THE MOKNTX-G OBEGOTAlT, TTTCR ST) AT, D'EC'EMTSE'R 28, 1916.
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PORTLAND, TlICRSDAt, DEC. 28. 1918.
THE SPENDERS.
A ten-line news dispatch from
Washington the other day contained
the pleasing: information that Presi
dent Wilson was seriously considering
the distressed financial condition of
the Government and would probably
address a message to Congress on the
subject. It is high time.
A singular and inexplicable phase
of the late election was that no con
sideration was given by the electorate
to the Democratic party's gross, palpa
ble and undenied violation of its
pledges of economy. The record of
shameful and inexcusable extrav
agance made by the Sixty-fourth Con
press, in ordinary times, would have
deservedly led to the overwhelming
defeat of the party responsible for it.
But other issues crowded the impor
tant and vital question of public ex
penditure to the background.
Congress appears to think that it
has license to go ahead with an un
bridled orgy of distribution of the pub
lic funds a monumental National
potlatch. The other day a rule was
reported In the House limiting to four
hours discussion of the $35,000,000
public buildings grab. In this gro
tesque measure items such as $120,
000 for Nogales. Ariz. (6000 popula
tion). $40,000 for Hazard, Ky. (5 37
population), and $30,000 for Mount
Olive, N. C. (1171 population), ap
pear. There are many such Instances.
Secretary McAdoo notifies Congress
that the. Treasury faces a deficit
of $185,000,000, and Representative
Rainey, a member of the House ways
and means committee, says that in
1918, at the present rate, the deficit
will be $230,000,000. The House ways
and means committee itself Is figuring
on the staggering deficit of $370,000,
000 at the end of the next fiscal year.
The spenders rule the roost at
Washington. Who cares?
TEACHINGS OF THE ELECTION.
Official returns on the Presidential
election dispose of some false conclu
sions which were drawn from the
earlier returns. Mr. Hughes polled
943,011 more votes than were cast in
1912 for Mr. Taft and Colonel Roose
velt combined, an increase of 12.4 per
cent. Mr. Wilson polled 2,823,277
more votes in 1916 than In 1912, an
Increase of 44.8 per cent. The total
vote was 3,593,549 more than in 1912.
The increase in the Hughes and Wil
son votes combined over the Wilson,
Taft and Roosevelt votes combined is
partly explained by losses of the So
cialists and Prohibitionists.
Mr. Hughes then polled substantial
ly the combined Republican and Pro
gressive vote of 1912 with its normal
increase, but subject to such loss as is
naturally to be expected in such a re
union. The great increase in the
Democratic vote Is due less to cap
ture of Progressive votes, for which he
made a strong bid, than to the fact
that he captured a great majority
among those who voted this year after
having abstained in 1912, and of the
women's votes. This conclusion is
warranted by the abnormal Increase in
the total vote and by the fact that
Mr. Wilson carried every woman
suffrage state except Oregon and Illi
nois. Although in the main the reunion of
the two wings of the Republican party
was complete, Mr. Hughes' defeat was
due to the failure to make it complete
in certain states. Where the Pro
gressives were received into full fel
lowship in the old party and where
their counsel was heeded, Mr. Hughes
won. Where the old-line Republicans
retained control of the organization
and treated the Progressives rather as
penitent sinners, Mr. Hughes lost.
Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Oregon
fall in the former category; New
Hampshire, California and Washing
ton in the latter. In Ohio the coun
sels of Walter P. Brown and James R.
Garfield were ignored and the re
united party lost the state. New
Hampshire showed its weariness of
that typical standpatter. Senator Gal
linger, by voting for Wilson. An open
feud between old-line Republicans and
Progressives was continued till elec
tion Say in California and Washington
and was clearly reflected In the elec
tion of Senators Johnson and Poin
dexter and the defeat of Mr. Hughes.
The three states last mentioned would
have sufficed to give Mr. Hughes a
majority of the electoral vote and
there is good reason to believe that,
had he carried them, the same in
fluences would have won other states
for him.
The Republicans nominated their
strongest candidate and they would
have elected him if they had put their
strongest men in the lead in the dif
ferent states. The party was carried
down by such dead weights as Gal
linger and the old guard of other
states. These men are no longer the
leaders of the party, for the party has
twice refused to follow them. Tfet so
wedded are Republican Senators to
the old fetish of seniority that they
have again chosen Old-Man-of-the-Sea
Galllnger as their leader.
Even revival of the dissensions
of 1912 would not have sufficed to
elect Mr. Wilson had not the Repub
licans been compelled to start with
the entire vote of the solid South
against them as a handicap. Had the
South been given representation only
In proportion to the vote actually cast,
or had there been a fair ballot, free
from intimidation and fraud, in that
section, Mr. Wilson would not have
been elected. Republicans do not vote
In the South because they are not per
mitted or because they consider It use
less, and many Democrats do not vote
because they know the result is fixed
In advance.
Adding together the vote for tho two
leading candidates in each state, we
find that 126,440 voters in Alabama
cast the same number of electoral
votes as 358,698 In Minnesota. Geor
gia, ba fourteen electoral votes for
137,056 actual voters, while California
has only thirteen for 928,805. As
sume that 400,000 votes in California
were cast by women, a man's vote in
Georgia still has three times as much
weight as in the Golden State. Wis
consin with only thirteen electoral
votes and no women voters cast 414,
365, and Iowa with the same number
cast 502,148, or two and a half and
three times as many as Georgia.
Louisiana with 85,534 votes, or Mis
sissippi with 84.636, has an equal
voice in the choice of President with
Kansas, which polled 592.244. South
Dakota's 123,452 count only for five,
while South Carolina's 63,653 count
for nine. Texas gets twenty electoral
votes for 350,858 polled, while Ohio
gets only twenty-four for 1,119,782, or
more than three times as many.
Aside from the fact that the South's
representation of votes which are not
allowed to be cast is -grossly unfair,
the condition of affairs which prevails
in that section Is a corrupting sore
to the whole Nation. It would be bet
ter for the South as well as the North
to hold genuine elections in the for
mer section. Even if the result were
to leave the South solidly Democratic,
it would be better for the North that
the , vote should be full and fairly
counted. Knowledge that the South
ern elections are unfair is used as a
Justification for fraud in the North,
both in the management of elections
and in gerrymandering of districts.
The result of the election shows that
there is abundant work for earnest
Republicans to do. The discredited
leaders whom the party has repu
diated must be thrown overboard. The
party management must be made
truly representative of all elements.
The sore spots remaining from the
schism must be healed. The people
having plainly shown their determina
tion not to trust the party until its
progressive elements are in the saddle,
all the fusty old rules which block the
way must be swept as!e. The men
who have led the party to defeat
should be retired; new men must be
put in command who will lead to victory.
THE UNRESPONSIVE WEST.
Mrs. Gertrude Atherton prints hsr com
plaint that she has had little or no response
from people of the Western States In her
appeal for funds for the wounded soldiers
of France. She seems to have become Quite
bitter about It. accusing them of selfish
ness. Indifference and stupidity because they
have failed to answer quickly and generous
ly to her gracious enterprise.
A New York paper conveys the
above painful information to the peo
ple of an unresponsive Nation. Mrs.
Atherton, who came out of the West,
find? that it is indifferent to the woes
and wants of struggling humanity on
the other side of the world.
But is It so? Or is it merely that
the West is deaf to the Atherton ap
peal? Just now a fund of $15,000 for the
starving Armenians is being completed
in Portland. Thousands of dollars
have been sent to Poland by sympa
thetic Americans, not all of them vol
untary exiles from Europe, or their
descendants, by any means. We have
no Idea of the amounts subscribed
through the Red Cross and otherwise
for the British, or the Germans, or
the Italians, or the Belgians, or others,
but they have been quite large. Re
quests have been constant and insist
ent and the response in Oregon has
been generous. A remarkable feature
of the subscriptions is their wide dis
tribution, all classes and conditions of
men and women being represented.
The extreme West has been a mate
rial sufferer from the war. Yet it has
glveD liberally from what It had, and
has claimed no exemption as an inno
cent bystander. It could not look on
at the spectacle of human misery
abroad, whosoever is responsible, and
steel Its heart or close its pocket.
The other day In New York a West
erner gave $100,000 for the fund be
ing raised by American Jews for their
helpless friends and brothers abroad.
He had it to give, of course.
Charity, or philanthropy, or human
ity, is not a sectional matter. It is a
common American attribute, a noble
trait of a fine American instinct. Bel
glum proves it; Poland proves it; Ar
menia proves it. There will be more
calls for help, and West and East,
North and South will not fail to re
spond. WHICH THE MORE HONEST 8EXT
Recent Investigations designed to
throw light on the question whether
men or women are the more honest
would seem to be inclusive. Cleveland
Moffett, acting under commission from
McClure's Magazine, recently discov
ered that a little more than three
fifths of both sexes are honest accord
ing to the terms of the test given, and
that while thirty-three women out of
fifty returned a dollar sent to them,
presumably "by mistake," only thirty
one men did the same thing.
The scheme arranged for the pur
pose of thus determining the "hon
esty" of the general public consisted
of mailing to each selected individual
a letter, in which was enclosed a one
dollar bill, that clearly showed that
the money was not intended for the
person receiving it. As to the result,
it is analyzed by Mr. Moffett as fol
lows: Taking the fifty women by groups, ot
five wives of prosperous citizens, three sent
back the dollar. Of five actresses, three
sent It back. Of five stenographers, three
sent It back. Of five trained nurses, three
sent It back. Of five teachers, four sent
It back. Of the five successful business
women, five sent It back. Of five miscel
laneous women, three sent It back. Of
flvo working girls, three sent It back. Of
five doctors, three sent it back. Of five
lawyers, throe sent It back.
Taking the fifty men by groups. I found
that of the five successful business men.
three returned the dollar. Of five rich
men, four returned It. Of five lawyers,
four returned It. Of five saloonkeepers.
one returned It. Of five plumbers, three
returned It. Of five New York Aldermen,
three returned it. Of five newspaper men.
four returned It. Of five actors, four re
turned It. Of flva doctors, two returned
It. Of five New "York policemen, three
returned it.
Not only more women than men returned
the money, but they returned It more
promptly. One woman put a special deliv
ery stamp on the envelope in which she
sent the $1 back. Another brought It to
m personally at great Inconvenience. On
the other hand, a man worth $1,000,000,
who lives at one of the big hotels, never
sent it back at all. I allowed six weeks
In each case before I reached a verdict.
Bo I think the honesty of the public at
large and of women particularly is fairly
well established. Which was what I set
out to prove.
So far as the showing of relative
fconesty of the sexes is concerned, no
conclusion can be reached. The re
sult might have been reversed in an
other group of equal size. But more
important still is the fact ctiat the test
called for the manifestation of an
other spirit than honesty alone, and
that was willingness to go to consider
able trouble, promptly, to correct an
error that was certainly not the fault
of the recipient of the letter. The
woman mentioned as having put a
special-delivery stamp on the letter
and the other who carried it, person
ally and at great inconvenience, to
its destination, were evidently actu
ated by belief that honesty is sacred
enough to deserve to be vindicated in
a positive manner, but there are oth
ers, who. were not actually dishoeeat.
no doubt, among those who failed to
return the money at all. There are
men and women who are Indolent, and
those who procrastinate, and others
who make light of little things a dol
lar is a small matter to some and
among these there are conceivably
several to whom we might with safety
trust our watch or whom we might
entertain in our homes without lock
ing up the silverware.
There are degrees of honesty, it
seems. It is rather comforting, upon
the whole, to know that more than
three-fifths of our fellow-citizens will
return a dollar under circumstances
that imply no penalty for failure to
do so, or even knowledge of their
guilty neglect, together with those
others who perhaps merely "forgot"
or put it off; and that other large pro
portion who have been convinced by
experience that in open dealings with
their fellow-men honesty is not only
good morals but good business.
THE DANUBE'S PLACE IN THE WAR.
Marshal von Mackensen's army has
but a short distance farther to go to
win for the central powers control of
the entire course of the River Danube,
and with It an outlet on the Black Sea.
Capture of the bridgehead at Machin
would lead to an attack on Bralla,
which Is at the head of navigation for
sea-going vessels, then on Galatz, at
the bend where the river turns east to
flow through several channels which
penetrate the swamps forming the
delta. At Galatz the Teutons would
be close to the Russo-Roumanian
frontier, which follows tho most
northerly of these channels, known as
the Killa mouth, to the sea. They
would need only to drtve eastward
through the delta in order to gain
complete control of all tho navigable
channels.
Control of the Danube gives the
central powers the whole length of
the greatest waterway in Europe.
Rising at Donaueschlngen in Wurtem
burg, It flows through that kingdom,
Bavaria, Austria, Hungary, between
the latter country and Serbia, between
Roumanla on the north and Serbia
and Bulgaria on the south, through
Roumanla from Turtukai to Reni, and
thence between Russia and Roumanla
to the Black Sea. Its total length is
1750 miles, it drains all of Central
Europe from Bohemia and the Car
pathian Mountains on the north to the
Alps and the Balkans on the south,
and It has a watershed of 300,000
square miles. It is navigable for 100
ton boats from its confluence with
the Iller at Ulm, where It leaves Wur
temburg and enters Bavaria, and for
600-ton barges from Regensburg down
to Vienna. From that city to Orsova,
Just above the Iron Gates, boats of
five-feet draft can navigate, while
from Orsova to Turnu Severin, In Rou
manla, six-feet draft is possible. From
the latter city to Bralla sea-going ves
sels of 600 tons and flat barges of
1500 to 2000 tons can navigate. From
Bralla through the Sulina mouth the
channel Is deep enough for sea-going
vessels up to 4000 tons register.
Since 1856 the improvement of the
lower Danube from the Iron Gates to
the mouth has been under the charge
of an international commission, the
respective countries having deepened
and straightened the channel and
drained the swamps of the upper river.
Several rapids above the Iron Gates
have been made navigable, and at the
Iron Gates a channel has been cut
through the ridge of rock in the river
bed which bears that name. In the
delta tho Sulina channel has been
deepened and shortened by cutting out
bends, Jetties have been extended from
the mouth, dredging is kept up and
a minimum depth of 20 feet has been
attained. The river is now the main
artery of commerce for Southeastern
Europe, and between 1861 and 190 2
the total tonnage of ships entering the
river has been increased fivefold,
while the mean size of ships has in
creased tenfold.
The Danube will be of immense
value to the Teutons for conduct of
the war. They can transport troops
and material of war along It In un
limited amount, and can import grain
and oil from Roumanla and Bulgaria.
They may also send submarines and
destroyers down its lower channel to
destroy Russian ships and attack Rus
sian coast towns. Success in these
operations may wrest naval supremacy
on the Black Sea from Russia and give
it to Turkey, seriously obstructing op
erations against the latter country.
The Importance of the Danube raises
the expectation that Russia will make
great efforts to prevent its outlet from
falling into the hands of the enemy.
SUFFRAGE FOR THE DEAD.
"Let the dead heroes speak," is the
slogan of a new political movement
that is gaining headway in France. It
is a proposal for the reform of the suf
frage system of a country hard hit by
war, applicable in particular to the
regions that have been virtually de
populated by the conflict. It looks
toward the reconstruction of the coun
try after the war Is over, and its pur
pose is to give voice to those who
have made the greatest sacrifice of
all. The novelty of the Idea and its
poetic quality are essentially French.
One would almost know without pos
session of further information that the
author of the plan is a Frenchman and
that, even though it cannot be said
to be unopposed, there is an exceed
ingly strong sentiment in Its favor.
The sponsor of this suggestion of
suffrage for the dead is Maurice
Barres, eminent in letters and a mem
ber of the French Academy. By co
incidence, it happens that he is the
same man who caused the creation
of the "Croix de Guerre," the military
decoration awarded to a soldier or
officer for bravery cited in the order
of the day by army, corps or division
commander. It Is his plan to transfer
automatically the right of suffrage
from the dead soldier to his living
wire, or mother or sister. He pro
poses some further details as to the
tenure of this franchise. According to
M. Barres, this would continue for a
period that might be calculated as
the probable life expectancy of the
soldier if he had not fallen on the
battlefield. It Is his idea that these
loved ones would be Influenced, more
than would any other proxy, by a
sentimental desire to act as the sol
dier would have acted in affairs polit
ical. These women would be expected
to Know, in large measure, the aims
and aspirations of their dead as they
Know their lost voices and lost smiles.
They would be expected to accept the
ballot thus bestowed upon them as a
sacred trust. There Is not only jus
tlce. But gratitude, in the Idea," ob
serves M. Barres. He adds that he re
gards It as not exclusively poetical,
but as eminently practical. He pic
tures the wire in her silent home con
siaenng ner nusDana s views unon
things in general and guided by the
influence of his memory.
Further to show that he is really
practical, M. Barres reminds the na
tion that "human nature is human
nature," and that it is entirely possi
ble lox legislators and filficiais of the
future to become, if not more ungrate
ful, "at least more coldly disposed"
toward the just appeal of a mere
woman, unless that woman should be
armed with the ballot of her soldier
husband, or brother or son. In this
M. Barres only shows his realization
of what already has dawned upon the
people of the suffrage states of the
United States. But conditions, it
would appear, are not the same in
France. Until we have comprehended
fully the psychology of the nation, it
would be superficial to criticise the
plan as proposing only partial justice,
or as accomplishing by indirection
what we might do by striking straight
for the mark. But it Is undoubtedly
true that the women of the belligerent
nations have earned a right to a voice
in the councils of the nation whether
they happen to have won a "soldier
proxy" or not. The sacrifice has been
universal.
It is for reasons associated with the
practicability of the scheme, no doubt,
that its proponent has seen fit to ac
company it with a pledge that it "is
not an entering wedge toward general
suffrage for women.'' But if It is not
such aaj entering wedge It la much
like one. Movements of this kind go
forward, not back. If France shall
decide to give bereaved women of the
nation the ballot, it is wholly con
ceivable that it will come in time to
a realization of the fundamental jus
tice of a greater extension of this
principle of political justice.
Suffrage for the dead! It is a sen
timent to conjure with. It proposes,
one would think, the most practical
of all monuments to the heroes of the
war. In a time when individual heroes
are so common that they are hardly
mentioned. M. Barres sees in his idea
a way almost literally of bringing tho
dead to life. It would not be surpris
ing if the plan were adopted espe
cially in view of the broad necessities
of certain local situations nor would
it bo more singular if the Idea should
spread to other countries. Women
stand to gain at last some reward for
the sacrifices they have made since
the war began.
TRAVEL ABROAD AND AT HOME.
No more will the cheap "personally
conducted" tour be a feature of travel
in Europe after the war Is over, in
the opinion of those who have studied
the outlook. Increase In the cost of
labor, the prime necessity for employ
ment of the survivors of the conflict
in creative work and in making the
machinery for it, and heavy taxes im
posed by the burden of war debt will
be reflected not only in the rates at
hotels and the cost of railway tickets,
but in every other department of hu
man activity, these men predict; so
that the cost of a sojourn in Europe,
all items included, is likely to exceed
greatly the cost of traveling for tho
same period in the United States.
It will be remembered by those who
a few years ago spent their vacations
across the water" that many of them
figured in advance on certain econ
omies of living abroad as a result of
which they were able to save their
steamship fares and have the experi
ence of seeing tho old world to boot.
This will not be possible In future.
for hotels will be compelled to charge
more, railroad fares will bo higher.
cabs will cost more, and so on all
down the line. Even the walking
tour will be more expensive.
There will be, of course, some .per
sons in the United States to whom
these Increased expenditures will not
mean any self-denial. They will in
the future, as, they have done in the
past, go to Kurope and display their
wealth, and the people of the stricken
countries will make the most of their
opportunity. But for the family of
average means, to whom vacation-
planning is a matter ot careful finance.
America will prove more attractive In
the years to come. Our own country
meanwhile will have adapted itself to
the new situation. It already is be
ginning to show signs of doing so.
Travel at home is more comfortable
than It ever was, and provision for
those in moderate circumstances was
never so complete as It Is now. Our
roads are better, our trains faster and
more- commodious, and our points of
National interest within easier reach.
Now Is the time for the West to
prepare for the new movement of
sightseers. It Is not at all likely that
people will stay at home Just because
rates in Europe are higher than be
fore. We are a people who enjoy
travel, and It will be all the better for
us If we make a habit of "seeing
America first."
What chance Is there for the hemp
industry to thrive In North Dakota
when the states are either abolishing
capital punishment or turning to
electrocution ?
The Russians talk a great deal about
fighting until a decisive victory is
won. Why don't they go ahead and
win some Instead of merely talking
about it?
It must have been a native police
man who was so badly beaten when
soldiers and civilians mixed at Hono
lulu. An alien knows bettor than to
interfere.
Of course if the Treasury Depart
ment chooses to mint new coins, no
one will object, but we shall be content
with an abundance of the old ones.
Tho murderous type of character
always breaks Into violence about
Christmas, when the rest of us are
thinking of peace and good will.
No matter how low the tempera
ture at a boxing match, spectators
warm up when the mixing begins.
Provide a short board or clear a
space on which to put out food for the
birds, and watch the prowling cat.
Do not complain about the east
wind. It is a balmy zephyr compared
with that Arkansas tornado.
If Villa's success continues, Car
ranza may yet wish he had let Per
shing run the bandit down.
With neither party holding a ma
jority vote, the hybrid In the lower
house has real value.
If the schoolma'am Is tardy at the
convention! she knows all the stock
excuses.
Many men want something better
for their second cars and second wives.
Time approaches when a man won
ders on what he can "swear off."
Where are the roses that usually
bloom at Christmas time?
Portland does not need snow and
does not want it.
J fiat your anU-giuda
Hov 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 apace will not permit or the
subject Is not suitable, latter will be per
sonally answered, subject to proper limita
tions and where stamped addressed envelops
Is Inclosed. Dr. Evans will not make diagnosis
or prescribe for individual dlseasea Re
quests for such services cannot be answered.
(Copyright. 1916, by Dr. W. A- Evans.
Published by arrangement with the Chicago
Tribune.)
TREATMENT OF" INFECTED WOUNDS
ONE good thing that has come from
the European war is a method of
treating suppurating wounds. The
proof is positive that suppurating
wounds should be treated by this
method and no other. The method as
employed in the war hospitals Is given
by Dr. Noland in the December number
of the Southern Medical Journal as
follows:
The patient with an Infected wound
is taken to the dressing-room and thor
oughly examined. The skin around
the wound Is cleaned and painted with
tincture of Iodine. The wound Is
opened up well and all fragments of
clothing, dirt and other foreign bodies
are removed. Next the wound Is cleaned
out with sponges wet with Dakln's
fluid. Small rubber tubes are run into
the wound. These run from a bag
suspended about 30 inches above the
wound. The tubes are lightly packed
in the wound with gauze soaked in
Dakln's fluid. The tube leading from
the bag to the wound is closed with a
clip. The bag is filled with Dakln's
fluid.
At two-hour Intervals the nurse
presses on the clip and flushes out the
wound with the fluid. New dressings
are applied once a day. Every second
day a specimen of the wound secretion
Is taken for roicroscoplo examination.
At first there are thousands of bac
teria in each microscopic field. When
the wound secretion contains only one
bacterium In five microscopic fields and
the condition has lasted one day the
time has come to sew up the wound.
The tubes are removed, the wound is
dried out with Dakln's fluid gauze and
the sides are sewn together exactly
as Is done with a fresh wound.
It has been found that the wounds
thus treated, although suppurating in
the first place heal up nearly as well
(93 per cent as well) as do clean fresh
wounds.
Dakln's fluid is made by dissolving
200 g. of bleaching powder". 80 g. of dry
sodium bicarbonate and 100 g. of so
dium bicarbonate in 10 litres of water.
The solution must be made exactly
right, otherwise it does not work right.
The hypochlorite must be tested and
the solution must be tested and
titrated. Minute directions are given
both In the Southern Medical Journal
for December and In the Journal of
the American Medical Association for
December 9. The solution can be made
by any fairly qualified druggist, pro
vided he gets good materials and fol
lows the directions closely. It Is fairly
stable, keeping two months stored in
a dark place.
Calllns a Doctor.
An old wife writes: "Please write
some advice to women along the line
of self-control and endurance. A young
man on a fair salary told me that the
first two years he was married his
doctor's bills amounted to nearly $3000.
Nothing more serious than the usual
baby et al. Women say, "I can't stand
It,' and don't try. Some pain and
illness, as you know only needs 'stand
ing it' for a few hours. Then It is all
over, without medkral attendance and
bills. Something ought to be done to
lift the burden of needless expense
from the shoulders of young husbands.
Do preach some sense Into these help
less, and I almost said, senseless wives
who fly to the telephone for every
trifle at a dollar a fly."
REPLY.
I do not think I could preach any better
sense than you have done In your letter.
Studies show that some families do not call
physicians when they should be called. It
Is common knowledge that others call them
needlessly. What Is needed In many of these
cases Is self-control. The calling of a phy
sician should be based upon reasonable
knowledge and common sense. Your point
relates not so much to the calling of the
physician as to the on-edgeneae. tha lack of
poise, the absence of self-control, the ten
dency to unduly emphasise pains and other
discomforts, all of which are so much In
evidence among certain groups.
Chose-Stekri Respiration.
T. S. writes: "Two or three times a
week, toward morning, my husband's
respiration becomes what is called
Cheyne-Stokes. The Interval when
respiration seems to cease altogether
is so prolonged at times that I become
nervous and arouse him. Is this any
thing unusual? His general health is
very good, though he eats little and
complains of feeling tired most of the
time.
REPLY.
You might have your husband's heart ex
amined; also have his urine examined for
albumin, sugar, dlacetlc acid, and ammonia.
I give you this advice because a perlodlo
health examination la advisable In every
case. However. I am certain your husband
Is not having Cheyne-Stokes respiration.
Either he Is too fat or ha has an obstruc
tion In his nolo and he Is having the usual
nightly struggle of she exalted rank of
snorera.
Enouu Not Beneficial.
S. D. writes: "1. Several weeks ago
I read an article by a doctor In which
he stated that everyone should take
an enema at least once a week, as 11
purified the system and in general
improved the health. Do you approve
of this?
"2. Is It harmful for me, 22 years
old, to take an enema several times a
week? I am constipated.
REPLY.
1. No.
2. Yes.
Efficiency Purpose of Preparedness.
WALLA WALLA. Wash.. Dec. 27.
(To the Editor.) Referring to your
j editorial, "New Army System Impera
tive, I ruiiy siae in wun mis, as with
others you have written on a similar
subject, but why do you wind up with
"compulsory srevice performed at the
behest of an Imperial master for pur
poses of conquest?" I know you are
fully aware that the Imperial master
you refer to has not the power to de
clare war for the purpose you mention.
When in the course of a war this mas
ter should, as example shows, be the
conqueror it would be only what we
would be striving for. as your editorial
explains. It la only one of the effi
ciencies we should be aiming at.
Our sister republic across the sea
thought it worth while to have even
a larger standing army and was there
fore a larger military power for Eng
land to destroy, which she is now on
the hiirh road to doing.
1 A. I LORjSZEN,
CITY IS IGNORANT OF COUNTRY
Coat of Raising Poultry Not Under
stood by Those oa Outside.
H1LLSBORO. Or.. Dec 2. (To the
Editor.) -While the egg boycott proved
a failure, it emphasized the fact that
there is much Ignorance about the
profits in poultry. I am reminded of
the question we used to debate In
schoolhouse lyceums as to which was
the greener a country person In the
city or a city person in the country. I
will state as a proved fact that there
is no money here In the business of
raising poultry for the market. I kept
boohs one year on 235 hens and my In
come from chickens and eggs was $295.
The feed cost $385. I paid 90 cents a
bushel for wheat, which was cheaper
than raising my own feed. I have fig
ured that on land costing $250 an acre
(a low average for tillable chicken
ranches) It costs $1.50 a bushel to raise
wheat- Now on my year's poultry busi
ness I had what your city boycotter
would call $10 profit, but if I should
figure Interest on my Investment. In
surance, depreciation of fences and
building, also labor, I was away be
hind. I know by the testimony of neigh
bors and my own observation that I did
fully as well as the average In this
part of the county. I now keep about
50 hens, largely because I like It, as a
recreation. It being less hazardous than
football and not so expensive as bil
liards, while as for the fascination that
lies in uncertainty, it Is away ahead
of poker.
Not counting those who cater to fads
and fancies, there have been over 100,
000 people who have tried to raise poul
try for the market In Oregon, and not
one of them has over succeeded in mak
ing a profit sufficient to live on. That
man from the Salem hospital, who
claims to have made about 80 cents a
hen on 400 hens for two years in suc
successlon possibly succeeded. If be
did not count labor. If he counted
labor, I challenge him to show his
Items and prove 80 cents profit on
the whole 400 In. two years.
Now why this widespread belief that
poultry is so profitable? There are sev
eral reasons for it. First, those who
sell blooded birds. Incubators, medicine
or appliances ("dope and junk") to the
would-be chicken raisers, have a plaus
ible set of figures.. Then the seductive
real estate agent proceeds to picture
the most plausible bag of gold that ever
lay at the end of a rainbow. Man,
woman, or child, old or young, sick or
well, married or single, learned or igno
rant, regardless of race, color or previ
ous condition of servitude, all can Join
a happy home this side of stormy Jor
dan by gently stroking this feathered
"lamp of Aladdin."
THOMAS H. BROWN.
MUTE til I I. STILL CAN KICK
Analogy Drawn Between II ray lea a Ani
mal and Human Worker.
PORTLAND, Dec 27. (To the Edi
tor.) At last we have a materializa
tion of one of the many blessings which
unsquelchable optimists have always
predicted must come from tho great
war. A press dispatch from Paris says
that to silence the protest of American
mules agalnet enforced military service
in a foreign land the veterinary ex
perts discovered by experiment that a
slight operation on the nostril produced
a brayleaa mule. What a triumph for
science: All the horrors of the Euro
pean inferno with its tremendous finan
cial cost stand warranted because of
this addition to the knowledge of the
human race. The only drawback is
that the I. W. W. parlance, which calls
our mute tollers working mules, now
becomes particularly apt, as at last
by the loss of his voice the four-footed
mule is placed on the level of his two
footed brother. The American mule Is
noted for bis sure, vigorous kick when
opportunity offers, and has been known
to kick his master into the next county
for real or fancied invasion of his
inalienable mulish rights.
As an optimist I predict that the Eu
ropean mule wearing trousers and car
rying a rifle will catch the spirit of
personal dignity from our exported
American mule and develop his kick
ing propensity by practicing on his
masters. LOUIS HONSTEIN.
APPEAL MADE TO SAVE CHURCH
Colored Members In Danger of Losing;
House of Worship.
PORTLAND, Dec. 27. (To the Ed
itor.) In the hope that some good man
or woman able and willing to help the
helpless by saving to tha colored peo
ple of Portland their place of worship,
now about to be lost, to them the dear
est place on earth, with the under
standing that the property shall not
again be endangered by mortgage, this
appeal Is made.
Against the property of the Bethel
African Methodist Episcopal Church,
Larrabee, near Broadway, on the East
Side, is a mortgage of $$000 on church
and parsonage. Of this $1000 of the
principal and $250 Interest must be
paid. Because of economic conditions,
50 members have been compelled to
move. The people are struggling, but
they need and must have help.
I have Investigated the case and be
lieve Portland needs this house of wor
ship to help care for the 1200 colored
people in our city. Dr. C. E. Cllne and
Dr. W. T. Kerr, veterans of the Civil
War. are familiar with the case. To
them or to me checks may be sent and
we will safeguard all interests. Please
help these good people to help them
selves after all the best kind of char
ity. WILLIAM WALLACE YOUNGSON.
District Superintendent Methodist
Episcopal Church.
UNIFORM
JITNEYS
ADV(KATEl)
Wrfter Insists on torn fort able chicles,
for 20 or More Paasengera.
PORTLAND. Dec 27. (To the Ed
itor.) The public mind Is being some
what disturbed concerning the regula
tion of the Jitney Bervice in this city.
The Mayor and City Council seem to be
overwhelmed with a plethora of ideas
as to the proper manner to handle the
situation.
To my mind the whole jitney scheme
Is wrong. To permit large numbers of
ordinary automobiles on the streets
competing with each other for passen
ger business is wrong, as it seems to
me. The whole lot should be denied the
use of the streets for auch purposes. If
we are to have a bus for Jitney service
why not define the sort of a vehicle
that may be used. It would seem that
cars to be used for public service
should be of uniform construction with
a capacity for seating not fewer than
20 people. No freight trucks should be
permitted; but a passenger coach, com
fortable for people to ride In. and
operated over certain well-defined
routes established by the City Council
and authorized by city franchise pro
viding for a uniform fare for each pas
senger. This free-for-all rush for business by
an unnumbered host of Jitneys is a
constant menace to life and property.
H. S. FAKGO.
Pleee-Work Wrldlntr.
Industrial Management.
In order to make piece work a sat
isfactory arrangement, even with the
varying class of operators that were
used, each operator was allowed so
much oxygen per 100 pieces; this was
easily determined, as the oxygen was
obtained from Individual bottles for
each welder. If the allowed amount
was exceeded, the cost of the oxygen
was charged against the welder, and
If the operator made a reduction on the
oxygen used per hundred parts he was
given a premium, thus making the cost
of the parts practically the same
whether made by a skilled or unskilled
operator,
Black Sea Isle of Serpents.
LESS than 30 miles east of Sulina.
the only Important Black Sea port
remaining in the possession of Rou
manla since Field Marsha) von Maok
ensen captured Constantza. la the tiny
Island of Serpents, around which cling
many fantastic legends of fascinating
Interest aa well as several historical
episodes which at one time threatened
to become of international moment,
says a war geograDhy bulletin Issued
by the National Geographic Society.
Unlike the monotonous reaches of
reed-covered marsh land which stretch
for 50 miles along the Roumanian and
Russian shores to the north and south
of the Sulina mouth of the Danube, and
seldom attaining an elevation of mo ra
th an two feet above the level of tho
Black Sea, the Inland of Serpents, or
Fldo-nlsi. thrusts its precipitous cliffs
above the water to heights ranging
from 60 to 100 feet. It is a mere fleck
of rock In a sea whose depth a few
yards from shore Is to fathoms. The
islet Is scarcely more than a mile in
circumference, but It has been a bea
con guiding ships to the Danube for
many centuries, its elevation being; in
such striking contrast to the delta land
of the great river.
In ancient times Fido-nlsl had a va
riety of names, but Grecian poets and
travelers referred to it most frequently
as Leuce. or tho White Island, on ac
count of the numerous aea fowls which
at certain seasons of the year swarmed
over its cliffs.
It was to this island that Thetis, the
marine goddess, is supposed to have
carried the ashes of her son, Achilles,
hence the temple erected here in honor
of the hero of the Trojan war. Another
le- iiil re nlt-s 1 lit-t.s snfttelit.it The
tnat no was restored to life, and there
after he lived on tho island with Iphl
genia. the daughter of Agamemnon,
wnk hnd been saved from sacrifice by
the goddess Artemis.
One of the most poetic descriptions
of the island and its temple is given by
Arrian in the account of his voyage
around the Black Sea In the second
century of tho Christian era He wrote:
"It is related that Thetis gave this
island to Achilles and that he still in
habits it. His temple and statues, both
of very ancient workmanship, are seen
there. No human being dwells on it;
it has only a few goats, which mariners
convey to it as votive offerings. Other
offerings or sacred gifts are suspended
In honor of Achilles, such as vases,
rings and precious gems.
"Sea birds, divers and fowl Innumer
able frequent the island, and these
birds alone have the care of the shrine.
Every morning they repair to the sea,
and. dipping their wings In the waves,
sprinkle the temple, and afterwards
sweep with their plumage Its sacred
pavement."
The nnme Island of Serpents grew
out of the fact that numerous black
snakes from four to five feet long
were discovered here by mariners.
Many of the reptiles are said to have
fallen In the cisterns of the island and
polluted the waters, which are now un
drlnkable. It Is interesting to recall
in connection with the name of the
island that Achilles was often referred
to as "the snake-born." and that his
mother, Thetis, frequently assumed tho
form of a snake.
The Amazons are supposed to have
attempted to seize this island on one
occasion, but the ghost of Achilles ap
peared and so terrified the horses of
the female warriors that the riders
were thrown and severely trampled
upon, whereupon the expedition was
abandoned.
This meager rock brought England
and Russia to the verge of war 60
years ago, following the treaty of
peace which ended th.e Crimean con
flict. The Island was not mentioned
In the terms of the treaty, and when
Turkey sent a small party to relight
the lighthouse, which hnd been dark
throughout the struggle of 1853-56.
Russia attempted to take control of
the beacon which atands as a guide
post to the Danube's mouths. England
protested, and sent a fleet across the
Black Sea to enforce her demands In
behalf of her recent ally, the Sultan.
Russia, after a brief threat of re
sistance, yielded. Tho Island passed
into Roumanian hands when that na
tion threw off the Ottoman shackles
in 1877.
In Other Days.
Twenty-ftvo Ymn Alto Today.
From The Orogonlan of December 28, IBM.
Riverside. Cal., Dec. i6. The wind,
which Tor the past few days has saved
the orange crop from injury by frost,
ceased blowing on Christmas evening
and the night proved one of the coldest
on record, the mercury ranging from
26 to 28 degrees for at least 10 houra.
In the article on the life and death
or Medorem Crawford, published today,
the name of John L. Morrison, from
whom Morrison street in this city takes
its name, is mentioned.
From Postmaster Steel It was learned
yesterday that the postofflce depart
ment will have the entire first floor of
the new building for its use.
Berlin, Dec. 26. The Emperor and
Empress on Christmas evening presided
at the distribution of presents in the
new palace at Pottsdam.
George N. Curzon, the new united
secretary for Ireland, is said to be the
J a 1 Vi i . . , ..f lrVYV
d est uicaat-u uiuii i L w. s
mons.
W. B. Russell, the carpenter who re
cently fell down the elevator shaft
from the roof of tha new Oregouian
building, will probably recover, not
withstanding the serious nature of his
Injuries- Dr. Henry W. Coe, the phy
sician attending him. reported yester
day that the injured man was doing re
markably well.
Half a Century Ago.
From The Oregonlan of December 28. 1S6S.
The Temperance Banner Is the title
of a new paper to be issued In Salem
about the first of January.
A new nostoffice has been established
In Yamhill County. From the Courier
wo infer that the name of the new of
fice Is Panther Creek.
If rumor may be believed, there will
be a line of opposition steamers on the
Columbia River from Portland to The
Dalles that will bring a noticeable re
duction in the fares.
In Germany there has Just been In
vented a rifle entirely of Iron. A
breech-loading, double-barreled cannon
also has Just made its appearance in
that country.
The Lesson of tbe Dead Nations.
Agnes Reppller, in the November
Atlantic.
We can know nothing of any nation
unless we know its hlttory; and we
can know nothing of the history of
any nation unlcBS we know something
of the history of all nations. The book
of the world Is full of knowledge we
need to acquire, of lessons we need to
learn, of wisdom we need to assimilate.
Consider only this brief sentence of
Poly blue, quoted by Plutarch: 'In Car
thage no one Is blamed, however he
may have gained his wealth." A plea
sant place, no doubt, for business en
terprise; a place where young men were
taught how to get on, and extravagance
kept pace with shrewd finance. A self-e-ttsfied.
self-confident, money-getting,
money-loving people, honoring success,
and hugging its fancied security, while
in far-off Rome Cato pronounced Its
doom.