THE MORNING OREGONIAN. SATURDAY, JUNE 10, 1915.
" rOBTLAX'D, U&EtiON.
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;;pobtia:nd, satikdat, jink 19, iti
THE TWO BLOCKADES.
The Oregonian is asked b- a corre-
ypondent questions as to the cause and
.. effectiveness of the German under
sea blockade against the allies and of
the British blockade against German
.commerce. The German submarines
began by sinking about one ship a
'day during the first month of their
operations. They have gradually in
creased their effectiveness to from two
-to three a day, including both allied
.'and neutral vessels. This applies to
merchant vessels only. The Germans
- have sunk far more fishing trawlers,
; sometimes as many as seven and eight
-, in a day, but these are small craft, of
' '"w hich hundreds go out of single ports
'w'ron the Scotch and English coasts.
.i Against these numbers are to be
."'set the number of ships going into
and out of British ports. These ag-
" grcgate about 2.00 a day. The latest
definite figures we have exceed
20,000 vessels arriving at and depart
ing from British ports between April
"11 and May 31, a little over seven
- weeks. The conclusion is that, o far,
submarine attacks have had no ap
preciable effect in destroying British
- commerce or in preventing the move-
ment of troops and supplies to the
continent. They have certainly in
:.flictcd serious loss and have caused
insurance and wages and consequent
; Jy freight to rise materially, but they
" have accomplished little toward crip
. plinsr Britain as a belligerent.
The establishment of the marine
war zone by Germany with subma
rines as the sole means of enforcing
it is certainly contrary to international
law, as President Wilson has asserted
in his notes to Germany. Belligerent
warships have a right under interna-
tional law to capture an enemy's mer
chant ships and to search neutral
ships, seize contraband, and. if more
than half the cargo is contraband, to
confiscate ship and cargo. If they
cannot, consistently with their own
i'afety, take the captured ship to a
Jjport of their own country, they may
-sink her, but they must first insure
the safety of all persons on board.
; German submarines cannot safely
i take captured ships to German ports,
J J or they would almost surely be cap
tured and sunk. They cannot take
i -the crews aboard before sinking the
J;ships. for they have not sufficient ac-
I c-pmmodation. The best they can do
V4s to follow their recent practice of
compelling the crew to take to the
, boats. . This practice was condemned
j.BS illegal by President Wilson in his
' note of May 13, for he said:
i '. They the submarines' cannot sink her a
i merchantman without leaving her crew and
II ail on board of trer to the mercy of the sea
3n her email boats.
He states the conclusion, which is
j Irresistible to any unprejudiced, hu-
mane mind, as follows:
' Manifestly the submarine cannot be used
against merchantmen, as the last few weeks
riave shown, without an inevitable violation
-of many sacred principles ot justice and
. h umanity.
. The British marine operations
;e?ainst German commerce were
started as reprisals for known or al
Jleged violations of the rules of war
by Germany, such as the destruction
ii( Louvain, massacres and executions
in Belgium and France and bombard
4ncnt of undefended British towns.
I The reason given was not a desire to
J starve out Germany. The British em
' bargo on German commerce is not
a -blockade as defined by international
J law, though it has been so termed col
; loquially, even by British statesmen.
. A blockade must be formally pro
i;claimHj and must be , maintained so
'effectively that it can be evaded only
.at extreme risk of capture. It gives
i;the blockading power the right to
confiscate all ships, hostile or neutral,
"which attempt to evade it. Goods of
;vhich the ultimate destination is a
blockaded port may be seized, though
"they may be unloaded at a neutral
port for transfer to another ship.
. British naval operations against
TOermany go farther than a blockade
ln some respects, but fall short of It
'. in others. Instead of maintaining a
"patrol close to the German coast,
Britain stations her blockading ships
. kt the sea approaches, in the English
channel, off the Irish coast, off the
north coast of Scotland and far up
In the Xorth Sea. She justifies this
course by the fact that modern means
of defense, such as mines and sub
marines, require a patrol beyond their
radius of action and that a long
range blockade is just as effective as
"one close to the blockaded coast.
. Britain does not confiscate all ships
and cargoes coming to and from Ger
many. She confiscates wholesale
only those which are German prop
erty. She takes neutral ships into
British ports and confiscates contra
band goods, while any part of their
t'argo which comes from or is going
to Germany, either direct or through
a neutral country, but is not contra
band, she either buys or sells for the
benefit of the owner. Neutral ships
are released unless the bulk of their
cargo is contraband.
This form of blockade is an inno
vation agrainst which the United States
lias protested as contrary to interna
tional law and as a hardship on neu
tral commerce. The hardship is ag
gravated by long delay in prize court
procedure. Some distinguished Amer
ican authorities on international law
maintain, however, that the British
- procedure is lawful. The United
States has not pushed its protests
"against the British blockade with the
same vigor as those against the Ger-
,man blockade, because the latter In
volves safety of life and elementary
-principles of humanity, while the for
mer involves .only monetary loss, for
which compensation can be obtained.
The Government also desires not to
complicate the negotiations with Ger
many by pressing those with Britain
at the same time, for it docs not wish
concessions It may extort from the
one country" even to appear to be con
tingent on those it may extort from
the other. .
The British blockade seems to have
been effective against direct com
merce with Germany, but there has
been such an enormous and continued
increa.se in American exports to Scan
dinavia that Germany appears to re
ceive large supplies of food and war
material through that region. In that
respect the blockade is apparently
Ineffective. .
HARMONY AT THE CITY HALL.
An anxious public will hope -sincerely
that the pleasant rumors that
Commissioner Daly has promised
Mayor Albee to be good are true. The
feelings of our excellent Mayor, it
seems, have been not a little ruffled
by the obduracy of the Commissioner
of Public Works during the past two
years. He has devised his own poli
cies and has sought to .put them into
effect, even over the opposition of the
Mayor.
It may be recalled that Mayor Al
bee publicly opposed the Daly water
meter extravagance, and that an un
seemly attack was made on our good
Mayor by the Commissioner for the
wasteful expenditure of public moneys
in his owu(the Mayor's) department
of public safety. It would appear,
however, that the Commissioner was
fitly rebuked for his shocking course
by the Mayor's dignified turning of
the other cheek. What more needs to
be done in the way of discipline of a
Commissioner who has either con
sistently ignored the head of the City
Commission in the past or who has
recognized his service only to attack
it in the public prints?
If the people had not through the
referendum chastened the bold and
independent spirit of Commissioner
Daly, it can well be imagined what
would have been the present situation
at the City Hall.
HITTING FOtL.
Somewhere at sea on the last trip
from California the steamship North
ern Pacific struck a log and weak
ened her rudder. The strain incident
to altering a ship's course in any wa
ters in any sort of sea stripped the
rudder from the vessel as she turned
into the Columbia River. Yet the
ship, without a rudder, crossed prac
tically the width of the bar without
mishap. The bar was smooth and at
the stage of tide when the vessel
crossed in there was forty feet of-water
in the channel. The ship drew
twenty-two feet.
There is nothing significant about
the incident except the demonstrated
fact that navigation problems at the
bar for vessels even so large as the
Northern Pacific have been solved.
The Northern Pacific and Great
Northern are the largest and fastest
vessels in the coastwise traffic. They
operate on railroad schedule. They
come into or go out of the Columbia
River at any stage of water and under
any weather conditions without delay.
The fact that the Northern. Pacific
dropped her rudder at the entrance
to the Columbia River and not some
where else was a mere accident of lo
cality due in no wise to peculiar con
ditions there existing.
As might be expected, the rancor
caused Seattle by the selection of the
Columbia River as the northern port
for the California steamship line of
the Great Northern and Northern Pa
cific railroads has led to new slander
of Columbia River ports from that
source, based wholly upon a mere
coincidence. The Seattle Star ex
presses its jealousy with studied
amiability. With grim determination
to be humorous it declares it a "fairy
tale" that Portland has a harbor and
speat.s of a ship's necessity to "pole
vault over that troublesome bar."
We have never known the time
when the Columbia River was in fa
vor at Seattle and do not expect it
ever to see it. But it is food for
thought that the Seattle newspaper
which thus succumbs to envy is under
the same ownership as a Portland
evening newspaper whose prosperity
is bound up with Portland's prosperity
and whose existence is dependent
upon the good will of Portland read
ers and Portland advertisers.
GKEECE VOTES FOB MAR.
Entrance of Greece into the war on
the side of the allies is foreshadowed
by the result of the recent election,
which gave the war party, headed by
Mr. Venizelos two-thirds of the mem
bers of Parliament. According to S.
S. I. Vlasto, editor of-Atlantis, writ
ing for the New York Times, the
question at issue between King Con
stantine and Mr. Venizelos was
whether Greece should be content
with promises from the allies of im
munity from Bulgarian aggression in
Macedonia and of territory in Asia
Minor or should hold out for -more
tangible guaranties. The Premier was
unwilling to ask for guaranties and
the King refused to engage the coun
try in war without them unless the
people so decided. Mr. Venizelos then
resigned, the chamber was dissolved
and an election called, which has re
sulted in favor of Mr. Venizelos
policy.
Mr. Venizelos proposed that Greece
take the lead among the Balkan states
in joining the allies, because he be
lieved such action would place Bul
garia and Roumania in a difficulty
from which they could extricate
themselves in no other manner than
by doing likewise. But Greece is still
so fearful of Bulgarian aggression in
Macedonia, for which, Mr. Vlasto
says, she "has shed her heart's blood,"
that, having decided on war, "she is
sure to strengthen all Macedonian
garrisons before sending a single sol
dier against the Dardanelles." Greece
recognizes that she cannot expect to
realize her dream of possessing Con
stantinople, though she does not ex
pect the predicted Russian occupation
of that city to be long or definite.
She does expect compensation in Asia
Minor, of which Mr. Vlasto says:
Once the Turk is driven out therefrom
Greece Is the natural successor in this
dominion; the predominating element alt
over Asia Minor is Greek: the only element
which represents civilization In that coun
tryoutside some thouaands of foreign res
idents is the Greek.
He says Mr. Venizelos claimed that
the entente powers promised him the
vilayets of Smyrna and -Broussa,
which include nearly all of Western
Asia Minor with afl the coasts of the
Aegean and Marmora seas except that
part fronting on the Dardanelles and
Bosphorus, but he adds:
The larjrer part of the Greek opinion does
not subscribe to that statement, for the only
reason that it sounds too good to be true.
Yet he continues:
Greece does not want to expand in Asia
Minor by losing ground in Europe, and for
this reason there -is not the slightest pos
sibility of Greece ceding- part of Macedonia
tu .Bulgaria.
In fact, he suggests that Greece
claims more of Macedonia than she
has, and also Southern Albania nearly
as far north as Durazzo. He says
Greece and Koumanla are friendly,
but Bulgaria "remains the dark spot
in the situation," .for she wants the
whole of Macedonia, "and Greece is
not willing to allow this by any
means. Greece, however, supports
Bulgaria's claim to Adrianople and
Eastern Thrace, and Mr. Vlasto says:
If the patriots of Sofia, coming- to their
smses. could Oe satisfied with the occupa
tion of Thrace, the restitution of the terri
tory taken from them by Roumania after
me second Balkan war. and a rectification
of the Serbo-Bulffarian frontiers In Mace
donia. -there would be nothing in the way
of the Balkan states Joining the allies
against Turkey and her Teutonic comrades
In arms.
The idea that German diplomacy
has been successful at Athens is
scouted, for "in Greece it is the peo
ple, and no one else, that counts,"
and the King will obey their will,
while the Queen will not interfere.
The participation of Greece in the
war seems thus to have been decided
upon by a vote of the people to accept
the promises of the allies, to take the
risk of attack by Bulgaria and to en-
; deavor to force the hand of both that
country and Roumania. In so doing
Greece would play for a great prize,
for, if she won and got the promised
reward, she would become the domi
nant naval power in the Aegean Sea
and would again rule the land where
ancient Greece had her most flour
ishing colonies.
THE PEOPLE FINALLY RESPONSIBLE
Representative Frcar is undoubted
ly right in "his opinion that ultimate
responsibility for the pork barrel rests
with the people. They need to be ed
ucated up to an understanding that
they really lose by waste of public
money on unworthy river jind harbor
work. Their own money is wasted and
a general prejudice is aroused which
obstructs appropriations for other
works in the same district which have
some merit.
Great progress has .been made in
the education of the people on this
subject through the filibusters against
the last two river and harbor bills
and through newspaper denunciation
of the pork they contained. Those
bills were mercilessly dissected by Mr.
Frear and by Senators Burton and
Kenyon, and their speeches were
widely published. The lump sum ap
propriations which resulted from the
filibusters were, in general, wisely ap
propriated by the army engineers
among meritorious projects. The pork
barrel is not yet destroyed and con
tinuous fighting will be necessary to
complete the work, but the pork bar
rel statesmen may gradually be driven
to Accept the principle of lump ap
propriations. If this principle be combined with
that of making Government expendi
ture conditional on local contributions
to the cost of any work, pork will be
practically eliminated and public
opinion will be ripened for adoption
of Senator Nswlands" plan. This em
bodies lump appropriations and local
contributions, but it provides for a co
herent plan of applying water to all
its uses navigation, power, irrigation,
soil conservation and of protecting
water from pollution and the country
against floods.
Reform in this particular -will be
helped by the fact that we now pay
direct taxes to the Government and
shall therefore become more vigilant
over the expenditure of public funds.
The income tax and the war taxes
will prove an ultimate blessing if
they become the means of bringing
about system and economy in public
expenditures.
THE BEST SHORT STORIES.
A Boston critic named O'Brien has
made in the Transcript a judicial esti
mate of the year's output of short
stories. Upon the whole, he thinks
the crop is of high quality. Mr.
O'Brien says, in fact, that we Ameri
cans have "developed the short story
as an art form to the point" where it
is superior to anything of the sort pro
duced elsewhere. Its superiority is as
marked as that of the Hood River
apple or Tillamook cheese. But the
short story differs from those su
preme products in that it lacks sub
stance. It is a form and nothing
more, Vox et praeterea nihil, to quote
an old poet who knew what he was
talking about as a usual thing.
Our literary monarchs have brought
the short story to a point where It is
constructed by mathematical formu
las. They give us the equations by
which it can be produced and no
stories find favor with the publishers
except, such as follow the prescribed
formulas exactly. This is "art" in
Mr. O'Brien's meaning. If there ever
was a pale, lifeless, utterly disem
bodied specter It is the current short
story as it wanly totters through the
pages of the pictorial magazines.
"Where all, or nearly all, are so mis
erably worthless it hardly seems prof
itable to make comparative estimates
of merit. Some of the ghosts may be
a little more bloodless, some of the
corpses a little more cadaverous than
the rest, but what difference docs it
make? The very best of the year's
601 short stories, if we may. believe
Mr. O'Brien, was Conrad Richter's
"Comrades of No Kin," published In
the Forum. His judgment surprises
us a little, since the Forum is in the
habit of publishing stories somewhat
more readable than most of the other
magazines and we have gathered from
sad experience that readableness is
the worst disqualification a story can
have from the point of view of art.
Probably Mr. O'Brien allowed his
feelings to obscure his judgment w hen
he made this shocking decision. In
the second 'place stands Francis Buz
zell's "Addie Erb and Her Girl Lot
tie," which appeared in the Century,
a magazine which i3 commonly re
garded as the most sacred haunt of
the pallidly artistic short story.
For our further consolation Mr.
O'Brien gives a long list of the "next
best." Among them are two by Mel
ville" Davisson Post, who now and
then permits himself to write really
interesting things. Mary Wilkins
Freeman comes in with one and Kath
erine Fullerton Gerould with four.
The last-named writer is evidently a
genius of the first water. "We dare
say a number of the stories which
Mr. O'Brien crowns with laurel are
pleasant reading enough. Wo are
quite certain that not a solitary one
of them deserves any such praise at
he bestows upon several. The Ameri
can short story has long since ful
filled all the artistic promise it ever
had and is now in senile decay. Its
decline to the tomb is gentle and re
ligiously serene, but there Is no doubt
at all about its destiny. Nor is there
any doubt that its arrival ought to be
speedy. When any art form comes to
the point where it is produced by the
bushel according to a mathematical
formula, its demise is not far away.
The elaborate literary crochet work
which is palmed off upon the public
as "short stories" by the magazines
has no more artistic merit than the
crazy-quilts of our grandmothers and
it is not half so honest.
-The trouble with these stories is
that they are aimed at an Imaginary
reader. That reader is "woman," who
is conceived by the magazine editor
to be a bundle of silly prejudices and
mindless susceptibilities. The real,
living woman of our day is an ex
tremely inquisitive and courageous
creature, full of intelligence and over
flowing with common sense, but the
critics know her nob. To them "wom
an" is still the quivering jellyfish she
was in the novels of Richardson and
since this spineless monster is sup
posed to be the main purchaser of
magazines they are made up to suit
her preferences. James Stephens, the
author of "The Crock of Gold," says
the trouble with our literature in gen
eral is that it is aimed at "the middle-aged
"woman." That would not bo
so bad if the woman were genuine,
but she is not. She is a chimera, a
myth, a fable. If the day ever comes
when our literature is aimed at real
women it will be a very different
thins from what it is and a. very much
better thing.
Harlem, Kan., feels quite bereaved
by the death of Mabel Hammon. who
weighed 800 pounds and -was there
fore a citizen of great distinction. Ex
tremely fat peopTe always acquire lo
cal fame and usually bear their hon
ors pleasantly. There is a relation be
tween fat and good temper which
Shakespeare mentioned but did not
explain. Very likely Miss Hammon
had not an enemy in the world unless
it was some rival fat woman.
Most of " the "peace plans" of the
day aim 'blows more or less deadly
at the principle of nationality. This
does not seem to be a merit in them.
The various nations have an individ
ual life which is too valuable to be
destroyed. A quiet life in a city is
perfectly compatible with strong indi
vidual traits among the citizens.
World peace ought not to require the
suppression of national spirit.
An article in the Columbia Univer
sity Quarterly ascribes to the million
aires - the gr'w'ing disfavor of Greek
at college. The writer advises the So
cialists to come to its rescue because
"Greek was the native language of
democracy." And of state socialism,
too, he might have added. State so
cialism was more complete at Sparta
than in Germany, which is saying a
good deal.
A fight under the water must be
even more interesting than one in the
air. A full account of the encounter
betw-een the Italian and Austrian sub
marines would be as thrilling as Vic
tor Hugo's story of the devil fish and
the diver. The outcome must have
been a mere matter of chance, since
everything was done in the dark.
There is a strange contradiction be
tween British opinions of Germans.
The newspapers call them Huns, bar
barians and all that is- repulsive, but
three Cabinet members are eo infatu
ated with them as to have them for
secretaries.
It is a wonder what Japan can do in
the way of absorption while the other
powers are not watching. . If the war
continues much longer Europe will
look over toward Asia and not be able
to find any of China worth picking up.
The Congressional committee at San
Francisco was in such a hurry to con
sider reclamation that only three of
its members had time to raise their
hats to the ladies, 'i he first thing
thev should reclaim is their manners.
The world's "grand prize has been
awarded to a Kentucky artist at San
Francisco, but nobody thinks of giv
ing a prize to the Kentucky artist
who designed the mint Julep.
What sort of a cross will be given
the. commander of a German sub
marine who, in his haste to sink an
other steamer, did not complete the
destruction of the Turnwell?
There is more common sense about
the plans of the League to Enforce
Peace headed by ex-President Tuft
than about any of the plans of the
most vociferous pacifists.
The tornado season has begun in
the Lower Missouri . Valley and adja
cent sections, and timid people will
now fix up their cyclone cellars and
save what they can.
Norman Angell says the United
States must reorganize the world. We
are equal to the job, provided enough
is left to' reorganize w hen the war is
over.
"Corsets," says a woman doctor at
Los Angeles, "should never be worn."
Possibly, sister, possibly: but what will
replace art in the "ads"? 1
We will always have the river and
in consequence boys in canoes, and
lives will be lost. Perhaps these acci
dents are foreordained.
Russian effort sPems now to be di
rected to making Austro-German vic
tories eo costly that they will be of
the Pyrrhic t pe.
The roar of the artillery is. so loud
that the belligerents cannot bear the
melodious voice of Mr. Bryan plead
ing for peace.
In the interests of mediation and
peace, suppose Wilson appoints
Bryan to ask the Kaiser what he'll
take to quit.
What matters what is used in
christening the Arizona today? She
will fight as well if skim milk Is the
dope.
The etliciency code around the City
Hall needs a $75 clerk to keep the
records.- That ought to settle it.
When the California insane are or
ganized into ball teams they will need
one of the hopeless to umpire.
" The man who bought half the Ba
ker wool clip must possess Inside in
formation to matcli his dollars.
Ownership of property in the dis
trict is an added qualification re
quired of the voter today.
In another week the I. W. W. will
be at a loss for excuses for the un
employed. Arson is finally becoming a hazard
ous industry. It should always be so.
As you cannot vote early todaj-,
vote late; but vote anyway.
The man who wants work will know
where to get it next week..
Stars and Starmakers
BY LEONE CASS BAER.
Wife ofa broker in New York City
testifying ill her suit for separation says
the sight of the photographs of 40
chorus girls in her husband's room "got
on her nerves." I don't wonder at the
neurotic effect. A fleeting glimpse of
the photograph of just one damsel of
the merry merry, frequently has played
havoc with many a man's steel-stanchioned
nervous system.
. In descriptions of osculatory varia
tion it had seemed that the resources
of Noah's little lexicon had long ago
been exhausted. But here is a new one:
A woman plaintiff in a divorce action"
testifies that the defendant kissed a
chorus girl co-respondent "patheti
cally." The saddest thing in human
life, it ' seems to me, is a "pathetic"
kiss.
I don't want to learn that kind.
And yet, most of us can understand
without a diagram the pathos that
would accompany the kissing of some
grandmotherly chorus girls.
John Winthrop Pratt, who wouldn't
recognize himself under that title since
he is ever Jack Pratt to the theatrical
fraternity, is in Portland ahead of
Mizzi Hajos in "Sari," which comes to
the Heilig week after next. Mr. Pratt
is a well-known newspaperman, and a
contributor to magazines. He has been
city editor of the Chicago Tribune,
night city editor and dramatic editor
of the New York World, and night city
editor of the New York American.
"Dancing Around," with Al Jolson in
the cast, is coming to Portland this
Summer. Kitty Doner, too. Is in the
company.
Even to successful actresses come
moments of unspeakable chagrin, now
and then.
Such a moment came to a stage girl,
a New York one, and the story of
it as related in a metropolitan ex
change has a humorous twist. It
appears that this actress, finding her
self quite unexpectedly in town for a
space between trains, called up the
flat (it was in the Bronx, that fiat,
which shows that the fascinating actress
isn't so discreet as she is talented),
and, surprised at hearing a strange
voice at the end of the line, asked to
speak to Mr. . her husband.
"I'm sorry," said the voice which the
actress recognized as that of a sister,
comedienne regarding whose flirtations
with her husband disturbing rumors
had reached her from time to time,
"I'm sorry, but Mr. is In Water
bury; but I'm Mrs. . Can I do any
thing for you?"
"No, "thank you; nothing," said the
astonished inquirer. "Except to tell
your husband when he comes home that
his wife called him up."
And now there is to be a divorce,
with a claim for alimony calculated to
give acute pain to the recreant husband
and his indiscreet paramour.
Hubert Henry Davies, the author of
"Outcast." in hich Elsie Ferguson is
appearing at tue Heilig, is an English
man by birth, and is at present at the
front with the hospital corps of the
allies.
San Francisco residents remember
Davies when he was a reporter doing
his daily grind of journalistic work,
and doing it well. He contributed a
considerable fund of dramatic and other
copy" to the News Letter. Perhaps
he wishes at this writing that he was
back there. That he is not is. lro-.iv
a 'matter of unexpected good fortune.
He inherited $5000. and with that sum
between him and worry, he took him
self to playmaking. Among his earlier
works was the lightly frivolous nlpce
called "Cousin Kate." in whrch Ethel
Barrymore was delightful; a master
piece of a trifle called "The Mnllmi. "
and, finally, "Mrs. Corringe's Necklace,"
which was produced at Wvndhnm's
London Theater, but which, so far as I
know, has not been given nor nublishprt
in this country.
Speaking of Elsie Ferguson, that
young actress lias just been chosen
as its favorite lady of the footlights
by the .senior class of New York Uni
versity, who voted her the best of them
all.
A week previously the graduating
class of Columbia University picked
Miss Ferguson as its favorite by a
vast majority, and it has been recorded
that the Society of American Drama
tists and Composers selected her as
the player for whom they would prefer
to write an epoch-making drama.
Sarah Bornhardfs definition of econ
omy is worth repeating. "It's a way
of spending money without getting
any fua out of it," opines the divine
Sarah.
"When you think of the number of
stars I have managed, a mere subma
rine makes me laugh!"'
This little quip was read to several
thousand persons in Washington, D. C,
last Saturday afternoon, yet none took
it other than most seriously, for it
was a lino from a letter written by the
late Charles Frohman be fore lie went
to his death on board tho l.usi tani.i.
The letter was written to E. II. Soth
ern and his wife. Miss Julia Marlowe,
and Mr. Sothern read it to a large audi
ence at a theatrical performance given
in the Columbia Theater under the
auspices of the Ked Cross for the ben
efit of those made needy by the loss
of tho Lusitania.
The performance was under the di
rection of Miss Mabel Boardrnan,. of
the Red Cross, and Dr. John Metzrott.
It was the occasion for a patriotic out- J
burst when Miss Marlowe, who was
reciting "The Star-Spangled Banner,"
had the audience stand while she read
the last two stanzas. She received an
ovation at the end. Jt was the opinion
of those who heard her that her voice
was as strong and clear as ever, despite
her recent illness.
The letter of Mr. Frohman showed
him to have been in a most cheerful
frame of mind when he wrote it. For
the most part it dealt with personal
matters, and Mr. Sothern explained
some of the personal references.
Daniel Frohman and Isaac Marcosson,
a magazine writer, are now at work on
a biography of the late Charles Froh
man. The work" should be interesting
from many angles. Charles Frohman's
theatrical career covers a period which
saw the development of the drama from
a nomadic condition to the dignity of
"big business"; he was responsible in
America for tho "star system," and he
not only was associated as producer
with the drama in America, but in Eng
land as well.
Twenty-Five Years Ago
From The Oresonlan, Juno 30. 1SU3.
William Bennett, United States Mar
shal for Oregon, has published notices
of cases now in hand by J. N. Dolph,
Prosecuting Attorney for this district,
"against three boxes of cigars" which
were sold without the prescribed tax
stamps. There have been several
cases of this kind during the year.
T. J. Dryer, a man well known and
remembered by everybody in Oregon as
tne founder of The Oregonian and for
a long time its editor, returned to this
city a day or two since. On Saturday
he gave this office a call. Of course
we wrere all much gratified in seeing
him. It is now nearly fivo years since
he left Portland. He went front here
to the Sandwich Islands as Minister
Resident from the United States. Hav
ing resided there two years, he re
turned to California and went thence
to Washington. From that city he
started West again and, reaching Ien
ver City, remained there some time.
Last Fall he came to Boise City, Where
he resided during the Winter and
Spring. He now resides in "Portland
again. We learn it is his purpose to
remain here permanently.
British sympathizers have been urg
ing the people of the South to continue
their resistance and to sacrifice their
property in support of a "righteous
cause." Now that these people are im
poverished by having followed their
perverse inclinations and the advice of
their admirers, the New York Times
calls upon the haters of "Federal tyr
anny'" across the water to come to the
relief of their pauperized Southern
friends, who are in danger of dying of
starvation. A most excellent oppor
tunity for the exercise of charity is
now offered to these "friends of hu
manity." Willthcy give a groat to al
leviate the suffering they have aided in
bringing about?
Pennsylvania has sent 250.000 men to
the war. Of these 50.000 will return
to their homes no more.
A rebel paper says: "President Davis
and family have arrived at Fortress
Monroe." Can coolness beat that?
During one week endinsr May 6 more
than $40,000,000 was subscribed to the
seven-thirty loan. Not one dollar was
taken on behalf of contractors or in
the shape of contractors' vouchers. The
Government has an immense bank in
which the people are investing their
money. They are interested in pre
serving its credit and cannot let it fail.
II. R. Meeker. Clerk and Auditor of
the City of Portland, has issued a
statement of the condition of the city's
finances.
Accounts of the trial of the conspira
tors against the Administration which
is under way at Washington are com
ing through in detail. The counsel
for the accused includes Thomas Ewing,
son of the ex-Senator of Ohio; Attorney
Stone, Walter S. Cox. Hon. Keverdy
Johnson and ..lessrs. Aiken and
Clampett.
The members of the court are: Ma-jor-General
David Hunter, V. S. A'.; Ma-jor-General
Lew Wallace, U. S. V.; Bre
vet Major-General August V. Kautz, U.
S. V.; Brigadier-General Albian P.
Howe. U. S. V.; Brigadier-General Rob
ert S. Foster. U. S. V.; Brevet Brigadier
General James A. Eakin, V. S. V.; Brigadier-General
T. V. Harris. IT. S. V.;
Brevet Colonel C. H. Tompkins. U. S.
V.; Lieutenant-Colonel D. li. Clendenin,
Eighth Illinois Cavalry; Briiradier-Gen-eral
Joseph Holt, Julge" Advocate.
Divorce nod Remarriage.
PORTLAND, June 18. (To the Edi
tor.) Will you kindly advise me
whether 1 can get married in Oregon
without waiting six months, or even in
Vancouver, Wash. My husband deserted
me four years ago and I've just took a
notion I'd like to get married and 1
don't want to wait six months. How
about it? ANXIOUS.
1 If you get your divorce in Oregon
you cannot marry again legally in this
or any other state until six months
have expired.
Widow's Mite and Other Ancient
Coins Told About in
The Sunday Oregonian
It is probable that the widow's mite, declared by the Bible to be
a more substantial offering to the ecclesiastical treasury than the
gold of the rich man, was not referred to as a figure of speech after
all. The mite was actually coined in Jerusalem about the time of
Christ. It was of small value and was commonly circulated. An
American minister recently unearthed one of these rare coins on
the site of ancient Jerusalem and brought it to this country, where
he presented it to the Philadelphia mint. He learned a lot about
mites and other coins of contemporary circulation and will present
the result of his investigations in The Oregonian tomorrow.
CHILD'S LIVING EXPENSES 1000 A MONTH Children or the
rich in New York and elsewhere have "allowances" of $1000 a
month and over. It is said even that $1000 is not considered too
much for the 10 and 11-year-old juveniles to use in their actual
monthly living expenses. This story, with its contrasts in the
manner of youthful living, will be printed in tomorrow's Oregonian
with pictures.
MICROBES GOVERN WORLD EVENTS Dr. Robert T. Morris, vis
iting surgeon of the post-graduate hospital of New York, is the
author of a book called "Tomorrow's Topics," in which he presents
a lot of new and interesting theories regarding the conditions that
cause the varying phases of human nature, lie will explain his
strange, but interesting, views in The Sunday Oregonian.
TEMPLE HERE AGAIN People like to study Temple's true-to-na-ture
"sketches from life," because they really are true to life. The
Sunday-issue wiil present three of Temple's best sketches.
BILLY SUNDAY AT HOME As an evangelist Billy Sunday has been
cutting a wide swath in the big Eastern communities for the last
few weeks. He has been the subject of numerous controversies
among ecclesiastical authorities. Some people agree with him and
approve his methods, others agree with him and disapprove
his methods, yet others disagree with hirn but approve his
methods and a good many neither agree with him nor approve his
methods. At any rate his home life is mighty interesting. His
Summer home, be it known, is at Hood River, right near Portland.
A staff writer recently visited Billy ami "Ma" Sunday on -their
farm and in tomorrow's paper will tell the story.
COATS OF ARMS AND SUCH While American people usually give
little weight to coats of arms, crests and such symbols of snobbery
when applied to private individuals, their accepted use by the people
ofEuropean nations as emblems of authority presents a situation of
more or less interest especially in the light of the war. These
symbols of empire will be fully explained with illustrations.
WHAT DIPLOMACY REALLY IS In these times of international
intrigues and delicate readjustments of the relations existing be
tween nations the word "diplomacy" is much used in the public
prints. The Sunday Oregonian will print a complete, illustrates
story on this subject.
LURE OF EASY MONEY The story of the Mississippi Bubble and'
other gigantic "get-rich-quick" schemes will be explained in detail.
BRIDEGROOMS AT A PREMIUM After the war whenever -that
is Europe will be short of marriageable men. There will be nu
merous widows of army officers with great estates on their hands
and a large number of young heiresses with no eligible young men
in sight for them to marry. Here is a chance for straightforward,
capable, healthy young Americans, says The Oregonian's Taris
- correspondent.
AND THEN SOME MORE The usual page of stories devoted to
little folks, Donahey's Teenie Weenie stories and a handsome front
cover picture of a scenic spot near Portland are some of the other
attractions. Society, sports, the drama, women's activities, auto
mobiles, real estate and many other phases of local life will be
covered fully.
H ilf a Century Ago
From The Or'cr.iiinn, Junf l:v IS'-'O.
Washington The men who run liko
frightened cattle yesterday when -the
bi;i Kansas Senator threw a free coin
age bomb into the Senate are wonder
itjr today what they ran for anil hav
ing .srot themselves into the present
predicament are striving to extricate
themselves. They are hoping that
wiser counsels may prevail in the
House on the silver legislation.
Redding. Cal. The cloudy weather
has obscured Mount Shasta and those
who have viewed the mountain through
gl.tsses assert positively that the north
peak has diSHipeared and that there is
a flat place on the top. Mount sUiast
is SO miles from Redding.
The editorial comment of the New
York papers, telegraphed throughout
the country, show that there is niiit-h
opposition to the free silver coinage
lull. The jrfnerai editorial opinion is
that the bill i.- far more radical than
as expected possible to put through
the Senate.
D F. Stewart, of Prineville. thinks
that from present prospects thet will
lie more wheat threshed in Crook
County this season than last.
Percy Olnistead, naval cadet at An
napolis, returned to his home in Bker
City Sunday after a two years' ab
sence. The Baker City Blade says it
Is wonderful what two years wiil do
for a boy at the Annapolis school.
G. B. Frost, of East Portland, made
a proposition to the citizen of Link
ville. Klamath County, to establish an
electric light plant in that town, pro
vided they give him a bonus of 1000.
AUK SKA I1I.IK K M)i:s Kl'rKrriVKf
-Vpireela(i- e Correspondent About
ltefciilts Attained b
PORTLAND. June S.(To the Edi
tor.) Since tho great European war
started the writer has endeavored in
every conceivable way to acquire au
thentic information as to developments
in the conflict, the application of ac
cepted and established principles of
international law contended for by the
warring nations as well as this C.ov
ernment where its rights have been
infringed or violated by belligerents in
waging merciless and relentless war
fare against one another. In pursuit
of this knowledge I have consulted
to a considerable extent the eiiitortal
pages of tho leading newspapers of the
country representing all shades of par
tisan politic, as no doubt they reflect
the unbiased opinions anil sentiments
ot the people as a whole, not only witli
respect to judging the guilty perpe
trators of that frightful holocaust, but
in regard to tho merits of the san
guinary conflict and desired ultimate,
outcome as well, and I wish to assure
you that the various articles bearing
on the struggle in the Occident in all
Its phases, which have appeared in
your editorial pages at different in
tervals since last August, have been
perused by me with great satisfaction
on account of fullness and accuracy of
details and historical references and
conspicuous impartiality as bet wren
the opposing nations engaged In the
bloody contest for supremacy: and this
simple testimonial of progressive and
dignified journalism is but the echo
of thousands of other readers of your
valuable organ who rely on the truth
fulness of its press news pertaining
to the great war. and reliable an.)
wholesome editorial comment arising
from the developments of same.
Much is written concerning the Ger
man undersea, warfare, many of the
Kaiser's adherents claiming its effec
tiveness on food shipments destined to
the British Isles is showing material
results. Will you kindly state your
views on this point, at th"" same time
indicating the legality or Illegality of
the so-called "submarine zono" created
by Germany; also give reasons ad
vanced by England for preventing car
goes of any description from entering
the ports of tlermiiny and her allies,
whether the latter blockade is wholly
elsewhere on this page.
JOHN E. WALLACE.
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