TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN. THURSDAY, JUNE 10, 1915.
10
PORTLAND, OREGON.
Entered at Portland. Oregon, Fostofflce as
second-class matter,
fcubscrlption Rates Invariably la adrance.
(By Mall.)
Pally. Bunday Included, one year ? S2
Daily. Sunday included, alx months TL.Jl
lal!y. Sunday Included, three monUU ...
rally, Sunday Included, one month ..... .
Daily, without Sunday, one year - "
Dally, without Sunday, six months
Dally, without Sunday, throe months ... x.io
Daily, without Sunday, one month ...... M
Weekly, one year -
bunday, one year
buuday and W eekly, one year
(By Carrier.)
Daily, Sunday Included, one year -""
Daily. Sunday Included, one month 13
Bow to Remit tjend Poatofflee money or
der, express order or personal check on your
local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at
sender's rlak. Oire poatofflce addresa In full.
Including county and state.
rootage Kates ia to 1 pares, 1 cent; 18
to 3 pases, a cents; 34 to pates, 8 cents,
bu to 00 pages. cents; 62 to . pages, o
cents; 78 to 92 pages, oenta. Foreign post
age, double ratea.
Eastern BaMnes Office Veres & Oonklln,
New York, Brunswick building: Chicago,
btenger building.
PORTLAND, THl'BSDAI, JtJNE 10, !!&
THE BKTAS PEACE POXJCY.
In the present critical stage of our
relations with, Germany, the effect of
Mr. Bryan's resignation on the atti
tude of that country towards the
United States Is of no less importance
than its effect on this country's policy
towards Germany. Unless the war
lords absolutely dominate every de
partment of the German. Government
and unless they are wholly reckless
how many enemies they array against
the empire, Germany's reception of
the American demands must be ma
terially influenced by the character
and opinions of the men who compose
the United States Government, and
particularly of the man in charge of
our foreign relations. Hence the res
ignation of the foremost champion of
peace at any price and of arbitration
and conciliation for any and all dis
putes must be taken by Germany as
notice that it Is not wise to presume
on the pacific disposition of the Amer
ican people.
Mr. Bryan's statement of his reasons
for resigning shows how little hope
there would have been of inducing
Germany to make reparation for past
wrongs and to do no further wrongs
to American citizens, if his policy had
been adopted-. He proposed that, be
cause thirty nations have adopted his
plan of devoting a year to inquiry into
a dispute before beginning war, and
because Germany has accepted it in
principle, it should be adopted in the
case of submarine attacks on Ameri-
i ii eiiia aim aiuciivou tiLinLi. --
many not only accepted in principle,
but signed and ratified several of the
Hague treaties and the Belgian neu
trality treaty, but they have not inter
fered with her actions. During the
year of delay, the contention of which
nation would prevail as to commerce
on the high seas, that of the United
States or that of Germany? Were wo
to suffer Germany to adhere to her
submarine policy during that year, we
should practically license Germany for
one year to destroy American lives and
property. Were Germany to limit her
submarine warfare In conformity with
international law, she would seriously
restript for one year what she consid
ers a most effective means of Injuring
her enemies. There Is no reason to
believe that she would do this unless
the alternative were the certainty of
war with this country.
The Bryan plan also would forbid
the United States doiring the year to
increase its armed forces, though Ger
many is already on a most complete
war footing. Our abstention from war
during that year might give victory
to Germany over the allies. If then
we failed to reach an agreement and
war ensued, Germany would be amply
ready, with a great veteran army and
navy on a war looting, wniie we snouia
1 I . . 1 . . .4 .V. . . k.lrfHCT
K- iiiisci a-AJlj uui vaiAj laaaviaBu a.a.b
bound ourselves not to prepare. This
application of the Bryan plan to a con
crete case' proves how utterly imprac
tical it is.
" Mr. Bryan attempts to overcome this
difficulty by denying the right of an
American citizen to Involve his coun
try in trouble by traveling on belliger
ent ships. He proposes that the Presi
dent, if he legally can. prevent Amer
icans from traveling on belligerent
ships or on ships carrying ammuni
tion, and that, if the President lacks
this power, warning be given against
traveling on such ships. He In fact
proposes that Americans abstain from
the exercise of undoubted rights in
order to save their Government the
trouble of protecting them in the exer
cise of those rights and of compelling
other nations to respect American
rights. What are rights worth if they
must be used only when other nations
do not choose to violate them? What
would be the standing of the United
States among nations if it were in ef
fect to proclaim that its citizens could
tmly .exercise the fundamental rights
to life and property on sufferance of
other nations? What security would
any of our citizens have in any foreign
country under such circumstances?
Jut muk.ii; lui uaia una nauuit
contends is that neutral nations have
the right to continue commerce and
travel undisturbed in time of war, ex
cept for unavoidable and accidental
consequences of war. Neutral ships
are liable to search and to capture for
carrying contraband, but in all case
the lives of neutrals and of non-combatant
citizens of belligerent states are
secure, even when they are on mer
chant ships of belligerent nationality.
It is essential that the United States
stand firmly for this principle, first, in
defense of Amerlcsya rights, and, sec
ond, for the purpose of maintaining
our neutrality. Were the Govern
ment to forbid Americans to travel -on
belligerent ships, it would injure and
-discriminate against the commerce of
the belligerents affected. Our citizens
no doubt run a certain risk, even when
international law is strictly observed.
but they have a right to take that
Tisk. The Government must assume
Ihe risk arising from violations of in
ternational law, if this Nation is to be
worthy of the name of Nation, and
must exact satisfaction from offend
1ng powers.
- The suggestion that Americans be
warned against traveling on belliger
ent ships or on ships carrying ammu
nltlon is supported by Mr. Bryan with
a reference to a Mayor's warning that
citizens keep off the streets during a
riot. If he had carried the parallel
farther, he would have found that it
works against his own contention. If,
in spite of the warning, a citizen goes
on the street and is shot, the Mayor
does all in his power to arrest and
punish . his assailant, lie does not
consider that the warning relieves him
from responsibility for enforcing the
law. Neither would Mr. Bryan s pro
posed warning relieve the President
of the duty of bringing to justice the
offending nation, by diplomacy if pos
sible, by war If necessary. This prin.
clple is carried so far in some states
that the county is held financially 11a
blo for damage done by riota. The
county of Allegheny, Pennsylvania,
Issued a large amount of bonds to pay
Judgments for damage done in the
riots of 1877. A nation, like a county,
assumes certain duties' which It can
not escape by forbidding its citizens
to exercise fundamental rights or by
warning of danger in exercising them.
Events will in all probability prove
that the best service Mr. Bryan has
done to the cause of peace Is to retire
from the Cabinet. His presence there
was taken as notice that the Admin
istration was for peace at any price.
That was a direct invitation to some
nation to bring about a situation
where this Nation would have had the
choice between a dishonorable peace
and war. We greatly mistake the tem
per of the American people if, when
offered such an alternative, they
would not choose war. Mr. Bryan's
retirement Is notice to the world that
the Administration desires peace with
honor, but is prepared to accept the
alternative war. Knowing this, Ger
many is likely to think more than once
before forcing war upon us.
NOT SYSTEMS, BtT MEN.
There is a proposition before the New
VArir at a I , constitutional convention to re
duce the number of State Senators from m
to 24, six or them to do seiectea at large
Here In Oregon there will probably be a
proposition put up to the people at the next
election to entirely wine out the upper bouse
of tbs Legislature and it will carry with
little opposition. Salem Capital Journal.
If it is desirable to reduce the mem
bership in the Legislature, and to
have a single chamber as well, the
suggestion is ventured that the easy
and practicable way is to abolish the
House. It has sixty members, while
the Senate continues to get along with
a meager thirty.
But let us assume that the Senate In
Oregon will be dropped out and that we
have a unicameral Legislature of fifty
or sixty members. It is not to be sup
posed that the well-known and repre
sentative men who have heretofore
stood as candidates for the Senate will
retire from public life. They will un
doubtedly become candidates .for the
Legislature, and they will be ejected.
What then ?
So long as our methods of popular
election are what they- are, nothing
will be accomplished in raising the
personnel of Legislatures by abolish
ing one house, or the other. It would
seem that Oregon, has had enough of
the abolishers, who want to d-estroy or
overthrow systems when they do not
work well, and substitute other sys
tems which will not work at alL The
problem for Oregon, and for the a
tion, is not new ideas in Government
so much as old ideas of economy, effi
ciency, diligence and duty put into ef
fect by good men.
" ' UiT THEU BACK US TP.
The Oregonian. is' only mildly .inter
ested in the reproduction from Its col
umns, by the Washington Manufac
turers of Portland Cement, of an edi
torial article, printed last February,
discussing roads in Benton .County
and incidentally saying that "such a
road (viz., concrete road costing
$10,000 a mile), properly graded and
drained, would have lasted, with mod
erate annual repairs for a hundred
years."
But The Oregonian is a great deal
interested in the important matter ot
proper roads for Multnomah County,
and it purposes to support the County
Commissioners in getting the best
possible roads at fair prices. On that
account it has insisted that there be
no experiments and that the contrac
tors be held to a strict accountability
both when the road is built and after
it is built
The Oregonian, it appears, has ven
tured the opinion that a concrete road,
properly built, graded and drained,
and with moderate annual repairs
might last a hundred years. That is
a long time. It will be well to see if
the cement road contractors have even
a modicum of The Oregonian's confi
dence in their handiwork. Let; them,
for example, offer a substantial and
enforcible guaranty that a concrete
road will last even a tenth of a hun
dred years, and their proposal will be
entitled to the fullest and fairest con
sideration by the County Commission
ers and the public
It is to be hoped thai. The Orego
nian was not mistaken four months
ago when it thought concrete roads
with moderate annual repairs might
last a very long time, and that the
Washington Manufacturers of Port
land Cement will not hesitate to back
up the concrete roadbullders in an
ample bond that they will remain
sound and safe for at least a decade.
STATISTICS AND FACTS.
Most people meekly bow the head
and slink Into silence when statistics
are quoted against them. "Figures
cannot lie" has been dinned into our
ears until most of us believe it, al
though nothing is more deceptive
than a column of statistics deftly han
dled. In spite of our reverence for
figures,. we know from current reading
that the same ones can be made by a
little manipulation to prove direct op-
posites. It all depends upon the man
behind the fleures.
Perhaps the best instance of the
double life led by statistics is afforded
by the "truths" they reveal concern
ing women's colleges. Today some
great statistician sadly shakes his
head as he warns us that college
women are committing race suicide at
a fearful rate. They do not get mar
ried, and, if they do, then they pro
duce no children. Moral, teach your
daughters to shun the women's col
leges. Tomorrow some equally eml
nent master of statistics soothes our
troubled souls by proclaiming that the
women who go to college never would
have married in any case. Their edu
cation has simply prepared them to
earn an honest living. It has not modi
fied their phlloprogenitiveness In any
way.
The common preference for small
families which is observed among
married couples in these days depends
more on economic causes than on col
lege education. Toung men put oft
marriage because they dread the pinch
and worry of straitened means. A sal
ary which suffices handsomely for a
bachelor sometimes falls woefully
short for a man and wife. The fiction
that two persons can live on less than
one has led many a blushing bride to
the divorce court. Nor is it at all un
natural that a single woman who can
support herself comfortably should
hesitate to give up her salary and be
come an unpaid cook and washer
woman for the man she loves. Con
siderations like these affect marriage
statistics far more than Latin and
Greek do.
There is one more factor entering
into the matter that most of our sapi
ent statisticians overlook.- It is the
growing reluctance of married couples
to bring large families into a world
where children are likely to entail
hardship upon both their parents and
themselves.
In many caeca a family budget that
will care comfortably for one child or
two becomes pitiably inadequate if
more are to share it. Two children
can be reared in happy surroundings,
nurtured well and thoroughly educat
ed, while three or more must inevita
bly feel the degrading pinch of pov
erty. Under modern conditions large
families often imply for the parents
the loss of social position,' the sacri
fice of home comforts, going without
books, music and recreation. A great
many considerations of this sort must
be taken into account if we would
understand the current tendency
toward a low birth rate. "It is some
times argued that parents should be
eager to make a complete sacrifice of
their own welfare for that of their
children, but unhappily it Is impossi
ble for the father and mother to drop
down in the social scale without drag
ging their offspring with them. And
the more numerous the offspring the
deeper the falL
BACH AND KRt'PP.
For the last ten years the town of
Bethlehem, in Pennsylvania, has held
an annual musical festival in honor of
John Sebastian Bach, the father of
modern music. He began the long and
glorious line that gave Beethoven,
Weber,- Schumann, Schubert, Wagner
and a host more composers of the first
rank to the world. Such were the men
that made Germany great. They were
worth more than all her Kaisers and
warriors.
Bethlehem has just closed the tenth
Bach festival. As usual. It is one of
the great musical events of the year,
and as time passes and artistic tradi
tions cluster around the town, its im
portance must - go on increasing.
Bach's music is commonly supposed
to be too scientific for popular liking.
but that is nonsense. It is full of
power and passion when adequately
performed. In men like Bach the as
piration "Deutschland ueber Alles" is
fulfilled. No such musician as he ever
lived before or since. Goethe stands
in the first rank of poet3, Kant with
the sublimest philosophers. They con
quered the world with their genius as
the Kaiser never can with Krupp guns
and submarines.
A TIME FOR OPTIMISM.
"I believe," says the optimistic
chairman of the Democratic State Cen
tral Committee, "that Bryan will con
tinue to give his support to the Ad
ministration."
"I believe," says Dr. C. J. Smith, re
cent Democratic candidate for Gov
ernor, "that Bryan will continue his
support of the Administration." An
other optimist.
"I believe," says Postmaster My
ers, "that" Mr. Bryan will continue to
support the Administration, and I do
not believe he will ever be a candidate
for President again." It remained for
our cheerful Postmaster to achieve the
sublimest heights of optimism.
But Secretary Bryan, while some
what of an optimist himself, evidently
visions the future In another light. He
differed from the President on arbi
tration with Germany and on warning
to Americans to stay at home.
"The President," says Mr. Bryan,
with great consideration for the feel
ings of his friend who a few years ago
expressed a mild desire to knock him
into a "cocked, hat, the President
may be right in. the position he has
taken, but as a private citizen I am
free to urge both of these propositions
and to call public attention to these
remedies in the hope of securini
such an expression of public sen
Ument as will support the Presi
dent in employing these remedies, if
in the future he finds It consistent with
his sense of duty to favor them."
Thus we see that ex-Secretary Bryan
will support the Administration if the
Administration supports the Bryan
proposals. But the President will not
and Mr. Bryan will say what he has to
say.
I'NKNIOHTED POETS.
Rabindranath Tagore could he
knighted because he was a citizen of
the British Empire,- The honor was
conferred upon him in due course, as
It was on Tennyson, Walter Scott and
other men of letters, and he deserves
it as well a most of them. United
States poets cannot be knighted be
cause the Constitution forbids the Gov
ernment to confer orders of nobility
on anybody, ho matter how eminent
Great Britain makes knights and bar
ons of her big brewers more fre
quently than of other geniuses, but we
follow a different policy. We abolish
ours. Perhaps the honor we give our
poets is as good as knighthood. It is
difficult to see how a title of nobility
would make Longfellow any more
widely read or better loved than' he is.
Poe would not have been deemed
worthy of a title by any ordinary gov
ernment, and neither would Whitman,
Such an act would require more dis
cernment than most politicians possess.
Even the American people, shrewd as
we think ourselves, have needed some
decades to perceive how great these
two poets really were. Two or three
more who are writing today give prom
ise of becoming equally great in time
One of them is Edgar Lee Masters,
the author of "Spoon River Anthol
ogy."
This extraordinary book of poems
takes up the history of Spoon River's
distinguished citizens and relates it for
each in half a dozen lines. To per
ceive at once the real flavor of the
work, read first. "Elsa Whitman."
She was the German girl who worked
in Thomas Greene's kitchen. Then
read "Hamilton Greene." He was
Eisa's son. The two poems show how
much there is in aristocratic lineage
and high breeding. The Chicago
magazine fPoetry" says of Mr. Mas
ters that "he reveals the soul of a
community." He has done more than
that. He reveals the soul of man.
A WARNING TO FRATERNAL8.
The decision of the United States
Supreme Court upholding the new in
surance rates of the Royal Arcanum
establishes, a sound principle for the
guidance of all fraternal societies
and sounds a warning against new so
cieties which seek to attract members
by means of low rates.
Finding that as its original mem
bers grew older, its death ratio in
creased out of proportion to its pre
mlum receipts and its accession of new
members, the Royal Arcanum revised
Its rates in such a manner that the
older members were required to pay
increased rates. Some of the latter
took the matter into court, contending
that they had Joined the order on the
understanding that the original rates
could not be changed and that the
new rates Imposed an unjust burden
upon them when age had reduced their
power to pay. The officers of the or
der maintained that a revision of rates
was necessary to save the order from
bankruptcy. They might have placed
on the younger members the burden
produced by the too low rates of ear
lier years, but that would have pre
vented the growth of the order."
The protesting members were bound
to lose if they had won their suit- The
order would have gone . into bank
ruptcy and. they would have received
only a part of the money they had
paid. They are no worse off, and are
probably better oft, by paying the
higher rates, for they make good what
would otherwise have been a loss.
They have learned what many have
learned before them, that life insur
ance at a given age costs so much per
thousand dollars, varying according to
age of the insured and overhead ex
pense. The actual cost Increases each
year of a person's life until it reaches
its maximum In the year of his death.
A person's earning power being high
est in his youth and lowest in his age.
the collection of each year's actual
cost In that year would render life in
surance Impracticable. The total
amount to be paid is therefore dis
tributed over the life of a policy. This
amount is thus not made prohibitive
in either youth or old age. Many fra
ternal societies are adjusting their
rates to this principle; those which do
not will fail unless they change in
time.
TRAIN MEN FOR FOREIGN TRADE. '
The minds of the American people
having been definitely turned to
Latin America as a field for the ex
pansion of trade, we should set
systematically to work to equip our
selves for the business. It is not suf
ficient to send out salesmen in search
of orders. They do not know the
field, and, worst of all, they do not
know the language of the countries
they visit It is not enough to write
letters and send circulars in English,
for we must follow the example of
the London shopkeeper who nuts a
sign on his window, "French spoken
nere, to attract French custom, and
that of the Paris shopkeeper, who
says, "English spoken here." We
must do business in the language of
our customers. It is not even enough
to open banks and establish steam
ship lines.
That the schools may turn out
graduates thus equipped, it is de
sirable that the Chamber of Com
merce co-operate with the Board of
Education and with the facultv of
the University of Oregon and the
Agricultural College in arranging
a curriculum to include these sub
jects. Oregon has ' no less an op
portunity man the Eastern states in
this direction. The Oregon manu
facturer's home market is restricted
by the sparseness of population fn his
domestic field, which extends no
farther - east than the Rocky Moun
tains. He must look abroad, across
the sea, in order to expand, and he
must have well qualified men for the
purpose.
"We're lust an Vi ; n T-i a a a Kin. 0v
flower that nods and bends in the
breezes," sang two little Rose Festival
girls as thev danz-ed dnwr. v,a
They were dressed like a sunflower
iu-Kea nice one, though far pret
tier. Watchinsr their hi-lc-hr Ian nno
could well believe that "their hearts
were as light as the wind that blows
hid ieniea rrom orr toe treoses."
Mr. Adams has been nn srMtiint
City Treasurer. He had nmhiHnns.
inherent right of every citizen. That
he failed will make him nnnn th lsu
a good official.. The Council can do a
graceful act in keeping him in , the
treasury, and Mr. BIjrelow will innrpB
tne esteem in which he is held by
many people by moving to. .make it
unanimous.
A "decent respect for the opinion
of mankind" would cause the Georgia
Prison Board to grant Leo Frank com
mutation of sentence. But it refuses
to tto so. Mob power goes farther in
that state than we were willine to be
lieve. Having committed a colossal
blunder, the authorities are resolved
at all hazards to perpetuate It.
If German and Austrian
not to be permitted to wni-L- ir, r-ono
dian mines, -they may on the same
ground be excluded from other occu
pations, xnen me community must
feed them and must cav for inrinicwno.
its prejudices.
These Are bad dav-s for fra
real estate men. For snmA ti mo rpv-
eral of them will handle real estate
with a pick and shovel, and will de
velop their arm and shoulder muscles
wniie xneir jaw muscles rest
King Ludwig of Bavaria has joined
the number of belligerents on both
sides who are cooking the hare before
it is caught. If he tries to eat it, his
teeth will bite on nothing but air.
OreXOn is now the aolrnnwlorlo-oH
chief among horticultural states. We
u.1 v a-i a miew it exceiiea, Dut tne rest
of the world has only Just discov
ered it.
The Oreeron Funeral nirstiini a re.
here in annual session, but you cannot
aistinguisn mem, from other Jovial
visitors.
If the British Cabinet Ministers
choose to divide the salary pie equally,
why should they not? It's their pie.
Wear a rose. If you haven't one,
reach over and pick it off the bush.
Portland growers are good-natured.
Have the dog in leash when you
bring him to town. The visitor who
gets tangled will be good-natured.
A woman upstate is suing for $35,
450 for loss of a leg. At that, rate
but why waste time figuring?
Policemen must be gentle with
purse-snatchers and pickpockets. Just
send them to the hospital.
Be generous with applause today.
Decorating is hard work, and appre
ciation is pleasing.
Mr. Drake is doing nicely with the
weather. He realizes we are not
ducks this week.
Every boy and every girl in the
parade had the Portland spirit That's
the reason.
Be sure basement windows and
doors are fastened when you go down
town. -
Do not have empty space in the
vehicles. Give a friend a Joyous ride.
The man with wheels in his head
should decorate them today.
Let the clouds roll by. Do not wait
, for them. . ..
Stars and Starmakers
BY LEONE CASS BAKR.
JV ARJOR1E MOREL AND, the current
1 1 wife of Nat Goodwin, is ill in
Johns Hopkins Hospital at Baltimore.
She has been 111 in New York for sev
eral weeks. Her illness began with a
supposed attack of diphtheria, for
which antitoxin was administered. The
antitoxin resulted apparently In poison
ing her system. Members of the fam
ily stated that Mr. Goodwin- was not
expected In Baltimore unless his wife's
condition should take a turn for the
worse. Miss Moreland's mother, Mrs.
George W. Parrott, lives in the sub
urbs of Baltimore.
Every once in a while some one who
knew and admired Marlbel Seymour
when she was ingenue with the Baker
Stock Company, writes to ask for news
of her. Well, here's news and good
news, and it's authentic, for It's from
no less a personage than the lady's
husband, John Hogarty. He la man-.
ager of the Chauncey Olcott Company
and he says his principal occupation
while he Is on the Pacific Coast, where
his wife used to play, is to call up
people she has sent messages to, or
answer phone calls from folk who are
sending her messages. For Mrs.
Hogarty has made only one trip out
here since her wedding three years ago.
She is a playwright! In her home at
Massapequa, Long Island, she writes
short stories, scenarios and vaudeville
sketches and has Just completed a
really pretentious full-grown play, i
which Husband Hogarty says Is mighty!
clever. Now it remains for only some
producer to see It that way, too, and
you'll see Marlbel Seymour Hogarty's
name as "author of the play" on the
programme. .
see
Speaking of Chauncey Olcott that
singer-comedian says that "John Mc
Cormack is the finest ballad singer who
ever stepped in two shoes." They are
close friends these two Emeratd Isle
songsters. Mr. McCormack is negoti
ating for the purchase of a historic
castle and estate near the Vale of
Avoca, In County Wicklow. Ireland. Mr.
McCormack owns a fine home In Hamp
stead Heath. London, but it is closed
up until the war-Bhall end.
Just now the McCormacks are domi
ciled at Tokeneke Park," on the Sound,
a short distance from Stamford. Conn,
where he proposes to stay until the lat
ter part of October. In November he
will Join the Chicago Opera Company
for a limited number of engagements,
after which he will make another ex
tensive concert tour.
e
Hubert Henry Davies, author of
"Outcast" In which Elsie Ferguson is
starring, returned post haste to his
native England last November, the
week after his play was first produced
in New York. He was desirous of join
ing the allies. Word has Just been re
ceived that he failed to pass, as a sol
dier and is' now serving as an orderly
in a hospital in France. Miss Fergu
son is on her way to Portland.
Here are some facts and "near" facts
about Elsie Ferguson:
She is one of the few actresses of
prominence who was born in New York
City.
She was educated at a convent In
France.
She began her stage career as a
chorus girl.
Before she was 21 she played a lead
ing role In a leading theater In Lon
don. Her favorite recreation is dancing;
yes. Including the modern ones.
Her beauty is of the Scottish-American
type.
She has played in every state in the
Union except South Dakota.
Her chief ambitions are: First to
sing in grand opera, and second, to go
around the world.
Her real name Is Elsie Louise Fergu
son, and her duly registered cable ad
dress Is "ELF."
Elsie Janls has taken her trusty
typewriter in hand and has written
what she calls a poem on the sinking
of the Lusltania. Beau Broadway in
the Morning Telegraph, tells of it in
this wise: ( "Elsie as an Imljtator of
character acting has no superior and
few, so to speak, runners up; but, hav
ing read her literary offering, In which,
by the bye, I am sad to say she scolds
the deity as if he were a stage hand,
I am convinced that she Is not, as it
were, hep to the poise of that afflatus
thing essential to poesy. When Elsie
essays the mimicry of-1 well, now, "Vir
ginia Harned, she reminds me very
much of Virginia Harned; but when she
tries to act like, for Instance, Eliza
beth Barrett Browning, she reminds me
very much of a member of a Browning
Society of Philadelphia, which is some
thing different again."
The first verse of Miss Janls' inquiry
follows:
Where are you, God, in whom I hare be
lieved? Are you in Heaven, or hare I been deceived?
I can't believe you sit up there and look
down on us all.
Seeing the horrors on this earth, seeing
brave men fall.
In praying to you, art you up there, can
you hear me call?
Where are you, Ood?
One cannot for a moment doubt that
the Inspiration of this is a very keen
and poignant sorrow over the loss of
friends, and It may be further said in
its favor that It maintains the stand
ard of war poetry to date that is to
say. it makes no ripple on the dead level
of mediocrity that a world cataclysm
has failed to quicken. To that extent
Miss Janls may consider herBelf a con
temporary of Kipling, Watson and the
rest That's all.
The Portland Rose.
To every clime and nation
East to west it goes.
The one flower in creation
The rose that Portland grows.
We know It from our childhood;
It follows to old age;
Its eminence has always stood
The top of every page.
At wedding, birth or christening
In church and hall or home.
Its petals sweet and glistening
Have remembrance where we roam,
at paints the city sidewalk
In white and red and pinic
And lifts its head as though to talk
And find out what we think.
It clambers round the house side.
It stills our small alarms,
Such beauty none can ever hide
Or cover up Its charms.
And so in all the galaxy
Of every flower which grows
The first and best must always be
Our dear old Portland rose.
O. L. G. THOMAS.
Taft'a StocK Goes I'p.
Kansas City Journal.
Mr. Taft was a grood president In
most respects, but he has acquitted
himself so handsomely since retiring
that his popularity has gone up 50
per cent
HR. MAI.XHI l -ArOLOGl'" HOLDS
"Birth Control" Agitation Prompts
Question From Another Angle.
PORTLAND. June 8. (To the Ed
itor.) Mr. UthoH's reply to Mr. Wag
non provokes a few questions in the
mind of the writer. In his advocacy
of "birth control" why does he not
franftly admit that it is not' birth con
trol per se, that is desired, but birth
control with unlimited sex gratifica
tion? This is not a criticism merely a
question. Nature provides a perfect
birth control which does not need to
be stated.
But there Is still another natural
law which would regulate births to the
decided advantage of society that is
ignored entirely in our code of stat
utes. It is that there should be no
unwilling mothers; that all women who
love and desire children should have
them. Our marriage laws exclude
many true mothers from being faith
ful to the strongest impulse within
them, while at the same time It forces
children on shrinking, loathing, hating
women, because we have made mar
riage synonymous with motherhood.
Again, this is not a criticism merely
a. statement of fact
The honorable Mr. Malthus, In an idle
hour, provided a standing apology for
those who habitually ate more than
was good for them by depriving
others of what they needed. They
paid the penalty, usually by dying of
gout or apoplexy or some other mala
dies that don't look as nice as these
in print Mr. Malthus' apology is still
on the Job. It needs but one thing
to make it a perfectly good apology,
that is, proof that at any time, past
or present the capacity of the earth
to feed its population has been ex
ceeded, or even approached. Mr.
Uthoft loftily declines to supply this
proof, contenting himself with the as
sumption that it has. Even here in
the productive State of Oregon people
all the time go hungry. At the Same
time food by the ton rots, goes to
waste, because we have not yet learned
how to distribute food for use and not
for the profit of a few individuals.
It is the conviction of the writer thai
the producing capacity of the earth has
not been reached by many degrees,
and since Mr. Uthoft offers no proof
to the contrary- e. B.
TORRENS LAW HOW IT APPLIES
Act Not Mandatory In Oregon, but It la
Used In Portland.
PORTLAND, June 6. (To the Ed-,tor-
Did The Oregonian at any time
publish what is called the Torrens act
or Torrens law regarding transferring
title of property. The Torrens act or
Torrens law, I think, is what is called
a registered title to property trans
ferred, but T H f .. . .1
" a.va, juoc UllUClSiailU
what the Torrens act or law is. Will
you please publish In your paper what
the law is? I find that some of the
business men here Im Portland do not
Know or ana some have never heard of
the Torrens act which Is the law In
many states, including Oregon, in trans
ferring title to property.
, A SUBSCRIBER.
735 Yale street.
The Torrens law. wherever it has
Deen adopted. Drovldoa ry .
..inon oi aeeas of title at the county
recording office. Under thl law
a man buys property, he takes his deed
l" "lu recording office, where it is filed
and kept. The deed is flv.n .
ber and a certificate is issued to cover
ic nerearter. the officers will not
recora any paper affecting that prop
erty - unless the certificate accom
panies it.
The Torrens law, which is named
a.iier tne man who fathered It, is op
tional rather tha
state. -It is in force in many states
ana is the law in. Australia. New Zea
land and British Columbia. It is ii
force in certain Oreicon Iniiiip.
ever, in Alameda Park Addition to
Portland, for instance. Whrn h
crs of a particular district wish to
have their properties governed by the
xurrens aaw tney must make applica
tion to the County Court and have the
title examined first
FACTIOXISTS 1VOT -.'VATIOaVAI.ISTS."
Critics) of Knicliali Adminiatratloa Not
ifriarll- Redmosd's Followers.
PORTLAND. June 8. (To the Edi
tor.) The news dispatches carried a
story June 3, that two or three "Na
tionalists" heckled the government on
the , floor of the House of Commons
in the matter ot the composition of
the new war cabinet and made some
reflections on the sincerity of Premier
Asquith's attitude on home rule.
These critics may call themselves
"Nationalists," but they are not af
filiated with the Irish party led by
John Redmond. One of them, Lau
rence Ginnell, is the clown of the
house, if not at times a positive
nuisance. He is recognized as a crank
and a party of one composed of
Ginnell. Another, William O'Brien, is
the leader of a verv small faction
dubbed the "O'Brienites," who have for
several years past opposed the prin
ciples of the Irish party led by Red
mond, Dillon, Devlin and O'Connor.
These factionists should not be con
fused with the "Nationalists," a name
invariably used in reference to the
Irish party of which Redmond is the
leader and spokesman.
BARRY F. MURPHY.
Portland Rosen.
Portland roses from the earth
Lifting up a smiling face
To the sun that gave them birth.
In their chosen dwelling place.
"Portland roses everywhere,"
Lily white, and rainbow hue.
Giving fragrance to the air.
Gathering crystals from the dew.
Portland roses, full of cheer.
Breathing from the sunshine ray.
Bringing light of heaven here.
Gently pointing to the way.
Portland roses, flower queen.
Sweetest bloom of Summertime,
All the year they may be seen.
Blooming in the balmy clime.
Portland roses, let me dwell -'Mid
the beauty where they grow,
By the river's mystic swell.
And the mountain peaks of snow.
Portland roses, dear to me.
Let me hold them in my hand.
Let me press my lips to thee.
Dearest flower of the land.
FELIX O'NEILL.
THB SOXO OF" THE HEART
Could you but hear the song of my
heart.
And feel its vibrant melody.
Yon, too would Join and sing your
part.
Thus making perfect harmony.
Canst hear my soul's viol-like tones
Crying out some tragedy?
Your harp alone can still those moans.
And change it to a rhapsodie!
Come, strike the chords to love's pre
lude. Those chords so full of euphony;
And then the song we'll both conclude.
Our hearts In happy symphony.
ANNA GOLDEN.
Walt Whitman's Reference. ,
GRANTS PASS. Or., June 6. (To the
Editor.) Will you kindly tell me
through your columns, to whose death
Walt Whitman had reference in his
poem, "O Captain, My Captain."
M. C. D.
He bad reference to Lincoln.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
(From The Oregonian June 10. 1S90.)
St Louis. Eight were killed and 25
injured in a smashup on the Wabash
Railroad. 61 miles west of herP, last
night. Two engines and 18 freight
cars were piled up in a frightful heap.
The scenes were awful.
Senator Mitchell has secured the es
tablishment of a postofflce In Mult
nomah County, Oregon, in the canyon
near Portland. It is called Sylvan,
and Charmotta Chrince was appointed
postmaster. x
Spokane Falls, Wash. Colonel H. E.
Allen has perfected arrangements for
a 1 1-5 fare for the Sons of Veterans'
encampment at North Yakima. June
12 to 14.
London. Prince Bismarck again is
quoted by the newspapers. This time
ne says he thinks the masses are be
ing educated too much in the wronsr
directions. He believes there are ten
times as many Deoole educated for
the higher walks of life as there are
places to fill.
Paris. Toung Hugo, the grandson of
the great novelist, it Is said, is actinir
disgracefully," getting into episodes
with several riotous young scamps.
A little son of Mr. Howard, who
lives near Elgin, Union County, strayed
from home the other night and was
not found until morning. He had
strayed up the mountainside.
The Tillamook Headlleht says the
barbers in Tillamook have raised the
price of shaving Republicans on ac
count of the extreme length of their
faces. The Democratic face is so
broad with smiles that they come un
der the same category, but mugwumps
can get a shave for nothing.
The grand chapter of Royal Arch
Masons met in Masonic Temple yes
terday, Grand High Priest Donald
Mackay presiding. Seth L. Pope, of
Portland, was elected grand high priest
at the annual business session.
J. W. Blakey, manager of the Arling
ton Club, while out riding with a lady
friend about 8 o'clock last night, had
a fortunate escape from possible In
jury or death. The horse became
frightened at an electric motor and
upset the buggy, precipitating Mr.
Blakey and his companion to the
street. Neither was badly hurt
Hilf a Century Ago
From The Oregonian June 10, 1865.
New York General Howard, Commis
sioner of the Freedmen's Bureau, has
issued orders announcing that disloyal
proprietors of abandoned plantations in
the South, now being cultivated by
freedmen, will not be allowed to dis
possess the latter, which they are in
some states making efforts to do at
least not until the growing crops are
secured for the benefit of the present
cultivators. .
Washington It is ordered that in all
cases of sentence by military tribunals,
of imprisonment during the war. the
sentences are to be remitted and the
prisoners discharged.
The Copperhead papers are quoting
approvingly the sentiments of Gerrlt
Smith, Greeley and others who oppose
the capital punishment of Jeff. Davis
and his fellow workers in treason. The
Copperheads do not want these rebels
punished for the reason they have a
friendly sympathy for them, while
Greeley and others of like opinion are
opposed to capital punishment and
would treat them with leniency on that
account The motives of the two classes
of men are altogether at variance.
B. W. Jenkins, of Canyon City, and
Miss E. G. Crow, of Eugene City, were
married at Vancouver, June C, by Jus
tice J. F. Smith.
Twenty-three states have ratified the
constitutional amendment abolishing
slavery. After Oregon and California
ratify, only one more state will be re
quired to give the number necessary to
make the amendment a part of our
fundamental law.
The People's Transportation Company
has declared the first dividend, 10 per
cent. It is now payable at the office
of the company. The company has been
in operation three years.
Ml'RDERING THE KING'S F.XGLISH
Observer Lflmeiit! CareleM-incMS in Oar
K vcrj day Talk.
PORTLAND, June 8. (To the Ed
itor.) Why murder the King's Eng
lish? This Is the question we ask of
those who claim to have received their
education in the grammar school and
even the high school. Our language
is not as musical ns that of our near
neighbor, Mexico, but do we make it
any more acceptable by despoiling It
with the use of slang and grammatical
errors? The president of a college in
Cleveland, Ohio, said to his students.
"You must not use no much slang. You
must cut it out." And again a teacher
in speaking of the use of prepositions
said, "A preposition is not a proper
word to end a sentence with." We
would say to such instructors, "Physi
cian, heal thyself."
Some of the expressions which create
a tension on a person's nerves are "have
saw," "1 seen," "James he." "Mary she,"
"Has 'the mail came?" "I've got it."
"Are you goin'?" "He was runnin'," "I
node it," "1 was so tickled I thought
I'd die," "I hain't got it," "I hain't had
no good time nohow," "Seeln' you're
goin'," "Yessum," "Nome."
I think the old admonition might ap
ply: "Think twice before 'you speak."
It is not that many people do not know
better, but they have drifted into such
a way of speaking that we might infer
they had neyer seen the inside of a
schoolroom and picked up what they
knew of the English language from
the mountaineers of the Cumberlands.
We can watch our words and be our
own instructors if we will. Cease to
murder the King's English.
OBSERVER.
Of course, it Is almost needless to
say in defense of the professors,
whose words are above quoted, that the
violations of the rules they fostered
were for effect as an example, and not
Instances of carelessness. The quo
tations are now matters of record.
Taking lVo Chances.
Buffalo (N. Y.) Express.
"Has your son any technical train
ing, Mrs. Nurich?" "I should say not!
No frills for us. We sent him to an
engineering srhool."
Summer Music
Have you planned' your music for
this Summer?
Have you chosen the Instrument
that is to help pass so many pleas
ant evenings?
Genius has unlocked the store of
melody with many keys.
Entertainment courtesies in a
score of different garbs.
Perhaps you want help in choos
ing. Want to know the right store
to turn to?
The advertising in The Oregonian
may help youl