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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (March 5, 1915)
1915. 8 mm TirrvrevTVfT nRRnA?. FRIDAT. MARCH 5, rOETUuND. OREGON. Entered at Portland. Oregon. Fostofflce econd-clas matter. Subscription Bate Invariably In advance. Bjr MalD Dally, Sunday Included, on year 'J'-K Jany, bunaay inciuuru, n& ........ - - . . - I'til, Duuuaj mi-iuucu, v. ........ laily. -without Sunday, ona year. ... g-Jjjj JJUliy. WKOOUI BUOUBj, "i v" . - iMuiy.without Sunday, three months - Iwlly. without Sunuay. ona month- frunday, one year........ - l 1 1 .t i m u-..blv An vrar w (By Carrier.) Ial!y. Sunday Included, one year. . TtaCv Knnriaw Included, on month . .19.00 .. .7 How to Kemit bnd PoitoMlce Jf er. tiprni order or personal check on your local bank. Stamp, coin or currency are el sender, ruk. Gtva poatofflca adaxeaa In lull, iciludlnc county and stats. Footage Rates 12 to 10 pages. 1 cent; la to paaa. a cenu: Be to 4a pages, cenUj to to i pages, 4 centa; tu to cents; 7S fo J pages, o centa. Foreign post age. double rate. ra.tero Business Office Veree Conk Jin. York, Brunswick Lulidlng; Chicago. tenger building. has Francisco Office K. J. BldweU Com-rn-. 7iJ Market street. POKTI.AND. nUUAV, MARCH S. X91S. CONSTANTINOPLE THE TRIZE. The most momentous event so far in the war Is the destruction of the Uardanelles forts by the allied British nd French fleet, and the apparently Impending fall of Constantinople into The allies' hands. It is momentous for everal reasons for complete success of the allies' enterprise would mark the break-up of the Turkish empire and the extinction of Turkish rule, not only in Europe, but probably in Asia. It would mark a complete reversal f British policy on a cardinal point, for the outcome" would Inevitably, be th:it Kritain would concede Russia a free outlet for warships and merchant to trio Mediterranean, even if ehe did not consent to Russia's per manent occupation of the straits. It would liberate for service in the main theater of war the allied forces now occupied in fighting Turkey in the Caucasus and in guarding Egypt from Invasion. It would probably force Italy and the Balkan states, which now hold aloof, to Join the allies, in order that they might have o hunrl .in the final negotiation. It would mark the settlement, once for nil. of the Eastern question, which has caused many wars. Constantinople was long regarded as the most important strategic point Jn Europe. It commanded the main road from Europe to Asia. Through ft flowed th wealth of Western Asia u far as India into the marts of Eu rope, and through it flowed the wares of EuroDf to Asia. It was the great intercontinental transfer point. It commanded the road to India, and that fact prompted Britain to oppose successfully Russia's efforts to con quer it in the Crimean war and ac quire it at the Berlin Congress. Fear that Russia might menace her control of the Mediterranean caused Britain to dictate in 1856 that Russia maintain no warships In the Black rea. a stipulation which was annulled In 1871 only because Britain was In no position to fight for it. The'same fear caused BriVin in 1878 to threat en war and to forge anew the Turkish hackles which Russia had knocked off millions of Christians in the Bal kan peninsula. Constantinople was then regarded as the possible starting point of a Russian railroad through Asiatic Turkey, Persia and Afghanis tan to the Indian frontier. Could the Britons who fought Russia in the Crimea and who sang In 1878, "The Russians shall not have Constantino ple." see what is now happening, they would imagine the world had turned upside down. Many things have happened to modify the British view of the city's importance to the security of India. Purchase of the Suez Canal gave Britain control of the direct sea route. Occupation of Egypt enabled her to protect It, and occupation of Cyprus contributed to that end. The treaty with Japan protected Britain in East ern Asia. An agreement with Russia quieted fear of aggression in India and gave Britain control of the Persian Gulf. The nearer danger of war with Germany caused Britain to take a calmer view of Russia's ambition and to revise her estimate of the value of Constantinople. The Persian agreement was a re sult of this revision. Turkey was seen to have fallen under German domina tion. A German railroad was build , lng from the Sea of Marmora through Asia Minor to the Euphrates Valley, with a prospective extension across Persia. This was a far more serious menace to India than any coming from Russia, which had turned aside to Manchuria. Mongolia and the de velopment of Siberia and had re nounced all designs on India. Britain and Russia agreed to divide control of Persia, Russia taking the northern, Britain the southern half with the gulf anj the route for the railroad. Britain then forced Germany into an agreement for joint control of the Bagdad railroad. She has now con quered the lower Euphrates Valley and stands squarely across the route for German aggression. The impor tance or Constantinople has shrunk accordingly. Russia has established sufficient claims on Britain and France to make it good policy for them to heed her desire to control the Black Sea out let. Constantinople has been the goal of Russian ambition for three cen turies, for her fondest desire is an Ice-free port. She has been balked twice at this point and a third time at Port Arthur. Were Germany to abandon Turkey to Russia, Germany might be able to make a separate treaty of peace and retain all that she holds of Russian Poland. Russia has rendered inestimable aid to France by occupying half of the German and all of the Austrian army in the East, while France barely held the other lialf at bay in the west until a new British army came on the scene. The allies are now confident of ultimate victory but. were Russia to desert them, that confidence would be rudely shaken. On the other hand, were Russia as sured of Constantinople, free egress to the Mediterranean In war as In peace and a share in the prospective partition of Asiatic Turkey, she would have every Indueement to keep faith with her allies to the end. She would have in prospect the acquisition of Danzig, another ice-free port in the Baltic, from Germany, together with all Germany's and Austria's Polish provinces. The great surplus store of Russiari wheat, estimated at 200,000, 000 bushels, could be shipped westward to feed France and Britain, while arms and munitions, of which Russia is short, could be shipped into her southern ports and would strengthen her forces on the Polish front. Egypt and the Caucasian frontier being re lieved of danger, the British and Rus sian forces could be transferred thence to reduce Constantinople and the sur rounding territory on both sides of the straits to submission. Turkey would then be broken Into discordant remnants and would become almost a negligible factor in the war. Capture of Constantinople would also have a decisive influence on the Balkan states and Italy, which still hesitate. Bulgaria would Join the al lies in order to regain Adrianople and the part of Thrace which she lost in the second Balkan war. RoumanU would see that now or never was the time to gain Transylvania. Both these states would help in the final dismem berment of Turkey in order to have a share of the spoil and to have a voice in disposing of Constantinople, lest they be shut into the Black Sea. Greece would Join in the scramble in order to gain more islands and per haps a strip of Asia Minor. Italy would wish to hold the islands she took in the Tripolitan war and to take a slice of Albania. Were Italy to re main neutral, she might see France take Syria, Britain the east shore ot the Red Sea, and all the other plun der divided among the belligerents, while she would be shut out of the near East. Thus the action of Germany In dragging" Turkey Into the war may prove her own undoing by arraying Italy and the whole Balkan peninsula against her and by opening an easy route for 'food out of and arms into Russia. By enabling Britain and France to offer Russia the long-coveted prize. Germany has strengthened the bonds which unite her enemies. A CONSTELLATION OF WONDERS. The trip by ocean and -Bound from Pan Francisco to Seattle, will provide the "Seeing America First" seer ol aignts witn more worth-while slphts than any other trip ot IMXi miles in the world. Evidently the booster is with us with us literally, for the above inter esting apostrophe to the contributory wonders of Seattle is from a Portland naner which belongs to a chain of newspapers printed in several cities throughout the country. There- is an advantage no doubt about the syndi rate plan of editorship, but it is a lit tle embarrassing when a rulsome ar ticle intended for Seattle or San Fran cisco misses both places and lands in Portland. It will not be profitable to deny that the ocean trip from ' Seattle to San Francisco Is full of, beauty, for it seems to The Oregonian that there is enough- scenic interest on the Pacific Coast to go around. The Alaska trip is magnificent; Puget Sound is in a setting of ever-changing marvels; the Columbia River belongs among the world's great attractions; the Willam ette Valley is the Garden of Eden re produced; and who can forget the amazing Rogue River Valley when he has once seen its full glory from the adjacent Siskiyous? One might go on endlessly and men tion the Sacramento Canyon and Mount Shasta (not forgetting Mount Hood and Jlount Rainier), and the Yosemite and the many pleasure spots of California; and he ought not to forget to include Yellowstone Park and Glacier Park. But when so much is to be seen and enjoyed by the tour ist, or by the denizen, it seems invid ious to say that one star shineth with brighter glory than another. CAN CONVENTIONS REFORM? The redeeming feature about the political party convention bill which has passed the Washington Senate is that it is not compulsory in its oper ations. No party need choose candi dates by the convention method if it objects to the plan. It is worthy of mention in passing that Oregon political parties could adopt the same method of putting candidates on the primary ballot with out passing a law authorizing the sys tem. But no party will have the te merity to do it. No indeed. The convention, so-called by the pending bill at Olympia, is what in Oregon is known as an "assembly." Its nominations are to be advisory and Dersons not nominated by convention are not to be barred from obtaining place on the primary ballot. They can go on under the head of "individual filings" by paying a lee to tne proper public official. If this bill becomes law Its life and usefulness will depend almost solely on whether the new-found convention retains or rejects the methods which originally made conventions unpopu lar and caused the enactment of the direct primary. Development of boss rule, trading, trickery, corrupt meth ods or control by special interests in the nomination of candidates will make a convention recommendation something to avoid rather than seek and bring swift decay upon the new system. General belief that the volun tary convention or astern Diy, once called in Oregon as an advisory ele ment in the direct primary, restored that against which, the direct primary was a protest, causea tne assem bly to become so unpopular in this state. One experience with an aavis- ory convention fully satisfied the Re publican party. As to the general nublic. thev expressed their opinion again last November when they voted down a legalized form of advisory convention by the biggest majority ever given against a measure submit ted to the Oregon electorate. A DEBATE ON SUFFRAGE. G. K. Chesterton's . brother Cecil, the editor of a London paper, the New Witness, had a debate in new yorit the other day with Mrs. Beatrice Forbes-Robertson Hale on the woman suffrage question. Mrs. Hale took the affirmative and Mr. Chesterton the negative. He began his speech by dis carding some of the ancient chestnuts upon which the antis are disposed to rely. He. admitted, for one thing, that women are quite as intelligent as men and conceded also that want of the ability to fight is no argument against women's voting. "If it were," nobly conceded Mr. Chesterton, "Jack John son should have thirty votes." Just so. No wonder the suffragists on the platform applauded him. But he opposes votes for -women, and if he does not swallow the silly arguments of the antis without protest he fully replaces them by some silly ones of his own invention. Mr. Chesterton's principal reason for giving men the exclusive right to vote Is . that the husband is the head of the family and is therefore entitled to represent it at the polls. Not shrinking from the full logical consequences of his posi tion he would give a man one vote for himself, one for his wife and one for each of his children. Such liberality distinguishes Mr. Chesterton brilliant ly among the antis, but it speaks bet ter for his heart than his head. The weak point in his argument is its premise. The notion that the hus band is the "head of the family" is ancient, but not so impregnably sound as it was once supposed to he. Mrs. Hale retorted upon her opponent that mar-rincri is a nnrtnershin without any particular head. Each partner has rights which the other is bound to respect. The husband leads in some things, the wife in others. Where dif ferences of opinion spring forth neither is entitled to decide arbitrarily. There should be consultation, an ex change of views, and the riper wis dom should prevaij. ft this is conceded we do not see how the husband can claim to repre sent his wife at the doIIs any more than she can claim to represent him. Each is a human being witn lnaiviauai rights and opinions and each may rightfully demand the privilege of self-representation. BAD COMPETITION. We wonder if those persons who are still suffering from the spasms caused by introduction of the Michigan com pensation law in the last legislature are aware that despised casualty com panies are competitors with the state industrial accident department under the Schuebel law. The Michigan law, known in Oregon as the Bingham bill, permitted stock companies to compete with the state in writing compensation insurance. The existing law as amended by the Schuebel bill permits in fact invites stock companies to compete with the state by offering another form of insurance in lieu of state compensa tion insurance. In other words, the employer who elects not to come under the com nensation law seeks to protect him self against liability for accidents fo his employes. He does this by insur- ina- in a casualty company. Or per- hans he carries no insurance, and then if not thoroughly solvent his in jured employes get nothing. The em Dloyer who finds that the state com pensation rates are excessive for-- his class of employment or are discrimi natory against him, usually insures his risks elsewhere in another fonm of in surance. The casualty rorapauiea write that other form and they are now and have been in that sense com petitors of the state. An ideal of compensation insurance is that its benefits be carried to as many workmen and employers as possible. If compensation is present ed in such form that rates are unsatis factory to a noticeable percentage . of the employers the system does not ful fill its true purpose. As between permitting the (casualty companies to write a less beneficial form of insurance in competition with the state, and permitting them to write the same beneficial form, there ought not to be ground for choice. But If the casualty insurance business Is so utterly distasteful to the people let us work toward the ' only prac ticable alternative. Let us make in surance in tne state compensation fund general and compulsory, instead of Incidental and elective. , DR. WINSlrlP ON PORTLAND'S SCHOOLS. The Fehruarv number of A.'E. Win- ship's Journal of Education publishes some pleasant observations on tne Portland schools. Dr. Winship spent five davs visiting the schools of this city and therefore peaks of them with full knowledge. As a critic of educa tional conditions his authority is un surpassed. While Portland is in most na.rtif-iila.rs a "conservative city. Dr. Winship found it "refreshingly, sanely progressive as far as education was concerned. He noticed wonderful ad vances in efficiency during the last two years, though he discovered noth ing new done merely for the sans oi novelty. nm of the most interesting discov eries that he made in the course of his educational explorations here was the Ef-hnnl census which Principal Grace De Graff has instituted at Kenton. The results of the census are graphi cally exhibited on a map six feet square which gives every lot Im the district. The families are indicated by pins stuck in the lots. A tall pin stands for father, one irot quite so tall for mother and ,short ones for the children. The age of each child is ndieaterl bv other ingenious devices, en that, the maD affords a complete account of the district in its relations to the school. Particulars wnicn can not he disDlayed graphically are kept at hand in a card catalogue. Dr. Winshin was greatly pieasea with this unusual census. He says it is ' "the only valuable public school census he knows." He was also pleased with the system of visits to ndustrial end commercial plants which have been instituted. The pu niis of eaeh grade from the third to the seventh spend one-half day each week in this manner, "so mat m tne hilrl studies everv in dustrial, commercial, educational and Wmnsvnarv institution in the city. He found the high school work here peculiarly efficient.'- The spirit was Wiual tn anything he had seen and the earnestness of the students admir able." Much of our educational nrnerpss Dr. Winship ascribes . to Superintendent Alderman, who, he ays. "has many notions that work out delightfully." LESSONS IN BURGLARY. Tiio o-lnrifiprl hiirelar is beginning to cause uneasiness in sensitive souls. He has inns- hepn thn central figure in some plays and novels and imitative . i i : . .J rt young people nave osen iuium tafcn him for an example. Perhaps some of them have done so. At any rate society begins to shudder a nttie with fear that they may. There would nothing surprising in tne spectacle hnir a pitvfiil of bovs taking to hiirirlarv as a profession or amuse ment when they have sgen its attrac tions portrayed so Drinianuy in ucei ature and drama for many years. In the fine old days or tne aime novel which exalted the Indian fighter to the skies it was nothing uncommon f,. Kn-i-a nf ten vpars and UDward to shoulder their guns and march off to the prairies to slay the scaipnunters abducted maidens. Par ents felt some anxiety oVer the roman tic mania which had become epidemic, but perhaps no great harm was done upon the whole. The rage to fight Indians was qulxoucany noDie. xi xoiipri forth manlv emotions and its silliness was redeemed by its unself ishness. , We are not certain that it is quite so well to adore a thief as an Indian fighter. Modern literature makes stealing' one of the most aristocratic professions, but we regard the point of its merits as stilj open to argu ment Mankind In general has so long looked upon thievery as disreputable if not actually criminal that it is hard for us all at once to change our minds upon the subject. We must insist that it is better even in these progres sive times fox a boy to be honest and attend punctiliously to the distinction between meum and tuum. We cannot therefore wholly approve of books like Mr. Hornung's which make a hero ot a burglar and glorify his thieving exploits. A boy who shouldered his musket in the. old dime novel days and . went off to kill In dians showed some enterprise of a manly sort. The young fellow who undertakes to imitate Raffles can hardly escape becoming a sneak. We do not know that a great many have yielded to this kind of temptation, but some must have done so. When traps are set on every highway some game is sure to be caught. One night at supper the Emperor Titus, remembering that he had done no good deed since morning, exclaimed, "Friends, I have lost a day." Some poet transmuted his regret into the lines, "Count that day lost whose low descending sun views from thy hand no worthy action done.'V But it is not known who the Doet was. Jjurmg tne 'land-fraud" trials in Portland a ilrna narniaH Titlls- 'Tolint that day lost whose low descending sun sees new thief in jail or on the run." the time the parody was apt. no At A "Life" of Frederick the Great to gether with his "Confessions" has Just been published in English by the Put nsims Thfl "Life" is bv Treltschke. There is so much reference nowadays to this famous monarch that many ronrtr-rs will turn with zest to Vol taire's account of him and his court. tvir relations between Frederick an his witty guest were always piquant and occasionally exciting. r-nnrrrpss considered the state of finanr-ps of the Nation in' refusing to make appropriation for the royal trip across the continent planned Dy w son. "Ah. those delightful days of rirl when the railway people fu nished special trains! It is said the President will not make tne trip j nr.cwiiianri He should not desoai Upper berths can be had at reduced rates. Dumping garbage on a vacant lot is a habit that comes down from village days, when civic pride was unknown. It will be observed the offender always chooses some other man's lot for the dumping ground. To detect him is one of the .new duties of the police won on Vio u,-ill have little success for the vacant lots are many, where the officers are few. Aerordine- to W. Morgan Shuster .Tanan has a Monroe Doctrine as clear cut as our own. Of course it pertains to Asia, Its substance is mat L-nina. and the outlying islands shall hence forth not be colonized by any non Asiatic power. Happily the United States does not want to colonize m China. All it has evr asked there is the open door. T-n,.f.r rwtrW Attnrnev Delch did 1" ... - V umrL- In oT-rtr-ped ine aerainst the owners of slot machines provided to children's custom. The , gambling spirit is inherent and may be tolerated in the man beyond redemption, uui children should not be encouraged though the prizes be but somethin sweet to the taste. The European war is admitted on all sides to be bad. The war poems it has eenerated are worse. But worst of all are the war novels which now come pouring from the press. They are like the remains of the Thanks giving turkey a week old made into hash. '. Berlin say3 Constantinople . will still be impregnable after all the forts on the Dardanelles have fallen. It follows then that the forts are a use less expense to the Turkish govern ment. One is rroved to. wonder that they are defended so obstinately. Worenftpr jnarried men will be given rrofprenr-p in work on Multnomah PMmtv imnrnvements. This Will lead to hardship in the case of bachelor or widower, but he has his remedy. A clever. voune man in the Courthouse Is hired to issue licenses. Tt 1 most alwavs so. The carpenter falls from the roof and Is crippled and the railroader, who Knows tne dan ger, hops 'a moving train anu is mangled. Really, the only safe way to earn a living these days is to oe a structural Ironworker. . The American legion was refused offices in the Army building in New York. Right and proper. That Amer ican legion idea is a military brain storm and Army officers of merit do well to keep themselves divorced from it. The report of the House judiciary committee in the proposed impeach ment -of Federal JuSge Dayton, of West Virginia, is in reality an invita tion to resign. Conduct that is termed "reprehensible" leaves a blotch on the ermine. Reports- from Rotterdam saying British troops fear to cross the chan nel canriot include the Canadians, ptinoa-foilnwa would dare each other to swim over and tread water around the submarines. Last January the New York public library circulated 1,000,000 books, the largest number in its history. This fact answers very ileatly those who say the love of books is dying out. People, who think he "officers stay in the rear will note that Major-Gen-prnl von Estorff was killed at the head of his tjrigade invading Russia. Mellish's comet Is due for a sprint oouni trip sun Julv 20 unless the as tronomers can speed her a few weeks for celebrating tne ourtn. ti.. mn hurt in a Jitney accident can hop around and rub himself for consolation, and that 4s all ne win get. European concessions to the United States are carefully framed to make them impossible of acceptance. Certainly Portland defeated Seattle In the Y. M. C. A, irrembership contest. Portland always bests Seattle. . Wilson changes the color scheme in the office of register' of the Treasury by appointing a Cherokee. New York City almost provided us with the biggest story of the year aside from the war. t The season approaches when the war will 'begin in desperate earnest. Not much longer for the. impatient ball fan to wait. ' When does the American legion mobilize? - - This surely savors Spring. i TKA1A fciD - - i "Armed Preparation" Advocates Ad vised to Enlist In National Guard. PORTLAND, March 4. (To the Edi tor.) Richard Rozell, in a letter pub lished In. The' Oresonian, advocates "armed preparation" for the United States, that our Government may com mand respect abroad. This armed nrpnn ration would be procured by in creasing our Army and Navy, and he would call the attention oi oiigrc to such desire for increasing our fight ing forces by making -noise. It seems odd that it has never dawned on Mr. Rozell, and other advo cates of noise that actions speaK loua er than words. Each state maintains a National Guard, which, in time of war will h the nucleus of our re serve army. The National Guard trains civilians that they may be able to defend their eountry in case of need. All citizens of the United States, with certain exceptions, are eligible for this training, and yet how few of our citizens, particularly our advo cators of noise, avail themselves of this privilege. It is generally tne noise-maker who Jeers at tne man who Joins the National Guard, and it is always tha noise-maker wno yens for an army in case of trouble and then goes into the woodshed and moans because there is no trained ma terial from which to make an army. Each year the National Guard has a hard time maintaining its minimum strength; et-h year there is a wild yeirXrom citizens that the Army has no. reserve in case of war. Congress may hear the yell, but when it in vestigates to see how much, the citi zens want to be protected it finds that the citizens are not making any effort themselves in that direction by get ting military training, and that the few who have the timidity to join the National Guard are lax in attendance and drill. In other words, the brave citizens would have their property protected, not by themselves, but by ihe blood of the other man. Let George do It. Let the advocators of noise enlist in the Guard, or at least direct their energies toward encouraging other men to do so. Then when the Guard Is increased to its maximum strength and you feel that it cannot support the Regular Army, start your noise. Men who have served in Cuba and the Philippines know what training means, and would be only too glad to tell advocates of noise how much chance a man without training has in battle. And yet it is the great body of untrained citizens that will sup port your Army, no matter how large that Army. England had a larger army, than ours and yet has done nothing wonderful with it because the citizenry were not trained to support it. Germany had a larger army than ours ad has done wonders, not through its army alone, but through the solid body cf trained citizenry that were able to support the army, Any nation which can say that, while it hasn't a large standing army, has a citizenry trained in arms, can command the respect of any other na tion. -And the other nation, summing up the men able to bear arms and trained' in arms, is not going to be overhasty in setting those men in mo tion against her. Get in the ranks of he National Guard of your own state, learn to drill and to carry arms, that your country may know that you are sin cere in your request for "armed pro tection," that your country may take confidence in i-s rtrength by the sound of the feet at drill, and that other nations may know that respect is due a nation of citizen-soldtera. W. H. K. USHER'S LATIN WOEFULLY BAD "Movie" Spectator Sees Duel, Excited, Criea "Habet," and Is Put Out. PORTLAND, March 3. (To the Ed itor.) I attended a "movie" show Wednesday evening and among other scenes was a duel to the death with rapiers. One of the combatants ran the other through the body with his sword. It was so real that I involuntarily cried out "habet." The courteous usher came to me and Said "You must retire." I asked what for. The usher said: "We don't allow the use of obscene language here." Very respectfully. A RUSTICUS, For 50 years a reader of The Oregonian. Intoxtcanta In Dry Stnte. PORTLAND, March 4. (To the Edi tor.) (1) Is there inheritance tax on life insurance? (2) Why not place income tax on jit neys based in accord with losses sus tained by the streetcar company; also forbid jitney to use the same streets as care, excepting to cross bridges, or where it is necessary? (3) If the saloons are put out of business and the drug stores are not to handle liquor, who is to sell the 24 quarts of beer and 2 quarts of whisky? (4) 3s there any value ny coin col lectors on 2 and 3-cent pieces? CONSTANT READER. 1. No. 2. The tax would probably put the jitneys out of business. 3. Consumers will have to buy out side the state and-have the liquor shipped in by express. 4. Xiekel 3-cent pieces of 1S77, 1878, 1884 and 1887; Copper 2-cent pieces of 1863, 1872 and 1873; silver 5-cent pieces dated 1854 to 1857 and 1863 to 1873 are said to. bring prices from 10 cents up to $2.50 from collectors. I Be of Flog Is Insult. VERBOORT. Or.. March 2. (To the Editor.) Since so much discussion has come up concerning tne l-juropean war will you please answer why the United States, noble, broad and grand, and truly neutral, will allow a British mer chantman to fly a U. S. flag when she sees she is in danger? It appears to me as an .insult, and if we had. a Secre tary of State or a President witn as much backbone as a boneless codfish such tricks as that would soon be a thing of the past. Yours for a square deal to all. . JOHN HERB. Sloan Han No Effect. t-ti -r-T k xtt-v 1 1 v. A ( Tr th TTrli- tor.)-Klndly inform me as to the cor rect time for planting seed and ship- Pi ing plants -me new niuuii ui mo Id moon." There is some rule about . .. V. 1 . . ,.., 0-,.ftiu- uvular thn Cftvia-uica iia- e. - v .. " - round, and thse that grow over, and don't' know which is correct time. A SUBSCRIBER. The phases of the moon do not af fect plant life., Belief that they do has no scientific foundation. Corn Expert's Address. t nvmiT rr it irMih t ( Tn Vi Editor.) Can you give me the address ... a lir T g XT aa avnAWf Xf tne - w . jn- os i. wju i i.i.. i.i. V. i iutwIKiitinir i-nrn to tha Dmiuli niiu io "."L1 ' - - - - farmers? Mv corn did pot ripen well . j t ... -, i .4 i ; u rt .... it last year miu x wvmu uno - - j ... again and get some additional infor mation. A. W. TERRY. Address C. L. Smith, corn expert, i -W R. & N. Co., Wells-Fargo build ing, Portland, Or. Names of Concession Districts. PORTLAND, March 2. (To the Edl- tor) Kindly etate the name of the oleasure concession district of the Jamestown Exposition. A. B. WOOD. The Chicago district was "The Mid way Plaisance"; at St. Louis, "The Pike"; at Portland. "The Trail"; at Se-. attle. "The Pay Streak"; at fcan uran cisco. "The Zone"; at Jamestown "The War Path." Not Wanting to Ise "Bin Guns" We Should Go Cautiously, Is Opinion.' BLY. Or., March 1. (To the Editor.) Kindly permit us to make a few re marks on the rights of neutrals. Neu tral rights are indorsed by either in ternational law or the big guns. Where do we find the police power to enforce international law? To date we have none. To stand up for neutral rights we must use the big guns. For obvious reasons wo do not care to use the big guns; then it be hooves us to be very careful how we interpret "neutral rights." As to supplying combatants with food, etc.. a neutral can only say "here are the things you want and we have for sale; we cannot-help you to get them, for what would be a breach of neutrality. If you cannot get them, it is not' our fault." The writer, when a boy. read a novel by Charles Reade, if his memory Is not at fault, entitled "Put Yourself in His Place." Now put yourself in the place of one of these belligerents and inter pret "neutrality" for the benefit of the rest of us. If we insist upon using the customary "sea lanes,'-' may not the combatants say: "Here you are inter fering with my inalienable right to pro tect my life in any way I may see fit." Any nation that signs any agreement to abide by a set of rules in time of great stress does so with its lingers crossed. A word about contraband. Anything that will give aid or comfort to the enemy we believe may be considered contraband. To appeal to The Hague treaty or the London convention is all rot. What is not contraband today may be contraband tomorrow. In the case of the Wilhelmina, can any sane man convince himself that to feed the non-combatants of Germany would not. release Just that amount of food for the soldier and thereby in crease the army's powers of resistance? I believe Representative Butler, of Pennsylvania, put the case pungently when he said "the Amorican people should understand that Congress will not vote money or enlist troops for a war of revenge brought about by com mercial interests sending ships where they should not go, into the war zone. If we are drawn into this war it will be by our own awkwardness." The words "strictly accountable" in our notes to the warring nations is bluff, pure and simple. When you tell a man that you will hold him "strictly accountable" you do so with your hand on your gun. don't you? especially If he is a right husky fellow. There is no known way to hold another nation strictly accountable save by the dili gent use of 'the big guns. It seems to me that the only course open to this country is to "sack" away from trying to hold the belligerents to strict ac countability or fight. ' Let us weigh carefully what we are going to say be fore saying it. This is. I believe, good advice, especially if the other fellow is mad, anyway. CHARLES PATTEE. IDENTITY OF "BKDDY" IS SOUGHT Cavalryman Mentioned In "Half a Cen tury ' Ago" Revives Memories. BROWNSVILLE, Or., March 2. (To the Editor.) In 1.he items of "Half a Century Ago" of Feoruary 10. 1S65. 1 noticed that "Samuel J. Dennis has gone Into the service as a cavalryman in Company F (first Oregon). rte was joined by "Iteddy," the famous billposter and property man , of the theater." . Now I would like to know the real name of "Iteddy." Lieutenant John Bowen was in command ot an expedi tion consisting of cavalry and infantry nt T-"irst Orecrnn Volunteers, which left Walla Walla. Washington Terri tory. In July. lSt., on active service -in th field." I remember Sannie.l J. Dennis and a red-headed cavalryman whom everyone called "Redd-." Lieu tenant Bowen left a Dart of his com mand on South Fork of Willow Creek. whevp thev established t amp. Lollax. Then Lieutenant Brown went over into Harney, Lake Valley, and Joined t.ap tnln I- L. Williams. First Oregon In fantry, and built Camp Wright. Den nis and "Reddy went with the Harney Valley party, and about Oetoher. 18tir, "Reddy" was killed by an Indian while on guard one dark night, and "Reddy" lies buried near Wright's Point. I sh(ill be glad if some comrade who was with that raid after Indians would inform me what "'Kedcjy's" real name was, so that we might get a Govern ment stone to mark his grave. Our r,pvt ranninn will ba at MeMinnvillo in June. WILLIAM M. HILI.EAKY. First Oregon Intanlry volunteers. One List ot "Best Books." rriT?TT.ANr. March 2. (To the Ed itor.) Will you kindly reprint the list of best books of the year that you gave on the editorial page about a week or 10 days ago? A. MORTON. This list was chosen by the London Nation and is as follows: "The Encounter," by Anne Douglas Sedgwick. "Sinister Street," volume II. by Corn- ton Mackenzie. "The Demi-Gods," by James Stephens. "The Wife of Hir Isaac Ilarman." by II. G. Wells. . "The Three Sisters," by May Sinclair. "The Price of Love." by Arnold Ben nett. "The New Road." by Neil Munro. "Children of the Dead End," by rat- rick McOlll. "Vandover and the Brute." by Frank Norris. "The World Set Free." by II. G. Wells. "The Ragged-Trousered Philanthro pists," by Robert Tressall. "Time and Thomas Waring," by Mor- ley Roberts. ''Hail and Farewell' Vale!' by George Moore. "The Flying Inn," by G. K. Chester ton. 'When Ghost Meets Ghost." by Will iam de Morgan. "Change," by Joseph Conrad. Mrs. Miles Bell. PORTLAND, March 4. (To the Edi tor 1 As a f r end of many years ot Mrs. Miles Bell, one of the victims of the recent deplorable automobile ac cident in Hawaii. I am impelled to add my own testimony to what may already have been written or said as to the great loss wnicn tins community has sustained by her death. Her tragic ftn is mourned bv a wide circle of friends. She was a woman of unusually high tharacter. Her life was a rare example of duties cheerfully faced, bravely and nobly performed. In all the phases ot life she represented a high tvpe of wemanhood the faithful wife, the wise and devoted mother, tha steadfast friend. The Christian and tne iaay cnar- acterized her throughout. Her modest and gracious manner was mat oi tns true gentlewoman, comoinmg sweet ness and dignity with a most pleasing personality and winning for her the warm place which she held in the respect and affections of all who knew her. . . ,. Her minister. Rev. jonn neiiwocw, once said of her: "I think that whet the secrets of all Hearts snau De main known, that of Mrs. Bell will be eeen n it true light and beauty." She stood for all that was lovely and of good report, and by her beautiful life she leaves a rich heritage to her chil dren and to those who follow after. . . I ) T . 1.' XI D11L-L-D Hi mor of Approaching: Marriage. Houston i5. tost.. "Do you think that if I refuse him he will do something desperate?" "Nope, he'll probably live to be glad of it." "Then I Ehall marry him, the brute!" Twenty-five Year Ago From Ths Orgonln. Maroh I. J(. San Francisco. B. Campbell, of Port land general Northwestern freight agent of the Union Pacific, announced yesterday that the report that a atnam ship line between Portland and Asiatic ports would be established was correct and that three English-built ships would be put on the run to carry p.weiiger and freight. The vessels will fly the Japunese flag. New York. Dispatches here y the reception by the Pope of Buffalo 1-I1I was one of the strangest sights ever witnessed at the Vatican. Washington. The Republlcsn mem bers of tho House committee have about decided to admit rsw sugar fres and give a bounty of t rents a pound on domestic sugar. The tariff bill drsft Is about complete. Olympia. The House pssso.l the list today to take up a collection to psy the recent chaplain for his rervl-e-. The Auditor refuses to O. K. the bill for some S'2 and the Rev. Mr. Lanrlen desired not to take the case into court. How would this ticket do, queries the East Oregonian? For Congress man. It. M. Vatch. of Lane: for Gover nor. Sylvester I'cnnoyer. of Multnomah; for Treasurer, G. W. Webb, of Mnri:i; for Secretary of State, C. J. Trenclisrd, of Clatsop; for S.-hool Superintendent. J. R. N. Hell, of DoukIss; for Ststs Printer. A. K. Jones, of Union. It may suit the unterrifiel, unwashed democ racy, but it is as likely to securs elec tion as that life will be Infused Int't the Portland police force. A letter has been received from Csp tain O. S. Waud which states that the relief party sent out after the miners Chauncey Dale and C. K. Hatch hsd found Dale tn his cabin, lonesome and fatigued from his long imprisonment by being snowed tn, but that no trace has been found of Hatch. Hatch belnK an older man it is feared he succumbed to the elements and fatigue. It Is reported that Governor HIM. cf New York, soon will forsake bachelor hood. OUIt PANAMA CA.N'AL. Long years ago. a Spanish nobleman. While sailing 'long the coast, conceived a plan; Said he. "Right through this neck a ditch 1 11 dig; It shall be broad and deep, that vessels big May sail right through." A splendid scheme you bet! Three hundred years and more Iheft passed, and yet He never dug that ditch. Concessions were obtained also, one day. By Obegoso, and one De Oarney. The Spanish Cortes ordered the ditch then. To be put through. They never did, for when A civil war their plans upset, you e That ditch did surely, therefore have to be . Dug by someone else. And then the Frenchmen also took a hand. To show how they would pierce that neck of land. Garellax amo In eighteen forty-thrss. And, from his past experience, could see The way to do it wss to build It sluiced; And when ho hud this fact deduced He quit the Job. Put. when Colombia gave her permit, We thought tho International whs It; For, hon the International began To work Hnd scheme and formulate a plan. We knew it surely would be built at last, , , Although we little dreamed It would be pas-ed Up to tho II. S. A. Now, as we. have cxclurlvo right re ceived, Let one and nil. for once, be undeceived. We dug Ihct ditch and know the reason why All other nations failed or did not try. We dug that ditch, and we will run II. too; So watch your Uncle Pam pull them through Our 1 'ana ma Canal. W11.LAK1) P. IIKRSHET. Gateway, Or. "l.nrrh" Is Poor Name. nnriTi.vvn March 4. (To the, Edi- .. haii... fi-Ainif-tit mention of a proposed trail to "l.arch Mountain. I suppose the boost Is not Intended as admiration for the mountain sa for the magnificent groves of timber found there. To apply the name larrh to the timber referred to la a misnomer. The larch is a deciduous tree of roars grain and of little commercial vain in the lumber market. Trei a of the samo variety "r family In Eastern Or, gon ore called tamarack. In N England Hackmatack, but the so-called larch of the Cascades is a nutanlficeni eversccen of the pine family une.j'iale-t in form and par excellence In com mercial value in the lumber market. I have culled the tree Kilver Pin by reason of the color of th bark and fiber while the value Is gulden. To call this timber larch is like giving a good dog a bad name, and to timhei experts not rognlr.ant nf the facts would give the impression that the timber boosters of Oregon were trying to exploit a very low grade of timber. W. H. ODl'iLL .Nohrl Prises. PORTLAND. March 4. (To ths Krll tor.l Could you give particulars of the Nobel prize, Us origin and the per. sons to whom it has been presented, also their nationality and qualification? Hl'BSCRJBEK. Consult the WtlrTd Almanac avail able at any public library or purchsa able at any book store for 25. to JR cents. The list of Nobel prle awards Is too long for publication. Painter's Problem. POP.TLAND. March 2. (To the 1"1I tor.) l'lease have your readers solve this problem for me: A man was engaged In ralnting a surface with two coats of rlnt, one light and one heavy. Of the first coat he found that he could paint 13 square feet per hour and of the second coat 93 square feet per hour. How many 1 - . I I .... 1. 1 n o1A square feet can no ... hour? , J. W. WILLIS. Every Manufacturer Seeks "Dealer Influence" He knows that when he has th support of his dealer for his prod uct his battle is half won. Fometimes, however, he falls to rate his deHler at his proper caliber and to realize that tli way to his shelves is through the dealer's front door. The dealer Is agent for his public He wants the goods that sell and no other kind. Merchandise for which there Is an active demand is the sort advertised in tho dally newspaper. The retailer knows this from ex perience and he favors newspaper advertised products. Adv.