Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, December 09, 1916, Page 8, Image 8

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    THE 3IORXIXG OREGOXIAX, f?ATURDAY. DECEMBER 9, 1916.
mnmx
PORTLAND. OREGON.
Entered at Portland (Oregon) Postofflce as
second-class mail matter.
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larket street.
J"ORIlAXD, 8 AT CRD AY, DEC. 8, 1916.
WHO AU WHAT DOES ITT
When the late James J. Hill made
his oft-quoted remark that the high
Cost of living was due to the cost of
high living, the Nation paused long
enough in its universal pursuit of
wealth and happiness to observe that
Mr. Hill was quite art epigrammist and
something of a philosopher. He was.
He put his finger on a great part of
the trouble, but not all; and Insofar
as there was any Implication that the
National high living was fast living,
It was not true, except on the big and
little Broadways throughout the coun
try. There is of course now a sover
eign remedy for dissipation Induced by
liquor, and It is prohibition. Every
body is doing it. Pretty soon there
will be no more alcoholic gayety any
where. Just now the alarming upward trend
of prices approaches a "crisis. Every
body Is frightened and wants to know
what Is the matter. The war, of
course, has made the situation acute.
But the war is not the whole story.
The President Is said to favor a gen
eral investigation of the whole subject,
and Conrrpsa has the same Idea. It's
a great thing. Push it along.
Let us find out Just what the war
has done for us and to us. But let
is learn more about our plight more
about all Important economic phases
' factors that enter Into our daily
life. It Is time to take an inventory.
How much has the higher cost of
government National, state, munici
pal (especially municipal) had to do
with the greater cost of living? Why
does it take two men to do the Job
one man used to do? What has eight
hours a day,, or less, with a half holi
day Saturday, got to do with-it?
Why so many new public activities?
What are they accomplishing? What
do they cost?
Why so many frills and accessories
end superfluities to our school sys
tem, covering many kinds of new serv
ice, either useful or ornamental, tak
ing fin ImmnnRplv nlflreArl tpnrhlnrr
staff, utilizing new buildings, and
calling for a hundred things the par
ents of present-day children never
heard of?
Why an elaborate scheme of local
government with Its top-heavy depart
ments, every one with its separate
manager o chief, its stenographers,
secretaries, clerks, assistants, and so
on, and so on? Why a larger police
force, when the city is admittedly
greatly sobered and benefited by pro
hibition? Why a horde of Inspectors
to look after our milk, bread, butter,
eggs, meats and everything the gro
cer or butcher sells inspection that
does not stop even at requiring us to
have sanitary stables? Why health
inspectors, dental inspectors, fly-speck
Inspectors and all the rest? To be
Eure, we had to have 'em, but what
are they costing us?
The higher taxes are not all. By
no means. They have increased only
four or five times per capita over
what th.ey were fourteen years ago
curiously enough, that was when
we adopted the beneficent Oregon sys
tem only four or five times. That is
all. Who complains at an increase of
only 400 or 500 per cent in his taxes?
Or. perhaps, it is as little as 300 per
cent. Anyway, It's a trifle If you
have the money to pay it.
There are the automobile and good
roads. How much have they con
tributed to the lower level of the aver
age citizen's bank account? Or do
we hear it denied that the average
t-itizen has less money? Wages are
higher than ten or fifteen years ago,
nnd he has more to spend. Certainly
the banks have more on deposit.
Somebody put it there. Doubtless it
was the wage earner, with his sur
plus wages. Though perhaps the tax
collector has helped out the account
Fomewhat with his large deposits.
The middleman what has he done
to manipulate and Inflate prices? He
buys eggs, butter, chickens and tur
keys and puts them in cold storage,
and when W.inter comes he takes them
out and puts them on the market at
a large advance. Sometimes they
ppoll on his hands and he suffers a
heavy loss; but in the general balance
of things he comes out ahead con
siderably ready to try it again, when
the clamor for his control or regula
tion or abolishment has subsided.
The minimum wage what has that
to do with our great dilemma? Along
with It there has been a general short
ening of working hours a wise and
proper reform, all agree. But has it
cost nothing?
Let us get back to education. We
have an agricultural college to teach
s better farming and to encourage
the movement back to the soil. There
are too many consumers and too few
producers, as is obvious, and long have
been. We are sure we are getting
better farmers from our agricultural
college, but we would like to know
how many of them farm, and how
many set out to teach others to farm?
We have a state university a fine
Institution. But we should like to
pee some statistics as to how many of
its students are able, through well-to-do
parents, to pay their own way, and
how many graduate into the over
crowded professions and how many
Into other employments?
There was a time when we bought
flour in paper or cotton sacks, and
oatmeal and sugar in bulk, and prunes
in the barrel, and other table ' articles
in a form now regarded as somewhat
rrlmlttve. How is it now? It. is the
day of the small package and the
fancy breakfast food, the telephone
' and the delivery wagon. How much
have they added to the daily outlay
of the ordinary household? To be
cure, we have the public market, which
was designed to curb the middleman,
do away with costly free delivery, and
permit personal inspection and pur
chase all at prices approximating
cost., with a small but fair profit to the
: producer. How about it? Did we
not see a warning the other day from
the State Food Commissioner that
prices la the public, market wero pot
always lower than with the private
dealer?
The moving-picture houses take
their toll, too. They are a boon to
the poor mars and to others not poor,
without a doubt. He gets a great deal
of pleasure every week, or oftener,
for himself and his. whole family, to
be sure. We can think of a lot of
things we would rather dispense with
than the movie. But nevertheless it
is well enough to ask if Charlie Chap
lin really earns $600,000 a year. Who
pays it? .
Gasoline is up, too. A year ago, or
so, it was to be had for 11 cents
and now it is 214 cents. That means
more expensive automobillng and
therefore more costly living, for a
great many thousand aye, million
people. Did the war force gasoline
so far skyward? Or what had the
$100,000,000 which the late John D.
Archibold accumulated have to do
with it, to say nothlijg of the countless
millions a world of oil and gasoline
users have poured .into the coffers of
John D. Rockefeller?
Thus we might run on. The coun
try is prosperous, in spots, and wages
have gone up, also in spots. But there
is nothing spotted about the advance
of prices of all, or nearly all, articles
which go to make up the citizen's and
the family's expense account. A few
years ago we got along with less, much
less, and we had less. There has been
a vast improvement in the standard
of living everywhere, and we would
not go back to the old days or the old
ways if we could.
Tet it is well enough to pause, once
In a while, and take stock, so as to
learn how much of the condition about
which all complain is due to our own
deliberate acts, and how much has
been imposed upon the people by
others. Not everything can be laid to
the war, or the middleman, or Rocke
feller. Something ought to be done
about them, of course, but something
else must be done to teach simplicity,
economy, thrift and prudence in its
average expenditure.
RANKS OF VETERANS DWTSTHJB.
Death works greater havoc each
year among the soldiers and sailors
who fought for the Union in the Civil
War. The Pension Bureau says that
the number on the pension roll has
decreased from 745,822 in 1898, when
it reached the maximum, to 362,277 on
June 30, 1916. The number of deaths
In the last fiscal year was 34,252, an
increase of 997 over that for 1915.
The number of Civil War widows
did not reach Its maximum until 1912,
when It was 304,373, and had fallen
on June 80 to 287,753. The deaths
of widows, minor children and de
pendents in 1916 numbered 19,957, as
compared with 17,916 in 1915. There
are still 115 widows of veterans of
1912 and 513 veterans and 3785 wid
ows of the Mexican War. The Spanish
War has added 28,101 pensioners.
Pension payments in the fiscal year
1916 were $159,156,000, a decrease of
more than $6,000,000 from the pre
vious year. The total sum expended in
pensions from the foundation of the
republic to June 30, 1916, Is $5,054,
630,727, all except $289,655,707 of
which was on account of the Civil
War.
As the Grand Army dwindles, it
should become the object of more ten
der care on the part of the people.
It still renders service of inestimable
value to the Nation, for the lives of
its members are a practical example
of what patriotism really means
readiness to sacrifice all for country.
The veterans spread through the peo
ple a leaven of loyalty and devotion
which is still a power in support of
law and international rights.
WE ARE NEUTRAL.
In another column an earnest seek
er after truth asks The Oregonlan for
the views of science upon astrology,
spirit rapping and the transmigration
of souls.
It ought to be understood that In
answering such, questions The Ore
gonlan acts in a complete spirit of
impartiality. It has profound respect
for science and also profound respect
for public opinion. The two at times
differ. They do on the efficacy of
vaccination. Popular opinion and
scientific investigation run counter in
Oregon almost fifty-fifty on that ab
sorbing subject.
Therefore, when It is stated that
science discredits astrology it is not in
tended as an Individual reflection upon
those who are happy in the favorable
ascendancy of some star. Just as there
are persons who. In spite of scoffing
science, know that a horsehair Im
mersed In water will turn into a snake
and Just as there are others who are
certain that eczema is caused by vac
cination, there are those who point
triumphantly to certain facts favor
ing astrology. Did not the war now in
progress shortly follow the reappear
ance of Halleys comet? Was not this
Nation, now so rich and peaceful, born
at a time when the position of the
planets foretold success in war, devel
opment of a great commerce, . and
fecundity and prosperity among the
people?
As between popular opinion and
science. The Oregonlan will not has
tily voice an unneutral decision. The
sovereign people may arise In their
might some day and reduce the high
cost of living by prohibiting the plant
ing of crops in the dark of the moon.
Ridicule of astrology would then come
home to roost.
THE rUTX-TLUE SCHOOL.
Brooklyn, N. T., is entering upon an
educational experiment which will be
watched with interest throughout the
country. The cornerstone was laid the
other day for a new polytechnic school
which is to be conducted on the "full
time" plan. This has been tried pre
viously in other and smaller school dis
tricts, but Brooklyn will be the first
large city to enter upon it in all se
riousness and with a full equipment
for the purpose.
A feature of the new polytechnic
will be its large and commodious
grounds, as well as its workshops and
classrooms, and supervision will be
exercised over the pupils, not alone
while they are at their studies but
from morning until night. It is pecu
liarly an attempt to solve one of the
serious problems of congested dis
tricts, in which parents find it ex
ceedingly difficult to exercise control
over their offspring In hours of the
children's leisure. The paved streets,
with their perils, -and the vacant lots,
with their dangers of another but not
much less serious kind, do not prove
adequate. Allocation of the hours will
be such that full use will be made of
the classrooms and the time of the
teachers, and while one class Is en
gaged in games outdoors in fine
weather, or in the (playrooms at other
times, another class will be taking its
place at study. An argument ad
vanced in favor of the plan is that
It doubles the capacity of the school
building, or nearly so. "
A few years ago the parent was re
lied upon to direct the child during
all the time he was not actually en
gaged In. school, This "burden," h.as
been shifted gradually, and in part
automatically, by the tendency to In
troduce educational methods In which
parents found they could not be of
much help, owing to variance from
their own early training. And It was
found, or it was thought It had been
found, that many parents really do not
know how to teach their children to
play. All this is to be taken care of
by the new plan, in which the child
will be supervised continuously. He
will be guarded against overexertion
as well as against overstudy. A nice
balance will be preserved between -indoor
and outdoor activity. Special
effort will be made to avoid excess of
playtime enthusiasm to the detriment
of serious purpose. That is, the scheme
is so Intended.
It is a pleasing theory. It would
seem that In a city of stone-fronted
houses, tenements and few back yards
It would be hailed as a relief by par
ents too busy to watch their young
sters all the time; but the strain on
the teacher under the plan Is corre
spondingly great, and It remains to
be seen whether an adequate supply
of Instructors can be maintained.
SENATOR CHAMBERLAIN OX PORK.
In his speech to the Rivers and Har
bors Congress, which is the chief
champion of the pork barrel. Senator
Chamberlain brought forward the old
plea that railroads are fighting water
way improvements, and added the new
plea that they do so under the cloak
of pork-barrel charges.
Everybody knows that the railroads
fought waterway improvement and
water transportation most ruthlessly
before the railroads were brought un
der effective public regulation, but
the legislation of the last ten years
has made them powerless to resort to
their former tactics. They may re
duce rates to compete with water
lines, but they cannot raise rates
without the consent of the Interstate
Commerce Commission as regards in
terstate traffic or that of the state util
ity commissions as to intrastate traffic.
But the Senator has weakened the
entire case he tries to make In defense
of the pork barrel by his utterly un
founded charge that recent filibusters
have been Inspired either by the rail
roads or by friendship to their cause
and hostility to that of the waterways.
Senator Burton Is a man of too high
integrity to be open to such a charge,
and he led the filibuster until March
4, 1915, when he retired from the Sen
ate. He was supported by such men.
as Senators Cummins and Kenyon,
who have made a lifelong fight for
effective control of railroads. The
former in particular was largef in
strumental in putting teeth In the law
of 1910. The fight against pork In
the House has been led by Represen
tative Frear, of Wisconsin,'1 one of the
La Toilette group which pioneered the
more recent movement for railroad
regulation. To assert that such men
are either tools or the dupes of rail
roads is preposterous.
A radically new system of waterway
Improvement Is needed. The pork
grabbers have found a way to circum
vent adverse reports by Army engi
neers. They either Induce Congress to
disregard such reports or they obtain
new reports by new engineers until
they get one that suits them. A test
that is as nearly Infallible as possible
is to make Federal appropriations
conditional upon contribution of a
large proportion of the cost of a proj
ect by the community Interested.
Mr. Chamberlain Is In a good posi
tion to advocate this system, for his
state has led in pursuing it.
REEORsl THE GOVERNMENT FIRST.
Postmaster-General Burleson Is so
filled with confidence in the ability
of the Government to handle a big
business enterprise that he has re
newed his recommendation that the
telegraph and telephone systems be
added to his department. He is en
couraged to propose this change by
the fact that the postoffice has shown
a surplus for the last four years. He
takes credit for the whole of this
surplus, though the Department was
under Republican Administration dur
ing eight months of the first among
those four years. He" also lays stress
upon the deficit shown by the four
years of the Taft Administration,
though a surplus was shown In the
last year of that period. He takes to
himself not only all the credit fairly
due him but some of that due to his
predecessor.
The arguments for and against Gov
ernment ownership of telegraph and
telephone service will naturally be
brought out fully by the Newlands
commission on railroads. There Is a
close relation between these wire serv
ices and the railroad business. British
operation of the two wire systems has
been a financial failure and the tele
phone service is such as no American
City would tolerate. Great Britain
took over operation of the railroads
only as a war measure, and left them
in the hands of their former managers
and employes.
The closest .parallel to the condi
tions applying to Government opera
tion of these facilities of commerce is
to be found in the British colonies of
Canada, Australia and New Zealand.
They have democratic forms of gov
ernment conducted under the party
system similar to our own, and com
merce is not subordinated to military
purposes, as in the, great European
countries where the governments oper
ate railroads anf other utilities. Poli
tics plays a great part mere, as it
would with us, and we can Judge of
the probable results from their ex
perience.
Canada has operated the Inter
colonial Railroad for forty-seven years.
and during twenty-five of those years
has shown a deficit on operation of
$11,500,000, while in the other twenty
two years it gained a net income ag
gregating $1,967,000, the net loss -for
the whole period being over $9,500,000.
The Prince Edward Island Railroad
has been operated by the government
of that province for forty-three years
and has shown a deficit every year, its
aggregate loss being $3,280,000. These
roads pay no taxes and no interest on
bonds, as do privately owned roads.
The National Transcontinental Rail
road, built by the Canadian govern
ment, was estimated to cost $34,083 a
mile, but It cost $99,000 a mile,' and
the Grand Trunk Pacific refused to
lease it at 3 per cent on its cost. Of
the amount expended on it a-government
commission found that $40,000,
000 had been wasted. Public owner
ship In Australia and New Zealand has
been equally unprofitable.
Management of the government rail
roads in Canada reeks with' politics,
which are mainly responsible for the
bad financial results. The Montreal
Gazette said of the Intercolonial: -
Almost every abuse known to railroading
took root and flourished, such as under
billing that is, permitting a favored ship
per to load the cars with a larger quantity
of goods than he paid for, while his com
petitors on the other side of politics were
restricted to a standard load and mulcted
for any excess: the granting of secret re
bates; the maintenance of an excessive num
ber of stations and employes in order to
swell the jliUual Influences of. the load
at election times; absurd classifications: un
just tariffs; the acquisition of more or less
useless branca lines to serve partisan ends.
The Government of the United States
has the same vices as that of Canada,
They are responsible for the pork
barrel bills for rivers and harbors and
public buildings. Unless we eliminate
those vices and bring our Government
up to modern standards of economy
and efficiency, adoption of Mr. Bur
leson's recommendation would add a
telegraph and telephone pork barrel,
and Government ownership of rail
roads would add another of huge dimensions.
With determination to leave nothing
undone in the campaign against fruit
tree pests. New Zealand has enacted
a law empowering the Department of
Agriculture to require every person
owning a tract of land on which there
Is even a single fruit tree to register
with the Department. At the came
time, a tax of a shilling an acre has
been Imposed on all orchards more
than an acre In extent to create a fund
to be used for the double purpose of
developing the fruit Industry along
commercial lines and eradicating nat
ural enemies. The tax was levied on
petition of a majority of the fruit
growers themselves. The regulations
regarding the destruction of trees that
are a menace to other orchards are
much the same as in some of the
states of the United States, and are to
be enforced strictly, with strong pub
lic opinion behind them. The fruit
industry of New Zealand has grown
rapidly in recent years, and depends
for Its success largely upon its ability
to market a good product in Europe
in the season when fresh fruit is scarce
In the Northern Hemisphere.
The United States Bureau of Fisher
ies does not see any reason why the
Eastern lobster the crustacean
should not thrive in the waters of the
Pacific Coast, and is making a deter
mined effort to establish a new indus
try by transplantation. What Is re
garded as a remarkable achievement
was the shipment recently of approxi
mately 6000 adiflt lobsters from Maine
to Puget Sound, more than 5400, or 90
per cent, arriving at Orcas Island alive
and in good condition. They were
liberated on .grounds previously as
certained to afford suitable physical
and biological conditions, and the Bu
reau entertains strong hope that they
will thrive and multiply and event
ually furnish material for transplan
tation to' other waters on this Coast.
Material for endless midnight suppers
will thus be supplied as a strictly home
industry and we shall be enabled to
live up to the new policy of "keeping
our money at home," even in our
revels. -
With Germany promising aid to
Greece, General Sarrail's polyglot
army has a good prospect of some
severe Winter fighting In the moun
tains of Macedonia. The allies now
surely realize the folly of having
wasted a precious year In temporizing
with Greece, after having wasted the
preceding year in vain attempts to win
Bulgaria to their side. Their military
blunders in the Balkans are fully
equaled by their diplomatic blunders
in the same quarter.
Everybody concerned in the high
cost of living seems more occupied in
placing the blame than in finding a
remedy, though each can do much for
himself. The women can stop order
ing by telephone, they can stop Insist
ing on delivery and they can buy for
cash. By carrying their purchases
home, unless too heavy or bulky, and
by demanding a discount on that ac
count, they can cut prices materially.
The automobile still holds the lead
among vehicles for the number of
deaths caused on the streets of New
York City. In November it killed
forty-six persons, the trolley car nine
and wagons nine. But what is the
proportion of each kind of vehicle 6n
the streets? If that were known, the
percentage against automobiles might
prove less than that against cars and
wagons.
While the American people are con
tributing to the relief of the victims
of atrocities' on Armenians in Turkey,
what are they doing for the relief of
the Americans on whom the Mexicans
are perpetrating atrocities equally bar
barous? We have an army in Mex
ico, for the professed purpose of catch
ing the inhuman Villa, but it is not
permitted to move. '
If Dr. Van Dyke should exercise that
"full freedom to say what I think and
feel" of which he speaks, he will no
doubt have some thrilling things to
say. He has been in Holland with
war all around that little country dur
ing twenty-eight months of war and
can tell a first-hand story of this most
tragic period In Europe's life.
If Charles H. Wax should be tried and
convicted of all the crimes of which he
is accused, he would make a tour of all
the forty-eight states and spend a term
In the penitentiary of each one. His
occupation during the rest of his life
would be fairly well cut out.
Even the British aristocracy con
fesses its failure to meet a crisis,
and it turns to "the little Welsh so
licitor" as the "white hope" of the
empire. It took a world-war and
more than two years of disaster to ex
tort the confession.
One can comprehend why the wom
an prisoner in the Umatilla Jail re
fused to escape with the others who
squeezed through a foot-square hole
in the wall.
It is time Indian girls on reserva
tions be given protection from amor
ous pirates, and Mr. Hawley's bill
should be among the first to become
laws. "
Professor Thomas Shaw states what
everybody knows, that waste of food
ts a great cause of higher cost of liv
ing. The garbage man's hogs are fat.
The plan might work to send teach
ers who marry "up to the Bronx," so
to speak, but only a mean old director
would favor such action.
Just as well to form a Government
employment bureau now. There will
be plenty of work for it, once the war
ends.
The hen is queen these days. The
movement of the egg maifcet is regu
lated by her activities.
There are 237,633 Japanese in
Hawaiian territory, enough for an
alarmist's nightmare.
As Funston selects troops -to send
home, he must just love the troop
and battery.
The two big shows close today and
anybody who has not seen them must
steg lively,
BOYCOTT WILL DEFEAT OWN EVDS
If Successful It Means Destruction of
Poultry Industry.
SALEM. Or., Dec 7. (To the Editor.)
Some of the people of Portland seem
to think that the prlco of eggs is too
high, and are boycotting eggs. What
a foolish thing to do I Don't the people
of Portland know that the eggs are
a little higher this year because there
are fewer eggs produced than usual
fewer eggs because there are fewer
bens and fewer aens because people
who kept hens have found It unprof
itable to do so with prices of grain so
high as we have them now?
Don't think that boycottltng " will
bring permanent relief. It may precipi
tate a drop In the market and do in
justice to innocent people, but if the
boycotting amounts to anything and la
persisted in the instigators will make
a boomerang which will strike back.
They will have only the consolation
that they 'jiv done what they could
to destroy the poultry Industry and
added to the cost of living. Better let
the poultry man alone. He is their
friend, not their enemy. He works
harder than they will work 'and de
prives himself of comforts and pleasures
they will not deprive themselves of.
To my fellow men who like myself
have Invested money in a poultry plant,
I will say: Stay with it if you can. The
present difficulties will adjust them
selves. The cause of 'excessive high
grain prices wfil disappear. With
normal grain prices an abundance of
eggs will again be produced. Boy
cotting will also disappear as people
see the absurdity of it.
To the dissatisfied people let me say:
Economize, not only In food, but In
clothing and pleasure and there will be
no hard tiroes for you. If you knew
how people in many parts of the world
economize in order to live and yet under
such conditions are happy and satisfied
you would feel ashamed of your own
wastefulness. N. C. JORG ENSEN.
CHANGING CHILDREN'S TEACHERS
Opinions Differ aa to Effect of Utilising
Normal School Students.
INDEPENDENCE, Or., Dec. 7. (To
the Editor.) I am much Interested in
the question of whether it Is best to
change our grade school into a training
school for the state normal.
We are facing that problem now and
I am anxious to get information about
the experience of other states and
schools on this question.
What I want particularly to know la
the effect on children in the primary
grade of six or seven different normal
pupils teaching them every day and
these all changed every few weeks. I
would be very grateful for any help
you could give me. A MOTHER.
The opinion on training given
children in schools where student
teachers are employed Is divided, much
like the controversy as to whether it
is best to fish up or down stream. L.
R. Alderman, superintendent of the
Portland schools, however, favors It
in many ways. The only objection he
sees is that very young children pro
gress better, perhaps, where the same
teacher is with them all the time and
acts somewhat like a mother to them.
With the student teacher system, how
ever, the children get the benefit of
varied ideas and many persons think it
is much to be preferred to the old sys
tem. People frequently move to normal
school towns so that their children will
get the benefit of this-plan of teaching.
ANCIENT AND MODERN KNIGHTS.
In days of old. when knights were
bold, they togged from heels to pate
in handmade, highly polished, spear
reslstlng armor plate, and n the up
per deck of steeds they gallantly
would ride and 'gainst each other
fiercely Joust in etudi d knightly pride.
No epidermic punctures could befall
an armored guy, and hence they bat
tled 'free from fear that death was
snooping nigh, and he whose lance was
stricken from his grip or lost his seat
and hit the landscape with a thud
acknowledged his defeat. The grand
stand and the bleachers on those days
of knightly sport were packed with
wild, excited fana of every mortal sort,
who cheered the knightly victor till
the arching heavens (hook and smote
the fallen scrapper's ears with cries
of "Get the hook!"- And while the vic
tor reined his steed before the howl
ing crowd and raised the visor from
his twinkling lamps and smiled and
bowed the vanquished faded from the
field, exuding language we omit from
this crude echo c." the days cf chivalry.
. Today the gallant knights who meet
in battle's stress are clad in khaki
chest protectors and the bulging nasal
pad;, upon the football field they scrap
with all their muscled might and often
madly mingle in a rough and tumble
fight, and he who from the field is
borne with nose all out of plumb, with
busted ribs and dangling ears and
features on the bum, is hailed as hero
by the girls of both the rival teams
who spank their kids their gloves,
you know until they rip the seams,
and till another hero has been muti
lated he remains the choicest pippin
on the, sanguinary tree.
JAMES BAKTO.. ADAilS.
Astrology and Transmigration.
rnnTT.ivn Tien 8. (To the Editor.
(1) To what extent Is astrology
credited by modern astronomers? .
(2) Explain tne pnuosopny or prin
ciple of table tipping and rapping and
such so-called spirit phenomena.
(3) By whom and when was the idea
of Incarnation and transmigration of
soul taught? Does the cult that
teaches this doctrine in this country
have any recognltidn from thinkers and
scientific men? J. E. EAST HAM.
(1) It has no scientific standing.
(2) Much of it is legerdemain. In
some instances psychic phenomena
have baffled careful and conscientious
investigators.
(S) Metempsychosis or transmigra
tion of souls was a doctrine held by
the ancient Egyptians, taught by the
Pythagoreans and In the Orphje mys
teries of Greece and is a tenet of East
Indian philosophy. The doctrine Is
philosophical, not scientific
Women Making Own Bread.
PORTLAND. Dec. 8. (To the Edl
tor.) May I Inform you that many of
our housewives are saving money oy
doing their own bread baking?
Notwithstanding the present high
price of flour, we are cutting down
expenses by doing our own baking. We
are going to keep right on with this
home breadmaklng until conditions
change.
The present 8-cent loaf of "baker's
bread" Is about half the former size,
and the 10-cent loaf is proportionately
small, y
We can help conditions by a careful
protection of foods we need for the
table. MRS. J. S. JONES.
East Sfxth street North.
When Newspaper Is Gift.
PORTLAND, Dec. 8. (To the Edl
tor.) I am a resident of the state of
Washington and subscribed ftr a paper
printed in Oregon and paid for it in
advance. Since the subscription expired
they have been sending the paper. I
haven't yet notified them to stop it,
and it's been coming about two years
since the expiration of subscription.
Is the law such that they can force
me to pay? SUBSCRIBER.
Washington law provides that a
paper sent under such circumstances is
considered a gift, so you cannot be
made j,o par,
SOLUTION OF NORMAL, PROBLEM
One Board, One President for aa Many
of Present Plants aa Are Needed.
EUGENE, Or.. Deo. 7. (To the Edi
tor.) -A newspaper item has been go
ing the rounds to the effect that, since
the voters had declined to establish a
new normal school at Pendleton, the
Monmouth Normal would ask from the
Legislature such an appropriation as
would enable it to care for all normal
students of the state. As one who has
interested himself somewhat in the
normal school problem, permit me to
aay that it seems to me that there is
another and more appropriate remedy.
The whole argument against re
opening the Weston Normal has been
that Weston Is too small a town to
furnish pupils for the practice schools
of a normal. If that argument is good,
it applies with special force against
any enlargement at Monmouth since
the town of Monmouth is only half as
large as Weston. Personally. I am
satisfied that Weston is large enough
to furnish practice pupils for a moderate-sized
normal, such a size nor
mal as Is already there and owned by
the state.
The solution I wish to suggest Is
that Jthe Legislature provide a single
normal school board and one normal
school president for the whole state,
and that as many schools be conducted
by them in the plants now owned by
the state as are necessary to care for
the normal school students of the state.
A single normal administration would
go far to prevent rivalry and compe
tition among several normal schools
and to standardize the schools them
selves." It would relieve the normal
boards of that bias that continually
tempts them to build up In their par
ticular locality an extensive plant at
the expense of the state.
While the cost of maintaining two
moderate-sized normals would still ex
ceed, probably, the cost of maintain
ing one large one, this would more
than offset in the advantage of having
the educational facilities near the stu
dent and saving him transportation ex
penses. Then, too. schools are like
magnets, the nearer thev are the more
strongly they draw. The mere pres
ence oi a scnooi suggests using It. No
tice the catalogues of the University
and Agricultural College, and see what
large proportions of their students
come from the immediate vicinity of
the Institutions.
The state has continual dlfffmiltv
In getting a sufficient number of normal-trained
teachers. One or two ad
ditional normal schools In the plants
already owned by the state, if under
me same administration, will not
greatly Increase the cost of educating
our teachers, will increase the number
of them, and effectively solve a prob
lem, innerentiy troublesome, along
lines already adopted. 8. D. ALLEN.
Section Numbers Conflict.
BEND, Or, Deo. 6. (To the Editor.)
I note that the constitutional amend
ment covering the liquor question
voted on In 1914 and effective January
1, 1916, Is designated as section 36 of
article 1 of the state constitution and
that the constitutional amendment
covering the abolishment of capital
punisnment, voted on at the same time
and immediately effective, is also des
ignated as section 36 of article 1. This
year the further constitutional amend
ment covering the absolute dry meas
ure is designated as 36A.
Will you kindly explain the statu
of these amendments in relation to
their conflicting numbers.
A SUBSCRIBER.
Confllot in section numbers does not
affect the validity of an amendment.
in recent publications of the constitu
tion the reason for two sections bear
ing tne same number Is given in a foot
note. Rural Credit Laws.
ROBERTS, Or.. Dec. 5. (To the Edl
tor.) Please let me know If I can get
a loan under the rural credit law. Also
if 1 can- get it at present time. What
ever Information in regard to this aew
farmers' loan, or to whom I may write
to una out will be appreciated. H. H.
The newly-adopted state rural credit
amendment does not go into effect until
February 6. Communications should be
addressed to the State Land Board
Loans under the Federal system await
the location of farm loan banks.
Blanks required in forming the prelim
inary association oi 10 or more farm
ers desiring loans, are now available.
Write to the Federal Farm Loan Board.
Treasury Department, Washington,
Sixth and Yamhill.
EUGENE, Or.. Dec. 7. (To the Edl
tor.) Please Inform me where the
"comfort stations" are located in Port
land V. S.
t
Your Newsdealer Knows!
Hand You
The Sunday
SOCIAL NOTES OF GOTHAM. A chatterbox letter from little old
New York, with all the current gossip of the Four Hundred and
other important folk. Special to The Sunday Oregonian.
HERBERT KAUFMAN'S PAGE. How he does marshal his 'words 1
They stride vigorously across the printed page with victory in their
bearing. That's Kaufman's message to all faint hearts and fearful
ones victory!
THE GIRL WHO LOST HERSELF. Grandfather had a penchant for
making wills. He made so many and they were so gleefully
received by- the lawyers that his pretty granddaughter couldn't
draw a check on the grandparentai millions, though he fully
intended that she should. A fascinating, real-life story in the
' Sunday issue.
THE CITY OF GOLDEN SANDS. Frank Carpenter visits Nome, and
you win when you wager that he found a-plenty of interesting
things to write about. The golden sands of the ocean, for instance,
from which millions of the sunny stuff have been washed, with
lots more left. A Carpenter letter why say more?
WHAT ARE THE WILD WAVES SAYING? That's the 'lead" poem
in the feature page of old favorites appearing in the Sunday issue.
There are numerous other flights of poetic fancy, winged a
generation or so ago, that come to light to keep this one company
Do you remember "Old Ironsides at Anchor Lay . . ." ?
WHAT THE CAMERA CAUGHT. Events of world-wide interest
reported in pictures by the camera man Macedonia, Japan,
Washington, the Atlantic, a French cavalry charge, with explanatory
paragraphs.
CHURCH AND SCHOOL. A. full page devoted to each. The page of
school news is edited by the student bodies of the various schools.
Read Rev. W. G. Eliot's views on moral adjustment in the great
war, answering "Has Christianity Failed?"
THE SCARLET RUNNER. Again we have Christopher Race, the
young motorist, whose big red automobile has been productive of
more adventure than a month of "Arabian Nights." And this one
is as exciting as any. Dramatized and produced in motion pictures
at a local theater.
HARDSHIPS OF THE EARLY PIONEERS. Lots of 'em those
hardships of the days when Oregon was a beacon to the courage of
the settler. Eva Emery Dye, historian of Oregon, in another of
her intensely interesting articles, tells what these trials were and
how the pioneers coped with them.
FROCKS AND FANCYWORK. Two pages of the Sunday issue are
devoted to description of the loveliest feminine garb of the
prevailing mode. Then, too, there is a handsome embroidery design,
' just as there was last week, and will be next.
THE STOCK AND POULTRY SHOWS Well illustrated and
authoritative articles on the stock and poultry 6hows held in this
city during the past week. Breeders and fanciers will do well to
preserve copies of these as permanent records for future
consultation.
A NICKLE BUYS A LOT OF NEWS THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN
In Other Days.
Twenty-Five Years Ago.
From The Oregonlan December 8, 1891.
Washington The Oregon delegation
has recommended Joseph Simon for tha
Circuit Judgeship.
The Clevelands and their baby with a
big "R" have moved to their cottage
at Lakewood. N. J., and are settled for
the Winter.
Mr. Francis Murphy and his son paid
a visit to Failing School yesterday.
County Clerk Powell and Assessor
Sears have taken exception to being
included in the number of county of
ficers, who, Adjutant-General Mitchell
says, are backward in rendering lists of
persons liable to military duty.
Washington Mr. Crisp of Georgia
has been formally elected Speaker. The
vote was: Crisp 38. Reed 83 and Wat
son 8.
n is reported tnat Mayor Mason win
ill
veto the ordinance granting the Pink
ertons permission to establish a private
natrol avstem hern
Ex-PostmasterC W. Roby yesterday
sold the Holton House to M. A. Dudley,
an old and experienced hotel man of
Nebraska. There are some who think
Mr. Roby is preparing to enter politics.
with his eye on the Governorship.
HALF OF ROUMANIA. COX4CERED
Statement That Teutons Hold B0.000
Square Miles la Exaggeration.
VANCOUVER. Wash.. Dec. 7. (To
the Editor.) Will you please publish
through your paper the following ques
tion: The National Geographic Society,
some time ago. gave Roumanian terri
tory as being 52,760 square miles. Is
that right?
. I read In The Oregonlan of December
7 about the capture of the Roumanian
capital. In which It was stated that:
"The taking of Bucharest virtually
completes the conquest by the Teutonlo
forces of the southern section of the
Roumanian kingdom, embracing terri
tory of more than 60.000 square miles."
I am a very careful reader and want
to know the truth about it. If the
whole of Roumanla is 52,760 square
miles, how can the Germans have more
than 50,000 square miles, when they
have. In accordance with the map, but
half of that country?
STEPHEN NEGOSSEU.
The 1911 edition of the" Encyclopedia
Brltannlca gives the area of Roumanla
as 50,270 square miles. In 1913, by the
treaty of Bucharest, Bulgaria ceded a
strip of territory adjoining the Do
brudja, which may explain the larger
area of 5!, 76) square miles given by
the National Geographic Society.
The statement that the Teutonlo
forces had occupied 50,000 square miles
seems to, have given round figures on
the assumption that conquest of the
greater part of Wallachla assured that
of the whole kingdom, which Is not
warranted by the facts. The Teutons
appear to have occupied about one-half
of the area of the kingdom.
HIGH EGO PRICES ARE JUSTIFIED
Producers Must Be Recompensed for
Mquntlng Coat of Feed.
M"MINNVILLE. Or.. Dec 7. (To the
Editor.) It seems to me the matrons
of Portland got the cart before the
horse when they boycotted eggs. If
they really want" a Job, and one that
will do them more good, investigate the
high prices of wheat and other cereals.
When these pricea are put down, eggs,
turkeys, butter, milk, flour and many
other things will be cheaper.
Of course, we know there is a short
age of crops, but these prices are much
higher than they ought to be.
When you boycott eggs you are giv
ing the man that furnishes you with
fresh Winter eggs a hard blow, because
he cannot produce them any cheaper
at the present price of feed and live.
It Is the man that makes poultry and
eggs a specialty that produces the
Winter eggs, and not the average
farmer. There is not one farmer in
a dozen who is getting eggs now. To
get Winter eggs hens must have spe
cial feed and cave and lots of both.
The farmer, with his cows, hogs and
other work, has not the time for this
special care of the hens.
If this boycott Is kept up the real
egg producer will have to go out of
business. Then what will you pay for
eggs next Spring and Summer?
MRS. R. ft. WH1SNAND.
He's Sure to
Oregonian