Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 15, 1915)
PORTLAND. OREGON. Entered t Portland. Oregon. Postoffice as second-class matter. Subscription Rates Invariably In advance (By Mall.) Dallr, Sunday Included, one year 1 Usily. Sunday Included, six months 4--9 liaily. Sunday Included, three months ... Daily. Sunday Included, one monln, . . ' rallv. without Sunday, one year tatly, without Sunday, aia months ..... -j imtiv without Sunday, three montba ... lally. without Sunday, one month . , ' Weekly, one year ' Sundav, one year - - - Sunday and Weekly, one year .60 1.5U 2.50 S.ou (By Carrier.) . Dally, Sunday Included, one year '-2? imlly. Sunday Included, one month How to Kemlt Send Postoffice money or 1 der. express order or personal check on your ' local btnk. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Give postoffice address In full. Including; county and state. Postage Kates 12 to 1 pages. 1 cent; 18 to 32 pages. 2 cents: 34 to 4S pages, 3 cents; f to 60 pages. 4 cents; 02 to 76 pages, o , cents; 78 to 2 pages. 6 cenLs. Foreign post ' age. double rated. Eastern Business Office Vcree & Conk . lln. New Vork. Brunswick building: Chicago, Ster.ger building. Ssvn Knsncisco Office R. J. Bldwell Com psny. 742 Market street. PORTLAND, MONDAY, FEB. 15, 19tS- DCTT. It is but fair that the Legislature -: now be warned that the public Is view ' lngr with genuine concern the impor I tance of the work yet to be accom- plished in view of the brief period left l for legislative deliberation. It is but just that the members of V the Legislature now be reminded that the high cost of government was the ". issue most prominently in the minds '' of the people In the recent election. Hardly a man in the House, hardly a member of the Senate not a holdover, -"' but recognized this paramount inter " ' est in economy and put into his cam- paign slogan some promise of re ' trenchment. Nearly every new mem- ber is pledged to consolidate commis- . sions and cut off the useless append- ages of government. t'. The Legislature i3 now entering upon the home stretch. Little has T- been done to carry out consolidation ' ' and elimination promises. One law JV abolishing the immigration commls- rion, another repealing the small an- ; nual appropriation for fighting bu- - bonio plague, another dispensing with - the state census, have been passed. But in comparison with opportunities . for merger and retrenchment in de r"l partmental work these laws are incon. sequential. The main consolidation - bills have not been adopted by either Z. house. No fact stands out more prominent ly than the truth that this Legisla ture cannot adjourn with credit to itself until it has done everything within reason to carry out the main pledge of the legislative campaign. In adopting even a reasonable pro ; gramme the Legislature will be as- sailed with abstract argument about J . sacrificing efficiency for economy and It will be subjected to all sorts of pressure. Some plausible contention can doubtless be offered for the reten I tion of every board or commission in the present form. But steadfastness ! of purpose, consideration of the source of pressure and a mindfulness that ' outside of the beneficiaries of the prea- ent elaborate system there is an un ' mistakable desire on the part of the ' people that thu topheaviness of state ! - government be remedied must pre '. vail again.- argument, pressure and ... contention. For no other legislation , Is there such an insistent public de ' maud. Whatever else the Legislature may do. if it fail In this it will be scrlouslv discredited. There is also a general interest in enactment of a prohibition law. but s to such legislation the appre hension is not that the Legisla- ' turn will fail to act. but that it may ' act unwisely. The statement that ene mies of prohibition and the radical -. prohibition element are as one in ad " vising the form the law shall take is . . not idle rumor nor mere suspicion. . . It is a solemn but regrettable fact. ; "Why men of diametrically opposing . Ideas have united in a common jf' cause has been explained. The 'enemies of prohibition hope wholly to destroy prohibition by securing the en- ' aetment of an obnoxious statute. The I misguided rriend. of prohibition de ; sire an Irrational law because they J themselves hold the irrational idea that the law can successfully eradicate use of liquor as well as the traffic ! in it Yet good faith ought to be as strong a factor in prohibition enactments as In legislation to merge boards and commissions. The people were gravely assured that adoption of the prohibi- tion amendment would eradicate only the licensed traffic. The voters who ' recognize the evils of the licensed sa i loon but fail to observe evil in the moderate use of Intoxicating beverages J 1n the home were thus invited to vote for the amendment. The bill that has passed the House and is pending in the Senate does not make good the promise of the Committee of One I Hundred. It goes beyond reasonable bounds. It unnecessarily restricts the quantity that may be imported from without the state. It denies to the citizen of legal age who has not yet set ? up a household of his own a privilege t that is accorded to the head of a fam J ily. Thus is it thoroughly inconsistent and perhaps unconstitutional. The Oregonian does not believe that the liquor interests can succeed in arousing sufficient public sentiment to 1 repeal or appreciably amend the pro- hibitlon amendment by encouraging Z the enactment of an obnoxious statute. It does not believe that the radical prohibitionists can long successfully I interfere with personal liberties. But Z grave consequences do menace the X public unless reason prevails in the Legislature. Enactment of an unpop I ular law at this time will almost in J cvltably lead to a special session of the J Legislature next Winter. The public "- will not sit quietly by while opponents t of the law hold it up by referendum until November, 1916. If there be a special election, an obnoxious law will I go down to defeat. Under either cir J cumatance the special session will be ' called and it will have no plainer . guidance than it has now. The state cannot afford to keep the liquor issue in. perpetual motion. It can be and it ought to be settled now. Final action is also pending on the ratification of the lease of Summer and Abert Lakes. The bill has passed the House, but it is held back in the Senate, where there apparently is some disposition to inquire into iden tity of the interests that are applying for the concession. If the Legislature will take one precaution it can make no difference to Oregon who the men are that are willing to invest their money in the enterprise. The one pre caution needed is that opportunity be closed to the lessees to use an indorse ment by the State of Oregon, direct, indirect or Implied, as an Inducement to a flood of small investors to put their money into a scheme which they know nothing about. It is not the function of Oregon to encourage stock jobbing. The Orego nian does not believe the Jason' Moore lease has a shallow financial founda tion. But some safeguard that will assure that stock shall not be placed on the market at least until a going concern is established would remove every doubt as to the wisdom of the state's entering -into the contract. Both state and Government, . after thorough Investigation by experts, are of the opinion that the salts in the lake cannot be extracted profitably by any process to them known. Jason Moore asserts that he has newly dis covered a process that will make ex traction of the salts commercially profltable. He ought to be encouraged to prove the value of his discovery. If somebody who can afford to invest and possibly lose is willing to back him, it is no concern of the state whether the backer be Rockefeller, Carnegie, James J. Hill or a group of lesser capitalists. Such men investi gate before investing. They are not in need of the guardianship of the Oregon Legislature. WWW On the call for the conference of ten Western states to agree upon a water power policy there is but one point of division. The resolution, which declares emphatically 'against the principles enunciated in the Ferris bill, has passed both houses over whelmingly, but the Senate desires that the delegates be chosen by the Legislature, while the House insists that they be appointed by the Gov ernor. There is a sound reason for the Sen ate's position that ought to be plain to everyone. In five of the ten states in vited to send delegates there are Dem ocratic Governors. In one the Gover nor is a Progressive. The Ferris bill is substantially a National Administra tion measure. If it is true, as there is cause to believe, that public senti ment in each of the states is opposed to the Ferris bill, an invitation to the Governors to appoint delegates would place "at least five of the executives in the embarrassing position of choosing delegates committed to state opinion and opposed to a National Adminis tration programme, or of appointing delegates in accord with the National Administration, and not in accord with state sentiment. It is possible that every Governor would subordinate politics to state interest, yet in the past the deliberations of conservation con gresses and conferences called for purposes similar to those enunciated in the Oregon resolution have lacked weight because of suspicions that po litical Influence or the influence of Na tional bureaus had controlled. It was to avoid a recurrence of this fault that the Senate provided for election of delegates by the Legisla ture. There was no lack of confidence in Governor Withycombe expressed or implied. Tet the identical interests whose influence over deliberations of the water power conference are feared are endeavoring to defeat the confer ence or control it by raising an issue over the manner of appointments. It was so in the 'Senate when members unfriendly to Governor Withycombe arose to his defense. That the House has now fallen into their trap does not speak well for Its acumen or informa tion. The resolution ought to pass in the form adopted by the Senate. These are not all of the important matters that must be disposed of In five days if the Legislature Is not to hold longer than the customary forty day period. They will be up for con sideration in a week when the main appropriation bills are demanding the attention of the members. In addition are road legislation, paving legisla tion, workmen's compensation legisla tion, amendments to the tax collection laws, revision of election laws, the bill to open streams to logging companies, and numerous other matters of great importance that ought not to be dis posed of hastily. There is no question but that the time has arrived for an accounting of work performed and a contemplation of hard work that ought to be accom plished. Figuratively the members must take oft their' coats and go to work. But let them not be distracted by complaints that this session gives no promise of constructive legislation. The word "constructive" as applied to laws is subject to individual definition. If by the charge It be meant that no experimental laws are In prospect, the criticism Is more complimentary than otherwise. There will be a host of good people In Oregon satisfied that this Legislature has carried out a con structive programme if it makes good the campaign pledges of the members, if it promotes economy, cuts oft the dead wood, revises existing laws where needed, shows independence of dema gogic demands and generally keeps faith with the public. There is no demand for novelties. The main de sire of the people, as The Oregonian sounds it, is that the sails of the ship of state be trimmed to meet the ad verse winds that are now blowing against private enterprise and individ ual effort. The remaining work Is cut out. The thing to do is to do it. One of the basic principles of trades unions is to give women the same pay as men for the same work. The Ore gon Legislature was of that mind when it decreed that the schoolma'am was worth as much as the school master. NEUTRAL, RIGHT TO SELL ARMS. The. right of American citizens' to export arms to belligerent nations has always been maintained by the United States from the time of George Wash ington downward. It has not been de nied by any other government; in fact, it has been freely exercised by citizens of other nations with the countenance and encouragement of their rulers. During the Balkan wars Germany sold arms to Turkey, and France sold arms to Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria. When war loans were made to these coun tries, French, German and British bankers stipulated as a condition that the arms, to be purchased with the money should be purchased in their respective countries. Germany herself has officially ad mitted the right of Americans to sell arms to her enemies. She has sound reasons for so doing. One is that in ternational law and her own practice uphold the right. Another is that de nial of that right might react against her. Germany has not given up hope of wresting naval supremacy from Britain, or of at least rendering the question of supremacy so open that ships loaded with arms might reach her ports. Although British control of the sea cannot at present be denied, and although it causes the right of neutrals to sell arms to redound to the benefit of the allies' alone, that control will not be finally established until Germany and her foes have fought out their claims at sea. The submarine, the airshiD and the aeroplane may yet give Germany the advantage, notwith standing the allies" superiority in bat tleships. Germany is not giving up any rights she may in future wish to exercise, merely because for the time being her enemies alone can exercise them. Tho riormnn-Ampriean agitators therefore embarrass the country whose cause they champion when they ask the United States to abandon the rights of its citizens and to give up Its neutrality. They are not Ameri cans, but are more German than those Germans who are striving for victory in the only honorable way by fight ing not by plotting and starting a Dolitical propaganda under the shelter of another flag. A TIRELESS STORY TELLER. W. B. Maxwell, the gifted author of The Devil's Garden." is the son of the prolific writer known as Miss M. E. Braddon, whose death has just been announced from London. Mrs. Max- -ull r,v ATicc Ptrmlrlnn. livpd to a ffood old age, produced two or three novels annually for thirty years or more anu accumulated a fortune of a million dollars. Such achievements deserve a mnniimpnt Her honks were eenuine stories, rapturous, enthralling, satisfy ingly extended. The interest never lagged through the multitudinous pagos, the sorrows of tho beautiful heroine grew more and more moving to the last chapter, where they came to a sudden and delectable end, and the plots of the villain were unfailingly dark and dreadful. The worst that can be said of Mrs. Maxwell's stories is that they were read by kitchen maids and cowboys. The best one can say for them is that they furnished a whole generation of worried human beings with innocent entertainment Though her books were popular in the kitchen and the cow camp, they were not by any means rejected in the haunts of culture. Miss Braddon was a born story teller who diligently exercised a re markable gift. Novels flowed from her pen, like water front Kubla Khan's fountain in Xanadu, in an unceasing stream. None of her books were astonishingly great. None were dull. Sometimes, like "Lady Audley's Secret." they rose rather above the usual level. Seldom did they fall much below it. Her craftsmanship was al most perfect. To write a story was to Miss Braddon very much what build ing a cottage is to a carpenter. She had well-drawn plans which she fol lowed with capable precision, produc ing results mechanically perfect. The designs varied sufficiently to keep up the interest of her novels, none being an exact repetition of the rest, though there was a general similarity in them all as there is, indeed, in Shakespeare's plays. Her art was good, what there was of it. Her sincerity was unmis takable and her conscience scrupulous. If Miss Braddon had been capable of creating characters like Dickens she would have been immortal. As a mere story-teller she will probably be for gotten soon. PINS KNOCKED FROM UNDER. One by one the pins have been knocked from under the Administra tion's Government ship-purchase pol icy, but President Wilson still persists in it . The bill was first proposed as a temporary measure, but now he in sists that the Government go into the business permanently. It was pro posed to meet an emergency; but the only means of promptly meeting such an emergency is to buy ships. If in terned German ships are bought, they are likely to be seized by British cruis ers. They would then get us into a nasty quarrel and rende no help in the emergency. If. neutral ships were bought they would cost 60 to 100 per cent above their normal price. If ships were built they would cost much more than normal prices and would not be ready for service until nine. to twelve months after the keels were laid, when the emergency might have passed away. The emergency was first said to be in our South American trade, but Sen ator Burton has exploded that theory. He showed that there were abundant ships sailing from New York to both east and west coasts, and that they have much empty space. The finan cial crisis in South America has stopped railroad building and other development work requiring heavy freight. As to return freight, that consists chiefly of meat and other com modities, corn from Argentina and Brazil, which are In demand in Eu rope but only to a slight extent in the United States. Fast passenger ships from Europe to South America pay because they have first-class accom modations for wealthy passengers and have a large emigrant traffic. There is no emigrant traffic from this coun try to Brazil and Argentina, and there is likely to be none. The upbuilding of trade between South America and the United States must begin, not with more steamship lines, but with the development of more trade for the lines we have. We need to establish direct banking con nections and a system of credit. The United States must then supply the capital which Is no longer to be ob tained in Europe. Americans must se- TIIE SIORXIXG- OREGOXIAX. MONDAY, FEBRUARY 15, nn pnntrol of South American enter prises and direct their purchases of material to this country. A market must be created in this country for South American products other than those which we produce in sufficient quantity for our own needs. , We need to expand industries which manufac ture raw material such as South America produces. Then we shall have traffic for existing lines and for more lines which will gradually enter the field. There being no emergency in South America, Mr. Burton asked whether it was proposetl to "send the Government ships to Europe. What chance would a German ship bought by the United States have of getting through 150 miles of sea inrested with mines to Bremen? If it did not bump into a mine which had broken from its moorings, it would probably be cap tured by a British cruiser. Mr. Wilson has accomplished noth inr hv his shin-nurchase scheme ex cept to prevent a large amount of pri vate capital from being investea in ships and to split his party. Attracted by high freights, many persons were about to invest and relieve the scarcity when Mr. Wilson advanced his Ho has not vet furnished re lief, the $40,000,000 he proposed to in vest would be insufficient ana ne nas frightened out of the field a much laro-Bf amount. His only remaining reason for his persistence must be that pride prevents, him trom comessing his error. 1 SKRBIA NEEDS MEDICAI. ALD. The strength of 220,000 men with orhich the Serbian army. Is credited by a recent dispatch reveals a great loss from that with which it Degan tne war, but the Austro-Hungarians have hoAn p-ivn e-ood cause to respect the valiant little nation which has now entered upon its fourth consecutive year of war. Having twice driven the enemy from their country, the Serbians have re-organized their forces in readiness for a fresh onslaught. Loans from Great Britain have enabled them to buy new war material, whicn was doubtless landed at Salonica and taken by the railroad through Greece, that country being only too willing to help its ally. Apparently it is with-v,i,Hn- mintarv aid onlv until there is some assurance that Bulgaria will either join it or remain neuirai. The great need of Serbia is moHlonJ. and sanitary supplies, surgeons and nurses. One contingent of the American Red Cross expeuiuou .i.oc cent tn that country and a party of British nurses has gone there, but the work of caring tor tne wounueu was far beyond their resources. Some n.Hinoi cunniies have been sent from England recently, but Serbia must look mainly to the unitea uiies id make up her deficiencies in this regard. The smallness and remoteness of that country have combined with the slightness of intercourse to cause i h.r tn he overlooked in the work of Americans to mitigate the horrors of the war. Serbia s need is tne greater, because of its relative poverty and of its lack of .internal sources of supply, while the other belligerents are more nearly able to meet their own demands. All iVa Hrenmers of cities beautiful aro now dreaming of rebuilding the ...,tT,t,,i Mrica nt Rplcrlum as models. What tourist will wish to go to Bel gium when its quaint oici towns nave Koon rnniar-pd with conies of any modern American or English town? Henev was not entirely the last election. He lost nie Ronatorshin. but he won a wife. Being his campaign manager, she must have inspired him with respect for her managing ability. A special brand of entertainment should be provided for the carload of Baker County merchants due in Port land this week. Men of that region have a surfeit of sheep dip and dog bite antidote. Turks and Arabs who raided the Suez Canal were annihilated, which is a good way to wage war. Like the "good" Indians of long ago in this country, they cease to trouble. Retractions of witnesses against Becker should be taken with several grains of salt, in view of the crop of eleventh-hour witnesses who tried to save the gunmen's lives. Winter seems to have Interfered with the war more in the west than in the east. Rain and mud are a stronger deterrent to lighting than snow and frost. Boston baked beans are coming into their own. The hungry Belgians are crazy for them. Thus does the war spread the fame of Boston's favorite dish. Villa is the practical peacemaker of Mexico. In capturing Guadalajara he killed 369 of its garrison. The more Mexicans killed the brighter the pros pect. The Portland crowd enjoys a Sun day afternoon fire. The men look wise and the women have opportunity to pet the horses. The man who held up Station A will be caught, never fear. The Govern ment sleuths never rest and never cease pursuit. Railroad workers of Great Britain took an inopportune time to strike and It is well that trouble has been averted. Mr Inskeep has found the Jitney to be little better than the last resort of a man who hag an auto but no job. Kentucky lynchers Friday night rid dled the wrong man, which is more or less comforting to his relatives. If Schmidt could only have kept his hands off dynamite, he might never have been captured. The Gridiron Club did not ask the Democratic leaders for a new idea. It knew better. Note who have left town since the grand Jury returned five secret Indict ments. ' Liverpool liners now pass a large setioja of the British navy in review. With arrest of Schmidt, Caplan, the other suspect, must feel nervous. Hollanders will suffer from the flood tide of war unless they dam it. Heney's manager merely changed her title. Twenty-five Year Ago From The Oregonian of February 15, 18UO. H. L. Bowmer. a newspaper man of Milton, is mentioned as a candidate for the Legislature from the east end of Umatilla County, on the Republican ticket. The sparring contest between James J. Corbett and Jake Kilrain at New Orleans tomorrow night will be report ed by rounds at the Turf Exchange in M. Dee's place. Albina residents are much worried over the disappearance of Peter Madi son, a property owner and well-known resident. He has been missing for five days and his friends fear foul play. The contract for erecting the build ings for the'smelting works at Linnton has been let to Frank Irving, of this city. C. H. Preseott has purchased a half block on H street, between Seventeenth and Eighteenth street, and is prepar ing to erect a handsome residence. Washington Senator Dolph called up and had passed yesterday his bill appropriating $500,000 for a new public building in Portland. D. B. Jackson, president of the Puget Sound Transportation Company, was in Portland yesterday. Louis Rubenstein, champion fancy skater of America, won the champion ship of the world at St Petersburg Thursday. Tom' Whalen, alleged burglar, was captured last night wiille escaping from Captain Flander' residence. Whalen jumped from the second-floor window and was found in a dazed condition. Dallas, Tex. Jake Kilrain's light weight "phenom," Bizen-ah, knocked out and killed Tom James, of Dallas, here last night in the fourth round. Bizenah was held to answer before tho court. f W. R. McKay, of Champoeg. reports that the flood damages there will be heavy. The School Board last night decided to rename the "North" School the "At kinson," in honor of Dr. George H. Atkinson. Mr. Durham also called at tention to the fact that other schools had been built north of the "North" school and therefore the name was no longer appropriate. GERMANS' OWN VIEWS ARE CITED R. K. Maynardy Jr., Recalls Statement by Prominent Teutons. PORTLAND, .Feb. 14. (To the' Ed itor.) I noticed some days ago in your editorial columns an appeal to an "esteemed contemporary" for informa tion on the subject of the treaties of London, 1831 and 1839, in regard to Bel gian neutrality. I have waited with bated breath for them to settle this momentous question, but as no deci sion seems to be forthcoming, I beg permission to submit a bit of evidence on the subject In strict accordance with my views on the subject of neu trality, and in order that I may not get "in Dutch," in a manner of speaking, with our "hyphenated-citizenry." I stick strictly to quotations 'from three prominent German statesriin. Theobald von Bethman-Hollweg, Ger. man Imperial Chancellorin a speech before the Reichstag on the afternoon of August 4, said: "Our troops have occupied Luxemburg, and perhaps have found it necessary to enter Belgian territory. This Is contrary to interna tional law." On page 102 of Fredrich von Be-rn-hardi's now Justly notorious philo sophical work, "Germany and the Next War," we find the following statement of facts. (He is discussing the "bal ance of power" in Europe.): "Switzer land and Belgium count as neutral. The former was declared neutral at the congress of Vienna on November 20, 1815, under the collective guarantee of the signatory powers: Belgium in the treaties of London on November 15, 1831. and April 19, 1839, on the part of the five great powers, the Netherlands, and Belgium itself." Again from a "German Review of the Evidence" certified to. and translated bv Dr. Bernhard Dernberg. German ex Colonial Secretary, for the New York Times, we get this little piece of in formation: "The hiphest representa tives of the German Empire with em phatic seriousness declared that it was with a heavy heart and only following the law of self-preservation that they decided to violate the neutrality of Belgium, guaranteed by the great powers in the treaties of 1831 and 1839." R. K. MATNARD, JR. TWILIGHT SLEEP" DANGERS IP Doctor Calls Attention to Effecta Viewed by Some as Had. PORTLAND, Feb. 14. (To the Ed itor.) Lately I have noticed many comments, bdth editorially and other wise, in your paper about the twi light sleep of pregnancy induced by .i 1 .1 1 1 r i. mnrnhln find LIIO jiunenui o " - scopolamine or hyorveine. All these comments ana reierenue lauuuu t.. use of these powerful drugs in. the ,i c -.w. i. 1,1,1- fnllpri tn noint litUUr Ul ytcf uauvj ' out their dangers. But their use in these cases entails great dangers and tt.:ii... -.t..n AawA liuhlpq mnnv responsiuuu). .mmj . ----- blue babies, so called, have resulted from the use of these drugs. How could it be otherwise when we know that the average adult dose of these two powerful drufis must be given and re peated to induce painless twilight sleep. Now, if these powerful drugs have such a powerful influence that the pains of pregnancy are unfelt by the mother, what effect must they have on the Infant? The infant re ceives at least a dose 15 or 20 times too strong for it and, as a consequence, dead and blue babies result from the practice ... For many years here on the Pacific Coast physicians were familiar with these facts and governed themselves accordingly. These drugs are great aids to the obstetrician in difficult and painful cases, but to be used with great caution and discrimination, but on this Coast the profession, as a whole, thinks it best to bear a little pain, insuring a live baby, rather than to induce com plete narcosis by the means of power ful drugs, or the so-called twili-ght sleep, with a dead baby as resultant. MEDICAL DOCTOR.' Mountain Mradow Maasncre. PORTLAND, Feb. 14. To the Ed- itor) Will you please tell me the year of the Mountain Meadow massacre The Mountain Meadow nnassacre was committed near Mountain Meadow, in Utah, in September, 1857. The victims rv, in women and children emi grants from Arkansas and MIssouW ....in throueh Utah on their way to I Southern California. They numbered all told about 140. The Indtans flrat fired upon the party September 7, and, by some, it is alleged that Mormons were In the attacking party, disguised at Indians. John D. Lee, Mormon bishop and Indian agent, was executed for al leged complicity in the massacre, hav ing promised the emigrants protection. .i hir lnrins- them from behind their wagons and other protection. The Mor mons were blamed Decause urignam Young had, a short time before, an nounced that "no person shall be al lowed to pass or repass Into or through or from the territory without a proper permit" . 1915. BELGIVM'S RIGFITS AS NEITR1L Germany'a Poattlon Clearly Stated by Mr. Kramer. PORTLAND, Or.. Feb. 13. (To the Editor.) The Oregonian has. In the February 4th isssue. editorially pro pounded four questions on the "Case of Belgium," for the better understand ing of the case and not to Invite con troversy. In this spirit and in view of the great Interest which all of our citizens manifest in this question and to pro mote a just opinion of the position of the parties, I venture a few observa tions. England, the states of the North Ger man federation and France agreed, on August 26. 1870. to renpect the neu trality of Belgian territory by treaty and this treaty terminated in 18T2. It was agreed to by the signatories that this treaty expire one year subsequent to the end of the Franco-German war. That such a treaty, .or any treaty, extinguishes any former convention upon the same subject and particularly such features of it as are expressly ter minated thereby, does not seem opn to any doubt or argument; that Is the verv object of It. The neutrality asreement expired in 1872. was there fore not in force in 1914. Nevertheless, had there been a treaty, the political changes of the signatory powers, and especially the moulding of the North German federation Into part of the German Empire, could not Invalidate it. On this point Kent, says (Comm. IV. 25): "It is a Wear position of the law of nations . . . that treaties are not affected by . . . alterations of con stitutions ofv governments and revolu tions." So that. Imd the treaty of 1S39 not been modified or abrogated, it would be in full force and binding this very day on Germany. But while the valid ity and subsequent breach by Germany of the treaty of 1839 has been advanced by England as the cause of war and her Justification must stand or fall by that treaty, the esse of BclRium reiiU upon a foundation which is of more binding force than treaties and Is not open to dispute on grounds of law or facts. The right of Belgium to peace and the integrity of her borders rests on her sovereignty and In this case tlie total absence of a casus belli w ith Ger many. The German Chancellor Is reported as having frankly admitted, not the breach of a treaty (though he desig nated this' particular treaty as a scrap of paper), but an act of axsression on the part of Germany. No one. I Judge, is entitled to speak for Germany or define her position excepting those In authority for her. No one can answer your question as to what defense Germany will enter, but It is not o dif ficult to build up from the law of na tions a case for her side that Is enti tled to a hearing before the court of public opinion. To Justify tlie act of aucresslon or mitigate its moral turpitude. Germany must prove in the case of Belttlum a condilion of great and real danger to her vital Interests. Chancellor Kent says in his loctures on the law of nations (Comm. 1, 2.1): "The right of self-preservation is para mount to all other considerations." ami supports thiB position by citations from the greatest writers on the subject Vattel, DeGroot and Kluber. No one of the great sages of the law holds, mo far as I am able to find, a contrary view, and, like all fundamental principles of jurisprudence, this principle is sup ported by reuson and demanded by hu manity. To hold contrariwise would be to validate national suicide and set up the dictum of past generations over the life and liberty of the present. Kent goes further than the above and qnotcs Huber ( De Juro Civitatis). w ith approbation, as follows: "A rational fear of imminent danger is a justitinble cause of war." It remains, therefore, only to deter mine whether the vital interests of Germany were in dancer and whether her fear of this was real and rational in the last days of July. 1 ; 1 4. Germany then faced the srreatest ag gregation of military equipment the world has ever seen and her enemies voiced with great emphasis their In tent to crush her. Her commerce was in the course of destruction: alie was isolated from the world and in the opinion of the majority of mankind she was doomed to dismemberment, de feat and starvation. Whether these conditions were real or visionary is the question of fact that must bo he fore the great jury of public opinion and upon Its verdict Germany will stand vindicated or disgraced But assuming that treaty to sup port actively the neutrality of Belgium was in full force when Germany re quested passage for her troops what conduct did this document enjoin on Belgium'.' Judging from the tenor of the public press and the comments and expres sions of the majory of the people here, it seems to be the general belief that Belgium in this crisiN had no ave nue of escaping war that accurdod with an honorable fidelity to her treaty obligations and that for this reason she took to arms. The best authori ties on tills very question hold the con trary. Belgium had an undoubted right to refuse passage to the German soldiers, but she had also an equally well-established right to grant it. either with or without the treaty of 18311. Upon this question Chancellor Kent says In his law of nations (Lecture V. Comm. I, 119): "It is no ground of complaint against an Intermediate neutral state if it grants a passage to bellig erent troops, though inconvenience may thereby ensue to tlie adverse belliger ent; it Is a matter resting in the sound discretion of the neutral power who may grant or withhold the permission without any breach of neutrality." and the learned Jurist supports his opinion by citations from DeGroot, Vattel and Sir William Scott. Being a sovereign state, therefore, Belgium, far from being inevitably crushed between two forces, became In fact a party to the ntrugKle by her own free will, prompted perhaps by the sympathy racial and religious which she felt for France. She could have honorably and in perfect conform ity with her duties as a ncutrnl grant ed the request of Germany. Instead she chose, as was her right, to grasp tho iron dice of war and make her throw. Whatever dream of power or promise of support may hnve prompted their Bourbon King to that fateful choice, the Belgian people are entitled to sym pathy, for they have been deceived by themselves and others, and their suf ferings are great and In the main unde served. They might have had less of the glory of war and leas of the ap plause of her allies had they side stepped, also less misery. In her case, too, the paths of glory led but to the grave. The hope of mankind for pearo la probably in the study and observation of the duties and rights of nations as set forth by the law. for where shall we go for guidance or authority If not to the great sages of international law, or upon what basis can we expect ever to achieve the coveted age of universal peace if we disregard tho uniform Judgment of the greatest minds of the Western world in the field of the Inw of nations? This law vindicates the position of Germany. ERNST KRONE It -v Analysis of Water. CLATSKANIE. Or., Feb. 14. To the Editor.) Will you kindly Inform me through the .columns of your paper where I could get an analysis made of water? M. C. K. Address City Chemist. City Hall, Port land, or communicate with your nearest qualified doctor. " Money In Fern Picking. Indianapolis News. Fern -picking has become an Impor tant Industry in the vicinity of Jamaica, Vt From September 7 to October 10 one man bought 1,383,000 ferns, for which he paid 22. Half a Century Ago From The (lreRonlan of FVhnwiry li, la-'. Vienna The telcKraph news from Odessa say that ti'M'nti Iiiilxns are going to he eciielonned al"" the Aus trian frontier, to the northeast "d In Hessaralmi. If thi news l confirmed It can only be explained by tho fact that the Kussilan aovernment forenees eventualities on Its Kuropeitn frontier. Austria, no less than Western Europe, could not look quietly on the move ment of such large bodies of KusMHtl troops. Tlie co-partnership existing between L Mayer. K At kermiin and S. luin . forming the firms of .Mayer A k.r man. of Portland, and U Mayer A: t o. of M alls Walla, lias been diolvel. S. Ackerman having ivlil out to . 1'an nenbaum. . Mr. Mayhew, tba agent of Canyon City Stage Company. Informs that the siewly discovered mines on ('larks Creek. 28 miles northeast of ("nou City, have been found r.ch and very c tenBive. Mr. Edward Tlclinor. tonvb led last July or unlawfully cutting or niusmi: to be cut timber on I lie Government lamia, has received by the steamer vlr gon. tlie full and unconditional panlou of the rrwidonl. wilh the remission of the fine i $ 1S.7.XD adjudged ag.iinrt him. and costs of the suit. The document la an Interesting one possessing the signatures of President Abraham Lin coln, and Secretary of Mate W. II. Seward. The Scientific American of January 2 contnlns an extended i-cmint and Illustrations of the patent of 11. I. Jacobs, of this city, for w haul manu facturing. The machine taken a wagon wheel, after the spoke bae been In serted in the liMb. and from this stag" onward completes tho Job so that In al respects It is a inisheil piece of wolk manshlp. The machine was patented Septemher 1."., 1st;.!, In Knglnnd. flail' o and Belgium. A New York conipanv has been formed to Hoik the patent. Mr. Howe, also uf this city, la Inter ested. The Pally Evening Tribune, of thin city, has not been Issued since prblav of last week. and. we are Informed hv the late publisher, that It will ha In definitely deferred. Among the passengers on the Consti tution from Panama are llairla hey mour and orcn Jo)til, old residents of Portland. Among the recent niairlnaes wore: I.oonard IMIIor nd Mary K. Kalley at Oregon City; John HhubIi and loisa betli Mers fit Needy, tir.; Joseoh M. Mason and l-'loren e Murphv at th resilience of Henry lnslo In Clarkamai County, and at the same place, sani time, Henry J. Hutler and Frances K. Murphy, all of Polk County. A. J. Poreland. Second Lieutenant Oregon Infantry, has succeeded in rais ing hla company. The company w ill be tniiMtvred In in a few du nt 'lbs Dalles. TO Tilt: Ol.l villi . Stream of the West: Pride or lint Pcoceful fcica: So lovely, calm, mrtjesllc; flowing nn Through chasm, plain, and towti;whof-e broad expanse Reflects the first srny coming of tli dawn ; Home of the sahuon -t rout, the daik- hued hass; Idol of anglers: Joy of all who glide I'pon thy placid bosom; thou that holdst The maiden-like Wlllamelle us Civ bride; We come, we go; i-1 Hum w ilt alw.vs he. And young and old alike shall letcr ence thee. On silent nights, when stars i lilne In tho sky. To drift upon thy luciinl Is but dream Of night.- when led men piled their frail eanoea On thee, 'neutli these s;nno stais. Oh. mighty stream. A panorama passes and 'lis gone The trapper, pioneer - u nd lastly thev Who vend thy fish lo commerce; hut these, too. Must follow Time's Inevitable tvsv. We conn-, wo go; el thou will aluais be. And young and old alike shall rnvcr eiien theo. As tiny tributaries help to mnkn A river great aa thou, so would ihsf I Uf little dreams could mold a niiahiy tldiught. To laugh liko then ns fleeting ests go by; A living thought that tlll should ani mate The souls of men when 1 have turned to clny: That in decades to come, some hoary fno Keclinlng on thy bank might r ltd and say, "We come, we go; yet Ihou wilt al ways be. And young- and old alike ahnll rever ence Ihee." 1lClS ,1. BAl.HACir. The l-'nee of Lincoln. Ah, mark those woeful eyis ncep-srt and grey. And III with that celestial light of love: A-glow with boundless sympathy are they; A sadness spiritual In th-ni doth move Upholding nien to love and worshiping Of him. tho plainest man so like a god. His simple, power made him more thaii king, Keeause the ways of common men h trod. That forehead furrowed by a weight r.f woe Iteveals the grandeur of his Intelte- I: That forehead finely formed ioih beauty show : Those features of his thoughtful fine reflect The beauty of a mind and liesrt and soul. Transcending far the mere aesthoii" teal. Such plainness, Imw ran I too in. nil f r t ol ? lly that sad smile an angel rould be blest! MILTON A. STOIlllAiill. LOOK TO THE INSIDE It is not the slxe or llie J.i of a package, or tha color of a label that s count s but what la inside. It is possible to Iniltale the outside, the package exterior, without copying the quality. Hear this In mind when a dealer offers "something Just as good" I nslead of the deflnlto article you asked for. An advertised product stands for' character. Tt has a pamo and pedigree behind It. Its reputation rest on ita ability to give satisfaction. The imitation has no purpose to serve except to get your money. When you ask for an article you saw advertised In this newa paper. "GET WHAT TOIT ASIC FOR."