Morning Oregonian., September 25, 1917, Page 8, Image 8

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THE MORNING OKEGOXIAN, TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1917,
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PORTLAND, TUESDAY, SEPT. ZS. 1917.
AN APPEAL, AND ITS RESPONSE.
"I need not say," said the President
of the United States, in his telegram
to the labor leaders of San Francisco,
Seattle and Portland, asking: them to
settle the strike, "that this happy
solution of the labor trouble on the
Pacific Coast would be most gratify
ing, as It is further evidence of the
patriotism of labor. In view of it, I
would ask that no cessation of work
occur at Portland or Seattle. The
wage board begins functioning; at
once, and will announce its findings
with expedition. I count confidently
upon the patriotic co-operation of the
worklngmen and their leaders. The
men can count upon just and prompt
action."
Here Is a definite and solemn pledge
from President Wilson, for the Ameri
can Government, whose Executlve'he
Is. and for the American people, whose
spokesman he is. that the men In the
vital work of building ships for the
Katlon will get fair play, with all
promptness. It Is more. It Is a mov
lng appeal to the worklngmen to
serve their country In Its time of peril
and trouble.
Thirty thousand men In San Fran
cisco responded to the President's per.
sonai can upon them, and returned to
their places, pending an adjustment
of their demands by the wage board
at Washington.
The reply of the worklngmen In
Portland in words was to say that "It
was with the deepest regret that we
were unable to comply with his (the
President's) request; that we assure
him of our fullest, co-operation and
uco.1 l j Bupjjun ill me prosecution ox
the war to a successful termination."
In deed, however, the Portland re
sponse of the labor leaders was to
call a strike In the steel shipbuilding
yards and to give further guarantees
of support to the striking worklngmen
in the wooden ship plants.
Does it need more than a. bare
statement of the situation, and of the
events leading thereto, to disclose the
utterly illogical attitude of the men?
We shall use no harsher phrase, be
cause we have no thought of Im
pugning the loyalty of the great body
of men who are on strike and because
we believe, also, that they do not
appreciate the gravity of the Govern
ment's need, or the public Importance
of their own Immediate and continu
ous employment. They have been led
Into a false position by a misunder
standing, however It may have been
induced, of their own duty and inter
est. If we thought otherwise we
should despair of the republic, for Its
present and future.
Is it conceivable that the men in
tend to desert the President In this
serious emergency? We think not;
yet they put themselves In Just that
role. Is it thinkable that they place
no trust in the explicit guarantees of
President Wilson that they will get
Just and prompt action upon their
grievances and an expeditious adjust
ment of them? Yet they turn ' their
backs upon him when he offers to
give them his word and his hand in
pledge that there will be a satisfactory
settlement.
The considerations which enter Into
the shipbuilding questions are greater
than the issues over union or non
union labor, or even of a living -wage.
They go directly to the war and Its
success or failure and to the safety of
the Nation Itself. At this very time
our young men are Joining the colors
by the thousands and hundreds of
thousands, under a peremptory call to
the National service in war. They
are responding with inspiring ardor,
with unexampled enthusiasm, and
soon they will go to the battlefield to
do. and perhaps to die, that their
country may live. And here also Is a
summons upon other American citi
zens to service in industry at home
Industry Indispensable to the cause of
America. Are the boys at the front
to be helped along to victory by ener
getic, effective, persistent, patriotic
co-operation at home in furnishing the
Instruments, such as ships, which must
be built If the war Is to be won? Or
are they to be left in the lurch, falter
ing and dying because of breakdown
and failure on their own soil?
The men jvho have laid down their
tools are anxious to have it appear
that they are for the war and its suc
cessful prosecution. No doubt they
are, but how can the war be brought
to a victorious end, or how can it
result in aught but disaster and de
feat, if the plans of the chosen leader
of the Nation are to be hindered and
handicapped by outright refusal to
permit them to go forward?
The troops who decline, or fall, to
heed the command of their General
Invite a catastrophe: and the soldiers
of Industry who will not obey the
direction of their Commander-in-Chief
hazard the fortunes of their Joint eTr-
terprise, -which. In "this instance, is
the 'overthrow of the public enemy
and the . triumph of our common
democracy.
CBCIX WORLD.
Cast a pitying eye upon the fat man.
He is a walking advertisement of
prosperous appetite and healthy
assimilation. He may not eat more
than his skinny neighbor. Usually he
does not. But what he does eat gives
him girth and comfort, while that
which finds its way into a walking
hairpin chiefly promotes a mean and
sour look.
Today Is Meatless day. We must
also conserve bacon, butter, sweets
ana otner iat-proauclng foods. If the
fat man does not bow to patriotic
needs we shall know It by" the hang
or his vest. If he does we shall be
impelled by his altered appearance
thoughtlessly to worry about his de
clining health
But the skinny man. Ah, the skinny
man! He can sneak into the pantry
at' dead of night without shriveling
anything but his conscience and no
body can see that.
It's an unequal world, with but one
solace for the fat man. It is said he
will feel better when thinner. But he
doubts it. He doubts it.
OREGON'S RESOURCES NEEDED,
Oregon's part In the world war will
not be confined to building ships and
furnishing soldiers, although few
states of the American Union will do
more of those two Important things,
in proportion to population.
At the present time perhaps the
most noticeable thing, in the eyes of
the world, that Oregon is doing is
filling contracts for spruce for - air.
planes, not only for our own armies,
but for the allied governments as well.
Every little sawmill In Western Ore
gon, located wherever a spruce belt
exists, is busy getting out lumber, and
sections heretofore commercially in
accessible on account of the low prices
or spruce are now being cut over.
Scores of logging camps are being es
tablished and spruce logs put into the
rivers to be towed to mills along the
Columbia and on Coos Bay, Willapa
and Orays harbors.
Squadrons of airplanes are to be
America's answer to the barbarous
attacks of Zeppelins upon inoffensive
women and. children living in peace
ful homes along the English coast,
and it Is the vast undeveloped re
sources of Oregon's forests that have
made these squadrons .possible.
Nitrate development in Eastern Ore
gon, now In its Infancy, bids fair to
play an important part In winning
the war, and the state s agricultural
wealth is certain to be doubled in
another year by an awakening to the
great possibilities of the soil under
practical systems of irrigation.
Despite all the vast Increase In the
output of motor cars and their uni
versal use in modern warfare, horses
have not been entirely displaced, nor
are they likely to be during the life
or this conflict.
Oregon has already contributed
largely from Its livestock resources,
and can continue to do so while the
need lasts.
Recent establishment In Portland of
an Army inspection base for both
cavalry and artillery horses means
much to the growers of the state.
Wheeler County has already shipped
a carload of horses here, and a large
percentage of these hardy bred ani
mals are fit for service. . "
Certain requirement are to be met.
but stockgrowers will be advised of
these through the county agricultural
agents, one of whom It is proposed to
have in each county of the state, and
by this co-operation better results
will be obtained and there will be less
room for complaint on the part of
stockgrowers regarding rejections.
The Government needs the re
sources of Oregon, and Oregon's de
velopment cannot fail to be enhanced
by the Nation's needs.
DEMOCRACY IN ACTION.
The movement of large bodies of
men through the country to the camps
where they will train for service In
the National Army is an Inspiration
to the patriotism of the whole Nation.
These men, selected from among those
who have been chosen by lot, are in
the heyday of youth and vigor. All
of the physically and mentaUy weak
have been eliminated, leaving only
those who are thoroughly sound to
make the fight. They come from all
ranks and occupations, and are of as
varied racial origin as the Nation it
self. No account was taken of wealth
or attainments In their selection: none
will be taken in assigning them to
places in the National Army.
That Army will be a living exemplar
of democracy In action for Its own
defense. In what Is hoped to be the
final struggle with the opposing prin
ciple of absolute power. To form It,
men will be molded Into a great or
ganization and trained to use the most
modern weapons of war. In a few
months the slouching and stoop-
shouldered will have been transformed
into erect, alert soldiers. Their health
and bodily strength will be Improved
by strict observance of sanitary rules
in their abodes and their surround
ings, by abundant and carefully se
lected food, by clean living, and by
constant exercise. They will be men
made anew, and doubtless the major
ity will be so Impressed with the
benefits of this manner of life that,
when they return to civil life, they
will not depart from its teachings.
The change which this experience
will make in the soldier's relation to
the Nation and the state will be as
great as that which Is worked in his
manner of life. Including the Navy
and Marine Corps, more than a mil
lion and half men are now in the
American fighting forces. Their
thoughts have been turned from their
personal, local and state Interests, and
their minds have been broadened by
being imbued with the idea of duty to
the United States above all minor
claims on their allegiance, even to the
point Of dying for the country. With I
tuts scuds oi uuty win come the naolt
of obedience, which has been sadly
lacking in this do-as-you-pleasa Na
tion. Their thoughts being no more
of what the country will do for them,
but being chiefly of what they shall
do for the country, sacrifice will sup
plant self In their alms, and a deeper,
broader patriotism will result. As
other millions follow these first to the
front, the same spirit will spread to
them. and. through them, to all with
whom they are related or associated
until It will permeate the whole Na
tion. As these men go to France and'rub
shoulders with Frenchmen, Britons,
Belgians, Italians. Portuguese and.
perhaps, Russians, as comrades In
arms, their mental horizon will be
broadened and their sense of tha fel
lowship of all nations will be awak
ened and quickened. They will learn I
something of the languages, habits I
and ideas of the peoples with which
they mingle, and their Insular isola
tion will be broken down. They will
return as missionaries of that broader
Americanism which must guide Amer.
lea, now that she has taken her proper
place as one among the community of
nations.
- When this war ends the American
people will be a Nation made over.
and the men who will have fought In
the Army and Navy will be the yeast
Pwhich will leaven the whole lump..
THE SECRET OF SECRECY.
In an article founded on the claim
of a New York man that he had dis
covered the secret of secrecy in-cryp-
tography. The Oregonian the other
I oay presented a sample message writ-
ten in his code. It was hoped that
some genius among The Oregonian's
readers would exercise his , wits to the
discomfiture of the great discoverer.
It is not at all unusual for cryp
tographers to be discomfited.
The first response is not a solution
or translation of the message, but a
letter from a friend in Hood River
who frankly admits that he has not
tried to decipher the cryptogram. But
he unhesitatingly brands it as
cipher he had himself invented and
used fifteen years ago.
The correspondent, "W. J. P.," dis
closes that his own cipher is merely
a rearrangement of the letters of the
alphabet, by substituting (for ex
ample) "o" for "a," "p" for "b,". and
continuing tne letters with proper
substitutions in their regular advance.
It is so simple that he suspects it has
been used a thousand times. He is right.
It is about the oldest known scheme
of cryptography. Julius Caesar used
it. One of the Biblical prophets em
ployed It to conceal the name of
Babylon in a prophecy (Jeremiah
xxv:26). The system is quite fully
elaborated in De Magla Universal!
published in 1676.
The cryptographic tables given In
the work cited are the foundation for
modern cipher telegraph systems. In
this table tha alphabet Is written
twenty-four times in rows, each suc
cessive row dropping off a letter at
the beginning and adding it to the end.
The complication, suggested by W.
J. P.. of using more than one code
in the same message, was developed
by Salnt-Cyr, a French marshal of
Napoleon's day. The codes used
would be determined by a key word
previously agreed upon. If the key
word were "ship," for example, four
alphabets would be utilized, one be
ginning with "s," another with "h," a
third with "1" and a fourth with "p."
But for deciphering a message so
written no scientific process or deep
learning is required. If the message
contains twenty-four words, each
word written with a different code
alphabet, all one would need do would
be to write each word not more than
twenty-four different ways In order to
get Its meaning. Translation would
require only time and application.
Another complication hit upon by
Francis Bacon was the plan of em
ploying dummy letters "nulls and
lnsignificants" he called them. He
also used groups of letters to repre
sent single letters. Others have tried
spelling words backwards and of di
viding words that are not divided In
common usage. None of these schemes
presents great obstacles to the expert.
In applying the ancient system
which W. J. P. commends one might
Ignore the sequence of letters in the
alphabet. One might shake the let
ters up in a hat, draw one at random
to be used as "a," draw another to be
used as "b," and so on, thus devising
a code which would make imprac
ticable the purely mechanical solution
given above. But such a code would
be hard to remember, and more than
one code of similar kind could hardly
be used In the same message unless
writer and recipient held a written
key. A written key Is subject to loss.
theft or capture.
A cryptogram made ud simply bv
Jumbling letters of the alphabet Is
also easy to decipher. One need but
to know the frequency with which
letters occur in English words and
the identity of the commonest words.
Any printer knows that . "e" occurs
oftenest, and that "t" comes next.
Next In order" of frequency are a. o,
n. 1. r. s, h, d, 1, c, w, u, m, f, y, g, p,
b, v, k. x, q, J, z. Words of two letters
most used are, in their order of fre
quency, "of," "to," "in," "is," "be,"
he." "by," "or," "as," "an," "so"; of
three letters, "the," "and," "for,"
are," "but," "all," "not"; of four let
ters, "that," "with," "from," . "have,"
this," "they."
There is enqugh information herein
given to enable one who has patience
to decipher an ordinary cryptogram
written in English, if one will also
recall that any single letter must be
either "i." "a" or "o," and will apply
similar rudimentary knowledge to de
tect the Identity of doubled letters.
It Is quite obvious that if the New
York man has discovered the secret
of secrecy he has invented a system
that is not founded on the scheme of
W. J. P., Julius Caesar and Jeremiah.
THE TRUE INTERNATIONA!. IDEAL.
The ideal of a world formed into a
brotherhood of nations, as each nation
is a brotherhood of men, has long been
cherished by many men of every social
station in enlightened countries, but
it has been -the special cult of Social
ists under the name of international
ism. Concentration of their thoughts
upon the war of the masses upon
capitalism has caused many Socialists
to construe this ideal as the union of
the workers of all nations to the point
of wiping out all boundaries, but that
has not been the theory of the foun
ders of the party, and it has been ex
pressly repudiated by the Socialists of
all nations, until the Socialist party of
the United States at St. Louis last
Spring denounced the American dec
laration of war on Germany.
This Is shown by John Spargo In
an article in the Atlantic Monthly.
He recalls that, though Karl Marx in
his earlier' writings said that "the
working classes have no fatherland.
the International Workincmpn'a Asnn.
elation. - under Marx- enlrtanr-B. r.
solved fifteen years later, as "one of
the cardinal features of its policy, to
defend the rights of peoples struggling
for national .independence, as, for ex
ample, the Poles." Mr. Spargo names
several nations whose cause the In
ternational championed, and he says:
Internationalism presupposes nationalism.
Tt is tha interrslatlon of free and Independent
natlona, their union by fraternal ties.
He quotes Georges Renard. "one of
the clearest of Socialist thinkers," as
saying:
The and which Socialists ara seeking to
attain is not the disappearance of National
unities; it is tha grouping of Nations in
great peaceful federations, which shall
gradually draw closer so as to embrace
tha whole civilized world; It is the gradual
elaboration of international laws which shall
organise humanity, aa state lawa have or
ganised natlona But that great structure
which wa wish to build will have nations
aa Its pillars; it will rest aa their strong
foundationa
Every international Socialist con
gress right down to that which was
held at Basel. Switzerland. Jn Novem
ber, 1912. during the first Balkan war,
has reaffirmed this principle. Of the
action of the Basel congress Mr.
Spargo says:
It affirmed the right of each of tha Bal
kan nations to full autonomy.
Tha programme which the Congress set
before the Socialists of Austria-Hungary is
comprehensive and far-reaching. -Not only
must they especially oppose all attacks by
Austria upon Serbia, but thev must work
for the liberation from Austrian rule of tha
various subject Slav nations. Thev must
co-operate with the Socialists of Italy to pro-
tect ai uHma ana secure ner autonomy.
He shows that the Socialists of both
Austria and Germany placed on the
former country the responsibility for
the war. those of Germany saying that
the Austrian demands on Serbia "can
only be intended deliberately to pro
voke war." He sums up the position
of Socialists in all countries in these
words:
With the exception of small and rela
tively unimportant groups, all the Socialist
parties of the world, including those of the
central empires, have based their policies
upon the conception of internationalism as
the friendly interrelation and union for the
common good of free and autonomous na
tions. It remained for the Socialist move
ment in America to adopt a position at
variance with the historic Socialist position.
He explains this divergence of the
American Socialist party by the "pre
ponderance in its membership of na
tional groups whose sympathies were
naturally with the central empires"
and by "the domination of the move
ment In this country by German in
fluences." He says that the policy
adopted by the party "has, almost
from the beginning, coincided in a
remarkable manner with the interests
of Germany." He pronounces the
resolutions of the St. Louts conven
tion "a repudiation of Socialist inter
nationalism," and says that "any suc
cessful propaganda in this country
based upon this doctrine would be
worth many army corps to the Ger
man military machine," and he con
cludes: It places the Socialists who accept it In
direct opposition to all uprisings and wars
for National Independence. According to
this declaration of principles, no people can
be Justified in arming itself to repel inva
sion by barbarian hordea. Such a doctrlna
is subversive of civilisation and morality.
In fact, the internationalism of all
Socialists except those of the United
States is in harmony with all other
movements for peace and brotherhood
among nations. It accords with the
aims of the war as defined by Presi
dent Wilson an3 with those of the
League to Enforce Peace. A necessary
preliminary to its realization Is the de
feat of militarism in Germany and
Austria and the establishment in those
countries of democratic governments
having the same ideals as those of
other nations. A world league of free
nations for peace would leave the wayi
clear for that fraternal Intercourse
among people of all nations which is
the desire of Socialists as well as of
all others except the believers in
autocracy.
It Is of much more than passing
moment that New York is to
make further extension of the so-
called "Gary plan," or duplicate or
ganization in the schools. Pedagogical
considerations in this connection are
probably outweighed by desire to re
duce the number of "part time" pu
pils In the schools, already crowded to
the limit of their capacity under the
old system. It is recognized that no
movement for education can make
substantial success that does not first
give the young every possible oppor
tunity. It is desirable to teach older
persons who need education, but the
first right Is the right of the child.
So the question in New York, when
the Gary plan is under discussion, is
not so much whether it is the near
est to perfection technically, but
whether It will add to school capacity
with a degree of educational efficien
cy not below the present standard.
One of the visible evidences of the
high cost of living is the division of
the pie. In the good old times it was
cut into four quarters, and no cus
tomer was offered less than a quarter
circle. Now the pie is cut into six,
even eight, parts, and the hungry citi
zen gets a mere wedge instead of a
full quarter. The thought occurs to
the anxious boy: "Will the day of
the quarter of a pie ever come back?"
What is the matter with Oklahoma?
It has two Senators who obstruct war
legislation. It had an insurrection
against the draft, and now its farm
ers set at naught all the pleadings of
Mr. Hoover by feeding wheat to the
hogs. The Boomer state needs mis
sionaries of patriotism.
Every man cannot have a paved
highway by his farm, and every town
and city cannot be on a trunkline;
but every community can levy a little
tax to fix up its own roads and help
the cause that much.
When the first American officer cap
tured is taken to the headquarters of
Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria,
that near King will see something
good to look at for the first time In
his life.
The School Board of Klamath Falls
has offered to vaccinate its teachers
free of charge, and where do you sup
pose they will do it? Why, In Klam
ath Falls, of course.
Chicago will have a goulash next
week of all the politics outside of the
two big parties, held behind closed
doors. They cannot exclude the public,-
however.
"Good-bye, mother! Send a cake!"
shouted one of the boys as the troop
train departed. Every Oregon mother
will see that her boy has a cake for
Christmas.
Bernstorff held Congressmen cheap
If he supposed he could do anything
with $50,000. That amount barely
would touch an ordinary City Council.
It behooves the man who goes to a
roadhouse to take extra money for
ball, for no one knoweth when the
raider cometh.
If It Is your habit to use two spoon
fuls of sugar in coffee, try it a while
with one and let imagination supply
the other.
The Pendletonians know how to
workalt. On the night of the last day
of the Round-up they bad a satisfying
rain.
Conserve the fats all possible, but
grease the griddle for the hotcakes.
There is no substitute. "
Jamaica has had another hurricane.
That's Jamaica ginger, so to speak.
On a meatless Tuesday tha botchers
all can go to the dentist's.
No one will be bothered by dust at
the State Fair.
European War Primer.
Scarborough, familiarly known as
the "queen of English watering-places,"
has had more than its share of bom
bardments during this war. It was one
of the first of the unfortified British
towns to feel the Indiscriminate hail of
German shells, its civilians being sub
jected to a bombardment in December,
1914. A few days ago it was attacked
by a German submarine, and several
latauties resulted.
The Xational Geographic Society's
war geography bulletin on the famous
resort describes it as a town of less
than 40.000 inhabitants, delightfully
situated on a series of terraces resem
bling the tiers of an amphitheater. Its
two beautiful bays are divided by a
lofty promontory, which is crowned by
a castle that dates back to the first
half of the twelfth century.
Scarborough lies 42 miles by rail
northeast of Tork, and an equal dis
tance almost due north of Hull. Lon
don lies to the south of It a distance of
180 miles In an airline, and Ostend Is
more than 250 miles across the North
Sea to the southeast.
The old castle of Scarborough is as
sociated with the final tragic episode in
the life of Piers Gaveston. the English
courtier who created so great a turmoil-
during the reign of Edward II.
The prime favorite of that sovereign,
he assumed so arrogant an attitude to
ward the other nobles of the realm
that they insisted upon his banishment
He was restored to favor on numerous
occasions, however, and his periods of
banishment were always brie.;. Finally
the barons, thoroughly incensed at him,
surrounded him in this Scarborough
castle, where he had taken refuge.
When he surrendered they took him to
Blacklow Hill, near Warwick, and
there beheaded him.
Scarborough was formerly famous
for its Jet manufactures, and now en
joys a considerable coasting and fish
ing trade. It has beautiful promenades,
marine drives and mineral springs
which were once patronized before' the
sea-bathing became popular.
CATHOLIC ON PAPAL PEACE NOTES
Distinguished English Layman Offers
Bold Criticism of Vatican's Proposal.
The Outlook.
By np means all Catholics have re
ceived the Pope's note on peace with
approval or contentment. It is often
surprising to men outside of the Ro
man Catholic Church to find how
marked a line of divergence there is
between the modernists and the reac
tionaries, the ultramontanes and the
liberals, in that great and apparently
homogeneous organization. A corre
spondent calls our attention to a let
ter which appeared in the London
Times last month from the pen of
Richard Bagot in which the course of
Benedict XV in the war is criticised
in terms which a British protestant
statesman would hardly venture to
use. What makes this letter peculiarly
signnicani is tne ract that Richard
Bagot is one of the most distinguished
Roman Catholic laymen in England.
An aristocrat by birth, he has lived
and traveled in Italy much of his life,
and has written a number of novels
dealing with the relations of the up
per classes in Italy to the Roman
Church. His book, "My Italian Year."
is a most readable and interesting vol
ume of Italian travel. Its penetrating
and sympathetic interpretation of
Italian social and religious life is that
of an expert.
In his Times letter Mr. Bagot says
that to attribute the maladroitness of
the Papal peace note to the aloofness
of the Pope from the practical affairs
of the outside world is totally to mis
take the situation. "It is not the first
time that Benedict XV deliberately im
plies that he considers all the bel
ligerent parties as equally guilty." Mr.
Bagot says, and he contends that "in
attributing to the present Pope a want
of proper knowledge of the true origin
and conduct of this war we are seek
ing to shield him at the expense of
truth." He concludes his letter with
some interesting Interrogatories:
We have now the Pope's own assur
ance that his opinions on the war are
not Influenced by the representations
of any of the belligerent powers and
we are bound, I suppose, to accept as
the truth what hia holiness tells us.
I can, at any rate, vouch for the fact
that the Pope was entirely uninflu
enced by certain reports of German
horrors perpetrated in Belgium in
1915 and again In 1918. These reports
were drawn up by reliable witnesses,
both ecclesiastical and lay, and were
consigned to a well-known Belgian
diplomat for submission to the Holy
Father and to the Cardinal Secretary
of State. Fwell recollect the sadness
and indignation of the Belgian diplo
matist In question at the coldness, the
Indifference and the cynical skepticism
he encountered. By what, then, I re
peat, is Benedict XV Influenced? And
why Is a German peace, in his holiness'
opinion, the only peace which it would
be right or possible to make after
more than three years of war?
Although Mr. Bagot does not answer
his own questions, we think they can
be answered. Benedict XV belongs to
the ultramontane wing of the Roman
Church, a wing which devoutly believes
In the principle of absolutism both in
religion and government. He cannot,
therefore, help being sympathetic with
the Hohenzollerns, who are the great
champions of absolutism in this war.
Moreover, his natural sympathies are
with Austria, for Austria is the one
great ultramontane government left in
the civilized world. ' Even Spain is less
ultramontane than Austria. By writ
ing his note in the form in which he
did, Benedict XV, who no one doubts
is a profound lover of peace and Chris
tian brotherhood, made a tactical mis
take, at the very least, which his great
predecessor, Leo XIII, would never
have made. For if the Holy See even
by implication allies Itself with the
principle of absolutism today, it allies
itself with what is Inevitably the
losing side.
Playing With Fire.
. Pittsburg Dispatch, a,
Mr. Babcock had just been telling
his wife of an old friend.
"And he said he knew me when I
was a little girl?" Interrupted the wife,
"No," said Babcock, "he didn't say
anything of the sort."
"But you Just said he did," said Mrs
Babcock.
"No," said the man, "I didn't."
"Why. Charles!" exclaimed the wife.
"What did he say. then?"
"I said." replied the brute, "that he
knew you when he was a little boy."
Q notm for Second Army.
PORTLAND, Sept. 24. (To the Edi
tor.) Please Inform me what the ap
proximate quota of the second draft
for Multnomah County will be.
, J. W. BREEDING.
Multnomah's quota cannot be given
until the total number that will make
up the second Army is known. No in
timation in that particular has been
given out by the Government.
Internal Revenue Information.
FALLS CITY, Or., Sept. 23. (To the
Editor.) I would like to know to
whom to write at Washington, D. C,
to get information on internal revenue.
SUBSCRIBER.
Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
Washington. D. C.
Widow Retains Husband's Name.
SALEM. Or.. Sept. 23. (To the Ed
itor.) In addressing a letter to a
widow, which is correct. Mrs. John
Brown ,r Mrs. Sarah Brown?
H. A. T.
Mrs. John Brown is preferable unless
he is a divorces.
code: EAST TO W RITE and read
Correspondent Describes "Invention"
for Writing Secret Messages.
HOOD RIVER,' Or Sept. 23. (To the
Editor.) On reading your editorial
Thursday on "New Cipher to Solve" I
smiled one of those submerged smiles
that haven't even a periscope to dis
close their oharacter. Intent or lurking
whereabouts. It was a submersible
that, dived unconsciously for the mar
row, such as I fancy are the smiles of
those devotees of the occult science on
discovering a new "truth" or key to
one. or how to veil one more deeply.
The direct cause of this secret smile,
with its soul-possessing Joy which the
world cannot take away, because it
never suspects its presence, was that a
New Tork man had) invented a cipher
I had "Invented" and used more than
15 years ago, and that "the Army and
Navy Journal" (think, of it!) "is in
clined to believe the secret of secrecy
has been solved at last."
" I smiled because I never dreamed
such a trifle patentable. I smiled be
cause a terror-inspiring journal should
place such stress on what appeared to
me a thing so insignificant and harm
less. Now, don't let me raise any false
hopes about my having deciphered the
passage the Inventor submits, for I
have passed it by unchallenged! by a
single effort to decide. Let me submit
my code absolutely as original as the
above Inventor's could possibly bo, and
which is so simple I believe thousands
raxiBi. have used it. It will serve to
shotr the amateur what he is "up
against," and the expert, when he at
tempts to apply the thumbscrew to
make the passage submitted give up its
secret.
I cut a piece of writing paper of
sufficient length and width to accom
modate the English alphabet in capi
tals. This Is to be the original, the
English, so to speak, assuming that is
the language used. Beginning, say,
with the capital letter "O," beneath
"O" of the orginal write the first letter
of the code, a tiny "a"; then beneath
Sr write "b"; beneath "Q" write "c."
and so on down the original alphabet,
tnen go up to "A and come on down
to "N," beneath which will be "z" of
the code.
Write your messaere. Just as usual.
then substitute the code letters as you
rewrite. use a simple key. learn the
code well and destroy It. The code soon
becomes quite easy to write In and even
easier to translate. All surplus words
should be stricken from the message
before putting it in code, also every
possible key word. Use no capitals.
avoiding personal pronouns wherever
you can, especially "I," or familiar ex
pressions such as often begin and close
letters. Such, I fancy, prove the only
Gordion knots, but if the writer Is
careless at all they are enough to "let
tne cat out or the wallet."
If you want to -make the means of
secrecy "double and twisted" use two,
three, a dozen, a million codes, if you
wish. For code one one may begin
with "O"; code two with "L" and code
three with "I." Use code one for first
word of message, code two for second.
code three for third; or a tiny code
figure may be placed above or to left
of each word, indicating the code used
on tnat word, using as many codes as
you wish.
Again, note that, the canltal letters
having been asrreed on. face to face, be
fore .parting from your correspondent,
perchance you may go up or down the
alphabet, may skip every other letter,
two letters or a dozen, if you so agree.
The changes that may be wrought are
practically endless, the permutation of
the letters of the alphabet running into
many millions.
If I were going to attempt to decode
the passage submitted I would first
assume that you are correct as to its
being a passage from some possible
poem, though not at all certain, as the
form may be a ruse. I would search
for something, say, in Kipling. I would
compare the words in a line, then the
letters of each word. If they agreed I
would experience the Invisible smile of
the lover of the dark art striking right
for the bone, and would then begin
to substitute "English" letters with
some hope. Any clew to what the
writer Is trying to conceal Is a help.
If the above precautions are used I
believe the secrecy is all the Army and
Navy Journal believes it to be. It is
quite as safe as in some men's chlrog
raphy. , W. J. P.
more: dish towels are; needed
Camp Lewis Again Rut Short and Men
Are Coming Past.
CAMP LEWIS. Wash.. Sept. 23. (To
the Editor.) Some time ago you printed
an article copied from one of the Ta
enia papers in regard to the need of
dish towels at this camp. Through your
paper I have received a large number
of packages from all over the etate of
Oregon. This supply has been exhaust
ed and many more are needed.
Tomorrow the start of the rush of
some 18,000 men will begin to arrive.
This work was of my own idea and is
being carried on here by a force of -off!
cers, who have offered their assistance
in the work. Packages should be ad
dressed to me as below.
SERGEANT HAROLD H. MURRAY.
Care Quartermaster's Dept., Camp
-Liewis.
"IT WAS the: WOMAN."
By James Barton Adams.
No matter what trouble arises they say
A woman had something to do
with it.
When Adam from Eden was driven
away
A woman had something to do
with it.
And ever since that first eviction
affair.
When a little red apple brought grief
to tne pair.
If a fellow goes wrong all the gossips
aeciare
A woman had something to do
with it.
"They say" every time that a scandal
. appears
A woman has aomethlng to do with it.
A man hits too freely the flagon that
cheers.
A woman has something to do with it.
If one prematurely is seen turning
gray.
Or if he sheds hair in the natural way.
The people will wink at each other and
say.
A woman has something to do with It.
When a man sits and swears with a
bill in his hand,
A woman has something to do with It.
When a cashier skips out for a far dis
tant land.
A woman has something to do with it.
When a man meets with death from
assassin's red blade.
When a suicide to his last slumber Is
laid.
When a parson's foot slips and he slides
down the grade,
A woman has something to do with It.
In any great work old "They Say"
never says
A woman had aomethlng to
with It;
He never cries out In a voicing
praise:
"A woman had something to
with it."
do
of
do
The fellow who never can see
. worth
any
In women should think of the day of
his birth
Forget not that when he was placed
upon earth
A woman had something to
with it.
do
Bites Waited For.
Baltimore American.
"Why can't people talk when they're
fishing?"
"Because bites have to be waited for
with bated breath."
In Other Days.
Tweaty-FIvs Years Ago. '
From Tho Oregonlan of September 25. 1883.
Ellensburg. Wash. Word was re
ceived here from Roslyn today that the
bank of Abrams. Snipes & Co. had been
robbed. Five masked men rode up to
the doors at 2 o'clock and when they
left they carried with them sacks of
money said to contain 10.000.
.
The Blaine Club will hold the first
meeting of the Harrison and Reld Fall
campaign next Wednesday evening. All
old members are expected to attend
and new members and the general
public are invited.
Unless some unforeseen obstacles are
encountered, Portland will, within a
few months, have another free bridge.
It will extend across tho river front
Burnslde to East Burnside streets.
The present entanglement and diffi
culties of the Portland Methodist Hos
pital, ocated at Sunnyslde. excites gen
eral regret, and all express the hope
that all may yet go well with that
worthy Institution.
The Portland Exposition was visited
by another large crowd yesterday and
Reeves superb band received more de
served ovations. It was estimated
there were more than 8000 people lp
attendance last evening.
Half m Century Ago.
From The Oreronlan of September S3, 1867,
We have received a -copy of the Salem
directory for 1867. from which we find
our capital city has five schools, with
an average attendance of 265 children,
seven church buildings, three publio
libraries and a number of lodges.
J. W. Cook, of the bag factory and
and packing establishment on North
Front street, has purchased a neat
little engine by which he intends Boon
to run his several sewing machines.
His work is jiow rather heavy for foot
power.
Captain Snow, of the Couch, Informs
us that when he was at Rainier yes
terday, en route from Astoria to Port
land, the builders of the new steamer
for the Cowlitz River were making
preparations to launch her in the after
noon. The temperanae meeting at East
Portland this evening will be ad
dressed by ex-Governor A. C. Glbbs
and others. Music by tho Temperance
Glee Club. It Is expected there will bo
an Interesting time and, mayhap, a
temperance revival.
Wells, Fargo & Co. received by
steamer from the Cascades yesterday
835.000 in treasure.
home: defekse needs moke: me
Company Formed to Preserve Order
After Soldiers Go Wants Recruits.
PORTLAND, Sept. 24. (To the Ed
itor.) Are we -all doing our bit? What
I mean is, are we all doing what we
should to co-operate with the Govern
ment In winning the war?
There are many who have purchased
bonds, contributed to the Red Cross
fund, agreed to abstain from eating
meat or white bread on certain days,
all of which is patriotic, but there is
still a duty, a most Important one,
which we all can do and with but
little personal inconvenience.
The exposures of German Intrigue
should open our eyes to the possible
dangers which may be Jying dormant
waiting for a favorable opportunity
to strike us in the back. The treason
able utterances of some of our promi
nent men cannot help but give encour
agement to the enemies abroad, as well
as to those in our midst, which are
by far the most dangerous.
It will be but a short time until
all available troops will have been
sent to the front or to the train
ing camps. It is then that danger
may come to us. No one can tell in
what form it may come, but it is
certain that no army of invaders will
appear but under the guise of indus
trial trouble the propaganda which
has been spreading through the me
dium of I. W. W.-ism; and for which
it Is said German Intrigue is respon
sible, may take new life, and if so,
the attack will be on lumber and ship
building, the things vital to the inter
est of this country as well as to our
allies.
In the very near future a day's delay
of our ships may cost the lives of
thousands of our boys who are at the
front.
Have you done your bit if you have
I sent your boy to fight for our coun
try, ttiiu tnen aDanaoneo. mm to me
intrigue of the enemy at home? Think
this over, and let your conscience an
swer. A number of citizens, both young and
old, have for some months been drill
ing on Multnomah Field, preparing
themselves for emergencies which may
arise. There are but a mere handful
so far, and several companies of .the
Home Guard are now drilling at the
Armory. They are known as the Mult
nomah County Defense League and are
subject to call by the Sheriff or by the
Mayor through the Sheriff, but only as
a body and not as individuals. They
can be called only in defense of tho
county and against public enemies, and
are not obliged to serve more than 48
hours continuously.
Every citizen is interested directly
or indirectly In the maintenance of
law and order and the preservation of
property. The object is to have a body
of- men trained for emergencies so that
it will not be necessary to hamper the
Government by withdrawing men from
training or field service. Company A
drills on Wednesday evening at 8
o'clock and needs about 25 men to make
up its quota. This company is com
posed largely of business men. There
should be 10.000 patriotic citizens who
are willing to do their bit by joining
this organization. May we count on
you Wednesday evening?
THOMAS irCTJSKER.
Postage on Soldiers' Parcels.
INDEPENDENCE, Or., Sept. 22.
(To the Editor.) I have a brother en
listed in the United States Infantry
and stationed at Camp Funston, Kan
sas, with 35,000 other brave boys. He
wrote last week saying I oould send
him fruit if I wished, as he ia so fond
of it, and it seems to be a scarcity
there.
I mailed parcel post eight Bartlett
pears in a cardboard box 8x12 Inches.
The postage on these pears coat me 49
cents. Now, isn't there a more reason
able way of getting fruit and eatables
to the boys? We buy fruit reasonable
here in the Valley and are only too
anxious to send it to our heroes, but
cannot afford the postage. M. C 8.
No provision other than by parcel
post, at the regular parcel post rates,
is made by the Government for trans
porting parcel mall to soldiers. Camp
Funston, Kansas, being in tha sixth
parcel post cone from Independence
and Portland, the rate would be 9
cents for the first pound and 8 cents
for each additional pound.
Way to Save Tin Cans.
NEW ERA, Or., Sept. 23. (To the
Editor.) Canneries all over tho West
are closing down on account of a short
age in cans. Would it not conserve tin-
plate for food preservation if the
United States Government required to
bacco manufacturers to pack their
product in cotton bags during the war?
Cotton is plentiful, tinplate scarce.
A. S. CAHUTHER3.