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PORTLAND, IHCRSDAY, DEO. 0. 1917.
KEEP OREGON FIRST.
All obstacles at Washington to the
maximum production of ships, both of
eteel and wood, on the Columbia River,
as In other Pacific Coast districts,
Jiave at last been removed, and a di
rect appeal from Chairman Hurley, of
the Shipping Board, comes to the
shipbuilders of this district to do their
utmost in increasing production dur
ing the coming year. This appeal Is
a triumph to the local Industry, for It
is an Implied confession that other
districts, on which the Government
has hitherto chiefly relied, have fallen
down and that the Board looks to the
Pacific Coast to make good their
shortcomings.
It Is certainly no mere coincidence
that this call to the Pacific Coast for
help follows Immediately upon re
moval of the last naval bureaucratic
official of the Board, with the excep
tion of Admiral Bowles, and upon its
reorganization under the management
of business men with whom Admiral
Bowles is In full accord. Charles Picz,
the new general manager of the
Emergency Fleet Corporation, has
learned at first hand, on a tour of the
shipyards, what each district is doing
and can do, and upon bis return Chair
man Hurley pronounces conditions on
the Pacific Coast excellent, throws
overboard the men who bad refused
to make full use of this Coast's ca
pacity, and calls upon the Columbia
Kiver for full speed ahead. " This ef
fect has followed so closely upon the
cause that we may safely Infer that
the Board Is no longer a mere debat
ing society.
This is a summons, as it la an op
portunity, for Portland, as the me
tropolis of the Columbia Valley, to do
a splendid patriotic service, and to put
Oregon first once more. The Army,
the Red Cross, the Food Administra
tor all unite in the cry: "Build ships.
Give us ships." Without ships our
Army cannot cross the ocean to drive
back the Prussian hosts, food cannot
be sent to the allies to sustain their
fighting spirit by filling their stomachs,
medical supplies, food and houses can
not be sent to relieve the sick, starv
ing, homeless wrecks whom the Ger-
mans are driving from the occupied
districts at the rate of - 600 a day,
Without ships the war cannot go on
and Germany cannot be beaten. Port
land is called on to play a leading
part in supplying this vital need. The
city has never yet failed to respond
liberally and in full measure to any
call of country, and It must not fail
now.
It devolves upon the business com
munity of Portland to get behind the
shipbuilding industry with capital and
every other kind of aid, that it may
be expanded to Its full productive
capacity. The new policy of the
Board gives assurance that work will
be provided for all the ways which
can be built, hence there need be no
hesitation on that score. There is no
doubt that by additions to existing
yards and by construction of new ones,
for which capital is ready, the pres
ent capacity for building both steel
and wooden ships can be doubled, ft
should be done with the patriotic
spirit which has distinguished Port
land from the outbreak of the war.
Since the worst obstructions have
been placed in the way of letting con
tracts for wooden ships, discussion
has hitherto revolved around that type
of vessel. Now that those obstacles
have been removed by the call for
ships of either material, equal atten
tion should be given to those of steel.
Although steel is not produced here,
this district has several advantages in
building vessels of that material. Sev
eral plants already exist for the pur
pose, which can be expanded at slight
cost in money and time, while the new
standardized ship plants in the East
had to be built from the ground up.
There is a heavy balance of eastbound
over westbound tonnage on the rail
roads, so that steel can be hauled west
without use of many additional cars,
and completed ships can relieve the
railroads by taking cargoes to the At
lantic Coast or direct to Europe. While
the rigors of Winter cause frequent
suspension of work in Eastern yards,
operations continue practically with
out interruption in the mild Oregon
climate. There is scope for several
new steel ship" plants In connection
with existing fabricating plants, and
there should be no difficulty In. dou
bling the output within a few months.
The only limit to the expansion of
wooden shipyards should be the limit
to convenient sites, to the capacity for
producing ship timbers and to the pos
sibilities of manning the yards. There
are Innumerable good sites along the
Columbia and Willamette rivers, as
well as on the Oregon coast streams.
It has been said that the sawmills
were already producing all the tim
bers possible to supply existing yards,
but when a call came for 40.000,000
feet to complete vessels on the ways
In the East and South, the material
was supplied. Lumbermen cite the
difficulty of selling or shipping side
lumber as an objection to increasing
the output of ship timbers, but that
Is an outgrowth of the scarcity . of
cars for shipments to the interior and
of vessels for shipment by sea. There
Is a large demand for lumber on the
Atlantic Coast and In Europe. Hun
dreds of millions of feet could be
manufactured here into knock-down
houses for the Army and for ruined
towns In the war zone of France. As
ships are completed, some of them can
be loaded with this material, to the
advantage of both the lumbermen and
jfh0t consumers, Revision Of railroad
rates to the Middle West would help
lumbermen materially In getting rid
of the by-product of ship timbers. The
case Is one for co-ordination of the
activities of lumbermen, shipbuilders,
railroads, the Shipping Board and
lumber consumers. If attacked In the
true spirit of patriotism, it can be ar
ranged to promote the main purpose
of building ships without Injury to any
Interest concerned.
The proposed increase in produc
tion of tonnage will require enormous
expansion of the labor force In both
steel and wooden shipyards. This may
seem impossible' at first Impression,
but so it may have seemed two years
ago, to Increase the forces to their
present proportions. What has been
done can be done again. There la al
ready . a long waiting list of men
anxious to wjrk at the existing yards
structural steel workers, black
smiths and machinist for steel yards.
carpenters and other woodworkers at
wooden yards. Large numbers of men
of- the same type, can be recruited In
the Middle West, where building and
other work on which they are usually
engaged is practically at a standstill.
The present force of skilled men can
be so distributed that they can train
the green hands, and the force can
thus be gradually expanded, to the
point where two, and then three, shifts
can be employed. It Is as necessary
that all work connected with produc
tion of ships, from the logging camp
to the machine shop should be con
tinuous as It Is that production of
spruce for aircraft be hastened; In
deed, as necessary as It is that the
trenches should be constantly manned.
for in the end everything depends on
the shipbuilder. The Loyal Legion of
Loggers and Lumbermen should ex
tend Its activities to production of
ship timbers as well as spruce, and it
should be followed up by a Loyal
Legion of Shipbuilders, inspired by the
idea that every blow of a hammer Is
a blow at the enemy.
The call has gone out to Portland,
to all of Oregon. Others have been
tried, and have failed. Oregon must
not, and will not, fall. Keep Oregon
first. In shipbuilding as It has been
In performing every other duty to the
republic.
TOM AND BILL
When Tom Jones and Bill Anderson,
friends and companions, enlist In the
Army, they may be, and are, still
friends and companions; but If one
of them becomes an officer, their rela
tions automatically change. But the
change affects their official, not their
social, relations, nor their personal
friendship.
It is not to be expected that it will
be still "Tom" and "Bill." when Lieu
tenant Tom meets Private Bill, in the
line of duty. The necessities of disci
pline and command must govern, and
the private must salute and obey the
Lieutenant. What Lieutenant and pri
vate may say to each other, In their
private relations, or away from the
Iron rigors of army life, is quite an
other matter. Clearly, they are still,
and ought to be, Tom and Bill, friends
and companions.
Secretary Baker makes it clear that
social distinctions do not exist in the
Army, but official distinctions do.
Otherwise, there could be no Army
worth the name. The officer who re
gards himself as of superior metal to
the private, and thinks that he Is a
being apart, and not Interested in the
soldier's welfare, except to see that he
is well fed and well housed, has no
place in a democratic army.
There is a happy mean which both
officer and private may achieve. If both
have sense and a conception of their
respective duties and places. The
French have It, and the officers and
privates mingle freely; - yet It is not
forgotten that each has his relative
position. Doubtless an American Army,
being an Army of the people, can get
along without caste, or cliques, or a
display of the odious militarism which
has made the Prussian unique and
solitary.
EXIGENCE THE DOUBTERS.
Those meticulous citizens who in
slst upon the right to discuss the ques
tion, whether we were right in going
to war. what should be our war aims,
whether conscription is constitutional
and whether we should not make
overtures for an early peace, would
do well to read what General von
Ludendorf, the brains of the German
army, said about the way in which
modern wars are won. He said that
in these days, when wars are fought
between peoples, not between armies,
an enemy people Is defeated through
becoming demoralized as the conse
quence of an unsuccessful and disas
trous conflict, and he points to the
breakdown of Russia as an example.
Although Russia was actually win
ning when Germany produced de
moralization by corrupting her minis
ters, it is no less true that demoraliza
tion is a powerful cause of defeat.
For that reason all persons who per
sist In continuing discussion of ques
tions which were decided when Con
gress declared war and adopted con
scription are, in fact, working for the
enemy. Uy inspiring qoudi wnetner
we ought to have fought, whether we
should not now stop fighting, how long
we should fight and as to whether the
alms for which we fight are just, they
help to Inspire the very demoralization
of which the Prussian General spoke.
These doubts might remain silent at
present, but if we should suffer a seri
ous reverse, they would become vocal
and would spread. They would make
the people restive under the sacrifices
of war and unwilling to make further
sacrifice. They would weaken the will,
and, therefore, the nerve and the arm,
of our soldiers In battle, and thus
might turn victory into defeat.
"Thrice la he armed that hath his
quarrel Just." By -the same rule, he
who doubts the Justice of the quarrel
In which he is engaged has already
been more than half disarmed. Such
doubts have disarmed Russia. He who
spreads such doubt in America is an
enemy, for he does the work Von
Ludendorf sees to be a means of our
defeat. He should be silenced.
An Interesting situation has devel
oped in Holland, which formerly de
pended wholly upon England, Ger
many and Portugal for its supplies of
salt and which is now cut off from all
these sources by the war, even the
German supply having been curtailed
by lack of workmen. This has re
sulted in attempts to develop salt beds
which have long been known to exist
in the provinces of Gelderland and
Overyssel, but in which many tech
nical difficulties have been encoun
tered, and prospecting has revealed
the presence of coal beds beneath the
salt deposits. The situation is anala-
gous to that of many Western mining
districts in the United States, in which
the presence of valuable metals was
discovered only by the development
of others less valuable. If Holland is
able to put itself on a self-supporting
basis both as to coal and salt, which
1 regarded as not Improbable it will
be able to reimburse itself in consid
erable measure for the loss to trade
caused by the cessation of commerce
and the sinking of ships.
WHY A TINSELED TREE?
Ingenious Americans evidently will
not worry much over the famine in
supplies of tinsel and colored glass
balls for ornamentation of the Christ
mas tree this season. The suggestion
of a correspondent that various sub
stitutes are available is not only timely,
but In keeping with the spirit of
economy that should prevail every
where. Popcorn and cranberries were In
vogue long before the more brilliant
affair of glass was thought of, and any
old-timer can recall the merry times
he had when a boy around a home
tree which bore not a single ornament
bought at the store. We used to eat
the cranberries after they had served
their artistic purpose, and the popcorn
as well, thus practicing food conserva
tion In the highest degree. Aid rose
hips, which the correspondent sug
gests, are plentiful this time of year.
As to the angel made from cotton
batting and the paper cornucopias,
however, there will be objection to
them because of their inflammability.
The occasional tragedies that once
marred every holiday 6easoh ought to
have taught their lesson. Santa Claus
must either wear asbestos whiskers
or keep away from lighted candles.
He has been a long time learning, but
that much should by this time have
been borne in upon him.
The precise nature of the gay trifles
that we employ for adornment is un
important. The spirit of the company
is everything. It Is the least of our
troubles that the war has cut down
the supply of gewgaws from Germany.
WORK FOR THE RETIRED FARMER.
There is plenty of work for the re
tired farmer in these times of food
scarcity and National necessity. The
fact has been emphasized recently by
J. C. Scott, state farm help specialist
of Washington State College, who Is
preparing a bulletin on the subject.
His suggestion that the "retired
farmer cease from retiring for the
period of the war" is timely and full
of interest.
Precise figures as to the number of
farmers who have rented their proper
ties and gone to the city to live, or
have abandoned the industry for other
reasons, are lacking, but the number
probably is large. A good proportion
of them, at the same time, are well
within the working age, and they are
the best . farm labor available for
emergency. Men between 40 and 60
will profit by returning to the soil,
where their experience as well as the
work of their hands is needed, and
It would seem to be a patriotic duty,
when not a financially profitable un
dertaking, for them to give their serv
ices in this manner.
These men are beyond the draft age.
but with plow and reaper they can do
as much in 1918 toward winning the
war as they could do with rifles in the
trenches. There seems to be no pros
pect of a serious movement of con
firmed city men back to the land for
some time to come, and every possible
bit of help Is needed.
. It is believed that there are not far
from a thousand retired farmers in
Oregon and Washington who are not
incapacitated for work. An army of
a thousand trained workers is not to
be despised. Probably, as realization
dawns that upon victory over the
Huns depends the title and fee simple
of every farm in America, a Mr. Scott
suggests, this army will take the field.
It will do well to begin thinking about
it now, for Spring will be with us
almost before we know It.
SOME FLOODS AND OTHERS.
Continuous rains are more than an
annoyance; they are a real danger, for
the Immediate effect is flood condi
tions in the numerous streams of the
Paclflo Northwest and the loss and
wreckage which come from overflowed
farms and settlements and Inundated
docks and manufactories on or near
river banks.
The characteristic feature of the
present flood is its suddenness. The
people In the towns adjacent to the
streams were not ready for it. They
were not ready, because they had not
known anything like it in recent years,
for they had passed many Winters
with rain and rising waters, and no
harm had been done. But the unex
pected happens, and the might and
waste of swollen waters have asserted
themselves and will not be denied.
Probably the danger will pass without
serious disaster, and with only Inci
dental damage; but. If so, it will prob
ably be because Nature, after all, is
kind, and 1 the facilities for rescue of
people and property are better than
they used to be.
On such occasions the great fact
that Oregon and Washington have
three large rivers Willamette, Colum
bia and Snake and numerous minor
rivers is tremendously emphasized.
Nowadays most people in Portland
think only of the Willamette when
they have to cross it; but it has not
been so many years since the thoughts
and fortunes of every citizen had a
direct relation to the river. In earlier
days, a flood was of Immediate mo
ment to everybody. Now It Is only
bothersome to most people, and Is
material for the news reports.
Most, floods in the Willamette River
at Portland occur in June, and later.
and are directly due to the melting
snows of the Rocky Mountains, affect
ing the supply streams of the Colum
bia; and the rise at Portland and as
far as the falls at Oregon City is di
rectly due to back-water. There are
no swift currents, but merely a slow
and easy rise, and it has the same
effect as too much water in one s
basement. No bridges are taken out,
no particular damage Is done, except
that everything gets wet unless it Is
taken out of the way.
There is a record of a June flood
so long ago as 1844, and others oc
curred In 1862, 1876, 1881, and last
and greatest in 1894, when the streets
of Portland near the river were im
passable, and a maximum rise above
low water mark of over 83 feet was
attained. It has been more than
twenty years since that event a
longer interval than there was be
twen the other June floods. There is
reason to hope that the deepening and
straightening of the Columbia's chan
nel, and other factors, have reduced
the likelihood of another event like
1894 to the minimum. It may never
happen again.
But the Winter floods are quite a
different matter. The waters at Port
land do not rise so high as in June,
but they come up more rapidly, and,
being accompanied by swift currents,
they do damage here and all along the
course of tie stream and its tribu
taries. But such floods are, happily,
rare.
The worst Winter flood In Oregon
occurred in December, 18 61, It was
a disaster so astonishing and memor-
able that tt stand out as the one gen
eral tragedy of the Oregon territory,
due ' to natural "t?w. The rains in
November were very heavy; then the
weather became very warm as now
and the melting snows contxibtued a
large share of the - swollen torrents.
The rivers burst their bounds, and
the entire Willamette Valley was In
undated. Mills, factories, farmhouses
and buildings and stores were swept
away, and there was loss of life. One
citizen, leaving Oregon City in a steam
boat, rescued forty people from trees
and other places of refuge. There
were hundreds and thousands of such
stories. The river at Oregon City
reached a height of fifty-five feet, and
there was two feet of water at First
and Stark streets, in this city. Prac
tically the whole town then was built
along the waterfront, so that no one
escaped distress or damage.
The result of the '61 flood was im
poverishment of the population in the
Willamette Valley, not relieved by the
heavy snow storm which followed. In
the next Spring the Salmon River
placer mines were discovered, and
there followed an Immense emigration
of Individuals and families from Ore
gon, seeking new means of livelihood.
Indeed, the population turned largely
to mining, and there were opened up
the placers, of the Powder and John
Day Rivers and other places. The
town of Auburn, on the Powder,
springing up over night, had at one
time many thousand people. Who
hears of Auburn now? In 1862 La
Grande was founded, and the valleys
of Eastern Oregon were for the first
time settled, all the Immediate sequel
of the flood of '61 and the discovery
Of the Salmon River mines.
There was another Winter flood in
189J), accompanied by considerable
loss, such as the carrying out of the
Salem bridge. No prediction of a simi
lar episode Is now made; but It is well
for the people along Oregon and
Washington streams to take every pre
caution against further trouble.
BTtMTJXAXXSO KESBUtCH.
Announcement that a professor of
biochemistry in the University of Cali
fornia has discovered a substance
which can be used to stimulate the
growth of bodily tissues Is important
not only because of its practical use
In promoting the healing of wounds,
and also because of its bearing upon
the theory of cell proliferation, but by
reason of the scientist's announcement
that all profits from its manufacture.
If it shall prove Its merit, will be de
voted to the advancement of research.
The professor in question Is Dr. T.
Brailsford Robertson, of whose dis
covery a writer in Science says that
tests made in Army hospitals in Eu
rope and in civil hospitals in. America
have shown that it causes wounds to
heal promptly which for months, and
even for years, had obstinately re
fused to yield to treatment. The sub
stance has received the name "tethe
lin," and has been isolated from one
of the lobes of the pituitary body,
which is a small gland attached to the
base of the brain. Physiologists have
believed ttyit it played an important
part in the regulation of nutrition.
The Importance of tethelin at this par
ticular time in the world's history can
not be overestimated, if time shall
Justify the hopes of its discoverer.
It is not unusual for scientific in
vestigators, working under the pay of
educational institutions, to give the
results of their work to the public.
Dr. Robertson has done this, in effect,
but has shown a desire that his work
shall not be abandoned where he
leaves It. He has relinquished all per
sonal profit to the university, stipulat
ing only that his present salary shall
be continued while he lives, if he
should become disabled, from the pro
ceeds of the trust he has created, with
provision for a pension to his widow.
His example is further encouraging
evidence that men are still moved by
humanitarian motives, and not solely
by the commercial spirit. If tethelin
accomplishes all that is hoped for it.
the fund which It will provide for
further scientific research is likely to
be exceedingly large.
The blood of the "Stalwarts" of
long ago shows well at the front. The
latest to be decorated for gallantry is
a grandson of Roscoa Conkling. Tet
the son of the average American will
do aa well if he has opportunity.
British Socialists are telling the
labor element It is getting nothing
from the government, and that Is the
Hun of It. What British labor would
get from Germany would be given 'on
the point of a bayonet-
The rascal who buys a soldier's card
will get a room at McNeil's Island,
and the military people will attend to
the seller. His offense is not as great
as that of the man who tempts him.
The tallest man in the Army is
former Portlander, six feet seven
Inches, in the aviation corps. He can
look over the top without stretching.
According to testimony of the col
lector, police graft In Chicago was less
than a thousand dollars a month.
Cheap skates for a big city of vice.
The Governor of California was not
bombed because -of the war; that is
unreasonable. A better clew may lead
to the state prisons.
It needed war time to show Port
land how to make $1000 a month on
garbage, and not first-class garbage at
that.
Santa Claus does not look the same
in all places, but looks are nothing.
He "gets down the chimbley" Just the
same.
Think of all the people you know
and recall one you are sure will be
forgotten Christmas unless you do the
rest.
Start the little fellow right with a
drum, and twenty-five years from now
he will not be a slacker.
Walter McCredle will be managing
the Bees, but his mind will stray to
the Beavers.
Be early about mailing the packages
to those who cannot come home for
Christmas.
One hundred per cent of Red Cross
money Is effective for its purposes.
Portland shines as a Good Samari
tan, speedy and sure.
Think of it! Just little drops of
water did all this!
Would you prefer snow and freezing
weather? -
Is the sign of the Red Cross in jrour
window!
Stars and Starmakers.
By Leeno Caaa Ba.
A . newspaper aooounting of it.
says that Mrs. Vernon Caartlo pre
fers to be known as "simple Irene
Castle." Possibly she means simply.
However, It doesn't make a lot of
difference.-
Just now the lissome Irene is having
on awful mess with the Century
Theater management, and it Is provid
ing Broadway (New York's, not ours)
with a new topio of conversation.
Irene says she reported at the
theater at the usual time for her
danoe In "Miss 191T." and that
the stage doorkeeper' denied her ad
mittance, and she hadn't been told one
blessed word about her dismissal from
the company. The theater manager
says that Irene Insisted on changing
the time of her dance so as t.ot to
interfere with her moving picture en
gagements, with no regard to the Cen
tury schedule. Irene has a lawyer
and promises a nice fight over the
matter.
Arthur Cunningham, who . used to
come to Portland In Its early-day
opera seasons, and has come to us
since in revivals of the Gilbert and
Sullivan operas and in vaudeville, had a
place in "Miss 1917." the Century revue
we were Just speaking about. But he
was let out. along with George White,
Flora Revalles and Adolf Bolm and a
lot of Russian dancers, because, the
Century Theater folk say, they have
to economize in salary output.
e
Winter garden chorus girls will not
only pay for their Christmas dinners
this year, but each one of them will
Invite a soldier boy to be her guest.
This announcement will doubtless start
stampede for enlistment, and the
men who are singled out for this event
will be looked upon as heroes before
they even face battle. The girls are
now sending out their Invitations and
those who have sweethearts are in
forming therm that they have already
ade engagements for Christmas din
ner.
WelL between having my hero in
the trenches or eating Christmas tur
key with a Winter garden vampire,
give me the trenches every time. I'd
stand more chance of getting him back.
The Boston Grand Opera Company
played under great disadvantages at
Grand Rapids, Mich., on December 4,
and abandoned the tour. Members of
the company returned to the East.
Mas. Rabinoff, directing manager.
stated that they were financially able
to continue, but that they could not get
transportation for their scenery from
the railroads, and that a large num
ber of the male performers had been
taken by the draft He further stated
that the soenery had to be abandoned
in several places on the trip from Bos
ton to Toronto and thence to Detroit
The company arrived in Grand Rapids
with one baggage car and 36 people.
Seventeen of the orchestra and many
of the younger singers had gone to
war. It was said by members of the
company that nine theatrical com
panies were tied up and could not
move out of Toronto, Canada, on ac
count of the railroad embargo.
e .
T. Daniel Frawley is in San Fran
cisco engaging a traveling stock com
pany for China and Japan, going by
way of Honolulu. Katherlne Brown
Decker is his leading woman. Mr.
Frawley returned only a few weeks
ago from a tour of the Orient. He
married Peggy O.Neil. but Peggy sticks
close to Mew Tork and lets T, Paul el
travel. ,
see
Jack Hazzard, who is responsible for
the idea of the play, "Turn to the
Right," has appeared in Portland in
musical comedy and in vaudeville. He
Is Just now careering in the Eastern
company of the same "Miss Spring
time" that we saw a few weeks ago.
Mr. Hazzard writes all his own com
edy, and one day It occurred to him
that an admixture of the fly-crook
play and the home-and-mother type of
drama would hit the bullseye of public
approval. 'He confided his idea. With
the skeleton of a story, to Winchell
Smith, past master In authorship and
stage direction, who has garnered roy
alties from "The Fortune Hunter,"
The Boomerang," "Brewster's Mil
lions" and upwards of a dozen others-
Result: "Turn J.o the Right," which.
in the vernacular of the dressing-room.
knocked 'em dead" In New Tork for
a solid year and In Chicago for nine
months. It would seem that Mr. Haz
zard made a good guess. Portlanders
who saw "Turn to the Right" in the
Bast last season have been megaphon
ing its praises these many months, and
its opening tonight is awaited with
more than passing interest. The com
pany Is the one from Chicago.
Lee Parvin, known as the "boy
agent" among advance men, is In
Portland ahead of "Fair and Warmer,"
coming next week to the Helllg. Mrs.
Parvin, who used to be a. professional
but retired from the stage after her
marriage, accompanies her husband.
e -
Charles Ross, comedian, who visited
us last with William Crane in 'The
New Henrietta," is seriously 111 at the
Fair Oak Sanitarium at Summit. N. Y.
"
Charlotte Walker will sail for Lon
don soon to appear in a production of
her husband's play. "The Woll.
.
Edna Aug is returning to musical
comedy- She is one of the featured
members in the "Words and Music"
company, a new revue to be sponsored
by Hitchcock and Goetz, and now in
rehearsal. "Words and Music" ts the
Joint work of a famous playwright and
equally famous composer who have
never been associated together in mu
sical comedy. Their identity will be
a surprise when revealed at the open
ing performance, it is announced.
The cast of "Words and Music" is
headed by Richard Carle, Elizabeth
Brtce, Wellington Cross. the three
Dooleys, Marion Davles and Edna Aug.
Willy Pogany has designed most of
the costumes and scenery. Leon Errol
is staging the piece.
Loretta Wells, who played character
roles with the Baker stock two seasons
sgo, is appearing in "The Gypsy
Trail," Arthur Hopkins" latest com
edv oroduetion. recently presented for
the first time at the Plymouth Theater
In New York.
e
Frances White has departed for the
nonce, from her usual variety of song
numbers and Is doing a patrlotlo ballad
called "When the Moon Is Shining
Somewhere in France,"- and reviewers
agree that she if "getting it cross" In
great stylo In the "HitcKy Koo". revue,
in which she is featured. The song
was written by a soldier. Private
Frederick Rath,
PBOHISEs OF NAVT HOT BROKEN
Pmtner of Yotrtk In Service Bays Freb-le-mjs
Call for Patience.
PORTLAND. Dee. 1. (To the Ed
itor.) In The Oregonlan is a letter
from Constant Reader in regard to
Navy enlistments, which stated that
"a special inducement offered was a
three months' course In Harvard, Yale.
Columbia. et&," and further stated
that when this nephew "got there he
found the university course all a Joke."
As father of one of the boys who en
listed for this gasoline engine work.
I wish to say that if misrepresentation
was made to these boys who enlisted
in good faith those making them are
open to sure and severe censure. But
I cannot think that anyone of those
enlisted were misled or that the or
ders from the Navy Department were
used except only as received.
There is nothing finer In American
tradition than the good faith of the
Navy, and as I was present when my
son enlisted and heard all the prelim
inary information given him, I think
I am in position to say that no mis
representations were made. Orders
from the Navy Department were read
and explained, as follows:
(c) Landsmen for machinist's mate (motor-boat)
These men should have experi
ence In the operation and repair of gas en-
Sines. They are prlmaruy tstenoed lor outr
on submarine chasers, but no promise of
this duty shall be made. Transfer as en
listed to the recelvlnc ship at Philadelphia
for further detail. It Is Intended to form
classes from among these men to po to
Columbia University for further instruction;
but It does not neceaearlly lollow mat au
men enlisted In this rating shall be sent to
Columbia, as other classes may be started
elsewhere.
Age limit for the above ratings. 21 to 85.
The order says "they are primarily
intended for duty on submarine
chasers, but no promise of this duty
shall be made," and none was made In
my hearing. The order says: "Trans
fer as enlisted men to the receiving
ship at Philadelphia for further
detail." and they were so transferred.
The order says: "It is Intended to form
classes from among these men to so to
Columbia University for further In
struction," and classes are being so
formed, we are informed. The order
says: "but It does not follow that all
men ellsted in this rating shall be sent
to Columbia, as other classes may be
started elsewhere." and there is no
reason to believe that such other
classes will not be formed for other
available schools. It takes patience
and time to work out a problem of the
magnitude of that cut out for the
Navy, but there is no occasion to rush
into print with such a nasty insinua
tion as .contained In "Constant Read
er's" query, which Impugns the good
faith of a naval order.
This Is a good time to practice self-
restraint, even though our hearts are
bleeding to see our sons and nephews
go. It is no time to attack the orders
of the Navy Department until and un
less we are very sure of our ground.
There is Just as much need for loy
alty at home as in the service, and
speaking for one of tne boys wno leu
for Philadelphia November 23, I hope
he will never have eause to question
the patriotism and loyalty and good
sense of those he left behind.
O. G. HUGHSON.
PRESENT RAINS PRESAGE FLOOD
Records of Winter Iligh Water 1b
Willamette In Years Past.
PORTLAND. Dec 19. (To the Edi
tor.) This rain. longer continued,
means high water In the streams of
Western Oregon and Western Wash
ington, and especially in the largest,
the Willamette River.
Four big floods of the Willamette
have been recorded, as follows:
November 4, 1S44. height unknown.
December 5-7, 1861, 57 feet below
Oregon City falls; 69 feet at Canemah.
January 6, 1881, 21.4 feet at Port
land. February 6, 1890, 24.4 feet at Port
land, 68.6 fee below Oregon City falls,
71.1 feet at Canemah.
These floods were very destructive
In the Upper Willamette Valley. Many
persons will remember that the river in
1890 threatened Morrison-street bridge
(the one river viaduct) and swept
over the north end of the city. The
river at Portland has been consid
erably narrowed with East Side fills
and bridge piers since the flood of
nearly 28 years ago.
The Winter freshet of the Willam
ette should not be identified with the
June freshet of the Columbia. The
latter made the highest record June
7, 1894 33 feet. The Columbia reached
high stages in June, 1853. 1859, 1862,
1871, 1876, 1880, 1882, 1887. 1894.
History is mute when asked to fore
tell the length of our present rain
period. Oregon's Civil War Governor,
John Whlteaker, in commenting on ths
bad flood of 1861, in a message to the
Legislature September 10, 1862. con
soled the lawmakers with the thought
that If the rain had oontlnued longer,
the flood would have been worse. Said
he: "Had It rained for two weeks and
continued warm as it is, the . whole
Valley of the Willamette would have
been covered with water from moun
tain to mountain, when the whole
country must have been desolated and,
in a measure, depopulated."
So we see again that the worst never
happens, or Is always yet to come.
LESLIE SCOTT.
TOO MANY SEEKING EASY JOBS
Farmer's Wife Says It Is Time to Put
All Idlers to Work.
PORTLAND, Dec. 19. (To the Editor.)-
We hear on every side about
economizing on foods and saving. It
Is true we must, but it is also true we
have to plan to produce more. Then
the question arises, how are we to
produce more without the help (at a
llvlng wage) to produce it?
There is complaint everywhere of
high prices, but I fear the day is not
far in the distance when there will be
no milk, butter, eggs or poultry at any
price If . help cannot be procured to
produce it.
The good book tells us "man shall
earn his living In the sweat of his
face." Every pleasant day how many
idlers are in the parks? How many
are doing nothing and consuming food
produced by farmers and farmers'
wives?
I am willing to work from early in
the morning until late at night and
Hooverlu in every, way necessary, but
I am not willing to work from 5 o'cloak
in the morning until 8 o'clock at night
to feed those who will not work.
Look the advertising columns over
and note how many are wanting some
easy job at big pay for a few hours'
work, but where are the ones who are
ready to go to work and raise vege
tables and food to supply our needs?
Where are the women ready to take
the boe or milk the cows or raise the
poultry? What is to be done with the
idlers?
Let us hear from others along these
lines. It Is getting time to make plans
to produce more; at less cost also.
FARMER'S WIFE.
Egypt's Wneat Bearded.
London Echo.
Egypt in the most ancient times was
celebrated for Its wheat. The best
quality was all bearded. The wheat
was put Into the ground in Winter and
some time after the barley. In the
Egyptian plagues of hall the barley
suffered, but ths wheat had- not ap
peared, and so escaped injury.
No Charge Is Made.
PORTLAND. Dec 19. (To the Ed
itor.) please let me know If the Red
Cross gives the Army and Navy boys
hand-knitted goods free or will they
have to buy them. READER.
Articles made by Red Cross workers
are distributed free.
In Other Days,
Half a Centmry AsT.
The adjourned railway meeting
neia uecemDer is at the court Douse,
A. L. Love; Joy. Chairman, presiding. A,
P. Dennlson. Secretary, called the meet
ing to order. The object was to take
public action to learn what measures
were necessary to reconcile conflicting
Interests, in railway projects for this
district. There are now four or five
projected railroads started or con
templated with Portland as a center, or
an objective.
London There was another'attempt
to blow up the city Jail the other day.
There are a number of Fenians im
prisoned there.
David Troy and Mrs. Ellen Blaine
were married last month at Summer
villa, Union County, by Rev. J. F.
Roberts. On December 6, at Summer
vllle, Amanda M. Glenn and Louis B.
Rinehart, of the firm of Rlnehart
Bros were married by Rev. Mr. Rob
erts. A H. Johnson informs us that he has
started a couple of men to Yamhill
County to get fat sheep for holiday
slaughtering.
The main dam of the Harris burg
flouring mill has been carried away
by the high water.
" Twenty-Five Years Axe-
Washington It is announced that
Ex-Secretary Blaine has only a few
days to live. Doctors refuse to say
just how long life can be sustained.
The census reports show the
mortgage debt o Iowa to be $104 p
5C
capita and that of Alabama to be
per capita-
John R. " Rathom has taken entire
charge of the Astorlan's editorial,
local and telegraph departments. He
is an experienced newspaper man. He
Is using a Merganthaler linotype ma
chine, the only one on the coast.
Wallace Henderson, son of Mr. and
Mrs. M. W. Henderson, fell from a
wagon yesterday and was painfully
hurt.
The Boyer Glee Club will give a
concert at the Marquam Grand Thea
ter this evening. Miss Susie A More
land will be at the piano and Slgnor
R Rebagllatl will play the violin.
Joe Day, who gained quite a reputa
tion for himself as a detective while
attached to the local police department,
left last night to Join the Plnkerton
Agency in Chicago.
NATION MUST HAVE CHABACTF
Writer Deplores Indifference of People
to Spiritual Things.
PORTLAND, Dec. 19. (To the Ed
itor.) It was a member of a visiting
clerical delegation who ones remarked
to the immortal Lincoln: "I hope, Mr.
President, that God is on our side," to
which the President replied: "I have
not concerned myself about that ques
tion." After the shock to their feelings,
he added: "But I have been very so
licitous that we should be on God's
side."
That is the whole thing in a nutshell.
It Is also the difference between a.
righteous and an unholy cause, but It
is not llmled to a time of war. The
character of a people is its soul and
the nation exists so long as it has
character, but no longer.
An ancient city was once threatened
with destruction; 'It would have been
saved If there had been 10 righteous
people In it; It was utterly destroyed
and the fact Is a matter of history. At
another period Nineveh was warned;
the entire city, .from the King upon
his throne down to the most humble
subject, fasted and prayed; the very
animals were compelled to go without
food for a time. It was an honest re
pentance, and the city was spared.
Indifference Is the fault of the age.
In what way Is our indifference to
spiritual things superior to that of the
heathen living up to the light within
them?
Is it really a small matter? To those
who have given it deep thought, "all
that we are and all that we hope to
be," both individually and as a Nation,
are in their finality dependent upon
God.
"And what doth the Lord require of
thee but to do Justly and to love meroy
and to walk humbly with thy God?"
"Return unto me and I will return
unto you saith the Lord."
LOUIS G. DRAKH.
ADORNING THE CHRISTMAS TREE
We Need Not Depend on Tinsel for
Color and Ornamentation.
PORTLAND, Dec. 19. (To the Edi
tor.) Your editorial concerning the
shortage of tinsel ornaments for
Christmas decoration Is noted. Why
should we use tinsel and other rubbish
for our decorations? If we must hark
back to barbarism, let us go farther
back than the Huns away back along
the corridors of time to the day when
the artistic sense of man in its baby-
and colored pebbles.
The prettiest Christmas tree I ever
saw was draped with snowy popcorn,
cranberries and glowing rose "hips,"
hung with cornucopias mat of maga
zine covers and filled with home-made
candies and the' branches tipped with
popcorn balls. Oh, my! right on the
very tiptop was an angel made of cot
ton wadding. What fun It was to
string the corn and berries! How
graciously the hillside yielded of their
wealth of color! How gorgeous it was!
And not one bit of it "made in Ger
many." MAE CELESTE POST.
Pronunciation of Russian Names.
PENDLETON. Or., Dec. 18. (To the
Editor.) For the Information of nu
merous readers who have no knowl
edge of the Russian language, please
state the correct, or accepted, pro
nunciation of the word "Bolshevlkl,"
which so frequently occurs in the
news dispatches from Petrograd; also
the correct pronunciation of the name,
changed at the -outbreak of the waor,
of the Russian capital, "Petrograd."
C K. C.
The accepted pronunciation of the
term, and that used ny tne n-uasuim
emissaries who visited Portland re
cently, is "bol'-she-vC-ke." Of fre
quent occurrence in news dispatches is
"bolshevik," which appears to be the
singular. form. The name of the Rus
sian capital is pronounced phonetically,
"Pet-ro-grad."
-
Population of New York and London.
DALLAS. Or.. Dec 17. (To the Edi
tor.) Which is the larger. New York
or London, counting the suburbs of
both? READER
New Tork is the larger. Official es
timates are: New York. 5.602.841; Lon
don, 4.623,964. Including Westchester
and New Jersey suburbs New York Is
estimated to have a population of 7,
600,000. That of London, including all
metropolitan and city police districts.
Is estimated at 7,252.000.
Six Years.
PORTLAND. Dec 19. (To the Edi
tor.) Please Inform me through the
columns of your paper as to the num
ber of years elapsing until a promis
sory note Is outlawed In the state of
Washington. L. i M.