12
THE 3IORXIXG OREGONIAN. SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1017.
PORTLAND. OREGON.
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1-OHTLAND, SAT I' K DA Y. OCT. 27, 1317.
ANOTHER "BIT ASSOCIATION."
A-patriotic citizen of Malheur County,
while soliciting subscriptions to lib
erty bonds, encountered an argument
which he was unable to answer. He
asks The Oregonian to assist him. The
argument was advanced by a thrifty
farmer. This was his statement:
I am native born and my ancestors for
generations hack were born in America.
Wc now have a son in the Army. He was
not drafted, hut enlisted voluntarily and
wit our consent, and I am as anxious as
enyone to see the honor, dignity and liber
ties of the Nation maintained. But the war
should be financed by taxation. Doing it
by bond issues, a large portion of which
is. under pla of patriotism. absorbed by
those who are leant able to carry them, is
a scheme of the wealthy to place in the
b.inds of the proletariat taxable paper bear
Ins: a low rate of Interest, while the wealthy,
through syndicates, absorb the bonds of
ur allies at a discount, bearing a higher
rate of Interest. The proceeds of the allies'
bends are, in a large majority of cases,
fpest in their own factories, which, being
movable, easily es. ape taxation. The
amount necessary to purchase a liberty bond
of smallest denomination would easily pay
all the excess taxes of the ordinary fam
ily if the war continues for two years. I am
willing to bear my share, but it must be
borne in a way I conceive to be right.
The correspondent is reminded that
no great enterprise was ever under
taken without opposition from a "But
Association." The members of the
But Club are always for the enter
prise, heart and soul, but . And
the "but" . usually concerns some
method that might have been adopted
to secure the same purpose but was
not adopted.
It may be suspected that the "thrifty
farmer" is one who is willing to give
up his boy, but not his dollars. He
has a son whose welfare, perhaps life,
is dependent upon the success of the
bond campaign, but the father has a
notion that somewhere, somehow,
somebody he never saw and in whom
he has no personal interest, is going
to be injured by purchase of bonds,
while somebody else is going to profit.
He does not know these things; he
merely suspects them, and his pre
mises are wholly wrong. It is a bad
time for him to hide his dollars and a
poor hole in which to hide them.
He is wrong in referring to the
bonds as taxable paper. They are
subject only to super-income tax, ex
cess profits tax and war inheritance
tax. Such taxes do not apply to the
proletariat,'.' but to men of large in
comes. The proletarian who possesses
a liberty bond will pay no taxes on it
whatsoever.
The farmer is also wrong about
absorption by selfish American syndi
cates of the bonds of our allies. The
only purchaser in this country of
allies' bonds is the American Govern
ment. Some of the proceeds from the
sale of liberty bonds have been and
more will be lent to the allies. These
loans will amount to about five billion
dollars in the current fiscal year. The
allies have no other financial resource
in this country.
The method of financing the war
has been guided by the experience of
other nations in this and previous wars
and by our own experience in the
Civil War. Not enough taxes means
declining credit. That policy brought
on fiat money and borrowing at al
most ruinous interest rates in the lat
ter period. Too high taxes mean de
clining industries, impoverishment and
general distress. That has been dem
onstrated in former European con
flicts. The balance sought and believed
mutiiicu nits l mteu mates in mis
war is sufficient taxation to pay bond
interest, rapidly amortize bond issues
and pay a reasonable share of war
expenses. To maintain its credit and
protect industry the United States has
adopted the method of financing the
war with both taxation and bond
issues.
It is the only safe method, yet there
are those who hold views exactly con
v trary to the opinion of the Malheur
farmer. They would have less taxes
and larger bond issues. They have
just as good excuse for not investing
as this farmer has. The thing is not
being done their way; therefore the
country can go to the dogs. If every
man who has not the time nor oppor
tunity to ascertain the fundamental
reasons for various steps taken to
bring peace to the world were to hold
his own pride of opinion as of more
value than the study and investiga
tions of those directly in charge of
the country's fate, and as of more
consequence than life of sons or coun
try if even' man should do this and
thereupon balk, well, in that case we
should soon have peace, but a peace
not to our liking.
INTEREST IN EFFICIENCY.
Awakening interest in the general
subject of industrial efficiency is in
dicated by the reports of book pub
lishers both in Europe and the United
States. This is a hopeful sign for at
least two reasons. It indicates reali
zation of the coining necessity of "de
livering the goods" as the permanent
basis of success, and it marks a grow
ing tendency toward co-operation. The
"trade secret" is disappearing. Men
who have found the way to success
are more willing than they were I
few years ago to share their knowl
edge with their fellows. This is shown
by the substantial names appearing
on the title pages of new books.
This realization of the value of a
high standard for all is not wholly
unselfish, however. As people plan
for extension of trade on a really
large scale they begin to see the com
parative futility of small individual
effort. This has ljeen demonstrated
by the growth of domestic systems
of exchanging credit information
which are now accepted as a matter
of course, and are now being extended
to all lines. The American merchant,
for example, who has secured a foot
hold in a foreign market understands
by experience tne importance of a
good reputation not only for his; own
goods and methods, but for all Ameri
can goods and methods as well.
Fruitgrowers and farmers of the
West were among the first to adopt
this principle. The fame of their
products has been enhanced by the
fact that the general standard was
high. It has paid the individual in
dollars and cents to get away from
petty rivalry. His share of the whole
prosperity of his neighbors has been
greater than anything he could pos
sibly have obtained by excellence
which was reserved to himself.
The authorship of many of the new
"efficiency books" is as significant as
the demand for them. It indicates in
creasing willingness of successful men
to share their successes with others,
which is a good sign. There is too
much to be done in the coming com
mercial and physical reconstruction
of the world to warrant any haggling
over minor advantages. An era of
bigness is about to dawn upon us.
COMPLETE THE PORT FACILITIES.
The Port of Portland should, with
the gracious permission of the United
States Shipping Board, be provided
with a tug to move ships in the har
bor. It is needed to handle the traffic
of the port. That traffic includes
wheat, lumber, wool and other com
modities which arc essential material
of war. When the new elevator and
water terminal is finished a year
hence, the volume of this commerce
will be greatly increased, and the
need of a harbor tug will be greater.
Delay in providing facilities to sup
ply ships with bunker coal should
also end. Within a year more ships
will come to this port, if they can get
coal, and shipment of coal from
Alaska will have begun. By bringing
cargoes of coal direct from Alaska to
Portland and by building bunkers in
which to store it, the port will be able
to supply steamers as promptly and
as cheaply as any other port on the
Pacific Coast.
Portland has the goods, the harbor
and the channel to develop commerce,
and is building ships to carry it. It
should make ready now for the great
fleet of merchant ships which will
surely cover the seas after the war.
When that fleet begins to come, it will
be too late.
THE SYMPHONY SEASON.
The Auditorium of Portland is de
signed to be the theater of great com
munity events. It has already real
ized to an extent the purposes of its
sponsors, and the public is, as a whole.
we believe, convinced that it has made
a useful investment. It is not easy to
see how, for example, the National
Education Association could have
been suitably housed elsewhere, or
how the thousands who desired to
hear ex-Ambassador Gerard could
have been accommodated.
Now the Auditorium is to be put to
a new test and the community, too.
The Portland Symphony Orchestra, a
local organization which has demon
strated its musical and cultural worth,
is hereafter to give its concerts at the
Auditorium. It is planned to make
the concerts great popular occasions,
in order to give larger general sup
port to the organization and con
versely to benefit the greatest possible
number of auditors. The manage
ment has arranged its scale of admis
sion rates so that good seats may be
had at very small prices. There will
hereafter be no reason why any lover
of music, or tyro in its study or cul
tivation, may not be entertained and
instructed at the smallest cost.
The orchestra's programme for the
year is quite up to the high standard
it has heretofore maintained. The
organization is in fine shape, and its
direction is in most competent hands.
There is every reason to look forward
to a prosperous and satisfactory sea
son. The first concert is to be given
Sunday.
NOT CAN YOU; WILL YOC?
There were last March 15,737.965
deposit accounts in the National banks
of the United States, according to the
reports to the Government. If the
holders of these accounts were to
subscribe an average of $500 each,
the maximum of five billion dollars
set for the second liberty loan would
be oversubscribed more than 50 per
cent. It is not a question of whether
the American people can raise the five
billions. The question is: Will they?
The number of accounts stated
shows an increase of 1,449,910 since
May 1, 1916. That is a measure of the
increase of wealth during ten months.
Probably those who thus have money
in the bank for the first time could
subscribe a billion dollars of the bonds
without noticing it. They would still
have the money, and it would be
drawing 4 per cent interest.
SevenTeighths of these new accounts
were opened in country banks. That
indicates that most of the new wealth
is owned by farmers and other people
in farming communities, who have
profited by the enormous rise in the
price of wheat, wool, hides, barley,
hogs, livestock, sugar. Those are the
people who are best able to buy war
bonds. They have the most vital in
terest in the issues of the war, for
their best markets are in foreign coun
tries, from which Germany would ex
clude them by destroying freedom of
the seas.
If the American people do not lend
their money to the United States Gov
ernment, they will have to give it to
Germany. This Nation and its allies
cannot win without money, and, if
thev lose, Germany will compel this
country to pay an indemnity to cover
the entire cost of the war to all the
central powers. The choice is not
between lending our money to th
United States and keeping it: the
choice is between lending it to the
United States and giving it to Ger
many, never to be repaid.
This is not a rich man's war. It is
every American's war. The rich peo
ple of the invaded countries suffered
least of all. It was the poor who were
murdered, tortured, made homeless,
enslaved and starved: the rich were
able to flee. So it would be if Ger
many invaded America; the poor
would suffer most.
We are not fighting only to save
France and Belgium, but we strive by
saving them to save our own country
from invasion. If the allied line in
the west of Europe should be broken.
the Germans would advance to the
Atlantic Ocean and then across the
Atlantic to America, if not in this war.
then in the next. The liberty loan is
to be used in so completely destroy
ing the military power of Germany
that there shall be no next war.
This is the last day to subscribe.
Send Oregon's total up to the maxi
mum of $30,000,000. and then' some.
That is the best answer to the Kaiser's
peace moves, for it is the answer he
will best understand.
THE ONLY WAY.
We are not merely at war with the
Kaiser, or Junkerdom, or the German
army, but with Germany and the Ger
man people. True, there is great un
rest in Germany, and the threat of a
popular revolt: but the soldiers are
taken from the mass of the popula
tion and are fighting the battles of
Germany.
Sergeant Empey. who has written a
book. "Over Jhe Top," placed the
whole situation tersely and conclu
sively when he told a great audience
in New Tork the other night:
Wo are at war with Germany, the Ger
man people and everything connected with
Germany from the Kaiser down, and I know
what I am talking about, for I've been there;
and the sooner we realize this fact over
here at home the better it will be for all
concerned. Over there you don't meet the
Kaiser, the Crown Prince, the Chancellor, or
any of the other big German figures In the
trenches. What you do see is the German
people themselves. The Kaiser orders that
hospitals be bombed, prisoners be maltreated,
and other things done which are against
the laws of God and man. and the German
people carry these orders out. .
Now I know there are lots of people In
this country who were horn In Germany
and who are ready to fight for the United
States against their Fatherland, and these
fellows are all right. They are the right
kind of citizens. But they are not German
Americans. There are no such people as
German-Americans. They are either Amer
icans, like the rest of us, or Germans. . . .
If there could be found a way to
defeat Germany in the war by sparing
the German people who comprise the
army, it would be gladly adopted by
America. But there is no such way.
The only way to win a war is to
defeat the fighting arm of the enemy.
MAKE THE LAST LONG Pt'LL TODAY.
Oregon's subscription to the second
liberty loan is well past the minimum
of $18,000,000, but the money should
keep rolling in, that the total may
approach as near to the $30,000,000
maximum as possible. Not only does
Uncle Sam need the money, but the
investment is good, and the record,
"Oregon first," should be maintained.
The farmers and cattlemen have
made good profits; they should invest
the money in liberty bonds. The lum
bermen are once more making money:
they should put it in liberty bonds.
The miners receive high prices for
copper, silver and lead; they should
put the increase in a security which
fluctuates upward, not downward. The
fishermen have had a good catch at
war prices; their profits should help
to win the war. The workingmen
earn good wages and have steady em
ployment; they should lay aside a
stake for the slack times which may
come in a few years.
This is the last day of the liberty
bond drive, and banks will receive
subscriptions till midnight. They
should not cease till every family in
Oregon owns at least one bond.
This is not simply a war for the
defense of France, Belgium, Italy,
Britain or Russia; it is a war for the
defense of America. Our first line of
defense at sea is in the Atlantic Ocean,
where our Navy defends our ships and
our seamen against submarines, which
sink and slay them. Our first line of
defense on land is in France and Bel
gium, where, but for our allies, the
Germans would sweep on to and across I
the ocean. Investment in liberty bonds
is an investment in the safety of
America from attack, yet it pays in
terest and Uncle Sam will repay the
money.
This is the day for the last, long,
strong pull.
PORTO RICO AND PROHIBITION.
There is substantial comfort for the
enemies of John Barleycorn in the
recent decision of the voters of Porto
Rico to banish intoxicants from the
island, and this will be derived as
much from the reasons underlying
their action as from the result itself.
The election was the first held under
the Jones bill, giving American citi
zenship to Porto Ricans and extending
their measure of self-government. The
manufacture and sale of rum is so
intimately associated in popular
thought with the West Indies that the
idea of its abolition was entirely novel.
There was at the beginning of the
short campaign no such thing as a
prohibition party in the island.
The striking feature of the outcome,
however, is not that it resulted from
a so-called moral or spiritual awaken
ing, but that there was so strong an
appeal to the economic interests of the
people that even the dealers in rum
were rather generally arrayed against
it. The saloon, according to Hubert
Ford, who has reviewed the cam
paign in the Standard, is practically
non-existent in Porto Rico. Liquor
was sold instead in practically every
grocery and general merchandise
store. There was not a great profit
in it, and in Porto Rico, as in other
places, its consumption was not stimu
lative of thrift. The merchants, des
pite their liquor trade, figured that
with liquor sales abolished they would
increase their business in other lines.
This "enlightened self-interest" was a
strong factor in carrying the day for
prohibition, and was particularly in
fluential in overcoming the arguments
of the "wets" that the government
could not get along without their
money. It is probable that sentiment
had as little to do with making Porto
Rico dry as it ever has had tp do with
anv liquor election.
The new law will go into effect on
March 2 next. The act of Congress
to which reference has been made
enacted prohibition affirmatively, but
gave the people an opportunity to re
ject it by a majority vote at any gen
eral election held within five years.
Only two such elections were sched
uled within the period specified, and
one of these was the election recently
held. The "wets" have one more
opportunity, but the "dry's" believe
they have a strategic advantage which
will not be overcome. There is no
strongly intrenched and well-organized
liquor interest to take the leadership
of a campaign. The "prohibicionis
tas" meanwhile have been established
by their victory and encouraged by
the substantial nature of their ma
jority. The brevity of the campaign was
also noteworthy. The election was
held only nineteen days after Presi
dent Wilson had signed the Jones bill.
By its prompt decision of a momen
tous economic question Porto Rico
has put itself definitely on the map.
Book collecting apparently has not
suffered from the readjustment of in
dustry in other lines. The hobby is
j still pursued by those who find enjoy-
ment in It, and these, as a rule, are
men and women who are not com
pelled to deny themselves even the
luxury of buying liberal amounts of
liberty bonds. The favorable Condi
tion of the rare book market, how
ever, incidentally illustrates the faith
of the people in the economic situa
tion of the United States. It is real
ized that the resources of the Nation
are not impaired, that all our perma
nent property, such as farms and fac
tories, will remain intact, and that
Bearly all of "the money now being ex
pended even that which is being lent
to our allies will remain in the coun
try. The number of book collectors
meanwhile has been increasing stead
ily in recent years, regardless of the
war.
SIRE TO HAPPEN.
Every .youngr man, or woman, and
every other man or woman, should
know that when one rushes along any
road at fifty or sixty miles an hour,
one takes one's life in one's hands.
When any such man or woman is not
sufficiently exhilarated by the high
momentum, and calls King Alcohol to
increase the stimulation, the chances
are greatly increased that a tragedy
will occur.
Two young men in a racing car were
killed in such an accident near Med
ford the other night. Current news
paper accounts say that they had been
at Hornbrook. California. We have no
orher authority for the surmise that
liquor had anything to do with subse
quent events. '
The two youths started for their
home in Grants Pass, flying over hill
and through valley, and around curves
at a whirlwind velocity. We take this
paragraph from a Medford paper:
There are various theories as to the direct
cause of the accident beyond the terrific
speed at which the car was going. Many
who were on the scene of the accident
shortly after it happened, after making an
examination, came to the conclusion that a
front tire burst. Others held to the theory
that. Just before the car reached the curve.
Tufts, who was driving, realizing that be
cause of the great speed at which they
were going there was grave danger in
making the curve, may have become rattled
and lost control of the car, which then
plunged off the highway.
Anyhow, whatever the cause, the speed
ing, racing car left the highway, which is
six feet above the level of the adjoining
fields at this point, hurled through the air
over a wire fence without touching it. fifty
feet into a field, turned a complete somer
sault, landed squarely on its wheels and
then whirled around and came to a stop
facing Medford.
Of course, there are differing theories
as to what may have happened, for
in such a case any one of many mis
haps may have been directly respon
sible for the tragedy.
The point to be made is that the
strain on the car was tremendous, the
driver may easily have made a false
move, and something went wrong. It
is certain to go wrong somewhere, at
some time, in the conjunction of
speed, liquor, excitement, law-breaking,
dangerous curve and night time.
The only Generals and the only sol
diers who can now win battles for
the central empires are Germans. The
Austrians were beaten by the Rus
sians and Italians and Roumanians,
and victory was won for them by the
Germans. The Turks have been beaten
by both Britons and Russians, and
not even the genius of Von Falken
hayn could save them in the last bat
tle of Mesopotamia. But the Germans
have suffered nothing but defeat from
the British and French in the last two
years, and they can expect nothing
better when the Americans Join in the
conflict. Bleeding and staggering,
Germany must fight the battles of her
allies in order to prevent them from
deserting her. What wonder that the
Kaiser fills the air with talk of peace.
Wooden ships are to be used in
coastwise traffic in place of the steam
ers which have been requisitioned as
transports, but Admiral Capps forbids
the building of any unless they, too,
may be requisitioned. How, then,
does he expect any . sane person to
build them? Yet the railroads are
called upon to carry traffic which for
merly went by water, although they
were already overtaxed. In trying to
urovide means of carrying water
traffic, the Admiral passes the buck
to Daniel Willard, of the railroad
committee, who already has his hands
full. The two departments are get
ting in each other's way and stepping
on each other's toes, all for lack of
that co-operation which is dictated by
common horse-sense.
What should be done with the men
who hid a great quantity of sugar
away when a sugar famine threat
ened? It is terrible to think what the
penalty would be if imposed by the
schoolgirls who have gone without
candy from patriotic motives.
When Mark Twain exploited the
turnip as the principal dinner dish
of "Colonel Sellers," he furnished a
delicious bit of humor. Germany,
which must make the turnip the main
stay this Winter, will find anything
but humor in the vegetable.
It all depends on the point of view.
If there is a telephone strike it may
be because the men will not accept
the half-dollar offer of the company,
or because the company refuses the
dollar asked by the, men.
The higher-ups in the Shipping
Board'and emergency corporation do
not fear to tread on each other's toes
and the country suffers. Both need
one boss a big man.
Why is it necessary to continue
teaching German in the public schools?
Germany will talk something pidgin
for the next few generations.
The keeper of the zoo is a genius if
he can induce the rats to commit
suicide by way of the short circuit.
We're next door to Altrurla when
the Deputy Coroner says he doesn't
want the chief job.
It's going to J5.000,000,000. Isn't
it great to belong to a five-billion
country? '
Slow, is she? Just watch Oregon
go over the top today.
If you have a friend at Camp Greene,
write him a letter.
San Francisco does big things In a
big way.
General Advance is en route to Ger
many.
Last day drive her!
Helen Keller's Profession.
NEW BERG, Or., Oct. 23. (To the
Editor.) Please inform me where
Helen Keller is at the present time and
if possible what she is doing to pass
her time.
OUT-OF-TOWN SUBSCRIBER.
Miss Keller occupies her time with
literary work. Her home Is in Wren-
tham. Masa.
RATION HE1TEI1S FOR SOLDIERS
Old Newipssen Give Comfort to Sol
diers Where Kuel Is Scare.
Bulletin of National Geographic Society.
In Italy and France women and chil
dren are rolling old newspapers into
tight rolls, pasting down the ' edges
with glue or paste and boiling them in
paraffin to make ration- heaters (scalda-
rancio) out of them for the use of the
soldiers in the trenches in . the high
Alps, where coal cannot be sent. They
are making them by the million. The
Italian National Society furnished
1.500,000 a day- to the government and
the old newspapers are being used up
for this purpose so fast that they are
becoming scarce and paraffin has be
come very expensive.
In America there are still millions of
candle ends and thousands of tons of
newspapers scattered over the country
and it would seem to be well worth
while for the thousands of willing
hands In the front, or for their use
next Winter in the training camps, or
even for use at home, where they can
take the place of the more expensive
solid alcohol or replace kindlings in
the kitchen stove.
It is the easiest thing imaginable to
make ration heaters, or caldarancio,
as they are called in Italy, if one fol
lows the directions of the National
Italian Society.
Spread out four newspapers, eight
sheets in all. and begin rolling at the
long edge. Roll as tightly as possible
until the papers are half rolled, then
fold back the first three sheets toward
the rolled part and continue to wrap
around the roll almost to the first fold,
then fold back another three sheets and
continue to wrap around the roll again
up to the last margin of the paper. On
this margin, consisting of two sheets,
spread a little glue or paste and con
tinue the rolling, so as to make a com
pact roll of paper almost like a torch.
If six of the sheets are not turned
under, there will be too many edges to
glue.
While the newspapers may be cut
along the line of the columns before
rolling and the individual columns
rolled separately, as Is done in the
making of the trench candles in France,
it is easier to roll the whole newspaper
Into a long roll and then cut it into
short lengths. A sharp carving knife.
pair of pruning shears, or an old-
fashioned haycutter will cut the rolls
easily. These little rolls must then be
boiled for four minutes In enough
paraffin to cover them and then taken
out and cooled, when they are ready to
be put in bags and sent to the front.
If there are more newspapers than
candle ends, block paraffin can be
bought for a few cents at any grocery
or drugstore.
Little children and grown-ups in
Italy and France are rolling, gluing
and paraffining these ration heaters by
the million and their fathers and Hus
bands in the high Alps and other places
where wood and coal cannot be sent
are cooking their rations over them.
BB CAREFUL OF EXAGGERATIONS
This Is Advloe of Soldier to Those
Writing From Camps and Battlefields.
FORT BLISS, Texas, Oct. 26. (To the
Editor.) I have read with interest in
The Oregonian letters from Oregon
boys from different parts of the coun
try who are now in the service and
believe as a rule the majority entered
the service with the right ideas. Men
on entering the service who keep their
mouths shut and saw wood are the
ones that get along much better. I
am alluding to those who have the
wrong impression of military discip
line and try to evade orders (censor
ship for one).
While in 'the Philippine Islands, an
account of a letter giving blood-curdling
description was sent home by a
recruit. It was ridiculous and had no
foundation of truth. It was published
in a Manila paper.
I was a member of the American pu
nitive expedition in Mexico and after
returning to the States learned of nu
merous instances where men of state
troops writing home created erroneous
impressions. In all walks of life there
are found people who look at life from
the dark side, and so I repeat the ad
vice that all who are in the service
and those that are intending to serve
watch carefully the letters they send
home.
Boys flying kites haul In their white-winged
birds.
But you can't do that when you're flying
words.
Thoughts unexpressed sometimes fall back
dead.
But God himself can't kill them when
they're said.
P. J. R., FRO-Vt UKtuus.
Citizen by Adoption.
PORTLAND. Oct. 26. (To the Edi
tor.) I was born in France in 1891
My father died when I was three years
old. My mother brought me to the
United States one year after father
died. My mother married an Amer
ican citizen two years after our a
rival in the United States. We have
lived here continually since. Am I am
American citizen or a French subject
GEORGE M.
Under the laws of this country you
are an American citizen. This law
however, does not conform with French
doctrines, and if you should go to
France as a private citizen an attempt
might be made to exact duties from
you imposed on French subjects.
Cltlsen Many Years.
PORTLAND. Oct. 26. (To the Edi
tor.) Will you kindly answer through
your paper how long present uover
nor of Oregon has been a citizen o
this country? Thanking you,
AN OREGONIAN READER.
To settle an uncertainty he took out
citizenship papers 30 years ago. Gov
ernor Wlthycombe came to the United
States a minor and believes his father
was naturalized before the son became
21. This would make his citizenship
of 43 years duration.
New Law as to Mining: Assessments.
BEND, Or., Oct. 25. (To the Edi
tor.) I read an item stating that
prospecters holding and working min
ing claims would not have to do their
assessment work for 1917-18. Does this
apply to drafted men in the Army and
Navy or to prospectors in general?
A SUBSCRIBER.
The requirement as to assessments is
suspended also as to persons engaged
In beneficial work. Write to the office
where your claim is recorded for in
formation on how to proceed.
Where Is "Prussian' Gulf.
PORTLAND. Oct. 26. (To the Edi
tor.) A few days ago The Oregonian
speaking of William's world conquest,
said he planned a railroad from his
dominion clear through to the "Prus
sian Gulf."
Lapse of years has made me a little
hazy in my geography. Please tell me
where, on modern maps, I may find the
Prussian Gulf. You've got me guessing.
INQUIRER.
It was a typographical error,
word was written "Persian."
The
Depends on Condition.
PORTLAND. Oct. 26. (To the Edi
tor.) In looking through a pamphlet
relative to joining the Navy. I noticed
that varicocele of long standing would
prevent one from being eligible. . Is
this also true of the Army?
INTERESTED.
It would depend on the Individual
case. Ordinarily, it in not cause, for
rejection.
FILM IS THOUGHT TOO REALISTIC
Physician Condemns Pictures cf Virions
ttlauta for Entertainment of Youg.
PORTLAND. Oct. 26. (To the Edi
tor.) Conservation lias become the
watchword of our Nation. We find it
talked about and read on every hand.
Yet here in our city there Is giving a
performance which aims a blow at one
of the nation's most valuable assets
the children. I refer to the photoplay
"Jack and the Beanstalk."
It is a well-known fact among psy
chologists that fairy tales leave a last
ing impression which often causes a
defect of the nervous system. Many a
neurotic Individual, incapacitated for
work or enjoyment, owes his condition
to a childhood devoted to the reading
of fairy tales. How much more the
danger when we have the horrors come
In all their hideousness before the
childish eyes. No need for imagining
here we see the struggling little girl
carried to the chopping block, the
knives and axes are sharpened: the
dark deed is all but performed. Child
ii ii.
that
Ish feelings are so harrowed up
crying is heard all over the house, and
many a little one goes home with a
lurking terror In his heart which may
follow him all his life.
The attention of parents should be
called to this evil. They should know
that instead of giving the children a
treat by letting them see such films
they are doing a lasting injury to the
nerves.
EMMA MAKI WICKSTROM. M. P.
EXAMPLE IN CIPHER IS GIVEN
System Simple but Only for Those
Who Possess Key Is Claim.
PORTLAND, Oct. 26. (To the Edi
tor.) On September 20 your editorial
appeared on "New Cipher to Solve."
Being somewhat acquainted with sev
eral systems of ciphers. I examined
the one published and agreed as to its
merits. So far there has been no one
able to decipher it.
I believe that the following is safe.
The text is well known. It is fair to
state this much, that the only three
letters, viz, "a," "i" and "o" when used
as words are either prefixed or suf
fixed to the adjacent word.
This cipher is adaptable to an al
most infinite number of changes, so
that if the key of one message were
discovered the next one, slightly va
ried, would be equally cryptic. A
grammar school intellect is sufficient
either to form or decipher it.
Bgpettu gpo vyf obb nzx spfh xnnsibbl
fgbbuh uqopfgu Jf othpj hjehsi oipf nun
glnnbu.
Sf pbbu veau ofzfpsuc en g-fivb ubfu tdn
Imj mo wupe.
Bjvzt Jsu of ejg tblxphul If mbgspj vmg
slvnotujs ff tentbpt cftvj mmus Jgzolp ohovb
htp xso fpb uu bgg mjp mush bfufbtbjoh
omnof u.
E. B.
To Captain W. II. Hardy.
Gray-bearded Viking bf the seven seas.
Who with brave Perry sailed unto a
land
That seemed the home of countless
yesterdays
Thou fearless mariner and bold.
Whose flashing eye hath marked the
ceaseless roll
Of wave on wave against thy good
ship's prow
Sail thou again unto those lovely shores
Where Nippon s sturdy sons and daugh
ters fair
Await thy coming with a wreath of
love!
Full well we know the message in thy
heart which thou shalt bear across the
sunset seas
A message from our children and from
us
That binds our lands in endless brother
hood.
Two glowing stars there are one East,
one Yv est
That through the years shall keep in
violate
God's gift to man. eternal liberty!
Then carry our heartfelt message, no
ble friend-
Yet linger not too long among the
cherry bloom;
Fond hearts shall ache for sight of thy
loved face
Fond eyes shall moisten when we think
of thee.
Fresh be the breeze and strong the
swelling tide
That turns thy bark unto thy native
shores.
And yet we know that One whose
mighty hand
Hath guided all thy steps until this
hour
Shall still abide with thee on sea or
land
And bring the sailor to his port once
more.
WILLIAM T. PERKINS.
YOU KNOW THE ANNA KATHERINE GREEN MYSTERY
STORIES?
A NEW ONE BEGINS IN
The Sunday Oregonian
"WHO IS NUMBER ONE?" This is the title of the most engrossing
mystery serial published in recent years a swiftly moving, tensely
involved and altogether unguessable story the first installment
of which appears tomorrow. Fiction of Kohinoor quality, with a
sparkle in every paragraph. Don't neglect it!
WITH DR. FOSTER IN FRANCE Back from France, where he went
as an inspector for the American Rd Cross, is Dr. William T.
Foster, president of Reed College. During his survey of the battle
fronts the Portland educator analyzed the progress of the war, the
morale of soldiers and civilians, and the enigma of German fright
fulness taking his, own evidence. A story of what he found, with
pictures from the French front, will appear in the Sunday issue.
AMONG US MORTALS Another page of those inimitable character
studies in crayon, by W. E. Hill. Tomorrow's sketch is "The Busi
ness Men's Lunch." You'll meet a number of old friends as you
scan it, and laugh, and be the better for it. A regular Sunday
feature of The Oregonian.
"U-BOAT PIRATES AFTER THE WORLD WAR!" Ring up the
curtain for a new species of Captain Kidd, sailing just as wickedly,
but with a submarine as the craft of piratical terror. After the
world war is in the discard of history, says a special contributor
to the Sunday issue, the black flag may fly again.. He tells why,
and how.
ON THE GREAT LAKES Frank G. Carpenter ships before the mast
on the Great Lakes, or at least comes into possession of informa-
tion fully as authentic as any gleaned from such a source, and a
whole lot more specific. How the arms and munitions of militant
America pour down the great inland waterway, and what this
means to a Nation girding for strife.
REAL ROMANCE OF MASCOT PORTRAIT Captain Raley, of the
First Newfoundland Regiment, went to war with a photograph in
his kit. It was the likeness of Derra de Moroda, who is Grecian,
and who dances as lightly as they say the daughters of mythology
did. A shell from the German artillery ripped through the por
trait, but youll really have to read the true story of how it all
came about.
WAR SCENES CAUGHT BY CAMERA A full page of pictures from
the battle front, taken by camera men who "took their chances"
to get a photograph of Mars in his business office. The pictures
tell more than a column of print, but they carry each a paragraph
of explanation.
CHURCH AND SCHOOL Two departments of the Sunday issue, each
with a page of space, and with invaluable information for those
who wish to keep in touch with the twin powers of progress. Ser
mon announcements, where to worship, school gossip edited by
student staffs, and a great deal of informative detail.
A Nod and a Nickel Will Buy
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN
In Other Day.
Tnealj-flve Years Ago.
From The Oregonian October 27, 1S12.
Topeka. Kan. Warrants are In the
hands of Federal officers for the ar
rest of a number of undertakers, who.
it is alleged, are operating In defiance
of the anti-trust law, by combining to
fix prices.
Wheat dropped another cent yester
day being quoted now at 63 cents.
Astoria W. N. Barrett. District At
torney, addressed a large gathering on
republican principles last night.
There is a money broker in town a
man who goes from store to store
buying up Canadian money which is not
a medium of exchange at par among
the banks. He is buying it at 15 rer
cent discount and finds many ready
sellers. Shopkeepers get a lot of
Canadian money which they lay aside
.until thev collect a miantitv nnri nra
to dispose of it in this manner.
The buyer said he had made from $150
to $300 a month for some time buying
up the Canadian money.
Dr. A. Millikcn. of Lassen County.
California, arrived in town yesterdav
after a rough experience on a stage
coach ride near Wenatchee. The coach
went over the embankment. Mr. Mil
liken was badly bruised around the
left eye.
LAWS TO MAKE ALL MEN WORK
Statutes of Other States Cited as Sub
stitutes for Compulsory Arbitration
PORTLAND. Oct. 26. (To the Edi
tor.) There is question as to the con
stitutionality of the law for compul
sory arbitration which the Governor
wishes to have passed. I know noth
ing of such questions.
This I do know, if newspaper reports
can be relied upon: Maryland has a
compulsory labor law. Anyone not em
ployed (between certain ages) I pre
sume is required to do any labor he
is physically able to do. when there is
a need for the labor. That law seems
to stand the test.
Minnesota has a law under which
people are required to work. It was
called for by the condition in the stato
when the I. W. W. strikes were on
there.
These laws seem to be constitutional,
and if a compulsory arbitration law is
not, then give us such a law, and if
men want to strike put tliem into some
other occupation. It is possible that a
ship carpenter would rather stick at
$5 a day than handle a muck stick at $3
a day, and if he had to do one or the
other it would help him make up his
mind.
More than that: The shortage of
labor is largely caused by the high
wages putting unmarried men in a
condition that they only have to work
part of the time.
I can't see but a compulsory or con
scription industrial army is as neces
sary as a conscripted military army.
E. T. JOHNSON.
President's Plurality In 1016.
PORTIAXD. Oct. 26. (To tho Ed
itor.) (1) Was Wilson elected the sec
ond time by a bigger majority than
any President since Lincoln?
(2) What was his majority?
(3) Was not Lloyd-George very
greatly against the Boer war?
"A SUBSCRIBER."
(1) No. His plurality was exceeded
by Grant's in 1872. McKinley's In 189S
and 1900, Rcosevelfs in 1904. Taft's in
1908 and his own in 1912.
(2) Mr. Wilson's plurality was 5S1.-
983. Perhaps you are thinking of his
total vote. It was the largest ever
given a Presidential candidate. Mr.
Hughes also received more votes than
any Presidential candidate, successful
or otherwise, in any provious election.
(3) Yes.
Substitutes for Lard.
PORTLAND, Oct. 26. (To the Edi
tor.) A woman lecturer in Dallas is
urging the housewives to use a substi
tute for lard. What could a person
use? AN OLD SUBSCRIBER.
There are perhaps a dozen substitutes
for lard. Ask your grocer about them.
1SS3.
WARRENTON, Or., Oct. 23. (To the
Editor.) Please inform me in what
year first-class letter postage was
changed from 3 cents to 2 cents.
SUBSCRIBER.