-T7srrs. PORTLAND. Dec. 13. (To the Edi tor.) Inasmuch as economy and re trenchment seem to be the order of the day In city government, why not designate Ffre Department stations as offices for the payment of water rent? WILLIS MAGUIRK Critlelam. on a Bad Cigar. Indianapolis News. Brag I'm smoking a terrible lot of cigars lately. Snag (with conviction) You're right. lit that's one of them. HIGH SEAS MtST BE FREE TO ALL Peace Cam Be Iasorcd by Pact of All 1 National to Scare Common JUsjktsv. PORTLAND. ,Dec. 15. (To the Ed itor.) War stirs human nature to its deepest depths. It compels men to think as nothing else can. It raises fundamental questions In every field of human interest. Nothing escapes. Forms of government, religion, morals, international relations, industries, trade, manufactures, all come forward for review, readjustment, new interpre tations and definitions. The war in Europe is shaking the whole world, even supposed neutrals, as well as those actually engaged. - But one or two points press for con sideration at this stage of the conflict. One of these points of supreme Importance- is, vVhat of the high seas In future?" How are they to be con trolled, and who is to control them? It must be apparent now to all thought ful and observant ; people that this question lies at the foundation of the present war among the European na-'j 1 1 15. Aiuuuion tor oominton on two thirds of the earth's . surface, wbere ownership Is Impossible, and where all men should -meet as equals, is the tap root of the whole difficulty. Great Britain,-' because of - her geo graphical position, her limited territory at home, and the necessity for terri torial expansion abroad, has, as her overseas Interests have increased, grad ually grown into the thought that the seas were hers, and that she had a right to dominate and control them. Britannia has claimed the right to rule the wave, and up to the time of the Boerwar delighted in the thought of her supreme Isolation. The October number of the Edinburgh Review, in discussing' the British and German question,, said: Cv-' --. ' tr the German government had been given to understand, beyond the posbibllity of er ror, that there could be no friendship, or guarantee of enduring peace between Great Britain and any nation that sought to chal lenge our supremacy at sea, it Is conceivable that it might have desisted from a costly, dangerous and entirely misdirected enter prise. It is thus clearly demonstrated what Is the Immediate cause of the present war, and the causes that may create other wars In future. For the Review plainly tells us, "That there could be no iriendsmp or enduring peace be tween t.reat Britain and any nation that sought to challenge our supremacy at sea." In looking for the foundations or permanent peace among the nations, therefore, one of the very first Ques tions to settle is: Is this claim of Great Britain valid, and must it be acknowl edged and allowed to stand? Are the nign seas hers, and must all the n tions bow to her authority? Or, are tne nign seas, outside of territorial limits, to be owned and used by all men and nations alike and kept free and open to all? These questions must be settled before there can be the most aistant chances vfor peace. If any one nation is, allowed to con trol the waters of the! earth, that will give it control of the commerce of the whole world.and, in fact, of all other international busines relations. It will in short, make It master and supreme ruler over all. If other nations shpuld send out ships they might be seized and detained, or confiscated, by the supreme power, and there would be no means of redress. The supreme ower could make up Its own list of contra band articles that might or might not seen transit from one nation to an other, and that list must stand, whether fair or foul, for there would be none to dispute it. InT-short, to rule the seas is to rule the earth and jail its people. Is fhe United -States prepared to accept the view that Great Britain, or any other aation, snail rnle all others? Or rather, shall we not contend that the oceans, from one continent to another, shall be declared free and open to all. and that dominance and piracy shall be swept from the face of the great waters forever? .For it is little short of piracy to seize neutral ships on the great highway of the nations on some trumped up trivial excuse. At the close of this war all nations ought to combine, and I believe they will, in a pact to secure their common rights In the use of the waters that en circle the glober They must do It if they want peace. The oceans ought to be as open and free to the man in'his canoe as trr the most formidable dread nought that was ever built. This Is the only pact with other nations that I would have the United States enter. In all other affairs my view Is that we should deal with the nations individu ally and In our own way. But here Is a common Interest that we ought to take part in and exert our strength to the fullest extent. And we ought to assert our rights by what we do. We ougnt to load our ships with merchan dise for- foreign neutral nations, and if they -were Interfered with by anybody on the ocean, we should see about It and. call them to account. We. too. have some long shore lines around this contiTrent and overseas interests, and we ought not to be willing to play second to. anybody. With conditions as we find them Great Britain in control of the water, and. therefore.' of ocean trade, the United States Is compelled by these circumstances to be her ally In the present war. For to feed and 'clothe an army is quite as necessary for that army's success as to arm it, or to take part In Its ranks, and the allies in this war are free to receive all the bud piles they want and can pay for from this country, while Germany and Aus trla are wholly cut off, and we are de prlved of the business of furnishing them such necessary supplies. It is a striKing illustration of the Importance of sea control. We, In theory, are neu tral. In effect we are quite as poten tial as any of the allies. The high seas of the world must be made free and open to all, and no-one power must be allowed to dominate them. LEVI W. MYERS. 681 Eas't Ankeny street. Why Not State Cement Plants? CORVALLIS. Or.. Dec. 12. (To the Editor.) Portland cement composes the greatest item of cost In the construction of hard - surface roads. Would It not be a wise plan to ask the Legislature to Investigate the cost of Portland cement and ascertain the actual cost of the manufacture of cement, using prison labor to operate the mills and handle the limestone and shale? Is It not true that the State" of Ore gon can manufacture cement in state mills as successfully as any public service corporation, and save all the counties of the state the monstrous ex tortion which construction companies have charged on our people here in Corvallis for the cement and other ma terials used in the construction of our cement streets and walks? Why bond our counties to do what the state can do better at half the cost? T. J. THORP. Kftt the Same. ST. PAUL. Or.. Dec. 12. (To the Edi tor.) As a result of a question which lately arose. I wish to know if the Winston Churchill connected with the English Admiralty and the author of "The Crossing" are one and the same. SUBSCRIBER. Winston . Churchill, author of "The Crossing." is an American, residing at Cornish, N. II. Qnlntillan. . KNAB. Wash, Dec 12 (To the Edi tor.) Please state when Quintllian, the author, lived. Also mention some of his writings. A. B. KINGSBURY. , .Marcus Fabius Quintilianus, Roman rhetorician, was born about 35 A. D. In Spain. His reputation In modern times is based on his work entitled De Insti tutlone Oratoria Librl XII, a complete system of rhetoric Twenty-Five Years Ago V !. l-.l. u I. T-.n.T.uv 1-1 New Orleans. b universal request Jefferson Davis received a funeral in full accord with his military rank as an officer here Thursday. Numerous civic and other organizations joined, to make the ceremony most impressive. Throughout the South the hours of the burial -were observed fittinjtly and me morial services were numerous. The Baker City (Or.) Democrat says Mayor DeLashmutt. of Portland, has the gubernatorial bee buzzing In his bonnet. 1 Away back In '54 tSam Sterling was well known In the -Rogue River Valley as the discoverer of the old- Sterling mine. Sam has just struck a rich placer at the head of the Coqulllo, it is re ported. S. Blumauer exhibited at this office yesterday an oW and somewhat faded copy of The Daily Oregonian of April 21, ""1861. The cop v came from tho cornerstone of the old synagogue build ing recently removed from Fifth and Oak streets. C. H. Meyers- add Thomas Loudpn. while fishing in the Columbia a day 01 two ago. hooked and succeeded, after much trouble, in landing a sturgeon which weighed 638 pounds. The head alone of this monstrous fish weighed 130 pounds. The roe weighed 88 pounds. Messrs. Russell & Macleod, real es tate brokers, yesterday purchased for local clients, at the price of 880,000. the Breck property on the northwest corner of Fifth and Morrison streets. Joseph Young has just returned from a tour through the mining districts of Old Mexico. Professor James Corbett, late instruc tor of the Olympic Club, of San Fran cisco, and William Smith, champion middleweight, of Australia, fought a six-round sparring exhibition contest at Mechanics' Pavilidnhest night. Corbett won the contest on points. Corhett la. ready to meet anyone in his class for 10 rounds for points. He would like to meet either Joe McAuliffe or Dave Campbell. Half a Century Ago From The Oregonian. December 18. 1864. The Columbia River road leading from Portland Is available for the. travel of stock through Dalles City. Laborers are constantly engaged in im proving the worst parts of the road'. There - is a good ferry on Dog River and one on Sandy River. N New York, Dec. 7. The steamship Fulton will leave tomorrow with a heavy mail for Sherman's army. She goes under sealed orders, as the exact point of Sherman's arrival on the Geor gia coast is not yet divulged. . The ladies of the Sanitary Aid So ciety request us to say that all those who have been preparing socks for the soldiers may leave them at Mr. Fail ing's store. No. E5 Front street. The friends of Rev. S. Cornelius In this city will give a donation visit at his residence this evening. We are re quested to urge upon all who desire to aid the clergyman In his efforts to be present this evening. Since our last, which was at 1 A. M. Saturday morning, we have had snow and ice, three days' colc. some skating for the boys, etc. Bat yesterday there was any amount of slush on the cross ings, and we venture to say the present fall of snow "won't do to bet on." The Washington Artillery will hold a special meeting this (Tuesday) eve ning. We acknowledge a pleasant visit from Miss Lisle Lester, the cheerful editress of the Pacific Monthly, of San Francisco. We are much gratified at such a pleasant visit and indorse fully what is said of her by a contemporary: "She is young, cheerful, talkative and. full of sarcastic pleasantry, a delicate figure and a true patriotic soul." DRUGGIST WODL11 AVOID ODIUM Honest Sales of Alcoholic Stimulants Not Worth the Bad Reputation. PORTLAND, Dec. 13. (To the Edi tor.) I note the alacrity of the vari ous champions of Old John Barleycorn In their promptness to tell of the me dicinal uses of alcohol stimulants. One is lead to believe that whisky is the only stimulant that can be used inton valescent cases or as an antidote for poison. Get out your-Materia Medica and look up the long list of tonics and stimulants, and don't try to mislead the public into believing that the knowledge of the medical and the pharmaceutical profession Is confined to the therapeutical value of whisky. In respectable drug stores the re ceipts on the sales of alcohol and whisky do not average S3 per day, and the honorable drugclst will with pleas ure banish the traffic just as soon as it becomes unlawful rather than subject his family and profession to classifica tion with the blind-pigger and boot legger. At the same time he; -will eie vate the drug business to an Irre proachable stature It never before en joyed. I never voted for prohibition, as my experience In dry communities has proved it to be an absolute failure as far as reducing the consumption of booze is concerned. It also has made malefactors of hundreds of physicians and druggists. The public does not stop to realize what it means to build up a business or a practice, only to lose it to the un scrupulous uucior or aruKgiai. uy lueir refusal to write prescriptions for or sell whisky unlawfully. Ask yourself this question: If a friend was ill In my home and asked for a drink of whisky what would I do? Then place yourself in the druggist's position. Morally speaking, it is the same thing, as everybody is not a booze fighter. Just so. the store's customers of years' acquaintance will ask the same favor, neve thinking that they are asking the physician or druggist to break the law. The only way to avoid such occurrence is not. to have liquor in the store. - Clerks often -"violate the confidence of their employer by se cretly selling to their friends. Alcohol for medicinal purposes can be carried in the hospitals or by the physician in his office or case, so there will be no great need for writing pre scriptions for it. Druggists may carry it for technical or manufacturing uses. The law 1b not Intended to restrict such usage, but to prohibit th use of It as a beverage. So friends. druggists, physicians, here Is an opportunity you. should wel come. Go on record as being opposed to writing for or selling booze and honor your Alma Mater, family and profession. JOHN P. KELLY, A.M.. Ph.D., 429 Jefferson St. "Just As Good Beware of the dealer who begins to say 'just as good." Beware of the man who tries to pell you something: else instead of the articles you asked for. The trade-marked article has built a substantial reputation on merit. The substitute is seeking1 to live in that good name. You are only protecting yourself when you take a firm stand and re fuse to be cajoled. Get what you ask for and insist on it. r