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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 9, 1917)
lO THE 3IORXIXG OEEGOXIAX, TUESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 1917. PORTLAND, OREGON. Entered at Portland (Oregon) Postofflce as second-class mail, matter. Subscription rates Invariably in advance: (By Mall) Dally. Sunday Included, one year $3.00 Dally, Bunda) included, six months.... -3 ZJally, Sunday Included, three months.. 2.25 Xa:iy. Sunday included one month... .75 Iully, without Sunday, one year 0.00 Dally, without Sunday, six months.... 3.25 Dally, without Sunday, three months... 1.75 - Dally, without Sunday, one month.... -60 .Weekly, one year 1-50 feunaay, one year -.ofJ Sunday and weekly 3.00 (By Carrier.) Dally, Sunday included, on year $9.00 Dally, Sunday Included, one month 75 Daily, without Sunday, one year 7.80 Daily, without Sunday, three months... 1.95 Daily, without Sunday, one month.... .35 lionr to Hem it Send nostofnee money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at senders risk. Give postofflce address in full, lncludlnsr county and state. Postage Kate 12 to IS pases. 1 cent; IS to 32 pages, 2 cents; 34 to 48 pases. 3 cents; SO to 00 pages, 4 cents; 62 to 70 pagea, 5 cents; 78 to 82 pages, 6 cents. foreign postage double rates. Eastern Business Office Verree & Conk Iln, Brunswick building. New York; Verree Ic Conklln, steger building, Chicago; San Francisco representative. It. J. Bid well. 742 -Market street. MEMBER OF THIS ASSOCIATED PRESS The Associated Press is exclusively en titled to tha use for republication of all news credited to it or not otherwise credited in this paper and also the local news pub lished herein. -A. 11 rights of republication of special dis patches therein are also reserved. ' PORTLAND, TrESDAT, OCTOBER 9, 1917. AN EMERGENCY. !" The essential points of the Public Service Commission's finding's In the Portland street railway case- are the I following': A shorter basic day and a reason- (able Increase In wages are justified. The company's revenues at present I are not sufficient to enable It to make ' the foregoing changes. Certain measures of relief are sug gested which. In the main, neither ' company nor Commission has author ity to enforce or apply. It is a peculiar decision, out of : which it is not surprising that more ' conferences between employes and ! employer have occurred and more talk 1 of strike possibilities has grown. Both sides, it appears, have proved i their contentions. The demands of the men are reinforced by indorse ment of a publicly constituted body. The assertions of the street railway company that it has not the money with which to pay the men more or Increase the number of its employes is conceded by the same body. The solution offered by the Commission is that something' be done about it by vote of the people in November, 1920. It is a long postponement of relief to which the men are not inclined to submit; it is a long period of losses not to be faced with equanimity by the company if it should be forced to grant the men's demands. Moreover, neither side has any assurance that the people will vote to eliminate the extraordinary charges and taxes now imposed by the city and which the Commission says should be eliminated. As heretofore stated. The Oregonian doubts that the voters would adopt a measure releasing the company from bridge tolls and other charges If the measure were presented as a cold proposition. But the public might look with favor on a plan which would give the city representa tion on the company's board of direc tors with certain supervision and negative power over management, maintain the B-cent fare, release the company from all fixed taxes and charges, and require it to pay into the public treasury any excess after ade quate wages had been paid employes and a fair return had been paid on the capital invested. That would practically be munici pal ownership without municipal in vestment and without danger of po litical control or political interference. But were such a plan now given pub lic indorsement short of a vote of the people that approval would not relieve the present emergency. But there is a course that may be taken at once which has either been overlooked by the company or else it has not sufficient immediate resources to follow it. That course is to grant the demands of the men in full, make the changes in service and in reduced fares recommended by the Commis sion, and then in two or three months, if the predicted losses accrue, go to the Commission again with an appeal for authority to increase fares. What possible order could the Commission make but to grant the request? It lias said the men ought to have more wages and Bhorter hours. It has found that the company's revenues are inadequate. An existing, not a prospective issue, would be before the Commission. Its order, if It gave no relief, would then be appealable., and the company would have &n unassail able record on which to go into court. It is true, only in a way, that the Com mission has denied the 6-cent fare. Apparently it has but postponed the evil day. But whatever befalls, be it strike, receivership or 6-cent fare, we are approaching an open and general dis cussion of municipal ownership. The suggestion made at the beginning of this article for a form of control that possesses all the advantages that could come from municipal ownership and none of its disadvantages is offered for serious thought. Meanwhile the emergency that confronts the city is a matter that the Mayor and City Commissioners might well consider officially. One thing that distinguishes Port land and adds to its charm is its pre eminence as a city of detached and individual residences. Almost every dwelling stands alone on an orna mented plot. Almost every home mansion or cottage has light and air and an appearance of livableness. This condition has kept down the city's death rate, has promoted its birth rate and has given its families light, pri vacy, cleanliness, health and happi ness. Primarily, this condition has been created by an extensive streetcar sys tem, good service thereon and the universal 5 -cent fare. In other cities as favorably 'situated for growth of suburban and detached residences, may be seen solid . blocks of brick houses, each exactly like its neighbor, and all standing shoulder to shoulder, through street after street. Portland wants no congested tenement houses. It must preserve its prime distinction.. Yet its wholesome, wide-spreading" character is the very reason that the streetcar system does not pay. Neither reduced service nor increased fare is to be considered lightly. Either would ultimately rob the city of its home attractions. Admiral Benson has no fear that German submarines will accomplish much if they should attempt raids off the Atlantic Coast, for he says they nave been inspired with a healthy re spect for American gun crews on mer chantmen, and the Navy Department is well prepared to receive a flotilla, either off the coast or in mid-Atlantic But Germany is believed to have- con centrated effort on destruction of sup ply ships rather than troop transports. Probably transports are too strongly convoyed, and the Germans have higher hopes of crippling our men by lack of supplies after they get to France than of killing them in mid- ocean. AIDING AND ABETTING THE ENEMY. The final resolution warns that every word spoken In the United States which can be distorted Into the semblance of disloyalty or wlllingnoss for an Indecisive peace quickly reaches Berlin, where It is misrepresented ana scattered broadcast as evidence of dis sension, thus tending: to Drolona the wr and Increase the sacrifices. Extract iromAsso clated Press report of a public meeting in fans. Every syllable, every word, every sentence of seditious doubt or covert disloyalty by a La Follette finds a hearty echo in Berlin. Every artful speech or demagogic act of a Big Bill Thompson, designed to reach the German-American vote in this country, is made to reach more millions of Germans in Germany. It creates enthusiasm and satisfaction there beqause it appears to show the power of pro-Germanism here. Every little college professor who starts a peace movement, or Joins the Socialists, near - Germans, pro - Ger mans, in a People's Council to stop or hinder the war, is advertised throughout Germany as a leader of thought and opinion here, and he helps prolong the war. The only way to defeat Germany is to unite for that purpose, to mean to do it, to convince Germany that Amer ica purposes to do it, and then to do it. GRADE CROSSING DANGERS. A thousand admonitions a day are given to automobilists to avoid the deadly grade crossing. Nothing is more familiar than the warning to Stop, Look, Listen. Yet tragedies con stantly occur. Details of the appalling accident near Reedville, Sunday, may never be made quite clear; yet it happened at a railroad crossing and it ought not to have happened. A young woman was driving a motor car containing eight or nine people, and she ran immediately in front of a speeding train. Perhaps she was not familiar with the road, or perhaps she tried to cnange gears at the critical moment, or perhaps she became confused at the imminence of the flying train and did some other thing she should not have done. ObViously there would have been no collision and no deaths if the road had been built under or above the railroad. But it is impossible to institute a general system of overhead crossings for railroads and roads in Oregon. It involves a radical and most expensive change of present roadways; and neither railroads nor counties or state would be willing to undertake it. Yet something can be done to improve the situation. Something, indeed, has been done. The State Highway Com mission in locating state roads has systematically worked out a plan of avoiding grade crossings wherever practicable. It should be encouraged to develop its policy further, and re fuse to permit any highway to traverse a railroad, except under conditions insuring the maximum of safety. It is not always possible to lower a rail road or elevate a highway, but it i3 practicable to make the approach to a railroad clear, and to require signs to be placed at intervals beginning. say 400 feet away, and to eliminate the dangerous rise frequently to be encountered just before the rails are reached. No precaution will remedy the de fects of human judgment, or correct an unsteady hand or a reckless spirit. But the duty of doing all that can be done is, nevertheless, plain. NEW rOLICT TOWARD TBUSTS. Under pressure of war emergencies, operation of the Sherman anti-trust law has been practically suspended at the dictates of the Government. Although the law forbids two com peting lines of railroad to pool their business, all the railroads in the coun try are pooled with the sanction of the Government. Manufacturers are forbidden to combine or to agree on prices, but they have been actually encouraged to combine and to make one price for all a price which is fixed by the President under authority of Congress. Regulation of trusts and fixing of maximum prices by the Gov ernment, which were advocated in the Progressive platform of 1912, are ac complished facts. This has been done after an epoch during which railroad and industrial corporations have submitted to the law and have voluntarily dissolved combinations which had been formed in defiance of it. When the Sherman law was passed, corporations ignored it and continued to combine in de fiance of it, and the Government made slight effort at enforcement. When vigorous enforcement began, the cor porations resisted, but ceased to form new combinations. Adverse judicial decisions caused voluntary dissolution of some trusts under President Taft as soon as they were attacked, and of still more under President Wilson. General surrender was well under way when the war began. Then not only did the Government In effect proclaim a truce, but it encouraged and applied to its own uses the very things it had tried to destroy. Therein lies the difference between the policy of the "90s and the war policy. The Government now appro priates to the profit of the Nation all of the benefits arising from combina tion which the corporations formerly took to tnemseives. Formerly the trusts fixed prices below which they would not go; now the Government fixes prices above which they may not go, and it uses the combination as a means of enforcing its orders. The benefits accrue not only to the Gov ernment and its allies on purchases of war material, but to every Individual purcnaser. The Government thus frankly rec ognizes the efficiency and economy which the trusts have pleaded in their defense, but it denies that the profit arising therefrom should accrue to the stockholders in trusts while war continues. It takes them for itself and tor me people at large. But in the case of the railroads the advantage of centralized control has already Droved so great that the Government may not ue wimng io iorego it when peace re turns. Equal advantage may be de rived from industrial combination, with like influence on future policy. Already the Administration has ap proved combinations for promotion of foreign trade by urging passage of the Webb bill permitting them, and the House has passed the bill. Only the opposition of Senator-La Follette and a few other wrong-headed Sena tors has prevented its passage by the Senate, but it is not probable that that body will permit the verbosity of these men to prevent its passage at the regular session. However closely the Federal Trade Commission may supervise combinations under this bill. it cannot prevent them from reacting upon domestic trade. If an agree ment should be permitted to sell a certain commodity in foreign markets, it cannot fail to influence the domestic price. A certain relation between ex port and domestic prices cannot fail to be established. "When the advan tages of combination under Govern ment supervision have been expert enced in war, the people may be un willing to abandon them as to do mestic trade while extending them to foreign trade. Added to these considerations will be the influence of other nations' com mercial policy. Their trade, both for eign and domestic, is already con trolled by combinations, which must be met by American combinations if our producers are not to be at an obvious disadvantage in dealing with them. Competition in foreign mar kets will be intense, but the propor tion of our products which is exported promises to grow. With all these in fluences pulling that way, the policy of co-operation between the Govern ment and industry promises to con tinue after the war. DOLLARS TO BACK OCR MEN. More of the men of Oregon are be ing marshaled in the Army camps. Their success in war depends on the degree to which they are backed by our money. The better they are sup ported in this manner the more of them will return after the war. Thus the liberty loan is both a means of victory and a means of preserving the lives of our soldiers. Oregon has sent ten times as many volunteers as it has sent conscripts into the fighting forces. To maintain its honorable record, the state should be equally ready with its volunteer dollars. For every fighting man that the state has sent it is asked to send about 3000 fighting dollars, if the state is to do its share towards raising the maximum of five billion dollars which the Government asks as the second liberty loan. To send men without the means of fighting is to send them to death and defeat. We must provide money to put rifles, bayonets, grenades, bombs and entrenching tools in their hands; put big guns behind them for destruc tion of the German positions, and pro vide shells for the guns; put aircraft before them, for observation of the enemy's positions and for destruction of his aircraft and supplies; and build ships which shall carry them and their supplies across the ocean. By subscribing to the liberty loan the people of Oregon provide all these things to bring back our boys alive and victorious. They risk their lives; shall not the rest of us merely lend our dollars without risk, for there is no risk in this investment? IRRELEVANT. A ministerial brother at Forest Grqve. being anxious that the public should be "clear as to principles," writes a letter to say that the solu tion of the shipbuilding strike is in the employers' hands, and to offer an argument for a closed Shop In the shipyards. "I am 'not passing upon the relatix-e merits of the case for the builders or for the men in Portland," says our clergyman friend, "and I be lieve that both should be ready to concede much in this National crisis." Quite plainly there is need to makej both facts and principles clear in one certain pulpit at Forest Grove. The issue of the "closed" shop, for which principle the brother thinks every other question should give way, has no place in this controversy. It was interjected by the local union leaders against the protest of their interna tional officers and In disregard of an outright agreement made by Samuel Gompers and other union chiefs for the American Federation of Labor that it should not be raised during the war in any Government work; and per contra, it was just as definitely understood that no employer should use the war emergency to overthrow the unions and create the "open" shop. Thus there was to be a post ponement of all conflict between the "closed" and "open" shop until peace should be declared. The employers of Portland have not refused to build ships. They were building ships when the strike was called. The men stopped work vol untarily; the employers did not dis charge them, or institute a lockout, or reduce wages, or establish more onerous working conditions, or dis criminate against any class or group. On the contrary, they agreed to raise wages and made other concessions ex cept the "closed" shop, so that prac tically no question remained but rec ognition of the unions between opera tors and men. They offered, besides, to refer the whole controversy, in cluding union recognition, to the ad justment board, and to make the set tlement retroactive. They made no reservation whatsoever. But the strike leaders would not yield anything as to the unions. They would neither re turn to work without complete union conditions nor would they agree to any truce or temporary settlement whatsoever. The Oregonian believes with its neighboring pulpiteer that "both should be ready to concede much in this crisis." It believes that the em ployers have made concessions, and It believes the 7000 ship-workers are and have been ready to make conces sions; but it is quite unable to see what concessions the strike leaders have made or have offered to make. Will our friend point them out, if he has discovered any such? It is just as vital to understand facts as principles. It does no good in this crisis to ignore the first and to talk piously about the latter. The great National need is ships. The Ore--gonian .would build them with the greatest practicable expedition, with unions or without unions. It would not stop, but it would protest, and does protest, against any delay caused by an effort of employers to non unionize their plants, or of workmen to unionize. Meanwhile, we find ourselves won dering what the men have gained, or are likely to gain, by their three weeks' idleness? Will some one say? We do not need to be told what the Nation has lost. Everybody knows, including the Kaiser. American destroyers operating against submarines in European waters must surely have had some thrilling experiences, but little information has leaked out about them. After the blunders madein regard to the attack on the first fleets of transports, little of value was obtainable, but Admiral- Sims has now taken up with the Brit ish Admiralty the matter of publicity methods "in the hope of evolving some system whereby the people of this country may be kept more thor oughly informed about the activities of their naval forces." The story of an encounter fit to take its place with that of Paul Jones' famous battle would do much to stir the ardor of the American people, and it need not be embellished with any Creelisms. "ENCOURAGING FOOD ECONOMY. New York restaurant and hotel men have pledged themselves to "encour age" the consumption of certain foods and to "discourage" the use of others, as part of the food conservation plan. The words are carefully chosen, and there ought not to be doubt as to what they mean. There is to be no compulsion of the diner, on the one hand, to eat fish, and no prohibition, on the other, of the use of meat. The prime "encouragement" nowa days for a change of one's accustomed diet would appear in the column oppo site the name of the article of food, and it would appear in figures. The glad days when we sat down at the restaurant table and ordered a meal without looking at the prices are gone. There are few who do not feel the impulse of thrift when they scan the bill of fare. But if the articles, such as fish and eggs and poultry and game, which we are told to eat in order to "save the staples for our own soldiers and those of our allies across the sea" are as dear as the staples themselves, one important incentive to substitutioin will be lacking. . We do not believe that Americans are essentially unpatriotic, even in the comfortable anticipatory period that precedes the selection of a good din ner; but habits are habits and they are notoriously hard to break. There is a mingling of the "put it off until tomorrow" and "let George do it" spirit to be overcome. Some little thing is needed to start the wheels revolving in the right direction. What would be more effective, for example, than the lines: "Old-fashioned steak, 70 cents," and "fillet of flounder, 25 cents," or something like that? The appeal to patriotism would be clinched by the argument of the pocketbook. It ought to be effective in, say, eight times out of ten. It would be a practical definition of "encouragement," and a factor to be reckoned with in conserving food. Preparations made in various cities for the entertainment and comfort of recruits on their way to the canton ments and troops passing through en route to other stations, show gratify ing appreciation of the psychology of the situation. It is only natural that the young man who is doing, or is about to do, a service to his country should desire to know that he is not wholly forgotten by those who are staying at home. There are few of us who do not throw out our chests a little when we see evidence of appre ciation, and nothing more likely to breed a spirit of sullen resentfulness than neglect. So the welfare com mittees and the railway Y. M. C. A.'s and the local citizens along the line are actually helping to win the war by the little attentions they are be stowing upon the boys. In extension of the same principle, it is important for those at home to stamp out dis loyalty, and to make the soldier feel that the whole country is behind him. He Is going to have his Inevitable lonesome periods, the best we can do. The decision not to permit the Czar to vote as an ordinary citizen in the formation of a new government for Russia does not seem wise. Nothing would so contribute to hi3 complete regeneration as the feeling rthat he had one vote, and one vote only, to cast for the good of his country. Fire prevention is another form of thrift, and should be encouraged everywhere. But we should not con fine our efforts to "Fire Prevention day," which is only a reminder of a duty that presses on us the year round. Somebody get busy. The War De partment has contracted for ten car loads of Kansas jackrabbits. ' Per haps the bureau officials do not know the Oregon jack goes farther than any prairie product. Even allowing for the inferior qual ity of their war bread, it would seem that the Germans have a little the better of Americans in the prices they are called on to pay. -Those who drink intoxicants in wet states must pay an additional war tax, but the greatest patriots will not necessarily be those who indulge ex cessively. The new 6-cent loaf of Hoover's that will effect a saving of sugar, lard and milk and be wholesome, will not taste worse if they throw in a handful of bran. Sp long as the British hold on to what they gain, they will make it that much easier for us when the time comes to put the finishing touches on. It seems that Senor Carranza is winning a victory over the rebels occa sionally, but he will need to go some to get a top head on the first page. Poolville, Tex., starts ten letters too far down the alphabet. Citizens have offered $1246.50 for delivery- of the Kaiser into American hands. There is satisfaction in learning the profits on the late State Fair reach $19,000. Secretary Lea is something more than a showman. Better use cannot be made of the Mormon tithing fund than purchase of liberty bonds. The bonds assure more tithes. Evidently the port warden of Cadiz could not shut his eyes to the glare of German money, and the submarine got away. Let the selective fellows have all the fun they carl make or get. The days of stern reality soon will ht them. Football fatality season is timed to open just as the men are about to hive up on the various war fronts. Autoists must learn that county roads are not racing tracks. Mrs. O'Leary's cow is immortal, and this is her day. McGraw may .have a miracle or two In his kit bag. No joking, now. This is meatless day. The Peripterous. Peripterous A Structure Having Rows of Columns on All Sides Dictionary. Synopsis of proceeding chapters: The Ore gonian, a great morning newspaper, employs a literary architect to build a peripterous. A peripterous Is successfully constructed with rows of columns, fore, aft, port and starboard. The peripterous becomes the free medium for thoughts and opinions, not permitted to be expressed in the public forum. The perloterous discovers three wonders in Oregon: A combination garage and bar ber shop: a poet who has forgotten the war, and a world-beating nest of white pelicans. NOT IX SYMPATHY WITH ROBBERS Professor IT. Hets Explains Part In Crime to Resents of Guff College. WHOOPLA, Or., Oct. 8. (Special.) The regents of Guff University held a public hearing today on the unani mous petition of the Whoopla Com mercial Club for dismissal of Professor Heep, Saturday lecturer on Apprecia tion of Bathtubs, who was arrested re cently with a gang of train robbers while holding up the Overland Lim ited. - Professor Heep, explaining his pre ence in the gang, said that while on a visit in Tufhole, Nevada, he had been waited on by a delegation of friends who had urged him to Join the train robbing party. He had clearly ex plained to his friends that he was a strong believer in righteous living and an upholder of law and order, and that he would join the enterprise only with that understanding. The Tufhole delegation had ex pressed its entire satisfaction with Professor Heep as one of the train rob bing party,- although he held such views. Professor Heep went on to say that at the solicitation of the District At torney and County Sheriff he had sub sequently given the authorities Infor mation concerning the movements and proceedings of the train robbers. At this point Mr. BUI McGlnnis, rep resenting the Commercial Club, excit edly accused Professor Heep of having a "bum" lot of friends and of "snltch ir.g" on his pals. McGlnnis was for cibly ejected from the room for con duct unbecoming a gentleman. Professor Heep. continuing, expressed regret that political enemies had forced the board to' spend valuable time considering such a matter. He announced, w-ith great earnestness, that whatever may have been his opinions at one time on the sacred ness of property rights, he recognized that It was the present policy of gov ernment to protect them. He thought it the patriotic duty of every citizen to uphold Lord's Oregon Laws, at least In conversation, no matter whether he believed them to be right or wrong. The Professor was unable to say more because of the -racket made by Mr. Bill McGlnnis, who had been lis tening through the keyhole and began kicking the door. The board continued the hearing until next Friday. Automobile Notes. Speck Duffy, driving a Sput-Sput demonstrator and carrying five pas sengers, crossed the Interurban tracks at Sixth and Salmon streets yesterday on high gear without bouncing a single person out of his seat. This Is the first car to accomplish this feat except one of Oscar Huber's road rollers. None of the passengers used straps to hold themselves In. The Sput-Sput took the crossing as easily as If it had been a two-foot wall. Manager Duffy, of the Sput-Sput agency, is much pleased with the per formance of the car. Very Offensive Begins on Skullsprlns; If ront. Skullsprlng Sentinel. Colonel Cy Perkins and a detachment of six men and one boy were badly "gassed" last evening In a heroic as sault on the front line stenches of three enemy "la folletes." Colonel Cy and his force, who have been conducting the attack on the hay crop on the marsh land of the Cres cent Hay Company, had almost reached their objective for the day when the enemy were discovered strongly en trenched In a willow thicket. Colonel Cy and his brave followers Immediately opened a terrific bom bardment with hand grenades from the bed of the creek some 20 yards away and then went "over the top" in a mad charge on the enemy stenches. They were forced back after desperate hand-to-nose fighting. The Red Cross, under the efficient leadership of Mrs. Cy. did splendid work in relieving the sufferings of the almost extinct members of the attack ing party. With the Untrammeled Poets. Two eagles met by chance one day. One came from Germany, the other from U. S. A. Says the German eagle, among other things, "Over all universe I will -spread my wings. And I mean to have a place in the sun If It takes every man and ship and gun.1 "Good gracious!" exclaims the Yankee bird, "A think like that has never been heard. It looks very much as If 'you'' desire To rule the water, the earth, the air and the fire. My brother, be careful, else I venture to tell Your ambition will finally land you In Berlin, Kentucky. J, G. Blame It on the Cat. Kathryn T. sends the Architect the following, which is from a Theosophl pal magazine, and asks what he thinks of it: I watched tha pale moon rising In the blazing sky that was aflame with fires of the after-glow, which made the west a daz zling pageant, and tha east a burning mys tery, less brilliant than the bewildering glory of th region, where the olouds still sang tha praises of tha vanished ruler of the earth, but although less vivid, not less won derful, in the vast sweep of solftly glowing silences pulsing with tremulous tenderness of tones most sweetly harmonised, like mem ories that time has softened with the promise of oblivion. The Architect thinks the eat must have walked on the typewriter when nobody wu looking. WONDERS OF OREGON. No. . The amateur salmon fisherman. He buys $10.75 worth of tackle and burns up three gallons of gasoline and $1 worth of tires to get to Troutdale. He casts all day without success for a weary, fungus-coated salmon, when he could wade into any riffle and with a two-bit gaff snake out enough to feed a flock of hens. He does it again the next Sunday. Customer and Grocer. Pearson's. Customer (to grocer) I wish you would not give me such short weight for my money. s Grocer I wish you would not give me such a long wait for mine. WAR WORK THAT GIRLS MAY DO Woman Answers Question of Those Who Don't Know How to Find It. STANSFIELD, Or., Oct. 6. (To the Editor.) I always read The Oregonian from front to back, and am especially interested In the editorial page, but never before had a desire to answer an article strong enousrh to act upon it. But Thursday I read the letter rrom the girl who wants to work" for her Nation and has not the work to do. I couldn't help wondering how many more there must be in Portland just like her willing to do, anxious to do, but can't find the work. It is a perfect ly natural desire that she should want to work. Every woman and girl in our Nation wants to do her part. Our Hearts are Just throbbing to help out and our hands must be kept busy. It Is little enough if we work every one or me spare moments we sit comfort ably by our firesides, while the best of our young manhood battles at the front to preserve our homes. Work? wno says anyone cannot work? It is our duty and our prlvilecre. I believe "the girl who wants to work" is honest in saying "there is only room for a few of the society girls." They have more time to let the officers know what they can do and it is oniy natural they should e-et the work when they are the only ones on tne joo. nut the working girls should see to It that they have their share, too. If there isn't room, just make room. form yourselves Into a workine- rrirls' club. I have had personal letters from the Red Cross officials. They welcome help from clubs of all sorts. This month knitting supplies are to be distributed throughout the state. A club to which I belong, by applying to the local Red Cross chapter, is going iu get an it wants and I am sure others may ao the same. Every woman's magazine elves diree tions for work of all kinds and is urg ing us to make comfort bags for Christmas. For 25 cents one can huv , an oumt ana begin knitt nir wash iie. -mere is great need ror them and $1.75 will buy wool to make a sweater. C. D. Stimpson, Seattle, Wash., will send a leaflet or instructions for knittln o- There is work, work everywhere. Not a willing hand should be idle. If there isn't a place, make one for yourself. It is as much your duty to work for your country in its great hour of need as it is your blessed privilege to breathe its free air. If she hasn't already started, every working girl in Portland should Degin today some kind of war work. MRS. H. OREGON STANDARD MAINTAINED "Always Ahead of Other Fellows," Is Slogan of State's Navy Men. VALLEJO, Cal.. Oct. 4. (To the Edi tor.) lhis is newspaper dav and I be thought myself to write about the Y. M. C. A.'s wonderful co-operation with uncle team to make the men comfort able. It is hard to put on naner all the immense work that has been done in so short a time. Our barracks are large and roomy and are about 50 feet wide and 150 feet long, with two stories. There is a mess hall for every tr.ree barracks. We are a regular city ty ourselves, with a postoffice, bakery supply house, store, pool hall, library theater and other buildings. During the drill periods we have dif ferent drills, which are such as infan try drill, boat drill, target practice, Swedish - drills, signal practice and physical drill with arms. During rest hours we must wash our clothes, and bags, bedding and hammock, which we sleep in, must also be clean. We have band concerts, vaudeville and picture shows and lectures. It Is very dry and warm down here ana sunburnt we are, which makes all of us from Oregon appreciate the cli mate at home. The Y. M. C. A has done good work here and also in San Francisco, where they have a large hotel especially for our use. Here they are instructing classes in all kinds of school work in one of the buildings, and they give some very excellent lectures. All the Portland and other Oregon boys that left there June 21 are still together, except a few who were trans ferred because experienced in baking, tailoring or other such divisions of the Navy. We are the Fourth Company of tne Third Battalion or H unit. You may be sure we are keeping up the standard of Oregon, which is, "Always ahead of the other fellows. RUSSELL S. TEER, Seaman Second Class. Mare Island Navy-yard, Vallejo, Cal. FREDDIE IS NOW HAPPY SOLDIER Winner of Portland Roller Skate Mara thon Writes of Training and Y. M. SAN DIEGO. Cal.. Oct. 4. (To the Editor.) I am writing you a letter thinking you might publish it, as to day all of the soldiers are supposed to write a letter to their home papers. 1 guess maybe you have hAird my name. It is Freddie Lough. I won your first roller skate marathon during the Rose Carnival and 1 followed boxing in Port land for quite a while. I am now de feating all comers in San Diego. , I am in the California Coast Artil lery, Company 18, stationed at San Diego. I like being a soldier fine. It is sure a great life. We are expecting to take & trip to France soon. We have a Y. M. C. A. here and it sure is a great benefit to the soldiers. We can sit down and write letters and they furnish all the paper. They have all kinds of sporting material for us. We have moving pictures three times a week. I hope you will give the Y. M. C. A a boost for the soldiers. I can't say much more, but I hope you will make up a little story from this and I will be very much obliged. I will soon be home on a visit, as 1 want to visit my folks before I leave for the war zone. FREDDIE LOUGH. THE LIBERTY BOND SUBSCRIPTION. Oh, envied youth! you hear the Nation's call And make your sacrifice with smiling face ; You lay aside your hopes, your plans; and all You are you freely give to aid the race. In Fredom's cause unpanoplled you go. Nor stop ta ask what hazard may be there; Your armor Is what courage will be stow On men who stake their lives to do and dare. Ah, those of us who cannot thus de vote Our youth, our ardor and our strength to save Our country in this hour of need will note These fine battalions of the young and brave. And will, although we may not go to France, Do what we can to give them sus tenance. Enropeans Don't Know Sweet Corn. SAN FRANCISCO, Oct. 6. (To the Editor.) In reference to the editorial In The Oregonian October 6 entitled "Corn Rejected With Scorn" in an English workhouse by the paupers, I wish to say that Europeans do not know of sweet corn. Cattle corn is, indeed, unfit for human food, as it would cause dysentery. L. M. YOUNG. M. D., 1708 Market street. Prohibited by Law. PORTLAND, Oct. S. (To the Editor.) Is there a law in force in Port land prohibiting expectorating on the streets? SUBSCRIBER. The city ordinance prohibits ex pectorating "on any sidewalk in the city of Portland." In Other Days. Twenty-Five Years Abo. From The Ofegonlan, October 9, 1892. Seattle. The Canadian Pacific Navi gation Company's steamer Premier was rammed by the steamer Willamette in a dense fog off Whidby Island. Four were killed, one drowned and 17 in jured. Berlin. The long-distance military ride is the sole topic of interest. The Austrian-s won the race, much to the disappointment of the Germans who lavished every hospitality on the vie-, tors. Many of the horses were disabled for life, e. Mayor Mason has decided It Is not necessary to have a special milk inspec tor. Chief Spencer may assign a po liceman to the work. Rev. and Mrs. G. W. Oue are arrang ing a reception for the members of Grace Methodist Episcopal Church for Friday night. United States Senator John H. Mitch ell returned from Washington yester day afternoon, after an absence of 11 months. Half a Century Ago. From The Oregonian, October 9, 1S67. The results of the late postal con vention between United States and Eng land have been made public, the regu lations covering some thousand or more words, particularly governing printed matter and fixing new rates. Mrs. Jane Dobbin and J. C. Gilbreth, of Rainier, Or., were married by Rev. J. H. B. Royal October 1. New York. A special here says that Grant anticipates soon to be relieved of the war office and Wall street says Sherman will go In. Dr. Stacey rfemenway. of Eugene, left last Monday with his family for Washington Territory. He has been commissioned in the United States serv ice. Francis M. Kelsey and Miss Louisa A. Jackson, daughter of Judge Jackson, were married in Washington County October 6, by Rev. Henry SewelL The New York Ledger says a thou sand young women between 16 and 20 are going to Washington Territory to become wives of the male population, and adds there are not enough women in the territory apparently to keep the men'a wristbands and collars in condi tion. WHO MOST TO BLAME IN STRIKE t Minister Quotes Washlnston Gladden on Closed Shop Principle. FOREST GROVE. Or., Oct. 7. (To the Editor.) You say In an editorial "It is unthinkable" that 7000 workmen In Portland should refuse to build ships to help America win the war unless the union is recognized. Why is It any more unthinkable than that a dozen employers should refuse to build the ships if the union is recog nized? Have the employers more right to hold up the union than the union has to hold up the employers? Washington Gladden, one of the prophets of America, has this to say about the full recognition of the union: "The question of the open or the closed shop is practically eliminated by the determination of the employer to give full recognition to the union and to let it be known that he desires all his workmen to belong to it. Under such circumstances it is not probable that enough men would remain outside the' union to cause trouble. If it Is the employer's policy not to fight the union, but to establish living and co-operative relations with it. he will have no more use for nonunionists than the union itself has. "If. on the other hand, the employer wishes to maintain an unfriendly atti tude toward the union, of course he will stand for the open shop and will use his influence to keep the nonunion contingent as large as possible, that he may have a strong force at hand to fight the union. This creates a situa tion which is nearly impossible and justifies the men in demanding a closed shop." I am not passing upon the relative merits of the case for the builders or for the men in Portland and I believe that both should be ready to concede much in this National rrlsis. But I am anxious that we should be clear as to principles. . ARTHUR B. PATTEN, Pastor First Congregational Church. This letter is answered In another column on this page. BUILDERS WITHOUT PROTECTION Lien Law as Court Construes It Leaves Labor and Material Men In Air. PORTLAND, Oct. 8. (To the Editor.) I am not a lawyer or a son of a law yer, but I believe I am competent to ex press the opinion that the recent deci sion of the Supreme Court on the matter of Mrs. Paulson's claim of homestead exemption as against labor and material claims on a house that was not in ex istence at the time the contracts for labor and materials were made, is the most far-reaching interpretation of Ore gon law so far as building contractors and material men are concerned that has appeared in many a year and should draw the Immediate attention of the building Interests of the state. If the law as construed Is allowed to stand, no builder, no laborer And no ma terial dealer have any protection on any proposed residence, whether cottage, mansion or apartment-house in which the owner may live for a time. This decision sweeps away with one stroke the work of the last two years on the present lien law so far as it ap plies to residences, for all the owner has to do to void just claims for labor and materials and secure to himself a new and more or less costly home free of all costs except the partial payments paid to tide the mechanics along and keep them on the job, is to delay the largest possible final payment until the work is done and then file a homestead exemption and the trick is done. Is it not so? I feel attention should be publicly called to this case at once. O. O. HUGHSON. Manager Builders' Exchange. "We Can Do It," Says Mother. PORTLAND, Oct. 8 (To the Editor.) The letter from a mother In The Or gonian Saturday voices my sentiments exactly. My only son is training In Camp Greene, and I am filled with a consum ing rage against all traitors who stand with idle hands and debate on that most silly of all questions In this free country a closed or open shop when we need the united and unselfish ef forts of every man, woman and child. I am heart and soul with all the mothers, wives, sweethearts, sisters and other loyal women who wish to or ganize to end this strike, and we can do it- ANOTHER MOTHER. Birthplace of Admiral. ROSEBURG, Or.. Oct. 7 (To the Ed itor.) I should like to know the na tionality of Rear-Admiral William S. Sims, and if possible where his father and grandfather were born. A READER. Rear-Admiral Sims was born at Port Hope, Canada. His father was Alfred William Sims. Available biographies do not disclose where the father was born. r
