Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (March 26, 1917)
8 PORTLAND, OREGON. Entered at Portland (Oregon) Postofflce as ecuua-ciasa mail matter. Subscription ratea Invariably in advance. (Bv Mail 1 Dally, Sunday Included, one year fS.OO Dally,- Sunday Included, six month!.,.. 4.25 Dally. Sunday Included, three months.. 2.25 uaily. bunaay Included. one-montn 7 Dally, without Sunday, one year 6.00 uaiiy, wttnout hunday, three months.. 1.7 aily, without Sunday, one month 00 Weekly, one year l.fio Sunday, one year...................... 260 bunuay and Weekly 3.50 .(By Carrier.) Dally, Sunday included, one year 9.00 Dally, Sunday Included, one month 75 How to Remit Send postofflce money order, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency i m Eenaera risk. uive postofflce ad areas in full, including county and state. postage Kates 12 to IB pages, 1 cent 18 to J-! pages, 2 cents; B4 to 48 pages, 3 cents; 60 to 60 pages, 4 eents; C2 to 76 pages, o cents; 78 to 82 pages, 6 cents. foreign postage double rates. Eastern Business Orfi- vrr-a a rnnv Jin, Brunswick building. New York; Verree wiuuin, oceger Dulldlng, Chicago; San Francisco representative, K, J. Bidwell. 742 aiaraec street. PORTLAND, MONDAr, MARCH 17, 1917 ANOTHER TREATY VIOLATED. "When the American ehln Georce F. Frye waa sunk by a German cruiser In January, 1916, the attention of Ger many was called to the fact that this act contravened the Prussian-Amerl can treaty of 1828. and Germany ac knowledges the binding- force of the treaty and the validity of the claim by agreeing to pay damages. That treaty contains this provision The free intercourse and commerce of ths subjects or citizens of the party remaining neuter wltn the belligerent powers shall not De interrupted. On the eontrary. In that case, as In full peace, the vessels of the neutral party may navigate freely to and from the ports and on tne coasts or the belligerent parties, free vessels making free goods, insomuch that all things shall be adjudged free which hall be on board any vessel belonging to tne neutral party, although suoh things be long to an enemy of the other: And the same freedom shall bs extended to persons who shall be on board a free vessel, although they should bs enemies to the other party, unless they be soldiers in actual service of such an enemy. Germany's idea of living up to this agreement is shown by the following announcement which It made on Jan tiary 31: From February 1, 101T, within barred ones around Great Britain, France and Italy and In the Eastern Medlterran outlined In the following. ADD SEA TRAF FIC forthwith will be opposed with every avaiiaoie weapon ana without further notice. Although Germany thus treated the treaty of 1828 as a scrap of paper, so far as her own obligation was con cerned, she apparently considered It still binding on the United States, for a proposal was made to Ambassador Gerard to renew and enlarge the ob ligations of the treaty which Germany had broken and Intended to continue breaking. If It Is still binding, it must bind both parties, and the United States has, In Its breach by Germany, good cause for war independent of or additional to the cause arising from violation of fundamental rights by the destruction of American ships and murder of American citizens. Having been broken by Germany, this treaty no longer binds the United States, and our Government Is free to seize the persons and goods of German subjects. Including the ships which now He In American ports. The American case against Germany Is thus much stronger than that of any other neutral nation. The case of other nations rests on the generally established principles of International law. That of the United States rests not only on those principles, but on ex press stipulations entered into directly between the two nations, the binding effect of which Germany had recog nized less than two years before the proclamation of unrestricted subma rine war. Perfidy Is added to the other wrongs. The effort of Germany to induce the United States to renew Its obligation under a treaty which Germany had Just announced the Intent to Violate, was then violating and Intended to continue violating Is without parallel for audacity In the history of diplo macy. Herr Zimmermann must in deed have believed American diplo macy to be spineless. LOCAL OPTION FOR NEW YORK. War on alcohol, which has brought about total prohibition In many states, has reached the point in New Tork, where municipal local option Is under consideration by the Legislature. Backed by Governor Whitman, a bill has been reported which gives cities the right to hold elections on the ques tion when one-fourth of the - voters petition. County option, by which rural voters force prohibition on un willing cities, is not Included in the scheme. As In other states, the bill Is op posed because of the great inroads It would make on the $12,000,000 of revenue which the state derives from the liquor business and because It would play havoc with $800,000,000 In vested In hotel properties. Labor lead ers also oppose the bill because It will throw 60,000 men out of employ ment and the Manufacturers' and Deal ers' League, which -represents 1200 firms not In the liquor business, ob jects to bringing that business Into politics. States which have already adapted themselves to prohibition can smile at the arguments advanced by Its op ponents in New York, for they have already been exploded. The lost reve nue Is already made up by other forms of taxation without hardship or com plaint, especially as the effect of pro hibition Is already becoming apparent In a diminution of crime and Insanity and consequently of public burdens. Breweries are applied to other uses than making beer and other retail business has occupied vacant saloons. Former employes of breweries- and saloons have found other occupations, for there are practically no unem ployed In Oregon who wish, to work. States and cities have learned that they can get along without liquor revenue, capital ' has learned that It can find profitable use for. property which was formerly applied to pro duction of revenue and workingmen have found other jobs. The liquor traffic has disappeared and we have Quickly closed the gaps which It left. An alternative bill has been Intro duced In New Tork with the backing of the liquor men. It increases the tax on saloons and reduces the num ber permitted In proportion to popu lation. It empowers cities to set apart not more than one-half of their territory as dry, but It permits towns by majority vote to issue liquor tax certificates to designated Individuals, even though the town has voted dry. In effect, the bill would Increase reve nue by $1,500,000, though it would wipe out many small saloons. The trend of public opinion Is so de- cldedly against any such half measures . to extinguish the liquor traffic that, I If this alternative bill should, be I adopted, Ut would not last long. New York is doubtless not ripe for state wide prohibition, for its large foreign population has yet to be weaned from old customs, but It will surely ad vance In that direction by way of local option. One area after another will thus be dried up until the drys will be strong enough to capture the last refuges. WANTED, 26,000 BEEN, The emergent need of this Nation Is men for the Navy. The Oregonian directs attention to 'the executive or der issued by the President and to the appeal sent out by Secretary Daniels. If there shall be war, active service for months of American forces will be on the sea. If there shall be no war, there will still be a period of armed neutrality, during which the naval forces will be required to give protection to American ships. If warlike service, such as is called forth by the fire of patriotism, shall be only temporary, there yet 'remains an inducement to young men to enter the United States Navy. There are there opportunities to learn trades, as well as navigation, and even acquire a fair degree of cultural education. For the studious and ambitious the chance to rise Is almost unrestricted. The Navy needs 26,000 men.' Port land naval recruiting office has so far done well. But it can and will do better. It Is the young man's oppor tunity. He Is patriotic enough and ambitious enough to seize it. ON TREASON. The Oregonian Is called to the rescue In a controversy raging on Northrup street. A, It appears, says that Sir Roger Casement was a spy and a traitor to his country. , B insists that Casement was not a traitor, but a martyr. Moreover, B contends that George Washington was as much a traitor as Casement was. Who Is right? asks a subscriber, who does not disclose whether he Is A or B or an Interested bystander. It Is quite an old controversy In Its essentials, and It was settled, as well as it can be, we think, more than 300 years ago. The answer Is a couplet written by Sir John Harlngton, a citi zen of the nation against which Sir Roger Casement's "treason" was di rected: Treason doth never prosper; what's the reason T Why, if it prosper, none dare call It treason. The real trouble on Northrup street Is that A and B have not got down to the real Issue. The question they are actually arguing about poBslbly with out knowing it is whether treason Is always an outgrowth of moral deprav ity, and If It is not, whether Casement was clothed with the virtues of an ex ception. ONLY DONATIONS WANTED. . The X6.000.000 road bonds An nnl Innlr good to the Review. As outlined all the money available for the first two years ($3,000,000) must be spent on the Colum bia, and probably most of the rest of it will go there, too. If there should happen to be a little left, counties must place their highways in condition to receive the hard surfacing before any of the fund Is avail able, and this would necessitate ths Issue of at least t.'OO.OOO more bonds bv this county. The huge Interest would eat up the taxpayers. Good roads are necessary, but so Is good Judgment. Jefferson Review. There is nothing In the bonding bill that requires that the first $3,000,000 be expended on Columbia River roads. But that fact will be plain to all vot ers when they read the text of the measure In the official pamphlet. The Interesting part of the foregoing com ment lies elsewhere. The Jefferson paper, If It has made Itself understood, objects to the bonds because . the counties must out of county funds prepare the roads to re ceive the pavement. It would indeed have been nice if some scheme could have been devised to extract money from the atmosphere for good roads. Then highway enthusi asts, such as the Jefferson Review. could have given the proposition their I The sad, sad fact remains that the scheme extracts It from the automobile owners and only in an amount suffi cient to give. Marion County, where the Jefferson Review is located, and other counties Just the pavement without cost to the taxpayers. Alack and alack, the taxpayers must do the rest. Good roads are necessary, but so Is good judgment," says the Review. If It Is a general notion that there Is any way to gef good roads without paying lor mem, tnen Oregon is as short on good Judgment as It Is on highways. A PATRIOTIC DUTY. The greatest need of the allies this year 13 wheat and that need will con tinue until next year's crop Is harvested. The European crop of last year was 100,000,000 bushels less than that of 1916, and that of the United States and Canada, from which wheat is most easily obtained, was one-third less than In 1915, and was the small est but one In thirteen years. Only the bumper crop of 1915 enabled us to supply all but 60,000,000 bushels of Europe's Imports In the year ending fast July, but we have available for export only 61,000,000 before July 1 next, when the 1917 harvest will beirin. At the moderate estimate of 10,000,000 bushels a month exported, this would eave a smaller carry-over to the new crop year than we have ever had. Australia has a surplus of 75,000,000 bushels and India one of 100.000.000 bushels, but the dearth of tonnage Is an obstacle to transportation from those distant countries. The Drosnectstof this ' nt encouraging. France reports a reduction of 15 per cent in acreage, in- lcating a crop 25,000.000 less than that of 1916, under favorable circum stances and .will need to Import 127, 000,000 bushels. Russia's Winter wheat has suffered from severe weather and conditions are .discourag ing elsewhere in Europe. In the United States the Winter wheat acre age is larger, but a large area has been Winter-killed and the size of the Spring wheat crop In this country and Canada depends on weather. The Increased demand for meat from Europe has drawn so heavily on our supply, which had been steadi ly diminishing, that we have begun to encroach on our breeding stock. But proximity makes It necessary that the allies draw their main supply of meat from us. Argentina, Australia and New Zealand, where a supply is avail able, are so distant that they can be drawn on only by serious sacrifice of utility of ships. Therefore every effort should be made to Increase the number of cattle, sheep and hoe-a for tho profit of the producer, If for no other reason. Wheat flour Is being saved In some TITE MOnxiXG- QREGOXIAX, 3IOXDAT, 3IARCU 26, 1917. coumnes oy mixing a certain per centage of cornmeal with it. Hence an Increased crop of corn will make good a part of any prospective de flcieney In the crop of wheat. By pro viding more feed for cattle. It will also swell the meat supply of the wona. Waste Is to be condemned at any time, dui it merits double condemna tion at a time when economy of food is necessary to strengthen our de fense against a common enemy, for it aestroys that which would go to feed the fighting men. It also enhances the price of what remains, not only ior mis ana the other warring na tions, Dut for each Individual con sumer. The person who wastes in Jures both himself by raising the cost or living, of Which he comnlalns and the Nation, which must consequently pay more ror what It buys for the army and navy. Every consideration of patriotism as well as self-interest demands that every citizen do his part w increase tne production of food and to eliminate waste. THE RECORD. The Oregonian printed yesterday a summary of the speeches in Congress by Senator Joseph Lane, because they are pertinent to the widespread discus sion over the course of his grandson In the Senate, and because they are a part of the Ineffaceable history of Ore gon and the Union. They belong also to the story of secession, which every scnooiooy knows or should know Time has softened the asperities of a bitter and critical struggle, and we are among those who are willing that what the senior Senator Lane said and did should be forgiven; but we do not agree that It should be forgotten. Senator Joseph Lane was an open ana uncompromising advocate of se cession. He was an outright defender of human slavery. He regarded slaves as property, and he asserted the right of slaveowners to take their property into iree states and Into the territories. He bitterly assailed Lincoln, whom he did not know, and he declared that the Republican party was responsible for the threatened dissolution of the Union Decause or Its purpose to "coerce" the Southern states. Being about to ac complish its "flagitious design." the .North was guilty of an "overt act." There Is something familiar about the method of the Lane artrument. There is a great nation nowadavs which seeks to blame pretty much all the rest of the world for forcing it, as It says, to pursue ruthless warfare, dis regarding the public law. destrovlner neutral lives and property, ignoring the precepts of a common humanity. refusing entirely to be bound bv the civilized practices which other nations observe in peace and war. If the South seceded, and sought to break up the Union, said Senator Jo seph Lane, it would be because the North denied sovereign states the con stitutional right of secesrion. A con stitution which expressly conferred upon Its subscribers the right and power to tear it to pieces! He. would have It obeyed. That was the Lane view. AN OPPORTUNITY NOT TO BE MISSED. If Portland desires to build war ships, now Is the time to act not to sit around and talk about it Shd the obstacles and difficulties, but to act- The Government Is about to let contracts for Construction of twenty submarines which the law requires to be built on the Pacific Coast. Some of them can be built here. If our citizens will act; otherwise, they will be built at San Francisco, Seattle, Ta coma or Long Branch, and the Navy Department may decide that Portland need not be considered as a point for building warships. The difficulties of equipping a plant to build submarines -and of building them, are not serious. Any plant which can build steel ships should be able to build submarines. All that Is necessary is to construct the hull and Install the machinery, for the paten tees construct the latter and ship it ready to Install. Some of the ship yards now in existence should be able to do the work! If they need morn capital, Portland should supply it, for it Is not likely to be beyond the means of local capitalists. ' Portland will then have estab lished the basis for obtaining con tracts for the next larger type of war ships, namely, destroyers.- It would then be able to advance to cruisers and from them to battleships. By so doing it would prove the capacity of me naroor ana channel to float such wnicn wpuia dispose of the. ""y department s aDsurd fear that. If battleships were sent here, they would run aground. Finding that It couia Duna and repair Its shins nr. the Columbia, the department would .realize the advantage of establishing a submarine base and finally a full navai Dase, on this river. ie oenerits to be obtained r,w Portland, both as a shipbuilding cen. ., aim an a. port, tnrougn obtaining and executing submarine contracts are so great that It would pay to do the work now offered, even If not a dollar airect pront were made. But there Is no reason to fear such an initmt The department has Contracted for some snips at cost plus JO per cent, and It may pursue that course In this case. The opportunity is one which, missed now, may never recur. If PUBLIC ELEVATOR AND DOCKS. A thoroughly practicable plan for meeting the demand of graingrowers that Portland provide a public elevator to handle grain 'in bulk has been of fered to the people by the Public Dock Commission. It includes provision for a 1,000,000-bushel elevator to be erect ed as soon as the necessary bonds are voted, and for piers and slips at which general cargo may be handled. Space Is also set aside Ior doubling the ele vator capacity and for the construc tion of further piers as the demands of commerce grow. The plan conforms wlth the most modern practice, and has the merit of combining river frontage with the maximum space for ships. It gives direct connection with railroads on the easiest curves and permits the most speedy unloading of cars. It gives space for that part of wheat shipments which will still come' In sacks, but as shipments of. sacked wheat decrease this space will become available for general cargo. Graingrowers have given the people of Portland plainly to understand that they have definitely turned to bulk handling of their crops, and that, if Portland wishes to handle their ex ports, the port must equip itself to handle them In bulk. Otherwise their business will be transferred to other ports. It Is notorious that the port is deficient In docks to load and unload ships quickly and economically. The plan prepared by Mr. Hegardt for the commission would. If carried out. sup ply both needs and would leave scope tor further expansion. . The Dock Commission has" given deep ' study to this subject and has reached the conclusion that it Is neces sary for the city to borrow $3,000,000 to carry out these plans. There Is good reason to 'believe that the elevator and docks would earn enough income to pay Interest and operating expenses when peace restores normal conditions of commerce. If this -expectation snouid not be fully realized, the re suiting expansion of commerce would compensate many times over for any aenciency. it is for the voters to de clde whether they wish to Incur this debt in order to hold the lead In grain shipment which has hitherto been Portland's. If they decide against the bonds, they will lose the grain business ana will be sadly deficient in dock fa cilities when commerce regains its full volume. It is true of ports as of firms and Individuals that they cannot do business unless they have the facilities ror doing it. The steel trade of the United States has grown to such dimensions that it would prove a bulwark of strength to the Nation in war. The output is now about two and one-third times that of Germany at the beginning of the war, rour times that of Great Britain ana eight times that of France. Last year about 22 per cent of the output was exported, much of It to the allies. In the Impending war, it. should be possible by curtailing, sales to the ordinary consumer to supply all the needs of the American Army and Navy and also to increase materially exports to the allies. Having the supremacy In this great staple, the unitea states should be invincible in war, if its manhood were fully trained and if its munition industries worn fully developed to utilize the "product of its steel works. It should also be Invincible in commerce. If Its indus tries were developed to the highest point of economy, for steel Is the chief material of all machinery which is used in economical production. The Transvaal continues to be the world's greatest gold producer and the mainstay of Great - Britain in preserving its financial strength. In 1916 the output was nearly $182,000, 000 and beat' all records by $3,643, 662. The total production since 1884 has been 121,219,666 ounces worth at thepresent rate of exchange $2,425,- sxs,is. ine central empires and their allies are insignificant as gold produc ers and are therefore to fortify their paper currency with a steady increase of their gold reserve. Sam Moore, the great arjostln of lima for Valley soils, will yell when he reads me statement from the Department of Agriculture that a small application to sour soils will increase the country's breadstuffs many millions of bushnls That has been Mr. Moore's text for years. . One of the greatest sources nt inv on the part of Ambassador Francis at the, abolition of Czardom In Russia win be the reflection that he need no longer usure ai omciai assemblies like a crow among a flock of peacocks, because of nis lack of a gold-laced uniform. The offer of Mr.Damon to Hvo th Government land for fortification of Grays Harbor is new proof that the patriotism of a man who has worn Uncle Sam's uniform never- dies; The suicide of a painter at Chf-haiia by electrocution was as novel as it was effective. A man who short ri himself has no chance to back out. Portland is doing its Dart in mg men ior the Navy,, but there is room ror more of the same kind. The JNavy is still about 16,000 men short. Russia may find somebody Just as gooa as urana Duke Nicholas to head its army, but cannot find his eaual in severity or discipline. Prince Carl, the Kaiser's cousin. In no longer a mystery. British have him in cold storage "somewhere In x ranee. There Is so much work of ureent Im portance before Congress that no time snouia be wasted on an organization iigni. It is horrifying to think what might nappen to any f eeplng Tom who spied on the girl students' revels at Eugene. A Jitney driver who can put fifteen people in his car is qualified to hold a job "back East" loading hogs. Roseburg plans to start Oregon's season of festivities with the biggest aina or strawDerry affair. ress censorship will not hurt Americans, so they get news of sinking 01 u-Doats ana the like. Any man who would commit suicide can acquire a novel finish by trespass ing on a railroad bridge. Portland scores again. More naval recruits have been enlisted than In other Coast cities. Candidates for City Commissioner are appearing slowly, but there is plenty of time. A munitions, plant in Portland would not be a dream. Lota of Junks could be worked up. Thousands will almost break a leg to get commissions In the Army of a million. There is hope In a peace emergency meeting that develops a lively row. Roosevelt is hunting devilfish, but his heart is set on the firing line. - - More rain is forecast for this week, but enough is enough. The "Forty-fivers" will hold the Jobs when the 'boys" go to war. If we are to Join the allies, we must move ahead the clocks. Camlnettl and Dlggs cannot much longer keep out of Jail. More now than ever millinery must show a war style. The family without a garden will be Out of style. Russia is getting a tailhold on Tur key. The Old-Time Country Girl. By James Barton Adams. The country girl of long ago is but a memory now; she'd grip the handle of the hoe or handles of the ,plow; she'd rise at dawn of day and yawn and thrill a rustlo air and put her work apparel on and bunch her tousled hair. Upon a rustic bench or stand -outside the kitchen door she'd find the tjn wash basin, and rainwater in it pour, soft soap of good old mother make from out its resting place with dainty finger tips, she'd take and pol ish hands and face. She'd set the breakfast table then, while daddy out of doors, with help of sons or ' hired men, would do the morning chores. She, from her patient mother, took a 'bur den of her work, would sweep the floors and wash and cook, and duties never shirk; to country dances she would go with happy, smiling face, and trip the light fantastic toe with charming youthful grace. Her form In calico was clad, that cost three cents a yard, and every husky country lad held her In high regard. At social par ties in the game where kissing played a hand she never thought It was a shame to let- John Henry land a bus terino 'neath her nose, her face with fun a-flush, until the tinting of the rose was copied by her blush. The country girl of granddad's days is a grandnf&mmy now. and wrinkles cor rugate her face and snow hair crowns her brow, and yet" her smile is Just as sweet as when in days of yore she danced on nimble, twinkling feet upon the farmhouse floor. FOREIGN ALLIANCE UN-AMERICAN t Wri, Would Have America "Go It Alone" In Event of War. PORTLAND, March 14. (To the Edl-tor- 1 am an American citizen and not a pacifist. My ancestors have lived In this country for many generations. I am neither pro-British nor pro-German, but Stralcht tro.Amrli-an T have been taught in that old school of wo-i.i-iui.ism mat nolds that our country must keep itself aloof from all for eign combinations. For over 100 years this Nation h prospered and reached Its present great- unaer tne guiding doctrines of Washington, Jefferson and Monroe, and I therefore most strenuously protest against the programme announced in news dispatches of the last few uays, mat lr we goto war we are to lorm a political alliance with the en tente powers. One news item even contained statement that an agreement was prob able under which we would bind our selves not to make a separate rm&ea regardless .of whether or not our In terests demanded such a move. This la so ostensibly un-American that I can not comprehend how American citi zens can entertain such Ideas even for a, moment, under this plan. If Servla, for instance, refused to agree to peace terms we would have to continue fight ing. Can anything be more absurd? i cannot believe that these dispatches are true, and I resent any imputation that they are officially Inspired. It must be the work of foreign influ ences that are trying to bring about this state of affairs, and the sooner we put a stop to this sort of thing the Dstter it will De ror us. , 2, am in favbr of driving every for eign agent, except the legally accred ited representatives, from our shores, and I mean by this every German? Brit ish, -French and every other foreign agent. No favoritism of any kind should be shown. A thorough house cleaning In this respect would be the best thing for our country and the of ficials at Washington could perform no more patriotic act. A LINCOLN TURNER. NEW NAMES FOR THOROUGHFARES Change of "Wafihlngrton" to "Jitney" Street Is Offered as Appropriate. HILLSBORO, Or., March 24. (To the Editor.) The news that the ejlty fath ers of Portland proposed to change the name of Tamhill street to Market street, because of the location of' the city market thereon and to change the name of Market street to Auditorium street because Of the location of the Auditorium thereon produced, at the time, a distinct shock to me. That name, designating one of the best counties over which Qod ever bent the bow of progress, and of the first locomotive I ever saw, as well as one of the good old streets of Portland, has to me a ring bordering on the sacred. But after more carefully considering me matter it seems that.-after all, it may be better for the other Yamhilla to get off the map, for to the honor of that name we may neither add nor detract. Then, also, to name the several streets each after one of its most Im portant industries, even though it may be but temporarily so, will enable the stranger to conduct shopping tours with the utmost dispatch, feeding but a map of the city to direct him to the district in which any particular branch of business may be located, A few suggestions will illustrate my point: Upper Front street readily suggests a change to "Junk" street. wasnington street to Jitney" street. i nen we may have- a "Movie" street, "Bootleg" street, - "Buttermilk" street and numerous others, indeed enough to make a. map of the city at onoe a busi ness directory as well. These changes might shock the sen timents of some of tho old-timers, but they can soon adjust themselves to the new order, and the rest be the better for it perhaps. L. E. WILKES. ABUSE OF FREEDOM IS BLAMED Defamatory JPress Cause of Sentiments . Such as Mr. Bnetlltofer'a. ABERDEEN, Wash., March 23. (To the Editor.) It was very much of a surprise to me to Bee a letter from R. Buetikofer and well deserved rebuke In the editorials against that gentle man. I have known Mr. Buetikofer for nearly 25 years and regret to hear that man or his type and learning wonM allow his mind to become clouded to clear facts and reason. Weak minds do and will lean toward revolutionary lenuenoies, wnicn nolds true In this case. So long as the - Dress of the United States Is allowed to attack and slander our Government, it will create disloyalty within our borders. Uncle Sam will in due time remov all stain from the Stars and Stripes, and 1 for one sincerely hope that the American oecret service takes due notice of all men that boast like Mr. Buetikofer. That Wall street Is the monev entei of the world today is the prime cause of worry In Imperialism. True Amer icanism will open the eyes of t"he en tire world within five years whlch-even Mr. Buetikofer may live to BA ill. though he seems to be growing old. xi&l AMACHER. Problem Without Answer. HOQUIAM, Wash.. March 2.1 T. the Editor.) Wish some friends would give me the correct number of acres and the correct cost of this piece of land. A man buys a piece of land at tan an acre. The size of the piece of land is determined by the dollars that will lie upon Its boundary, allowing l V4 inches to the dollar. How many acres in the piece and what did th lnn1 cost? c. v. ir The problem apparently Is not fully stated. The answer could be 2 square inches or land or any other area the boundary of which is an even multiple Of one and one-half. PORTLAND'S NEED AT CITY HALL, Not Reformers or Frill-makers, but Men Wlio Inspire Business Confidence. PORTLAND, March 24. (To the Edi tor.) The candidates for election to the city offices are beginning to present themselves to the public. Early im pressions have much weight with the voter and taxpayer, and the platforms of the candidates are being carefully studied as they are made public. The paramount questions In the mind of the citizen who has Interests here are: Will the candidate In the office he is seeking better our oity financially as well as morally? Will he Inspire the confidence of capital as well as that of churchmen In order that pros-, perity that goes hand in hand with the sense of financial security will be re stored? Is he a man who. in Dublic Ufflce. will create In the minds of the owners or Portland's millions of dol lars' worth of property and the minds of the moneyed men of the city a feel ing of financial assurance? Will he inspire labor with the Impression that his term of office will be an era of prosperity when work at good wages will be assured by reason of the gen eral progress of the city? Or will the candidate's appearance on the election ticket prompt the feeling In the mind of the established citizen that the candidate Is Just out to "re form" the town? Will It instill Into the hearts of the small property owner the fear that the candidate Is making his plea for election upon a promise that he will "stop" something that now exists, to pass ordinances that Just "limit." "restrict" and "prohibit" ?Jvv"lll the merchant and banker receive his candidacy with the feeling thathe is only out to "regulate," "prescribe" and "control" the enterprises In which the money of the city Is Invested? There are many property owners In Portland who have said that the offi cers Of the present city administration go to sleep at nights only that thev may dream of some cunning scheme whereby property can be further bur dened with assessments and regula tions, buildings Inspected for another hundred and one different petty pur poses, and business and trade further "restricted," "controlled" and "re formed." With that sentiment prevailing In the minds of those who have the power to influence Portland's progress, name ly, the property owners and business men, is it any wonder that Portland is said to lack "pep and that the city Is letting slip through its fingers Irre trievable opportunities that are con stantly Inviting capture by means of local Investments? Portlanders have money; It is in the banks, in low Interest bonds, in coun try mortgages, in any place where they leei mat tne city administration 4?( not reach It with its so-called forms,' restrictions" and "regul- The psychologlcsl effect nnnn Pnrt land's prosperity of overzealous alleged reforms, both civic and moralistic, is patent to every little property owner ana citizen who thinks at all. It 1 equally clear that the candidate who is out to promote progress, restore confi dence and encourage Investment In r-ortiana hy constructive methods Is going to be a lot more popular with the voter than the so-called reformer who the people feel Is out to slap icsiiimaie Dustness in the race with captious restraints, restrictions and regulations. ABRAHAM NELSON. EASTERN OREGON'S RAY OF nOFE It la Strahorn Project, and (rrda En- eournsjement. Says Writer. PAISLEY, Or., March if. (To the Editor.) Public Service Commissioner Corey makes a serious mistake in throwing the weTsrht nf bin infinn as a public official against the build mg of the Strahorn railroad. Surely r. -orey nas never Deen through Cen trai uregon, an empire in extent of great possibilities awaiting develop ment, such development depending al most entirely upon the building of railroad. Several lines of road touch the edge of this great undeveloped country and at the edge stop, and the uniortunate citizen of the great in terior continues to say, "How long, O iora, how long?" or two years there nas been one ray of light penetrating our darkness in the person and promise of Mr. Stra horn to put us In touch with CTie world by building something over 400 miles or railroad, connecting the various communities of this Inland empire and connecting us all with Portland. I have been In Lake County tor eight years. In -charge of an enterprise that promises much to the state when de veloped, but we muBt have transporta tion, l sincerely wish Mr. Corey would recall his letter sent to the Mayors of the various Central Oregon towns, and that In the future he speak only words or encouragement ror Mr. Strahorn s undertaking. Let the motto be from this on, "No citizen of Oregon, public or private, will stand in the way of any enterprise that makes tor the upbuild ing of our great etate." Boost, don't knock. F. L. YOUNG. STRANGE SENTIMENTS FROM SWISS Mr. Baetlkofer Opposes Here Thins; That Make His Native Land Free. ST. HELENS, Or., March 2 4. (To the Editor.) I have read with interest your leading editorial and Mr. Buetl Koier s letter published on the same page. I am surprised that a man who hails from the birthplace of modern freedom could write such a letter. Mr. Buetikofer as a Swiss wishes we had .a government like Switzerland a country where every able-bodied man is a soldier and ready and willing at any minute to take up arms against German aggression but as an' Ameri can he is opposed to preparedness and resistance to Germany's attacks upon our citizens. The epithet Schweizer Kelb (the word Keib meaning "car rion," "carcass" and. figuratively, "ras cal," "cheat") generally used by the Kaiser In referring to the Swiss shows his high regard for that republic Do not understand that I am opposed to people .of German descent in this country. I have my close personal friends who were born In Germany or are of German descent, but they are all Americans In this crisis. Many of them sympathize with Germany as against Ensrland, yet when it comes to German aggression against the United States, they are all for "America first" and wilt be found doing their duty as loyal Americans, Instead of howling about Wall street and the difference between the price of cheese in the United States and Switzerland. MANY IRISHMEN ARE IN VALHALLA But No Alblna Pro-Germans, Says Foley to MacMahon. PORTLAND. March 24. (To the Edi tor.) What's the matter with my com patriot, Marseillaise J. MacMahon, who writes to the papers that an Irishman would be out of place In Valhalla? Didn't he ever attend a Clan na Gael's wake? The Swedes don't own all of Valhalla; they only have a couple of lots there. Good Britons call Westminster Ab bey their . Valhalla, and what remains of the Duke of Wellington, born in Dublin, Ireland, reposes there. By the same token British military strategy appears to repose there too. Good Frenchmen call the Hotel des Invalides their Valhalla and Mac's own kin. the hero of Malakoff, Marshall McMahon, of France, sleeps there. If John Bull's foresight was as keen as his hindsight the historic reply: "J'y suls; J'y reste" would be written In Glasnevln, Ireland, instead of Paris, France. America has her own Valhallas and the Irish are there with the credentials. Well, here's good luck to all the Val hallas; there are no pro-Germans from Albina in any of them, anyway. JAM Ed FOLEY. In Other Dayt. Bait a Century Ago. From The Orefonlan of March 28, 186T. Washington. Wilson offered a con current resolution lastly week that Jeff Davis should be brought to a speedy trial or released from confinement on ball. The pantomime of the"Red Gnome" Is still on the boards at the theater, the characters being filled by Tunner. Miss Soledad, Sprague, O'Nell, Miss Juanlta Graham, Wilkinson and others. The Utah is the name of a new ship Just launched at Saco, Me., and Intend ed for the North Pacific Coast trade. Horace Oreeley. Henry Ward Beeoher and Clement L Vallandlgham are to be invited to deliver a course of lec tures for the poor of Atlanta, Ga. The explorations of last week about the location of the sunken brig, the Due de Lorges, determined the position of the vessel to be quartering with the stream, with the bow out and about 40 feet under water. Twenty-Five Years Ago. , From The Oregonian of March 28, 1892. The contract for the new college of the medical department of the Univer sity of Oregon, which will be located on Twenty-third and Lovejoy. streets, has been awarded G. H. Wiser. It will be completed September 1. The work of laying down a new and extra heavy girder rail on Morrison street bridge, on account of which the bridge has been closed to traffic for the past two days, was completed last evening. The improvement of East Burnside street is dependent entirely on the construction of the free bridge that has been located on it. When work begins on the proposed bridge, then measures will be taken to get the street Improved, and not before. Postofflce Inspector Flint, who laid out the free-delivery district on the East Side, fixed the southern boundary at Division street- It has now been decided that the boundary shall be ex- tenaea tanner south. About midnight last night James O'Brien, while crossing Washington at Eighteenth street, slipped and fell Into a gulch about 50 feet deep. - Street Superintendent "aylor is at work on a map of the city which will show the numbers of streets as pro vided by the new ordinance. WHO FIRST TO FEEL WAR'S HEEL Dtaloyal Men In America. Answers Al bany Correspondent. ALBANY, Or., March 24. (To the Editor.) I must open the safety valve of my own personal resentment to the treasonable utterances that find their way Into the newspapers so frequently of late. Treason, as defined by Webster, is "a betrayal of confidence." Last Friday in The Oregonian is an article signed by one Buetikofer, which, according to the above definition, is full to over flowing with disloyalty and treason. It matters not how long he has been a naturalized citizen (and there are thousands of them as true to our Gov ernment as the needle Is to the pole). No one, from reading his article, will ever accuse him of loyalty to the Gov ernment that has given him a chance; a Government that protects him in his freedom of speech, even to the danger point. One naturally wonders why such hy phenates ever came to this country. Why do they stay here? Surely the Germans would not submarine such valuable allies as they have In men of that character if they would return to their blood-sodden country. Is it not high time that concerted action be taken to protect ourselves against Just such "wolves In sheep's clothing?" Why permit one to spread such disease germs broadcast? Do they themselves not know that if our pa tience and forbearance, our appeals to reason yea, our pleadings with the German government fail of their de sired end, that to a great extent "the traitor within the camp" is the one the loyal American citizen will deal with first if the war wolf, the kind that Is bred in Germany, is turned loose upon our shores? When war Is declared patriotic lov- alty will find a way to stop this bla tant National infidelity. It seems that disloyal hyphenates have not as yet learned that there are at least "seven thousand who have not bowed their knees to Baal." CHAS. E. GIBSON. TIME FOR ALL TO DISPLAY FLAGS Every Home of Patriot Should Show National Colors, Sajs Mr. Grnber. PORTLAND, March 24. TTo the Edi tor.) In view of the Tact that prac tically a state of war now exists as be tween our Nation and that of the cen tral powers, and of the further fact that there are some who are not loyal to our Government, some, at least, of whom have been guilty of treasonable utterances, and that our young men are not enlisting as rapidly as should De tne case, owing,- possibly, to tlje seeming apathy of our people in gen eral, it occurs to me that it would be a splendid thin? for all our leadinir newspapers to urge all loyal persons to cause at once to be placed one of our National flags in some conspicuous place on or about the front of their houses and places of business. During this stormy season such flags can be tacked under the over hanging part of porches, or even placed In front windows, this as the important thing is to show the loyalty and pa triotism of the occupant and thereby cause our young men to feel inanlred with loyalty and patriotism which has for a long time not existed to the ex tent that we could wish. If the newspapers will take the mat ter up and run a few lines in each issue for a few weeks urging that this be done, I feel assured that the effect will be very great and for the good of all our people. S. H. GRUBEE. When Evidence of Citlsenahlp la Lost. PORTLAND. March 24. (To the Edi tor.) I have been a resident of this county for 17 years. My father was naturalized in Iowa, taking his first papers when I was 9 and his final papers when I was 14 years of age. My lather's papers are now in the possession of my brother, whose pres ent whereabouts I do not know. The records of the county where my father was naturalized have been destroyed Dy tire. i nave twice voted on my statement and on the knowledge of the officials that my father was a voter. But when I attempt to register here my papers are requested. Is it necesrav for me to take out naturalization papers? If not, what steps are necessary for me to take In order ' to register and vote? . A SMITH. A prominent citizen of Oregon found himself last year in that identical pre dicament, and he had voted for many years. He took out naturalization pa pers. That Is the only course to pursue under the clroumstances. Drop From wtjn Aeroplane, Puck. Female passenger (in airplane some thousands of feet up excitedly) Please, oh, please, won't you go down? I've just dropped my pearl cufT-buttonl Air manCalm -yourself, madam that's not your cuff-button, that's Lake Erie,