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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 25, 1917)
TTTTC MOTCNTNO OREGONIAN. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1917. MORSE' IS SUED FOR FREEDOM W. E. Reid Files Bill of Partic ulars of Services in Short v ening Imprisonment. TAFT'S SON'S NAME USED Mrs. Morse, Plaintiff Declares, Was Prevented From Spending Money Unwisely In Hope of Secur r ing Husbands Release. NEW -YORK. Dec. 2. Witlt-- E. Held. ' of - Portland, Me., who is suing Charles Morse for $150,000 for alleged breach of contract, today- filed in the : federal District Court supplementary - particulars demanded by the defendant in elaboration of the plaintiff's claim .that he had prevented Morse and his wife from engaging in "improper and unwise enterprises" In their efforts to obtain the banker's release from the Federal penitentiary at Atlanta. Reid alleges he spent $13,400 in fulfilling a contract to obtain Morse's release. Morse's sentence of imprisonment for 15 years for misappropriation of the funds of-the National Bank of America was commuted January 18, 1912,- by President William H. Taft after the prisoner had served a little more than two years of his sentence. The Presi dent's action was based on the recom mendation of Attorney-General Wlck ersham and the report of Surgeon General Torney. Mr. Torney's conclu sion was: Morse Not Expected to Live. "In my opinion, the prisoner's dura tion of life will be in all probability less than one month if kept in confine ment, and in the event of his release under commutation of sentence it Is not probable that he will live as long as six months." Mr. Reid. in his additional particulars filed today, said: "In the Spring of 1910 at the New York office of the defendant, Mrs. Morse stated to the plaintiff that Erwin Morse, the defendant's son. was a col lege mate of Robert Taft, President Taft's son, and that she was going" to invite Robert Taft to New York to spend a week-end and offer him $10,000 to use bis Influence in procuring de fendant's release. Mrs. Morse also mated the would get Robert Taft to see Justice White. Plaintiff prevented Mrs. Morse from carrying out this plan. S5O.0OO Claimed Saved. "Mrs. Morse also had Interviews and - correspondence with one Garland, of Philadelphia, Pa., who was to procure defendant's pardon in consideration of $50,000, of which sum the said Garland was to retain $10,000 for himself, .the method by which the pardon was to be obtained was undisclosed. The plaintiff prevented this arrangement from being carried out." After relating several Instances In which Mr. Reid alleged that he pre vented Mrs. Morse from using "undls . closed means" to obtain her husband's release, the supplementary bill of par ticulars enumerates a list of influen tial men. who. it alleges, were inter viewed by the plaintiff in Morse's be half, as follows: Prominent Men Seen. Governor Cobb., of Maine, who was Induced to see and did see- President Taft: Governor John F. Hill, at his of fice in Augusta, Me.; George IS. Macomber. who was Induced to Bee and did see Senator Hale, of Maine; Senator Hale, at Washington, D. C; Mr. Peavey saw President Taft several times; Con gressman Allen, of Maine, at Washing ton; John Dwight. of New York, at Washington. D. C; Sloat Fassett, at Washington; Edward O. Eldredge. at New York. "Plaintiff also wrote to President Taft and corresponded with and inter viewed officials of the Department of Justice, acting: under direction of Attorney-General George W. Wicker sham," says the supplementary bill of particulars. Although Morse in his answer to Reid's suit denied that the plaintiff had ever rendered any services for him, the plaintiff asserts that the contract sued upon a verbal one covered a period from August 10, 1909, to May 1. 1913, and that his disbursements in Morse's behalf approximated $13,400. 1000 WORKERS IN DANGER Correspondent Says Krnpp Fire Caused No Iioss of Life. AMSTERDAM, .Dee. 24. A frontier correspondent of the Handelsblad says that the explosion which occurred re cently at the Krupp works had its origin in a building where 1000 per sons were employed. The engine-room and turning-shop suffered most and only the wooden portion of he building ' was destroyed. According to this cor respondent, there was no loss of life. A dispatch of December 21 from Maestricht, Holland, gave workmen from Essenas authority for the state ment that the Krupp plant had been ablaze for 24 hours. MANY EDITORS CONTRIBUTE Christmas Number of "Recruiters' Bulletin" Is Interesting. " Copies of the Christmas number of the Recruiters Bulletin, the monthly publication of the recruiting service ot the United States Marine Corps, reached Portland yesterday from New York. The number is richly decorated with seasonal typography, borders and cuts. A leading feature of the Bulletin is a symposium under the heading, "News papermen Write About Marines," to which between 25 and 30 city editors of large dailies of the United States con tributed. Articles by two Portland city editors have place in the sympo sium. ELDER DE SAULLES IS DEAD End Believed to Have Been Hastened by Tragedy of Son. BETHLEHEM, Penn., Dec 24. Major Arthur Brice Lje Saulles died here to day, aged 78. He had been ill for some time. Death was hastened by the tragedy of his son, John L., who was shot by his former wife, Blanca de Saulles. Major De Saulles earned bis title in the Confederate army. CLERK REFUSES TO QUIT End of Timber Grove School District Trouble Xot in Sight. OREGON CITY. Or.. Dec. 24. (Spe BANKER ciaL) Rev. W. F. Wettlaufer will not resign as clerk of the Timber Grove fchool district, so those who expected that such action would bring about a solution of the trouble between the teacher and B. Sullivan, a fellow-member of the board, must- await further developments. Despite two written offers made by Mr. Wettlaufer to resign, providing Mr. Sullivan also would step out of of fice, the latter's resignation hardly had reached the County Superintendent when a letter came from Rev. Wettlau fer, in which he revoked his former of fers to resign. The trouble, which culminated in a fistic encounter between the minister and Mr. Sullivan at a board meetitng a week or so ago and which resulted lo Sullivan being convicted of assault and battery last Tuesday, probably is not finished. With the filing of Mr. Sullivan's res ignation It was thought Rev. Mr. Wett laufer also would quit. Instead, the clerk wrote a letter to the Superin tendent revoking his offer to resign, asserting it was his duty as an Ameri can citizen to stand by the "little white schoolhouse." - - EL KADER GOES ASHORE ASTORIA LAl'XCH LIKELY TO BE . TOTAL LOSS. Little Craft Has Been Plylna- Between. Astoria and Forts at Month ; of Colombia River; ASTORIA. Or, Dec 24. (Special.) The gasoline launch El Kader, that has .been plying between this city and the forts - at the" mouth of the river, . is ashore on the Jetty sands just below the Alex Grant seining grounds, and the indications are she will-be a total loss. ' - The accident occurred about 11:30 o'clock last night. The launch was re turning from Fort Canby when her en gines broke down and, driven by the strong east wind, she drifted through the breakers and on the sands inside the south jetty. Distress signals were sent up and Captain Wicklund and the Point Adams Coast Guard crew has tened to the scene. They took off Cap tain Chet Turner and W. 1 Habernicht, the only persons on board. The launch pilot No. 1 went down at "5 o'clock this morning, but owing to the high seas was unable to reach the - distressed craft. The El Kader was completely water logged, part of her house was gone, all the windows had been smashed and the waves were, breaking "clear over- the little vessel. At low tide this after noon she was high and dry. The El Kader was built at Portland In 1902 as a pleasure launch for R. D. Inman; 61 feet long, with 10 feet beam and her net tonnage Is 21 tons. She was purchased a short time ago by Captain R. Swanson. Captain Chet Tur ner and W. L. Habernicht. I0NA ZOLLNER IS HELD CHARGE IS VIOLATION OF ES PIONAGE ACT. United State Army Lieutenant, Acred 22, Arrested With- Wife of German Officer In Chattanooga Hotel. CHATTANOOGA, Tenn., Dec 24. Baroness Iona Zollner, of New York, wife of a German army officer serving on the Flanders front, was held with out ball for the Federal grand Jury here today on the charge of violating the espionage act. Lieutenant John W. Spaulding, the 22-year-old United States Army officer, arrested with the woman at a local hotel last week, was sent to Fort Oglethorpe under guard after he had testified for the defense. The charge against the Baroness is based chiefly upon a code found In her possession and letters written by her to her 16-year-old son, Bedford Shope. The code, Spaulding swore today, was ar ranged so the Baroness could be kept informed as to his movements until such time as he might be sent to France. One of the letters to the boy described minutely a trip to Fort Oglethorpe, the condition of the roads and the topography of the surrounding country. Spaulding testified that he loved the prisoner and wanted to marry her; that she had paid his hotel bills and other expenses on various occasions and that she helped him to get a commission in the Army after he had been compelled to resign from the Naval Academy on account of "bills." Commissioner McAlester, who con ducted the hearing, indicated that much of the evidence against the defendant had been explained away. He refused to accept bail, but advised counsel for the Baroness to apply to the Federal district Judge for a writ of habeas corpus. PLUCKY WOMAN CARRIES OX BUSI NESS OF Ht'SBAXD WHO WENT TO WAR. -1 l5s? e. oicZkisr When Clarence R. Hotchkiss, a promt nent member of the Portland Realty Board, went to war as Captain of Com pany E. 162d Infantry (Third Oregon) he left his wife in charge of his real estate and insurance business, - which he conducted under the firm name of the Realty & Mortgage Company, with offices in the Chamber of Commerce building. Not only has Mrs. Hotchkiss handled this business, but she has done all her own housework and has, be sides, for the past seven months, been taking a training course to fit her to become a Red Cross nurse. Of the class of 33. only three are to be grad uated as qualified nurses, and Mrs. Hotchkiss is one of them. She has shown what a plucky woman can do E - , V"-- fell --- ; f-sv'.' i : """w1Hs . '" " s" "j-ss- . 2 t' . n . v w r ' a l - i V- - ' . 7N( ' . i - In these war times. REV.HENRY VATSON, CEIITEIIABIftDEAD Universalist Minister, Aged 102, Dies at Daughter's Home in Astoria. DEATH COMES PEACEFULLY Aged Man, Who Made Journey ' Across Continent Alone Last July, Attributed His Longevity to Clean. Living in His Youth. ASTORIA. Or.. Dec 24. (Special.) Rev. "Henry Watson, aged 102 years, 7 months and 26 days, the oldest resi dent of.Clastop County, and one of the oldest in Oregon, died today at the home of his daughter. Mrs. F. C. John son, in this city. The aged man had been seriously ill for several weeks, but he retained full use of his faculties almost to the last, calmly awaiting the arrival of the grim reaper. He peace fully passed away as if falling asleep, a fitting ending of a well-rounded life that had been rightfully lived, to the full measure. In accordance with the often-expressed wish of the deceased, the body will be eent to Oswego, N. Y., for interment in the family plot there. Henry Hill Watson was born in Mas sachusetts on April 27, 1815. When a young man he moved to Wisconsin and resided at the site of the present city of Racine for six yearsv when he went to Oswego, N. Y., making his home there until he came to Astoria, July 10. 1917. He made the trip across the con tinent in Just a week. At the age of 20 Mr. Watson was or dained a minister In the Universalist Church and held to that faith until his death. On account of the poverty of the early churches, he became a mill wright and followed that trade as a means of earning his livelihood. The deceased was the father of 11 children and the head of five genera tions. Only six children are now liv ing, one of them being Mrs. F. C. John son, of this city, and another a son. 76 years of age, who resides in Water town, N. Y. Rev. Mn. Watson was a witness of some of the most thrilling events in the history of the Nation and remem bered four of the country's principal wars besides the present one the Sem inole, Mexican, Civil and Spanish con flicts. He attributed his long life and his remarkable retention of his mental fac ulties to riKhtful living in his youth. OPERA EXPENSES MOUNT SAN CARLO COMPANY NOW ONLY ONE ON TOUR. ' Advance Mauser, Here to Arrange Details of torn In it Season, Telia of Worries of Impresario. "There are two sides to the opera production question, especially In the United States, where we have no mu nicipally-subsidized companies, said Charles R. Baker, advance manager of the San Carlo grand opera company, who is at the Multnomah for a few days perfecting with the local pro moters of the coming .engagement at the Auditorium the details of the event. "Opera production, like everything else, has increased in cost, and is now hedged about by such tremendous ex penses as to deter the most aggressive managers from attempting it. As a result there are now but three grand opera organizations in the United States the Chicago Opera and the Met ropolitan of New York, whose activi ties are confined solely to those com munities, and the San Carlo, now the only company on tour. All other trav eling organizations have closed their season thus early, suffering heavy deficit. "The greatest item of expense, of course, is the immense salary list, which, as in the case of the San Carlo, covers an aggregate of 100 persons. Next, perhaps, is the excessive cost of traveling, now that the Government has imposed an 8 per cent tax on all railroad tickets. Then there are hun dreds of items, such as royalties paid the publishers for the use of their opera scores, the fees paid the com posers for the use of their works, the scenery, costuming and other stags effects such as armor, furs, weapons, stage properties of all kinds, which in the San Carlo organization covers some 15 operas. Advertising . aterial is 100 per cent higher than it was a year ago." GERMANS FIGURE IN 'SHIP (Continued From Flrgt Page.) sented ia unique, as the ship is under control of the Bolshevikl, which has not been recognized by this Govern ment. Wednesday the cargo of the Shilka will be discharged under strict Federal supervision. Federal officials threw the guaid about the hip. they said, because of a reported mutiny of the crew several days after the vessel left a Russian Pacific port. One of the Shilka's crew, who was on shore leave when the eruard was put v t " "it i 's. J ! '--.' pifelllilli r ' : it h A , it I ' ? . ' ; t ;-v: c& " ' " 1 1 rX- t,.H t . I Rev. Henry Hill Watson. I A................... over the vessel, was arrested by city r police last night at local L W. W. headquarters. The officers said he at tended a meeting of the local radicals yesterday and made a spirited speech. Twenty-one alleged I. W. W. were ar rested yesterday when they fraternized with. the Russian crew on the dock. Shortly before noon today the com mandant -of. -the station where the American sailors were from went into conference with the United States Dis trict Attorney here- ' Captain Boris Dogal. master of the boat, and members o fthe crew prob ably will be interned, officials asserted. Search will be continued until the -en tire vessel and also the cargo are gone over. Money Not Tet Found. Saturday night unverified rumors were circulated that the vessel car ried $100,000 sent by Bolshevikl to aid the defense of I. W. W. under trial in Chicago. Officials have found no trace of the money. Late today Federal agents, digging their way down lnf.Q the hold of the Shilka, came across a number of small packing: boxes. When they picked up the boxes and endeavored to throw them to one side, the Russians on the vessel became ex cited and one cried: "Look out; it will explode." "An investigation to determine the purpose of those in cnarge of the ship will be made immediately," the United- States District Attorney here said to day. "We know that the Shilka is manned by a Bolshevikl crew and ap parently is in chu.rge of a committee of five that took the vessel over after , tne crew mutinied a lew aays out ox the Russian port." . TRAVELERST0 ENTERTAIN Oregon Division of Association Will . Give "High Jinks" at Multnomah. The Oregon division of the Travelers' Protective Association will hold its an nual "high jinks" at the Multnomah Hotel Saturday. The affair will be strictly informal. The committee, consisting of Paul J. Sullivan, president; Clyde Evans, sec retary; W. L. Grinnell, Paul C. Morton and S. S. Pier, are working like beavers to get-up something out of the ordi nary. Every woman present will receive a handsome souvenir with the compli ments of the association and a large number of prizes will be distributed. The affair will start promptly at 6:30. Members will be expected from Spo kane, Tacoma, alla Walla, Eugene, Astoria, Marshfield and numerous other cities of the Northwest. In the afternoon at 1:30 the annual meeting and - election of officers for the coming- year will be held at the Multnomah Hotel. FINE PUBLICATION ISSUED Jewish Tribune Anniversary Num ber Contains Brilliant Articles. Scintillating with brilliant articles by special writers, the 14th anniversary number of the Jewish Tribune, pub lished in Portland, has made its ap pearance. It is one of the most attrac tive publications issued this season, is in enlarged size and Is perfection from the standpoint of the printer and press man. Many special articles dealing with phases particularly appropriate to the present-day situation are published in this number. Among them are those dealing with the Zionist movement, the fall of Jerusalem into the hands of the British and the pointing out of the op portunity that has come with the cap ture of the holy city. Dr. N. Mosessohn id the editor of the Tribune, and his son, David, is man aging editor. 42 TEACHERS TO BENEFIT Men Who Blade Unsuccessful In vestments Remembered in Will. NEW YORK. Dec 24. Forty-two persons, mainly schoolteachers, princi pals and otheri. Identified with educa tional affairs, are beneficiaries under the will filed today of Logan D. Howell, a teacher in the Mount Morris High School, of this city, who died August 4. The estate is valued at more tnan $12,000 in personal property. The will relates that the legatees "invested through my influence in a business en terprise that proved unsuccesf ul." Among the beneficiaries are Philan der P. Claxton, United State. Commis sioner of Education, and Edwin A. Alde,-man. president of the University of Virginia. DAILY METEOROLOGICAL REPORT. PORTLAND, Dee. 24.- Maximum tempera ture, 40 degrees; minimum, 30 degrees. River reading, 8 A. M., 15.8 feet: Changs in last 24 hours, 2.0 feet fall. Total rainfull (5 P. M. to 5 P. M.). .01 lncn. total rainfall tilnce September 1. 1917, 15.88 Inches; normal rain fall since September 1. 17.63 Inches; defi ciency of rainfall since September 1, 1M17. 177 inches. Sunrise. 7:Si! A. M. ; sunset. 4:30 P. M. Total sunshine. 1 hour 5 min utes: possible sunshine, 8 hours 38 minutes. Moonrine, 1:32 P. it.; moonset, 4:09 A. M. BMarometer (reduced lo sea level). 6 P. M-. 80.08 inches. Relative humidity at noon. 74 per cent. THE WEATHER. Wind 7 Stat, ef weath.r. STATIONS. Baker ..... 28 1? -28) 3610 OBI. -INE as 4 w ICloudy Cloudy Cloudy Boise 44 O. Boston Calgary . . . Chlcafco ... 44 0. 00ll4iSW 810. 00 8,N'W iea.r 44 JB 48!0 Cloudy Clouuy Cloudy Denver Des Moines .-I 82!0 .001 8 KJ Z2i 0 48 82 4 24 O 010 B80. 700 1;0 8010 8iO 00' 12 -V ,04j22!W 00 8NE 00 1013 .00 . . w .00l0NB Duluth Eureka Galveston . . . Helena Cloudy Clear Clear Clear Clear Pt. cloudy Clear Clear Jacksonville . . Juneaut ...... 46 Kansas City .. Los Angeles. . . Marshfield . . . Medford , Minneapolis .. New Orleans. . 38 52 SSiO. 64 !0. 002SM 00 . . ;SW 48 B8i0 8211 '0 02 4 W 411 8 B4j 20 1 34 24 42 381 Oil 4ISW Pt. cloudy 00 ICiNW Clear 7410. ''HO'S Pt. cloudy Cloudy CToudy New York 4210 4210 34 jO 68i0 OOI2iSW North Bend . . . North Yakima. Phoenix 00 lOiE 00 8'SE loud V .w 8ISW Cloudy Pocatello 420. 40iO. cs;o. 5410. ftlllO. 4S0. 6210. 5SiO. 3S O. 220. 2C0. 3810. S8!0. 810. 280. 48 :0. -16)o. Cloudy Cloudy Portland Rose burg1 ..... Sacramento .. St. Louis Salt Lake San Diego 851 48 63E 4 Pt. cloudy clear Rain Pt. cloudy IClear 44 48 40 62 62 80 'is 32 San Francisco. rlwir Seattle . Sitka riaudv Cloudy Spokane Tacoma Pt. R OUdT Cloudy Tatoosh Island 84 -4 20 pt. cloudv Valdezt Walla Walla Washington Winnipeg Clear Cloudy 84 Klin -22 OOI 8W IClear t A. M. today. P. M. report of preceding day. FORECASTS. Portland and vicinity Unsettled weather, protably rain; fresh easterly winds. Washington Rain In western portion, fair and colder In east portion; ireah easterly winds. Idaho Rain or snow; colder. Oregon Unsettled, probably rain; fresh easterly winds. Read The Oregonlan classified ads. on 061 oil m I 001 . . N 01 12 -M (Ml 8 E 00 . . W 00 . . NW OO . . N -00 .. NE 00 . . NE 00 . . M 00 36, B OO .. NE O0 . . W 02 4IS 'IS WELL of two hundred thirty-eight earnest, loyal, grateful peo ple, associates and principals, each and all, do we thank you for favors given for that spirit of courtesy and consideration which you who shop, ofttime aweary and anxious, have shown us a spirit which has made this Christmas Season one to be cherished, even though the shadows of a great conflict lie each moment athwart our path. s. Our part in winning this war lies in life's daily task well per formed. You have helped us and we shall strive through the days which follow, bright or somber, so to toil and strive that a victori ous peace may the sooner come to our Nation and our allies. (onoi I0E30I QUIZ IS WELCOMED Records, Says Armour, Show Charges to Be Untrue. BIG SURPLUS WAS IN 1910 Dealings In Butter, Eggs, Cheese, Poultry. Etc., Said to Have Re sulted In Decreasing Cost of Slarketlng Meat. CHICAGO, Dec. 24. J. Ogden Armour said tonight the statement made yes terday by counsel for the Federal Trade Commission, which la investigating packing plants, to the effect that Armour & Co., did not disclose Its ownership of an interest In the Chi cago Stockyards until Federal agents seized correspondence between F. H. Prince, of Boston, and Mr. Armour was controverted by the records. Mr. Armour said: "Our records show that on October 30 we delivered to an examiner for the Federal Trade Commission, Hravita by name, a written statement, compiled at his request. Under the heading "Mis cellaneous Corporations" there was In cluded the specific Item, showing that we had acquired by purchase one-fifth of the stock of the Chicago Stockyards Company." Surplus Earned In 1010. ' Mr. Armour -said the charge that Armou "& Co.'had been able to In crease its stock from $20,000,000 to $100,000,000 as a result of its Invest ment in the stockyards company was not true. In 1910, the time the stock yards stock was purchased, he said, the combined capital and surplus of Armour & Co. was $93,983,313, and that the company was Justified in increas ing Its stock, as It had been the custom of the concern to allow earnings to re main In the business and assist In de velopment and enlargement. The Increase was made In 1916, al though $93,000,000 was invested In the business prior to the investment In the stockyards company. Mr. Armour tonight answered two other charges previously made at the hearing In Washington, saying: Coat of Marketing; Decreased. "It Is charged that our dealing In butter, eggs, poultry, cheese, fruits, fish and vegetables is an attempt at alleged monopolies of these products. I deny-that our engaging in these kin dred lines has had the effect of In creasing the cost of meat, and unquali fiedly state that our aim and reeult in entering these lines of business were to decrease the cost of distribution and marketing of meat." The charge that an attempt had been made by Armour & Co. to conceal true ownership in subsidiary and auxiliary companies by having the stock In such concerns held In the name of individu als. Mr. Armour said, was untrue. He explained that the laws of Illinois for bade an Illinois corporation to own stock in other corporations, although almost all other states did not forbid such ownership. Investigation Is Welcomed. "It has therefore become necessary," added Mr. Armour, "that we permit such stock to be held by Individuals for the benefit of our corporation. The only alternative would be to withdraw from the state. Loyalty to Chicago and Illinois, in which I reside, has al ways caused me to feel that Armour gt Co. should remain an Illinois corpor ation. ."We welcomed this Investigation, feeling that it would give the public In formation to which It is entitled, show lne the legitimate reasons for the pres ent high cost of meat; and we have thrown "open to the commission our books and records and stand-'ready to aid them In every way possible along constructive lines." ARMY PRISONERS GLAD DULL. BARRACKS WALLS TO RADI ATE HOLIDAY CHEER ONE DAY. Five Haadred Soldiers In Disgrace on Alcatras Island to Enjoy Old Time Christmas. SAN FRANCISCO,' Cal., Dec 24. Shining 214 feet above mean high water, one of the most powerful bea cons In the lighthouse service flashes Its rays through the Golden Gate so that on a clear night the mariner 21 miles out at sea can see clearly Its in termittent but regularly reappearing beams. Beneath this light is a grim gray, rocked-ribbed little island of 20 acres, crowned with grimmer walls of gray stone pierced with rows of In numerable barred windows. Heavy fogs sweep In through the Golden Gate and envelop It and It -is safeguarded by the swirling tides of San Francisco Bay. which, baffle the strongest swimmer. No man who ever attempted to breast these tides from Alcatraz Island, as the little rock is called, to the mainland, only half a mile away, where the lights of the city shine at night,, has lived to tell his experience. Here 600 men who once wore the OdOI that the space given each day patronage should this morning sound finer message than money or wares. Woodard, Clarke & lotaoi United States Army uniform with honor will spend their Christmas to morrow. Offenses, more or less serious, have brought them within the walls of the United States disciplinary bar racks, on this wind-swept rock. There Is scarcely one of them but has the fierce longing to be with those other men In drab who are facing the Ger mans In France or are about to cross the Atlantic for the far-flung Euro pean battle lines, and many of them. as they are graduated from their dis ciplinary term, will be allowed to re join the active service. Dull walls have taken on color. Greens and red berries are festooned and wreathed throughout the barracks. Stone walls and steel bars have failed to keep out the Christmas spirit and their Uncle Sam will do what he can to make the occasion as pleasurable as circumstances will permit. All routine duties will be suspended and the men permitted liberty within the confines of the parade grounds and barracks. There will be a baseball game between two teams in the after noon after the Christmas dinner at noon. In the evening there will be moving pictures interspersed with a musical and vocal programme. And overhead the light will keep Its vigil, flashing its rays through the Golden Gate far out across the rolling Pacific HALIFAX DEAD TOTAL 1500 Revised Estimate Places Damage at $50,000,000; Injured at 4000. HALIFAX, N. S.. Dec. 24. Fifteen hundred killed, 4000 seriously injured, 20,000 homeless and total property loss amounting to $50,000,000 was the esti mate today of destruction and damage caused by the explosion of the muni tion ship Mont Bianc on December 6, which wrecked and burned an area of 2 square miles in the north end of Halifax. The estimate was prepared and sub mitted to the general relief commit tee by J. H. Wlngfleld, an exp -t, who made detailed examination. The fig ures, while not accepted as final, were regarded by the committee as con servative. BRITISH LOSSES DECREASE Casualties for Week Ending Decem ber 2 4 Total 13,919. LONDON, Dec. 24. Tha British cas ualties reported for the period Decem ber 19-24, Inclusive, number 13,919, aa follows: Killed or died of wounds Officers, 208; men. 2714. Wounded or missing' Officers, 837; men. 10,160. A very considerable decrease in the British casualties is shown in the lat est figures. The casualties the week ended December 18 were 17,076; for the week ended December 11, 23,356, and for the week ended December 4. 28,882 We Wish You a Very Merry Christmas and at the same time we desire to express our appreciation of a most liberal holiday patronage. Biiffmn & Pendleton Co: The Man's Store of Portland 127 SIXTH STREET 30 Easy Steps From Wash. St. F. N. Pendleton. Winthrop Hammond. For Son and Daughter As a Christmas Gift A BUSINESS COURSE at Fit them for success at the Northwest's largest, finest and best equipped Business College. Second Night School Term Begins Wednesday, Jan. 2 Enroll Nowl Join the Red Cross Today as Well to an appeal for a higher note a And so, in behalf Co: lOEXOl PLAINTS BRING ACTIC5 CONDITIONS AT FORT STEVENS TO UNDERGO INVESTIGATION. Secretary of War Will Determine Whether Oregon Troops Are Suf fering Prom Hardships. OREGON'IAJf NEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, Dec. 24. The War Department, at the request of Representative Mc Arthur, today ordered an investiga tion at Fort Stevens to determine whether Oregon troops stationed at that post are being forced to undergo unnecessary hardships for lack of proper housing facilities. Mr. McArthur took the matter up on receipt .of a telegraphic protest from , Mayor Baker, who asserted the men are still obliged to live in tents under jnaer irgjji very bad conditions. The Mayor urge the transfer of the troops to Vanco Barracks. The War Department, as one feature of its investigation, will ascertain whether there are accommodations In permanent buildings at Vancouver Bar racks for the men now tenting at Fort Stevens, and also will ascertain when permanent barracks heretofore ordered will be completed at Fort Stevens. Telegrams were received by members of the Oregon delegation from Astoria citizen protesting against the trans fer of troops from Fort Stevens, but Mr. McArthur took the ground that i Mayor Baker's telegram presented a j situation that demanded Immediate in- vestigatlon. I HUGHES' TOGATHREATENED Defeat of Conscription , Causes Un certain Feeling in Australia. SYDNEY, Australia, Dec. 24. Further returns from the referendum have In creased the vote against compulsory military Bervlce and the defeat of the plan Is now beyond doubt. The political situation is very uncer tain. Premier Hughes has made no statement thus far, but in certain quar ters there Is evidence of opposition to his continued leadership of the Na- ttonallsts. tne dominant party- "One Touch of Nature Makes the Whole World Kin." It's a commendable trait that when something has been of benefit to us we want to share it with others who stand in need of the same help. It's the touch of Nature that makes the whole world kin the wanting to be helpful to our fellow men. That is why people who have used Chamberlain's Cough Remedy write letters to the manu facturers about It. and ask to have them published so that others will know what to do under the same cir cumstances. Behind every one of these letters is the warm-hearted wish of the writer to be of use to someone else. Adv. o ni