Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, February 15, 1917, Image 10

Morning Oregonian., February 15, 1917, Page 10, Image 10

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Newspaper Page Text10 THE MORNING 'OREGONIAN. THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 1917. FOKTUKO, OREGON- Entered at Portland (Oregoii) Postofflce as serond-clasa mall matter. SuDecripUoa rate Invariably tn advance: (By Mall.) Paily, Bunday Included, on year $8 00 laily. Sunday Included, six months..... 4.25 I-i4y, Sunday included, three months... 2.25 Iatiy, Sunday included, one month..... .75 Daily, without Sunday, one year. ....... 6-00 Daily, without Sunday, three month.. . 1.75 Uaiiy, without Sunday, one month. .... , .80 Weekly, one year 1.00 fcunday, one year. ............ . ...... 2.50 bunday and Weekly . 8.00 (By Carrier.) Bally, Sunday Included, oua year. ...... 0 00 Daily, Sunday included, one month 75 How to Ketnit Send pontotfice money order, express order or personal check on your local bank, tjtamps.- coin or currency ere at sender's risk. Give postoffice address in full, including county and state. Postage jiatea 12 te 16 pages, 1 cent: 18 to if panes, 2 cents; 84 to 48 pages, 3 rents; 60 to 60 pages, 4 cents; 62 to 78 pagea, 6 cents; 78 to 82 pagea, 6 cent. Foreign postage double rates. Eastern Husiness Office Verree & Conk Hn, Brunswick building. New Tork; Verree Conklin, Stager building, Chicago; Ban Francisco representative, K. J. Bldwell. 742 Market street. POBILAND, THURSDAY, FEB. 15, 1917. JIAXT TROUBLE-MAKERS ABROAD. it may be more than a. coincidence that precisely when American rela tions with Germany have reached a crisis several events have happened to embarrass the Administration and make calls for the usa of armed force possible, Carranza proposes an em bargo on exports of munitions, with an eye evidently to oil exports from Tamplco for the British navy. Vil listas make a raid across the border, right on the heels of General Per shing's retiring: army. Insurrection breaks out in Cuba. If Carranza should stop oil exports and if the United "States should en Eagre In naval hostilities with Ger many for the protection of shipping-, our Interests would require that the British navy get the oil, for, without any formal alliance, it would co-operate with our navy In protecting: commerce between the two countries. The first chiefs action would be de cidedly unfriendly to the United States but would be an evidence of open enmity to Great Britain, and that country mlgrht retaliate by treat ing Mexico as an ally of Germany and by occupying the oil fields. Ameri cans would not view that step with equanimity, and the President might hold the lesser evil to be occupation of Tamplco by American troops. In direct injury to American Interests in the. controversy with Germany would thus be prevented and complications with Great Britain through possible Impairment of the Monroe Doctrine would be avoided. Renewal of Villa's activities on the border may detain a larger force of regular and National Guard troops in that quarter than would otherwise be deemed necessary. It opens the possibility that pursuit of the raiders across the border would Involve us seriously In Mexlcotvnd would occupy a considerable force for some time to come. ' Unless President Menocal succeeds in promptly suppressing the outbreak In Cuba. It will become thw rlntv of Ithe United States to send an army of pacification, as It did under President Roosevelt. There would be no cer tainty how long a ' stay this army would make. Already a considerable force of ma rines is employed in Haiti and Santo Domingo and cannot yet be with drawn without risk that much of the good accomplished by Intervention would be undone. All of these complications threaten to tie down a large proportion of our slender forces at a time when we are assuming indefinite military liabilities, which may call for prompt service from a much larger number of trained and equipped troops than we now have or can quickly raise. Only one i iiutiuit or group ui nations nas an in 1 terest In thus making trouble for us at tnis time. in seeicing tne prime movers, the Government can go on a hot scent. It will at the same time begin to realize that our volunteer military system is barely adequate to cope with these relatively minor trou bles abroad, and that a system of much broader scope can alone enable us to contend with a first-class power. A nation trained to arms would soon provide the necessary army; no other can. SHIRKING A DUTY. The surprising news comes from Salem that the Multnomah delega tion will make no recommendation as to a candidate for the Port of Port land, and that the question will be passed on to the entire Legislature, So far as- The Oregonlan can recall, no previous Legislature has been in volved in such a way in a local con test over the Port. To be sure, it Is said that the state at large is interested in development of the Port and ought to have some thing to say. But so Is it concerned in the political and commercial growth of Portland; but there Is no suggestion from any source that the election of a Mayor or Commissioner be left to the people of Oregon. Primarily, a port commissioner Is Portland's matter; and clearly it is the duty of the Multnomah delega tion to advise the Legislature what to do. The Oregontajx does not know whether Mr. Kelly of Mr. Tucker has a majority of the delegation. But it has no sort of hesitancy in declaring that the whole matter ought to be settled there and the Legislature asked to ratify Its choice, as It will. As It is, legislators who have had no opportunity er occasion to inform themselves are required to pass on a question not of immediate concern to them. They are entitled to the coun sel of the members whose business it is to know and to act. "CSCTirATION"' BY THE COCRTS. The old charge against the Federal courts, that they usurp power not vested; in them by the Constitution when they declare acts of Congress unconstitutional, has been revived by Senator Owen. He denies that the supreme court is sovereign, saying that sovereignty rests in the people and that Congress represents them That is a mere phrase, which pleases the popular ear but does not touch the facts. The President, Congress and the courts each in its own field repre sents the people for the purpose of exercising their sovereignty. The limits of their authority were defined by the Constitution, and they are co ordinate, no one being superior to the others. The framers of that instru ment seem to have assumed that all would know what It meant and that none would go beyond its limits, hence they made no provision for deciding disputes as to its meaning or for bringing within its limits any of the three departments which ' exceeded them. There was a hiatus and, when Congress and the courts disagreed as to whether a certain law was consti tutional, it had to be filled. The courts filled it by undertaking to de cide, and Congress has for generations acquiesced for lack of better means of filling the hiatus. ' But the action of the courts in an nulling laws does not partake so much of the nature of usurpation as at first blush appears. For information as to whether It has authority to enact a law. Congress Is presumed to refer to the Constitution; for infor mation as to whether they should use the civil arm In enforcing that law. the courts refer to the same authority. The courts have no more authority to enforce an unconstitutional law than Congress had to pass it. Tfiey are not called upon to decide controver sies between Congress and other bodies, but to decide between a citi zen of the United States and another citizen who is accused of a wrong. In order to decide rightly, the court must go back to the Constitution, for If the law be contrary to -that instru merit, it is no law, the court has no suthority to enforce it and the citi zen has done no wrong and must go free. Congress itself is responsible for the frequency with which its laws are annulled by the courts, for its crowtn? practice Is to respond to pop ular clamor by passing laws which its Tafmbers know to be invalid and is "pass the buck" to the courts, members of Congress would exer cise the moral courage necessary to vote down such, bills, there would be less so-called usurpation by the courts. the fact that of 9000 applicants who passed the preliminary tests recently I there are only 750 left for the cus tomary six months of probationary duty, in the eourse of which there will be a further weeding-out process. The difference, too, is shown not only in physique but in education, and the policeman of the future promises to be a trained specialist, with enthu siasm for his work and knowledge that he will be protected In his job so long as he maintains the standard set for and by him. lacked opportunity or Individual Initi ative is rapidly and encouragingly making headway. IT 18 BUSINESS. Oregon has not kept pace with either Washington or California . In the matter of road building. There is more or less "familiarity with the Washington system, and one of its best indorsements is that systematized State aid with state supervision has grown .from unpopularity into popu larity In that state within a few years. Once It was continually criticised; now it is generally commended. The results of the system are be ginning to show. Many small towns have hard-surfaced roads extending Into the country. They serve the ex cellent purpose of market roads now. but they are also in nearly all cases links in a general scheme that will ultimately make travel between dis tant communities easy. The difference in Oregon Is that while we have more or less of a sys tem, adequate provision has not been made for money with which to build. Some counties have made progress, but the stretches each has built are widely separated from the stretches others have built. The proposition before the Legisla ture to capitalize road income from two sources millage tax and In creased automobile licenses not only promises roads now instead of here after but is productive of system. Probably if, instead of issuing bonds, the state should collect tiue . game millage tax for the life of the pro posed bonds twenty-five years and also collect the increased motor vehicle tax for the same period, and spend it each year on roads, the prac tical results In road construction would not equal those accomplished through Issuance of bonds. In actual practice the portion' of revenue that would go into a sink ing fund If bonds were issued would be more than offset by increased costs of administration and the higher ag gregate cost of small contracts if bonds were not Issued. The plan promises more roads for the same money, systematized road construction, and roads now instead of roads in the indefinite future. It is a business proposition offered and indorsed by business men. WHEN' THE FINCH COMES. How far the single-tax theory must travel before it attains even a fair measure of genuine support is in dicated by late reports from Canadian provinces and municipalities which adopted the exclusive land tax as a revenue measure. Single tax there seems to be work ing out just as the Simon-pure single taxers expected it would. That -Is to say, the tax burden is becoming so great that the land owners face gov ernment ownership of land. Such is the real intent of single tax, although for politic reasons it is first offered elsewhere, as here, as a mere change n the method of raising tax rev enues. But the Canadians do not take kindly to government expropriation of land now that that fate seems to approach. The Vancouver Sun re cords that Edmonton, which was the first Canadian city to adopt single tax, has appealed to the Legislature for charter amendments authorizing it to tax buildings, business and in comes and to levy a poll tax. Moose Jaw is expected to follow suit, as are Alberta and Saskatchewan. Strangely enough, Canadian news papers discuss single tax almost sole ly from the standpoint that it is a failure in the production of adequate government revenues. Apparently the ultimate application of the plan, as conceived by Henry George, is not considered for a moment. That would be a progressive In crease in land taxes until the govern ment had foreclosed on all land. Thereafter its revenues would not be taxes but rent, and they would be the full rental value of the land. Everybody would be a tenant. Man cannot be turned from private- land ownership a principle centuries old by oblique methods. The same is true as to other phases of Socialism. Some people think they want them until the crucial point of change is reached. Then they balk. SWAT THE CATERPILLAR. Beautiful pre-Sprlng days suggest all sorts of necessary outdoor work, but there are not many duties more Important to the gardener and or- chardist than preventive measures against the caterpillar, which 1-; a nuisance every year and some years a positive menace. The Department of Agriculture recently Issued a farm ers' bulletin of warning, in which it gave a list of trees that are especially subject to caterpillar attacks. These are, first of all, , the wild cherry, and after that the apple, plum, peach thorn, pear, rose, beech, witch-hazel. elm, maple, willow, oak and poplar, The apple and plum, the latter in cluding the various varieties of com mercial prune, are the most impor tant to the Northwest, but practically no deciduous tree in the garden, is immune. Importance of giving attention to the subject now comes from the fact that the caterpillar egg clusters can be easily detected in the bright light of the sunny days, and their destruc tion is easily accomplished by clipping off the twigs to which they are at tached. One egg cluster may con. tain as many as 300 eggs and the average is probably well over 200, so it Is easy to compute the enormous number of potential caterpillars that would be destroyed by a reasonably Industrious man in ,the course of a day's work. There never will be a better opportunity to get the pests in the mass. As soon as they are hatched they begin to scatter in search of food and the difficulty of exterminating them is correspondingly Increased. Commercial orchards In which ar- senical spraying is part of the routine of management have no difficulty on account of caterpillars, but the lime. sulphur and bordeaux sprays used by other orchardists in the early Spring are of little or no value In meeting the caterpillar peril. Precautionary measures, however, are most impor tant in the case of the owner of a few trees, whose spraying, facilities are likely to be faulty or altogether lacking. These can greatly minimize their later troubles from tlis source Dy a nine worn ngnt away. In many Eastern cities the children are being mobilized to destroy cater pillar egg clusters. Past experience has shown that where the work is well organized It is not onerous and Is entirely justified by results. It is a logical part of the cleanlng-up movement of Spring, and an impor tant one in every locality that prides itself on the beauty of its orchards or gardens. The truly remarkable change that has come over the New York police force in a few year3 is typical of the growing demand for efficiency all over the country. Graft in obtaining appointments has been almost, if not entirely, eradicated. The fact that a group of these policemen was found to take real interest in a scientific experiment in dietetics recently gives some idea of contrast with the old Tammany days. It is hardly a decade Efforts to develop new sources for dye woods in the United States, great- y stimulated by the dye embargo en forced by the war, have resulted Id the discovery of only one such wood that promises to be of commercial importance the psage orange. This is found to be nearly equal to Mex ican fustic in certain conditions and under special methods of treatment. and Jt is of importance In the general scheme of American Industrial conser vation because it furnishes a market for some 60,000 tons of material now wasted annually. Other woods in digenous to this country produce dyes but cannot be developed upon a prof- Itable commercial basis. The butter nut and black walnut yield brown dyes. Reds are obtainable from the dogwood and alder. Staghorn sumac. smoke tree. Mack oak, prickly ask and blaqk locust give yellow dyes and red gum was used by some of . our ancestors for coforlng purple. The butternut derives historic interest from its use in dyeing the uniforms of the soldiers of the Confederacy, and alder was in common use at one time among the Indians. Indications are that all these woods except osage orange will give way to other and better materials. BELGIAN BELIEF GOES OX. The rupture of relations between the United States and Germany is no cause for abatement of activity In behalf of the Belgians. Though Ger many refuses longer to permit admin istration of relief in Belgium by Americans, the work will go on. Chairman Hoover has provided for its continuance thro'ugh Spanish and Dutch agencies. Means will be found for sending American contributions to the Relief Commission. The good work may go on without relaxation of effort. It should be possible for the Amer ican people by thorough organization and continuous giving out of their abundance to take the feeding of Bel gium entirely n their own shoulders. Some cities in this country have un dertaken to provide for certain towns in Belgium. This system might be extended until it covers the whole of both countries without overtaxing the resources of any American com munlty. A tie would be established between the town which gives and that which receives whereby interest in the work would be intensified and which would continue when happier times have ended the need for aid What nobler work could the Amer ican people do than take under their care all the afflicted people of Bel glum and Northern France? Americans have no cause for pride in what they have already done for this cause. Mr. Hoover has said that when he heard the expressions of gratitude from his charges and thought how much more had been done by other nations which were far less able, he was ashamed. We should not give any man cause for shame on our behalf, much less a man who for more than two years has devoted him self wholly to work for humanity. EDUCATING THE FOREIGNER. There recently was excused from jury duty in Yonkers, N. Y., a man who, although a citizen, was -unable to speak or understand enough Eng lish to enable him to pass intelligently upon the merits of a simple issue pre sented in an American court. Ho had lived in the country twenty years, Once he had learned enough of our speech to pass a perfunctory exami nation for citizenship, but his ambi tion soon afterward lagged. The prln cipal reason was that he was living in a neighborhood in wnicn nttie Eng lish was spoken. In his immediate circle all spoke an alien tongue. In the factory in which he was employed the foreman was a foreigner. Hav ing no pressing need of English, he soon forgot the little he learned when he first came to the United States. This case undoubtedly is exception al in some of its features, such as the fact of the man's citizenship and the length of his residence In America, but it serves to illustrate the value of the work now having Its real be ginning, with the object of completing the Americanization of all the people who now live among us. It goes without saying that" knowledge of the language of the country is a primary requisite to understanding of the spirit of Its institutions. This man was doubly handicapped. Shut in from the world of. American Ideas, he lacked opportunity for the right kind of education for citizenship. . Limited to social Intercourse with those of his own nationality, he was bound to cling to the old standards where it is the' purpose of American citizen ship to substitute the new. It will not do to dismiss the case as the "man's own fault." The coun try suffers more' than-the Individual If conditions like these prevail to any appreciable extent. We do not need laws to compel people to learn English, but we need opportunities for all to learn, and these are worth all they cost. It is a narrow provln cialism that would say that it is not the business of the public to educate those who. come to our shores. One of the most hopeful signs of progress in a century is our changing attitude toward public education. A hundred years ago education at the public ex pense was defended chiefly as a police measure, on the theory that igno rance was provocative of crime. Now we take A broader view and look upon education as a benefit to all and in other ways than its bearing on crime, We are only beginning to realize the since appofntments were largely based on favoritism, and not -a quarter cen-lvalue of a homogeneous citizenship, tury since they were wholly so. How I and the plan to educate those of our greatly this is changed la shown by I adult foreign population who have Villa is up to his old game of trying to Irritate the United States into send Ing troops across the border In order to discredit Carranza by representing that Carranza brought the grin goes into Mexico. President Wilson may yet learn that the only way to restore peace on the border )a. to chase Villa until he Is dead or cap tured and to fight any-force which opposes us. Had that been done ten months ago, the job might have been finished before now, and our troops would have been free for other work. That course might have meant war with Carranza, but we, should have been justified In treating any military force which Interfered with the task as making common cause with the bandit. Anyhow, a de facto govern ment which cannot stop a bandit's raids, much less catch him, is not very de facto, after all. Our Grand Old Glory. II y Jauiea Uartost Adams. Seattle people object to what they call untimely display of the flag and indiscriminate playing of "The Star- Spangled Banner," as if either can be done. These may make their elbows and legs tired, but saluting and rising are proper actions for Anno Domini 1317. . If the city officials should be com pelled to pay that $6350 Judgment, there may be a dearth of candidates at the municipal election and the next administration will be. extremely care ful to keep sidewalks In repair. The British are making great ef forts to recapture Kut before the an niversary of Townshend's surrender. When they get It, they will not have much use for it, except as a resting place on the way to Bagdad. Everybody must line the streets this afternoon to greet the troops. Moth ers should bring the little ones, with never a worry about dinner. The Ore gon troops do not return often, and anything goes today. The was Is undoing the effects of the crime of 1878 by raising the price of silver, yet Mr. Bryan ungratefully denounces war. Or Is It that he has lost Interest In silver? Saered Is the trust bequeathed us by our Revolution sires: it was b"orn amid the blazing of the glowing battle fires, It was christened with the lifeblood of our fathers long ago on the crimson fields of battle 'gainst a bold invading foe. Gloriously did they bear it "mid the crash of shot and shell, loyally did they defend it In the beat of battle hell, and their love their sons Inherit for that banner of the free, for that flag of Independence, emblem of our liberty. Since 'twas first flung to the breezes In Via blood-stained long ago, flashing freemen's grim defiance in the face of foreign foe, it has been an inspiration to America's brave sons as they battled to defend.it 'mid the roar of hostile guns, and 'twill ever be defended until time shall cease to be. It will ever float In- beaut over land and ov-r sea; till the earth to dust shall crumble at the bidding from above, patriot arms will guard the honor of the banner of our love. over all this land of freedom 'tween the two outspreading seas from the staffs upon the echoolgrounda It Is danoing in the breeze, and the rising generation lift their reverential eyes to its colors as they're pictured on a back ground of the skies. They are -told the thrilling atories of the dangers It withstood, of the love of Its defend ers, sealed with sacrificial blood, and with raised hands they salute it while their young hearts throb with pride that they live beneath a banner so su premely glorified. O, we love you. grand Old Glory, fairest flag beneath the skies, we love your gleaming colors and your clustered starry eyes; we love to see you floating in your majesty on high; yes. we love you, grand Old (jlory, i with, a love 'twill never die. , . s TYPE, NOT FAMILY, 19 ISiTESDED fee of Leader's Name Designate Group la Not I'ncommosu PORTLAND, Feb. 14. (To the Edi tor.) On February 5 there appeared on your editorial page a short writing concerning the hissing pf one Victor J. McCona at a recent Civio League luncheon, signed by C, W. Barzee. On the tame date and on the same page an editorial commenting on the Mc-Cone-Barzee stand on patriotism re cites, in connection with some good. sound sense, the following: "We ad vise all the Barsees to keep away from Flag day exerclBes, where thousands of children in unison declaim their creed of loyalty and duty and salute the Stars and . Stripes. The Barzees might be stirred by an emotion to which they supposed themselves for ever dead. They would not wel come it. " While C. W. Barzee Is the writer's own brother, yea, a chum, the very best friend he has on earth, let It be said once and for all that all "Barzees" do not agree with him in his sociological and political ideas. The Barzee branch to which we belong dates Its Oregon history back for a period of 55 years, and I believe I may consistently, if not modestly, say that they measure well up to the required standard of good loyal citizenship, among whom will be found tja usual diversity of religious sociological and political creeds. It is probable that Tha Oregonlan did not intend publicly to denounce all the members of the Barzee family as disloyal to their country's flag, for. If such were Intended, It would be en titled to the deepest censure. The fam ily record will bear the closest Investi gation. ONE OF THE FAMILY ' AND A LOYAL CITIZEN. The Oregonlan, of oourae, had no kind of purpose to denounce the Barzee family as disloyal. The expression was adopted to designate the type er group which C, W. Barzee represents. Use of the name of a representative of a type or a leader of a croup In that sense is common and universally understood. Officials of labor and Socialist or ganizations in Germany, numbering 10,000, have been ordered to Join tho colors, and the Joke Is that nobody dares object. Mayor Rolph Is finding difficulty In getting rnen to serve on a vice com mission in San Francisco. Where ignorance is bliss, what's the use to get wise? Admiral Jellicoe expresses smiling satisfaction at the British catch ot submarines, but. unlike other fisher men, he does not tell the size of It. Fifteen months' work was necessary to catch a thief who robbed a mail sack in Alaska, but the Government got him and he confessed. With an expected deficit of $333,- 400,000 at the end of the fiscal year. this Democratic Administration in keeping up with 'tradition. A local woman put up with much until her husband made a forward pass with the wash boiler. Then she sued and It was time. rut.. I.... rtaman DnnAiinumknl Implies that last week's boom in sub marining was only a little preliminary, not the real thing. - Ona r-nncnm has made SS2.000.000 In n vAn mnlclnff nnwdflp. Thin figure probably will be the maximum for all time. . Everybody who rldeer made pious response yesterday to Dr. Ong"s pro test against the bad stretch on Bel mont street. First time a tongman commits an overt act he will be arrested. Just killing another is not in that class of crime. Wilson was counted In yesterday, but the campaign Is still on In Col lier's Weekly and other publications. Perhaps the leak started with Chairman Henry, after all. It Is be ing traced close to Congress. The Naval Militia should be called out only for active warfare. ' One dose Is enough for Oregon. Some power de.Ttroyed the Ameri can schooner Lyman M. Law and Wilson has two guesses. Those too' dignified to cheer are asked to yell in whocrps. rNrvEKsrrr sets good example Chaplain Gilbert Commends School Credits for Military Service. ASTORIA, Or., Feb. 13. (To the Ed itor.) After thorough and mature con sideration the University of Oregon has arranged to give school credit to stu dents for accredited military drill and training. This is a big step of prog ress and ought to be a precedent for all schools. There are about 20 uni versity students who had voluntarily enlisted In the two companies of mili tia In Eugene, thus while in school working out a three-year term of serv ice. While our regiment was on the Mex ican border Superintendent Churchill, of the state schools, arranged to give one full school credit to hi eh school boys In the regiment for their military drill and Instruction while In the serv ice. Why should not all high schools and all colleges thus encourage young men by way of giving them sane added In ducement to renderall or part of a three years' service while In school? Our schools ought to be boosters for real patriotism and trained citizenship. WILLIAM a GILBERT, Chaplain. Spring cannot open without dis turbance in the Antilles. The flag is not battle-scarred, but salute It Just tlie same. If the ground Is ready, take a chance on early peas. It cost the United States $162,418, 000 not to get Villa. The only strikes In the National League will be hits. At last the walking is good to Van couver. . Cheer, everybody, cheer. Lincoln Was a Boy, Too. From the Chicago News. "Abraham Lincoln, his hand and pen. He will be good, but God knows when." On a sheet copied from an old-time arithmetio'these words, written by the Great Emancipator in his schoolboy hand, made two young Italians, visitors to the exhibition of Lincoln relics in the Publlo Library, stare with amaze ment. Then they glanced over to the reproduction of the statue of Lincoln, which stands in Lincoln Park, created by Salnt-Oaudens. "He was a hoy, too," one of them said. With the Installation of the exhibit of Llncolnlana, which was shown at the Panama-Pacific International Ex position, nearlng completion, scores of visitors came to gaze at relics that ranged from deeds and documents con nected with Lincoln's life as a grocer In 1833 In New Salem. 111., to bits of mourning costumes worn by tho pall bearer at his funeral In Springfield. Book lovers found much Interest In the exhibit of about a score of books tell ing the life of Lincoln in as- many lan guages. Including Hawaiian and Chinese. , Canada's Nobility. Boston Transcript. Canada's "nobility," it appears, is to be founded, like our own, on business success, not on blood of azure blue. The moat famous Canadian of title was Lord Strathcona, a joor ' boy from Scotland, who became a rich trader and a aquawman In the Northwest. Canada has another baron now In Tom Shaughnessy, who began life under very humble circumstances In Milwau kee, and from a railroad brakemam In "the States," eventually passed to the presidency of the Canadian Paciflo Railway. We must commend the Canadians for their freedom from any merely provincial or snobbish spirit In thus honoring distinguished commercial men from other lands; for, though the titular honor in each case was nomi nally bestowed by the King of Eng land, the preferences of the Canadians themselves were undoubtedly followed tn the awarding of the honor. Bringing I.lqnor Into Oregon. LA GRANDPi, Or., Feb. 13. (To the Editor.) If one made a pleasure trip to California and' wanted to bring back with htm two quarts of whisky for his own use, would it be unlawful since we have this bone-dry law? A, Is. It would be unlawful. VETERAN PROPOSES "OLD GUARD" Reserve Force of Comrades Suggested by One of Old Pap Thomas' Fighters. WALDPOHT, Or.. Feb. 13.-(To the Editor.) Permit an old Grand Army veteran and an old newspaperman to offer a few suggestions to his com rades in Oregon. 1 want to talk to them and there Is no other medium through which so many can be reached. When the "call" was sounded for sol diers to chastise the Mexicans for kill ing our citizens and otherwise Insult ing our Nation, Oregon was first in the field wtih her rallant young manhood and every loyal citizen of the grand state was Justly proud to say that he was such. Now that the flag of piracy is hoisted and amblazdned thereon is the symbol "no quarter," and that the President, by the advice and counsel of his Cabinet, has severed further re lations with Germany, war seems in evitable, In which event this country will require the service of every able bodied man within Its confines. As Army regulations require that Its loir diers shall be healthy, sound and of a given age, I, for one, am barred by the age limit from taking part In thiJ great world war. I am a veteran of the Clvll War, a pensioner (under the service pension laws), but am better prepared to per form soldier duty now than I was when mustered out under "Old Pap" Thomas In Nashville, Tenn.. tn 1865. Here la what I propose to my old comrades who are as fortunate as your humble writer. Let's form an "old guard" organization as a reserve force, so that we can do post duty while the younger jnn de the field service. There are thousands of the "old boys" who are yet sound In body. While they might not endure' the hardships of marcn and camp, they can perform all the duties required of a reserve force. They can guard posts, nrlaoners. sun ply depots and transportation lines and perform all such duties Just as well the younger soldiery. For one I hereby tender my services to my country and am ready to be assigned to any duty falllrrg to the lot of a soldier of the Nation. And in this I tender my name to the recruiting officer (through The Oregonlan) of the Portland district as a volunteer and am ready to answer nis call at any moment. I am the oldest "card" printer In the .vortnwest my card Issued September, 1868; I am owner of the Waldport Watchman; 45 years in the newspaper game; sound, as a dollar; healthy as a steer; supple of limb as a kid; as good a shot as there Is in the country; sense enough to fight fo "Old Glory" and my country, which I love like a child loves its mother. I love the flag, my state, and damn tne man that don't. I love The Ore gonlan because It has (to use a slang expression) the "guts" to express its convictions regaraiess or pollrv" or political expediency." Jusr as it aTwav did under Harvey Scott, he of revered memory, -mat is why I make this of fer to my old comrades through Its col umns, for I am sure that most of them take anl read It, as they do their Bible, for It declares the religion of patriot Ism and loyalty. Again I ask my old comrades ana tney are legion who feel as I do to report to the reerultiner nfflcnr Portland or to the Adjutant-General of the state, either as I am deing or by tetter, jet Oregon De the first to mus ter a regiment of the "old guard" as a reserve force. We can "hold while the youngsters can skin." I want to "tret into this big game" no bleachers for me. I want to get a "swat" at the ball over the plate. Yours for God, home and native land. FRANK M. ROBERTS. RECENT ADDITIONS TO NAVY Ships Authorised by Connru Dlaputen Settled by Arbitration. ALSEA. Or.. Feb. 12. (To tho TMI- tor.) (1) Please give me Information regarding- the number of battleships and cruisers the United States has been building for the last few years? How many ships did the last bill provide for. (2) Please cite Instances where dis putes have been nettled bv arbitra tion. GRACE HARTLEY. 1. The naval vessels of which con struction was authorized during the last four years are as follows: 1913 1 battleship, 1 transport, 1 supply ship, 6 destroyers, 4 submarines; 1914 3 battleships, 6 destroyers, 8 or more submarines; 1915 2 battleships. 6 de stroyers, 2 seagoing submarines, 18 coast defense submarines, 1 oil-fuel ship; 1918 4 battleships, 4 battle cruiBers, 4 scout cruisers, 20 destroy ers, 31 submarines 1 fuel ship 1 am munition ship, 1 hospital ship. 1 gun boat. Nearly all of these ships are under construction or under contract, but some ships authorized as far back as 1912 are cot yet completed. 2. Arbitration has been resorted to for settlement of international disputes in many cases by the United States, If Joint commissions be Included. The first Joint commission was appointed under the Jay treaty of 1794 to settle boundaries with Great Britain. Under the treaty of Ghent In 1814 other com missions settled several disputes with the same country. The first case of a third power being chosen as arbi trator occurred In 1827. when the United States and Great Britain chose the King of the Netherlands to settle the northeastern boundary, but the United States did not accept the award, and the matter was compromised by the Webster-Ashburton treaty. In 1855 a British-American commission was created to adjust fishery rights. The most famous - arbitration settlement was that of the Alabama claims at Geneva In 1871. Under the same treaty the Emperor of Germany decided the San Juan boundary In favor of the United States and the Nova Scotia fishery rights were settled. In 1880 an award was made against the United States and in favor of France for claims growing out of the French In tervention In Mexico, the Civil War and the Franco-German war. A com mission sitting at Paris decided the Bering Sea sealing dispute between the United States and Great Britain In 1893, and In 1897 a similar commission settled the Alaska boundary. In 1895 the United States arranged for arbitra tion of the boundary question between Great Britain and Venezuela and In 1902 this country arranged a similar adjustment of British, German and Italian claims against Venezuela. The first case referred to The Hague oourt was the Pius fund dispute between the Unjted States and Mexico under president nooseyeii. Pay for Musicians. PORTLAND, Feb. 14. (To the Edi tor.) Cannot professional musicians charge fees for professional services without holding meetings and signing papers? It strikes me that any musi clan with the backbone of a wall-eyed pussy cat can charge for his services If he wants to. Personally, I have never had the slightest difficulty In charging and col lecting a decent fee for professional services and I haven't been playing accompaniments for 32.50. cither. KDGAR L COURSEN. In Other Days Twenty-five Years Ago. From The Oregonlan of February IB. 1892. New Orleans. Feb. 14. Captain John S. Stout, famous river pilot of the Robert Lee disaster of 1882, died here, today at the age of 53 years. "The latest device in connection with public education is found in Boston, where the School Board has decided to ask the city for $150,000 to secure land; and erect buildings for the organize-. tlon or what la to be called a parental school." Providence Journal. "Hap" Lytle, the pet of the Portland baseball club, is the authority for the statement that ex-Manager R.' J. Glen alvin was married In Wheeling, W. Va last vveanesaay. Wolfe & Callahan, who were awarded the contract for the digging of the Yakima and Kennewlck irrigation) canal, have begun operations at Ken newlck with 100 men and 60 teams. Ben Selling, who attended to the ln terests of the Home for the Aged when the recent benefit was given for it by Miss Long and lira. Wetzell. has mad a his report to the chairman of tho pro visional committee. Mrs. M. H. Hoi brook. The home received 3360.95. Half Century Ago. From The Oregonlan of February IS. 1867. 1 New York. Feb. 11. Solomon Johns son, colored, formerly President Lin coln's barber, has been appointed first class clerk in the office of the Secrs retary of the Treasury. Washington, Feb. 11. The State De partment has Intelligence from Mexico) of the withdrawal of the French gar rison from the Interior. The longest English sentences are believed to be: The British enlistment act. 60D words, and three In Choate's Eulogy on Webster, containing 620, 331 and 233 words respectively. We were told yesterday that Inform mation bas been received In this city of an offer of 32,000, l.,0 for the dis covery claims on the Poorman lead, owned by the New York & Owyhee Company and Bradford & Co The Tanner Vroupe will make Its appearance at the Willamette Theater Saturday evening. Several persons ot talent have been added to the orig inal company, and It may be expected that the performance will be of a char acter calculated to Interest tne audience. ALL VEHICLES SHOULD PAY TAX Writer Favors Bond Issue, but Objects to Exclusive Auto Burden. .. NEW BERG, Or, Feb. 1. (To the Editor.) I learn from Tho Oregonlan that the good roads enthusiasts are trying to get the Legislature to raise 17,900,000 for good roads. They pro pose to make the auto owners pay the big end of it. They say that fair play Is a jewel. I fall to see anything fair about this proposition. I own a light car that I drive about 1500 miles a year and pay 3 per year for the privilege of driving it on the road. Cheap enough. My neighbor owns a lumber wagon. hack and buggy. He pays nothing. Too cheap. Ilia lumber wagon, with a good load on it when the road Is soft. will hurt the road mora in a weelc than my car will In a year. Still they propose to let htm off ecot free. The only fair road tax would be that every rig that uses the roads pay in proportion to the damage It does to the road. Each rig should pay according to weight, say 60 cents per hundred, or by horsepower, 60 cents per horse; autos from -310 to 120, according to horsepower: heavy wagon, tl or more; hacks, 31; buggies, 60 cents per year; every rig on the road to show a llcenso tag on the rear end. I believe the auto owners should put in a vigorous kick before they consent to be milked to build roads for heavy wagons to tear to pieces. I would like to see the full 37.900,000 raised for roads and have no objection to a raise on auto tags provided they make every rig on the road pay its fair hare. Z. L. CHAMBERLAIN. Addresses of Women's Colleges. CORVALL1S, Or., Feb. 13. (To the Editor.) Please give me the addresses of (1 Sweet Briar College. (2) Vassar, (3) Smith. HIGH SCHOOL GIRL. (1) Sweet Briar, Vs.; (3) Pough- keopsla, N. Y,; (t) Northampton, Mass. CITIZEN KtTTSCH ON BI.IE LAWS Member of Legion of Honor Intends to Smoke Without Interference. TANGENT. Or.. Feb. 18. (A M. le Redacteur) Pleasel Since when have the Senators of Oregon a right to In sult such a mass of people by calling them filthy? Is It why they are all hyp ocrites and loganberry aippers? If I would be a Senator I would not dare show up If I had such poor brains or sense. What will the next humbug be? Isn't there any more? Then there is one: Pass a law that everyone has to find a doctor for a recipe for what he does eat, will you please? If they have no respect for themselves, they can't re spect anybody else. I am a tobacco user for over half a century. I have passed pretty near all over the world.- I know the habit of all of them. As Burton, famous Sen ator, said in his speech, "If this means Christianity,' then goodbye Christ." Don't lead us into temptation. J'apartiens a la Legion d'honneur de '70-71 et Je soutiens mon honneur comme un veritable, parfait! Citoyen Americaln: bien oomprls? Je fume ma cigarette ou cigar, ou pipe sans m'in quieter. Lai J. KUTSCH. . Trains Blown Away. London Tit Bits, The danger of trains being blown off the rails, not uncommon on light, narrow-gauge railways. has been virtually eliminated on a stretch of 36 miles along the Atlantic Coast of Ire land, forming part of the West Clar Railway. Probably there is no other line In the British Isles exposed to such violent gales and ftdurlng a few years prior to 1909 as many as five "blow offs" occurred, in which the carriages were completely smashed, though there was fortunately no loss of life. In that year R. H. Curtis, an inventor. devlRf d for the railway a pressure-tube atnenro meter, with electrical apparatus for giving two warnings by ringing a bll in the station master's house at Qullty; the first when the velocity of the wind reached 63 miles an hour and the sec ond when It reached S5 miles an hour. When the first warning Is given, 2400 pounds of movable ballast, kept for the purpose at every station, is placed on each vehicle of any train on the line at the first station It reaches. When the second signal is given, trains are stopped until the storm abates. Since the apparatus was Installed, in Decem ber. 1909, there has been only one storm derailment and this was due to delib erate disregard of the signals. Neljrhbora Chickens 'Are Nulnanee. WENATCHEE, Wash., Feb. 12. (To the Editor.) Does anyone in Washing ton have to be bothered with chickens In gardens and grain fields? Must we build chicken-tight fences along rub lic roads, already fenced? Can neigh bors be required to keep up their chickens? READER. You do not need to build a chicken tight fence along a public highway. Tou can bring action against the owner of the chickens to collect actual damages done by the chickens, but have no right to kill them. If you live within the limits of any city there Is probably an ordinance that prohibits chickens from running at large.