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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 29, 1917)
lO THE MORNING OREGONIAN, SATURDAY, DECE3IBEIS 29, 1917. fOKTLAND. OKKGON. Entered at Portland (Oregon) Postofflce as second-class mall matter. Subscription rates invariably- in advance: (Br Mall) ralljr, Sunday Included, one year. ..... .$8.00 Iai:y, Sunday Included, six months..... 4.25 Dally. Sunday included, three months. 2.25 Daily, Sunday included, one month 75 Dally, without Sunday, on year 6.00 Daily, without Sunday, six months 8.25 Daily, without Sunday, three months.... 1.75 Dally, without Sunday, one month...... 60 Weekly, one year .................-.. Sunday, one year ...................... 2.50 Sunday and weekly S.jU (By Carrier.) Dally, Sunday Included, one year Dally. Sunday Included, one month...... Daily, without Sunday, one year........ J-80 Daily, wtrhout Sunday, three months.... l.5 Dally, without Sunday, one month...... Mow to Kemlt Send postofllce money or der, express order or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at owner's risk. Olve postoffics address In full, including county and state. Poataxe Rates 12 to 18 paces, 1 cent: IS to 32 pages, 2 cents; 34 to 48 pages, 3 cents; 60 to 60 pages, 4 cents; 62 to 76 pages, 5 cents; 78 to 82 pages. 6 cents. Foreign postage, double rates. Eastern Business Office Verree Conk lln. Brunswick builJing New York; Verree A Conkiln. Steger building, Chicago: San Francisco representative. R. J. Bldwell. 742, Vlarket street. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. The Associated Press is exclusively en titled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to It or not otherwise credited in this paper, and also the local teas published herein. All rights of republication of special dis patches herein are also reserved. PORTLAND, SATURDAY, DEC. 89, 1917 GERMANY'S PEACE TERMS. The peace terms proposed by the Central Powers to Russia are convinc ing: evidence that the Teutons deliber ately ignore the war aims of the allies. The governments of the four monar chies certainly know why their ene mies continue the war. although they have.' carefully kept the truth away from their peoples as far as possible. They have cultivated a fiction about the cause of the war and about their own aims, which necessity compels them to keep alive in the minds of their people, and they also hope to propagate it among enemy peoples for the purpose of promoting disunion in the ranks. They strive to put their enemies in the wrong by making it appear that they seek no conquest or indemnity, but that the democratic powers persist in fighting for the pur pose of conquest and of exacting in demnity. Foreseeing that their terms will be rejected by tee western allies, they hope to make that rejection the ground for a separate peace with Rus sia, as a result of which they would have at their disposal the vast re sources of that chaotic country. The proposals of the Central Pow ers are unacceptable because they contemplate a treaty with undefeated rations which by word or act, or both, have proclaimed that treaties are scraps of paper. Germany frank ly adopted that doctrine by the In vasion of Belgium and by the speech cf Chancellor von Bethmann-Holl-weg In announcing that fact. Austria Hungary had already adopted the came theory by annexing Bosnia and Herzegovina in violation of the Ber lin treaty. Turkey has always fol lowed it, most recently by agreeing to administrative reforms which have never been made and by massacring lier non-Turkish subjects wholesale. Bulgaria is also guilty, for King Fer dinand continued negotiations to join the allies long after he had made se cret treaties to Join the Central Powers. For these reasons the allies will snake no treaty with the Central Pow ers until the latter are so completely defeated that they will recognize their impotence to break treaties in defiance of the world, or until the governments of the Central Powers are so radically changed that the allies will know them to represent the sentiments' of their peoples instead of a small, ruling caste. In short the allies regard the. present governments of the autocracies as bands of crim inals who have acquired control of entire nations and who must be dis armed and brought to justice as a necessary condition of world peace. The first clause of the German pro posals denying the intention of "for cible annexations of territories seized during the war" would put in effect the drawn game. .With Germany un defeated, the drawn game would leave her three allies practically annexed, for Germany has military control of their armies, and economic control through war loans and commercial union. Thus the Hamburg to the Persian Gulf scheme would be re alized, and the nucleus of Pan-Germany would be an accomplished fact, for the political independence of Ger many's allies would be merely nomi nal. While Germany would on the face of things have renounced annex ation, she would in fact have an nexed vast territory having a popula tion of 78.500,000. While Serbia, Roumanla and Greece would nomi nally regain their independence, they would be so weakened by war and would be so isolated that they would pass under economic control of Ger many and that country could com plete their annexation at leisure. Peace without annexation and with Germany undefeated would be a Ger man victory and would be a mere truce, the duration of which would be used in preparing for the next war to complete the scheme of world-conquest. Although the Central Powers de clare that it is not their intention "to deprive of political independence those nations which lost it during the war," the German terms would leave those nations mangled, ruined and open to that economic penetration by which Germany reduces political in dependence to a mere shadow. Ger man contempt for treaties implies that no respect would be shown even for this shadow. By consenting to the drawn game the allies would confess their inability to defeat Germany, and th'e small nations would cower before the apostles of ruthlessness. The most cynical of all the pro posals is that "the question of sub jection" to another country "of those nationalities who have not political independence . . . must be solved by each government, together with its peoples, in a manner established by the constitution." A fine chance of in dependence the Poles, Danes and Alsa tians would have under the German constitution, or the Poles, Bohemians, Jugo-Slavs, Roumanians and Italians under the Austro-Hungarian constitu tion; or theeArmenians, Arabs. Greeks, Druses and Maronites under the Turk ish constitution; or the Serbs, Greeks and Roumanians under the Bulgarian constitution. That clause means that these peoples shall not become inde pendent, though the allies are pledged to liberate and unite subject and di vided peoples and though they cannot defeat the German, plan without so doing. By proposing that all belligerents "renounce not only indemnification for war costs but also indemnifica tion for war damases" the Central Powers ask. that they escape scot free for all the infamous crimes which they have committed in Belgium, France, Serbia, Roumania, Italy, Ar menia and Palestine. These coun tries are to be returned to their peo ples in "a state of devastation and ruin, and upon them is to be thrown the huge burden of restoration, while the Central Empires remain practi cally intact, suffering no loss except that which is the inevitable conse quence of war. Justice demands that the war itself be stamped as a crime committed by Germany and her con federates, and that every act which they have committed in violation of the laws of war be branded as a crime by exaction cf full reparation. Exact justice would require that the Central Powers pay an indemnity equal to the entire cost of the war to the allies, but President Wilson has renounced such a claim, and the allies have assented. The allies are ready to secure the" rights of minorities in rearranging frontiers on the basis of nationality, but they would not let the despots which avowedly crush subject nations have a hand in the job. When the time comes to dispose of the German colonies, the allies will consider the manner in which Ger many has governed them, and will also have regard for the wishes of their people. They will have in mind the massacre of the Herreros in Southwest Africa and the barbarous mutilation of natives in Cameroon and German East Africa. Until those people have progressed to the point where they are capable of self-government, some white nation will rule them, but as a trustee for their own interests, as the United States gov erned the Philippines. The question will then arise whether Germany would be a fit trustee. The allies cannot be expected to consider the German terms, because it would be folly to make a treaty with an undefeated Germany, still ruled by the criminals who commit ted the crime of 1914, and because the terms offered are themselves de ceptive and because their acceptance would accept defeat and would con demn the world to another period of ruinous armament. MAKE IT INTERESTING. Quite likely the voters of Oregon are observing with customary fonti tude the serious deliberations of the Grange, Farmers Union and State Federation of Labor heads, as to whether to unite under the banner of the Farmers' Non-Partisan League. Quite likely, too, the voters' fortitude will still be maintained if the merely titular leaders of these organizations in their wisdom decide to embrace the principles of the North Dakota organization. An 'election without a league of some kind to present some thing tasty in government' 1 novelties would be an empty and unsatisfactory affair. It might as well be the Farmers' Nonpartisan League as a league un der any other name. True, that or ganization seems to have reached the crest of its development elsewhere and is not in the best of patriotic odor, but it has some novel ideas on methods of raising money for cam paign purposes and a league with a sack has its advantages yes, indeed. Of more interest than announce ment that the three organizations have combined under a euphonious title will be a statement of what it is that is desired. Is it political offices? Is it a legislature that will pass some law that the people would not adopt If presented by initiative? Is it a set of initiated bills, none of which would carry if standing alone, but all of which might be put over by swapping votes?" Or what is the programme that makes formation of a nonparti san league seem worthy of considera tion in a state where anybody can start a measure on Its way to obtain a free and open expression of public opinion? In any event, let's have -a league of some sort. Without one buzzing about the public is likely to become careless and then no telling what kind of laws may be adopted. ABATING THE NARCOTIC ETTT. The supreme necessity for supple mentary measures to check the men ace of narcotic addiction, which has been met only in part by Federal and state laws licensing the sale of these drugs, has been brought to attention recently by hearings held in New Tork City by an investigating committee of the State Legislature. Present laws need fortification with, provi sion for the treatment of addicts as sick persons and not as criminals. There must also be such an awaken ing of public sentiment that drastic, even harsh, penalties shall be im posed upon those who deliberately en gage in the illicit traffic. It has been disclosed that fines do not deter the class of men who trade upon the mis fortunes of their fellows. The New York hearing has derived added interest from the fact that ad dicts themselves have had an oppor tunity to testify. These have agreed quite generally that so-called "cures," based upon the principle of gradual withdrawal of the drug, fall short of expectations, and that a more exten sive and more sympathetic course of treatment is required. Such a course is hardly possible In public hospitals in which drug addicts are only an in cident in the routine. The pathology of addicts was strikingly empha sized by the testimony. Their crav ings were not abated by their treat ment in prisons and detention hospi tals. When they emerged from these institutions they became prey of un scrupulous vendors who awaited them at every turn. It has been made clear that recon struction of narcotic victims requires special study of individual cases, and that it can seldom be accomplished by routine measures such as are per functorily carried out in large "Insti tutions." . The psychology of the ad dict is quite as important as his phy sical condition. It also has been demonstrated that complete cure is a complex and difficult combination of mental, -moral and physical building-up. Withdrawal of the dangerous drug, or the substitution of others, and even diet and exercise, are only part of the needed regimen. Re awakening of interest in life and re vival of normal ambitions are brought about slowly in complicated cases, and require tact and patience in high degree. It is desirable that public interest in the subject should be aroused now because the problem is one that will require co-operation for its solution, and because the practically unavoid able use of narcotics on the battle field constitutes a special peril. Wit nesses before the New York commit tee have testified that they began using morphine when suffering agony from wounds in Europe, that they found It easy to buy narcotics in Eng land, and that when they returned to America they were driven by the Fed eral anti-narcotic law and the insti tutional treatment of the larger cities to seek relief in forbidden channels of the underworld. Many . of them, however, sincerely desired to be cured, and so far as their weakened powers made it possible were willing to co operate to that . end. The lesson is that illicit traders should be extermi nated with as little . mercy as one would show to a den of rattlesnakes, and that in addition special measures should be adopted for the relief of the sufferers themselves. WHY SOT? The New York World, Democratic more nearly the National newspa per voice of the party than any other organ protests vehemently against adoption by Congress of the prohibi tion amendment and holds the South ern Democratic representatives direct ly accountable therefor. The article by the World is so blunt and perti nent, and it goes so directly to the heart of an abuse which, has been tolerated by all parties for so many years, that it is reproduced elsewhere. Emphasizing again the Democratic origin of this protest, let us quote here a single paragraph on another phase of the subject: Southern domination of the present Con gress has not been agreeable to anybody In the North. Democrat or Republican. Men like Claude Kltchln have been treating the rest of the country like a conquered prov ince, imposing outrageous burdens of taxa tion and giving as little as possible In re turn. The price of wheat for the Northern farmer Is fixed by due process of law. but the Southern farmer la allowed to charge for his cotton all that the traffic will bear, and Is demanding more. Well, these chick ens will come home to roost some day. When the war began, and the price of cotton took a slump, the Southern Brigadiers in Congress got busy, and through Secretary McAdoo, many millions of the public moneys were placed at disposal of the cotton growers. If cotton, why not wheat, or corn, or fruit, or sheep, or cattle, or hops, or wool, or other products of the soil and range in the North and West? THEIR OWN MEDICINE. A' speaker at a dinner of the In tercollegiate Socialist Society is re ported as complaining that the United States Government is "hounding the Industrial Workers of the World from pillar to post." He is quite indignant over this effort to suppress anarchy, sabotage and treason in time of Na tional peril. It is largely a matter of choice of words.' "Hounding" in this instance consists simply in suppression of such acts as driving spikes into logs so that they will destroy the machinery in sawmills and perhaps kill work men who have as much right to live as any member of the I. W. W. It means punishment of arson, and food poisoning, and a hundred crimes plotted in secret and executed by sneaks. Of course, the I. W. W. are not "hounding" anyone. "Direct ac tion" and such phrases cover crime with euphemism. But they do not make it less criminal. It is no time for being mealy mouthed in. dealing with the menace of the I. W. W. . Whether they are "hounded" or something else, their seditious activities must be sup pressed. The "intercollegiate" label on a few of their apologists is no cer tificate of immunity. It is a fact that no member of the I. W. W. is in the slightest danger who behaves with reasonable circum spection. But if he tries to inaugu rate a reign of terror he has no busi ness to whine if people serve him a diluted dose of his own medicine. And the dose will 'be less and less diluted as time runs on if he does not re spond to mild treatment. A BUDGET SYSTEM NEEDED NOW. Second only to war legislation in importance is establishment of a bet ter system of making appropriations by Congress and of controlling ex penditures by the Qovernment. An nual expenditures have suddenly grown from a billion to about thirteen billions a year, and immense sums are being drawn from the people in di rect taxes. Congress will soon learn that the question of a budget system has become a live topic of public dis cussion, for public indifference to Government finance will pass away when public revenue is no long er derived solely from indirect taxes, which "you pay without knowing it." But Congress has paid no serious attention to the recommendation of President Wilson that the House en trust the preparation of all appropria tion bills to one committee instead of dividing them among eight commit tees, each of which is out to grab all the money it can. The only step to ward carrying out the President's rec ommendation is the introduction by Senator Kenyon and Representa tive Frear of a joint resolution creat ing a joint executive and congres sional commission to prepare a budget system and report at the next session. If this commission's plan should be adopted, the new system could not ap ply to expenditures prior to July 1, 1920. By that time the war will probably be over, yet it is precisely to regulate the vast expenditures of the war that budget reform is urgent ly needed. The joint commission scheme is an admirable way to lock the stable - door after the horse is stolen. The House should adopt the single appropriation committee at the present session before it has acted on any of the appropriation bills. Members of the House cling devot edly to their pork barrels as the means of capturing votes for re-election. They should remember that for many years to come millions of voters will pay direct taxes and will want to know where their money is going. They may lose more votes by voting for wasteful appropriations than by get ting Government money spent in their districts. The time may be near when committees of citizens will watch Government expenditures as they now scrutinize the annual budgets of the City of Portland and Multnomah County. OUR MILLIONAIRES. There are only two states in the Union, according to the figures of the Income Tax Division of the Internal Revenue Department, which do not possess ' one or more millionaires. These are Alabama and Mississippi, and the statistics are not final as to them. According to the theories of those who maintain that rich men are a blight to their communities, it would be assumed that these states were especially blessed. But there has been no recent mad rush to live in them. They do not stand out over other states as Utopias. It is Interesting to learn, however, that the number of millionaires in the United States in 1916 increased 7925 by comparison with. 1915. .Opportun ity to accumulate a fortune is quite widely disseminated. This is shown not only by the statistics of the forty six states of the Union, but also by the returns from Alaska, the Philip pines, Hawaii and the District of Columbia. Thirteen states have names in the group with fortunes of $50, 000,000 or more. The total number of millionaires is 22,696. In 1915 it was only 14,771. The figures of the Department are arrived at by capitalizing at four per cent the incomes upon which Federal tax is paid. ' The secrecy provided by the law prevents the public from learning who are the richest Amer icans, but some shrewd guesses will be made. John D. Rockefeller will not be omitted from any calculations. Many will place Henry Ford among the leading ten. ' His is a comparative ly new name, showing the possibil ities for rapid advancement the coun try still holds. Henry Clay Frlck, Andrew Carnegie, J. P. Morgan and George F. Baker may be others in the same class. Two women Mrs. E. H. Harrlman and Mrs. Russell Sage are tentatively listed there by students of financial affairs. Great Britain, according to the Blue Book of the Commissioner of Inland Revenue for the year ended March 31, 1916, had only 5154 millionaires, or about a quarter of the number in the United States, but whereas there are only ten Americans possessing $125, 000,000, in Britain there are' seventy nine. We have nine others with $100, 000,000 or more, to Great Britain's sixty-eight; fourteen with $75,000,000 to $100,000,000, where Britain has forty-five; thirty-four with from $50, 000,000 to $75,000,000 to Britain's seventy-three, and forty-two with from $37,500,000 to $50,000,000, while Britain has sixty-one. But below this point, the United States leads. We are particularly strong in newly-made fortunes. But rich men are finding out that wealth has its burdens, too, as is shown by the statement of tax collec tions. The income tax yielded $180, 108,000 in 1916,-as compared with only $67,943,000 In 1915. This in crease was recorded before the law was changed to revise the exemptions downward. The present fiscal year is expected to yield a further increase over the revenue of 1916. With ordinary grades of apples selling for 2 5 cents a pound, gold, in Chinese cities, as reported by our Consul at Hongkong, there - would seem to be wide opening for the extension of the market for western fruit in the Orient, as soon as trans portation facilities have been restored to a normal basis. The prediction made a few years ago that China would soon be able to supply its own demands has not been justified by events, and although the apple has been grown there from remote ages, its commercial cultivation is making little or no progress. Fostering of demand, however, is a complex problem. The reputation of the apple is now suffering from the in roads of inferior grades and most Chinese of the class who are able to buy freely do not know the really delicious apple such as that which has made Oregon famous. It will also be necessary to provide cold storage facilities which are now lack ing, both in transit and in the com mercial centers of the country. Major Aubert says that history will be Germany's worst enemy, but If the German plan had worked out the only versions of history which would have survived would have been made in Germany. They would have told of the terrible savagery with which the barbarous Belgians fell on the highly kultured German soldiers. That is one of the reasons why Ger many could not afford to lose. An American sentry was found with his throat cut from ear to ear, and that is a sample of the treatment to be expected from the cowards who whimper "Kamerad!" when they are captured. Part of the equipment of the American should be a meat ax or cleaver. Some of the jobs put over pass comprehension. Ip New York a cloth shrinker is in jail because 350 bolts of ollve-drab uniform cloth, worth $50,000, are missing. Some shrink, that! Before this war is over the United States will e known as the generous Nation. Assurance to Switzerland of food stuffs is a start toward acquiring the name. When a windshield is obscured by rain it is time the car driver sacri fice a little comfort by opening it and give the pedestrian a chance for his life. Owning 20,000,000 acres of land, the negroes have a stake to fight for in this country. A share of the soil is the best assurance of patriotism. A complete new vocabulary 13 being made by Tommy Atkins and the poilus. We now await a rich contri bution from the Sammies. When the aero squadron at Van couver begins practice Portland peo ple will see something in the air. Major Patton speaks of his "Mem ory of the Revolutionary War," but it is certain he doesn't "look it." Nevertheless and notwithstanding, there was official deficiency yester day in rainfall of 1.06 inches. Why not a revenue stamp on a meal check above a certain sum and let the wasteful pay it? Michigan City, Ind., is so near Chi cago it is little wonder an alien enemy was elected Mayor. Since all German peace proposals are passed on by Lloyd George, no body need worry. Thousands of men will be seen on the streets today minus the Red Cross button. Why? Government easily can increase railway rates. Look at the 3-cent stamp. - Somebody must invent rainproof hosiery if styles and showers continue. Up in the isothermal country about Duluth it is only 32 below. The optimist shows his blood when rains are heaviest. The President was 61 yesterday and is still some goer, DEMOCRACY BETRAYED BY SOUTH Democratic Newspaper Condemns 5ee . tional Domination, of Congress. New York World. .Section 2 of article Xrv of the Con stitution of the United States provides that: "Representatives shall be apportioned among the several states according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of persons in each state, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right to vote at any election for the choice of Electors for President and Vice-President of the United States, Representatives in Congress, the execu tive and judicial officers of a state or the members of the Legislature thereof is denied to any of the male inhabi tants of such state, being 21 years of age and citizens of the United States, or in any way abridged except for par ticipation in rebellion or other crime, the basis of representation shall be reduced in the proportion which the number -of such male citizens shall bear to the whole number of male cit izens 21 years of age in such state." This provision of the Constitution, together with the Fifteenth Amend ment, declaring that the right of citi zens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged on account of "race, color or previous condition of servitude," has been nullified since the Hayes Administration withdrew the Federal troops from the Southern states. For 40 years the right of negro citi zens to vote in the South has been persistently denied and the penalties prpvided by the Constitution have never been enforced. No. Southern state has jever suffered a reduction in its representation through its refusal to permit negroes to vote, although the provision of the Constitution is man datory upon Congress. This over-representation which the South has held for more than a gener ation it owes to the Northern Demo crats, who have protected the Southern states from a. punishment which Dem ocrats in general have deemed a gross infringement upon the sovereign right of every state to regulate its own life and its own affairs. But the Southern states are now preparing to acquiesce in such infringement ,and to nullify the principle of local self-government to which the Democratic party has tenaciously adhered since the time of Jefferson. Their Senators and Repre sentatives in Congress have already voted for such nullification in the res olution submitting to the Legislatures of the several states the prohibition amendment to the Constitution of the United States, and practically all of the Southern Legislatures are expected to ratify it. Without the votes of the Southern Senators and Representatives this res olution could not have been submit ted; without the votes of the Southern Legislatures the amendment cannot be adopted. Nation-wide prohibition, if it comes, will be imposed by states which have turned their backs as squarely upon their ancient principles of govern ment as the Russian Bolshevik! have turned their backs upon the obliga tions of democracy. When that day arrives the South can expect no more help from Northern Democrats in resisting the enforce ment of the Fourteenth and Fifteenth amendments. The cry, "No force bill! No negro domination!" will fall upon deaf ears. If the South is determined to have a centralized government that regulates the personal habits of the American people, it must accept a cen tralized government that regulates ne gro franchise and all that pertains thereto. Before many years have passed the inevitable swing of the political pen dulum will bring about a Republican Congress a Congress that Is Repub lican both in the House and the Sen ate. When that Congress convenes it is certain that another attempt will be made to reduce the representation of the South. Southern domination of the present Congress has not been agree able to anybody in the North, Demo crat or Republican. Men like Claude Kitchln have been treating the rest of the country like a conquered province, imposing outrageous burdens of taxa tion and giving as little as possible in return. The price of wheat for the Northern farmer is fixed by due proc ess of law. but the Southern farmer is allowed to charge for his cotton all that the traffic will-bear and is de manding more. All those chickens will come home to roost some day. Nobody can object to the Southern states imposing the most drastic pro hibitory laws upon themselves, but when they undertake to rule New York and Pennsylvania and Massachusetts and say what the people of those states may eat and drink, then the Southern Democrats have again cut themselves off from the body of Northern Demo crats as effectually as they did in 1860, when they demanded that the Northern Democracy must abjectly surrender to their views of the institution of human slavery. Northern Democrats will no sooner think of surrendering on the issue of personal liberty than on the issue of slavery. If the South is determined to go ahead with this insensate policy if this new sectionalism of prohibition is to be imposed upon Northern and Eastern states by the South and West, then the Southern Democrats will have again taken themselves out of the Democratic party and must abide by the consequences, whatever these may be. Men at Fort Stevens Grateful. FORT STEVENS, Or., Dec. 26. (To the Editor.) I would like . to express through The Oregonian the deep ap preciation of myself, the committee in charge of the Christmas celebra tion and the personnel of this fort as well of the help, generosity and assist ance rendered us by the Y. W. C. A., Red Cross, the Ladies' Guild of Trinity Church, the ladles of the Catholic church and the other citizens of Port land in giving the men at this fort some of the Joys of a homey Christ mas, which would not have been pos sible without the co-operation and as sistance of these persons. The Red Cross, with its gifts of money and Christmas packages, all of which came from Portland, was par ticularly lavish in showing the boys of the Oregon Coast Artillery and the regular and drafted troops sta tioned here the kind of Christmas which most of tnem would have missed so sadly. ALBERT K. MATHEWS. Chaplain United States Army. "Safe Place" for Registrant. ALBANY, Or., Dec 27. (To the Ed itor.) (1) What advice could you give in this case? A young man joined the National Guard in peace times, was sent to the border. In some way he gained his dis charge. He comes under the draft; thought farmers would be excused so became a farmer, but shipbuilders were exempted, so is now in the shipyards. Is this a safe place or should he hunt another? (2) Can you give a recipe for instill ing patriotism into a very unpatriotic community? READER. (1) The penitentiary is a safer place if one considers only his disinclination to fight for his country, but of course, it has its drawbacks. A stite office If also safer, but we understand it is hard to obtain. ' (2) We know of no general formula that would fit every case. - "Hnn" as Name for Germans. SEASIDE. Or.. Dec. 26. (To the Edi tor.) To settle an argument will you please state definition of the word "Hun" as generally used In connection with German nationality SUBSCRIBER. "Hun" is a descriptive name applied to German soldiers because of the simi liarity of their Inhuman practices to those of the Huns. RURAL, SCHOOL LIGHTING WRONG Standardised Tpye Is Straining Pupils' Sight, Says Experienced Teacher. HOFF, Or.. Dec. 27. (To the Editor.) It Is surprising to note how the public in general can be led to do almost any thing nowadays. Among the numerous follies now resting upon us, the most cruel may be found in our standardiza tion of rural schools the fundamental requirement at that. That Is. have the windows all on one side of the house, so that the light which the almighty in tended should come from all sides is to come from a few loopholes on the seems that some ambitious gentle man a few years ago aspired to fame and, all other avenues being closed to him, suddenly sprung this one on an unsuspecting public. And our leading educators, men and women who never, as' a rule, taught in a one-sighted building, took to the scheme like ducks take to water, as though they knew all about it. They tell you that light coming from opposite sides meets, at the center, comes to a halt, turns' at right angles and hits your two eyes, ker-flam! And they say it with such gravity that one would think, the heavens were about to fall. The public, believing these persons ought to know what they are talking about, say "Amen!" To avert the threatened calamity they are working with sleeves rolled up, cutting the windows out from the Wrong side and crowding them with as much dignity as the situation permits on the newly established "right" side! I have taught school over 20 years in schoolhouses, where good ommon sense placed windows on both -ides of the house equally and the lis. .it was permitted to enter and mingle in the room from all sides. Not one side very bright then gradually shading off to semidarkness on the side where there are no windows. Common sense would convince any one that light from one side only will compel the opposite eye to strain in order to equalize the light in both. Those pupils sitting farthest from the light must strain the opposite eye to an extent that is alarming. It so happens that I am now teach ing in the same district I taught nearly 20 years ago. The building then was old-fashioned you know, windows on both sides, but no eyes were being rubbed continuously, on one side of the room. Today I am teaching in a so called "standard" school, windows all on one side, and the manner in which children on Winter days must strain their eyes, particularly the one op posite the light, is a crime on the part of the state demanding such a "stand ard." If the almighty had Intended that light should enter our orbs from one side only, in his wisdom he would have built an extension along the op posite side of our face and also above. Instead of such a standard, let us re turn to the path that leads to safety to our children's eyes and to the gen eral benefit of all. ROBERT GINTHER. Persona Blinded In Halifax. PORTLAND, Dec 28. (To the Edi tor.) (1) In The Oregonian of a few days ago there was an editorial about the victims of the Halifax disaster who were blinded by looking up. A main tains that they were blinded by falling debris, while B argues that they were blinded by the force of the explosion. Which is correct? (2) Kindly state where one may join the home guard and the requirements. GORDON FALK. (1) Persons were blinded both by flying glass and other debris and by the concussion. (2) The Oregonian will publish a de tailed article on the Multnomah Home Guards next Sunday. Enemy Aliens and Draft. PORTLAND, Dec 28. (To the Ed itor.) Is an Austro-Hungarian of 24 years of age, residing in the United States four years, having first citizen ship papers for three years, subject to draft under any circumstances? SUBSCRIBER. He is not. WILL THE WAR BE A BLIGHT OR A BLESSING? Famous Men Answer in The Sunday Oregonian Will a breath of idealism waft away the murk of battle when peace comes to the troubled world? Auguste Rodin prophesies that it will. Who Vill be the determining human factors in the days that follow? The returned soldiers, says Lord Northcliffe. When a generation has passed a great literature will spring from the soil of strift art will surpass itself the relationship ,of states will be founded on an enduring and stable basis. These are but a few of the predictions of noted men, appearing in a special Sunday article. PATRIOT WOMEN OF PORTLAND Appearing in the Sunday issue will be a resume of patriotic service work accomplished by the women of Portland during the past year. A special story by Edith Knight Holmes, relating but a portion of the unselfish efforts and sacrifices of those who "wait at home." RED CROSS OVER OREGON This is a story that explains the inner meaning of the little scarlet cross, which patriots wear as the badge of their membership in the world's mightiest, tenderest organiza tion of mercy. It tells of Oregon's share in the task of loyal women who labor without recompense other than the inner light of love of Christmas gifts of bandages and of true bravery at home. Read it. FIGHTING THE WAR WITH FARM TRACTORS Speed! The slo gan of war rang from the cornfields of Illinois to the vast wheat ranches of the Columbia. There must be fuel for the fighting men of America and her allies nor could delay be brooked. And that was where and when the lumbering big farm tractor went into action. Read Frank G. Carpenter's Sunday story of the vogue that machinery is winning over farm labor in the drive for victory. WHO IS NUMBER ONE? It doesn't matter where you "cut in" on this super-mystery yarn so cleverly spun by Anna Katharine Green, for in every paragraph is swift action, tense drama. The whole is a tangled skein that amazes as it unravels. Read it in The Sunday Oregonian and then witness it in the films at your pictureiouse. THE WORLD THROUGH CAMERA LENSES Within the sound of the big guns a class in grenade throwing were taking instructions from French officers, past masters at tossing the spheres of death. The pupils were boys from America, making ready for their intro duction to the Hun. This and a dozen other absorbingly interesting pictures are on the special page of photographic world news in the Sunday issue. PORTLAND CHURCHES PLAN EXPANSION Modern ministers are not unlike those leaders of old the spiritual guardians who gave flaming, courageous counsel in .wars for righteousness. Port land's clergy, foremost in patriotic undertakings, plan the invasion of wider fields in the coming year. The church page tells about it. SMART GARB FOR MILADY Are you aware that the "warm, old ivory shade" is quite the thing in feminine suits just now ? . Or that the sport frock of apple green should accompany one on a trip to the southland? The fashion pages, with charming illustrations and complete detail, are replete with hints for the modish matron or maid. VISITORS AT CAMP Fillips of good-natured fun are Hill's unmis takable crayons of folks we all know. In the Sunday issue he por trays them as they visit Camp Lewis, or any typical military cen ter of the times. The Rev. Mr. Crouch is on a lone crusade against the baneful cigarette. Have a look at him. All the News of All the World THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN Just Five Cents In Other Days. Twenty-Five Years Ago. From The Oregonian December 29, 1892: "Washington. Cleveland has served notice, if not in direct statement, by his action and implications, that he in tends to be boss of his party during his administration.' He has served notice on Tammany and the Hill Demo crats of New York that he intends to control the. Senatorship. Chicago. Mrs. Potter Palmer, presi dent of the board of lady managers of the world's fair. Is highly incensed at the action of a local brewery in put ting her picture on a lithographic calendar of the company. She will take legal action. San Francisco. Lorlng Pickering, senior proprietor of the Morning Call, and the oldest pioneer newspaper man on the Coast, died- yesterday. He was born in 1812. J. Adrian Epplng, who has worked tirelessly for the success of the local production of Balfe's lmortal ballad opera, "Bohemian Girl," sang the role of Count Arnheim last night. The the ater was filled and the audience was fashionable. Walter Camp, the great football expert of Yale, was at the Portland for a few hours yesterday. Remittance Man Defined. SALEM, Or., Dec. 27. (To the Ed itor.) (1) What is a remittance man? Why so called? Can one who is a re mittance man return to his home and still draw his monev? (2? What is a ticket-of-leave man? A READER. (1) A remittance man is a person in a foreign country who lives mainly on money allowances voluntarily sent him by his relatives. He is so-called be cause he lives on a remittance. Whether he shall continue to draw his allow-, ance upon return home depends on the will of those who have been paying it. (2) A tlcket-of-leave is practically the same as our parole, as applied to convicts. Men In Spruce Division. PORTLAND, Or.. Dec. 28. (To the Editor.) If a man enlists in the spruce division is he under Government or private authority? What are the av erage salaries paid in said division? SAMMY". He is an enlisted man in the service of the United States, subject to all rules and regulations laid down for snch men by the Government and is always subject to duty anywhere the Army may require him. The pay is that prevailing in strictly private em ployment for the kind of work he per forms in getting out spruce. In effect he is a soldier assigned temporarily to civilian work. When Registrant Takes Government Post. PORTLAND, Dec. 27. (To the Edi tor.) Please advise me what the status of a man would be who. after having answered his questionnaire, re ceived a civil service appointment and went to work as a stenographer in the War Department at Washington, D. C. Would he be exempted or given a de ferred classification? A READER. He should report his change of status within five days to his local board. The local board may then re open the case on its own motion. Em ployment in the service of the United States Is ground for classification In class III only when the claim is sup ported by the affidavit of the" regis trant's bureau superior and by cer tificate of approval or tne secretary of the department. Yes. WOODBURN. Or.. Deo. 27. (To the Editor.) If an alien enemy was re ported for having a gun in his pos session and after two or three months you know he still has it, should you report It again? PATRIOTIC AMERICAN.