Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, February 21, 1916, Image 6

Historic Oregon Newspapers

Morning Oregonian., February 21, 1916, Page 6, Image 6

Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR

About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 21, 1916)

Prev Page of 18 Next Prev Issue Next Text PDF JP2 (4.1 MB) Clip/Print Image

Return to Top

Prev Page of 18 Next Prev Issue Next

Newspaper Page TextPORTLAND. OREGON. Entered at Portland (Oregon) Postofflcs as second-clus matter. -Subscription r.atei Invariably. In aflvanca. railv. Sunday included. one year ? !?2 I'aily, Sujday lccliidid. six months.... 4.-J Dully. Sunday included, three montns.. L:ii;y, Sunaay included, one month.... Iaily, without Sunday, one year lailv, wp.nout Sunday, six months.... Daily, without Sunday, three months.. Daily, without Sunday, one month.. - "Weekly, one year .........- urday, one year..... Sunday and Weekly, one year (By Carrier) Iaily. ?ud!it Included, one year...... lta)! Sunday Include!, one month . .25 .75 6 00 S.25 1.75 .0 l.r.n 2.50 3.50 9.00 .75 How to Remit, Send postofflce money or cr. express order or personal check on your local rank.) Starr.ra. coin or currency are at -endoi-s rik. :lve postofflce addresses la full, incluoinr county and atate. rmtac-e Ratra 12 to 1 pares. 1 cent: 15 to pages, a cents: J to s on. to to .i pa?es. 4 cents: 62 to ti V"-3 cents: 7 to W ptgea. cents. Foreign post age, double rates. Eatera Business Office Verree ft ,V" 11a. Brunswick buildlne. New York: en-ee , . ; .... - . . . ; i i n,i-am San Francisco representative. R.' J. Bldwell. 74 aarrtet street. PORTLAXU, 3IONDAT, FEBRCARX SI. ! A ROW OF BRICKS. The gratuitous opinion expressed by the Interstate Commerce Commis sion as a part of the ruling in the Astoria rate case on an- issue- not yet formally raised by ''Portland is disap pointing but not altogether surpris ing. It was foreseen by The Orego " nlun. at the time of the Astoria rate hearing, that the Commission would do cither one of two things. It would deny Astoria's petition for a parity of rates with Puget Sound "or it would grant that parity and include Portland in the same rate group. It has done the latter. Perhaps not conclusively, ' but with a degree of positiveness .'which will likely make more difficult ' the realization of Portland's ambitions than if the city had intervened in the .' Astoria case and there entered a plea for lower rates on the strength of its superior advantages over either Asto- ria or Puget Sound. ' -The conditions that would cause ;the Interstate Commerce Commision to decide against Portland in advance involved the unscientific method of rate adjustments now employed by the : Commission and the demolishment of ;the entire rate structure of the North west that would be .presaged by Port land's claim of right to lower rates than Puget Sound's. What The Ore Ionian said in July, 1914, on that ; phase of the issue is reproduced in 'part in another column, to which 'those who are interested may readily Uurn. '. Tnose who have read the opinion of the Commision carefully will have ; observed that it comments upon Port land's failure to intervene or partici pate in the Astoria case, although 'Portland was presumably aware of the pendency of the contest. The :C'ommission anticipates that it was the expectation of Portland, in case of a reduction of the Astoria rates to a "parity with Puget Sound's, to call at tention to its closer proximity by 100 miles to the Inland Empire and assert a claim to rates lower than either Astoria's or Puget Sound's. One sentence in the order, taken it lone, seems to imply a more or less fpen mind as to the justice of this anticipated claim. "A reduction in the Portland rate, to and from the Inland Empire," says the Commission, "does not necessarily follow as an inevitable consequence of a reduction in the Astoria rates to the basis of the Seattle and Tacoma rates." But taken in connection with what follows this rxpression seems to have been merely preliminary to a discussion of that is bue and to the conclusion that Port land should remain on a common rate basis with Puget Sound ports and As toria: A little farther along in the .order we find this definite ruling: Tt is clear that the carriers in their pres ent rate adjustment unduly discriminate Iscainnt Astoria and unduly prefer the Puiret round ports. We also conclude and find Trnm the records that""thcre La such a rela ! tionshlp between Seattle, Tacoma. Astoria iid Portland as to require them to be con ' tklertd as forming; more or less of a natural rate proup with respect to much of the laffic . la question. ' : It is not the purpose of The Ore ;gonian to accept this as a conclusive finding or as one wholly discouraging ,n attempt to obtain a reduction of Railroad rates to and from Portland. .The ruling is based on inaccurate premises. The Interstate ' Commerce Commission assumes that the rates to and from Puget Sound were made to meet the rates to and from Portland, jegulated in the latter case by water grade and close proximity to the In land Empire. The rates to and from "Portland were first established be cause Portland was the first North west port to obtain rail connection. These rates may have governed the irates on the Northern railroads when ihey were first opened to traffic, but iin later years the reasonableness of rates charged on the Northern roads lias been the basis for rate-making to and from Portland. The Washington State Railroad Commission was the first public body to inquire into the reasonableness of grain rates from the interior to the -oast. After an exhaustive hearing nd investigation it ordered a reduc tion in intra-state rates on the ground of their unreasonableness. The Com (mission also ordered establishment of joint rates between competing lines. Reduction in grain rates to Portland to the level of the Puget Sound rates followed as a matter of protection to the railroads serving Portland and also as a protection to the shippers to .this port. ; The basis of grain rates from the interior to Puget Sound is, conclusively, their reasonableness, in defining whieh u longer distance and transmountain transportation are taken into consid eration. They are not rates compelled by competition wtih Portland's water grade and shorter haul. The contrary may have appeared in the record as submitted in the Astoria case, but if so, the fact that it went in unchal lenged is due to failure of Portland to participate in the controversy. It ought still to be subject to correction. Once it is corrected one of the chief props that hold up the Commission's ruling in respect to Portland rates is knocked down. There remains little to support' it other than the wholly arbitrary assertion that Portland is n a natural rate group with Puget Sound ports andVAstoria. Those who have forecast nothing but benefits from Astoria's success have failed to take into account one condition. The rate structure Is a row of bricks. Topple one brick over and It carries down many others. Natur ally the Interstate Commerce Commis sion is farseeing enough to foretell at least approximately the larger conse quences of any order it may enter. It will avoid if it can the leveling of the whole row if that result threatens to put the Commission into deeper en tanglements. It has apparently en deavored to forestall an action that would cause it future trouble. But Portland has chosen its road. It is too late to turn back And let It not be forgotten that if that road leads to a stone wall there is still a means at hand to gain the advantages that are rightfully Portland's by reason of its location. The Columbia River can be. made to wash away any barrier that the Commission orders or railroad tariffs erect ahead of its march to greater progress and greater pros perity. ' WHO BLOTTED OCR HONOR? The Colombian treaty is defended by the New York World as removing "the only blot on the National honor within the lifetime of this generation.". The grievance of Colombia consists only in the fact that President Roose velt maintained free transit across the Isthmus of Panama in 1903 in pre cisely the same manner as President Cleveland maintained it in 1885 and in strict conformity with the treaty with Colombia as construed by Cleve - land Panama, an independent state which had been subjugated by mili tary force, regained its Independence The United States recognized it as a sovereign state and made a canal treaty with it, ignoring the expelled conqueror, Colombia, in the transac tion. That is the extent of our offense. Panama revolted In order to regain the rights which had been guaranteed when it entered the Colombian con federation in 1861. That agreement reserved its sovereignty, its autonomy, freedom from military occupation without its consent and enjoyment of its own revenue. In 1885 a military dictator forcibly transformed the fed eral union -of Colombia into a central ized republic, violated this agreement in every particular and provided that "the department of Panama shall be I subject to the direct authority or tne government and shall be administered in accordance with special laws." In 1903 Panama threw tiff this oppress ive foreign yoke and regained its in dependence. For recognizing this republic it is proposed that the United States offer Colombia an, apology and $25,000,000, in order to remove "the blot on the National honor." The United States did not apologize to and compensate Spain for recognizing the independ ence of Cuba; why should we com pensate Colombia when that country suffered the penalty of its tyranny? The blot on American honor was put there, not "by President Roosevelt but by President Wilson when he permit ted Americans to be murdered in Mex ico without bringing the murderers to justice. IN THE INTEREST OF ALIENS. How hollow is the pretense that trie seamen s law was passed ior me benefit of American seamen is proved by the statistics of seamen who have received certificates of seamen who have received certificates under that law Of the total number passed, 9118, only 17 per cent are native-born Americans, 8 per cent naturalized Americans and 75 per cenare aliens. The American flag has been driven from trans-Pacific commerce in the pretended interest of a class three fourths of whom owe no allegiance to the United States and rely for protec tion of their rights orj foreign govern ments. The disparity between the number of American and alien seamen is still greater on the Pacific Coast than in the United States as a whole. Of sea men who received certificates at Puget Sound tl per cent are aliens and only 3 per cent Americans, native or nat uralized. For Portland the respective percentages are 70 and 24 and for San Francisco 75 and 25. At all three Pa cific CoiLst ports combined 81.3 per cent of the'seamen are aliens and only 18.7 per cent Americans. Even were the seamen's law bene ficial to the seamen, there would be slight obligation upon the United States to sacrifice its merchant marine in the Interest of a class three-fourths of whose members are aliens. Since the effect of the law is to substitute for American ships, paying high wages and affording good conditions of work as to food and everj-thinc else, Jap anese and other foreign ships, paying low wages and imposing more un favorable working conditions, the action of Congress in yielding to tho impertunities of the Seamen's Union, composed mainly of foreigners, seems little short of imbecile. ANNOYANCES OF ILIj BREEDING. Now that the subject has been "brought up somewhat forcibly by an exasperated musician, it is well to note that these temperamental artists are not the sole victims of a lack of con sideration at public- gatherings nor the only sufferers from ill-bred acts com mitted in public "places. What serious or cultivated person has not been (driven to the point of distraction by the vacuous chatter and idle commo tion going on about him in the most absorbing moment of a public per formance? Who has not had an even ing at the theater spoiled by the noisy comment and gossip in the seats just ahead or just behind? There are many varieties of these boorish disturbers of the peace of mind of audiences. Perhaps the worst of fender Is the clownish knave who persists in interjecting noisy comedy of his own making at the most se rious moment of a drama. In a popu lar election, conducted by well-bred persons, he might run a close second, however, to the feminine offender who gets launched upon some frivolous dis cussion between acts and continues to chatter after the play has been re sumed. No matter how great the ar tist, how majestic the composition or how rich the execution, there are those who will find something to say in an audible tone at the very moment when the thoughtful person seeks to give every bit of concentration tothe stage. A boor of even worse degree is found in the person who persists in whistling or humming an accompani ment to the orchestra at a symphony concert or even during the- celestial rendition of some masterpiece by an artist of renown. Such offenders against good tafete and the common rights of others ate common. It is next to impossible to attend a public performance without suffering at their hands, or rather at their mouths. The man who sneezes on the back of your neck is less of an annoyance because he is less common.' One may escape with one or two such experiences in a season. The spectacle of an artist stalking indignantly from the stage because of inattention is not a new one. There are few of our great musicians who have not done this. Some of our actors have rebuked offenders openly. Their powers of ar tistry may be impaired by such inter ruptions but the capacity for full ap preciation on the part of an inte'li "gent and responsive audience likewise is hampered. The hopeless aspect of it is that there is no use scolding. The offenders are not given to reading. Otherwise they would know better than to make nuisances of themselves. Perhaps the only solution is to .pro vide monitors in the theaters to sup press Jiie disturbers. If some eminent artist should insist upon such a serv ice at performances given by him the innovation should spread rapidly. CONFISCATING STATE TAXES. Land Commissioner Tallman.'s opin ion coinciding with that of Will R. King that states cannot lawfully tax public land until patent has been earned is clearly in accord withthe Supreme Court decisions which . he quotes. If the leasing bills were passed as they now read and if these decisions were strictly applied, there can be little doubt that the leased land would be held non-taxable. This conclusion is supported by the broad terms of Supreme Court de cisions in other cases that the states in which public lands are situated can in no wise - lawfully interiere wirn. msium or emoarrass ma vm States in the administration of the public land laws. These decisions, however, relate to taxation of homstead land prior to patent. In that case the interval be tween entry and patent is only five years, and the settler's rights lapse as soon as he ceases to occupy and im prove the land. It Is morally certain that the land will be patented and become taxable within a few years.. The law in that case has this result in view. But if power sites should be leased, the lessee would have acquired a definite right in the land for fifty years, a right far superior to the homesteader's right of occupancy until he becomes entitled to a patent. The law itself would be a declaration that the Government intended never to patent the land. - The Supreme Court might hold that the act of .admission prohibited each Western state to tax public land, no matter what disposal of it the Go- eminent might make other than ab solute alienation of title. In that case It would never become taxable, and Congress could by a system of long term leases grant all the essentials of ownership with the great advantage of exemption from state taxes. ' The rent which the Government could ob tain would then be enhanced by the amount of taxes which the lessee would escape. Thus the Government would in effect appropriate to itself the annual revenue which the states could otherwise justly collect in taxes. The injustice of such legislation is so monstrous that one would expect the sponsors of the leasing bills to hasten' forward with an amendment plainly declaring that public land should become taxable upon being leased. They refuse to do so. In con tradiction of the opinions we have quoted, they say leased public land would be taxable without further legislation. They propose merely to confirm whatever right of taxation the states may already have, that is, the right which "is in controversy be tween the states and the Interior De partment's lawyers. They can settle that controversy in accordance with their own contention and with justice. If their purpose is as fair as their words, they will do so.- If they con tinue to refuse, the states will be justi fied in resisting such outrageous laws by all conceivable means. BRITAIN'S COMING MAN. The one man above all 'others in Great Britain who has gained reputa tion through the war is David Lloyd George. This fact is strikingly illus trated by the fact that he has become the idol of the Conservatives without losing the confidence of the Radicals. A few months before the war he was excoriating the dukes on the platform; now the dukes can find nothing too good to say of him. Two years ago he was the particular target ot tne London Times' verbal assaults; now the Times acclaims him as the one Minister who has had the courage to tell the nation unpalatable truths and to acknowledge errors, as the one man who has the insight to see tnat ail me forces of the nation industrial and scientific as well as military and finan cial must be organized to win the war. He has forgotten all political differences, all the domesfic contro versies of which he was the stbrm center, in tho one supreme purpose to win. To him is mainly due the harmon izing in the national cause of those elements which two years -ago were ready to involve the three kingdoms in social revolution and Ireland in civil war.1 To the radical working man he has preached that the war is between the principles of democracy and military despotism, and that in ternal class contests must be deferred until this' issue is fought out. To the Irish the same argument appeals, re inforcing that of John Redmond that Ireland's interest in this case is iden tical with England's and that Ireland must stand by England for the further reason that she will thereby dis'prove the charge that home-rulers are dis loyal to the pritish Empire and that home rule is but a step toward inde pendence. He has won th co-operation of the manufacturers by his persistent and gradually successful efforts to over come labor's -dogged adherence to union rules a task in which probably no other man could have succeeded. He has put women and unskilled men to work beside union men, has con verted the country into a vast arsenal and has constantly speeded up the output of munitions to the point where it is confidently predicted that in a few months the allies' supply will ex ceed the Germans'. His work has won such unstinted praise in the army that the little daughter of a Tory General, home from the front, said on hearing her parents talk of him Jn a laudatory strain: "-Mother, is that the same Mr. Lloyd George you used to hate so?" He is now hailed By all parties as the great organizer for war, and is so -much talked of as a future Premier that he is accused of seeking to supplant Mr. Asquith, though no act or word of his has given cause for the suspicion". Mr. Lloyd George's success is the more remarkable because he is one of those lawyer-politicians whom H. G. Wells and other critics chiefly blame for the allies' egregious blunders and unreadiness. It has been said that lawyer-politicians are responsible for the democracy's inefficiency in peace, and that in war they have led it to the brink of destruction; that they may be merely irritating in peace, but that in war they are exasperating through their elocution in place of action, their flattery, wire-pulling, logrolling, com promise and above all procrastination, all of which may sperl irretrievable disaster. There has been a cry for a soldier or a successful business man or a scientist to lead the Efltish nation in war. But these types of men also have their weaknesses. A soldier's reliance on force without regard to other con siderations than immediate military success migiht have drawn the United Dt.fu ' Afl.n naiifpglc Into WflT against Britain. Supremacy ' of the military power in uermany causeu uu invasion of Belgium,- which arrayed Britain against the Teutopr ind cause'd the submarine campaign, which might have caused a breach with the United States. Civil control is needed to check the soldier's propensity to ignore everything but force. The business man is apt to look at public affairs from the narrow viewpoint of his own class, as when that class demanded barbarous reprisals for Zeppelin raids and clamors for destruction of German commerce after the war, and opposed prohibition and other efficiency meas ures, or as when during the Spanish war seaboard cities demanded that the Navy be scattered for their protection. The labor leader would be apt to take an equally narrow, class view of his duties, while the scientist is better qualified to work out problems in the laboratory than to apply them in the stress of war. Government in a . democracy con sists as "much in harmonizing con flicts of class and interest, so that action may Je possible, as in the preparation and administration of the measures in which that action takes form. To a certain degree the classes must be organized for teamwork. A member of one class Is not as well qualified" for this work as is one who approaches it from the outside, for he is less capable of adopting the view point of another class and, if he were, he would lack the conHdence'of other classes. Success in this organization of classes into a team is most likely of attainment by those arts in which the lawyer-politician excels and there fore by a man of that class. If such a man can recognize his own limita tions and can be the one who sees the essentials of problem, who has the Kdriving force to get his ideas adopted, while he leaves to others the details of working out the problem and putting in practice the idea, he will succeed. Mr. Lloyd George gives promise of being that type of man. Upon him may fall the task of reor ganizing that nation for peace after having organized it for war. By and by the state will fix the age at which a man shall marry. Then there will not be such unfortunate incidents as that of the boy of 18 who committed x suicide because his sweetheart's mother objected to the ceremony while he was earning $S a. week. In this case the boy lacked the stamina that would have made him a good husband when older. Very likely he did not know that a man never marries his first love and is all the better for it the rest of his life. The girl's mother was right. She has been scraping the bottom of the flour bin, and no mother wants her daughter to have that experience. Voters must heed the advice of Sec retary of State Olcott and register at once. Very little time is consumed possibly a wait of five minutes in line. The "operation" is simple and easy. People are asked the names of both parents and city, county and state of birth, which may tax the knowledge a trifle. "Simple spelling" is at best a fad and will benefit nobody but the poor spellers, whose faults shine brightly in these days of typewriters, for each can have his own style of doing it phonetically. The University of Ore gon can find better business than tin kering with the work of Noah weD ster. . It is difficult to sympathize with the British cartoonist who was heavily fined for ridiculing Tommy Atkins. The British soldier may have his shortcomings, but he is fighting brave ly under adverse conditions which the British public created. A heavy deficit occurred in the Chi cago grand opera season. But grand opera deficits are expected and the public-spirited subscribers make up the necessary balances cheerfully. One day grand opera will be self-support ing in America, w-e hope. r.ruv to relieve, a national strin gency of funds, may take over a per centage of the salaries or an omciaia. Great idea! Why not try it upon those Vatinnai office-holders who have rolled up our own debts and decreased our Income? After waiting with more or less pa tience for fifteen years, an Alaska' pioneer is about to sell a copper mine for $50,000. He is fortunate. Many on viavA heen waiting more than fif teen years and. cannot see fifty thou sand cents. Fortpml relief is due the many thou. sands of colored people, flood bound in the Lower Mississippi valley. neir misfortune is not due to lack of thrift, and aid should be speedily rendered. Tntnn,itir nf thn tonff trouble Is shown by the amount of collateral $70,000 put up for release on Dan oi an alleged, gunman. Keep away from the Chinese district. Again has a Holsteln broken the world's record for butter in a week. The Jersey always will be the family butter cow, however, for the black-and-white animal is a wholesaler. s0!tti, vns the score by giving, a long penitentiary sentence to the Jap anese druggist who (sold the wood alcohol that killed a white man. For a country not at war this Na tion is hard put for schemes to raise money for expenses. "Tariff for reve nue" is the keynote of "bunk." An Italian who loses his deposit in the failure of a bank owned by a countryman reverts to the primitive in brooding over his loss. Woman's screams continue to be the best burglar alarm. It's a pretty bold yeggman who does not stampede when they-begln. Tf ever thn one-man streetcar gets into Portland it will require a deaf and dumb motorman under the pres ent law. Washington shingle mills are re suming operations despite the in creased trade in patent roofings. - Thp Marcola lad who swallowed quicksilver has the making of a good local forecaster. The Russians have captured - Mush and will discuss the rest of the bill of fire later. The Willamette is beginning early to take toll of lives. Powdered "booze" does not go in Oregon. ' How to Keep Well Br Dr. A. Kvans. Wet Brain. Thes man who takes a social drink should know of a new danger that lies in store for him. It is wet brain. He has probably heard that drink lowers the moral tone, that it weakens resist ance, that if he indulges presently he will be unable to resist, that it makes his judgment poor, and that, finally, he develops delirium tremens. De lirium tremens was the veil beyond which nothing lay. Drs. Sceleth and Beifeld now come forward with the warning that beyond delirium tremens lies Vet brain and that only one man in four attacked by wet brain recovers. And Drs. Sceleth and Beifeld ought to know, for the former has been physician to the bride well for many years and he has cared for about 2500 drunks a year during all of that time. A great many of these iin.in iai delirium tremens. Uluuno Hi ' - - " - Many of them have had wet brain. onq autnnav hast heen made on them ing rtl LCI a j.i .1 1. uu... - - whisky for seven years he becomes suhiect to delirium tremens, j. u intend to use space describing deliriu 1UICUU t,J woo jn.vi. . ( i tremens, for many have had the mon- m ircuiua, mi uiauj - - -- keys, and practically all the remamd . .. minlfAtl TTln nave seen one ur yiuio -- women fighting off the demons which haunt people with the D. T.'s. For a while before D. T.'s develop the i . . i ; . .1. J .. rt- nnt ni All. Dur- naker cava " - ing the attack of D. T.'s he does not eat. As the wild delirium or tne u. i. passes off the long continued heavy drinker is liable to develop symptoms of wet brain. Delirium tremens lasts from three to eight days. Somewhere between 10 and 15 per cent of people with delirium tre mens develop wet brain. The man lies i o ,.; cinnnr Mia pvps are closed. He mutters meaningless. Questions are not answered. He Jias delusions nun hallucinations, but he is not wildly afraid of his visions as in deiirium tre mens. He may swallow food, water, and medicine, but he does so without rousing. His muscles are stiff. In some cases the neck is so stiff thai meningitis is suspected. The patient may be limp in mind, but his muscles are not limp. His skin is very sensi tive. Pinching causes the patient to frown and draw the pinched arm away, but he does not wake up. In the qondition of stupor, similar to what the old-time "beople called the ty phoid state, the man lies from two to 12 weeks, if he does not die from pneumonia or some other disease in the meanwhile. Seventy-five per cent of those who develop wet brain die, many from pneumonia, some from Bright's disease, and some from other condi tions. Every drink is a mixed drink. There are no other kinds. When a man takes a drink,, however simple it may be. ho mixes in some degeneration of his nerve cells, some chance of delirium tremens, and a few other ingredients. Let him understand that he also pours into the glass about one finger of wet brain. Contracting; Pyorrhoea. Mrs. L. A. writes: ."I never fall to read your articles and interesting' an swers and always notice you are not afraid to speak the truth. "I was dumfounded this morning when I went to the dentist to have him tell me I had pyorrhoe.. Have al ways taken care of my teeth.- Have neglected one tooth the last few years on account of not recovering rapidly from an operation; could this be .the Miiao nt- fonlrl I have causht it from my husband, who neglects his teeth, and they are very bad? Seems I have read that the only cure is to reinovu mr teeth. As I am a little past 33 and only lost a few, I hate to lose thera. ,If this is true, by treating the gums and fill ing teeth, how long will they last? 'Hope you will answer soon and tell me more about it and what to do. You will never know how thankful I am." REPLY. It is almost impossible to tell where pyor rhoea start or from what. The moat im portant thinB 1 to secure a complete cure, even If you have to sacrifice your teeth. No two cafes Ret well in the same lensta of time. He sure you go to a competent dentist, and then do Just as he says. For the remainder of your life keep Hose watch of the condition of your gums. Vse thought and will power in daily life. Proper exer cise, diet, and rest will hasten the cure very greatly. Incufnal Hernia. E.H. H. writes: "I wish to ask your opinion concerning my 3 months' old boy baby, who has an inguinal and um bilical hernia. He has quite a good deal of trouble with the inguinal hernia. It seems to become strangulate,d. Would it be practical to operate at this age?" REPLY. It Is practicable to operate on a haby 3 months old. If you are riBht in your opinion that the hernias Ket cauKht In the sac and do not slip back readily, operation should !,e done. In manv cases hernia can be held back bv binders, but this is not easy with an inguinal hernia In a squlrminK baby. RIGHTS OF THE FOREIGVBORX Principles Governing Status of Nat uralized Citizens In Knrope. PORTLAND, Feb. 20. To the Edi tor.) (1) If I am a naturalized Amer ican of German birth and of military age and should return now to Germany, can the German government, by law or custom of theirs, force me to do mili tary service for my fatherland? (2) If so, would the same law or cus tom apply to a son of mine born here either before or after I took out nat uralization papers? (3) Has France or England such a law or custom? (4) If so, in what way did such a law or custom affect the relations of Eng land and the United States about 1812? B. L. ,(1) If he came to tho United States before he became - liable to mllitary service in Germany, his naturalization would protect him from being com pelled to serve. If he emigrated after attaining military age or in order to evade military sgrce, he may be com pelled to serve on returning to Ger many and may be punished for the evasion. (2) No. (3) The same statements apply to British subjects, but not to French citizens, i France maintains that a man born a Frenchman is always a French man and that his children are French, though he may have been naturalized in a foreign country; hence both father and son are liable to military service in France. Though it is French law, it oiwava Rtrintlv enforced, if a is naturalized citizen protests and in vokes the aid of the' State Department. (4) One cause of the war of 1812 wa3 Great Britain's refusal to recog nize the right of its subjects to re nounce their allegiance and to become citizensof the United States. Persons of British birth who had been natural ized were forcibly taken from American ships and compelled, to serve on British ships. Imports of Batter. SHEDDS. Or., Feb. 19. (To the Edi tor.) Please tell me how much butter fat Is imported yearly 'to the United States. LESTER H. JACOBS. i The imports of butter and butter substitutes for the past four years were as follows: Pounds. Val-ie. 1915 J-ll4I.r,S -1-16.-T-1 inil 7,1'Oo.Ot;!) 1. (170,522 51- 3.72B.4-17 811,712 1912 S75.8.;.T 2oj,804 The large Imports for 1914 were due largely to shipments received from Australia, POINT "OT IX ISSl E DECIDED. Interstate Commission Roles The Orec;onian Predicted in 1014. - Following the Astoria rate hearing The Oregonlan published an editorial in which the prediction was made that the Interstate Commerde Commission wouid either deny Astoria's petition or grant it and include Portland in the same rate group. The Commission has now granted the AstoKa prayer and has sought to determine Portland's rate po sition although that was not in issue in the case. In the light of results, the following from The Oregonlan, pub lished July 16, 1914, is deemed worth reproducing: If the decision by the Interstate Commerce Commission accords with the strict letter of Astoria's application. Astoria will have the same rates as Puget Sound. It will fol low almost without question that Portland will then have acquired a basis on which to demand and obtain lower rates than elthr Puset Sound or Astoria. Portland has every reason to hope that the decision may be so worded, but hope and expectations are not one and the same. The outcome of the latter order la obvious. If the northern raiiroaJs made the rate to PiiE-pt sound the'same as the new rate to Portland, they would automatiaally reduce Astoria's rate and in turn reduce Portland' rate, leavine the relative positions of the several ports the same. Portland would, thus having; an unassailable lower rate than any rival, ultimately Ket all the traffic from the competitive territory. But this possible result. It Is reasonable U suppose, will be considered by the Commls sion. Volume of traffic affects the cost ot haul. The mountainous railroad with a heavy traffic may find its cost of operation per average train lower than the water grade road with light traffic. Just now the mountainous northern railroads have a greater volume of traffic than the water grade Columbia Valley, roads. A lower rate on the latter would doubtless Increase the traffic of the water-grade route to the further loss of the northern railroads. Tho ability of water-grade roads to reduce rates without Impalrmt-nt of profit would Increase progressively, while the ability of the north ern roads to handle traffic at the ratea now in force would diminish progressively. The potential effects of the Astoria rate ou traffic and railroad securities and upon the prosperity of localities are enormous. It is likely that not only the earning power or the northern raluroads, but the probable re sults to shippers who do not have access to the water-grade railroads will be considered by the Commission. ' Two elements now prevent both Astoria and Portland from acquiring the full benefits of the water grade. One Is the ensting method of fixing railroad rales which takes small or no account of the cost of haul and the other is the lack of water competition. Wo think water competition is nearer than If reformation of ratcmaklng. What tne Interstate Commerce Commission may seek to avoid In making rate orders, the opening of the Olilo Canal and the encouragement of river transportation will forcibly accom plish The Oregonian expects to see the day when both Astoria and l'ortland shall have lower rates than Puget Sound, at least on grains and other bulk freights. It Astoria obtains terminal rales. It i altogether probable that the Commission will see to It that the order puts Portland on the same plane as Asloria and Puget Sound. As heretofore observed, w hat Is Astoria gain will lhn be Portland's loss, for Astoria will get no new business except that n'"n otherwise would have been Portlands. 1 no last is a plain statement of fact, not an ar gument against Astoria's petition. NO MORE OF ROOSEVELT FOR HIM Candidate Must Be True Blue Repub lican or "All of t's'for Wilson. PORTLAND, Fc-b. 20. (To the Edi tor.) I heartily indorse tlio senti ments of W. G. Young, published in The Oregonian February IS, as to the unfitness of Theodore Roosevelt as a Republican standard - bearer. Surely, out of a population of over 100,000,000 people the party can find for President a capable, deserving, available, true Republican, and one worthy of the name. I have not been voting for President as long by several years as has Mr. Young, but, like him, I have never voted for other than a Repub lican for President, with the possible exception of when I cast my vote for Roosevelt. There is not one good rea son why he should ever asitin bo rt-cos-nized as a Republican, but, on tho con trary, many why he should not. and his nomination as such will insure another Wildon Administration. Real Republicans will not stand for Roose velt after his selfish bolt of l'J12. even as a compromise, and why should they? He has already indirectly compromised us 'all far too greatly. I have never favored Bryan, nor , t , : n,.nt with him from nave i uecu nm " . ... - -- any standpoint, but as a Democrat he is certainly neaa nu bhuuiu'-i Koo.sevelt as a Republican. Then, too, compare the men as to greatness; the one sidestepped the perpetual, as it were, desire of his life, doubtful of his own ability to win, and. seeing an i j... v,;a ntiplv Irk nfiwer. opportunity iu jjia.t ". H"- - , J, named a compromise candidate in tils party and personally gave iv his election. What of the other, who had already enjoyed the honor Bryan . 1 . . ,1 , V. nranlPUt COTl- SO 10n L'UVflCU sideration within the gift of his party, when told that his stand spelled Re publican, defeat and that we must name a compromise cnmuiic; ---' tude and appreciation was evidenced in his reply, "I'll name the compromise candidate; he will be me." In other words, I'll rule or ruin; selfish, ambi tion placed before party fealty. There is not the slightest doubt but that Roosevelt firmly believed he could make new history by starting a new party and being made President by de feating all other candidates collective ly regardless of the old-established parties. He did just not! And we are enjoying (?) a Democratic Admui- .. .. A a u rourn rfl for lstranon tus i ' " ' -- y , this Roosevelt may deserve the Iron cross or the glassy stare, but, surely, not another Republican nomination for President. If measured by selfishness . j i f rrvaotnnn l?nnseVlt as a Biaiiuaiu i j,.-- . .L has Bryan outclassed, even though the latter should become rreiuuu Hun dreds of thousands of voters feel as I do and Roosevelt's nomination simply means another Democratic victory. It !s of infinite moment that a true blue Republican become our standard bearer or all of us for Wilson as the lesser eviV A. L. MacLLOD. Increase In Land Valncs. L.A GRANDE, Or., Feb. 20. (To the Editor.) To settle a dispute, will you kindly publish in your columns the value of vacant property at Tent'i to Fourteenth streets, on Washington street, 10 years ago and today? Of course there is no vacant property there today, but I desire the value of the lots without the improvem O. H. C - The inquiry apparently relates to the value of land fronting on Washington street on its north and south sides and 100 feet deep, and extending from the west line of Tenth to the east line of Fourteenth. Such land was assessed, without improvements, at f "".000 in 1906, and $2,296,000 in U915, the year of the last assessment. Its actual value would be $1,450,000 in 1906 and $3,061. 000 in 1915, when based on the relative dffferences in those years of tax and true values on business property in general. . Fine Class Record. PORTLAND, Feb. 20. (To the Ed itor.) Three years ago there were 38 children in the sixth grade at the Fail ing School. Miss Kate Porter was their teacher. As the grade advanced Miss Porter was advanced with them and has been with them for the entire three years, according to the plan ot rotating teachers now practiced in the Portland schools. The class graduated the other day with 38 pupils, one hav ing dropped out and another having come . in. A happier class you never saw. Every one of them Is now in hi"-h" school. School was real to every one of these pupils. They are making sacritices to fit themselves for real life. CITIZEN. In Other Days. Twenty-five Years Abo. From The Oregonlan of Keb. 21. 31' I. P. R. Whitney, claim agent for the Southern Pacific Company, Is very ill at his residence, 3i Eighth street. A committee of the Grand Army of the Republic, having in cliargo the arranging for the memorial exercises in memory of the late !eneral Sher man, have arranged to hold the samo in Grace Methodist Church, corner of Tenth and Taylor streets, on Sunday evening next, at 7:l0. Dr. Houghton and George II. Williams have kindly consented to speak. The Oregon Improvement Company's coal mine at Newcastle is putting out about 18.000 tons per month. The Terminal Company has let a contract to the Oregon Paving & Con tract Company for the improvement of G street from North Front to Third street, by macadamizing. The pipe foundry of the Oregon Iron & Steel Company at Oswego is running full blast on water pipe and "spe cials," and is turning out 2u tons per day . and also three tons of snsh weights. Mrs. S. M. Kern, president of tho Baby Home, has made a public appeal for blankets, flannel for infants' cloth ing, table linen and towels. If. C. Rreedon. of the well-known firm of Forbes & Rrceden, is back from r six weeks' business trip through the East. Half a Century Abu. From The Csccgonlau of February -1, The executor of .Abraham Lincoln's estate reports that Lincoln left about $85,000, $75,000 ol which Is in 5-2H stocks, lie left about $4000 worth of real estate in Springfield. Elwood Evans, secretary of Wash ington Territory, is nt present in tho city. The semi-annual examination at tho School Belli Israel will ttiko plr lo day and continue through tomorrow. Tho friends and guardians of tho pupils are Invited to attend. Yesterday a farmer appeared on tin streets of tho city with u wagon said to be the first one ever built In Oregon. The end-gale bore the maker's nam and the date 1S49. A number of Portland firemen, ac companied by Chief Engineer Young, yesterday paid a visit to Ynnconvcr l witness the first trial of the new n glne imported for the uso of the l!o -ernment troops ul thut post. Our readers will remember (he leriure this evening at the .Methodist Chui'ih hy Dr. ltcnson. His subject is "The War The Evil and the. Good." The theme Is Important and will be han dled in a dispassionate way. In 165.1 there were 4011, 7S4 Indians i" the Vnited Slates nnd territories. In 1S56 tho number w:s rstlninted at but. 307,800. of which number 111, 500 wero warriors. HAW aiijiem i:s l)iin'im:oi s Admonitions to He Polite ueserd as Result of I. Ind Incident. PORTf.ASl), Feb. '.'O.tTo the Ed itor.) livery music lover in the City of Portland should stud to YViildemiir Lind a voto of thanks for the display of couriiRO shown by him nt the music; recital Monday afternoon in Ihe par lors of the Portland Hotel, when ho re fused to continue an encore owing to tho discourtesy on tho part ot some of his audience. It is indeed hard to nn arllst. with out mentioning the net of discourtesy, to have interruptions occur and mar the pleasure of those appreciating mu sic and tho atmosphere with which t'ley are surrounded. Mr. I.lntl showed 'nre judgment and his ionise lonvr ago should have been adopted by uiuiiy more of our artlsls. Along the subject of Interference It would be a rare treat if tho managers of our theaters could In some way bring to tho attention of the. audiences the fact that there are present others who do enjoy certain numbers nnd cer tain parts of plays. The Idea seems to be in the minds of a majority of the people who attend conceits and thea ters that they Hie on the same par with picture houses where the audience can talk nt will and pleasure. In near ly every theater In the city there has been installed a lantern of some kind. Would it not be a good sug Jestlon to have the theatrical managers advise their patrons hy use of these machines that they should kindly consider thu feelings of their neighbors and lot them enjoy the performance with com fort. -Jit'1- v- M- K IKK. WOOD. Authorship Freely IXahllsbed. ASTORIA. Or.. Feb. 19. (To the Ed itor.) The writer bus noted with in terest the discussion in The Ore:-onl:in of the authorship of the poem variously entitled "The Slieepfold." "IV Sheep fol' Lin" and "Do Alassa ob do Sheep fol'." When beautiful fugitive verses urn given to the world, it Is. pcih.ips. im material -who tuny nave pennen .r.e lines, but since the question as to the author of these pailicuhir lines has arisen, it might be wejl to definitely settle it. Glenn N. Ranek's interesting letter last Sunday names the real author, hut leaves some doubt as to finality. Tho late Edmund Clarence St.-dmnii was doubtless us high an authorlty upon American verse and the author ship thereof bs has lived In this coun try. In his "An Amerlcun Anthology" (1900) this poem occurs, together wu.li the following brief biographical tkctch of Its author: Sarah l'ratt (Mcl.erin) Greene; horn slmp hurv. Conn.. ls.Vs K.lucsted at " " k ' Macs. Taught school near Plymouth .Mass.. where she ohtamcd the material for her "Cape Cod FoIks." ISM. M,, was u,ar.1e,l to y I.. (Sreene and removed to the si. Since his death she has resided In N. Koa la nd. Amonir her books aru low head. 1SN4, enntalnlnr her hot-known poem Do Sliecpfol' ".Laat Chance Juuollen. issj. She (fond of ragtime) Now that you have looked over my music, what would you like to hiiyo me play? He Whist or casino. Boston Tran script. Paying the Other Man's Bills Sometimes you sec la a store, window a sign liko this: WE DON'T ADVERTISE. ': : HENCE OUR : : LOW PRICES. : Of course, the sign is advertis ing and If the low prices ore true, they, too, are advertising. But generally the low - are not. As a matter of fuct. this store Is helping to pay the bills for the merchants who do advertise. It pays them by losing trade, lowering volume of business, and increasing overhead. - While the advertising stores, by increasing volume, are cutting their percentage of fixed charges to a healthy and profitable basis.