Morning Oregonian., November 21, 1917, Page 10, Image 10

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THE MORNING OR EG ONIAX, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 1917.
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PORTLAND, WEDNESDAY, NOV. SI, 1817.
KANSAS. OREGON AND DR. KERR.
The Oregonian observes without sur
prise that there is consternation, not
to say excitement, at Corvallis and at
the State Agricultural College over
the Invitation by the Kansas Agricul
tural College to Dr. Kerr to be its
president. A letter from a leading
citizen of Benton County has been re
ceived at this office, setting out the
extensive boundaries of the calamity
which will befall the state and its
great college if the designs of the far
seeing Kansas institution shall be suc
cessful, and making an appeal to us
to devise measures which may be
employed to keep the invaluable edu
cator here. "
The Oregonian is quite In harmony
with the opinion that the departure
of Dr. Kerr to new fields will be a
heavy loss to Oregon and the North
west. It is ready to approve and sup
port any practicable suggestion which
may lead him to decide that he ought
to remain here, and to think that his
opportunities for usefulness and serv
ice are quite as attractive here as in
Kansas or anywhere else. But it is
not unmindful of the fact that the
decision must, and should be, with
Dr. Kerr, and that he is entitled, other
things being equal, to consider his
own Immediate interests and pros
pects. It is said that a salary of
$9000, or even more, has been offered,
and that It is more than Oregon has
paid, or can afford to pay.
It Is not to be supposed that Dr.
Kerr will be drawn to Kansas by the
mere Inducement of more money; yet
the laborer is worthy of his hire, and
his worth is usually defined in terms
of money. Why, then, should a col
lege president not think well of a
munificent wage, and be much In
fluenced by the comforts and guar
antees which It brings?
Yet, of course, it is to be assumed
that the prime thought with Dr. Kerr,
as with any enlightened and self
respecting man, would be the condi
tions other than financial which are
attached to th position. How much
freedom will he have? Will he be the
real, or the nominal, head of the in
stitution? Will the politicians have
anything to say to him? What are
the present relations of the college
to the public and to other educational
Institutions? What about the faculty
and its attitude toward a new presi
dent? What are the Institution's re
sources, financial and otherwise?
What is its present educational and
scientific status? Is it on the down
grade or upgrade? What of the fu
ture? These and many other thing
must be ascertained by the prospective
president before he can in fairness to
himself and to his new employment
make up his mind.
There are other considerations per
taining to Oregon and Dr. Kerr's re
markable work during the past ten
years. No one doubts that the amaz
ing growth of the agricultural col
lege has been in great part due to the
wise, thoughtful, creative and experi
enced direction of Dr. Kerr. He came
here, indeed, at Just the right time.
and found a fertile soil for the culti
vation of a genuine understanding of
the usefulness of such a school and
Its peculiar adaptability to the needs
and aspirations of Oregon. In a sense
the task has been easy, though It
would not have been so easy for a
less competent manager and educa
tor. There has been harmony within
the school and without. The little
frictions with other state schools have
been ironed out without great diffi
culty. Throughout the West, and, In
deed, the Nation, there has been a
growing knowledge that In Oregon
was an agricultural college which
might justly be regarded as a real
asset by any state. All classes in the
state unite in their testimony as to
the value of the school. It is an en
viable result, and Dr. Kerr deserves
to reap whatever benefit may now
accrue to him through the high pres
tige 'of his college, attained largely
under his presidency.
What, then, Is to be done about it?
Higher salary for the president? We
do not believe It will meet the case,
though as an evidence of good will
and keen appreciation of the extent of
the loss, it should have due consldera
tion. More money for the college?
The temper of the state, reflected both
by people and legislature, is liberal
and they will do what they can, con
sistent with their means and with
other heavy demands. It is true that
a considerable investment has already
been made by the state in the college,
but it is also true that It has not kept
pace with its growth, as shown in
the attendance. The conception of a
great college, one of the greatest, in
the Union, Is not new in Oregon. It
can and will be realized, if the state
Is able to do its part, in outright sup
port; and the state wants to do just
that.
- Complaint is made that because of
meager salaries paid to professors,
they cannot be held here; and that
a higher scale should by all means be
adopted. The criticism Is justified,
- but it is not a fault common to the
college, nor to Oregon. Every insti
tution of whatever kind is undergoing
great changes in its personnel, and
the reasons are not wholly financial.
Whether that trouble can be corrected
must be left to the regents. We hope
It can be.
Dr. Kerr has for the decade of his
service enjoyed a growing reputation
as a leader of educational thought, a
guide of progress, a scientist of dis
tinction, and, above all, a builder and
manager of real accomplishment, The
general public esteem and confidence
have been no small part of his com
pensation. He is sure of his position,
sure of the future, and sure of the
keen concern of his state In nis actions
and of its knowledge that he has
served it well, and is now qualified to
serve it even better. If Dr. Kerr needs
any assurance of the good will of a
grateful public, it may safely be ten
dered to him. If he jgoes to Kansas,
he will sacrifice much. That he may
train even more is likely enough to be
true. But of what he hopes to get he
cannot be so certain as of what he has.
ART AND PATRIOTISM.
When the grand opera season opened
in New York, the other night, all the
artists and the entire chorus were
assembled in front of the stage, at a
convenient interval in the perform
ance, and sang "The Star-Spangled
Banner." The idea which had ger
minated with the Kaiser-decorated
conductor of the Boston Symphony
Orchestra that art is International,
and that nationalism has no place In
music, did not prevent the singers of
all nationalities from paying a fitting
tribute to the Nation which has given
them protection, a livelihood, and dis
criminating appreciation.
There are other signs that the
American people are Inclined to think
that loyalty and National service are
the supreme considerations of every
citizen, and that even art must bow
to them. Down at Pittsburg and at
certain adjoining cities, the authorities
refused to permit Fritz Krelsler, a
great violinist, but a reserve officer in
the Austrian army, to appear. Why
should Kreisler. have assumed that he
could merge his enemy alienship in
the sweet harmones of his violin, and
that an American public could be
blind to the one while giving ear to
the other?
SAVING SOAP.
With Washington advising the peo
ple to exercise extreme care to prevent
waste of soap, lest the supply shall
become exhausted, it Is only partial
consolation to know that the world
managed for a good many centuries
to get along without that which we
now regard as an indispensable clean
ing' compound. Mention of soap in
the Bible probably refers to the ashes
of plants and other agents which we
would employ nowadays with diffi
culty if at all. Romans prior to the
time of Pliny knew little about soap,
which Pliny says was originally a
Gallic invention for giving a bright
color to the hair, but Rome seems to
have obtained its first ideas of soap
as a cleanser from the Germans, who
are the first. in the present war to ex
haust their supply. Greece got along
without it in the height of its civiliza
tion. Such is the force of habit, however,
that no one will contemplate with
equanimity a return to the soapless
state of our ancient forebears. It is
hard to imagine a state of even ap
proximate cleanliness without the mix
ture of fatty acids with alkalis which
the industrial chemists have devel
oped to a high state of perfection in
comparatively recent years. As a peo
pie we are rather completely, under
the spell of the adage that cleanliness
is next to godliness, and as we ad
vance in our knowledge of science we
realize more fully also that cleanliness
is absolutely essential to good health.
We lack precise figures as to the num
ber of plagues and epidemics of long
ago that were directly due to the ab
sence of soap, but it must have been
very large.
Present threat of a famine in soap
is due to a variety of causes. Produc
tion of animal fats has been reduced,
and there is a growing demand for
fats of every description in the mak
ing of munitions. Restriction of sea
transportation has cut down our im
ports of vegetable oils, which could
be used in soap-making if we had
them. Olive oil was the first of these
to be utilized as a substitute for the
goat's tallow that was the staple base
for centuries. But without fat of some
sort, we shall be in a bad way. No
really good substitute is known. This
offers an inviting field for inventors,
but we should not place too much
reliance in them. The thing to do
meanwhile is not to cease keeping
clean, but to see to it that the odd
remnants are not lost. The man who
henceforth leaves his cake of soap in
the bath water after he has made his
ablutions will not be doing his full
duty as a patriot.
WISDOM FROM MUSES' HENCOOP.
It is with somewhat mixed feelings
that The Oregonian prints today a
letter from a Tacoma Englishwoman
who looks upon this paper as the
grammatical authority among news
papers of the Northwest. tor one
thing. The Oregonian is always pleased
to receive words of compliment; for
another, it has come to realize that
its somewhat liberal views on. gram
matical construction are not always
pleasing to confirmed grammarians.
Did the correspondent ever hear
how grammar originated? The story
is told by Ernest C. Moore In the Yale
Review. It appears that after Greece
had declined, a barbarous Macedonian
made himself the owner of all Egypt.
In his pursuit of ostentation h,e made
various collections. One was of all
the living men who had any reputa
tion for knowing or thinking. These
he shut up for life In one of his
palaces in Alexandria, which conse
quently became known as the "hen
coop of the muses."
Having nothing else to do to while
way the time these learned men
delved into books already written
numbered the words and prepared
tables of the forms and endings most
commonly employed. The result of
their work we now call grammar
Some of us now study it instead of
the books themselves, and deny any
body and everybody the privilege of
changing the forms found therein.
The Oregonian is not a lineal de
scendant of one of the muses of the
Alexandria hencoop, but it knows an
editor up the valley who, it suspects,
is. Still, in common with other pub
lications, it has grown into the habit
of obeying certain set rules of gram
mar. So it may be said frankly that
the examples given by the correspond
ent are in a form in which English
is sometimes wrote in America, but not
as she ought to be.
It may be suspected that Mary E
Wllklns Freeman, somewhat famous
as a writer, has even more liberal
ideas on grammatical construction and
use of words than The Oregonian. If
one were careful to be precise one
would not say. "He was panting ter
rible or He was panting terribly,
In describing the physical manifesta
tions of a man engaged in a rough
and tumble. The pants of a fighter-
we are speaking, of course, of inhala
tions and exhalations of the breath
do not, under most conceivable cir
cumstances, inspire terror. Either th
adjective or the adverb, so used. Is
colloquialism, but if one has, run, out
of descriptive words, as this author
seems to have done in the story, and
must use a form of the word "ter
rible," one should use the adverb.
The story, it is Just as well to re
mark, was about a discussion of war
and pacifism which led to fisticuffs
between two elderly men who ought
to have known better, and did not end
disastrously for either one. Yet in a
third of a column of space devoted to
description of the battle the writer
uses the word "terrible" four times,
together with "monstrous," "incred
ible," "dreadful" and "unbelievable."
If a newspaper reporter had so writ
ten of a commonplace scrap his story
would have been sent back to be
toned down and with Instructions to
look up a few synonyms for "terrible."
But the discussion is primarily of
grammar, and it may be noted that in
the paragraph following the one
wherein occurs the odd sentence, "He
was panting terrible," appears a sin
gular verb running in company with
a plural subject. As these peculiari
ties appear in a rather high-class
magazine, the fact somewhat relieve
the statement that the other examples
given by the correspondent are Just
newspaper English. "He walked con
siderable," "he was considerable con
fused," and "he protested consider
able," have no grammatical defense.
The best of us sometimes let errors
slip by, and probably that Is as true
of English as American publications.
GERMANY SUPPLIES WAR FUNDS.
Overconfidence in winning the war
in a few months has led Germany to
place a large part of her resources in
the power of the United States, which
is free to use them for war purposes
and which need only account for them
at the settlement which will follow.
Great quantities of material were
bought in this country during the first
few months of hostilities by German
manufacturers, who aimed to make a
quick start in business when peace
returned. As the war dragged on and
the American munition trade expand
ed, more material was bought and
stored, with the immediate aim of
keeping it out of the hands of the
allies and the ultimate aim of using it
in German manufacture.
All of these goods are now being
uncovered and commandeered by the
Government, which holds the price in
the treasury until the end of the war
and invests it In bonds. The custo
dian of enemy property also collects
all dividends, interest, business profits,
legacies, royalties and debts due to
Germans, and invests them in liberty
bonds, which are held for the credit
of the owners. The income of enemy
property, estimated to be worth from
$800,000,000 to $1,000,000,000, is thus
lent to the Government for war use.
German money is made prisoner and
Is made to work for the United States
just as Germany forces allied prison
ers to work.
By this means the tables are turned
on Germany and security is obtained
for the vast sums which must be paid
for ships and cargoes sunk and for
lives taken by submarines. When the
day of accounting arrives, Germany
may be called upon to settle the
claims of her subjects in the United
States, while the United States may
use the funds which it holds to com
pensate claimants against Germany, If
accounts should nearly balance. Ger
man manufacturers would make a
fresh start without accumulated
stocks of raw materials in this or any
other country, for other belligerents
are pursuing the same course as our
Government.
LLOYD GEORGE'S TRIU5IPH.
The debate in the British Parlia
ment in which Premier Lloyd George
and ex-Premier Asquith were the out
standing figures has a dramatic inter
est which fastens upon It the atten
tion of the world, for it was a duel
between champions of two opposing
conceptions of high political strategy.
Mr. Lloyd George believes that united
direction, over-riding the particular
Ism of each nation, is necessary to
allied victory. To prove Its necessity,
he exposes with brutal frankness the
blunders which have resulted from
lack of co-ordination among the allies,
and the success which has been gained
by Germany through single control.
In driving this truth home he wounds
the susceptibilities of the statesmen
and nations responsible, though he
must share this responsibility as a
member of the two Asquith Cabinets.
His one aim is to win, and In driving
for that aim he tramples down all
obstacles, national, political or per
sonal. Far from smothering criticism
on the false assumption that it is all
destructive, he himself practices it in
the belief that, rightly practiced, it is
constructive, -leading to avoidance of
new blunders and to that unity of
effort by which alone the enemy can
be overcome.
Mr. Asquith, on the other hand, re
veals himself as the party politician
and leader, who resents criticism be
cause it is aimed at and may injure
his party, though it Is vital to the
safety of his country. He is so zealous
for the Independence of each govern
ment that he deprecates the setting
up of any organization which would
interfere with the responsibility of the
general staffs to their governments.
He admits the soundness of the propo
sition that there is only one front.
and that "It was a sacred trust of the
allies to see that the future freedom
and security of Serbia and Roumania
were adequately assured," yet he re
sents the just conclusion that by
ignoring that proposition the allies
sacrificed Serbia and Roumania.
Mr. Asquith sticks to the belief that
you might render the best service to
any ally at one end of the line by
exerting the maximum effort at the
other end of the line," in face of the
fact that when the French and British
were exerting this maximum pressure
In the west during the Fall of 1915,
they made Insignificant gains, while
the Germans were driving back the
Russians and were crushing Serbia.
Thus the fallacy of his theory is
proved. He exults over the great
things which the British have cer
tainly done, in the effort to divert at
tention from the things which they
have done badly or have left undone.
His speech is the plea of a partisan
politician who has been put on the
defensive, not that of a single-minded
patriotic statesman who is seeking the
best means of winning victory.
Mr. Lloyd George has been justified
in making a disagreeable speech, as
he says, by "the result that America
is In, Italy is in, France is in. Great
Britain is in, public opinion is in."
Examination of the Rapallo agree
ment shows that this result has been
achieved without that interference
with the- responsibility of the general
staffs to their governments which Mr.
Asquith deprecates. The Supreme
War Council is to "prepare recom
mendations for the consideration of
the governments, keep Itself Informed
of their execution and report thereon
to the respective governments," and
the general staffs and military corn-
mands of the armies of each power '
remain responsible to their respective
governments." Supreme control Is to
be exercised by submission to the
Supreme War Council of "general war
plans drawn by competent military j
authorities," and the Supreme War
Council, "under high authority of gov
ernment, insures its concordance and
submits, if need be, any necessary
changes."
Final approval of decisions reached
by the Supreme War Council, there
fore, rests with the respective govern
ments, but those decisions are founded
on advice of military representatives
acting together. If this plan is open
to any criticism, it is that action at a
critical point, where time is essential
to success, may be delayed while exe
cution of a decision awaits approval
of all governments.
The British Premier's triumph over
his rival and former chief is a triumph
for the sober sense of the British
people over the men who cannot divest
their minds of party prejudice or of
political enmity for the great Welsh
radical. Public opinion has forced him
on the unwilling old guard of both
the chief parties, which watch daily
for a capital error which will serve
as a pretext for his overthrow, and
public opinion again sustains him and
compels the politicians to submit to
his leadership. The British people
welcome the brutal frankness with
which he lays bare acts of stupidity
that have cost them hundreds of
thousands of lives and billions
of dollars. Their steadfast support of
him is one of the best possible
auguries for the final triumph of the
allies.
President Wilson's desire that the
American commission to Paris shall
work for the Lloyd George policy of
a Supreme War Council proves that
he, too, understands the cause of
allied weakness in the past and the
means by which their full strength
can be exerted in the future. The
American people will rejoice that
"America is in," for as remote ob
servers they have perceived that Ger
many's success has been due as much
to her enemies' mistakes as to- her
Generals' wisdom They will, there
fore, desire the more keenly that the
President apply in his own manage
ment of the war in this country the
same principle as he commends to the
allies. The delays and the waste of
energy from which we suffer are due
to the same lack of co-ordination
among the departments and of su
preme direction over them as has cost
the allies dearly. Here, too, he should
learn from the experience of others.
that we may not pay as high a price
for experience of our own.
Paraphrasing a well-worn saying,
brevity is the crux of thrift. In the
classified advertisements yesterday ap
peared: "Widow needs washing and
cleaning," a telephone address fol
lowing. Could any other appeal be
neater? The widow -in the case
wants work and is not wasting money
in saying so. There's the opportunity
for the humorists who need her
services.
In accusing the United States of
stealing the Azores from Portugal that
German newspaper judges American
conduct by German practice. We do
not grab islands, especially from our
allies; we buy them as we did the
Virgin Islands, though the robbery of
Denmark would have been easy.
Hunger may turn the Russian peo
ple against the Bolshevikl. In a coun
try which is in process of revolution
the government is more than ever
"the goat" for all the people's troubles
and Is easily overturned. Watch for
another turn of he cards when hunger
provokes anger.
The small boy who commits petty
thefts does so to get pocket money.
He follows to him the line of least
resistance. It may be said that so
does his father. A few nickels a week
in the form of allowance may make
a lot of difference in a lad's career.
Any move to publish the names of
caterers who do not observe the meat
less days should provide publicity for
the patrons who insist on disregarding
the request of abstention. The latter
would have better brains if forced to
eat fish.
What would you do if, when sitting
in a box at a . theater, the President
of the United States appeared with an
upturned hat and his inviting smile?
You would dig, of course, and that's
what the other fellows did.
The twenty-five here who have Just
joined the British colors are the same
kind of patriots twenty-five American
boys would be if in a foreign land.
No race has a monopoly of pride of
birth and loyalty.
A free and easy interpretation of
Hoover's instructions to housewives
is to give a kettle of hot water to
anybody who comes around to com
mandeer foodstuffs.
The new General reported to be In
control of the Russian situation, being
a Cossack, is evidently the "man on
horseback" for whom the country has
been waiting.
Vice-Admiral Kirchhosef is unnec
essarily troubled. The United States,
in making use of the Azores, may con.
template fixing up a residence for the
Kaiser.
Hearst has acquired the staid old
Boston Advertiser, and its readers are
due for conniptions, which in that
region mean a peculiar kind of fits.
With the great White Way In
eclipse. New Yorkers can have all the
sensations of being In London without
traversing the submarine zone.
There are four more days of the
Land Show. Thousands of Portland
people have not attended. Why not
make them record days?
From the shaving of Bandmaster
John Philip Sousa it would seem to
be no more than a step to a beardless
Uncle Sam.
How to Hooverize on Thanksgiving
without leaving out the turkey Is the
question which many housewives are
pondering.
You know what cold and wet weather
here is, and it is just as disagreeable
In France. Are you doing anything?
The man behind a window, taking
in money, should have a dozen kinds
of smiles in his repertory.
What more deadly insult could be
offered to a Serb than to call him an
Austrian?
Spend an afternoon at the Stock
Show and a night at the Land Show.
How to Keep Well.
Br Dr. W. A, Evans.
Questions pertinent to hygiene, sanitation
and prevention of diseases. If matters of gen
eral interest, will be answered In this col
umn. Where space will not permit or the
subject is not suitable, letters will be per
sonally answered, subject to proper limita
tions and where stamped addressed envelope
Inclosed. Dr. Evans will not make diag
nosis or prescribe for Individual diseases. He-
quests for such services cannot be answered.
(Copyright, 1918, by Dr. W. A. Evans.
Published by arrangement with the Chicago
Tribune.)
HIGH BLOOD PRBSSFRE.
M. E. G. writes: "Last Winter while
at French Lick Springs, my father (52
years of age) was informed by doctors
that his blood pressure was over 200.
On his return home to Minneapolis, he
consulted several doctors and blood
pressure varied from 170 to 204, within
a period of a week. Two days ago a
prominent hospital doctor found the
blood pressure to be 190.
ith, one or two exceptions the doc
tors did not prescribe medicine, being
of the opinion that a rigid diet, elim-
natlng meats, milk, bread, butter.
cheese, cereals, eggs and other fatten
ing foods, would lower the blood pres
sure.
"(a) Do you think that blood pres
sure can be reduced without medicine?
"(b) Is there any cause for alarm if
tile diet recommended is adhered to?
"(c) Do you think It would be safe
to eat meat and soma of the other foods
sparingly?
"(d) What diseases. If any, are apt to
result from high blood pressure?
"(c) Would you advise going to a
sanitarium or some. Winter resort?
REPLY.
iht Wh.thee itr not there Is reason for
apprehension depends on the condition of
bis heart and kidneys.
(c) If ho Is going to aiei no snouia. ow
nrHn tn the letter.
(d) Brlghts disease, apoplexy ana sun
disease.
(e) Depends on other xactor in eonamon
other than those given. Most people with
high blood pressure get on without going
to sanitaria.
WEAR RIGHT KIXU OF SHOES.
XL L. writes: "I am a girl of 4 feet
11 inches high, and weigh 112 pounds.
I am troubled with weaK arcnes ana
I cannot walk or stand for more than
15 minutes without extreme pain. I
Intend to eliminate my gymnasium
work In school, which occurs three
times a week for 45 minutes. Do you
think this wise when I am obliged to
take my exercising in flat gymnasium
shoes?"
REPLY.
Watch for mv article on exercising to
cure weak foot, due to appear ahortly.
Your shoe should be broad at the Dan,
rounded at the toa. and long enough from
heel to ball. The height of the heel snouio.
be determined by the pain and tire. Some
persons trained to high heels Increase their
foot tire by lowering the heels unduly. On
the other hand, some persons have foot
tire from wearing high heels. If the toes are
badly pinched toe pads are sometimes help
ful. Modify your exercises as Indicated in
the article referred to.
TJSE PASTEURIZED MILK.
L S. writes: "Do you consider that
the use of pasteurized milk to teed
babies and other young children Is one
cause of infantile paralysis? I think
I recall that you said something to that
effect once in your column some months
ago. but I cannot recall exactly wnai
it was.
REPLY.
I do not. In times of epidemic of In
fantlle paralysis or other communicable
disease all babies should use. pasteurized
milk.
VACCINES FOR COLDS.
W. H. writes: "Will you please tell
me if there is a vaccine for colds? It
s claimed three Injections by needles
into the arm will make you Immune
from colds for one season. If so, are
they harmful or dangerous?
REPLY.
Vaccines against colds act like magic
with some people. Others get no help from
them. There is no way of knowing whom
it will help.
ONLY ONE-TENTH TRUTH.
I. N. W. sends a clipping from a pa
ner in which a gentleman says: "A milk
diet is srood only for calves. Milk ac
tually disagrees with humans. All
weakly children who are brought up on
the milk diet die at an early age
consumption. At most, milk Is only a
tuberculosis culture." He astcs as 10
the truth of these statements.
REPLY.
In these statements there Is about 10 parts
truth and 90 parts error. Sine they are like
most mixtures of 10 parts truth and 9u
parts error, very misleading ana poi.cn
tl.llv harmful. I am replying insieaa
throwing the clipping in the waste basket
Milk is not a perfect xooa except. 10
bnblfs less than 10 months of age. cow
milk and goat's milk are not perfect food
for a baby under 10 months old. Bu
neither is bread, meat, vegetables, nuts, or
grain a perfect food for adulta or children.
Kach Is lacking In something or must be
balanced by other foods. Everyone
knows. Milk la. therefore, never used as
an exclusive diet except for a short time
and to sain some particular purpose. A
that milk Is the best of all foods. It comes
nearer being a perfect food and a well bal
anced article of diet than does any' other
single substance.
SUGGESTS AX ASYLT7M.
A friend who would like to help
fellow who Is up against it right ask
whether habitual drunkenness in a wif
is ground for a divorce in Illinois. Thi
wife Is provided with an excellent home
in one of the best suburbs. She has
servants and many luxuries. Her fara
ilv consists of herself, husband, and
14-vear-old daughter. The mothe
stays home much of the time locked i
her room and under the influence o
whisky and other drugs. The influenc
on her daughter is very bad. Th
mother's father was a drunkard who
reformed and was a teetotaler during
the last ten years of bis life. Her
mother died in the Insane asylum. Is
there a better remedy than divorce?
REPLY.
I am advised by the Legal Friend of the
People that habitual drunkenness Is a
ground for divorce In Illinois. At that 1 do
not think divorce is the best or even a
good remedy. I am disposed to think the
wife could be confined in an Insane asylum
on account of alcoholic Insanity. There Is
a fair chance that she could be cured of her
habit In an Insane asylum or in the bride
well hospital or In on of the private In
stitutions. Her "father's history would in
dicate something more than the usual pos
sibility of cure.
OPERATION ONLY METHOD.
John G. writes: "Is there a cure "for
macula of the cornea opaque spots on
the front of eye due to old ulcerations
of long standing? There is a mist be
fore the eyes. Is it possible there is a
cataract, too? Doctors could not do
anything 15 years ago. and I wonder if
kthere is a cure today?"
REPLY.
A few scars on the cornea can be removed
by operative procedure, but the field Is
limited. There is no other method. Your
chance of cataract la aDout that of the
average man of HO years and occupation. In
other words, the ulcer did not materially
change your chance of cataract.
BITING FINGER NAILS.
N. Y. C. writes: "I have one very
bad habit biting my finger nails. At
times I bite them away back at the
back of the finger. What causes me to
bite my nails?"
REPLY.
Biting the nails Is a bad habit. It is to be
cured not by medicine but by developing
self-control. That is a matter for you to
work out.
SPOTS OX FIXGER NAILS.
M. P. writes: "Our hygiene class
would like to know what, causes white
spots in the finger nails."
REPLY.
I would, too. They are of no consequence.
Get your class interested la something worth
while. -
WHAT MR. LLOYD GEORGE SAID
neecTa Made at Paris Which Aroused
Criticism la Parliament.
The speech of Premier Lloyd George
in Paris, which provoked the debate in
the British Parliament on November 19,
was made at a luncheon given in his
honor on his return from Rapallo,
Italy, where a conference of British,
French and Italian ministers agreed on
the establishment of a supreme war
council of the allies. Alluding to a cen
tralized direction of the allied efforts.
Mr. Lloyd George said:
unfortunately, we did not have time
to consult the United States or Russia
before creating this council. The Ital
ian disaster necessitated action with
out delay to repair It. This made it in
dispensable to commence right now
with the powers whose forces may be
employed on the Italian front.
But in order to assure the complete
success of this great experiment, which
Deueve is essential to the victory of
our cause, it will be necessary that all
our great allies be represented in the
deliberations. I am persuaded that we
shall obtain the consent of these two
great countries and their co-operation
tn me worK ct the interallied council."
Mr. LJoyd George developed the rea
son for not taking the step earlier. He
referred to "timidities and susceptibili
ties- wnen It came to treating ques
tions on anv front not -omniandel hv
Generals taking part in the Interallied
consultations. The allies had commit
ted a great fault, he said, in not asslst
ing Serbia in holding her line, with
the result that the central empires
broke the blockade and procured men
and supplies from the east, without
which Germany doubtless would have
been unable to maintain her armies.
"Why was this unbelievable
fault
committed?" asketi the Premier.
"T
reply is simple,
It was because no onj
in
n particular was charged with guard-fj
ng the Balkan gate. The unique f ron.
I
nad not become n r.olit v v..nnA
England were absorbed by other prob-1
ems in other regions. Italv thoncht
oniy or ine uarso. Jtussla was mount-
ing guard over a frontier of 1000 miles.
and, even without that, she could hkH
nave parsed tnrough to have, helped
Serbia, because Roumania was neutral.
'It is true thst we sent trnnm trt
Salonica to succor Serbia, but. as al
ways, they were sent too late. Half the
men who fell In the vain effort to
plerca the western front In September
that year would have saved Serbia.
saved the Balkans arm completed the
blockade of Germany. .
Vou may say this is an old story." I
grant you that. It was simply the first
chapter of a series that has continued
to me present hour. Ninteen hundred
and 15 was the year of the Serbia trag-
euy; ij.o was me year of the Rou
manian tragedy, which was a repeti
tion of the Serbian story almost with
out change.
This Is unbelievable, when vou think
of the consequences to the allies. Be
cause of the Roumanian defeat opulent
wheat fields and rich petroleum wells
passed to the enemy and Germany was
able to escape us. Through the harvest
of 1917 the siege of the central powers
was raised once more, and the horrible
war was once more prolonged. That
would not have happened had there ex
isted some central authority charged
witn meditating on the problem of the
war for the entire theater of the war."
After reviewing the Italian camDaien.
the Premier said:
As far as I am concerned. I had ar
rived at the conclusion that if nothing
was changed I could not longer accent
the responsibility for the direction of a
war condemned to disaster from lack
of unity. Italy's misfortune may still
save the alliance because without t I
do not think that even today wo would
have created a veritable superior coun
cil. "National and professional traditions.
questions of preetige and susceptibili
ties all conspired to render our best
decisions vain. No one in particular
bore the blame. The guilt was in the
natural difficulty of obtaining of so
many nations, of so many independent
organizations that they should amal
gamate all their Individual particu
larities to act together as it they were
but one people.
Mr. Lloyd George later said: "I have
spoken today with a frankness that is
perhaps brutal, at the risk of being
illy understood here and elsewhere, and
not, perhaps, without risk of giving a
temporary encouragement to the en
emy, because now that we have estab
lished this council it is for us to see
that the unity it represents be a fact
and not an appearance.
"The war has been prolonged by
particularism. It will be shortened by
solidarlty. If the effort to organize
our united action becomes a reality 1
have no doubt as to the issue of the
war. The weight of men and material
and of moral factors in every sense of
the word Is on our side.
"I say it, no matter what may hap
pen to Russia or in Russia. A revo
lutionary Russia can never be any
thing but a menace to Hohenzollem
lam. But even if we are obliged to
despair of Russia, my faith in the final
triumph of the cause of the allies re
mains unshakable."
Homesteads In West,
PORTLAND, Nov. 20. ITo
itor.) Kindly inform me If
the Ed
there Is
any place in Oregon or California where
a woman may take a homestead, and if
so, please state where information re
garding such may be obtained.
SUBSCRIBER.
There are more than 15,000,000 acres
of unappropriated and unreserved pub
lic land in California and nearly 13,000,
000 acres in Oregon (surveyed). Much
of these areas is not suitable for home-
steading, and to secure an acceptable
homestead is generally a matter of
painstaking personal investigation of
open tracts. Government land offices
In California are located at El Centro,
Eureka, Independence, Los Angeles,
Sacramento, San Francisco, Susanvllle
and Vlsalia: In Oregon at Burns, La
Grande, Lakeview, Portland, Roseburg,
The Dalles and Vale.
Location of Yncatan.
PORTLAND, Nov. 20. (To the Edi
tor.) To settle a dispute will you
please publish the location of Yucatan.
M. B.
Yucatan peninsula projects north
eastward from the southeastern ex
tremity of Mexico. With the peninsula
of Florida it encloses the Gulf of
Mexico. The Mexican state of Yucatan
occupies the northeastern part of the
peninsula Other Mexican states,
British Honduras and part of Guate
mala occupy the remainder.
For the Heat.
One by one the leaves are falling.
One by one the Lsord Is calling
Home his children from their toil.
To transplant them in his soil.
There no Autumn storms are raging.
There no ruthless wars are waging.
And no Winter's clouded skies.
Nor the homeless tears and sighs.
So dear soul, oh do not weep
When you are called "to ko to sleep,"
Just you fold you hands In rest.
Praying "All Is for the Best."
MRS. NATHAN HARRIS.
Case for a Doctor.
Louisville Courier-Journal. '
"I find this man guilty of larceny
and sentence hiin '" "'Kleptomania.
your honor. A case for a doctor, not
a Judge." "Very good. I'm a doctor of
laws and I'll prescribe about two
years.
In Other Days.
, .Twenty-five Years Ago.
From The Oregonian of November 21. 1S!2.
Captain George H. Flanders, one of
the pioneer settlers of Portland, is con
fined to his home by a paralytic stroke.
His condition is critical and there is
no hope for his recovery.
Chicago. The Inter Ocean will pub
lish tomorrow an interview with ex
Senator Edmunds in which he declares
his belief in the constitutionality of the
Sherman anti-trust act and strongly
advocates its rigid enforcement.
Large n.imbers of seagulls are mak
ing their' home along the city water
front, a sure -sign of rough weather at
the Coast-- -
The visit f X. G. Reed, of Boston,
and his paijy to Astoria has caused
many surmises and speculations as to
the result of tlioir investigations. Many
think a railroad to Astoria down the)
Columbia from this city is assured.
Half a Century Aft.
From The Oregonian of November 21. 186T.
Halifax. The steamship Cuba ar
rived today and sailed for Boston.
Charles Dickens Is one of her passen
gers. The steam fire engine purchased by
the city for Protection Kire Company
No. 4 was shipped at New York on
board the Sea Serpent, which arrived
at San Francisco last Tuesday. It la
expected the engine will arrive here by
the next steamer.
Captain Baughman has for some time,
been telling us fish stories about catch
ing trout at the falls at Oregon City
and he vesterday presented us with a
dozen in numb
Irnt.st large e
string of beauties of large size and a
er. Two of them were)
enough to tow a ferry
boat.
' We understand that Major Tllton will
start by the next steamer for the Bast
Wio report upon his surveys and ob
servafions on the route of the North
ein Pacific Railroad.
A convention or the Baptist Church,
of Oregon will be held at Brownsville
on December 25.
An Old Cattleman's Ideas.
lly James Barton Adams.
I ain't no hand at pious talk, hain't got
the gift o' gab
Toned down to suitable degree fur
heavenly confab.
An" mebbe my 1-dees ain't Just accord
in' to the card
O" Christian argument, but I'll express
'em just as hard.
I never saw a prayin" man behind a
graveyard face
But who I thought was wastin time)
before the throne o" grace:
A-leanln" of his hopes upon a mighty
shaky staff
God has no use fur any man too holy
fur to laugh.
I once sot In a city church an' saw the
parson's face
Drawed out so long I wondered how
he'd git It back in place.
An' every word that got away from
out his talkin' works
Come like a squall in Winter time, in
freezy fits an' jerks.
An' while a-settin' in the hail of Icy
talk he spilt.
A-sockin" in the frozen knife o' warnln
to the hilt,
I got a-wonderin" what sort o place
the heaven'd be
With iceberg leaders sich as him
a-packln' of the key.
I heerd a trav'lln" preacher once talk
fur a little spell
To quite a bunch o' cowboys bunched
Inside an ol' corral.
An' tell 'em "bout the trail that leads
up to the range above.
An" how the foreman in the skies was
Jest a fount o' love.
He smiled all through his gospel talk,
an' every rider felt
A sort o' inward hankerin' to play the
hand he dealt.
An' when he tuk 'em by the hand to
say good-bye his smile
Jest seemed to warm to life the seed
he'd sown in sinful sile.
The parson that discourses with a cold,
frost-bitten tongue
An' wears a drawed-out face like he
was goin' to be hung.
Whose words are much like icicles
a-droppin' from a tree.
Ain't never goin' to git the great sal
vation rope on me.
If I git tallied fur the range up in the
promised land.
I want to see the preacher smile while
burnin" in the brand
Ain't got no use fur one that talks a
dead o' Winter creed
That makes a feller feel like he'd been
eat in' loco weed. v
As I observed, I ain't no hand at sling
In' pious talk.
But when I see a bog ahead I know
enough to balk.
An' when a parson makes a talk about
the crop we'll reap
By sowin' sinful seeds 1 jest doze off
an' go to sleep.
I know the Master up above ain't got a
bit o' use
Fur them that hands out gospel words
all dipped in lemon juice.
But loves the man of cheery soul that
ever keeps In place
A smile that bubbles from his heart an
overflows his face.
ERRORS IX GRAMMAR ARE POIND
EnKllxhwoman Pnaaled by Word iMce
in American Publication.
TACOMA. Nov. 19. (To the Editor.)
Since The Oregonian seems to lead
in grammatical expression the news
papers in this part of the country, will
you kindly explain the correct use of
the word "considerable" and the word
"terrible" to an Englishwoman who
for six years has struggled to learn
"American as she is wrote?"
On page 75 of Saturday Evening Post
for November 17 Mary Wilkins Free
man, supposedly a good writer, says:
"Thomas' nose was bleeding, his eyes
were closing. He was panting terrible."
Her story is not in dialect nor written
in colloquial language.
In another magazine of fair repute)
the hero is said to have "walked con
siderable before he came to a house."
In a local newspaper less than a week
ago two stories appeared with the sen
tences "He was considerable confused
when questioned" and "While they
searched him he protested considerable
he was not the man they wanted."
All of these sentences would be un
grammatical in England and would not
be printed unless in quotations. Are.
they correct here and. If so, why?
With much appreciation of your edli
torial page. LIANA MORRIS.
North. Twenty-first street.
Measenser Is Cautions.
Pearson's.
Manager (to late messenger): You've)
been away over half an hour, and only
had to go around the corner!
Messenger: Please, sir, a man
dropped a 50-cent piece in the gutter.
Manager: And did it take half an
hour to find it?
Messenger: No, sir, but I had to wait
till the man went away.
She Needs More Money.
Judge.
He A New York Judge has cut down
a woman's alimony because she was
extravagant.
She Why, anyone can see that if she
was extravagant she would need more.
Do you wonder that women want to
ivote for judges?.