THE MORNING OKEGOXIAN, FRIDAY, JANUARY 21, 1916.
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POBIXAXD. FRIDAY, JAN. SU 1916.
TRIE VIBTUE STANDS DEFIANT.
The vice committee of the Illinois
Senate, In its final report, still adheres
- to the theory which has been kept
: to the front throughout its Inquiry
' that woman's fall from virtue Is chief
ly a matter of money, for the finding
which the committee most strongly
emphasizes is that poverty is the prin
cipal cause of immorality. That theory
is as false today as it was when The
Oregonian denounced it three years
ago.
To assert that a woman's choice be
tween virtue and vice is decided by the
amount of her earnings Is to deny her
virtue, for virtue which is preserved
only by a wage above a certain mini
mum is no virtue at all. A woman's
instinct is to remain chaste. That
Instinct can be developed and strength
ened by training in childhood and
youth until it becomes so strong an
' Influence that poverty, even death. Is
" preferred to shame. Until recent years
at least there were few people so poor
as the Irish peasants, but no women
are more chaste than their daughters.
The Armenians of Turkey have been
kept in grinding poverty and oppres
sion, but reports of the recent mas
sacres and deportations contain many
Instances of women and girls who
committed suicide In order to escape
indignities from the Turkish soldiers
or slavery in Turkish harems. The
women of both Ireland and Armenia
are no exception to the rule; they are
governed by a desire to keep their
honor unsullied which is common to
all normal women and which is
broken down only by parental neg
lect, vicious teaching and evil as
sociations. Given the right training
and the requisite strength of char
acter, the American woman will pre
serve her virtue with as firm deter
mination as the Irish or Armenian
woman.
Poverty is not the cause of vice;
vice is the cause of poverty. Vice
leads parents to neglect the training
of their children, to destroy the na
tive instinct for purity by indifference
to it, to indulge themselves and to en
courage by their example self-indulgence
among their children. Thrift
Js impossible to such people, and thus
their vices lead to poverty and escape
from poverty is sought through more
vice. The daughter of such a family
has the way to prostitution made easy
and if she remain pure she does so in
spite of her parents" influence. Un
fhastlty is by no means the only vice
which leads to poverty. Others are
Indulgence, of which the worst form is
drunkenness, while other forms are
sloth, which avoids the disagreeable
duty of restraining children and a
sentimental softness which permits
the young to go their own way. Van
ity also causes parents to envy and
Imitate those who are better circum
stanced and causes children to do
likewise.
By saving that more women of the
underworld fall into dishonor from
domestic employment than from any
work, the committed contradicts the
theory that poverty is the chief cause
of vice. Women in domestic service
are assured a home and food and usu
ally have enough wages to clothe
themselves well and to save money, if
they will practice thrift. The tempta
tion of poverty and starvation is ab
sent In their case. If they go astray,
the cause is lack of proper early train
ing, combined with craving for pleas
tire and excitement. Domestics are
welcome at the T. W. C. A. and other
like institutions; at uch places at
least there is no discrimination against
them.
The committee says that domestics
are afflicted with "absence of definite
social status and lack of creative op
portunities." These are doubtless
fruitful sources of discontent among
domestics in a democracy which is
founded on the theory of political
equality. They confuse political with
social equality, forgetting that our in
stitutions merely assure the oppor
tunity to reach the highest social po
sition. That position can be attained
only by Industry, thrift antl self
denial. Early training and association
have developed qualities of the pre
cisely opposite character in too many
girls In domestic employment. They
chafe at their inferior social status,
but are unwilling to comply with the
conditions governing their elevation
in social position. They take such
fleeting pleasure as they can get by
not practicing industry, thrift . and
self-denial. They have ambition ovith
out the energy to gratify it. They de
sire to rise, but will not make the ef
fort to do so. Their way upward
blocked by their own limitations, their
moral perceptions dulled by bad early
training and vicious early surround
ings, many of them seek solace from
discontent in vicious pleasure and be
come easy prey to the seducer and the
white slaver. .
Most of the remedies proposed by
the Illinois committee are good as
far as they go, but they are mere
palliatives, or are capable only of
curing the disease after it has been
contracted; they would not prevent
the evil. ' The social evil Is a case
for preventive medicine If It is to
be successfully attacked. Without
1 such prevention the measures pro
posed would not perceptibly dimin
ish the endless procession of men and
women which falls Into the mire of
prostitution and dissolute living; it
would only pick them up and cleanse
them or some of them after they
had fallen.
Effective prevention consists In
training the young in such manner as
to give them moral strength to stand
"up and resist. This training should
begin at home, where parents should
inculcate clean thoughts, which are
promoted by rightly imparted knowl
edge of sex. not by ignorance that is
miscalled Innocence. Parents should
Instill industry and thrift by example
as well as precept - They should keep
down desire for vicious pleasure by
providing harmless enjoyment. This
training should be continued and ex
panded In school until when the young;
man and woman go Into the woria
they will be forearmed 'because fore
warned "and will know evil but to
shun it.
There is abundant scope for the
work of social betterment and regen
eraUon in this direction. That work
may well be followed up by provision
against wages which crowd the mini.
mum of subsistence, for better condi
tions of domestic service and for re
demption of the fallen. Care should
be taken that the moral strength of
the young is not unduly tried, but we
should bear in mind that virtue which
consists in absence of temptation is
of but poor quality compared with
that which has encountered and over
come evil. The prowess of St. George
was proved by doing; battle with and
slaying the dragon, not by avoiding it.
So must the young prove the robust
ness of their moral character.
EXCITEMENT OX THE HIGH SEAS.
The Oregonian has received from an
anonymous correspondent, by way of
the United States mails, a clipping
taken from the front page of a Ger
man newspaper (made in America)
and containing an extraordinary ac
count of an Incident on the high seaa,
said to have developed between a
British and an American warship. The
inquiry is made as to why The Ore
gonian and other American newspa
pers have not noticed this exciting and
significant occurrence. It is made
public, it appears, on authority of the
American independent, a San Fran
cisco Journal (described as a "pro-
American paper for American patriots,
official organ of the American Inde
pendence Union"). The story 13 told
in a report said by the Independent
to have been made to the Secretary
of the Navy, as follows:
To the Honorable tho Secretary of tha
Navy sir: 1 have the Honor to report here
with au Incident which occurred, as lol
lows: At 8:20 o'clock on tha moraine of Octo
ber 24, while under full steam for Hampton
Koads, we received a wirelesa from tha
British warship Vancouver, which was ac
companied by a British torpedo-boat. Th
measaae induired as to our destination and
full partlcularr of our complement. Our
reDlv vi, worded as follows:
"Why tho hell ahoukl wo give yon In
formation. Can't you seo our flag?"
ThereuDon we were commanded to halt.
to which I replied by ordering all decks
stripped for action. WItnin IS minutes
from tho time I was commanded to halt,
mv itki were striDDed for action, my men
were at their posts, and. without further
action, they proceeded on their way.
Hoping that I have acted wisely in the
fulfillment ot my duty, i remain jouis
obediently. JOHN HOOD.
Commander IT. S. Battleship Texas.
It Is a most thrilling narrative, cal
culated to stir up the lagging patriotic
spirit of the whole American people.
We hope, for the Bake of historical ac
curacy and the reputation for veracity
of our San Francisco contemporary,
that it is true. The Oregonian, which
does not enjoy an Intimate acquaint
ance with the Secretary of the Navy,
would doubtless never have heard of
this great naval adventure, except for
the enterprise of the Independent, and
it does not hesitate to express its
gratitude.
Meanwhile, we should like to hear
from the Secretary of the Navy his
reasons for suppressing the Hood let
ter, if there Is such a letter; and we
shall hope he will have something to
say on the subject, if he did not re
ceive it.
GREEDY INSURANCE AGENTS.
Of course, it is quite impossible for
anyone to collect 4U.uou insurance
on a tin cup and a wornout fireman's
helmet destroyed by fire. Probably
the Fire Marshal made his Investiga
tion of insurance methods as spec
tacular as possible in order better to
draw attention to actual carelessness
on the part of many agents and the
encouragement therein to arson.
The standard form of insurance pol
icy declares the instrument void if it
be obtained by fraud or misrepresen
tation. Furthermore, It requires proof
of loss and is a promise to pay only
the actual value of the goods de
stroyed, no matter what may be the
face of the policy. So it is next to
impossible to collect insurance money
when nothing of value has been
burned.
But the ease with which Insurance
may be obtained on nothing certainly
indicates that over-Insurance may be
obtained on something with equal ease.
While it is not possible to collect the
former it may be possible to collect
the latter, even though the terms of
the policy attempt to guard against
it. Thus the temptation is orrerea to
insure heavily and thereafter set a
match to one's belongings.
It may be argued that inspection or
every small risk would make neces
sary an Increase In the rates on resi
dences and house contents. ve douot
that it would. Some agents now do
make inspections, as the failure to
capture a few of them in the net in
dicates. And they seem to be able
to continue doing business In compe
tition with those who take without
question every nickle that is offered
across the counter.
We imagine, too, that a rough ap
praisal when the premises" or contents
are in existence would lessen adjust
ment costs when they have been con
sumed. It is hard to escape the
thought that the public generally is
paying in higher rates for over-insurance
due to agents' indifference and
some householders" dishonesty.
If the Fire Marshal's little trap
leads to the enactment of a law which
will require the revocation of an
agent's license for issuing insurance
without Inspecting the premises, his
efforts will have been worth while.
EXERCISING MADE EAST.
Persons of sedentary habits who
suffer constantly from that neglect
to which they subject their bodies
should find joy in the recent perfec
tion of a pleasant innovation in the
realm of electrotherapy. The prospect
is In the air that the fat and flabby
business or professional man will lose
both his fatness and his flabbiness.
Victims of these afflictions of seden
tary life invariably promise themselves
that they will take care of themselves
before they wreck themselves com
pletely. Just a few dollars more and
then they will take an hour or two
off every day for exercise. The prom
ise is seldom kept. The busy man
finds that neglect of self is a habit
which cannot be broken readily after
long years of practice. The lazy tis
sues send in protests Nto the brain,
which are promptly heeded.
But now the advent of an automatic
exercise system. By use of a sinusoi
dal current violent muscular contrac
tion Is induced. Any set of muscles
may be exercised effectively and thor
oughly by application of electrodes.
Furthermore, the process is both pain
less and shockless. The patient bare
ly realizes that he is receiving much
the same sort of exercise that might
I be gained in wielding a pick and
shovel for several hours.
Thus the tired business man who
must bolt his breakfast and rush
away to his office at an early hour of
the morning, saving all his energy for
his swivel chair activities, need only
press a button and receive his full
measure of exercise at the same time
that he is dictating to his stenogra
pher or opening the morning's mail.
No more gymnasiums. The body need
not be given another thought once this
plan is brought into general practice-
Press the button and become an ath
lete. How fine It would be if the
principle might be applied to some
device for making people exercise
their minds;
THE TENDERFOOTS PLAINT.
The Medford Sun, replying to com-
plaining tenderfeet who think it
should not snow in Oregon, and that
the newspapers say too much about
it when the rule Is broken and there
is a heavy snowfall, most sensibly re
marks:
There Is no mora reason for Oregon news
papers misrepresenting thee climato of tho
state than any other asset, ii tne ex-
perience of recent years haa taught any
thing. It Is the folly of trying to lure set
tlers to this state, or any other state, by
representing conditions other than they are.
This is not only bad ethics it Is bad busi
ness.
A worthy citizen troubled himself
to write a long letter to The Orego
nian the other day, full of censure
for the prominence given to the late
snow storm, and Insisting that much
harm was being done to city and state.
Tou will find that the California pa
pers do nothing of the kind," he de
clared, "though they have freezing
rains, occasional snows, blighting
winds, devastating sand storms, kill
ing frosts, blistering heat, and every
known meteorological plague in that
unhappy country."
If the California newspapers are
remiss in their plain duty to their
readers, all other American newspa
pers are just now doing a pretty good
job for them in describing the terrors
of the Southern California floods. But
we venture the guess that all the de
tails of wreck and horror will be
found fully set forth In the Los An
geles and San Francisco dailies. The
only California subject which is really
taboo in California is earthquakes.
The weather is a universal topic.
Every known part of the geographical
world has weather of some sort all
the time. The Ideal climate has never
been found. The state of Oregon
has a good average everyday work
ing climate or several kinds of cli
mate better than most others and
inferior to none. An occasional snow
storm is probably intended as a visi
tation of providence for our sins, or
for some good reason, no doubt.
It would not be a public service to
suppress or withhold any Interesting
or pertinent fact about Oregon. Bo
sides, it cannot be done. We have a
notion that the current apprehension
about California earthquakes is far
worse than the facts warrant. It
would be better for the papers there
to record the whole truth. Perhaps
they do. We merely hear that they
do not.
It rains in Western Oregon, but the
average annual rainfall is about the
same as in the states of the Middle
West. It snows, but rarely; perhaps
once in two years. It freezes at times,
but only once has the thermometer
gone down to zero. The wind blows,
but hurricanes and tornadoes are un
known. Once In a long time there is
lightning and thunder, but it is a
great novelty, being noisy, but harm
less. Then we have the blessed Chi
nook the soft and cleansing wind
from the southwest, which cures all
our ills and makes life worth while.
Is any other state so favored?
X
LITERARY ATROCITIES.
It has been said that a poem is the
product in the poet's mind of some
thing that happens. He must exercise
his will not in making it happen, but
In recording it accurately and com
pletely when it has happened. Hence
when the poet undertakes to exploit
a popular state of mind sheer trash
may be the sole result. Spontaneous
inspiration may lead to poems of
wondrous beauty. The. poet may ex
press not only a mood of nature, but
he may lay bare the soul of a people.
yet he may not do these things
through the exercise of his will. De
liberate poetry can hardly be relied
upon to rise above the comic jingle
or the soap-advertising stage.
Such is the widely accepted theory
and tho theory IS assuredly a conven
ient one in explaining British war
poetry. It is a fine example of what
poetry should not be, this "patriotical
ly willed" poetry of the English versi
fiers who have set out to serve art
and their country at once. Being un
able or unwilling .to go Into the
trenches, these poets seem to have
formed the idea that they can do their
full share at their typewriters. But
we suspect that the sorry showing of
the British land forces Jn the war is
altogether secondary to the sorry
spectacle of English poetry as turned
out by the present-day successors to
Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Keats and
Browning.
Possibly the worst of them all is
one that must have been designed as
an epic. Surely Stephen pniiups-
Armageddon is conceived along the
most lofty lines. - It has atmosphere
and finery, but the substance is ut
terly lacking. It is not poetry. It
lacks merit even if classified as topi
cal verse. And if Mr. Phillips failed
so utterly how can the others hope to
carve immortality out of the same
substance British dislike of Ger
many? One almost feels conscious of the
poet's mental processes as he set out
to write of "Armageddon." He must
have been in the mood of the after
dinner speaker who has - been called
upon to say something on some par
ticular topic in which all are vitally
interested. Burn the Germans up.
That was his theme and, in the In
terest of breadth, he brought in the
whole system of war for a sound ver
bal thrashing. The play opens in
hell. The devil-in-chief and members
of his staff are found discussing plans
for a nice little prank to play on Eu
rope. They decide on a great war,
which fact brings great joy to such
choice aides of Satan as Moloch and
Belial. The latter at once proceeds
to have a brilliant idea, an idea which
had been worked overtime even be
fore Mr. Phillips reached it. Said
Belial:
With deference I propoo that I convey
To earth my swollen bilious Burean
To glose defeat, or magnify success.
Doling to each land, its particular lie.
Drivel, even though penned by a
poet of parts, calculated to cause the
reader unpleasant feelings in tho re
gion of his sense of good taste. But
this is tame compared with what hap
pens once the war has been launched
and the scene shifts from hell to the
f.eld headquarters of a German gen
eral officer. The General sits at his
kable which is strewn with champagt.e
gluses and empty bottles, when a
scratch is heard at the door. This dia
logue between the General, and his
order'y is then recorded:
Sir. shall I open tha door? I hear a dog
scratching on it.
No. 'tis my servant. He must not Knock:
he merely scratches like a dog. Give him this
paper. I never speak to servants. (Me
spits on paper before handing It to orderly.)
If this isn't the highest order of
puerility then the word has no place
in the English language. Such assaults
on the Germans are absurdly drawn
and can make no lasting impression
even in London, where the Germans
are said to be somewhat unpopular in
the present hour. The effort smacks
too deeply of making up with abuse
what is lacked in wit. The whole af
fair, taken Jn conjunction with other
British war rhymes, leads to a belief
that. In the interest of contemporary
literature, a censorship ought to be
placed upon English verse.
FIGHTING FOB PEACE.
Another disruption in the Ford
peace camp. Another mutiny in the
fold. When orders were issued that
delegates proceed to Stockholm, one
was willing to obey and another was
not. This is merely another of a score
of such incidents. Discontent, disaffec
tion and dissension have been the out
standing features of the whole affair
from the time this greatest of wild
goose chases set sail from America
many weeks ago.
Suppose that the same spirit, the
same utter lack of discipline and ef
ficiency had laid hold of those who
have led the march of human progress
through the centuries. Where would
we be? Doubtless there would be- no
great modern war for the reason that
man would still be living in clan and
village groups, while his modernity
might not have passed beyond the
spear stage.
This little group of dreamers, ideal
ists and egotists, gone forth to attempt
a great miracle, should begin the work
of pacification on a smaller scale.
They should engage individually and
collectively in that conquest of self
which is held by the philosophers as
a necessary first step for him to
take who would conquer worlds. If
the world, should follow the example
of these Ford reformers the human
"family would be plunged in an an
archy far more hopeless than mere
war.
The King of Greece's appeal to a
reporter for publicity of his denunci
ation of the allies suggests that a com
mission of newspapermen may yet
mediate between the belligerents.
Why not? They have heard all sides
of the quarrel and are as unbiased as
anybody that can be found.
President Wilson may be able to
convince the wholly uninformed that
his defense programme is sound. But
no one who knows anything about the
subject, inside or out his own party, is
going to accept the Wilson-Garrison
programme, which is costly and wholly
Impracticable.
A Bulgarian officer tore down the
American flag which a patrietic citi
zen had raised to protect him. Wilson
diplomacy has brought foreign up
starts to realize that insulting the
American flag and baiting American
citizens is a safe pastime.
After a few. flurries of indignation.
the Americans who were murdered in
Mexico because they were Americans
have been forgotten along with the
scores of other American victims of
watchful waiting and spineless diplo
macy.
Tf tha nrohibition law had come
intn nnpmtinn the Januarv after in
stead of the January before election,
ould Sheriff Hodee have shown tne
same eneTgy in raiding millionaires'
wine cellars.' we wonder.
Not long ago The Oregonian pre
dicted that the Manchus would be
launching a revolution shortly for res
toration of the old dynasty. The revo
lution has followed within the week.
It is three score and ten years since
the Mexican learned first to know the
'Gringo." and he has died or forgot
ten. A new lesson is needed, but, alas,
not this year can it be taught.
Carranza can easily produce some
dead Mexicans to prove that he has
run down the Santa Ysabel murderers,
but how are we to know they are tne
right Mexicans?
Tt is necRisarv to know that toma
toes and other truck grow all the year
round at San Diego to appreciate tne
disaster to crops by the floods.
Lord Derby says his recruiting plans
assure the Germans of a "good lick
ing." Probably beginning May 1, as
Kitchener would say.
Dr. Brougher will be as welcome as
the rains when he brings a new solu
tion of the marriage riddle, whatever
that is.
Villa having been declared an out
law, any loyal Mexican can kill him,
provided Villa does not see him first.
Holland sees just now so much of
the foreigner that she declines in ad
vance any relief on account of floods.
Some Seattle men are good pro
viders. Think of the one who had
$3000 worth in his cellar!
What if the world was made up of
Ford peace propagandists? Life would
be one continual fight
In deciding to fight on, Montenegro
acts true to form. The little country
never was a quitter.
Hammerstein in the poorhouse can
at least enjoy the recollection of hav
ing handled millions.
By withholding its wood pulp, Swe
den can drive a bargain with Great
Britain.
Throw away the cough medicine.
The great panacea is falling.
By and by it may be Portland can
hear the barkers at Coney.
Greece is fearful of having it
changed to Grease.
Repeating history, the backbone of
Winter is broken.
Anyway, we're glad we don't live In
floody California.
What dirty streets the melting
snows reveal!
And some people "kick" on rain.
Ob, slush!
How to Keep Well
By Dr. W. A. Evans.
Questions pertinent so nygiene. ...
and prevention of disease, if matters of gen-
enu wierv, - -. ut . ..WW.
umn. Where space wUl not permit or tne
subject is not suitable 1 letters will be per
sonally answered, subject to proper limita
tions UU WUO.W BlUU.CU, -J ' "
veiope is uiciwku. . n. an, win
diagnosis or prescribe for individual dis
eases. itequvBui buuu twwmti --' " .
(Copyright, 1916. by Dr. W. A. ITvans.
Published by arrangement with Chicago
Tribune.)
Tloiir. for the? Lean.
A most hopeful message for the lean
and hungry kind is contained in a re
cent article in the Ivew York Medical
Journal by Dr. Henry Rose, of New
York City. He says without reserva
tion that any thin person can be fat
tened provided he has no organic dis
ease. The women need not feel that
they are left out of it, as he includes
them in his positive promise.
The method employed by Dr. Rose Is
simple enough. It is a matter of diet
and exercise. In fact, his advice would
be more extensively heeded were he to
concoct some fanciful dishes and give
them some fanciful names. As it is, his
plan is so simple that most people can
work It out for themselves. Certainly
any physician could employ it, though
I have no doubt that Dr. Rose is ex
ceptionally successful in adapting the
diet to individual cases.
There is some advantage in being of
approximately normal weight and some
disadvantage in being thin and cadav
erous. Thin people are prone to tuber
culosis. Insurance companies have
found that people below weight axe be
low average risks when ic comes to
consumption.
Speaking generally, thin people do
not stand excessive strain so well as
people who are of normal weight for
age and height. If from illness or
overwork a person does not take
enough food to maintain strength and
life he burns enough tissue to supply
the decrease. If he burns fat he is
harmed less than if he burns lean mus
cle. In the first place, when it comes
to making heat and energy, one pound
of fat is equal to two and a quarter
pounds of lean. In the second place,
when he burns muscle he burns a need
ed tissues When he burns fat he burns
a relatively useless, needless tissue.
But the principal reason why people
want to put on fat is to improve looks,
and that is reason enough. Why waste
time on the other 56?
The first step to be taken when one
starts to put on flesh is to find out how
much underweight he is. He should
weigh himself accurately, measure his
height and then turn to one of the
tables and find what is the average
weight for a male of his age and
height. If his bones are large or his
body is long he should add five pounds
to the average as given in the list, if
his bones are small and his body short
he should subtract five pounds.
Tables giving weights and heights
are easily had. Books on personal hy
giene always contain such tables. Lite
insurance companies sometimes furnish
such tables to their insured or to pros
pects. Assuming that a man finds himself
under weight and seriously wishes to
fatten up, he should go to a physician
to discover whether he has any organic
disease. For instance, if he has a di
lated stomach or Bright's disease he
should modify the standard methods
laid down by Rose in some particular.
His thyroid may also be a factor in the
case. When there is an excess of thy
roid secretion about 25 per cent excess
of food is required to maintain a given
weight. When there is too little thy
roid secretion the amount of food re
quired is 25 per cent below the normal.
The condition of the thyroid then may
materially alter the amount of food
required.
The next step to determine is the
probable amount of food required. This
means that an estimate of the amount
of muscle and brain work done must
be made. A man doing hard muscle
work requires twice as much food as
one lying quietly in bed. A nervous,
fidgety man requires an excess of food
as compared with a quiet man. A poor
sleeper or a worrier must eat more
than a quiet sleeper or a philosophical,
complacent man.
Fairly Efficacious.
C. K. writes: "Would you kindly ad
vise what you think of the various
drink cures advertised? My brother is
inclined to drink rather heavily at cer
tain times (pay days), which last for
several days, and if the advertised
cures weTe really cures would attempt
to try them.
REPLY.
-1. Generally speaking, the drink cures
given in Institutions are good up to a cer
tain point. They clean a man up and es
tablish his nervous poise. None of them
will cure a man who is indifferent to cure.
They are at least efficacious with persons
who drink periodically, going without liquor
between drunks. Nothing good can be said
of the alip-it-ln-his-coffee cures.
Neutral Bntha Best.
J. T. R. writes: "I am a man of 86
years, in good health, do a variety of
things at home and go to business
every day by a 40-mile round trip.
Some time ago I was troubled with in
termittent heart action, but have had
none of that for the last two or three
years. Now I am cautioned against
baths whose temperature is above 100
degrees; and occasionally I see that
some person, who seems to be familiar
with water, dies in a Datntun. iunaiy
enlighten us about bath temperature
for old fellows.
BEPlr.
Tou have been correctly Informed. Old
people must beware of hot baths and hot
bathrooms. They aro liable to faint and
drown. They should also beware of bath
rooms heated by gas stoves. Old people
should take neutral baths. The temperature
of a neutral bath is 92 to 95.
WHEN YOTJ WRITE YOUR LETTERS.
Paste the loganberry stickers on your
letters to the East;
Tell your friends we're free from
liquors or the sale of them at
least.
Tell them of Columbia ' Highway,
streets well paved from curb to
curb
Many miles in all directions and our
climate so superb.
Tell them of our schools and churches,
of our playgrounds, parks and
streams:
Of our lofty, snow-capped mountains,
fairer than their fairest dreams.
Tell them of our lakes and forests and
our lovely waterfalls.
Of our gardens full of roses and our
, famed Rose Festivals.
Tell them of our pure soft water flow
ing down from old Mount Hood,
Of our wonderful health record, with
our milk supply so good.
Tell them they will love our Portland,
they will love her charm, her
lure;
Tell them we will give them welcome
bid them come next Summer,
sure.
C. E. B.
120 East Fifteenth street.
Temperatures.
rr,rTr.A-VT Jan.. 20 fTo the Edi
tor.) If available please publish offi
cial temperatures lor monaay, January
17, and Tuesday. January 18, at 7 A. M.
PORTLAND TERMINAL RT. POST
OFFICE. Monday, 7 A. M-, 25 degrees; Tues
day, 7 A. M., 26 degrees'.
Prices Paid for Coins.
CORVALLIS, Or.. Jan. 19. (To the
Kditor.) I have a half dollar made in
1817, in good condition, and want to
know if there is any value on it.
A. C.
We know ot no dealers' premium
on it.
THOUGHTS TURN BACK TO T. R.
Note-Writing; Administration Makes)
Writer Long; for Colonel Again.
MONMOUTH. Or.. Jan. 19. (To the
Editor.) President Wilson said in his
Columbus address in reiterating his
Mexican policy the following: "The
Mexicans may not know what to do
with their government, but that is
none of our business, and, so long as
I have the power to prevent it, nobody
shall -"butt in' to alter It for them."
I. Mr. Common Voter, note this: Our
Nation's bead is Inconsistent.
We did "butt in" in Mexico's affairs,
and we did some pretty strenuous
butting while we were about it We
brought about a state of war, and cap
tured Vera Cruz with much loss of
Mexican life and with the loss of some
20 bluejackets. We did attempt to
alter the Mexican government by giv
ing comfort and even moral and physi
cal support to the opponents of the
Huerta government. And. oh! what
an inane course our worthy President
did pursue tripping up desperadoes to
hobnob with bandits.
Yes, we have with us murdering,
pilfering Mexico, with respect for
neither American rights nor lives;
then we have going on Teutonic as
saults. Indirectly, upon our citizens on
the high seas; and, finally, we have
old Jqhq Bull eating one of the units
of our snm merchant marine for break
fast each day, although how he can
keep from choking I cannot under
stand. He knows that he is violating,
grossly, our international rights. There
is this about it. He is content with
the "easy picking." as is Germany and
also Mexico. It's a great three-ringed
circus, but this idea of America be
ing made the sawdust is getting tire
some. Meantime, choice, palavering, rhe
torical bombs come from Washington
products from the mighty mind which
once guided the girls of classic old
Bryn Mawr Seminary through the In
tricacies of political science. However,
these do not seem to get us anywnere.
Oh! suffering wrist watches!
One T. Roosevelt, with one E. Root
as Secretary of State, would not be so
bad now. I vow. I believe I could
stand four years of himself after this
nightmare of the "fish age." What do
you say? A VOTER.
CZAR LAZAR ONE OF ANCESTORS
Corvallls Has Direct Descendant of
Serbian Royalty.
CORVALLIS, Or., Jan. 19. (To the
Editor.) In your editorial January 18,
entitled "The Tragedy of Montenegro,"
you mention the Battle of Kosova, and,
thinking that a little family history
which I am fortunate enough to pos
sess might prove of interest, I write
of my cherished possessions.
I have before me a copy of my
father's claim and title to the old Im
perial House of Belgrade, Serbia. My
fatner was a direct descendant of Czar
Lasar, who, with his brother-in-law,
Milosh Obilitch, slew Murad II at the
Battle of Kosova, June 15, 13S9. I have
a sworn statement of every baptism
in direct line from that date down to
my own.
I also am in possession of records
of the massacre of the entire royal
family of Serbia, with the exception of
one member, by the '.'urks in 1704, as
well as a large collection of true tales
of bloodshed by my noble ancestors,
the brave Serbs.
Czar Lazar, whose true name was
Greblianovich von Lazar. was a lineal
descendant of Stephen, who was called
Provochanl. which means In lllyrian
"first crowned" (crowned and blessed
by the nope).
Czar Lazar was executed after the
Battle of Kosova along with Milosh
Obilitch. whose last words on earth
were: "Let me. I pray you, be buried
at the feet of Czar Lazar. Ilia true
knight was I in this world, his true
vassal will I be in the world to come.
The history of our people has been
one of bloodshed from time to time, all
through its annals, and who shall say
that the same noble spirit that lurked
in the breast of Czar Lazar, for whom
the Kords rang till little Serbia gave
up the ghost, existed not in her
soldiers, both royal and peasant born?
14. u. vun ij.
Cold Car on Frosfy Morning.
prmTT.AND. .Tun. 20. (To the Edi
tor.) The angel of death took a crack
at me on several successive mornings
lately. The monster came at me in the
form of a medieval streetcar still oper
ated by the Portland Railway, Light &
Power Company. It is one of those
traps with a compartment fore and aft
and one in the middle. It must have
been designed by some old sailor, for
only one up to the minute in capturing
all possible air currents and multiply
ing them by infinity could have in
vented this cyclone breeder. It not only
had no heat in it, but it is as innocent
of heating facilities as a refrigerator.
It captured me, several mornings
lately, in the cold of the gray dawn, at
the end of the Dekum-avenue line.
After riding in it I wondered that the
Union Meat Company, or some other
packing concern, did not freeze unto
this cold storage plant and make money
out of it. I presume the P. R.. L. & P.
Co. still keeps it. and will keep it.
because I know that to lay your hand
nn it. is t.n freeze unto it.
An amusing thing happened the other
morning. We had boarded this car ana
men were giving vent to their opinions
of the management that would send out
such a car, when the conductor walked
in and solemnly handed each shivering
passenger a copy of s'Watts Watt," in
which the management, desirous of im
proving the service, asked for sugges
tions. The effect was electrical. The
men warmed up at once. Some even
got hot. S. D. ROBINSON.
Oregon's DeleBation in Congress.
Dnrm wn Tor, On Tn t Vi a TiMi.
tor.) (1) How many Representatives
has Oregon and what are their names?
(2) How many has New York? (3)
How many votes are required for each
Representative? t) Are uiessrs. uogaii,
Clarke and Caldwell the Civil Service
Board of Portland? R. M.
Oregon has three Representatives
and two Senators in Congress. The
Representatives are W. C. Hawley, N. J.
Sinnott and C. N. McArthur. The Sena
tors are George E. Chamberlain and
Harry Lane. New York has 43 Repre
sentatives and two Senators.
The apportionment of Congressional
Representation based on the 1910 cen
sus was 211,877 for each representa
tive. The Portland Civil Service Board
members are George W. Caldwell,
chairman; John F. Logan and R. H.
Thomas.
Idea Worth Patenting.
PORTLAND. Jan. 20. (To the Edi
tor.) Mr. McAdo is quoted as saying
"that the proposed tax on autos Is to be
assessed to the manufacturers and not
the owners."
That is a bright idea and certainly
should be patented. Some one might
steal it. Of course the manufacturers
will cheerfully pay it themselves and
not Dass it on. They are built that
way.
H.
Every Other Afternoon.
Buffalo (N. Y.) Express,
irk. uM T nnT the RrranBTAnf lulr
One afternoon I win at bridge and the
.i,rnnnn I lose." The Mr. That's
easy. Just play every other afternoon.
I'll t u re Brother-ln-Law.
Life.
"Congratulate me, Freddy. Last night
your sister promised to marry me.
Small Boy Oh, she promised mother
she'll marry, you Ions aso.
In Other Days.
Twenty-Five Yenrs) As.
From The Oregonian of January 21. 1891.
Washington, Jan. 20. Senator Mitch
ell today offered his proposed amend
ment to the sundry civil bill, appro
priating $60,000 for river, light and fog
signal station on the Coquille River,
Oregon, and $300,000 for repairs to tha
Yaquina Bay light, 1'aquina Bay, Ore
gon. The Astoria National bank last week
elected the following men as directors:
D. K. Warren, John Hobson, C. S.
Wright, H. C. Thompson and A B.
Edea.
The Third Regiment military band
has received money from the state for
the purchase of new uniforms.
The question of a free bridge is being
discussed on all sides, and the general
opinion seems to be divided between
those who would like to see the free
dom of the present bridges purchased
and those who want another bridge
built which shall be free.
Manager Patterson, of the Western
Union Telegraph Company, yesterday
afternoon caused the arrest of three
employes in the Portland office on
charges of grand larceny.
The motion for a change of venue
filed by the defendant in the case of
the State vs. Charles, alias "Sandy"
Olds, came on to be heard before
Judge Stearns yesterday afternoon.
The motion was allowed In part and
the trial will be held before Judge
Frank Taylor in Washington County.
NO MORE TRICKS IN POLITICS t
Mr. Wilson Entitled by Custom to Use
Platform for Kldina Only.
EUGENE, Or., Jan. 19. (To the Ed
itor.) I read your recent editorial on
President Wilson with real sorrow.
You seem to deny him the right to use
tho tricks of the political trade. You
seem to think that he should not have
laid claim to great frankness and then
have locked up for three years his let
ter to Representative Palmer, in which
he condemns the single-terra plank ot
the Democratic platform. You seem to
forget the old conundrum about the po
litical platform and the railroad car
platform, "things to get In on but not
to stand on."
Of course President Wilson had to
stand on the platform while he waa
getting in. Of course he had to notify
Congress promptly or they might have
pasaea me anisic-term uiii. inuii tvucio
would his second term have Deon. i
should like to know? Of course there
are some folk so matter of fact that
you can't rush things on them. You
have got to prepare them for the
change, and President Wilson has not
been a college professor and studied
and taught psychology for nothing. No,
indeed.
But I can do him fuller Justice in
verse.
TO PALMER. FROM WOODBO (V.
Tou must put away my lettor. Palmer,
Put It under lock ana Key.
Tou must keep It very safe, dear Palmer
At the right time flash it out lor me.
I'm so very, very frank, dear Palmer,
That I cannot silent be.
Here I tell my whole thought. Palmer
Keep tt, keop It, under lock and key!
Let. O let not Congress pass It, Palmer,
Pass that awful one-term bill!
I must have another term, dear Palmer
For tho present, keep it, koep it still!
'Tis so soon, so very soon, doar Palmer,
Since the platform I indorsed.
That were I to mash the tliinir now. Palmer,
I, myself, perhaps, might be untiorsed!
But th-e. world is finite forgetful. Palmer.
Let my get-in accents die,
Then this letter that I send, dear Palmer,
Blaze it, blaze it to the very sky.
But my heart has one great fear, ck-sr
Palmer,
There's a firm, unyielding will.
No. I do not mean' the God abova us,
Palmer,
But a fellow from Nebraska Bill!
HANNAH SMITH.
WHAT ONE AGENT THINKS OF IT
City Marshal Seta Bad Example In His
Sleuthing Tactics.
. PORTLAND. Jan. 20. (To the Edi
tor.) I am not sure that the fire de
partment officials are quite as smart
as they think they are In laying a trap
for insurance agents. Fire Captain
Groce came into my office and deliber
ately lied when he said his name was
Charjes Dober, and that ho owned cer
tain furniture, describing it. at 896 East
Harrison. He wanted to take the pol
icy then, but I was suspicious of him,
and told him tve would let him have It
later. In the meantime the writer went
to view tho property and concluded
that there was fraud in the proposition
and refused to write the policy, and so
wrote "Charles Dober." .
I question whether It is a good thing
for city officials to train men under
them to visit decent business men and
deliberately lie to them with a view of
trapping them. Are not such men
liable some time in the future to con
clude that If they were taught to pre
varicate along one line of endeavor,
they will be justitted in doing the same
thing to their superior officers under
whom they work?
I cannot see how any genuine firebug
would be benefited if he.did get 140,000
worth of insurance on $10 worth of
property. Insurance companies are not
in the habit of paying such losses, as
far as I know. I think there is a good
deal of buncombe being issued by cer
tain officials to cover up some of their
own faults. INSURANCE AGENT.
Wheat Not Sons-Bird Food.
ROSEBURG, Or., Jan. 19. (To the
Editor.) Please allow me to offer a
few remarks through the medium of
The Oregonian about the feeding of
birds.
I read reports from various places
about great quantities ot grain being
distributed for this purpose. Now, the
fact is, there art but few of our com
mon birds that will eat whole wheat
at all. The purple finch will some
times devour a considerable quantity
of oats, and would probably not stop
at wheat in a pinch, but the robins
and juncocs will hardly touch it whole,
although they will eat it readily
enough when cruhed. The same is
true of most other kinds of grain.
Of course the quails will take to It
aa readily as would a barn-yard fowl,
and so will the Jays for that matter.
but the quails are pretty capable of
taking care of themselves, and as every
man's hand is against the Jay, he can
look out for himself also. This being
the case, it would be well to crush
the large grains before gKMng tbem to
birds, or, where It is available, millet,
or other small seed Is good.
A FRIEND TO THE BIRDS.
The Druggist a Merchant
Once a druggist was a mere dis
penser of medicines.
Today he is a merchant doing 76
per cent of his business on articles
only remotely concerned with the
mortar and pestle.
He Is an alert, enterprising mer
chant, too a fact frequently evi
denced by his support of newspaper
advertised products.
He knows that 'when a soap, a
perfume or something else he car
ries is advertised in the dally news
paper he will feel the demand at his
counter.
So he shows the goods and proves
his own ability as a merchandiser.