lO THE OREGOXIAX, THTTRSDAT. JANUARY 18, 1917. PORTLAND, OREGON. Entered at Portland (Oregon) Postoffle as seoond-class mail mmtter. subscription rates invariably In advance: (By Mall.) Pally, Bunday Included, one year ...... .SS.OJ xaily. Sunday Included, mix months ..... 5 Xaily, Sunday Included, three months ... 2..S5 Xaily, Eunday Included, one monUl 7JJ la!ly, without Sunday, one year p vo Dally, without Sunday, three month ... I-Jj JJaily. without Sunday, one month .-2 weekly, one year ........ 1-30 tunday. one year 2.50 feunday and Weekly 8.5 (By Carrier.) pally, Sunday Included, one year ....... -OO Zally, Sunday Included, one month ..... -To How to Remit Send poatofflce money order, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Give poatofflce address la lull. Including county and state. Postaa-e Bates 12 to 16 pages, 1 cent; 18 to 32 pairs, 2 cents; a to 48 pases, 8 cents; 60 to 60 pases, 4 cents; 62 to 76 pases, 6 cents; 78 to i'J pases, 6 cents. Foelsn post ase double rates Eastern Business Office Verree A Conk lln, Brunswick building. New Tork; Verree sV Conklln. Steger building. Chicago. San l'"ranci6co representative, li. J. Jbldwell. 742 Market street. I"ORTLA'D, TUCKS DAY, JAN. 18. 1817, IAOTD GEORGE'S FXRST STROKE. The first effect of Lloyd George's advent to power In London seems to lmve been Injection of igr Into allied procedure to render King Constan tino's Greek loyalists powerless to strike their Saloniki army In the rear and adoption of a plan of campaign which will treat the Balkans as one of the main fields of operations. Lloyd George went to Rome early in the year, met Premier Brland, of France; Premier Boselli and Foreign Minister Sonnlno, of Italy, and a Rus sian military officer. He is said to have dominated the conference and to have laid before It a complete scheme for dealing with Greece and the entire Balkan situation, which was enthusiastically accepted. This scheme has borne fruit In the allies' Insistence that the Greek army be withdrawn south of the Isthmus of Corinth, except that sufficient force remain in the north for police pur poses only: hat certain artillery be surrendered to the allies to balance that which was given up to the Bul garians at Seres and Kavala; that the imprisoned Venlzelists be released and that apology and amends be made for the attack on the allied forces at Athens on December 1. Italy seems to have been asked and to have consented to co-operate fully In the plans of the allies, even to the point of becoming their mandatary for the armed occupation of Greece If Constantino should prove refractory. This is the more remarkable because Italy Is not one of the guarantors of constitutional government in Greece. That nation was selected because it is close at hand, has slight transport dif ficulties and already has an army of 860.000 men in Albania based on Avion a, only 120 miles from Monastir, The strict blockade seemed to have brought Constantino to terms, for it was announced a week ago that the evacuation of Thessaly had been vir tually completed and that women armed with rifles' were guarding the railroads, bridges and passes, but the King did not consent until January 17 to release the imprisoned Venlzelists and to make amends for the affair at Athens. Apparently he has been play, ing for time, for General von Falken Jiayn has arrived in Thessaly and It is announced from Saloniki that, in stead of moving southward, the Greek troops are moving northward into the neutral zone, where they and" the Venizelist troops were kept apart by the allies. It may now be the duty of Italy under the agreement to move troops through the Albanian Moun tains in midwinter for the occupation of Northern Greece. If Constantino were to withdraw to the Peloponnesus, the allies might still find it necessary to occupy the whole kingdom, for the roast of the peninsula Is dented with Inlets, which pro-German Greeks might use as bases for submarines. Italy also agreed to give full armed co-operation to France and Britain In the Macedonian campaign. Criticism of the comparative Inactivity of the Avlona army has been met by the statement that France and Britain had undertaken to remove danger of, an attack on its right flank by Constan tine's army, but had failed to do so This danger now seems to be more Imminent than ever, and It may be met by an Italian advance from the west, while the Anglo-French forces Join the Venizelists in an advance from the east and occupy Athens with naval landing parties. Arrest of the Teuton advance in Roumania and assumption of the of fensive by the Russo-Roumanian forces, suggest that part of Von Mack- , onsen's army may have been sent southward into Macedonia to attack the allies in front while the Greek loyalists attack in the rear. If the Italians should move their main force to the front in time, they may suffice to cope with the Greeks, while the Anglo-French-Serbian forces do battle ' with the Germans and Bulgars on the north and east. If the Italians should be delayed by the difficulties of Winter march over bad mountain roads across Albania, the latter might be in hard straits. Development of these dangers to the allies, which could have been foreseen from the day when Constantine began to evince enmity to them. Increases surprise that they did not take more decided steps more than a year ago, and did not then clear the way for the Balkan campaign which they have now planned. From -the day when Turkey Joined Germany and Austria, they might have foreseen the posslbil rty that a Teuton drive to the south east would link the three empires and open the way for that Interchange of men and material which has been go ing on ever since. From the day when Bulgaria Joined the central empires, when the drive through Serbia began and when Constantine dismissed the Venizelos Cabinet, they might hav foreseen that the link in question was about to be forged and that any army they sent to break it would be ex posed to attack in the rear by the Greeks. By temporizing with Greece they have hastened the disasters to Serbia and Roumania, have enabled Constantine to win over many of his people to his pro-German views, have facilitated the exchange of men and ' material which has given their ene mies the means of stopping the Rus sian advance in both Galicia and Asia Minor and have given Germany the reserve army which crushed Ron mania. It is a tribute to the quick decision of Lloyd George that he met this danger first. He sees that cutting of the corridor between Austria and Tur key Is as essential to allied success as are operations on any other front, and that for this end the Greek menace must be removed and a great army must endeavor to force its way from the Aegean to the Black Sea. If that tmdertaltng should succeed, the sea. tral empires could no longer draw troops and food from Turkey, while Turkey could no" longer receive war material from Germany. The British Premier also has disproved the charge of his political enemies that ho is dominated by the London Times, which has repeatedly urged abandon ment of the Saloniki enterprise. '. He has also foiled the agitation of Joseph Caillaux, the discredited French poli tician, and the Italian neutralists for separate peace to be made by France and Italy, and has drawn the alliance Into closer unison. THE JINGO LAWSON. The caloric and horrific production of the literary and financial genius of Tom Lawson, known as "Frenzied Finance," was a few years ago ac cepted by the country, and particular ly by the Democratic xiarty, at par value or more. Now there Is an obvious suspicion by a Democratic Congress as to the validity of the Lawson disclosures. Frenzied Finance" was a so-called revelation of the wicked ' and far reaching machinations ojf, Wall Street. It was received as the personal testi mony the authentic confession of one of the chief conspirators. He was the chief witness for the people. It contained damaging attacks upon a few carefully selected individuals; yet it was not much more than a wordy mass of highly colored gossip, adapted from the yellow headllners to the uses of muckraking magazines. Who can remember now what Lawson said few years ago? Yet the very men who are now holding up pious hands. In simulated horror then made the country ring with their agonized vocalizations over the iniquities of Wall Street. The fortunes of many a cheap politician were made by Lawson. The hldeousness of Wall Street ex ists in Inverse ratio as the distance increases or decreases, in the eyes of some Congressmen. Lawson, the patriot, has become Lawson, the Jingo and hoodoo. What was unvar nished truth ten years ago is mere ugly inuendo and malicious hearsay now. The Henrys of Congress are un grateful. WHY WORRY? In 1916 the United States Internal rev enues from the tax on spirits and fermented liquors amounted to $-47,403,042. This lit le item, in the present and prospective con dltion of the Treasury, should be of con siderable interest to the statesmen in Con gress, be they sincere believers in prohl bltlonists or merely keen-eyed watchers of the jumping Of the cat. who favor Ixatlonal prohibition. Desperately searching for new sources of revenue, the Government la in no position to throw away this old and not offensive one. New York Times. Let us Inform our protesting con temporary, out of the abundance of long and fruitful experience with pro hibition, that the average "dry" doesn't care a tinker's imprecation about the financial argument against his particular reform. If the internal revenue income from spirits and fer mented liquors were si, 000, 000, 000 a year instead of $247,453,542, Re would find fourfold more reason for making the whole country an anti-alcoholic desert. But of course the Times Is not ad dressing its appeal to the prohibition ists but to Congress. Yet nothing in the conduct or record of the past three sessions of Congress indicates that Its members as a body have the slightest concern or worry about so trifling an item as $247,453,542. The testimony of a high official of the Administration Secretary Red field on the subject of extravagance ought to be pertinent. He told the Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce We are the wasters of the world. It would not be untruthful to take the Initials W. W. and attach them to ourselves as meaning the Industrial Wasters of the World. When Mr. Redfield said "we" he meant somebody else, or all other somebodies. But the country will make the adaptation to the National Administration. THE MISSOURI ETHICAL STANDARD, One of the most impressive exam ples of the vicious effect of the senior ity rule in the Senate is the fact that it has elevated Senator Stone, of Mis souri, to the highly important position of chairman of the committee on for eign relations. He is a politician of the old type, whose action is guided by Its effect on Missouri votes. He has not the broad knowledge of for eign affairs which has distinguished many of his predecessors, and he takes a narrow, partisan view of every ques tion in a field where patriotic states- manshlp should lift him above party. In his speech on the Lawson leak charges, Mr. Stone carried his par tisanship so far as to propose a prac tically clean sweep of all the higher Republican officeholders in the State DeDartment No other construction can reasonably be put on these words i.et ma say. without a moment's halting, If I could have my way I would have every Administration put its own trusted men- men of its own choosing In every really re sponsible place. Do not understand me as saying that the civil service should be swept off the statute books; but there are men now holding important and confidential latlons to the State Department, and doubt In other departments, who have reason. excent as they individually may b honest men and true, to be faithful to their chiefs. Many of them. I am sure, would be happy to see the Administration In which they serve a failure. I think those who hold positions of control end of dominating influence the chlers or Olvislons ana up should be in hearty sympathy with the Ad ministration tinder which they serve. Other wise you have unfriendly captains on guard. Had that policy been pursued by Republican Administrations, the pres ent Democratic Secretary of State would not have held several impor tant positions through which he rose to his present eminence. That fact alone, though many other similar cases might be mentioned. Is sufficient to show the difference in spirit be tween Mr. Stone and Republican leaders. It was left for the Missouri Senator to adopt the theory that a man would be false to his country in Its dealings with other nations that he might in jure an Administration with which he was not In political sympathy. TACTS FOB THE DOUBTERS. Any person who has misgivings as to the continuance for seven to ten years after the war of the present activity in shipbuilding in the United States in general, and on the Columbia River in particular, should be reas sured by the figures given by J. Fred Larson in The Sunday Oregonian. If the normal increase of tonnage had continued, there should have been 60,000.000 tons in 1919. Of the 50. 000,000 tons existing in 1914, more than 5,000,000 have been destroyed, 4,400,000 are interned and will take more than a year to put in shape, 12,- 000,000 have been commandeered and only 28,400,000 remain for commerce, Ships in the last two classes are being driven so hard that it is predicted that most of them will.be scrap in two years. Destruction continues at the rate of 850,000 tons i- month, and new. construction, does not Dlk. cood this loss, though it should add 2.000, 000 tons a year in order to keep pace with the growth of commerce. The world's normal shipbuilding capacity is 2,400,000 tons a year, but between 30.000,000 and 35,000,000 tons of new vessels will be needed to bring the world's total up to its needs In 1919. There is scope here for the activity of many new shipyards - In new dis tricts before the business settles down to a normal basis. Steel ships cannot be built fast enough to fill the void, for all yards have all they can do In 1917 and 1918 and many have con tracts extending into 19 23, and the output of steel mills and engine works Is contracted far ahead. The oppor tunity exists for wooden ships in par ticular, for building which the Colum bia River has the best facilities in material, deep water and many other respects. The way is open to estab lish steel shipbuilding, but wooden shipbuilding at least should become a permanent Industry. DIFFERENTIAL OF $17.60 STILL STANDS. From some source, probably authen tic, comes the Information that less than 5 per cent of the tourist, or round-trip, travel to California re turns East via the Pacific Northwest, In other words, only about one per son in twenty who makes the Journey across the continent thinks it worth his while to ascertain if there is any attraction for him In Oregon or Wash ington or Alaska. It might be more nearly accurate, however, to say that he Is not enough interested to pay the $17.50 differential the railroads have long imposed against the northern territory. Now the Interstate Commerce Com mission has ruled that the $17.50 arbitrary charge shall be equalized, so that the traveler who wants to come north shall pay no more than If he desired to return by a southern or central route. The rates to and from on all routes are to be the same. It will be of great benefit to the Northwest. The railroads are still protesting and the equalization has not yet been made, and probably will not be, so long as there Is a legal resource left. It Is Important to the interests of the Northwest that the . advantage thus gained by the Commerce Commission ruling be pressed and there be a final decision at the earliest practicable time. The hotel men of Oregon and Wash ington have taken charge of the cam- paign, and they are asking for the aid, financial and moral, of the pub lic. It should be given. MIGNOX. In the calendar of events soon at hand, the production of the opera, Mignon," next Monday and Wednes day nights at the Eleventh-Street Playhouse, is one of contemplative pleasure and interest. The reasons are several. It will bring together again some of Portland's promising musical and dramatic talent. Who knows but a spark of genius may thus be discov ered and fanned? It embodies also certain aspirations and ambitions of culture and learning that are mani festly good for any community, and without which a community feels and shows the effects. Mignon" is a delightful and melod ious conceit by Ambroise Thomas, a French composer who lived Just long enough ago to link the musical glory of the early nineteenth century with the hopeful spirit of today. Thomas was born in 1811, about the time that Italy and France were doing so much for the revival of Interest in grand opera. He died Just 20 years ago, after a quarter of a century of mu sical leadership as director of the Paris Conservatory. In the early days of his career, operatic appreciation was fostered first by communities of music -lovers and then by the larger centers. In the latter way Mignon and other recent productions of local music patrons are being used to foster musical appreciation on the North west Pacific Coast, where, because of several conditions, we have too little of art and musical entertainment. It is a happy fact that. In the absence of the professional stars and com panies, we can turn to our ambitious amateurs and tireless teachers and have local productions of genuine opera. "Mignon" is full of poetic beauty and has several of the popular oper atic songs, among them, "I Am Ti tania," "Knowest Thou the Land" and "The Swallow" duet. "Mignon" is in the operatic repertoire of almost every country. It has lived because it has given delight to its audiences and be cause of its abundant melody and the appeal of its story based oh Goethe's Wllhelm Melster. It has something for the eye also. Its stage effects are a fascinating frame for the mood of the story. It is to be hoped the public appre ciates what the Portland Opera Asso elation Is doing. It aspires to be permanent organization along with the Portland Symphony Orchestra and the Festival Association. The singers re ceive no compensation and the only financial ambition of thai association is to pay expenses. The work Is done as much other is done in the realm o art, liberal and otherwise, for the good of the cause and the personal satisfaction of achieving artistic re suits. The association is a felicitous organization of business men, mu sicians and patrons of music. Intel lectual and artistic growth go hand in hand with business progress, as Bos ton, Philadelphia and New York have shown .and at some time, more so than now, it will be apparent in Portland It is difficult to estimate the good that results from public patronage of an undertaking such as "Mignon." If it does no more than to bring the lead ing singers together for an evening of community entertainment, such good is wide in its scope; and if it brings to light some geniua which otherwise might have been "born to blush un seen," its benefit will be everlasting. Besides all this, here is an oppor tunity of realizing, in a measure, on the investment that has gone Into the musical and dramatic training of the directors and singers who lend of their experience and talents for an event of this kind. The magnitude of the task of mobilizing an army, from the view point of the railroads, is graphically shown in a summary of the movement to the Mexican border completed by the American Railway Association For the moving of the first 100,000 of the National Guard there were re quired -350 trains, which if combined would have made a train nearly ninety miles long. More than 3000 passenger cars were provided, and in addition 400 baggage cars, some of which were equipped with kitchens for the Benin, of hot meals en route. More tha 1300 box cars, 2000 stock cars at, 800 flat cars were employed in trans porting material ana equipment IoiVj these troops. It is also pointed out! porting material and equipment to uiat to, nave exxectea we movement of all these men in tourist sleepers would have required approximately five times as many of this type of cars as there are ih existence. The movement in the United States can- ot be compared with that in Europe at the beginning of the war, because in the latter case all civil business was put aside ami the distances were much shorter. The majority of the American soldiers were transported more than 2000 miles. Social ambition has had a serious effect upon the supply of help for hotels in the Fast and Middle West, particularly in the case of scrubwom en, the cause being twofold. In the first place the immigration of those willing to do this kind of work has been stopped and in the next the mu nitions factories have offered oppor tunities for more aristocratic if not always more lucrative employment. While many varieties of factory em ployment are as arduous as scrubbing, it has been explained by one of the former hotel workers that work that is done kneeling cannot be considered as dignified as that which Is per formed standing. While, of course, a job at which one may sit while mak- ng a living is highest of all in the scale. It seems Impossible to wipe out class distinctions. No sooner do we think we have succeeded in some way than the people affected proceed to create a distinction of their own. The fact that true aristocracy in labor onsists in a task well done is a beau tiful theory, but the difficulty Is in securing its wide adoption in practice. Prohibitive cost of steel and diffi culty of getting It delivered promptly have caused return to wooden railroad cars as well as wooden ships, ' and Oregon has the best material for both. There Is every reason why the Brook lyn shops should be the scene of a great industry in the building of cars, not only for the Southern Pacific but for other roads, and the contract ob tained by the Montavllla shops should prove to be only the first of a series. That the cars may be built where the lumber rather than where the steel is produced, it is necessary that , other elements of cost be held down to a figure which will bring the orders to Oregon. Admiral Dewey's opportunity came after sixty years of preparation, and it found him ready because he. had made good use of those years. In his. as in many other careers, the fruits of a lifetime are gathered in a few crowded moments. This is a lesson to those who are tempted to imagine that It is not worth while to do small things well. They forget that fidelity in small duties Is part of the equip ment for success in great things. Mr. Osborne's determination to go to prison persists, and it is to be hoped, of course, that good will come of it. But it is always to be remem bered that the voluntary convict can not possibly hope to duplicate the ex perience of the man who is behind the bars against his will. Remorse, or resentment, as the case may be. Is wholly lacking. When President Wilson bade fare well to Mr. Bryan after the latter's visit, the fervor of his "God bless you!" should have been heightened by rec ollection of the campaign speeches which the Nebras"kan made In his be half, perhaps with a lively sense of favors to come. Consolidation of state commissions threatens to be wrecked once more by a dispute as to which commissions shall be extinguished. Everybody wants economy at somebody else's ex pense, as usual. We are all great re formers of the other fellow. It is reported that Chaplin's next contract will net him $1,000,000 a year. The seminaries are full of young men who are ready for gradua tion and who would work for as little as $600 a year. All depends on whom you serve. . Reliability of reports on food con ditions in the warring countries de pends upon their source' and must be considered so; but in the cases of Belgium and Poland there can be no doubt of the hunger that prevails. Running a penitentiary Is an ex periment at best, and it may be a good plan to give Warden Murphy what he wants. If results fail, the state is not worse off than if a trial had not been made. Belligerents now compare the con tents of each other's pantries rather than the number of each other's guns in calculating on the prospects of vic tory. Each party hopes to have famine for an ally. HIh School graduates are too frequently unable to either spell, punctuate or capital lze correctly and few are even fair conver sationalists. Pendleton Tribune. Some of them also, alas! commit the atrocity of the split infinitive. Settlement of the strike at one steel plant in this city brought resumption of work with a largely increased force. That's what Portland wants to see. Making wife desertion a felony will have a doubly good effect if it revives interest in the "marry-in-haste-and-repent-at-leisure" maxim. Only an enthusiast will keep hens at work during a longer day by art! ficial light, and "enthusiast" is an other name for "crank." The first bill passed by the Legis lature provides a handy fund to draw upon as needed. Going broke In Sa lem is not a Joke. There is one disadvantage in "scab' baseball. The strikers will all be good throwers and every pitch will be a hit. For a party which abominates Wall Street, the Democrats Beem to have been keeping shockingly bad company. Coal is not going Into Eastern Ore gon by parcel post, but there's no telling what may happen. Ownership of the Danish West In dies also makes a few more jobs for deserving Democrats. The Pacific Coast will have at least one look at the 6650 cars the Southern Pacific Is to build. The German supply of John Paul Joneses seems to be almost Inex haustible. This is the weather for the gingery step of increased activity. : The lid seems to be off Mount tVLassjn, Stars and Starmakers By LeonB Cass Bser, TRIUMVIRATE of theatrical touts at least two of them are touts and one used to be are holding sessions of reminiscences and do-you-remembero among the prunes and on ions in a Front-street commission house this week. The used-to-be the-atrlcal-advance-man Is Wally Derthlck. who has quit the game and taken over the aforementioned business on Front street, and the two other star mem bers are Howard C- Robey, who Is In Portland ahead of "The Lilac Domino," and John Daly, who Is' managing "In tolerance," These three have been tilli cums tor several dozen years, and the reunion is being done according to all the established rites of the game. . Press material arriving from the New York office of the Orpheum Inti mates that G. Horace Mortimer Is the new director of publicity for Martin Beck's circuit. Mr. Mortimer was Nellie Revell's rlghthand man during that dynamic woman's regime as Orpheum press agent and to all accounts he was appointed to fill the place left vacant when Nellie resigned to take over the press work for the Century Theater In New York. Mr. Mortimer's "stories" and paragraphs stamp him as a live wire. Lauretta Taylor tells about her ex periences on the stage tn the January American Magazine. She says: "Playing stock Is an advantage If you don't allow the praise that you get from people who really don't know to upset you. They get to- know you. and send you real home-made pies and pin cushions and name their babies after you according to sex. of course. This week you come on as Camilla. Loud applause! Next week you come on as Topsy In "Uncle Tom's Cabin." 'Won derful!' You may be too fat or toe tall or too blond. But everything you do Is "wonderful! You forget that it is you, their favorite personality, the au dience is applauding and not the ac tress work, and you mix the two things up If you don't look out. "In stock throughput the country an actress plays parts she never would dream of playing in New York Ca mille. Carmen and so on. I wouldn't think of playing Camilla until Bern hardt had been dead for years and memories of her had been wiped out. I went to see Bernhardt when she was here four or five years ago went to see what I had been led to believe was the remnants of a great actress. People said: 'She's nothing like she was. She has lost per figure and her beautiful voice. Don't go. But If you do go, don't sit too close.' But I went hoping to catch something from her Camllle. I never was thrilled like It; never saw anything as it was that last night." m Alice Dovey has gone and got her self engaged to Jack Hazzard. who used to be a newspaper man and who has now graduated into being a Jour nalist and playwright. The wedding la to be in the Springtime If they are In the same frame of mind then as now. Alice is appearing in "Very Good Ed die" and Jack is buzzing around writ ing a successor to his big success, Turn to the Right." which he wrote in collaboration with Wlnchell Smith, m Hard-luck note: Maude Adams, the Frohman star, made a handsome profit out of a real estate deal when she dis posed of property owned by her at 23 and 24 East Forty-first street. New York. An adjoining 20-story building owned by a realty company was In eluded in the sale, and the combined purchase price was $1,200,000. The exact figure of Miss Adams share of this sum was not made public. but it was reported on the Rlalto she received $700,000. The star purchased the property 10 years ago. Texas Guinan. who modestly billed herself as "God's perfect masterpiece,' is once more a bride. She is Mrs. Julian Johnson. The event took place a fortnight ago in Chicago, where Mr. Johnson Is edi tor of a photoplay magazine. He was formerly dramatic critic on a Los An geles paper. Texas has been appear ing in a vaudeville sketch with Will iam L. Gibson. She was last in Port land, two seasons ago in one of the Shubert Winter Garden shows. A note from Irefie Oshler, who played leads for awhile at the Baker last sea son, tells me that she has been en gaged to play the leads with Herbert Yest In a New York dramatlo produc tion unnamed as yet. Robert Camp bell Is managing the affair. A correspondent asks me please to settle a dispute. A says that Mrs. George M. Cohan, who Is now M Claude Grahams Hyphen White, is an English girl, and B says she Is an American. , Well. B Is right. Ethel Levey Co han Grahame Hyphen White Is not only American, but she's a Callfornlan. She was born In San Francisco Novem ber 22, 1880, and appeared in amateur performances from the time she was 8 years of age as an eloclutionist and pianlste and made her professional debut at the Columbia Theater. San Francisco, New Tear's eve. 1897, with Hoyt's "A Milk White Flag." She had a blackface specialty In this production. She was married to George M- Co han a season or so later and they had a little daughter. Georgette. In 1907, on February 18, to be exact. Miss Levey, etc. obtained a divorce from her Yanke'e Doodle comedian and shortly afterward went abroad, where she has remained since, save for one little visit to America, when she brought Georgette over to see her father. George Cohan remarried years ago and has two little daughters and one son. Anything else you want to know, Just write and ask. If I don't know It I'll find the information some way. Toby Claude, the English comedienne who is really an American, you know, has arrived in America and is already booked for vaudeville. She came over on the same ship with Maxlne Ellott. Miss Claude wore a British army cape and blouse and an aviator's cap. In an Interview she said she Intended wearing the uniform until the end of the war. She added that if England needed them, there were 2,000,000 worn. en in the British Empire ready to vol unteer and fight. She said she had two brothers in the British army, and was proud of it, Olive Tempest, wno rormerly ap peared with Beerbohm Tree, is on he way to Montevideo, Uruguay, South America, to become a bride. HIGHWAY GATEWAY IS OPPOSED Suggestion That Tourists Do Not Want Maia-Made Seeaery. PORTLAND. Jan. IS. (To the Ed itor.) There was printed in The Ore gonian of January 7 a sketch of a proposed gateway for a formal en trance to Columbia River Highway. I sincerely hope that the design will not be accepted and rrankly state that it la decidedly Inappropriate for the pur pose. There was erected last Summer and presented to the public a so-called fountain at one of the most beautiful spots on the Columbia Highway. I do not wish to impugn the motives of the members of a certain organisation for their seal and enterprise In erecting this fountain. Their Intentions were no doubt of the very best and they were actuated by the highest motives, but their money and efforts could have been better spent in another direction. why not improve what we already have Instead of desecrating? It is not at all in keeping with the surround ings. The same amount of money ex pended would have gone a long way toward building a new trail or replant ing with native -trees and shrubs the scars caused by slides and excavations. It Is useless to think we can im prove on nature. I am a firm believer in building the road proper of the very best material and keeping It In perfect condition, but leaving the surround ings in their wild, natural condition. This Is what the Eastern tourists come here to see; they are tired of man- made scenery. If these people with their mistaken good intentions Insist on erecting these beautiful monstrosities, I would suggest that there be purchased an acre somewhere along the highway to be used solely for that purpose. A fit ting title would be the "Acre of Beau tiful Horrors." Who knows but what in time It might become more famous than the noted Campo Santo at Genoa. As time goes on there will be a ten dency to make these so-called im provements and erect monuments and memorials along tho highway utterly out of harmony with the surroundings. liefore any serious mistakes are made committee should be appointed con sisting of people of culture, good taste ana experience in such matters. For want of a better name It might be called a committee for the "prevention of the desecration of the Columbia River Highway." GEORGE P. DEKTJM. CHARACTER OF NEW EMPEROR Charles Bald to Be Modest, Industrious and Likely to Be Very Popular. New York Times. Seldom has more importance for a nation's future attached to the person ality and character of a new ruler, and me tmperor is consequently the object of most solicitous study, not only to bis new subjects and Austro-Hungarlan talesmen, but to his allies as well. Nejxt to the personal popularity which impress Zita enjoys among the poly glot peoples of the Dual Monarchy, the greatest significance for the future at taches to certain manifestations on Emperor Charles' part of a real and distinguished democracy of manner and mind. He is already showing earmarks to the initiated of being a decidedly mod ern ruler and foe to excesslva official redtape and over-meticulous court for ma. lUes. .One of his first stem has been to promulgate a novelty at court tnat is radical for the Austria of Fran cis Joseph. Ministers and other state functionaries who personally appeared before the late Emperor to deliver heir reports were required to wear full-dress suits, regardless of the time of day, the hour of the audiences be- ng frequently before ordinary mortals eat breakfast. To expedite business of the state, however, the young sol- oier-Lmperor, whose experience at the front has cured him of any acquired fondness for fuss and frills, has de creed that statesmen and other person ages shall appear before him in con ventional every-day clothes, a change which is considered extremely charac teristic of tho new ruler. While, he has continued Prince Mon- tenuo in the office of First Lord High Chamberlain and made Count Berch- told Second Court Chamberlain, it is understood that there will be sweep ing changes in other posts at court. all making for simplicity and possibly foreshadowing a breaking away from the minutely stereotyped observance at the Hapsburg court of ancient tra ditional forms of the cold Spanish court dating from the 15th century. An interesting sldelieht on Charles' character is afforded by an authentic anecdote going the rounds of diplo matic circles. On receiving Hungarian war correspondents at his east front headquarters, one of them chanced to praise the military virtues of the then army commander. Archduke Charles, whereupon the latter replied: 1 have a deep and abiding resDect for the press and my appreciation of Its brave work is great. I know how to value the service which you are render ing under arduous conditions. In these extraordinary times it isn't meet, how ever, tnat you should apply a double standard of measurement and write mora about me than older Generals crowned with merited honors and serv ices." From a well-informed personage at court I gleaned the following addi tional details regarding the new Kal ser: In manner he Is of great modesty and courtesy and entirely free from anectation and pose. There is some thing decidedly chivalrous about hia young,, supple .elegant figure in Gen eral's uniform, his lively blue eyes, and Charles is perfectly natural. He is al ways himself. As a result he and the Empress Zita, even amid court cere monial, never make a cut-and-drled conventional impression. Their future popularity is assured." rnttlnr It Orel" at Electlosa. Pittsburg Dispatch. , During a city election in New York a bunch of trained repeaters marched into an East Side polling place. "What name?" inquired the election clerk of the leader, who was red-haired and rrecKled and had a black eye. The voter glanced down at a slip of paper In his hand. "Isidore Mendel- helm." he said. "That's not your real name, and vou know it," said a suspicious challenger tor a rerorm ticket. "It is me name." said the repeater, "and I'm going to vote under it--see?" From down the line came a voice: "Don't let that guy bluff you. Casey, Soitlnly your name is Mendelheim." Three Yean' Rwldeaee Required. UNION. Or, Jan. 16. (To the Editor.) In relation to the new homestead law whereby one can take. 640 acres of land, is the homesteader required to live on this land a definite period be fore title can be acquired? If so. how long? FRED G. WILSON. Three years residence on the land Is required according to officials of the United States Land Office. Blagaalnea Thought Of. Life. Have you succeeded in demonstrating that astronomical theory of yours?" "Certainly not," replied the scientlst "As soon as an astronomical theory be comes thoroughly demonstrated it loses half its value as a subject for maga zine articles." Work on Alaska Railroad. ST. HELENS, Or.. Jan. 16. (To the Editor.) Can you give me the address of the head of the Government railroad work In Alaska? FRED KETEI Write to Alaska Railroad Commis- lon. La C Smith building; beattio. In Other Days Twenty-five Years A so. From Tho Oresotuaa January IS, 1893. New Tork, Jan, 18. Henry G. Dowd. a man of good social connections, but for some time a social outcast, had been arrested as "Jack the Slasher." who since December 29 has amused himself by cutting the throats of drunken men and has been the terror of night trav elers in the Fourth Ward. Dowd I the son of Patrick M. Dowd. civil engi neer, who helped to lay out Central Park. His mother is a sister of Mrs. Hoyt. wife of the late famous million aire. Thomas A, Edison has announced that he has an Idea for an electrical de vice that would. If this country was attacked by an enemy, put the Invaders to rout. He said 25 men could defend a fort against a big army with his in vention, which, roughly speaking. Is a device for throwing "liquid electricity by means of ground wires and water. J. B. McClane. of Salem, one of the original donors of the townsite of Sa lem, is dangerously ill. W. H. Galvanl has been elected presi dent of the Oregon Vegetarian Society. H. Addis la secretary and Airs. Lucy A. Mallory treasurer. "The Devil's Auction" is the attrac tion at the Marquam Grand tonight. In the cast la George H. Adams, W. H. Bartholomew, Louise Dempsey. Eva Salble. Victoria waiter nH t.--t- Quick. There is a large ballet headed jj rtiuo. Aaeie uamis. Half a Century Ago. From Tho Oresonlan January 18, 1S67. We yesterday noUced a larse shin's gun on the wharf, which, it was said. " snipped Dy the Orlflamma to San Francisco to be nut on board th Oregonian. It is a large one for the simple purpose of a signal gun, being nearly eight feet in length, with a slx- incn Dore. v c are informed that It belongs to Mr. Ladd. The match came, or Miiim-da k. James A., Murray and Isaac Foster, prevented last Wednesday by the r- l one or tne players, will be played tonight for $250 a side. A citizens' lecture course has been started for the benefit of tho First Congregational Church. The lectures will be given at Oro Flno Hall, the first one on Tuesday, January 29. Among the lecturers will be Hon, J. H. Mitchell. Rev. G. H. Atkinson. D. D Hon. W. V. l-pton. J. H. Stlnson. A. M.. Hon. E. D. Shattuck and W. H. Wat kins, M. D. Whatever may be the cause, all Eu rope Is arming and preparing for a great struggle. Russia has made a levy en masse, proclaimed a new eman cipation In Poland and is making and importing war material. France and Austria are similarly active. W. 6. Ladd, Joslah Falling and A. H. Johnson have been appointed to view the proposed extension of Washington street from Seventh street to the In tersection with B street. Foreign War Primer. THE Island of Lesbos, whose In habitants were not far behind the Cretans in expressing in revolutionary outburst their dissatisfaction with the failure to throw the weight of Greek arms Into the scales of war on the side of the entente Allies. Is the sub ject of a timely war geography bulletin issued by the National Geographic So ciety from its headquarters in Wash ington, which says: "Lesbos, often called Mytilene, after the Island's famous capital and chief city, lies on the eastern edge of the Aegean Sea. separated from the shores of Asia Minor by a channel which st its narrowest point i not more than seven miles across. That part of tho mainland opposite the inland was known in ancient times as Troad (the land of Troy) and in Homeric legend Lesbos was given as one of the bonds of the region ruled by King Priam. It lies almost midway between Smyrna and the Dardanelles. "The area of Lesbos is about 675 square miles (60 square miles larger than tho Isle of Pines, off the coast of Cuba), and its surface is a succes sion of well-wooded mountains and fertile valleys. The shallow Gulf of KallonI, entering from the southwest, almost cuts the island in two. Mount Olympus, on the southern promontory, reaches an elevation of more than 3000 feet. "In ancient days Lesbos was famous for its wines, its oil and its grain, but the vineyards are no longer especially productive. The olive is now the chief product of the island and much of the oil of this fruit Is converted into soap and exported. Figs, almonds, cat tle and hides are other articles of com merce, also the acorns of the valonia oak. extensively used in tanning and in the preparation of vegetable dye stuffs. "Although 90 per cent of the island's population of 130.000 is Greek, the ter ritory was under Turkish rule until three years ago when Greece assumed con trol, following the second Balkan war. The Turk came into possession of the island in the middle of the 15th century when Mohammed II wrested it from the descendants of the Genoese noble, Francesco Gattilusis, who had received it from the Byxantine emperors In 1354. "Besides the famous struggles over the city of Mytilene. recitd in a pre vious bulletin, several important marine engagements have been foueht in the waters adjacent to Lesbos, notably those in which the Venetians defeated the Turks In I690-9S. and the Greeks bested the same power in 1821. "In addition to Plttacus. one of the Seven Sages of Greece, and Sappho, the greatest woman poet of the ancients. Lesbos' hnll of fame hoasts of Ter pander, the founder of Greek classical music and of lyric poetry and a famous composer of drinkinir sona-s; Alcaeus. poet and Inventor of the Alcaic stansa, much used by Horace and Tbeophrastus. the famous philosopher and pupil of Aristotle, whom the latter named as guardian of his children and to whom he bequeathed the Aristotelean library and orlcinal works. After Aristotle's death Theophrastus presided over the peripatetic school for SS venrs, up to the time of his death In 2S7 B. C. when he had a public funeral in Athens and was mourned by ths- entire populace. Lesches. author of The Little Iliad.' a continuance of the Homeric epic from the death of Hector through the in cidents relating to the contest of Ulysses and Ajax over the armor of Achilles, was also a native of Lesbos." PORTLAND'S NEED IS ADVERTISING Reflections Inspired by Visit to Less Attractive Los Angeles. LOS ANGELES. Jan. 15. (To the Editor.) I have Just read in The Ore gonian (New Year's edition) a most interesting article pertaining to the lack of tourists visiting your charming city. I have thought, since being In South ern California, how little this part of the country has in scenery and cli mate compared with Portland, and yet, such an Influx of tourists here. In speaking of your city I find com paratively few who are familiar with its attractions and beauty. I congratulate you upon the move you are about to make advertising your city. It has been my home for nearly two years and I am looking forward to Spring, when I shall ro. turn. K. H, POWKES.