10 THE MORNING OltEG OXIAN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 4, 1917. PORTLAXD, OREGOX. Entered mt Portland (Oregon) Postofflce as econa-ciass mau matter. Subscription rates Invariably la advance. rBv Mail.) Ial!y, Sunday Included, one year . Ss.uO J Jaily, Sunday Included, six months 4.2.1 Daily, Sunday Included, three months ... a. SB I'atly. Sunday Included, one month. ..... Dally, without Sunday, one year 6.00 .uaily, without Sunday, three months ... 1.7S Daily, without Sunday, one month 60 M eekly, one year 1.&0 Sunday, one year ....... 2. SO Sunday and Weekly .... .r.O (By Carrier.) jDally, Sunday Included, one year ...... .00 Dally. Sunday Included, one month .... .75 How to Remit Send postofflce money order, express order or personal check on your local hank. Stamps, coin or currenoy ore at sender's risk. Give posioffice address In full. Including county and state. Postage Rate 12 to 16 pages. 1 cent; 18 to M pages, il cents: 34 to 43 paces, 3 cents; 60 to 00 pages. 4 cents; 62 to 7t pages, 6 cents; 73 to 82 pages, 6 cents. Foreign post age double rates. Eastern Business Office Verree & Conk Jin. Brunswick bulldlner. New York; Verree A Conklin. stenuer building, Chicago. San J-raricisco representative, ft. J. JSldwell. 742 Market street. I"ORTLAXD, THURSDAY. JAN. 4, 1917. THE NKW TtTO IN MEXICAN AFFAIRS. Another turn has been given to the Mexican kaleidoscope In an attempt to put the United States and the Car ranza government back In tho same relative positions -which they occu pied prior to the Columbus raid. General Pershing's army was sent in pursuit of Villa's band with orders to get Villa, because Carranza had proved powerless to prevent border raids. It was sent without Carranza's consent, it was twice attacked by his troops, and finally he demanded its withdrawal. Compliance with this demand was refused, but retaliation for the attacks at Parral and Car rlzal was not made and In part com pliance with Carranza's demand op erations against Villa were stopped and have not been resumed. Instead, negotiations were begun, which. were assumed by the American commissioners to have for their ob ject arrangement of terms on which Pershing's army should be with drawn and the border protected. Such nn arrangement was made with the Mexican commissioners, but Carranza now refuses his approval, on the ground that It would Imply tacit acquiescence In the sending of the expedition and hence in violation of Mexico's sovereignty. He asks that the time and manner of withdrawal be left to the United States Govern ment and that it do not figure in fu ture negotiations, but Insists that no final arrangements as to other mat ters be made until our troops have actually withdrawn, lest he appear to have acted under duress. The pros pect now seems to be that the troops will be withdrawn unconditionally. Army officers furnish a plausible rea son for that action, for they hold that the troops are doing and can do no good In their present position, which is strategically bad, and can do good if withdrawn to the border. Tet the reasons which originally existed for sending an army after Villa have gained much strength. Villa Is now at the head of 10,000 men, has gained much artillery and am munition, has captured and looted several large towns, has defeated the Carranzistaa In several battles and Is gaining many recruits by desertion from his enemy's ranks. He controls Chihuahua south of Pershing's col umn; Coahuila, which fronts on the boundary: parts of adjoining states and Durango, south of Chihuahua. Felix Diaz, at the head of a large force In Puebla and Oaxaca, and Zapata, In control of Morelos and the vicinity of Mexico City, are prepared to move north at a signal from Villa. One reason for Carranza's objection to a formal agreement for the with drawal of Pershing's column Is that It invokes his garrisoning the evacu ated territory, for which he lacks the necessary force, all of his northern garrisons being unequal to Villa's army. The consequence of Pershing's withdrawal in these circumstances would be that Villa would occupy the evacuated territory up to the bound ary, and the danger of raids would become greater than It has been for a year. Having abandoned the intention to run down Villa, President Wilson has no reason for keeping an army In Mexico, but by withdrawing it he would seem to comply with the de mand made by Carranza last June, which he met with a stern negative, and would be clearing the way for Villa to extend to the boundary those raiding operations against which the Pershing expedition was aimed. Mr. Fletcher was appointed and confirmed as Ambassador to Mexico a year ago, but his departure for his post has been delayed until pending disputes with Carranza had been ad justed. These disputes have not been adjusted, Carranza refuses to adjust them until our army is withdrawn, it cannot be withdrawn without adding to the power of the enemy against whom it was sent, yet it is proposed now to send Mr. Fletcher to Mexico. The President recognized Carranza In October, 1915. because the latter was then de facto ruler of nearly all of Mexico. He Is now In control of much less territory, he loses more from day to day, his position is de cidedly shaky and a combination of his enemies might overturn him. Tet this time is chosen to add emphasis to our recognition of his control of the country by sending an Ambassador. The 'de facto situation has changed much since October, 1915. Villa is now de facto ruler of much border territory. It is quite possible that by concerted action with the other revo lutionist leaders he may become de facto ruler of substantially all of the republic. In that event, Mr. Wilson would be obliged to choose between open hostilities against him and es tablishment of friendly relations with the man against whom he declared relentless war less than a year ago. Mr. Wilson's course In the past war rants the conclusion that at any cost lie will find some way to avoid war ;wlth Villa as he avoided war with Car ranza. That would be Inconsistent with his former denunciations of Villa, but he cares nothing for consistency. It would, however, be consistent with the following excerpt from a speech which he delivered at Detroit on July 10:' Of course, -we must make good our sov ereignty, but we must respect the sover eignty of Mexico. I am one of those I have sometimes suspected that there were siot many of them who believe absolutely In the Virginia bill of rights, which tin that a people has the right to do anything they pleas with their own country and their own government. If Mr. Wilson should elect to Ignore this declaration, as he did In the cases of Haiti and Santo Domingo, and to vindicate much outraged American sovereignty by Invading Mexican sov ereignty, complete reorganization of the army would be an urgent neces sity. Probably 50,000 regular could jEsea&ss Ai$xiOt .go. fas 6asicuguoja of the principal cities and of the lines of communication is concerned, but a much larger force would be needed to run down the bandits, to pacify the country and to start the work of edu cation, which is as essential a condi tion of self-government in Mexico as it was in the Philippines. The regular Army is not large enough for such work and the Hay law cannot make it large enough. The National Guard is not adapted for so. long a job. It would be necessary to organize a new army of men who were prepared to spend several years in the service. This possibility has been before us for the last four years, and If the President had given thought to the probable consequences of his acts with a resolution to face them he would have asked Congress to prepare for possible contingencies by providing an army large enough for the task which they might impose. We are as much worse off in that regard as the Na tional Guard has been Injured by the attempt at Federalization. Mexican complications require that the work of strengthening the Army be started again without delay, without awaiting the adoption of a scheme of universal training. not co yyixciXG nor conclusive. The Oregonian agrees entirely with Edwin V. (Father) O'Hara that any report on the operations of the mini mum wage law for women In Oregon, to be convincing, must be made "by disinterested Investigators and not by those whose interests or prejudices would incline them to hasty judg ment for or against the wage act." Father O'Hara, who Is a member of the Industrial Welfare Commission, and has been from Its organization, thinks an investigation of that kind has already been made by the Fed eral Bureau of Labor Statistics and offers bureau bulletin 176 in evidence. The Oregonian does not doubt that the investigators Marie L. Obenauer and Bertha van der Nienburg were impartial; but it certainly thinks their findings were neither complete nor convincing. The Oregon minimum-wage law bfcamA nnorntivo through the initial order of the com mission, October 4, 1313, and the Federal Investigators began their work within a short time thereafter. The periods of their Inquiry covered the months of March and April, 1913 (before the law became effective), and March anil AnHl loia rrivs months thereafter). Let us see what tne investigators nave to say about the value of their work (nac-e V. bul letin 176); Although this study of the effect of mln lmumwttge determinations was aa compre hensive as the situation would permit, the numbers of women affected In the state of Orepon were too small and the time for ad justments both for the business interests concerned and the state authorities wa too short to allow the results of the study to do more than show tendencies. It was deemed advisable, however, to make this study In Oregon at this time In order that the facts attending- the earliest experience under minimum-wage legislation might be available for consideration in framing such enactments elsewhere; and also that this ex perience might be recorded for comparison with later results shown by future studies. This study cannot be assumed to show the ultimate efTects even in Oregon. Such legis lation must live through various fluctua tions In business conditions before some of Its tendencies can be sharply distinguished from changes due to, other Influences. Quite obviously Father O'Hara at taches more value to the bureau's findings than the Investigators them selves. Without prejudice for or against the law and without predilections of any kind growing out of preconceived theories or notions, a body of inves tigators ought now to determine the facts as to the minimum-wage law. It is important to know its effect upon industry; It is more Important to know what it has done for women workers and for other women who want to work. Qcrrcrxo uqcor. Booth Tafklngton has the story telling gift developed to the nth de gree." He is human and convincing. humorous and readable, and he knows boys and girls, and some men. But Mr. Tarkington stretches credulity somewhat when he leaves the domain of fiction and gives in the American Magazine a concrete report of how a painter friend of his stopped drink ing. The man drank heavily for years and then quit quit cold. The painter a rank in the morning when he got out of bed; he drank after breakfast, at lunch and after lunch; he drank throughout the day, the day often meaning twenty-four hours. He was steeped in alcohol. He did not realize his condition; he did not know that he was not doing good work. Some day he meant to give up the habit, as of course he could at any time, he said to himself. One day the painter found himself In shaky physical condition, and in a panic he went to bed, and stayed there, thinking It over. He was given beef tea and toast for ten days, and then he got up, still weak, but saying and knowing he was done with liquor. Let Tarkington tell It, in the reformed drinker's words: "There was no craving, no temptation, no thirst. There was no conscious exercise of will power. I simply said to myself I've had my last, and meant It. I did not wish to touch liquor. I sim ply stopped drinking, and that was the end of it." A month longer he took to build himself up, but at no time, then or since, has he had the wish to drink. A miracle, a miracle, indeed! It Is a story credible only to those who be lieve that drinking is mere habit and not a disease, or that the mind con trols the body, or that divine help may be extended In such cases. With out denying any of these hypotheses, and affirming only that such ex periences are exceptional, it may be remarked that the tremendous physi cal change which must occur in the dipsomaniac whose supply of liquor is suddenly shut off is too much for ninety-nine men in one hundred. PLAYING INTO TUB ALLIES" HANDS. Although the warning of the Fed eral Reserve Board against Invest ment by American banks In British treasury notes Is regarded by the al lies as an unwarranted blow at their credit and as an act unfriendly to their cause, the board may prove to have been playing into the allies' hands. Sale of allied securities . In the United States is not prompted by reluctance to pay gold for purchases In this country; on the contrary, the allies are only too willing to ship to this country as much gold as we will take. The motive for this action Is ex plained by the- financial editor of the Paris Journal des Debats. He says that by flooding the American mar ket with gold In excess of our needs the allies cause a plethora of money favorable to their loans. The effect Is to lower the rate of interest and to force capital to seek employment, which has been the consequence of our large gold Imports. Speculation Is also stimulated, which forces un ',OSt e firaduqUqa and nir ut American industry at a disadvantage in after-war competition. Treasury notes are merely tem porary expedients of the British gov ernment to raise money pending sale of long-time bonds. Inability to sell them to our banks causes the allies to ship more gold, which, makes our market more favorable for their bonds, and It induces them to offer more bonds. Purchase of foreign bonds Is conducted through bond houses and trust companies, and can not be blocked by the Reserve Board to the same degree as can purchase of treasury notes. It absorbs sur plus capital and thereby counteracts the effect of our excess of gold. It tends to keep down prices and to pre vent speculation. It not only facil itates the financing of the great vol ume of exports from which our pros perity springs; It also contributes to the soundness and stability of ' our finances and industry, strengthens our new position as a creditor nation and fortifies us for the period of re adjustment which will accompany return of peace. Beyond wounding the pride of our best customers, the refusal of our banks to buy treasury notes will not do this country any injury, provided no obstacles are placed In the way of bond sales. It can be turned to the advantage of both this country and the allied countries. ACCOUNTING FOR IT. The Albany Democrat has received from an unnamed citizen a brief se ries of Inquiries which are apparently directed toward The Oregonian and which our considerate contemporary prints without comment, evidently with a desire to spare the lacerated feelings of this newspaper. Overlook ing the unethical method of procur ing an expression from The Orego nian by seeking an entirely foreign avenue, and not by direct request, the little dissertation of our anonymous Albany friend is reprinted by us: The Oregon Electric Railway has raised the salaries of 60 per cent of Its employes: How do you account for that. Oregonian? Tho telephone companies are paying their employes liberal bonuses. How do you ac count for that, Oregonian? Tho Southern Pacific Railway Is paying Its unorganized employes a bonus, llow do you account for that, Oregonian? All the great publio service corporations are either Increasing the wagea of their em ployes, or preparing to do so. How do you account for this, Oregonian? The Oregonian accounts for it on the normal and reasonable ground that these several corporations, tak ing cognizance both of faithful serv ice and the higher cost of living, had sought to share their prosperity with their employes. We are a little puzzled to know what Albany thought The Oregonian would say, or why it should decline to 6ay anjLhing. Let us now make an inquiry or two of Albany: How does he account for it that the Oregon Klectrlc has raised the pay of its unorganized employes and has not waited for a demand at the point of a strike bludgeon or for coerced Congressional action? How does he account for it that the wicked corporations have not distributed all their profits among their stockholders or sent them to Wall Street? STRATEGY AT BALONTKI. In urging abandonment of the Sa Ioniki expedition, the London Mail calls on the allies to decide positively one way or the other. Their action hitherto has Indicated unwillingness to draw back, yet equal unwillingness to strengthen Sarrail's arldy to the point where it could go ahead. The allies seem to have been di vided between a sense of their obli gation to do something for Serbia and the necessity of employing their main force on other fronts. The time for them to have helped Serbia effectively was in the Spring of 1915. If they had then sent to Serbia the army which they sent to Gallipoli they might have prevented the Teuton in vasion and have changed the entire aspect of affairs in the Balkans. After having failed to do that, had they made the army strong enough and disposed of the Greek difficulty soon enough for a vigorous offensive last Spring, they might have saved Rou manla and effected a junction with the Russian army. Strategic considerations may even now yield to motives of policy, which forbid that the Balkans be left en tirely to Russia, for the western pow ers desire a strong voice in disposing of the spoils, in case there should be any. They cannot have this strong voice unless they do their part in winning the spoils. TOBACCO AND READING. There is perhaps something more than a coincidence in the computation that at the same time that Harvard students have reduced their expendi tures for tobacco there also has been a decline in reading. It will not be said, perhaps, that consumption of to bacco directly fosters the reading habit, but somehow the two seem to go together at least with many men. Tobacco Is a pleasing sedative, and nothing adds more to the comfort and contentment of a reading man, once he has cultivated the taste for It, than a fragrant pipe or a good cigar. It would be interesting to know how much the literary world is indebted to tobacco. Many of our best authors have been confirmed smokers, and not a few have acknowledged their debt to the soothing influence of the weed. There is also noted by the Harvard statistician a falling off In billiard playing, which may be called a "repre hensible practice," or a "minor vice," or a "pleasing pastime," according to the way one looks at it. It is true that In playing too good a game of billiards a man is likely to give evi dence of a misspent youth, but this cannot be said of the amateur who is only moderately adept and who does not let the game interfere with his serious purpose In life. For, after all, our avocations are important in shap ing our careers. We cannot be ham mering away at our vocations all of the time. One of the argu ments in favor of billiards played In due moderation Is that It furnishes exercise that some men would not ob tain in any other way. It is a mild form of exercise, certainly, but the number of miles one will walk around a billiard table in a month of evenings is truly surprising. There is, too, enough competition to make it inter esting to those who will not persist In the use of the "health lift" and other forms of scientific, but solitary. Indoor athletics. It may be that Harvard men are about to abandon all of the practices that cannot be Justified on utilitarian grounds, and It is possible that the example will prove contagious. But it will be well to await the outcome before expressing unqualified approval of the new drift. It Is possible for one to take himself too seriously. It KlU be. a dull, world when, the) last of our diversions has disappeared, and it is not too certain that our work will gain in the long run. THE INTERSTATE BRIDGE. Completion of the Interstate Bridge between Portland and Vancouver Is an event well worthy to be commemo rated all along the Columbia River. It binds together two cities which have been one in spirit and have been divided only by natural and political barriers. It forms the most important and most costly link in the highway which Is to traverse all the Pacific Coast states. It draws closer the busi ness relations between Portland and the rich territory on the north bank of the river. The large saving which has been made in the cost of the bridge is a good reason for beginning such work, or at least arranging the prelimi naries, during times of depression. By that means material IS bought at mod erate prices, welcome work is given to the unemployed and the structure is completed in time for service dur ing a time of activity, when it will be most needed. By saving $700,000 on the cost of the steel, the county Is enabled to build a second approach. In resolving to arm their merchant men for defense against submarines, the entente allies are not entering upon a simple task, by any means. It has been estimated, for example, that Great Britain alone possesses some 4000 steamships of more than 2000 tons register, and that each of these will require two guns, while some au thorities insist that four would be bet ter, and, indeed, essential to complete defense. If the latter view were to prevail, it would mean that 16,000 guns would be required, which is no small task for the munitions factories, in addition to their other work. Each gun would require two gunners, de tailed from the navy, or 32,000 men In all; and It must be borne in mind that these men must be trained gun ners, too, for their marksmanship is the very essense of defense. The ques tion that has arisen in England, there fore, and presumably in other coun tries, is whether 16.000 guns and 32, 000 men could not be better employed in other ways in the submarine hunt. It is a question not lightly to be dis missed with either an affirmative or a negative. The tendency of the Indian to give up his old customs has been em phasized in the last four years more than at any other time In his history, if official statistics are correct. The number of those who had discarded the typical costume of their tribes for the dress of the white man In 1912 was estimated to be 160,000, and this number had been increased In 1916 to 190,000. Four years ago fewer than 55,000 could read or write English, and now 75,000 both read and write English, or about 30 per cent of tho whole number in the country. The number of deaths of infants has de creased nearly half In two years. Church-going has increased 40 per cent In four years. The num ber who are tilling the soli for a livelihood Is constantly Increasing, and this Is perhaps the best sign of all, for in raising his own food and a sufficient surplus to exchange for his other necessities lies the best hope of the Indian for the future. The day ap proaches rapidly when all Indians will be self-supporting. Popularizing of National parks, on which a conference has been called by Secretary Lane, Is closely associated with good roads. Vacation tours in automobiles are growing In popularity and would become the holiday for many more thousands if the National parks were connected by first-class highways. What could exceed In de light a tour which began with Yel lowstone Park, continued through Montana to Glacier Park, then through Idaho and Washington to Lake Chelan and Mount Rainier Park, down the Pacific Highway and over the Inter state bridge to the Columbia River Highway and Mount Hood, through the Willamette Valley or Central Ore gon to Crater Lake and the Josephine County Caves, and thence to Yosemlte and Sequoia parks and through Cali fornia? With good hotels dotted along the way, that tour would put in the shade anything which Europe has to offer. Senator Stone's Indignation against those officials who leak Government secrets would have more effect tf he had not stormed in the same way against colleagues who had revealed proceedings of executive sessions of the Senate. How much sincerity there was likely to be in his tirades may be judged from a statement of Samuel G.. Blythe that on one occasion he ob tained such Information from the very Senator who on the next day de nounced the man who gave It. The Model License League comes too late with its plans to "curtail and modify the retail liquor business." The people have wearied of waiting for successful execution of such plans and are now curtailing and modifying the business out of existence. It Is Just as well that the Senate has given the privileges of the floor to Miss Simpson. Senators will get accustomed to having a woman around in preparation for the time when a Senatoress will appear on the floor. Detectives Tlchenor and Moloney have made Cupid their lifelong enemy by foiling the matrimonial plans of the Kalama elopers. The little blind god will get even. One sad result of the advance in the price of rubber shoes Is that It will increase the cost of living for "Gumshoe Bill" Stone. Great Britain finds she needs nearly all her medical men In the army. This will open a great field at home for the woman doctor. John McCormack, the singer, has Just paid $150,000 for a painting by Rembrandt. "Easy come, easy go." Sending an Ambassador to Mexico gives him a chance to be sent home on a possibility of real war. Proposals to combine and consoli date officers and commissions sound good to the taxpayer. High prices may increase pellagra, but they cannot go high enough to make It fashionable. Sleep with windows open and minimize the chance of taking cold at this time of year. An Oregon irrigator does not bother about an umbrella when, he comes to Pcirtland, w Foreign. War Primer. The news that the British forces operating near the Suez Canal hi m Ployed camels In soma of their rhirrx against Turkish trenches gives special interest to a communication to the rvattonal flMmnhin i . .. - ....... luvjcij concern ing these desert beasts of burden and war-mounts. A portion of the com munication follows: "There are almost as many varieties or camels as horses. The Arab name for camel is dJemeL Those of Tunisia. Tripolltania and Algeria have one hump and are really dromedaries. Cer tain breeds of came! can withstand the 6"' neat or tne Sahara Desert, and others that of the zero weather of Thibet and China. "The Ordlnjlrv f a m 1 TV' .v. Africa (dromedaries) cost from $30 to apiece, ana they live on almost anvth i n r that th.v ,nTi fln -.- w the roadside? henr it rngl. a nothing for their native Arab owners . neep mem. bnouid a European own camels and attempt to feed them with hav and prsln hn vnuM ffnfl , V. - V. .. ate a great deal, and that it would a aouar a aay lor eacn one. ... . . . . Luiim. war m i i ipun . . . ,. . . .v.. .... iii . &nu its driver to take food supplies from nen uaraen to Ins Turkish camp was irom ou to u cents a day. "It is amazing to see the rapidity wun which a herd of 600 camels will eat to the ground a large pasturage of prlcRly pear from eight to 10 feet hich. Leaves, stems, prickles and all disap pear nice magic. "In many parts of Africa the natives keep all their date stones and give them to exhausted camels, weary from their long Sahara march. The camel resists at first, and the date stones, moistened In a little water, are nushed forcibly by the handful down the camel's throat, after it has been made to kneel, and then securely fastened. In two or three days the camel learns to eat them of its own accord. The natives say that these date stones make the hump of the camel strong and stiff. "The camel In Its long march across the Sahara frequently finds very little to eat and lives on the fat of its own hump. When this continues during a long time the hump becomes flabby and almost disappears. The African broad-tailed sheep llve's in the same way on the fat of Its own tail. "The flesh of the camel is eaten by the natives. Tho greatest delicacy is the hump, which contains a great deal of fat. "The usual weight of the burdens carried by a camel varies from 650 to 600 pounds, for Journeys from town to town or on the border of the desert; going across the desert the burden is less. When a camel is being laden It keeps up a continual snarling, and should It be overburdened It refuses to arise. Most camels are vicious and their bite is very dangerous. Hardly a week passes at the large native hos pltal in Tunis but some unfortunate camel driver dies of blood poisoning caused by a camel's bite The grinding motion of a camel's jaw crushes to pulp whatever it bites; so that the arm or leg has to be amputated, and blood poisoning usually sets In before the patient can reach the hospital. "In the interior of Northern Africa is a superb race of camels known as the mehara (singular, mehari). or rac lng camels. The mehara owe a great deal to the care taken In their breed lng during the past 2000 years. Ancient writers sneak of camels used by the army of Xerxes, more than 2000 years ago, that had the speed of the fastest horses: these were doubtless mehara. "A mehari Is never used as a beast of burden; all It ever carries is a sad dle (something like a Mexican saddle made of gazelle-skin, dyed red. with a high pommel and a cross in front) two saddle-bags and a rider. The rider Is buckled Into the saddle by two belts. Ills feet are crossed In front of the saddle and rest on the neck of the mehari. His slippers are usually slung across the pommel, and the mehari is guided by the wriggling of the rider's toes. "An iron ring passes through one nostril of the animal and a rein of camel's hair Is attached. "The mehara are used entirely by the Arabs when on the warpath, or razzia. A mehari on the warpath can save three men. Two ride It and the third takes hold of its tall and Is pulled along. The latter changes places with the rider at intervals. When a war party has lost so many camels that there remains but one camel for every three men, it always retreats. "When at full speed a mehari has a most remarkable single-foot or pacing step, the motion of which Is not at all disagreeable: and it can cover quite easily 100 miles In a day witnout un due fatigue." burial, op jonx n.inLErcons. (A reminiscence of New Year's eve.) Not a bum was heard singing a bibu lous note As his corse from the New Year was hurried: Not a rounder partook of a farewell shot On the night that John B. was burled. Few and weak were the drinks we took. And we spoke not a word of sorrow; For we had not cause for a gloomy look To the big headache on the morrow. We thought as we rambled home to bed And plumped up our lonely pillow, "How peaceful things are since his spirit is sped Far south o'er the blundering billow. Calmly and sweetly we laid us down In a sleep that was sober, but snory; For John Barleycorn was burled and gone. And had left us alone In our glory. DEAN COLLINS. 1917 Conveniences. If Columbus had thought as the others did we might never, have heard his name. And the grandeur of America as yet be unknown to fame; If Watts had left unnoticed the kettle of restless steam. Maybe we still would be transferring mostly by wagon team: If Morse hadn't thought on a tick and click and a telegraph machine. How long would the message we send that way travel do you ween? If Westinghouse and Edison and Bell and also Wright Content enough with things had been it does seem probable, quite. That the little New Tear, youngster that has come would have to be Without many great conveniences, each brought from a good Idea. A. H. O'CONNELL. War Since 1450. - The Independent. Dr. Frederick Adams Woods, in his painstaking attempt to answer the question, "Is War Diminishing?" gives us a statistical table showing that since 1450 the European nations have spent approximately half their time in waging war. Have they sacrificed half of their wealth? Who knows? We do not even know whether by syste matic research It would be possible now to learn even roughly what the sacrifice has been. ... But it is time to begin research, determined, costly, scientific, exhaustive, to ascer tain. In the scientific man's sense of the word, what Is the cause or what are the causes of war. Until this research has brought forth a positive, unim peachable result, our efforts to prevent war are likely to be but sentimental and, xi&lonarXa SENATOR. LANE ON PROHIBITION. Orcsron Congressman Expousdj Novel Information on Current Events. Congressional Record. r. Stone When did the State of Ore gon go dry? Tho presiding officer Does the Sen ator from Missouri yield to his col league? Mr. Reed Certainly. Mr. Lane We had local option. It has been going dry for about 10 years. Mr. Stone I say the state. Mr. Lane Several years ago; about four years ago. Mr. Stone I was in the state a year ago last Summer and in Portland I saw open saloons at the hotels. Mr. Lane There was an exception In favor of hotels at one time, but the barrooms have been closed now. Mr. Stone These were barrooms. Mr. Lane In hotels? Mr. Stone Yes, sir; they are the only ones I saw. Mr. Lane We had a law In Oregon which permitted saloons to run at full blast. That was changed at the elec tion two years ago, and If the Senator (Mr. Stone I am not entering Into any controversy; I was asking for Informa tion, for it was only a little over a year ago when I was In Oregon, and In browsing about In the great and beau tiful city of Portland I happened to observe that there were saloons. I did not think anything about lt;I Just sup posed It was common there, as It was In other places; but I saw them; In fact. I peeped Into one or two of them Just to see what was going on. Mr. Lane Last year? Mr. Stone Last year. Let me see, I want to be accurate about it. It was the year of the World's Fair at San Francisco. Mr. Lane That was last year. The Senator then did better than even the officers of the law, for the state was dry then. No saloons were In existence. Mr. Stone There wtre friends of the Senator and men who have a right to be present in the Senate chamber who accompanied me on one or two occa sions. I am giving no names, but that Is what occurred. Those saloons were there. If they were there a year ago or a little more, and the Senator says that everybody Is happier and more prosperous and doing better, and 1 am not disputing It. I am Just wonder ing how In so short a time my friend, the distinguished junior Senator from Oregon, being here, spending his time In Washington, attending with great assiduity and value to his country to the services imposed upon him. would know Just how many people were pay ing their debts, more or less, than they did before, and all that sort of thing. Mr. Lane Now, Mr. President, the state went dry The presiding officer Does the Junior Senator from Missouri yield fur ther to the Senator from Oregon? Mr. Reed I yielded for a question. I did not want to lose the floor. The Senator has occupied some time, but 1 do not want to deny him the privilege of concluding. The presiding officer The Junior Senator from Missouri yields further to the Senator from Oregon. Mr. Lane After the genial and whole-souled remarks of my esteemed friend, the senior Senator from Mis souri. I will say that the state went dry in 1914. This Is the end of the year 1916. Mr. Reed Let me ask the Senator when the law went into effect. Mr. Lane In 1914. Mr. Reed How soon after the elec tion? Mr. Lane It went Into effect Imme diately following the passage of the law. The next year. 1915, then Mr. Reed So there has been only one year for this prosperity to spring up. Mr. Lane Prosperity did not spring up. but the result was tho paying of debts to merchants. I had that Infor mation from them directly, from the larger merchants of the city of Port land and reports from other portions of the state. In 1916 the state went what they call bone dry; that Is. some thing after the manner of the bill In troduced by the Senator from Utah (Mr. Smoot). Prior to that time anyone could Import two quarts of whisky each month and a certain amount oT beer. I do not know ltow much. So If the Senator was there during the year 191a and he was procuring whisky, he was entitled to Import a couple of quarts. I suppose; but there were no saloons. Mr. Reed The Senator ought to quote my colleague accurately. He did not say that he procured liquor; he said he saw open bars. Mr. Lane If he saw open barrooms they were conducted contrary to law, for it is against the law. LAND TITLES IX EARLY DAYS Oregon City for Long Time Only Place for Malting; Kllinsa. PORTLAND. Jan. 2. (To the Ed itor.) In The Oregonian Sunday ap pears an article by Addison Bennett dealing with many phases of life In Oregon In Its early years of settlement, which I would like the privilige of am plifying. We are told that a settler ol 1843 wished to "take a homestead" on Sau vies Island, in Washington County, and that he went to Ilillsboro to file on his claim of "one section of land." Now there never was a legal provision for the taking of a homestead of more than one-quarter section. The homestead law was not enacted for about 16 years after this supposed claim was taken and in those days, and for many years thereafter, there were no offices at Ilillsboro, or anywhere else, where a land claim could be taken or filed on exrept at Oregon City. Under the provisional government Initiated at Champoog in 1S43 we had an officer, I think his title was Re corder of Claims whose office was at Oregon City. His name was Theophelas MacGruder. The settler recorded his claim and then "sat tight" until Uncle Sam should come along at some future time to his relief. In 1849 a regular territorial govern ment was established and a different set of officers took charge. John B. Preston was appointed Surveyor-General of the territory, with his office at Oregon City. At that time the clalment from Clatsop Plains, Whidby's Island, Walla Walla, or Jacksonville, each had to make his Initial claim at Oregon City before Mr. Preston. But it is evidently a mistake to say that a "homestead entry was made" at that time, for the homestead law was not passed until about 1862. I believe. At all events It bears the signature of our best beloved American citizen, Abraham Lincoln. The entry in question was evidently made under the donation law of- 1850, under which a married man and wife could take one section or 640 acres. But in this case also, the claimant must make his filing at the Surveyor-Gen eral's office at Orea-on City. EDWARD C. ROSS. Conservation of Hoop Snake Energy. IIILLSEORO, Or.. Jan. 1. (To the Editor.) When a small boy in school I heard the teacher tell how the hoop snakes would roll along the ground. and. not being able to turn quickly. would sometimes roll against a tree. This would anger the unlucky "hoop er" and it would Jab Its horn into the offending tree. The leaves would im mediately wither and the tree eventu ally die, which shows how deadly is the poison. Why does not some Ingenious fel low get up a scheme to use this snake energy? For Instance, several of the snakes could be strapped on the rim of a flywheel or be enticed Into the tires of an automobile. Of course, this would be a hazard ous undertaking and should be at tempted only by those who are fa miliar with the habits of these ven omous reptiles. In Other Days Half Century Axe. Front The Omronlsn January 4. Ut7. The Government has autked all to make up the statement of their income during ISoo. as the statements are due May 1. Thomas Frazar is United States Assessor for the District of Ore gon. John G. Robertson, murderer of the Limerick family, was hanged December 28 at Richmond. V. A. M. Skinner has been appointed Judge of the Second Judicial District. He has lived at Eugene a long time. Among the recent marriages In Ore gon were those of John Barrett and Margaret O'Connor. January 1. in Port land; John Harrison and Mary Crow in Washington County December 30; Eu gene S. Jarkson and Mary M. Beau champ In Washington County Decem ber 24. and William Shuck and Harriet Llvergood In Yamhill County on De cember 27. Twenrr.FlT Inn A go. From The Oresonlan January 4. 1S93. Columbus, O. Sunday was respeeted and a quiet day resulted In the Sen atorial contest, althouch both Senator Sherman and ex-Governor Foraker re mained on the ground. San Franrlseo. Jan. 3. A triple play by "Jiggs" I'arrott and Wilson today saved the game for Portland. Parrott caught a line drive by Dooley, touched Spies, who had previously been bunted to second by Stalling, and threw Relts out at home, thus crushing the hopes of San Jose. Washington Julian Hawthorne has had a long interview with Secretary Tracy. The Secretary said that the Navy Is now suitable only for defense but that tho work of building It up is going on satisfactorily And as fast as is practicable. Tennyson's dislike of the common people is growing and his home Is now provided to exclude the Raze of on lookers who seek to see him. Mrs. G. A. Harding's tea at Oregon City capped a brilliant holiday social week. The following assisted Mrs. Harding: . Mrs. M. A Slatton. Mrs. J. O. Pilsbury. Mrs. F. R. Chaxman. Mrs. F. Rigler and Mrs. J. Ordway. WRECKING OF INDUSTRY FEARED Shipbuilding at Present Stage Needs Every 1'npuurnKrmrnt. PORTLAND. Jan. 2. ('To the Edi tor.) Regardless of other claims that may be made by the representatives of labor as to the motives of the present agitation in connection with the steel shipbuilding plants In Portland, the matter reduces Itself to one thing, when It Is fully analyzed. This Is a determination, not upon the part of tho actual employes In the plants, but upon the part of profes sional labor organizers and leaders on the outside to strike the Industry in its Infancy and if possible force closed shop conditions upon it wllly-nllly. There l a clearly defined willing ness. Indicated In the utterant-es of the labor organizers, to wreck the In dustry if they cannot rule it in this re spect. All of this Is In the face of the fact that the overthrow or even the tempo rary hampering of the Industry In its present beginning stage would not only strike at the men who have risked their resources to bring Into being and foster the new industry, but would be a direct blow at tho whole community by deterring Innumerable other enter prises which are looking toward this field from coming into It. Jt would sim ply stop the hands of the clock in Oregon so far as Industrial develop ment is concerned, and nobody knows for how long. The employers have shown no hos tility to labor, nor to labor organiza tion. They have met practically every demand that hap been put up to them and have defined their willingness to meet with their men and discuss other points with a view to coming to a defi nite understanding. What they have objected to is the effort of the labor organizations to have withdrawn from the employers the possibility of dealing with their own employes direct. They have de clined to accept conditions whtrh would tako the Initiative In action away from their employes and throw it arbitrarily into the hands of a business agent, who has no connection with the Indus try and whose very occupation depends upon his keeping up a continuous labor agitation. " Arguments and discussions have been advanced by representatives of the labor organizations not by employes of the shipbuilding plants themselves endeavoring to show that ' the wage scale is the point at issue. Examination will show that this is but a part of a series of moves whereby the agitator is endeavoring to maneuver away from the basal issuo in the whole matter the closed-shop principle. There never was a matter In which every man and woman In Portland was more vitally interested than in this present controversy. Every man and woman should make It his or her business to get complete Information on the merits of the case, to analyze it and to bear in mind that all will be affected by the outcome, which will mean more for the advancement or the undoing of Oregon than perhaps any one thing that has come up for years. A. H. AVERILL. Flllnsr on 6O-Aere If omestends. INDEPENDENCE, Or.. Jan. 1. (To the Editor.) When can filing be made on desert land under the 640-acre graz ing homestead bill just signed bv the President? CONSTANT READER. The desert land law and the 640-acre grazing homestead law are separate enactments. Under the desert land law any citizen may file application at once. Any one intending to take up a claim may declare for citizenship, work the land and at the termination of the period receive title providing that he be a full-fledged citizen at the comple tion of the agreement. The United States Land Office in Portland has authority to receive and suspend applications under the 640-acre law at once. For further Information write he Portland office at the Worcester building. Mr Daily Prayer." ROSE BURG, Or.. Dec. 31. (To the Editor.) Here is a reply to "My Daily Prayer." which was printed In The Sunday Oregonian. December 31: MAKE MB THANKFUL. 1. too. would live upon a ranch. Where there Is lots of room. I want a littie house and man And I ran wield a broom. I can keep my house all spick and span Am not afraid to do my share. Can then have time enough to spare; To do as much as any other woman can. But when I have worked from crack of day Will the man whose name 1 bear Come in and growl about the grub? And say "Be careful of the flour, it Is too high. Be more savin c of the sugar, put less In the pie? Why don't you fix your hair? Tou don't look as pretty aa the girl where once I used to st.iy." Lord make me thanktul where I am. BACHELOR M AID. April 8. GLENADA. Or.. Jan. 1. (To the Edi tor.) On what Sunday, in what month does Easter fall this year? s SUBSCRIBER,