Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, April 26, 1916, Page 10, Image 10

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    10
tuts ?TonxT oritgontatt. Wednesday, aprii. sg. ioig.
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POKTLA.ND, EIN'rSIAY, APRIL 26,
BI.IM)LY OOIX; INTO DANGER.
Pome persons say that the American
people are calmly facing the danger
of war with Germany. This so-called
calmness is rather indifference of
those -who will not seriously view a.
National crisis or the confidence of
those who are ignorant of the lessons
taught by their own country's his
tory. We have been confronting this
danger for over a year, but no prepara
tion has been made to meet it- e
have no more trained soldiers than
we had a year ago, and our mobile
Armv is no larger than that with
which General Smuts has undertaken
the very minor campaign in German
Fast Africa.
If war were to break out, our main
reliance would be. as before, on the
militia and on raw volunteers. His
tory tells us what a broken reed are
such forces for a nation to lean on.
This is not the history of the schools.
which expatiates on our victories but
ignores or passes lightly over our de
feats: it is the history written by men
who do not shun unpleasant and even
shameful truths and who point out
the errors of the past as a warning
for the present and the future. Our
wars have been prolonged and their
cost in blood and money has been
prodigiously increased by our refusal
to prepare for them and by our habit
of attempting to fight them with an
Improvised army devoid of training or
discipline.
Tn "The Fundamentals of Military
Service," Captain Lincoln C. Andrews,
IT. S. A., tells us these unpalatble
truths about the Revolutionary War:
Instead of our patriot fathers flocking to
the standard, it was only with the greatest
pains that Washington's pathetically small
army was kept recruited at all.
That desertions were wholesale, and
5:s'-lpline often practically nil.
That bounties, greater and greater, had
to h paid to get the men to enlist.
That short-term enlistments kept the per
sonnel constantly changing and the ranks
marie tip of untrained soldiers, and not In
frequently resulted on the very eve of battle
In the disintegration of large parts of the
army through expiration of their, terms of
enlistment.
That the revolutionary armies were mostly
inefficient, and often incapable of sustained
as-gc-ssive campaign. Just when the oppor
tunities therefor offered themselves.
That while nearly 400,oim enlisted men
p:is?-ed through the ranks. Washington never
bad at one time 30.0OO effectives.
And that in the end the decisive victory
of Yorktown was made possible only by
the timely presence of the French fleet.
In the war of 1812 we employed a
tot.il of 576,62 men to oppose a total
of 55,000 British and Canadian troops.
The greatest British force employed
in any on year of that war was 16,500
men, while the greatest American
force in any year was 235,833 men.
Yet Andrews sums up the result by
Baying:
W were benten and humiliated at every
frurn. I-ark of organization, of discipline
and of trained leadership msde our armies
pathetic abjects and ended by allowing a
small raiding- force of British to penetrate
to Washington and rase our rapitol "while
the fleeing President and hLs Cabinet looked-b-k
from the hills of Maryland and Virginia
upon the ruin their incompetence had
wrought."
The reason was that the small Brit
ish force was well trained and dis
ciplined and was under the absolute
control of the government and of its
commanders, while our troops had all
of the same weaknesses which con
stantly beset Washington a generation
earlier and owned allegiance only to
their states instead of to the Federal
Government. . -
The result was that our troops were
constantly defeated by armies greatly
inferior in number but vastly superior
in training and equipment. When
General Van Rensselaer crossed the
Niagara River on October 12, 1812.
to attack Queenstown Heights with
900 regulars and 300 militia he cap
tured the British positions, but 2000
militia refused to cross tne river,
standing on their constitutional right
not to be sent out of the United States.
In consequence the American Army
was defeated after the British had
been reinforced, and every American
w as killed, wounded or captured.
Even more disgraceful to American
arms and more instructive as to the
inefficiency of untrained militia was
the so-called battle of Blauensburg on
August 24, 1814, in which 5401
Americans were routed at the
first attack by 3500 British, of
whom only 1500 were' actually en
gaged. The American army was com
posed chiefly of hasty drafts of militia
from neighboring states, only 1000 be
ing regulars.
Our next foreign war was that
against Mexico, an inferior foe. Our
success was due to the fact that we
bad a larger proportion of regular
troops than in previous wars and that
the volunteers had undergone long
and severe training under veteran of
ficers. I'pton says of the army with
which Taylor won the victories of
Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma:
F" .tir-f ifths of liis officers hsd received trie
bn-f.ts of profesaional training at the
Miiiinry A'-ademy or in the Florida war.
Hcior:'! this he was conscious that the dls-ciplint-
and esprit de corps of his troops
hsd been broiiKiit to the highest point by
s-.x months of training in the camp of
Instruction.
The first battle of Bull Run, in the
Civil War, on the other hand, was
fought almost entirely by raw, un
trained, volunteer troops, and it caused
even more confusion among the vic
torious Confederates than among the
routed Federals. Professor R. M
Johnston says in "'Bull Run, Its Strat
egy and Tactics":
Bull Ron was a lamentable illustration
of the awful calamities invariably attend
ing: cations that lack or neglect an army.
. . . It wis the military feebleness of the
l'nited States that made this atrocious war
Inevitable and so extraordinary an operation
as that of Bull Kun poslbe. Had the
eountry possessed s regular force of no
more than 1A0.0OO men the Southern cities
w-otrld have been at once occupied and no
rising could have occurred.
Volunteers enlisted for three months
were marched to Bull Run after less
than that period of training under in
competent officers selected from po
litical considerations or elected by their
men.
.McDowell's Ucion Army consisted
of 29,000 men. all except 800 of whom
were raw volunteers, but only 18.000
were actually engaged. The Confed
erate Army was of about the same
size and quality.
At the first fire many of the Union
volunteers broke and ran. keeping up
a desultory fire over (their comrades'
heads, but Johnston says:
Sykes' battalion of regulars came bravely
and steadily up amon:? the broken regi
ment towards chlnn's Mill, but nothing now
could serve t rally the broken army.
Hvkes regulars, however, kept bis forma
tion and left the. field in good order, with
the i,upport of Arnold's battery.
The t'onrederale army was more demoral
ized by victory than that o the United
htates by defeaC
These being the facts of history,
only ignorance could have prompted
a recent Grange convention at Oak
land, Cal., to denounce regular sol
diers as parasites and to say that at
the first Bull Run battle regulars were
whipped by volunteers. We are going
blindly forward to repeatthe blunders
of the past in spite of the warnings of
our greatest statesmen and soldiers
from Washington .down to our own
time and of the daily events of the
war.
AOAINeST HIS WII.I..
The Supreme Court of Oregon has
confirmed its oral opinion that Charles
E. Hughes is a candidate for President
by filing a formal ruling ordering his
name to be placed on the Presidential
primary ballot- The essence of the
decision appears to be that the sover
eign people have a right to make any
citizen a candidate for President, wil
ly nilly. The decision of Supreme
Justice Hughes is therefore overruled
by the Oregon court. Opinion by Mc
Bride, J.
We acquit the learned Judges of any
purpose to be humorous at the ex
pense of the primary law of Oregon.
But it Is difficult to accept with
gravity the conclusion that under'the
primary the office seeks the man. In
all the direct'primary history of Ore
gon, with its notorious fcord for giv
ing an open opportunity for the any
bodies, everybodies and nobodies to
enter at their own invitation not the
public's the indecent annual, or bi
ennial, scramble for the Jobs, the -case
of Judge Hughes stands practically
alone as the only candidacy which was
not self-elected. Not even the wicked
assembly was able to change the com.
mon rule.
BRAINS AND KSOnXEDCE.
The Oregonian reprints from its
excellent neighbor, the New-berg
Graphic, the following authentic tale
of the business adventure of a young
man who sought his fortune in Port
land :
We caK to mind an Instance ef a young
man -who boughs a typewriter and began
practice with a view to securing m. position
in an office in Portland. ills penmanship
was poor and he was advised to take i
course in penmanship and enter on a thor
iiuati practice w-ith the pen, along with his
work on the typewriter, but he Insisted that
this wui not necessary, as his work would
be on the machine, and further, when he
was told that -the chances were that he
would be called upon to show a specimen of
his handwriting when he applied tor a posi
tion, he still decided to take the risk.
A Portland friend of his told hlra of a
railroad ticket office that wes being opened
in the city where an office man with a
machine was wanted. He applied for the
place at once, and was asked to make a
formal application for the position by letter
written with pen, which he did, when he
was at once, in formed that his penmanship
would not do and be was turned down.
Poor permanship is not necessarily
a sign of Illiteracy, of course, as has
been a thousand times proved. But it
is .a heavy handicap nevertheless, even
to the man or woman who aspires to
be more than a clerk or stenographer.
The fundamentals of sound educa
tion are still what they were when
our parents went to school and be
fore. Thev are Readin'. 'Ritin' and
'Rithmetic, and no ' mechanical device
ever invented to make labor easier
will take the place either of brains
or knowledge.
THE SHAKESPEAREAN MOBILIZATION.
Who could have foreseen that
Shakespeare's tercentenary was' going
to add to the world's turbulence? As
that literary event loomed near the
country turned to it for surcease from
the round of battles and diplomatic
notes. Here was something to appeal
to the esthetic nature of man. Here
were food and drink for the war-hun
gry neutral world. But the advent
has come nearer to precipitating real
trouble in the land than any half-
dozen notes from the hard-used Presi
dential typewriter. The country is
slowly forming in two great hostile
camps. Club women and debating so
cieties the country over are mobilizing
under the respective banners of Will
iam Shakespeare and Francis Bacon.
True, the courts have passed upon the
issue, but mere courts were never able
to settle a question of such magnitude.
The question is: Did Shakespeare
write what he is currently reputed to
have written or did Bacon do the
writing, using Shakespeare to cover up
his shame? In those days no real
"gent" could afford to have anything
to do with the stage unless he "was
willing that his social prestige should
wane. And what was mere' immortal
ity compared with seventeenth-century
society? But now that much of the
odium of having written "Hamlet" and
"King Lear" has been lifted. Bacon
champions feel that some little credit
might reflect upon Sir Francis If the
great works really flowed from his
quills. The question is not exactly
new, although Shakespeare was per
mitted to repose in peace for 250
years before an American woman
named Bacon set out to bring home
the Shakespearean bacon to her il
lustrious namesake. She pointed to
certain similarities in the works of
Bacon and her work was followed by
many volumes by advocates of the
new theory.
Cryptograms were resorted to by the
Baconian pioneers and by these it was
shown conclusively that Bacon was
the real bard. Cryptograms had quite
a vogue until some irrepressible wight
demonstrated not so long ago that the
real author of "Hamlet" was Mark
Twain. It Is surprisingly easy, in fact,
to use this medium in proving that
Bill Nye wrote the "Taming of the
Shrew" or that George Barr McCutch
eon is the author of "Romeo and Ju
liet": just as easy as it is to show that
Sir Francis wrote them, or that Bryan
led the raid on Columbus or that
Pancho Villa organized the Ford peace
party. There is no end to the possi
bilities for fresh discovery offered by
the cryptogram. But no matter. Let
the argument proceed. It Js a refresh
ing variation from the kind of argu
ment that has occupied the human
family these past two years. Besides,
it is high time to settle the question
after three centuries, and there should"
be an early and conclusive decision,
even if a popular election has to be
held. The possibility that Sir Francis
might not wish his immaculate social
standing imperiled by associating his.
name with suc-h vulgar writings need
not stand in the way of his candidacy,
since he is not here to protest.
The opportunity to settle the con
troversy with some degree of finality
passed some years ago. It is recorded
a barnstorming company was. playing
Hamlet in one of the New England
towns. After witnessing the produc
tion a critic and student suggested
that, once for all, the issue between
Baconians and Shakespeareans might
be settled if those interested would
open the tombs of Shakespeare and of
Bacon and ascertain which one turned
over during the night. But the oppor.
tunity was neglected, as so many are.
THE OLD PERJURY GAME.
It is gratifying to know that early
predictions that the Spring registra
tion in Multnomah County for 1916
would fall below the figures for 1914
have not been realized; but that an
increase, though slight, has been
achieved. It is, or it ought to be,
gratifying to that large body of citi
zens who proclaim their allegiance to
the Republican party that they, too.
have gained in the biennium, while the
Democracy has actually lost.
But the real test does not come in
the primary. The figures may or may
not Indicate a. healthy growth of the
one party and a decline for the other.
Nobody knows. But all mho have their
eyes open understand tbat the real
meaning at the official register is that
more citizens than ever are getting
ready to participate in the Republican
primary, without feeling or discharg
ing any kbligatlon to support any Re
publican' in the succeeding election.
The great Democratic fraud of regis
tering as Republicans is not discour
aged by publicity or protests. Here
are the Multnomah figures for 1916
(Spring registration):
MTe. Female.
Total.
lrt.100
6K8
1.4X4
B5.701
S69
Democratic . .
Independent
Progressive
Prohibition
Republican ...
Socialist
. . 1.V17 l.O.-iS
34::
. .3S.311 22.3'o
&25 300
Totals
Republics!
(1W14). JT.OOT.
43.14 82,274 T7.48
41914), 47,707; Democratic
Obviously the Progressive party has
all but disappeared and been absorbed
into the Republican party.
Thus there are three and one-half
Republicans registered to every Demo
crat. But how will it be next Novem
ber? The normal Republican vote 1n
Multnomah in 1914 was about 42,600,
while the Democratic vote was about
19,000. (See returns for State Treas
urer, Attorney-General, Superinten
dent of Public Instruction.)
After making due allowance for the
usual decline in the total vote at an
election, as compared with the regis
tration, the amateur statistician can
figure out for himself as to how many
Democrats in Multnomah County in
this year have perjured themselves by
false registration. ,
liANIKI.8 8TTLX. WIKUW TUB MfZZI.B.
Protests against the muzzling of
naval officers are of no avail with
Secretary Daniels. Although his or
ders to Admiral Fiske that the lat
ter must not even- say two arfd two
make four have been denounced by
every newspaper and magazine in the
country except those which mechani
cally indorse the acts of the Adminis
tration, he forbade the Admiral to
read a paper on naval strategy at .the
National convention of the Navy
League on April 12. The paper was
read by a. civilian.
The tenor of the paper explains but
does not excuse the action of Mr.
Daniels.' It attributes British naval
supremacy to "a, coherent policy of
development "and a wisdom of strat
egy."' It ascribes Germany's rise in
twenty years to the rank of "second
in power and perhaps first in effi
ciency' to the fact that the German
navy "has expanded smoothly and
symmetrically." It exposes in the
United States utter neglect of those
qualities which have made the Brit
ish and German navies great. In this
country, wrote Admiral Fiske he
was forbidden to say it "the develop
ment of the Navy has been strictly
along the lines of a method of what
ever is apparent; at least no logical
method. Congress alone decides what
vessels and other craft shall be built,
how many officers and men shall
wear the uniform." Congress con
sults the Secretary of the Navy, who
gets the opinions of certain naval of
ficers, "but both the Secretary and
Congress estimate the situation from
their own points of view and place
their own value on the advice of
naval officers."
Admiral Fiske was' forbidden to
speitk because it was known that he
would criticise the methods of the
politicians who head tn,e Navy De
partment and Congress. For politi
cal reasons these politicians are
trifling with the safety of the coun
try. From his ripe experience and
lifelong training, acquired at the ex
pense of the Nation-, for the service
of the Nation, Admiral Fiske was
prepared to tell the people that these
politicians reject the very policy
which has made other nations pow
erful at sea, but Mr. Daniels gags
him, fortunately not until after his
paper is in the hands of the Navy
League. He in effect said: "I am im
mune from criticism."
Mr. Daniels, like Admiral Fiske, is
the servant of the American people.
He has no right to prevent his fellow-servant
from telling their mas
ters that which is good for them to
know. In no other department of
the Government except the Army and
Navy and State departments is such
a rule enforced. Subordinates in
other departments frankly tell the
people what is being done and what
should be done. Even the President
takes no important step in our for
eign relations without communicating
it to the people through Congress and
the press. In no matter are the peo
ple in greater need of expert advice
than in regard to the Army and Navy,
which are essential to National safety.
These have been shamefully neglected
and have been made the vehicle to
convey- pork to the politicians. When
an able, patriotic naval officer at
tempts to tell the people what the
politicians have done and what they
should have done, the politician Dan
iels tries to stuff a gag in his mouth.
BAN'ISlirNO TITE COMMON" COLD.
While medical science has concerned
itself with stalking the virulent germs
that cause typhoid fever, diphtheria,
smallpox and other ominous diseases,
the pestiferous streptoecocci that
cause common colds have been per
mitted to frolic unrestrained. It is
not until this late date that announce
ment is heard of the germ's final
isolation and the tank has been per
formed by an obscure Army surgeon.
Captain George B. Foster, Jr., Medical
Corps, who has been quietly conduct
ing an exhaustive reconnois-sance into
the ranks of the cold germs. Inas
much as the disease is simple and
lacking in danger, he has been able
to make a series of interesting experi
ments, and reports having transmitted
rolds from one to another in the
course of a few hours following; isola-
tion of the organism which produces
colds.
Experiments in the production of a
vaccine will be awaited with interest.
Medical science should experience no
difficulty in this direction and in a
short time the dead carcasses of t'ne
cold germ should provide us with im
munity even as a few hundred million
typhoid carcasses injected into the
blood eliminate danger of contract
ing the disease.
Surely nothing could be ' more
useful or valuable than an effective
vaccine against colds. Not only do
colds cause immense suffering each
year but the economic loss Js heavy
due to waste of time. What business
concern does not suffer a Winter "va
cation" period Tor its cold-stricken
employes? Furthermore, these mild
Infections of the mucous membrane
frequently lead td serious complications
grippe, bronchitis, pneumonia and
other dangerous diseases. Think of
the peace of mind that an effective
vaccine would bring to the vigilant
mother whose offspring get their feet
wet in spite of all her care. One
would not need be careful of draughts,
or of sudden changes of temperature,
or of the endless array of lurking
places of the ubiquitous cold germ,
once a. II these dangers might be put
aside by a, mere injection of vaccine.
If perfected this preventive should do
for civilians what anti-typhoid vaccine
has done already for the armies.
While Congress is trying to decide
whether we shall have a regular Army
of 250,000 or 140,000 men and is re
lying mainly on volunteers arid a Fed
eralized National Guard for pur de
fense against an invader, we are hav
ing a practical demonstration that this
proposed larger regular Army will be
only a paper army after all. Six
weeks' recruiting to secure the 20.0QO
men necessary to being the present
Army up to its. full authorized strength
has yielded only 4700 men. Loss of
men by discharge, desertion and death
has reduced the net gain in that pe
riod to something over 2000. At that
rate more than a year will be required
to secure the desired 20.000, and 4 80
weeks, or more than nine years, would
be consumed in enrolling the 160,000
men required to enlarge the Army
from the present 90,000 to 250,000
men.
The death of Mrs. P. M. . Abbey
at Newport removes a figure familiar
through long years to thousands of
visitors at Yaquina. Bay from Oregon
and the Northwest. With her hus
band, Bhe conducted a hotel at New
port for many years first a resort
for the accommodation of beach tour
ists, but later a fine, modern hostelry
for all classes of patronage. She was
a hospitable, energetic and capable
woman, who made friends of her
guests and who regarded her duty to
them as something more than that of
a mere temporary hostess. Her death
follows that of her excellent husliand
by only, a few weeks. Taquina Bay
will not be the same without the Ab
beys, who had been residents there
for half a century.
It" is noticeable that most jitney
passengers, are smoking.- General
smoking on trolley cars is,' not to be
thought of; but a few of the many
trippers in the early hours might just
as well be set apart for the incense
burners. A smoker enjoys a smoke
following breakfast and before work.
Late in the day and just before din
ner he does not care for it. Another
point to be considered is that all the
rights are not for the womenfolk, who
enjoy a lot now.
She was only a Celilo Indian girl
but pretty and well educated, and
when she suffered the Great Misfor
tune she hanged herself. This is a
white man's country and white men'
laws, but if her friends capture the
redskin who attacked her there may
be little interference in the red men's
idea of Justice. 1
The shock in a collision of jitneys
yesterday probably dislocated a man's
neck. He bore no bruises or other
mark of injury. The brake failed to
hold. Two and two make four, and
the man in the trolley car proceeds to
work, rather than to the hospital. -
Cummins leads in Nebraska, ' after.
all, with Ford second; yet-twelve of
the sixteen delegates are pledged to
vote for Hughes. A preferential pri
mary is not exactly what it says it is.
The man who leaves his estate to
his widow on condition she does not
remarry may have reasons, but they
are not strong enough to stand pub
licity. A mother who leads' her little boy
to believe -abbits lay Easter eggs will
spank him when he eats the Jelly and
tells her the cat did it. 1
An observer says he saw Japanese
troops In France. They have likewise
been seen in Mexico, Lower Alblna
and out near Lents.
Mr. Hutton, of the Anti-Saloon
League, will live in fame as the man
sued for J50.000 by Representative
McArthur.
Von Bernstorff is admirable, cheer
fully optimistic and declining to talk.
For those reasons he is on the job.
The British have made fresh gains
in Africa. But why don't they do
something in Flanders?
A few mors warm days and the
weather will be Just right for biting
a strawberry.
No, Edith, the Bacon controversy
could hardly be referred to as a pork
barrel issue. ' .'
The indications are that the Kaiser
wil gently pass the buck right back
to Wood row.
But where was the great British
fleet when the German navy made
that raid?
Sending eagles to the President Is
becoming common. He cannot" eat
eagles.
The registration is heavier this! year
than last. And the issues are larger.
Where vjs the British navy, that it
allows German cruisers to get out?, ,
That reaction in Dublin is just, a
little boiling over of spirits.
The Kaiser might send his answer
to Washington by Zeppelin.
Villa has been located again. "Some
where in Mexico."
To offset the rise in sugar, use a
smaller spoon.
How to Keep Well
By Dr. W. A. Evans.
Questions pertinent to hygiene, sanitation
and- prevention of disease, if matters of gen
eral interest, will be answered in this col
umn. Where space will not permit or the
subject is not suitable, letter will be per
sonally answered, subject to proper limita
tions and where - stamped, addressed en
velope is inclosed. Dr. Evans will not make
diagnosis or prescribe for individual dis
eases. Requests for such service cannot be
answered.
Copyright, 316. by rrr. , W. A. Evans.
Published by arrangement with Chicago
Tribune.)
Operations for Hinp Back.
Humpback is due. to tuberculosis.
As a rule the infection with tubercle
bacilli occurred during childhood and
resulted from drinking 'milk from a
tubercular cow. In such cases the
bacillus locates in the bones of the
spinal column. These break down, pus
forms, and abscesses discharge in vari
ous parts of the body. In course of
time the discharge of pus stops, the in
flamed bones heal, and the active di
sease is at an end. In healing, the
Dones of the column grow together in)
the position they were in when the
disease was subsiding. This is respon
sible for the humping of the back and
tbe other twists in the spine.
Humpbacks are not especially prone
to consumption. They are infected by
tubercle bacilli the bacilli which
cause consumption and they spend
months or years in bed, worn down by
prolonged suppuration. But somehow
they gain enough immunity to tubercle
bacilli to offset the disadvantages un
der which they labor in the fight
against that disease.
In many instances humpbacks live
to a mature age, and some of them
are highly efficient in certain direc
tions. Of course, making a living by
manual labor is out of the question.
Surgeons now, instead of leaving the
matter to the more or less haphazard
possibilities of braces and - plaster
jackets, open down on the diseased
vertebrae, straighten them as much as
Is good judgmest, and fasten them in
the new position by a plug of bone.
In one operation pieces of bone are
chiseled from the side or the spine
bones. These small pieces are used as
bridges between adjacent spine bones,
holding them straight, steady and firm
and permitting the tuberculosis process
to heal.
Operations devised by other surgeons
make use of bones from the leg or
from a rib to' splint the diseased ver
tebral bones t6gether. In time the af
fected bones of the vertebral column
and the pieces of bones used as splints
and braces grow together to form one
solid piece. -
In what cases can the operation be
applied? Its especial field is progres
sive cases of disease of the spine. It
is especially adopted to those cases
where X-rays show that the bones are
affected, but not much deformity has
yet occurred. Such cases are cured
without curvature. The patient stays
in bed in braces for eight weeks, sits
up during four weeks, and then the
braces are removed gradually.
In those eases where there; are ab
scesses and the spine lis already curved
results almost as good are secured, but
a little more time is required. The ab
scesses must empty and heal. The
curve in the back in such cases can be
straightened out. It is impossible that
a moderate amount of curvature can
he eliminated in those cases where the
disease has been at rest for years.
But that is not the feld of the operas;.
tion. It is an operation to prevent
hunchback rather than to straighten
the backs that have been crooked for
years.
Change Baby's Diet.
Mrs. H. E; writes: "We have a baby
boy, 18 months old. He 'is a healthy
looking child and has a good appetite,
but his urineeemells as strong as am
monia mornings only. During the day
it is normal. When he is sleepy his
ears and cheeks become very red, and
his ears get sore at times. Do you
think that potatoes will cause that, as
he likes them very much?"
REPLY. '
Tour taby' diet Is not right. Probably
he is setting; too much milk and especially
cream. Give him . buttennilC instead of
eweet milk. Give him more bread, cereals,
vegetables and fruit, and less grease. . Po
tatoes will not hurt him except too much
hotter or gravy be used with them.
Cooking' Barley Broth.
Mrs. A. R. writes: "Have given my
baby a patent barley flour since birth,
cooked as directed on package, which
says to add required amount of boiling
water and stir ten minutes, but not to
boil. She is eight months old now,
and does not digest her food properly.
I wonder if it was cooked enough."
RIPLT.
Babies do not digest raw starch. The
starch fed them cannot be overcooked. But
It must, be cooked enough. On the one hand
the proprietors say "heat 10 minutes." On
tbe other band, the books direct that the
barley 'flour be cooked 20r. minutes to 36
minutes. No cne suggests less than -0
minutes.
Xothina: to It.
L. J. S. writes: "I have heard that It
is fgood for the eyes to -dip the head in
water and then -to open the eyes un
der the water. Kindly tell me if this
is true, and if it is strenertheninflr to
the eyes. And,, if so, what kind offl
water and how often should the eyes
be so treated, and bow long should the
eyes be open under the water?"
REPLY.
Nothing to It. Nature provides the only
eye wash needed?
Range of Naval Cons.
PORTLAND, April 24. (To the Edi
tor.) A bets me that a 12-inch gun,
mounted on a battleship, will shoot
and carry to the extreme distance of
30 miles. He also bets that a 12-inch
gun will shoot a greater distance than
a 16-ineh gun. This bet is on battle
ships only. Who wins?
A READER.
We have never heard of any kind
of gun that would carry 30 miles. The
15-inch naval gun is generally credited
with a longer range than the 12-inch
piece, but there might be exceptions.
Alcohol and Crime.
KELSO, Wash., April 23. (To the
Editor.) Where can I get information
and statistics concerning alcohol as
cause or crime, insanity ana aeatn .'
V R. J. H.
Write to Anti-Saloor. League, 611
Stock Exchange building, Portland," for
literature on the subject. For the
other side write to Publicity Depart
ment, National Wholesale Liquor Deali
ers' Association, 801 United Bank
buildhng, Cincinnati, O., for "AntiTPro
hibition Manual."
Pronunciation ,of Words.
PORTLAND. April 24. (To the Edi
tor.) Is it correct to ,pronounce the
nouns "adult" and "address" with the
accent on the first syllable? Webster's
dictionary shows the accent on the sec
ond syllable, but nearly every one you
meet accents tbe first syllable.
A SUBSCRIBER.
We know of no authority for accent
ing either word on the first syllable.
Mildest JVow Adviser.
Newton D. Baker, the new Secretary
of War, was once a student under
President Wilson, when the latter was
instructor at Johns Hopkins Univer
sity.
Skyscrapers of Olden Days,
In the days of Solomon there were
houses 10 stories high.
FlGl'RUS ON COST OF BICi WAR
New York; Bank Figures European
Conflict Expends $00,000,000 Daily.
War is now costing the nations of
Europe more than.ninety million dol
lars a day. It is costing $(550,000,000
a week, and will have cost the round
sum of $45,000,000,000 by August 1
next, when its second year is com
pleted. The cost to Great Britain for
two years' warfare will have been
$11,600,000,000, if the conflict is still
in progress at the opening of August.
The cost to Germany will have been a
bit less than that: to France it will
have been $ J, 250, 000, 000.
These figures are presented in a
special booklet on the financial aspects
of the war, which the Mechanics &
Metals National Bank of New York has
in preparation, and plans to issue
early in May. In a study of the dis
tribution of the tremendous cost of
Europe's war, it will be shown that
total military expenditure of all the
belligerent nations in the first year
was approximately tlT.SOii.nOO.Outi.
while in the second year it will have
been $28,000,000,000.
The aggregate of these amounts
represents a sum that, according to an
introductory note in the booklet, is
three times greater than the entire
capitalization of thp railways of th
United States, and four times greater
than 'he total deposits of all our Na
tional banks. It. is shown that two
years of the present war will .cost six
times more than tbe full amount ex
pended in our Civil War. and will
reach a sum that Is 40 times more than
the amount of the National indebted
ness of the United States and 120 times
more than the cost of the Panama
Canal.
Great Britain's war expenditures,
according to the Mechanics & Metals
Bank's computation, are now $25,000,
000 a day, as comp&red with little
more -than half that amount at the
opening of 1915. The daily war cost of
France is $18,000,000 and' of Russia
$15,50.0.000. So that for the chief en
tente allies, every time the hour hatud
of the, clock moves, more than $2,400,-
000 is paid out as the price of war.
For the Germanic aiTies it is calculated
that the hourly cost is more than a
million dollars. .,
WHY MR. MOORES 1' CAMllUATB
Demand ' for Honor In Politics as Well
as In Business Evident.
SALEM, Or., April 22. '(To the Edi
tor.) In a recent issue of the Inde
pendence Monitor it is stated that the
"Republican machine" in Salem has
brought about the nomination of C. B.
Moores as Secretary cr State. It is
prophesied that ' on May- 19 Moores
will not be in sight when Oloott
crosses the tapcline. , , '
The Benton County Courier states
that the "Withyeombe machine", has
brought about the "sacrifice" of C. B.
Moores. - i
We desire to state that it Was not
the political machine of Salem nor the
Withyeombe "machine" that has caused
G. B. Moores to be a candidate for the
office of Secretary of State. It was
owing to the largest business men' of
Portland, who deem it essential that
honor should be displayed in politics
as well as in business, and from the
fact that 90 - per cent of all the men
who served in. the Union Army, during
the Civil War were insistent that he
become' a candidate. Practically all
the Spanish War Veterans also desired
that there should be some other can
didate than Ben W. Olcott. '
You can fool the people part of the
time but not all the' time, and we do
not believe that Ben Olcott can fool
the people twice. We prophesy that on
May 19 the Oregon Democrat ship will
go on the breakers with Oswald West
on the bridge', and Ben W. Olcott in
the pilot-house. C. C. KUNEY,
Co. G, 1st Wis. Infantry.
HOSPITALITV
SEEMS
LACKING
Newcomers 4e City Feel Isolation Al
though Many Are "NelBlibors."
PORTLAND, April 24. (To the Ed
itor.) It touched my heart when
read the account of loneliness by "A
Lone Woman." In some ways our ex
periences are a little similar. Five
years ago I came to the "city of roses,'
and througl the Visiting Nurse Asso
ciation was not allowed to be very
lonely. You see we are the kind of peo
pie that it takes so little to make us
glad. "Just a cheering clasp of a
friendly hand, Just a word from one
who can understand." But things have
changed. We are now living in the
suburbs, and, although we are sur
rounded on every side by people, it
seems we have not a neighbor no, not
one.
I resorted o attending church
thinking to come in touch with some
kindred spirit. I wo.uld give my name
and phone number, bnt not one came
to see me. My grandchildren joined the
Sunday school, but it all failed. Of
course there are many warm-hearted
people m Portland, and I was in hopes
no one else would ever feel as keenly
as I ve felt in not having any neigh
bors. A few weeks aaro I attended an
open house to the Daughters of the
Confederacy. I felt like I had been
transported to my own native land
where the handclasp is a little
stronger
. MIZPAH.
Lald-Off Civil Service Labor.
PORTLAND, April 24. (To the Edl
tor.) There was a . civil service ex
amlnation last October and .about 40
of the 600 applicant qualified for
work in the parks. Some of us had
several days work since. Now comes
Mr. Daly with t0 of his men who were
laid pf in the water works depart
ment and who have not taken an ex
amination, in ' anything for 12 years.
They are put to work in the different
parks. I am irf the position of the
fellow in 'jail who can only say: "Can
they do that?" . SANDY.
Civil service laborers on being laid
off go to flhe head of the civil service
eligible list. Being older men in the
service the laid-of f laborers- would go
to the head of the labor list and get
the first appointments thereafter in
any branch of the city service.
To Wnom to Apply for Pension.
PORTLAND. April 24. (To the Edi-tor.)--A
young woman's husband was
Killed while Hunting, she has minor
children and lives on a ranch,, which
does not produce a living. . To whom
should she apply for a widow's pen
sion? V. SUTTON.
If she lives in Multrfomah County
she should apply to James Cassidy,
fifth floor Courthouse, Fifth and Salmon
stseets, Portland. If sSe lives in an
other county tho' County Judge will in
form her of the steps to take.
Such Is Fame.
Henry Fullen, who runs a livery
stable at Smithville, Mo., used to work
for Empress Eugenie. . 1
William G. Sharp, the. American Am
bassador to France, made a fortune
from the manufacture of chemicals.
', Odd Facts Little Known.
Secretary of State Lansing, is an ex
pert fisherman.
Kansas has not had a legalized' brew
ery or saloon for 35 years.
Czar. Nicholas of Russia has a watch
made from scraps' of . metal and china.
For Obvious Reasons.
Medford Sun.
you read the- President's speech
As
. . did it not occur to you that the
Journal is a great newspaper? Port
land. Journal. It did not.
In Other Days.
Twenty-five Tears Ago.
Vrom tbe Oregonian of April i'S. 1801.
The Portland Paid Fire Department
will meet at the rooms of Truck Co.
Xo. 1, Fourth street, between Morri
son and Yamhill, at 1 o'clock this af
ternoon to attend the funeral of Victor
D. Behrens, who died on the twenty
third. A company to be known as the Linn
ton Manufacturng Company has pur
chased a tract of land at Llnnton.
where they wil at once proceed to
erect an extensive steam plant and
buildings for a large manufacturing
esttablishment.
Speculators are in the Willamette
Valley trying to engage next year's
wheat crop. Several farmers have been
offered 65 cents a bushel and one re
ports an offer of 70 cents.
East Portland has sold $250,000
worth of water and light bonds at par,
bearing 6 per cent interest.
Appropriations for representation at
the World's Fair in Chicago have been
made by 19 states, aggregating $1,
290,000. Jacob Kamm's new boat, the Xorma.
made her trial trip yesterday from
Huntington to the Jietcn Devils coun
try, a distance of 57 miles.
Dr. Taul Lindau. of Berlin, arrived
at the Portland last night and will
leave today for Taroma. Dr. Lindau is
one of the foremost authors of Ger
many. . Half a Century Ayo,
From the Oregonian of April 1R6S.
A Washington letter says that H. W.
Corbett. who has taken the contract
to carry the daily mail from Oroville,
CaL. to Portland. Ore., intends to put
a line of excellent passenger coaches
on the route.
Washington, April 24. Major-Gen-cral
Daniel E. Sickles is to be minister
to The Hague, vice ij. S. Pixe, resigned.
Washington. April 24. The Quartermaster-General
has records of the in
terment of fully 100.000 Union soldiers,
a large number of whom it will be
necessary to remove to cemeteries.
An ordinance was passed by the
Common Council last night to provide
for the improvement of the navigation
of the Willamette River and authoriz
ing the borrowing of $25,000 at 12 per
cent.
Oregon City, Lodge and Samaritan
Lodge No. 2, of Portland, I. O. O. F..
will celebrate the anniversary of the
organization of their order by an ex
cursion to Vancouver. The newlv or
ganized Vancouver lodgo will be host.
Governor Gibbs has appointed Will
iam Vincent, of Ruby City, Idaho, com
missioner of deeds for Oregon.
RECONSTRUCTION GOOD BUSINESS
Replacement of Old Rental Premises
Profits Owners and Public.
PORTLAND, April 24. (To the Edi
tor.) Another old-style, . "ordinary
construction" building, erected years
and years ago, is being renovated and
will be opened soon as a rooming
house under new management.
This leads one to consider if there
may not be, right here in Portland,
even in the face of the statement that
we are overstocked with rooming and
apartment houses, an opening for a few
more' buildings, erected along strictly
up-to-date lines and with a view to
tho comfort, safety and convepience
of the tenants.
Also to inquire if it might not he
wise for the owners of these anti
quated fire-traps and embodiments of
inconvenience to tear them down and
build in their stead something more
up-to-date.
" I also observe that Mrs. Wesson,
janitress of one of the Alder apart
ments, who fell down the service stairs
in September, 1914, and broke and per
manently injured her shoulder, was
awarded $4250 damages. Some of the
Jurors were in favor of awarding her
$13,000 and others for $7500, and nine
stood for some time for $5000 because
the accident was so clearly due to
faulty construction, the stairs being
but 2 feet 6 inches from wall to wall
and the steps but 7'i inches wide, with
I1, inches projection, thus leaving but
six inches for the foot in descending,
with no handrail, and ail .poorly
lighted.
As long as such conditions exi.t,
will there not always be, so long as
people have to live in apartments, a
proper movement toward tho more
modern building and may not the in
vestor who builds for the convenience,
the safety and the comfort of his ten
ants be reasonably sure of a fair re
turn on his investment? And may he
not legitimately secure his tenants in
advance of building from among those
who have been compelled to pay trib
ute to these architectural monstrosi
ties? Would not real wisdom suggest in
certain quarters an immediate aban
donment of the old text: "Remove not
the landmarks that thy fathers have
set," and the adoption of one that is
truly and eternally fin de siecle: "Be
hold, all things are becoming new"?
When we consider the import
ance, value and number of people em
ployed in our sawmills, planing-mills,
paint and oil houses, cement and
builders' hardware concerns, our ar
chitects, seneral and sub-contractors,
many of whom are renters and em
ployers of labor", it would seem a most
wise thing to encourage them in every
way possible. O. G. HUGHSON.
Manager Builders' Exchange.
Earrings That Denote Widowhood.
Tht India is a land of curious cus
toms is confirmed by the May Popular
Science Monthly. A widow of Garo, a
province of Eastern Bengal, instead of
wAring black crepe, is shown as sh
dons ponderous earrings made of solid
brass. Since her widowhood is per
petual, she; is obliged to wear them
the rest of her. life. Each year another
ring is added.-The constantly increas
ing weight of metal stretches the lobe
of the car. to which they are attached,
in the extraordinary manner depicted.
It is safe tp say that no widow ever
forgets the fact of her- widowhood
when wearing such a clumsy weight.
The Garden Seed
Planting - time" has come again.
Many things -will be needed, of
course.
Seeds must be chosen, implements
bought perhaps men hired to do
the work.
A timely season to make use of
the service offered by the advertis
ing in your daily newspaper.
Many merchants and manufactur
ers have anticipated your every
want.
They are using tho advertising
columns to tell you what they have
to offer.
All you have to do is to read what
they have to say and decide to the
advantage of your own pocketbook.