THE MORNING OREGONIAN, THURSDAY, DECE3IBER 24, 1914.
i ' POKTLA1. OREGON.
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rORTLAD, THURSDAY, DEO. 84, 1914.
I TKB BOUNDS OF KETTEAinT.
ome persons inspired, consciously
'or unconsciously, by partiality to one
party to the present war and other
persons inspired by an excessive anx
iety to preserve the neutrality of the
. United States are endeavoring to put
m. strained construction on the term
neutrality. The class first named sees
war material exported almost exclu
sively to the anti-Teuton powers, and
charges partiality because Germany
and Austria receive little or nothing
from this country. The latter class
has hazy notions about what consti
tutes neutrality and imagines that,
order to remain neutral, we must
either see that both contending parties
have equal facilities for procuring
ywar material from us or that no arms
or munitions at all are supplied to
either party.
The ability of the anti-Teuton alli
ance to procure war material from us
Is due to causes entirely beyond our
control. It is due 'to the maritime su
premacy gained by the allies to the
fortune of war. The inability of Ger
many and Austria to do likewise is
due to their failure to obtain control
. of the sea also the fortune of war.
'Were the United States Government to
forbid export of war material to
France or England because Germany
. was unable to import like materials
from this country, we should be de
priving the allies of an advantage they
. have won in open fight and should be,
In effect siding with Germany. Under
color of strictly observing neutrality,
we should be violating neutrality. Ger
many is just as free as are her ene
mies to buy war materials in this
country. She does not buy them open
ly for the simple reason that they
would no sooner be on the sea than
capture by her enemies would be a
moral certainty. When they are on
board ship in the open sea, they are
subject to capture according to the
customs of war, with which this coun
try cannot interfere.
American citizens are free to sell
material for use- in war to either bel
ligerent without " Impairing the neu
trality of this Nation. That principle
was laid down by a unanimous opinion
of the Supreme Court in the days of
Chief Justice Marshall, when France
contended that we were not bound to
sell contraband of war to a belligerent.
That opinion, written by Justice Story,
contains this dictum:
No neutral state is bound by any canon
of international law to prohibit the ex
portation of contraband articles, and the
United States have not prohibited it.
The sending of contraband of war from
a neutral country to the belligerent port
for sale as articles of commerce is unlaw
ful only as It subjects the property to con
fiscation on capture by the other belliger
ent. Placing of a commodity on the con
traband list by a belligerent does not
oblige a neutral country to prevent its
export on pain of being treated as an
enemy. It is simply notice to citizens
of neutral states that they will sell
contraband to the other belligerent at
the risk of its capture and confisca
tion. The risk is taken by the mer
chant or is probably transferred to the
purchaser, as the merchant no doubt
protects himself by' exacting payment
as soon as the goods are delivered to
the purchaser on shipboard. Were
our Government to act on the theory
that a neutral is bound to prevent ex
port of contraband, it might find itself
In a difficulty when1 the United States
was at war and needed to buy arms
and munitions abroad. In our present
position of unpreparedness we should
probably experience' this need most
acutely.
An exception is made against fitting
out and dispatching ships of war from
a neutral country for the service of a
belligerent. That is considered an
armed expedition in the service of a
belligerent and is a violation of neu
trality. We invoked this rule in the
. Alabama case and were sustained by
. the Geneva arbitrators. Hence we are
the more bound to observe it strictly.
It is under this rule that Charles M.
Schwab has been induced to cancel the
contract for 150,000,000 worth of sub
marines for an unknown belligerent.
The submarines were to be ships of
. war, and. the fact that they were to
; be shipped in parts and to be assem-
bled in a forelgn.country does not af
fect the -principle. President Wilson
; has been berated for leaning back
wards by some New York papers,
t which were chagrined at the loss of
! this lucrative contract by the Bethle
' hem Iron Works, but it is better in
"such a case to err on the safe side.
A real or professed desire to hasten
the end of the war has inspired some
of our statesmen to propose legislation
' forbidding export of arms and muni
tions. Such legislation would contrib
ute to the success of the alliance
against which such exports would be
used and would injure the chances of
the alliance which had the oppor
tunity to buy them. Hence it would
lie a breach of neutrality. Such a law
would aid Germany to win speedily, In
the opinion of a German writer, but .'t
might simply prolong the war far be
yond Lord Kitchener's estimate ot
three years and still not prevent vic
tory for the allies. Moreover, the time
to change the laws of neutrality is
not when war has begun, for the
change cannot fail to affect the fo--"
tunes of war; the time is when peace
prevails and when, therefore, the in
terests of no nation can be affected.
William Watson gives the United
. States a good scolding for remaining
neutral when "the tiger from his den
I'., springs at thy mother's throat." Eng-
land was something less than neutral
' when a certain tiger was at our
throat, but never mind. That is all
forgotten. Nine Americans out of ten
feel kindly to England and do not
want her empire shattered.
OCR PLEASE-DOS'T POLICY.
The New Tork World, which is for
President Wilson but against Secretary
Bryan, finds itself out of accord with
the strange naval practices of Secre
tary -Daniels. The other day- it had
the following:
As Colonel Goethals, Governor of Pan
ama, has twice asked for torpedo-boat de
stroyers to assist him in the enforcement of
the neutrality ot the isthmus, why should
anybody in authority at Washington hes
itate to grant his request? Is he expected
to repeat it hour by hour? Must a man un
der whose direction hundreds of millions of
American money have - been spent produce
lndorsers when he asks for help? Is an of
ficer of the Army likely to be heard from
at the Navy Department except upon busi
ness? Colonel Goethals has not complained
of violations of neutrality at the isthmus
without cause. He ought not to aek for
help without results.
Evidently the Administration did not
believe Colonel Goethals when he said
he needed help. The Administration
finds it convenient not to hear or heed
the calls of any American citizen who
Is abused or outraged in a foreign
land.
But in this instance it was not a for
eign country. Colonel Goethals sent a
peremptory call for the President to
transfer American war vessels from
one American point to another. Tet
it was not done, for fear of "interna
tional complications."
Fearing trouble, the Administration
inevitably runs from trouble the sur
est way to meet it coming another way.
No President can get far, in his deal
ings with other nations, by a pleas e
don't policy.
THEY STRIVE ' TO PLEASE.
During the stirring days of free-silver
agitation, back in 1896, when Ore
gon had recovered its balance from its
decided leaning toward fiat money, a
Republican convention to nominate a
Congressman was held at Albany. In
the height of its deliberations a promi
nent candidate, who had raised his
voice for silver, but who had made the
painful .discovery that the pendulum
had swung the other way, caused a
message to be read saying he "would
stand on any platform the convention
would adopt."
Now free silver has given way to
prohibition, and another Oregon Con
gressmap Mr. Lafferty has sought
to solve a knotty problem for himself
by declaring that he would vote in
Congress in whatsoever way his con
stituents directed. He had no con
victions he could not accommodate to
any situation. The- Lafferty district
(Multnomah County) voted wet, but
lo! when the Hobson resolution was
pressed upon him the accommodating
Lafferty went dry. He had been con
vinced, by word from home that that
is the way they would have declared
themselves if the Hobson amendment
had been a direct issue. We fancy he
was right.
We use the Lafferty incident only to
say that his case is typical of the aver-'
age Congressman. We do them no in
justice in saying that not all of them
voted for or against the Hobson reso
lution out of a deep sense of personal
conviction. But many of them had an
eye out for the political weather vane.
The Representatives from the dry
states voted dry, and from the wet
states as a rule voted wet.
The resolution passed a Democratic
House by a bare majority, but lacked
the necessary two-thirds. Tet a ma
jority of Democrats went on, record
against It. They followed the advice
of the agile and uncertain Bryan, who
is for prohibition, but against Hob
son's plan. Not long ago Bryan
startled the country by declaring:
' The Democrats have an Issue to face and
they may as well prepare for it. . . . De
mocracy is the Nation's hope In political
and economic questions let It not, by tak
ing sides with the liquor interests, repel
those who put moral Issues first.
Here is a moral issue that Bryan
for some reason was willing to have
wait. ;
OUR OUTGROW? ARMOR.
Representative Gardner put his fin
ger on some very sore spots in our sys
tem of military and naval prepared
ness for war in his recent speech. Ex
cerpts from his address before Con
gress, presented in another column, in
dicate that his outburst was not one
of mere orator?-. He used facts and
figures of a most accusing nature.
It is not his contention that we have
a few weak srrbfcln our armor. Rather
he makes it cttar that our whole armor
is decadent, outgrown and all but use
less as a protection against possible
assault. He points to the weaknesses
not only in the United States Army,
but in the citizen soldiery and the
Navy.
Throughout his address, which is
presented in full by the Congressional
Record, he shows a broad grasp of his
subject and an understanding of de
tails which suggests that he had sub
stantial help from the General Staff
at Washington in preparing his bom
bardment. Those sagacious gentle
men know too well our pitiful state of
unreadiness for emergencies, but they
are unable to make themselves heard
except through the medium of some
such patriotic citizen as Mr. Gardner.
FREE TEXTBOOKS.
Some of the current criticisms on
the public schools are well taken and
some are not. It is perfectly natural
to find fault with the schools for their
elaborateness. Senator Day expresses
a prevalent view when he says that
"the schools have too many trim
mings." We must not forget,' how
ever, that life itself is a great deal
more elaborate than it was fifty years
ago. It becomes more complex every
day and if the public schools are to
prepare children for life they must
grow with the world. The old-fashioned
curricufum of the "three r's"
and nothing else would offer but a
meager preparation for the business
and trades of our day. It would be
disastrous if reformers of the schools
should forget facts of this nature.
But on the other hand, no strictures
upon the wasteful textbook system can
be too severe. The long lists of rub
bishy volumes which parents are ob
liged to buy for their children are an
intolerable imposition. - We -Americans
depend upon textbooks a great deal
more than any other literate nation
and our schools are the worse for It.
One remedy for the textbook imposition-is
-greater dependence upon the
living voice of the teacher. The Danes
with thtelr model public schools would
be astonished to witness our slavish
helplessness apart from printed texts.
What we try to get mechanically from
the dead page they get in living fact
from the teacher. Another remedy is
free textbooks. Were the necessary
textbooks provided for all pupils in
the regular school library the expense
to taxpayers would probably bedimin
Ished by half. The books, properly
cared for and sterilized, would be
passed on from one class to another.
Changes would become less frequent
and all pupils would be on the same
level.
None need fall behind the class for
want of books. Most of the changes
of textbooks are senseless. In some
branches like geography and history
occasional revisions are unavoidable,
but our arithmetic is essentially the
game as that of Archimedes, and Eras
mus learned Latin from the school
books of his day a great deal better
than we do from ours. The cry of
"improved methods" and the like is
all humbug. Improvements in meth
ods depend upon the teacher, not upon
the books she happens to "use.
The Oregon law as it stands permits
the people of any district to adopt
free textbooks if they wish. The re
cent attempt to apply it in Portland
failed because private schools were in
cluded in the proposed measure. If
the proposition were limited to the
public schools, as it should be, no
doubt it would carry by a considerable
majority.
HOW TO WRITE.
An ambitions young reader asked
the Kansas City Star what was meant
by a "literary style." That valued
paper did not attempt to answer di
rectly. It contented Itself with citing
an example or two by way of warn
ing rather than leading. It mentioned
Charles James Fox' famous dictum
that when people told him "his speech
read well" he knew he had failed.
Lyman Abbott's rule Is that his sermon
is chaff when the congregation tells
him "it was a fine effort." As soon
as the dress begins to attract attention
from the thought, beware. The style
is then becoming "literary" and there
are rocks ahead for the young writer.
Great literature, though it seems
paradoxical to say so, is never literary,
just as a man of good manners is never
"mannered." Mr. Turveydrop in
"Bleak House" was highly mannered,
but he was not a gentleman all the
same. 1 So a style that puts forward its
airs and graces is seldom good. The
best writing is simple, which does not
mean that it is not beautiful.
For simplicity which is at the same
time perfectly beautiful read the par
son's description of his new home in
"The Vicar of Wakefield." Goldsmith
could go straight to his goal with an
exquisite grace that no literary acro
bat can ever hope to rival.
The first rule for a good style is to
have something to say. The second
rule is to say it with the fewest pos
sible contortions. The rule for adjec
tives is to go over your work and cut
out most of them. Then go over it
again and cut out the rest. Leave su
perlatives to Marie Corelli and gushing
debutantes. And above all things
learn the tenses of the English verbs.
Do not say "John has gone to town
yesterday," a wretched blunder that is
becoming distressingly common. Al
ways use the British aorist with an
adverb denoting past time. There are
a few rules of this sort that may help
a person learn to write well. But they
are till summed In having something
to say and saying It.
SMASHING AN IOOL.
It is agreeable to observe some bold
attempts to smash the idolized four
years' college course. President Hyde
of Bowdoin, an adventurous young
missionary, seems to have begun the
new iconoclasm. No doubt he will
soon marshal a band of followers. In
President Hyde's opinion it is poor
policy to hold bright college students
back in line with the idle and stupid
merely in order to force them all to
graduate in the same class. Classes
and class spirit and class standing are
subsidiary images surrounding the
four years course. The sooner they
are all disposed of te better. The
aim of the college should be to give a
youth his education promptiy and
thoroughly. ,
If one can get in three years, or in
two years, what costs another four
years, so much the better for him. He
should be allowed the full advantage
of his ability and Industry. There Is
a common superstition that some eso
teric benefit is imbibed by a four
years' residence in academic shades.
Three years would not be enough to
achieve the magic work. Five years
would be too much. The number must
be exactly four. Just as a boy mchoos
Ing up at baseball must say his "hick
ory, dlckory dock" in- the exact ritual
istic order. If he does not, the virtue
of the incantation Is lost.
There is too much of the incantation
spirit in much that the colleges do.
Their work is saturated with outworn
ritualism of which tho sacred four
years' course is only a sample. There
are dozens of others. If President
Hyde succeeds in smashing this par
ticular idol perhaps somebody else will
be encouraged to break a lance against
the rest of them. Thus in the course
of time the colleges may be made mod
ern instead of medieval institutions.
But by that time, alas, the world will
have moved on and left them again so
that some new President Hyde will
have to begin it all from the beginning
once more.
POSSIJ5IIJTIKS OF PEACE.
Undaunted by the rejection of Pope
Benedict's proposed Christmas truce,
the leading newspapers of Holland,
headed by H. Van de Riviere, editor
of the Provincials Groninger Courant,
have invited The Oregonian to join
the other principal daily papers of
neutral countries in "an entirely new
and hence a probably impressive dem
onstration in favor of peace and at
the same time to open a possibility
for discussions about peace," by pub
lishing articles on that subject simul
taneously, or nearly so. Twenty-two
Dutch newspapers join in the move
ment. The Oregonian " believes that the
most essential feature about any peace
treaty that may end the present war
is that it shall insure permanent peace,
so far as that is possible by any human
arrangement. The issues involved in
this war are so fundamental that no
permanent peace seems possible until
either the Teuton or the anti-Teuton
nations are decisively beaten. The
fighting, so far has been . indecisive
as to the general result, and any peace
that might be arranged at the present
stage of hostilities would, in all proba
bility, be a mere truce, used by the
belligerents to gather their forces for
a renewal of the conflict. We firmly
believe that such a peace with such
a sequel would be an even greater
calamity to the world than would be
prosecution of the present war to a
decisive end.
The greatest obstacle to permanent
peace in Europe is the division of
countries In disregard of national
lines. This artificial system of boun
daries will continue so long as they
are fixed by the superior military
power of nations, as demonstrated in
war, rather than by the free vote of
the 1 inhabitants of each province as
to which nation they choose, to join;
So long as there " remains under the
rule of any nation large territory, a
considerable majority of the popula
tion of which remains subject to that
nation against its will, there will be
danger of further wars. The inde
pendent, self-governing part of any
nationality will constantly scheme to
unite with It those fragments which
are subject -'to alien rule, and its
schemes' will . be aided by the most
restless and high-spirited of those held
in subjection. Removal of the obstacle
mentioned would require recognition
by all the belligerents of the Ameri
can principle of "consent of the gov
erned," Which Is denied by most ot
the powers in questlonf These powers
still adhere to the divine right theory
and would abandon It under compul
sion only or'wlth a view to substantial
gain.
Involved in the war also is the ques
tion of naval and .commercial suprem
acy as" between Great Britain and
Germany. The former nation .consid
ers its very existence bound up in
this issue, and with good cause. If it
were to lose naval supremacy its sup
ply of food and of raw material for
its industries, also its export trade
would be at the mercy of the nation
which became supreme. Germany has
prepared so long for this conflict and
the stake is so great and the conse
quences of failure would be so disas
trous and so humiliating that she is
not likely to pause until completely
triumphant or crushed beyond recov
ery. Great- Britain now has allies on
whom complete reliance could not be
placed in a future war. The same
statement is true of her allies. It is
now or never with each of them.
For these reasons The Oregonian
considers the present time inoppor
tune for any direct attempt to bring
about peace, but much may be done
by the neutral nations in paving the
way for negotiations. The belliger
ents are so enraged with each other
that each group of powers accuses the
other of desiring its utter destruction.
This is doubtless an' exaggeration on
all hands. " Even if the desire exists,
the power seems to be lacking. Did
the power exist, the military and
financial resources on the two sides
are so nearly balanced that the victors
would almost destroy themselves in
completely destroying their antagon
ists. The war has served to convince
all these nations what valuable serv
ice they render to each other in peace
and how much they would injure
themselves by destroying any one of
their number.
The opportunity, then, is open to
the neutral nations by concerted ac
tion to bring their enraged neighbors
into a more reasonable frame of mind.
By learning whatever they can as to
the real designs and the least demands
of each, they can ascertain approxi
mately how nearly these demands can
be met and what points of difference
remain. They can learn what prospect
there Is of removing the great obstacle
to permanent peace which we have de
scribed. They can marshal the forces
of peace, ready to move at the psy
chological moment, when some deci
sive victory disposes the defeated
to listen to reason and inclines the
victors to end an exhausting struggle
before the fortune of war turnsgainst
them. President Roosevelt seized that
psychological moment in the Russo
Japanese war after the battle of Tsu
shima Strait and he brought about
peace. The neutral nations, with their
military and economic forces unim
paired, could, if speaking with a
united voice, compel attention.
( -
The French are inclined - to refuse
Japanese help, contending that the
Japs, sending in a few corps, would
claim credit for any victories that
might be gained. The French are a
farseeing and discriminating people.
Be patient today with the young
woman who waits on you. Any dis
comfort is chargeable to you, for the
buying might have been done weeks
ago.
Little rumors of international fric
tion in the Canal Zone are nothing
compared to what we may wake up
some day to find staring us in the face.
Then there is the lad who will wake
up in the morning to find only a hole
In his stocking. That is, unless you
help prevent such a tragedy.
Now the Russians are advancing in
East Prussia. That Eastern battle is
growing more and more like the pen
dulum of a clock.
The men in the trenches will not
get Christmas boxes today. The luck
will be theirs if they do not get the
long box.
Tho mnn who n p p-1 1 to pivp his
ftvife a present Is a heafiien, a villain
and a traitor to the State of Matri
mony. Not a single case of drunkenness In
Petrograd for four days. Petrograd
has had very little to get drunk over
of late."
Then there is the man who will re
call along about TO o'clock tonight that
he hasn't done his Christmas shopping.
Turkish atrocities on Jewish victims
will yet incite a Christian nation to
wield the sword of wrath. '
If you don't believe there are plenty
of persons In need of your aid Just ask
your butcher. He knows.
No doubt the armies tomorrow.iwill
exchange little tokens of war -on eartfc,
bad will towards men.
Happy is the man today who has
arranged to make someone else happy
tomorrow.
Do . your Christmas shopping early.
We refer, of course, to Christmas of
next year. '.
Watchful waiting seems to have
been replaced by a policy of "please
don't."
The greatest problem of all is get
ting the children to bed this evening.
However, Old Selfishness will get
nothing refreshing out of Christmas.
What a' lot of blessed old frauds
will pretend they are Santa Claus!
Tho spug, of course, buys his wife a
nice box of cigars for Christmas. '
What if the purse does look tonight
as If a mastodon trod on itl
Santa Claus will be on the job in a
few hours now.
No one would' object to a flurry of
snow tonight.
Twenty-Five Yean Ago
From The Oregonian. December 23, 1SS9.
Carl Abraham has been appointed
postal agent between Portland and Air
lie. Mr. Abraham is of Roseburg.
New York Ex-President Cleveland
announced today, in holding off a solic
itor for financial aid for some chari
table institution, that he would like to
help every institution worthy of aid,
but that the heavy demands for such
has sapped his finances and that he
cannot afford It now. In one particu
lar instance, he begged the solicitor to
allow hira time to confer with Mrs.
Cleveland. All solicitors use the argu
ment that his name at the head of a
list of big contributions adds prestige.
The ex-President intimated that he
feared he would have to leave New
York, as he found it Inconvenient to
refuse, but that he could not afford the
drain.
New Haven, Conn. Richard H. John
son, of Boise City.'Idaho, has caused
quite a sensation In seciety here by
eioping with a young society girl.
Johnson is a Yale freshman, and is
only 19. One day last September, while
walking up tire street, he saw Miss
Kitty Ashdown and it was a case of
love at first sight. He strained every
nerve to meet her, get an introduction.
and succeeded. Last Sunday night
they took the train for Wallingford and
were married before the Justice of the
Peace. It is against the rules for a
student passing through college to
wed, and this probably means that
Johnson will be expelled and complica
tions arise at home.
The Walla Walla Union has taken
Smith 6. Johnson, son of .the Propri
etor, into partnership.
Somefellow at Oregon City has been
furnishing the paper there with the life
history of Hon. D. P. Thompson. The
data shows that Thompson in his early
days was a crack mule shoer, and that
he shod a whole pack train of 120
mules in three days. Mr. Thompson,
the information shows also, showed
himself to have tho real stuff In him by
helping to build the cells in the Ore
gon City Jail. There are a-number of
wealthy citizens in this state who did
not begin by keeping a bank.
It is a common thing for servant
girls to refuse a situation because the
family had too many children, no hot
water boilers, or stationary wash tubs,
etc., but the latest to come to our view
is'one who refused a good place be
cause tho house did not have an incan
descent lighting system, and used coal
oil lamps instead. Truly this is an age
of progress.
R. Holman has a radish weighing 11
pounds, which he Intends to send East
to show what Oregon can produce.
1
WOMAN'S SUFFRAGE IN CONGRESS.
Treatment' aa a National Question la
Proper, Saya Correspondent.
PORTLAND. Dec. 23. (To the Edi
tor.) The amendment which is gener
ally known as the "Susan B. Anthony
amendment," granting National equal
suffrage to women, will be discussed in
the lower house of Congress today. It
Is also on the calendar of the Senate
and will be voted on soon.
This amendment is creating - a de
cided interest and certain party lead
ers are "sitting up and taking notice,"
and this question is receiving more at
tention at this Congress than it has
ever received in the history of the agi
tation for equal suffrage.
This amendment has been before
Congress since 1S75; it was discussed
at the Sixty-third Congress for the first
time since 1887. It has Just received a
favorable committee report in the Sen
ate for the first time in over 20 years.
It has also just received a favorable
report from the committee in the lower
house the first time since 1896.
If this question does not receive the
necessary two-thirds vote in the Sen
ate and House of Representatives to
become a law I fully expect to see all
of the parties recommend this amend
ment in their next National platform.
It is true that President Wilson has
been uniformly opposed to National
equal suffrage, but, with the great en
ergy that has .been displayed on behalf
of tha advocates of this amendment I
believe that the Democratic party will
be compelled to introduce in their next
platform an equal suffrage plank, and
it Is only a matter of a few years until
we will have National equal suffrage,
and in my opinion our National Con
gress should handle this Question.
Women were disenfranchised by men
without any right or reason, simply
because it was in their power to do so,
or at least they usurped the power.
There never was any more reason why
women should be disenfranchised than
men. Women have the same right un
der our laws as men. They are com
pelled to obey the laws equally with
men, without any" voice in the passage
of these laws, but these questions have
been, discussed for many years, and
there is no argument that can be made
against this assertion.
Now the question arises: What Is the
proper method of righting this wrong?
In my opinion it is a National question,
and it is the quickest and easiest way
to settle this very important question
that confronts all of the states. Every
year there are large sums of money and
a great waste of energy expended on
the part of the advocates of this ques
tion making it a state right and Jus
tice demands of our National repre
sentatives that every state in the Union
should grant the franchise to women.
W. M DAVIS.
Accuracy of Author Doubted.
NEWBERG, Or., Dec. 22 (To the
Editor.) In your article in which you
refer to Professor William E. Dodd as
authority for the statement that Sew
ard was a slave owner you say, in con
nection with the Mexican war, that
Jefferson Davis "exerted his influence
upon the war while he was chairman
of the Senate committee on military af
fairs." This must be an error. Davis
was an officer in that war and was too
young to be a member of the United
States Senate. He filled the office
mentioned at the outbreak of the Civil
War.
Mr. Dodd's statement that "Seward
despised Lincoln, but consented to stay
in the new Cabinet," is likely to be
generally received with distrust. I
think that a careful reading of the his
tory of that period will make quite
clear that Seward was the one man of
the Cabinet who really appreciated
Lincoln's masterly ability and who
came to hold him in the highest esteem.
A letter printed in the Official War
Records, which Mr. Seward wrote his
wife early in his relations with Mr.
Lincoln as a member of the Cabinet,
referred to the President in the most
complimentary terms.
JOHN T. BELL
Marrlaire Under Assumed Name.
PORTLAND, Dec. 23. (To the Ed
itor.) (1) If John Smith marries Ma
tilda Evans, under the name of Henry
James, and with her knowledge, is she
the wife of John Smith?
(2) Before such time as the relation
ship might be termed a common law
marriage, could, John Smith repudiate
the ceremony and marry another with
out committing bigamy?
(3) If John Smith dies shortly after
the marriage, can Matilda Evans-prove
claim to his property?
A SUBSCRIBER.
1. Yes.
2. No.
3. Yes.
Plan of 'Working" Father.
Exchange.
Working father is the favorite em
ployment of those who must work their
way through school.
GARDNER OS NATIONAL DEFEASE
Excerpts From Representative's Speech
In Favor of Public Inquiry.
Assistant Secretary of the Navy
Franklin D. Roosevelt advised the
American people to look carefully Into
the system of compulsory military
training which the Labor party in Aus
tralia has ordained for all Australians.
Franklin D. Roosevelt has taken, this
occasion to tell the country that our
modest Navy is already 18,001) men
short, and that there are more defi
ciencies to follow when the vessels now
under construction are completed.
Secretary Garrison, In the teeth of
the President's message, has recom
mended an increase of 25,000 men and
1000 officers for the United States
Army.
e
Does the President realize that there
are only 120,000 militiamen in this
whole nation? Does he realize that of
that unpretentious number 23.000 did
not show up for inspection last year?
Does he know that 31,000 did not ap
pear at the annual encampment? Is he
aware of the fact that 44,000, or 40
per cent, did not even appear on the
rifle range?
According to the last report of the
chief of staff, we are short 316 field
guns and 1,322,384 rounds of ammuni
tion necessary to equip our militia in
time of war.
Last year General Wood asked or
enough guns and ammunition to bring
the United States up to the standard
of Bulgaria. That immodest demand
was gently but firmly rejected.
Even the President cannot expect his
trained citizenry to fight with their
fists.
The report of the chief of staff
shows that for coast defense mortars
we have ammunition enough to last for
one-half hour, and for coast defense
guns we have ammunition enough to
last three-quarters of an hour.
I am in favor of 25,000 additional
men for the mobile Army, as recom
mended by your Secretary of War. I
am in favor of enlisting 11,000 men for
our coast defense, inasmuch us the le
port of General Weaver, Chief ot'Coast
Artillery, shows that we lack that
number to man the coast fortresses.
We want to build up our Army and
Navy, which can no longer be impro
vised in a few months as formerly, so
as to be ready to defend this Nation
We must be ready, or we may be at
tacked or the Monroe doctrine violated
at some future time after this war is
over.
e
No nation ever yet was stopped by
lack of funds from, going to war. We
neara now tne DanKers would never
lend the money for a war, yet the In
ternatlonal Peace Conference at the
Lac de Constance a few days later was
caught In the vortex of the German
mobilization.
m
We are 10 battleships short of safety.
We are 49 submarines under the stand
ard. We have no navy in the air at
all only 12 aeroplanes or so, and of
those 12 only about seven can get out
of their own way. . Not one of them Is
armored.
I have proposed that an independent
commission be appointed to investigate
all those things, to report to Congress
how the Array and Navy and the coast
defense may be brought up to ei)ite and
may be made to co-operate with each
other; to estimate the men and equip
ment necessary for our defense, and to
report to Congress a definite policy for
our future guidance. Instead of ap
proving this commission of inquiry, the
President relegates us to, the pitiless
publicity of hearings behind closed
doors. '
Do you really think that four com
mittees of the House and three com
mittees of the Senate, all acting inde
pendently, can recommend a policy for
our defense which will command the
confidence and support of the coun
try?
Arbitration! What a grand wofd!
Yet the two Hague peace conventions
and the declarations of London have
all been torn to shreds.
Had Belgium, like Switzerland and
Holland, put more confidence in her
troops and less confidence in arbitra
tion and "scraps of paper," she might
today be free from the agonies of in
vasion. Yet every "scrap of paper" to which
America puts her sign manual must be
redeemed to the last cent, cost what
it may, and whether or not every other
nation on earth repudiates its obliga
tions. But suppose that America,
while adhering to its agreements, finds
its path beset by nations with smaller
consciences and bigger howitzers? How
is it going to be then?
I can dream of the day when the or
ganization of society will be such that
burglars will no longer exist. Mean
while I live in the country, three miles
from the station and half a mile from
the nearest neighbor, and I propose to
continue to keep a watchdog. Further
more, in my absence my wife has a
loaded revolver in her room and. by
the way, I have never noticed that her
preparedness for war has manilested
Itself by a, murderous desire to prac
tice ner military efficiency on the
chickens.
MIT5 PERFORMING JiOBLE WORK.
They Are Demonstrating Practical
Christianity, Says Vicar of St. Johns.
PORTLAND, Dec 23. (To the Edi
tor.) Kindly permit me to say a few
words in regard to the activities- of
that splendid, result-producing organi
zation, the Muts. While their name
may be abbreviated, their efficiency in
serving humanity certainly is not.. The
vast amount of good they are doing
presents a welcome exhibition of prac
tical Christianity; and one striking
feature of it all is the immense power
for ' good that energetic, enthusiastic
kind of a spirit, which has brought suc
cess to so many civic enterprises in
Portland, has been made to be when
directeO into the channels of humani
tarianism pure and simple. With the
interest and energies of such men more
generally enlisted, the gospel would be
preached and the work of social uplift
would proceed with remarkably ac
cumulating results. Society needs the
service of men of their stamp, who
know how to organize and achieve, and
the cause of humanity could not wel
come more capable allies.
Here is hoping that the Muts will
preserve their organization. They have
the right spirit and they are on the
right track. It is but a logical step
from what they are doing to the next
stage of service, that of using their
talents. influence and enthusiasm
toward the securing of conditions that
will give to every bread-winner- a bet
ter brand . of justice and a chance to
earn a living. What the Muts have
done already cannot help operating for
a better understanding between man
and man and a firmer faith in God and
humanity. May they keep their good
work up, aiwi may Christmas be as
full of happiness for each one of them
as they themselves are making it for so
many needy people in Portland.
JOHN D. RICE,
Vicar, St. John's Church, Sollwoc-d.
Definition of An Escutcheon.
Houston, (Tex.) Post.
"Papa, what Is an escutcheon?"
"Why?" "This story says there was a
blot on his escutcheon." "Oh, yes! An
escutcheon is a light-colored vest. He
had probably been carrying a foun
tain pen."
Half a Century Ago
From The Oregonian. December 23, ISM.
Opitz, Sharf & Co., of the Oregon
Bakery, announce to the public that
they itave installed their new cracker
baking machine and are turning out
crackers by the millions.
Dr. Crane, late of the Sixth Horse
Guards, has taken the stables on Third
street, opposite the public square, and
will treat ailing dogs, horses and cat
tle. Charles S. Gourley, late of Spring
field. 111., and Miss Mary Frances Stew
art, daughter of P. G. Stewart, of
Portland, were marrired yesterday, the
Rev. G. II. Atkinson officiating. The
printers acknowledge the compliments
of the happy couple.
James M. Moore, of Oregon City, is
just down from The Dalles and says
that the river froze over Saturday. The
Oneonta broke her way through the
river ice for about six miles and pas
sengers boarded her from wagons
when she began her ice-breaking trip.
The Oneonta was heavily planked, to
allow her to plow through the Ice
without damaging her hull. After Bix
miles, however, she was compelled to
lay up, as the ice was cutting her bow.
The Legislature of Idaho- Territory
has located the capital for that grow
ing territory at Boise City.
Amida Frerie, of Walla Walla, has
just had delivered to him from the
Monnastes foundry machinery and
complete equipment for a first-class
sawmill to be erected ia the vicinity
of Grand. Ronde Valley, on Eagle.
Creek.
S. G. Reed, vice-president of the Ore
gon Steam Navigation Company, has
published a notice asking all persons
having accounts against the company
to present them at the company office
on the first and second days of each
month and that payment would, be
made on the fourth and fifth.
On motion of Mr. Frazer the Common
Council last night proceeded to elect
E. J. Northrup to the vacancy caused
by the resignation of Mr. Hurgren.
Richard Bowater, a gay soldier of
Captain Powell's company, while saun
tering around the Pioneer wharf yes
terday afternoon, accidentally stepped
off and was precipitated about 40 feet
into the river. On hitting the water
Mr. Bowater casually struck out and
made for the hawser on a boat nearby
and helped himself to dry safety.
CHRISTMAS EVE OX ROAR1V RIVER
Christmas eve on Roarin' river! No use
talkin', pard. it's jest
'Nuff to start a streak o' music danc-
in' through a feller's breast
Jest to think 'o them old shindys when
the boys an' gals 'd meet
Fur to pound the creakin' lumber with
their agitated feet! -v
Start tiie dance at candle lightin', keep
it up till day 'd break,
Weltin' lumber till our trotters got too
weary fur to shake.
Master o" the ceremonies Sacramento
River Goff,
Texas punishin' the fiddle. Broncho
Billy callin' off:
"Boys, cut out an' rope yer critters.
Bunch 'em fur a hot quadrille;
Make yer manners to yer pardners;
Every Jack salute his Jill;
Balance ail an' hit 'em heavy;
Swing an" throw 'em back In place:
All p'mnade, an' may the devil
Ketch the hindmost in ,the race;
Gents sashay an' do it lively.
Ladies smile an" toiler suit:
Balance opposites an whirl 'em;
Swing 'em twice an' hold 'em to 't;
Right an" left an' keep a-goin'
Till you hit yer pards agin;
Swing 'em off their underpinnln":
Make their sassy noggins spin.
Ladies change alf keep a-steppin";
Back to pardners an' repeat:
Knock the splinters from the lumber;
Hit 'er plenty with yer feet;
Bunch an' run away together;
Shake the music from yer spurs:
Pick yer sagehens up an' whirl 'em;
Slide yer chin 'longside o' hers;
Bunch tho heifers in the middle;
Circle; everybody dance;
Form a basket 'round yer darlin's;
Kiss 'em if you git a. chance:
Swing an' promenade, you critters:
Grab 'em tight an' off you go:
Round agin like frisky .lightnin
Seat yer sweets an' let 'em blow."
Chris'mas eve on Roarin' river! Pard,
the whole world cain't beat the
same.
Only sort o' winter pleasure that Is fit
to wear the name:
Boys an' gals a-feelin' frisky, ol' folks
full o' ginger snaps.
Sage chicks in their meetin' dresses.
boys in ol' wool shirts an' shaps.
Rounded up the gods o' frolic, bunched
'em in that ol' ranch room.
Never heerd sich Jolly racket, never
will till crack o' doom.
Master o' the ceremonies Sacramento
River Goff,
Texas punishin' the fiddle. Broncho
Billy callin' off.
James Barton Adams.
A FEW WORDS TO STEPFATHERS
They Should See That Children Have
a Real Joyful Chrintnjus.
PORTLAND, Dec. 23. (To the Edi
tor.) The hard luck of the orphan has
been exploited with assurance that he
will have a measurably cheerful Christ
mas. If he does not it will not be the
fault of the many good people who
have given of their time and means.
There is another victim, however, of
misfortune, traceable more to neglect,
and that in the half-orphan, the little
chap whose mother has married again
and given him a stepfather. In the
glamor of the warmed-over honeymoon
ho has probably fared as well as the
house dog or family cat, followed by
tolerance and indifference. The mother,
whose motives in remarrying must not
be questioned, does the best she can for
her offspring; but the head of the home
is the purseholder and her means are
limited.
The stepfather should fulfill the ob
ligation he assumed, all the more if
tliero be a boy of "boyish" age and de
sires. He listens to his schoolmates
discussing the cheer of the season and
the grip on his heart is fierce and last
ing. He knows his condition is not his
fault: yet he has no remedy. It is his
to sob and suffer.
It is to be hoped there are few snch
cases, if any. If there be, this is a day
of long hours in which much can be
done. The stepfather may be old some
day and the small boy of this Christ
mas may then pe- tne proviqer.
As You Act
So Do Others
When you find a circular under
your door you throw it away.
Yet you welcome your "newspaper
as an important and influential
visitor.
In a sense the newspaper holds
a direct commission from you and
every item in it is of greater or
less importance.
Perhaps you think you read only
the news and not the advertise
ments. Yet if you will investigate
you will find the purchases In your
home are largely influenced by the
newspaper.
Your home is only typical of every
other home.
Apply these facts to your own
selling problems when you have
goods to sell advertise in the
newspaper.
9t