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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 20, 1917)
10 THE MORNING OKEGON1AN, SATURDAY. OCTOBER 20, 1917. PORTLAND, OREGON. Entered at Portland (Oregon) Postofflce as second-class mail matter. Subscription rates invariably In advance: (By Mail) Pally, Sunday Included, one year. .. . . . .$S.OO Uaiiy, Sunday included, six months.... Iaiiy. Sunday Included, tnre months.- 2.20 Xa'ly, tiunday included, ons month. . . -ally, witnout Sunday, one year...... 6.0O laily, without Sunday, six months ... . Iaiiy, without Sunday, three months. .. 1.73 Xaily. without Sunday, on month.... -J Weekly, one year - l.OO Sunday, one year 2.50 Sunday and weekly 3.5) Jiy Carrier.) Dally. Sunday Included, one year. . . . . .$9-0O Xaily. Sunday included, one month.... .75 Iafly, without Sunday, one year ...... 7.80 Daily, without Sunday, three months... Dally, without Sunday, one month 65 flow to Jteuiit Send poatoffice money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank, buunps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Give postofflce address In Cull, including- county and state. Postage Rates 1 to Id pages, 1 cent: IS to i-j pages. 2 cents; 34 to a pages, 3 cents: bo to 00 pages. 4 cents; S2 to To pages. 6 cents; 78 to b2 pages, u cents. Foreign Srostage double rates. abteru iiueiness Office Verree V Conk, lln, Brunswick building, N.w York; Vsrres At Conklin. Steger building, Chicago; San Francisco representative, R. J. .Bldwell, 742 Market street. Member of the associated press The Associated Iress is exclusively en, titled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not other wise credited in this paper and also the local fctws published herein. All rights ot republication of special dis patches therein are also reserved. J-ORTLAXI), SATl RDAY. OCT. 20, 117. HOW TO SAVE KISSIA. The gravity of the position in'which Russia is placed by the German occu pation of the Island of Oesel, by the iefeat of the Tiussiuii fleet anil by the practical certainty that it will be de stroyed or captured and that Germany will obtain complete control of the Gulf of ItiKa, cannot be exaggerated. The Germans can go on to occupy the neighboring Island of Dago at their leisure. They can force a land ing at l'ernau, on the north coast of the Gulf of Riga, where they would be only seventy-live miles from Reval, the Russian naval base on the Gulf of Finland, on the opposite coast of the peninsula of Esthonia. "At that point they would be only 200 miles by water from Petrograd. Having command of the Baltic, they could blockade the capital by sea while besieging it by Jand. They could send an army to the head of the Gulf of Bothnia and oc cupy the Swedish frontier, thus cut ting off one line of communication tpith the western allies. They might advance thence to the new open port on the Arctic coast, establish a sub marine base there and ravage the ships carrying war material to Arch angel. The western allies would then have no means of reaching Russia except across the Pacific and by the Siberian railroad, a long, inellieient and costly route. Russia's demoralization is so com plete that effective resistance to Ger man invasion is hopeless unless a sudden change should come during the Winter, and of that there is no present indication. The Bolsheviki have fallen under the leadership of an outright pro-German, and their power is growing in the semblance of government which exists. Industry is almost at a standstill, farms are neg lected and railroads are run in a go-as-you-please fashion, while the whole uiiuun ujieiiuto uuik to luiti aDOUl freedom. Armies of the central em pires may penetrate to the interior, capture the factories, the coal and iron and the food and compel the jab bering Socialists to work at produc tion of food and war material for the Teuton armies. The central powers "wruilrl rntn tnoh i aw ui-ono-tl li t , western powers might have to fight their way across Europe to the heart of Russia before militarism would be destroyed, if they should confine their efforts to the west. The only logical course open to the western powers and the United States seems to be to take upon themselves the defense of Russia from further German advances. Sending of war material is worse than waste, for it ultimately becomes a gift to the enemy. It is necessary to send armies and navies to use this material themselves. in order that it may be used against and not by the enemy. If the allies should occupy Russian ports and fron tiers, it would be no more than they did in Greece to prevent the enemy from reaching the Aegean Sea. Rus sia is still in alliance with them, and cannot fairly object to their occupa tion of her territory in defense of the common cause, even against the will f the faction which temporarily dom inates the government. There are two directions from which fhe allies can force their way into litrKsi.i. the linltic Sif-i tVir, and the Pacific Ocean on the east. The former is more direct by fur, but It requires that an allied fleet strong enough to destroy the German navy shall thread the straits and fight a battle in the Baltic, while another fleet, equally strong, lies in wait off , the western outlet of the Kiel Canal to rrmird atr:linst tile rn;s;ii!itv- trMt ; the Germans may attempt to escape i that way. Denmark, intimidated by Germany, might protest against pas sage through the straits, but should ; be silenced by the precedent estab lished when the Russian fleet passed out to attack Japan in 1904. The way would bo beset with danger, but the allies have learned how to cope with mines and submarines. The straits are defended by coast batteries, but the Danes have as good cause to fear the wrath of the allies as that of the , Germans, and at heart they hate the latter. Sweden holds one side of the sound and lias hitherto been pro-German, but the recent election has brought a change to sentiment less "hostile to the allies. A successful naval attack on Ger many in the Baltic would vastly help the allied cause. Germany would no longer be able to push the attack on Russia by sea; the allies would be able to send troops there to stiffen the defense while the Russians put their affairs in order, a labor in which the 'allies would insist on helping. They would no more tolerate the presence of the Bolsheviki in the government than they did that of the pro-German King and his satellites in Greece. They could make the blockade of Germany complete by shutting oft Scandinavian Giimtlius Diilit hiiniKii-.l r V. man ports on the Baltic, even pos sibly invade Germany in that quarter. There are many obstacles to mili tary aid for Russia from the Pacific side. It has been suggested that Japan has a million men who might ' be used in Russia, but that country is understood to be unwilling to fur nish them unless a free hand is given her in China, which neither the United States nor the European powers would grant. If this difficulty were over come, troops would have to be sent over 5000 miles of railroad, which American engineers have just begun . to put to condition. That Is an almost insuperable obstacle to movement and supply of a considerable force on Rus sia's western front. Probably the best that could be done would be to have Eastern Siberia with its ports occu pied by Japanese, Chinese and Ameri can troops, which would keep the line of communication open, suppress the pro-German Russians, make the Bolsheviki stop talking and put them to work at repairing the Siberian rail road. An American force in that country would act as a check on any selfish designs of the Japanese and on any dissension between them and the Chinese. MORE SEDITION. Bulletin Number Seven, People's Council of America, has been pub lished. It may be hoped that it will have a wide circulation at Eugene, where the State University is located. It may be recalled that a professor of the university, whose resignation has not yet been accepted, was a delegate to the latest general meeting of the People'soCouncil. A leading article in the Bulletin is ly ex-Professor Scott Nearlng. a stormy petrel of academic free speech, who has been dropped for cause from the faculty of more than one educa tional institution. Here is a gem from the Xearing article: I will tell you, sir. the evidence Is over whelming that you and your masters want the war to continue so that ten billions of fabulously profitable war contracts may be given out: Again: Not In Germany and Austria alone, but iu every country warring and neutral alike, including the United States Innocent non combatants, men. women and children, will be tiie victims of war-want during the com ing months. Will anything be gained by this vast sacrifice? Will anyone be hap pier, or wiser, or nobler? Is it really neces sary? Why not stop now? And again: Meanwhile the American people arc be ginning to open their eyes. They are slow and good natured, but they are gradually learning me fact. 'ihey know that con stitutional liberties have been swept aside; they know that the forces of reaction have struck a body blow at the labor movement lu this country. Mot long ago we were publicly told by the returned Oregon delegate to the People's Council that some day the 'truth would come out" about the Chicago meeting. It has come out. The organization or society or coun cil which fathers such treasonable and lying stuff as the Nearing propa ganda deserves to be classed with the I. . W. CITY BOYS. City boys have scored again in the Army examinations, in which as a whole they have received a higher physical rating than country boys. Opinion heretofore has been divided as to the relative fitness of the two classes. In our own Civil war it was said that soldiers recruited in the cities were better able to endure the hardships and irregularities of life in the field, but that country boys were stronger. Nevertheless the notion per sisted that the country is the most, healthful place to live. It was sup posed to possess superior advantages in the way of fresh air and sunshine and nourishing food. More physical labor the average country boy cer tainly did have. He was less likely to stay up late at night. Regularity was the keynote of his existence. Still, his city cousin has passed him in the race. One who likes to theorize upon the subject can have his choice among many explanations. In the first place there is, as has been suggested by the Baltimore Public Health Department, the possibility that " medical super vision in city schools has had its ef fect, although the system has not been in vogue long enough in many cities to affect all of those who have been summoned under the draft. It is perhaps true, also, that the country boy is overworked at an early age. He is likely to develop a one-sided set of muscles which count against him in the long run. The back-lot games of the city boy are calculated to make him better balanced muscularly than the more strenuous task.; of the youngster on the farm. The "fresh air advantages or rural living are only partly real. Farmhouse builders of a generation or so ago were notori ous for their disregard of ventilation It is by no means always truo that country boys are better fed. In any event, we can stop worry ing about the health of our city popu lation. The universal service law lias shown that urban conditions upon the whole are not destructive of our physical tiber. The slum is the excep tion to the rule, and it is gradually disappearing nearly as rapidly as the alien population that inhabits it can be induced to move. And the one great advantage possessed by city dwellers is that they reap the benefits of community co-operation, the spirit of which is only beginning to percolate into the remoter regions. Education in sanitation and hygiene is a com munity work. It probably accounts in large measure for the city soldier's superiority as asserted by the Army men. AVOIDING WORK. The phenomenon of the man who works hard to avoid work is manifest on every hand. An Eastern exchange has been investigating a group of such men. who follow the railroad tracks wherever there are coal cars moving, and glean the little lumps of coal that fall along the way. By picking up a small lump here and another there, and bending their backs at every pros pect, no matter how trifling, they con trive, it is calculated, to collect in a day the value of, perhaps, an hour's fairly paid employment. Yet the in dustries are calling for help and they do not respond. Men of this kind are everywhere. Sometimes they ore river pirates, on the move day and night to make hauls that yield them far less than they could earn as wages in work no harder. It is common knowledge that the average "yegg" does not make as much in a lifetime as he would have made if he had stuck to legitimate employment. It seems not to be chiefly the reward of the labor that inspires them, but the notion that they are avoiding work. And to do so they toil as laboriously, and exercise as much ingenuity, as a workingman. The number of unemployable among the unemployed presents a curious problem. It will be interesting to ob serve how the states of Maryland and West Virginia take care of such as they. In those states a man must show that he is engaged in real in dustry or be put to work. If the war continues we shall need every bit of man power we have, and it will work no hardship on the "gleaners" of one kind and another if they are rounded up and set at tasks in which they can produce something worth while. In a little less than five months, from April 25 to September 20, the United States lent to the allies $2,008. 000,000, or over $400,000,000 a month. More than half of this sum went to Great Britain, as was to be expected, the loans being made to pay for war material bought in this country and Britain being our best customer. The sum was divided as follows: Great Britain, $1,155,000,000; Prance, $650. 000,000; Italy, $160,000,000; Russia. $97,500,000; Belgium, $34,000,000; Serbia. $1,500,000. It is estimated that hereafter our loans will average $500,000,000 a month, which would bring the total a year hence to more than eight billions. Interest on the money borrowed from the American people to make these loans will not add to our annual expenditures, for it will be met by equal payments from the allies. But the American people must put up the money for these loans as well as for their own war expenses. They may as well brace themselves now to subscribe to two or three lib erty loans a year until the war ends. WAR PROSPERITY. The Oregonian has heard of two citizens of a thriving county in East ern Oregon who have each flocks of twelve hundred sheep. Prom these sheep during the current year these sheepmen have realized each $17,000 in cash, by the sale of wool and lambs. They have not parted with a single ewe sheep. It is a fair estimate that in an ordi nary year the returns in wool and Iambs from a flock of 1200 ewes would be from $3000 to $4000, and the owner would have done well. Here, then, is an excess profit of $13,000 to $14,000 for each of these lucky sheepmen, made out of the war. Except for the war they would have been struggling along on 15-cent or 20-cent wool and $1.50 or $2 Iambs. We should say that the subscription in war bonds from every sach sheep and wool profiteer ought to be at least $5000. THREE LUCKY CHILDREN. Mr. and Mrs. Pinley Shepard, so the news dispatches tell, have adopted two more children girls this time to be companions and playmates, and sisters, of little Finley Shepard, Jr., whose adoption in October, 1915, at tracted Mation - wide attention be cause of the wide search made by Sir. and Mrs. Shepard for his parents. He had been found on the steps of a cathedral and sent to an orphans' home, where Mrs. Shepard. who be fore her marriage was Helen Gould, saw him on one of hr errands of mercy. So far as they could do so by mere operation of law. the childless couple made the foundling their own son. But the Shepards have realized, it seems, that however desirable it may ne to have one child, more than one is better for all concerned, including the children themselves. In taking to their hearts the little girls, who will be known as Olivia and Helen Anna, they are not only providing them with a home, but are heaping good fortune upon young Finley, Jr. It is true that as the adopted family grows, the proportionate prospects of each for an ultimate share of the Gould millions decreases, but that is a minor matter. There is enough to go around, with the $15,000,000 or so which Mrs. Shepard inherited from her father, and, anyway, a few mil lions are not to be compared with the spiritual benelts that will accrue to Finley, Jr., from his escape from be ing reared as an only child. We do not know whether the lad was con sulted as to his preference between brothers and sisters. Doubtless the foster parents have their own view upon that head, which wiil be dis closed by events. All these children have fallen into good fortune, not the least of which lies in their acquisition of parents possessing sound common sense. The Gould millions are not even the prin cipal part of it. Money is desirable enough, but the children of the rich are by io means the happiest, as a rule. And it seems probable that Mr. and Mrs. Shepard, wiio have shown the sterling quality of their judgment in other ways, will also find a way to rear their brood without spoiling theni. A vast amount of good can come out of the Gould wealth if it shall fall into worthy hands. BUILDING A GREAT NAVY. Under pressure of actual war, the Navy Department has contracted for a total of 7S7 ships which will cost $1,150,100,000. How gigantic an ex pansion of its activities this involves may be conceived from the fact that in peace times the department was reluctant to expend and Congress was unwilling to appropriate $50,000,000 a year for new ships. Although energy is now concentrated on destroyers, it may be inferred, from -the statement that witii the award of the last con tracts the construction programme was brought to the above total, including all types, from dreadnoughts to sub marine chasers, that the pre-war programme is being carried out. This includes enough capital ships to make tiie American Navy rank second only to the British, while the addition of cruisers, destroyers and auxiliaries will give the United States a weil-baianced Navy. Experience having proved that de stroyers are most effective in fighting submarines, so large a number of those boats are building as to give the United States the largest fleet of that type of ship in the world. They will also be the best in size, strength, speed and offensive power. In con trast with the dilatory methods which wej-e formerly followed and which let construction drag along lor years, these new vessels are to be finished in from nine to eighteen months. If that expectation be fulfilled, the first of these vessels will be in service nex July and the last in March, 1919. The destroyers already under construction should bo completed in time to rein force the fleet in European waters and on the Atlantic transport route during the Winter. Any impression that the inaction of the German battle fleet has caused the Government to defer work on the capital ships which had been planned prior to the declaration of war will be dispelled by this announcement. Although we know that Germany has lost several of her best ships and is now concentrating on submarines, it would not be wise to presume that no new capital ships are under construc tion for the German navy. In any case, the allies need an overwhelming naval force to offset the strategic ad vantages derived by Germany from her two coasts joined by the Kiel Canal. It may be necessary for the allied fleets to force an entrance to the Baltic Sea and to combat the German navy there in order to prevent the subjugation of Russia's Baltic coast, including Petrograd. That undertak ing would require two fleets, each stronger than the entire German fleet, one in the North Sea, the other in the Baltic, to catch and destroy the Ger mans in either place. The allies prob- ably have enough naval force) already, but prudence dictates provision of a margin. Meed of speeding up construction compels erection of great new plants, while fear that completion of the naval programme will leave them idle renders private capital chary of in vesting in them, hence the Govern ment is to make the investment. But use should be found for these plants after the war. They should be adapt able to building of merchant ships, for which there will be large demand for years to come, since the United States has entered the field in earnest. No war profits are to be made on the new warships. They are to be built on the cost plus basis, which gives the contractor no more than the normal peace profit. EVERYTHING YIELDS TO NECESSITY. No more impressive an example of the revolutionary effect of the war on public opinion could have been given than the indorsement by the Portland Chamber of Commerce of Government price control. It is equaled in this respect only by the action of the United States Chamber of Commerce in submitting the question by refer endum to all the chambers. , The most conservative, cool-headed men in the country are ready to cast aside their most cherished convictions in favor of -any means which will promote the Nation's success in war. This is conclusive proof of the pa triotism which inspires the business interests in common with the work men and the farmers. The resolutions of the Chamber are a recognition that success in war with such a power as Germany requires that the United States go a long way toward throwing all our resources into a common fund for the common pur pose. By so doing Germany has gained the strength to stand up against her many enemies. We can hope to defeat militarism only by adopting its own weapons. The dis posal of everything within the Ger man empire is. directed by the gov ernment. Against such an organiza tion the far superior resources of the allies can be made effective only if they make the closest practicable ap proach to the same degree of cen tralization. We cannot suddenly carry it to the same degree of perfection without causing such internal dis turbance as would defeat our end but we can gradually draw closer to that point. The better success we have in so doing, the earlier and the more complete will be our victory. We need not fear that the result will be the same permanent loss of individual liberty as the Germans have suffered, for there is one vital differ ence: With Germany the initiative came from the government, while with us, as with the British, it came from the people. The American peo ple called upon their Government to take control of food and other essen tial commodities, while the Germai people were not even consulted when their government took control. In America the people rule through their Government; in Germany the people are ruled by the government. The train dispatchers of the coun try, who are for the most part never heard from except when there is an accident on the line, are playing an important part in making the Nation more efficient for war. It is just be ginning to be realized how much de- pend3 upon the dispatcher as an indi vidual. He can so calculate his meet ing points as to increase the mileage of freight trains, and watch straggling loads and " branch line connections, short cars and empties in such man ner as greatly to increase the capacity of the railroad for the handling of both military and civilian material. It is also pointed out, in a recent appeal to dispatchers generally, that the work done by the engines is largely up to them, and that they should set their mark at seventy-five miles a day, and double that mileage whenever possi ble. An Indiana State Senator lilt the nail on the head when he remindecH the loose-tongued that the right of free speech carries with it the re sponsibility of speaking the truth. But this linking of privileges with obliga tions will be little appreciated by a certain element. Any foreigner who has for years enjoyed the blessings of American lib erty, as have those Scandinavians at Astoria, yet does not wish to help the country at this time, even at American wages, should be compelled to do his part. That is the best treatment for an ingrate. Mr. Hoover gives assurance that prices are declining in the wholesale trade, but retailers are slw in mak ing reductions. He suggests "prope pressure," which means to take it ou of the retailer. Prohibition is blamed for the short age of sugar. That's good. The shortage is due to increased consump tion. .The man accustomed to alcohol finds stimulant in candy. Who should worry? Though Mr. Hoover may force down prices, that is no reason for eating more. The allies need the surplu food, and the money saved should go into liberty bonds. Labor Commissioner Hoff has a dream of women loggers. They are possible, but their first work would be to clean the camps. A frost or two up the Valley re cently indicates approach of cold weather. Better get the stuff out o the ground. The troopship homeward bound that was torpedoed lacked the thousands of sharp eyes of the outward passage. Jude Rossraan is all right. He is boosting the liberty - loan in a prac tical way. Speed up, O, ye fiends! The Kaiser, sounding Sofia and Con stantinople on peace, will not meet anybody to tell him a few truths. The newsboy who buys a liberty bond is on his way to become a busi ness man. Oreg-on first asrain, this time in sol diers" subscriptions to the bag- loan. In the event of a telephone strike, how tpQ lazy people will suffer! It looks as if Bob Fitzsimmons must take the count. Eggs to eat are nearing the eggs-to-hatch price. Pennies of 1917 will buy a liberty bond. Jim Dale. By KIIU Parker Butler. Toung Jimmy Dale, across our street. Is just a gawky lad. He grew so fast, the doctors said. His heart was mighty bad; They wouldn't let him do much work Or any hearty play But, just the same, they drafted Jim, And Jim has gone away. Jim was a sort of great, big kid And fooling .all the while So, when they ordered him to camp. He went there with a smile. im Dale is in the Army now Lank legs, bum heart and all. To fight like other drafted men Th at got the country's calL God, yes! Jim's heart may drop him dead Or he may live to be hot all to pieces "over there" What odds to you or me? By thunder! it's these odds to you! If kids like Jim can go. With smiles, to fight our wars for us We can put up the dough. f we can buy a bond or two And don't, while Jim, poor cuss. Goes smiling off to death or wounds Then hell's too good for us! VOIR IJITV. The time has come and every man Must do his duty all he can; For L'ncle Sam demands your cash To win the war and Wilhelm smash. You must come through and do your all, And heed your Nation's urgent calL. t was a duty sacred right That made your Uncle start to fight. He's buckled on his armour strong: He'll win this fight, though it. be long, For on his side are honor, right; And trust of nations in his might. So do your duty: don't delay. But buy a bond this very day. The test is here, come do your share, rViid in the caus the burden bear. S. UUXYON. Setting Out Polnon. XEHALEM, Or., Oct. 16. (To the Ed itor.) Is it lawful for me to seed my fencod-un lots with poisoned oats in order to kill Held mice? These lots are run over by chickens belonging to neighbors, whom I have warned to keep their fowls at home. They inform me I must build a chicken-tight fence. I already have a 44 -foot fence around the lots, but the chickens either tly over this- enclosure or hnd some hole underneath, through which they gain access to the lots. My neighbors also tell me- that they will make me nay for their chickens if they come onto my premises and eat the poisoned oats. A HEADER. An Oregon law makes any person liable to fine and Imprisonment who places any poison where the same may be eaten by livestock of another, if done with intent to poison such animal. The law contains a proviso that the owner or person in possession of en closed land west of the Cascade Moun tains, whose domestic animals are be ing killed, injured or harassed by wild or domestic animals, may put out poison in such enclosed premises be tween sunset and sunrise of any day. Chickens have been held to be domestic animals by some courts. In view of the fact that there is a specific exception in some instances concerning enclosed lands, but no specific exception covering the con dition stated by the correspondent. t would be unwise to put out poison Intended for field mice if one knew that another's chickens would likely eat it. The wise pro cedure would be to take up the tres passing chickens under the estray law and, after the danger to them had thereby been removed, put out the poi soned wheat and get the field mice. Ao ConimlNNlon on Liberty Bond it. PORTLAND. Oct. 18. (To the Edi tor.) Do the banks charge a comniis sion for bonds for their depositors? Do thev redeem bonds and if so would they redeem at market price or charge a commissions Would be pleased to have as full In formation regarding kind of bond to buy, buying and selling, us possible, 1 have 'no doubt all these questions were answered before the first bond is sue, but not seeing my way clear to invest at that time, did not look into the matter as I should. MRS. K. E. Subscription blanks may be obtained at the Treasury Department. Washing ton, the subtreasuries, the Federal Re serve banks and their branches, post offices. National banks, state banks, trust companies, private bankers, in vestment bankers, bond and stock houses, express companies, department stores and many other private firms and organizations of both men and women. No commission is charged by any agency selling these Government war bonds. Payment may be made by money order or certified check. The Treasury circular No. 90 gives all of ficial details and may be obtained from the Treasury Department and Federal Reserve banks or other agencies. Numerous institutions sell the bonds on the installment-payment plan. There is no promise to redeem the bonds except that made by the Gov ernment. It Is the past history of U. S. Government bonds that they are soon saleable at a premium. Liberty bonds of the first issue are now readily dis posed of. Government bonds are al ways good security for a loan. Income Tax Returns!. PORTLAND, Oct. 18. (To the Edi tor.) A laborer's wages and annual in come are about $250. I understand the law to be that a single man is entitled $1000 exempt and a married man $2000. Would the man receiving ?230 have to report to the internal revenue collector to show himself entitled to the exemp tion or is he only required to report the excess allowed by law? CARL LARSEN. Every person whose income is $1000 a year or more must make a return, whether married or single. Those re ceiving less are not required to make a report Still Subject to Draft. PORTLAND, Oct. 19. (To the Ed itor. --I enlisted in the O. N. G. in May, 1917, and was honorably dis charged on account of physical dis ability when the O. N. G. was called into Federal service In July. Am I subject to the draft law? J. C. B. Tes. If you cannot pass the physical examination you will not be taken, but you are subject to the draft just as if you had not enlisted previously. Morticaaror Should Record Release. PORTLAND, Oct. 19. (To the Edi tor.) I borrowed some money, giving a mortgage: later I paid off the in debtedness, discharging the mortgage. Who should stand the expense of re cording the release of mortgage? H. F. S. The mortgagor. WHY WORKERS ARE! NOT DUAITLU) Writer Supects Influence of Polities and Fear Im Factor, ASTORIA, Or., Oct. 17. (To the Edi tor.) Will you allow me to say a word of what I think of the letter from the soldier boy's father at Hermiston? The way I have it sized up, why the Gov ernment is taking his (and other folks') sons and not doing things to compel the strikers to return to work is summed up In two words politics and cowardice. The same officials when drawing good salaries while the West was starving said it was only "psycho logical." At the same time we were required to pay "war tax when we were not at war." Again a year ago the public bit at "He kept us out of war,'' while we now know Germany was even then doing unlawful things which were then known in Washing ton, 13. C. The soldier boys go at the blare of trumpets and because public sentiment says go, but the striker and his vote are feared by those in charge. Usually I am in favor of a closed shop, but not while we are at war. Personally I ant an admirer of Presi dent Wilson, but not of many of his official family. The strike is killing the goose that laid the golden egg. If the Government refuses to give more contracts to our coast, the walking delegates will be able to leave, but how about the poor striker? E. S. H. DR AFTED BOY WRITES PR ESI D EXT He Pledget Royalty of Conner I p ted Thouundi to the' Nation's Tatk. GLEXDALE, Or.. Oct. 17. 4 To the Editor.) I thought that it would not be out of place for me to send for every drafted man in the United States to the President of our beloved iand the greetings and manifestation of willing ness on their part gladly to surrender W-em selves, at the Oover.nment"s re quest, to the great task this Nation has taken, a part in, of crushing mili tarism. I sent the enclosed letter October 4, 1017. Wou Id the letter be of interest to your readers? GIsKNOAI.E. Or., Oct. 4. 1917. President of the Piiited States. Washington. L. C. Honorable President : Amid this tumult and broil of war. permit me to exetiid to you the most sincere wis hen and ioti -speed of a soon-to-ue-draftetl-boy in the Far Went. I am just ore of many thousands who are oing to be drafted In the United States. Jt is for these man; thousands that I am sending this message to you today. .Not that I have the authority, but I take it for granted tlat their hearts throb like mine does, that they possess a. sense of honor as I possess and that they love this splendid country us I do. Thus let me say. Honorable President. that we young men of the United States who are or are goinj? to be drafted in the near future are none trie less on that account willing to detlicar ourselves to the great task this United cjtats has plunged into; of crushing militarism. Ours will be the vic tory. CARTER J. JOHNSON. Delinquent Taxes) In Waiihlngrtan. PASCO, Wash., Oct. 17. (To the Edi ioi.) 1) 1 own property in this state Washington ), upon which the taxes are delinquent. Can any person ac quire title to this property by paying the back taxes? (2) How Ions- must taxes be delin quent before the county may sell the property? H. L. (1) If delinquent certificate has not been, taken by someone, and taxes are delinquent, title may be secured by pay ing up back taxes, with interest. It may be necessary to secure delinquent certificate and foreclosure, the same as on a mortgage. (2) County can sell property at end of three years. County Treasurer will tell you. Divorce and Remarriage Tangle. PORTLAND. Oct. 19. (To the Edi tor.) (1) If a man marries a woman who has been divorced only three weeks, would it be a le?ral marrlape? (2) Should such a couple marry and the wife leave the husband, would it be necessary for the man to get a di vorce .' (3) After getting the divorce, would the man be required to wait six months before marrying afn? MRS. V. S. 1) Xo. (2) Yes. The marriage should be an nulled. (3) Out of an abundance of caution, he should. Seeond Hunband Mat Sfjcn Deed. ASTORIA. Or., Oct. 19. (To the Edi tor.) If a woman has property in her own name, gotten through a court de cree (divorce) ami marries again, does she need her second husband's signa ture to the deed if she wishes to sell the property, or can she sell without letting him know? THANK YOU. If the property be situated In Ore gon, it is absolutely necessary to have the signature of the second husband to complete the transfer of full title to the grn ntee. "What Are We Fighting For?11 Read the Answer, by Rabbi Stephen S. W ise, in THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN The twittering of pacifists, in an hour of action, shrinks to silence at the clear logic and high patriotism of Dr. Stephen S. Wise, former rabbi of Temple Beth-Israel, in Portland, now of the Free Synagogue, in New York a leader of his people and of National thought. Dr. Wise was a pacifist, before the hour of battle struck. Yet in this address, a direct answer to the sophis tries of the so-called "People's Council," he draws the clear dis- tinction of patriotic duty and vindicates the purpose of America's sword. No clearer note has been sounded on the issues of the great war or will be. AMONG US MORTALS How often have you smiled at the mobility of the human countenance and watched the emotions, those thes pians of the face, enact a little farce or drama of their own? W. E. Hill, who draws inimitably in crayon, presents a full page of character sketches in The Sunday Oregonian. "Around the Hotels in War Time," these are captioned, and they will be followed weekly by contributions from the same artist. EYES OF THE FIRING LINE They look like sausages, these great balloons, but from them artillery observers direct the withering, devastating fire that conquers the strongest position. Rene Bache, in the Sunday issue, has a well-told story about America's prepa rations in this department of the air. HOW NIAGARA FIGHTS FOR UNCLE SAM The great falls of Niagara, where the titan of electricity is thewed and sinewed for the toil of mammoth industries, are fighting for America and democracy. In his letter to the Sunday issue, Frank G. Carpenter, special contributor, tells how indispensable the mighty waters are to the war-time enterprises of the Nation. STRANGE SEE-SAW OF STAGE BRIDES Marriage and millions lure them, those footlight favorites, until they bid the stage fare well. "Never again!" they protest, but invariably they return to the dressing-room, the wings and the intoxication of tributes from the theater-goers. A really clever story, this, with specific instances and charming portraits. A PORRIDGE FOR THE PUBLIC No matter how discriminating your taste for news may be, or how many hobbies you have, the Sunday issue will not fail you. For it holds all the news of all the world, authoritative and well related, and it has special depart ments for everyone. Tatting and Rouen ducks, comics and carpen try, strange places and bigwigs, sports, travel they are all in its columns. Just Five Cents Anywhere TIIE SUNDAY OREGONIAN. In Other Days. Twenty-five lean A 90. From The Oregonian. October -0. 1S02. Chicago The dedicatory ceremonies of the World's Columbian Kxpositton were inaugurated today. The meeting of the James G. Blaine Club at Columbia Hall last evening was full of enthusiasm. The hall was crowded to the doors. Complaint was made a short time ago that pilots had reduced the draft at which vessels could be taken down the river from 20 to 19 feet. The wire and boxes for the new elec tric fire alarm system on the East Side are now on the way from the East. Judge Carey is very lenient with the men arrested for chopping" and sawing wood upon the sidewalks. Police Court item. The State Baptist convention assem bles tomorrow at Independence and will be In session over Sunday. About 350 delegates are expected to be in at tendance. A MOTHER'S PRAYER. There may be frost-tears in the valley. There may be a sob In the sea. And there may be a flower that wilt J in the hour That's parting my loved one from me, God grant he may fashion his free dom And others with service supreme; My heart is aglow, for the hour I know Is his, and his God's to redeem! Should the throat tension up at the parting; And a mist film the eye for a space. There is purpose so fine that it far out shines mine In the resolute lines of his face. Manhood's soul is the weight in the balance. Gone to fathom the heights and the depths; May my prayer endure, for my faith is secure And firm with the tread of his steps. My boy! There are hundreds Just like him. Aparting- this battle-scarred trend. Hero-son or eyes dim, yet the spirit of him Is sure to wing- home in the end! GLAD LEWIS. IIott Ronmania Wan Betrayed. VAXCOtrVER, Wash., Oct. 16. (To the Editor.) Will you please publish in your paper: How was Roumania betrayed? It seems to me that I have not read anything in that line in The Oregonian as you comment in an edi torial of October 16 in the article "Bulgaria Disheartened." I believe it will be of great benefit for me and a lot of other readers to hear about this Roumanian betrayal in a more detailed description. STEPHEN NEGOESCU. In one of his letters Carl Ackerman has related that when he was at Ger man headquarters in Roumania during the advance on Bucharest, the German General received a copy of the orders for the defenso of that city only a few hours after they were issued. In con sequence the Roumanians were de feated and Bucharest was captured. One or more high Roumanian officers were courtmartialed for treason in be traying plans to the enemy. Krupp guns which had been sold to Roumania were also found to have defects which rendered them useless when brought into action. Roumania was defeated by treachery rather than by superior military force, courage or strategy. Cold Lead the Bent Cure. Army and Navy Journal. In common with all countries save Germany we have been too lenient with, alien enemies and active preachers and practitioners of sedition. Legal death has no terrors for a certain type of man any more than the expulsion of college professors will shame them into a cessation of their abominable pacifist and pro-German speeches and writings. But the larger body of those constituting our enemies at home stand in mortal fear of execution, and for that reason the Gevernment should mete out such punishment to a few of the worst of these enemies of the Nation as a warning and a much needed corrective. In war times there are few such wholesome agents of instruction in good behavior as a blank wall and a firing squad. Connrreanmen From Oregon. PORTLAND, Oct. 19. (To the Edi tor.) please publish the names of the Congressmen from Oregon. READER. Senators George Chamberlain and Charles L. McNary, Representatives W. C Hawlev. First District; N. J. Sinuott. Second District; C. N. McArthur. Third TMstrirt.