TIIE -MORXIXG OREGOXIAX, 3IOXDAT. JAXTJAItt 21, 1918.
PORTLAND, OBEOON.
Enter at. Portland Or con) Poatofflca aa
a-oi1-4-Waa mall matter.
ftubacriptioe rata lavartabijr In advance:
(Hjr alul.l
tai'e. Sunday mrlui!-!. ona rear ........fA rri
IallT, 8uady tnrtarled. aiz months... .t
tilr. Kunjaj Includad. tliraa mootal.. --
Illy. aundy lnrlui1l ona raoulh..... -
iHuly. althbut tiun'Uj, ona year ....... . S.' I
lmir. allhout huniUlr, aim montba......
1 Nt ty. witnuut K'ntiljijr. thre niontba... 1.7-
1 "illy, ambout unUdy, ona xnontn...... .-
'cly. ona year. .............. JAW
PtinMay. ona yr S '
auaUajr and waaftly
tliy Carrier.)
IalTy. ?in-ly lnclold. ora year $9. 2
Dally, Sunday Im-iU'led. ona month. .... ."
Iaily. without rund.y. ona year
Iai;y, without butirluy. thr morrlna....
lstly, without itunuay. ona montb . . . . .
Haw la Keaalt tteod poatofflen monty or
r. ax praaa oraar or paravnal cnacn on yaur
k oana. fttampa. com or rurrancy ara at
wner'a rlak. l.la poalofflea audraaa Is
full. Inchsdtnc eoanty an1 atata.
raatasa Hatea 11 to la pact. 1 cant: IS
to GJ pacaa. - cania: 34 to 4tt paaaa. 1 canta;
1 to pa Eva, 4 canta; J to ' pacaa. 6
Canta: 78 to 2 pa tea. cents, a'orolfn
ncrtana. doublo rau-a.
Eastern Banlnraa office Verraa a Conk
II n. Hrnnawlrk building. Now Tork; Verraa
A funk. In. titrcer bul.illnc Chirac; Verrea
aV Conkiin. Lafayette rliv.l.. I-tr-tt. Mich.;
an KrnfUco rrprraeblatiia. K. J. Bid wall,
T4J llaraat atreet.
he warns tbe country that men per
renUfci of rejection do not disprove
the contention that tbe standard of
the country Is lower than tt ought to
be. The more unfit the total number
of candidates are. he points out. the
lower the standard will Inevitably be.
This was Illustrated In the time of
the Civil War, when the first, second,
third and fourth drafts showed great
changes In standards, the rejections
being respectively 31. 25, 25 and 13
per cent, the difference being obvi
ously, not due to any Improvement in
the physique of men In the intervals
between calls. The records of life
insurance companies, which are fairly
J uniform and are not based upon war
possible without undesirable restric
tions upon liberty of action. - Con
sumption of low-grade products, not
Injurious to health, by those who de
sire them, for reasons of economy or
otherwise, has not been prohibited,
but It has only been insisted that these
hall be sold on their own merits and
not as pretended substances of higher
quality. Sophistication of food and
medicine has been reduced to a mini
mum, because this Involved deceit,
and was unfair to manufacturers who
did not employ such methods. Those
who formerly were able to cut prices
by resorting to adulteration have been
forced to compete on a fair basis. This
has resulted in some instances In ap-
necessltles. Professor Fisher points ; parent increased costs, but the con
MEMBER OP THE aV4AOCIATE1 THESS.
Tha Aaaortatrd fVaaa la axelualvely en
titled to tha Baa far rarablkration of all
ttawa dtapatrnea cradttcd to It or not thar
wlaa credited In tale paper, and a Lea toe
local newe pnbllabed herein.
All rtchta of republication of apodal dis
patches herein ara alao roeerecd.
out. show that some defect exists in
99 per cent of applicant, and Indi
cate that there 'Is enormous neglect
of health, "both. in respect to en
vironment and personal habits,"
which calls for. earnest study and
prompt action.
fOBTLAND, MOVDAT, JAXCABT tt. ISIS.
OO O Oft CO ODER.
News from Russia and from Ger
many, the latest speeches of President
WHaon and Premier Lloyd George and
the speeches of Senator Chamberlain
and ex-President Roosevelt should all
be read together in order that the
American people may' clearly under
stand and perform their duty to them
selves and to the allied nations.
Germany Is determined not to evac
uate a square mile of Russian terri
tory In advance of a general peace.
She will hold all she has In order to
drive the best bargain possible, re
gardless ol self-determination of peo
ples, which is the-Russian term for
the American principle consent of
the governed. Whether the BoUbe
nkl retain control and make peace
or their enemies supplant them and
attempt to renew the war. Russia must
be counted out as an effective military
force for a year at least, and possibly
for the duration of the war.
The military party is still in the
ascendant In Germany. That is proved
by the delay of Foreign Minister von
Kuehlmann's speech to the Reich
stag's main committee, by the refer
ence to Von Hindenburg of all peace
proposals to and from Russia, and by
the resolutions of the Prussian House
of Lords that the right of the Em
peror to make war and peace must
be safeguarded and that "peace should
be commensurate with the sacrifice
which have been made for the politi
cal and economic Interests of the
country. That is a rejection of Mr.
Wilsons' demand that the men who
make peace for Germany shall be
genuine representatives of the German
people, and tt is a demand 'that Ger
many hold the spoils of war.
In the face of this attitnde of Ger
many and of the Impotence of Russia,
the American people and their allies
are offered the plain alternative tersely
stated by ilr. Lloyd George "to go
on or go under." The last scruple as
to fhe Justice of our aims should have
been removed from the mind of every
patriotic and reasonable man by the
practically identical statement of those
aims by Mr. Wilson and Mr. Lloyd
George "without any opportunity of
previous consul lation. They went so
far in tbe effort to remove the last
suspicion of imperialist aims that they
may even be accused of not holding
true to democratic principles in re
nounclng the purpose to dismember
that monstrous anachronism, the Aus-tro-Uungarian
monarchy. No Chris
tian, in fact, no humane, liberty-loving
people will new with equanimity the
prospect that Constantinople may re
main under the rule of the infamous
Turk by consent of the free nations.
We have gone to the extreme for the
aake of unity In each allied nation
and among the allied nations. Noth
ing remains but in unbroken ranks to
"go on.
More clearly than ever, destruction
of German military power Is a neces
ary preliminary to attainment of our,
aims, ureatest exertion or American
military power is necessary to destroy
that of Germany. Hand-to-mouth or
ganlzation and preparation should
cease anil that inane question. "How
long Is the war going to last?" should
be heard no more. Our guide should
be the message which Sir Krtc Geddcs
sent to the American people through
Isaac F. Marrooson. as published in
the Saturday Evening Post:
Olva up hoptac that this can be a abort
war. Plan and provide tor an erer-receums
duration af at leaat two years mora.
if we all do ao. peace may ona day sur
prtew aa- If we do not. there will be na
paeeo aad ao freedom, but ealy a poet
sumer has been getting what he paid
for. Consequently, he is better off
than he was before.
Only by comparison of the present
with the past can one obtain an Idea
of conditions as they formerly existed
Trade in polluted oysters alone, for
merly very large, has been practically
suppressed, and has In Itself const!'
tuted complete Justification of the pas
sage and enforcement of the law.
Is undeniable that consumers now res!
hi greater security than they did
decade ago. The old adage that "every
man must eat his peck of dirt" is no
longer accepted unquestioningly,
far a time. Then when we began to
develop our air campaign, it was
found that total stocks in the country
would meet only a fraction of the de
mand, and no really efficient substi
tute has been found. The castor
bean grown on the rich black lands
of the South produces nearly 50 per
cent of its weight in oil, is planted
and cultivated much after the manner
of corn, and yields a succession of
beans until it is destroyed by the
frosts of Autumn. Necessity of look
ing far ahead in preparation for war
is shown by the fact that the country
has been compelled to send abroad for
seed to assure even a partial crop of
beans during the coming year.
It
STOP WASTE OF FCEI. AND afOTIOX.
Proposals submitted to Director of
Railroads McAdoo for transfer of
traffic between rail and ship at Port
land and Astoria is so thoroughly busi
ness-like that there should be small
delay In their acceptance by both Mr.
McAdoo and the Shipping Board
Nothing except political or other oc
cult influence can cause continuance! WHT NOT THREE-CENT PARIf
of the present practice. ' I There is ground for fear that restora-
The situation la simple. Large tlon of Jitney traffic at this time would
quantities of freight are hauled by ot affect the price of city transporta-
. .v r, . -'um"", K,v" X5asl" tlon. The only reason Jitneys do not
k 7 X. now run Is that they must operate an
abroad or coastwisThe water grade der fraach,so regulations and carry in
wa. ea va aivot Ull 7"v. V VU S V ca u V
all I t-wl Se A h at. nwr aa 1 we, 4 nn
a vs uanut r uv;i aiiu uivuuu OAycuucu I fn-Qnu
u ..-U....B t.un .rrisn.i uc,uu relations must be eliminated, and if
m.iu iu oumn oiucr port. ra ". ,,.,,., . .i,ln,j hti
OK I na a -a kull Jlnio I M ea I -r-'-"'V " vutnnm e,uav r am
I "' T "Ik. k ,v . . 1 b no Dower t0 fi thelr '-""eg and
7 7 I. V. V" " too, may charge cents.
u"on oversea, r uei ana mo-i r. - ,.., ,;, ui. .v.
r . i .1 . .u rtreetcar would pay no bridge tolls.
vwk-i initio ,vnu wittb Ul J wuivi
traOic would be further waste. The
Government undertook operations of
railroads to stop precisely that kind
of waste. The Shipping Board is
building ships to cure a famine of
tonnage. If they do not avail them
selves of this opportunity to econo
mize both railroad facilities and ton
nage, they will fall of their purpose.
Force is added to these statements
by the fact that the other ports in
question are already congested by
more traffic than they can handle
without serious delay, which means
more waste of railroad service and of
time of ships. In only less degree
this congestion Is due to the same
cause as that which prevails at At
lantic ports concentration of traffic
at a few port and neglect to use all
available ports. The cure is the same
to distribute traffic among all avail'
able ports.
Opposition to the plan submitted
by Senator McNary may be expected
from the hitherto favored ports, not-
no franchise tax, no paving costs, and
would be relieved somehow of respon
slbllity for accidents to patrons. It
would not oe required to maintain a
regular schedule, and if business was
slack one day or certain hours, why
the cars could be pulled off Just as
the Jitneys used to be and would
again. Or if there come a sliver thaw,
streetcars then could wait for the real
thaw as the Jitneys did and would
again if unregulated. Such service
ought not to cost more than 3 cents.
There is your basis for cheaper
transportation than the Jitneys could
possibly give, and It has all tbe virtues
of Jitney transportation. We think it
Is the most sensible suggestion yet
made and we do not admire it much
at that.
This relief from a distasteful aitua
tlon is offered aa a last resort after a
careful study of the numerous letters
of protest that have been sent to The
Oregonlan and other newspapers. They
are, in fact, more confusing than en
lightening. So many new issues are
withstanding the fact that they have raised and so many old ones revived
more business than they can handle.
They will probably have all manner
of criticism to make of the Columbia
River route and of Portland's shipping
facilities. It behooves Portland to be
on the alert, and to be prompt with
disproof of falsehood and with reme
dies for actual defects. Now is our
time to dispel the cloud of misinfor
mation which has been spread regard
ing the Columbia River.
"Ai AN AMERICAN CITIZEN'.
By his appearance on the same plat
form with Theodore Roosevelt, Elihu lnJ from observation of traffic, finds
which It was thought had been settled,
that the student of the subject cannot
avoid bewilderment.
There is a letter In The Oregonlan
today, for example, from a writer who
lays part of the company's financial
condition to its outlying and hillside
extensions. Yet the Public Service
Commission informs the public in its
findings that the cost of extensions
about which complaint is made was
not included in the valuation figures
used to determine the company's rate
of income. The same writer, speak-
ponamant.
There mint
"nail time."
be no postponement and ao
That advice Implies that we should
devote our entire energy to the war,
as though It were to continue Indefi
nitely. Comparison of the prepara
tions we have so far made with those
which it calls upon us to make shows
that we are working from hand to
mouth In the foolish belief that It will
be soon over and that there will then
be no more war. Mr. Chamberlain,
peaking "as an American citizen, not
as a Democrat," proposes that we re
organize with war as the primary pur
rxe. with "responsible heads' under
the President for that work alone, as
provided In his bills for a small War
Cabinet and for a director of muni
tions. He Joins hU Republican col
league. Representative Kahn. In pro
posing that every Ct young man have
a year's military training before he
reaches the age of H and that univer
sal training be the permanent policy
of the Nation. This policy of "perma
nent preparation." as Colonel Roose
velt called It, is necessary for this war,
for we cannot foresee how long It may
last, and la necessary also for the fu
ture, for our Jhope that "the time of
universal peace Is rear" may prove
as delusive as was that of Octavlus,
to which Mr. Kahn referred.
The speeches made by these men at
New Tork name the only telling re
tort which America ran make to the
declaration made at Berlin and to the
scarcely disguised schemes of argran
dizement unfolded at Brest-Lilovsk.
They are the words of men who have
crossed the gulf which divides them
as partisans, to mrrl ,on the common
ground of Amencantfm. They should
he heeded by every good American,
beginning with the President.
Professor Irving Fisher, of Tale, has
disclaimed the statement, widely at
tributed to him. that rejections for
physical disability in the National
Army were as hUh as 70 per cent, but
Root and Representative Julius Kahn,
and by hls declaration that the mill
tary establishment has "fallen down
in its war preparations. Senator Cham
berlain has proved the sincerity of his
words: "I speak not as a Democrat,
but as an American citizen."
As an American citizen he deplores
our lack of a military policy, and does
not hesitate to criticise Secretary Baker
and other members of the Adminls
tratlon. As chairman of the Senate
military committee he Joins Repub
licans and other Democrats in the ef
fort to provide the Nation with a mill'
tary policy, and he welcomes the sup
port of such great Republican leaders
as Mr. Roosevelt and Mr. Root.
The Senator's remarks on the coal
crisis were plainly aimed at Mr. Baker.
It was Secretary Lane who fixed the
"satisfactory price" under which "coal
production was satisfactory"; it was
Secretary Baker who reduced that
price to "a nonproductive figure" from
which "a minimum comparative yield
resulted." From that initial blunder
has sprung the necessity for the pres
ent shutdown of Industry. With miners
demanding higher wages, with other
costs of production rising and with
cars daily growing scarcer,- mines
closed or reduced their output when
production should "have been raised to
the maximum. Then came Mr. Gar
field's announcement that there was
no deficiency and that hoarding of coal
was unnecessary, which discouraged
economy. The shutdown is tbe logi
cal sequel to these blunders and to the
failure to keep labor employed while
Its claims were being adjusted. The
men from whom foresight was de
manded could not seo six months
ahead.
So with universal service. With
many portents of tndoflnlte duration
of the war, Mr. Baker still opposes it
as a permanent policy. He would be
content with a makeshift which gives
no assurance of keeping oar Army in
the field at full strength, but post
pones beginning of training until
the aire when under the plan supported
by Mr. Chamberlain and Mr. Kahn
men would be ready for service.
So, too, with executive direction of
the war. The Job is obviously too big
for one man. even a far abler man
than Mr. BaKer. though he call to his
aid a War Council including such fall-
ores an Generals Crozler and Sharpe.
Mr. Chamberlain and his colleagues
In the Senate propose to provide the
President and Mr. Bakr with the
services of three men possessed of
first-class business and executive abil
ity, who would compose a War Cabi
net with no other duties than to get
things done.
The stand taken by Mr. Chamber-
Iain and his associates In the Senate
and at the Security League meeting
proves that we are making progress
In getting war problems viewed by
men as American citizens, not as Dem
ocrats or Republicans.
ETHICS IN roOO AND DRIOS.
One feature of the recent annual
report of the United States De
partment of Agriculture which de
serves emphasis ' Is ita record or
the development of ethical stand-
rds for correcting long
that the company must be making
more than It ever did before. But,
alas, he presents no figures, while the
Commission's findings do present fig
ures. Possibly the Commission has
made a mistake in addition, but one
cannot hope to reach a very satisfac
tory conclusion on that point by
merely speculating.
There is a letter in another news
paper from one who says the carmen's
wages In St. Paul and Minneapolis are
higher than in Portland, yet the fare
Is only 5 cents. Mr. Griffith has stated
for the company that the wage scale
In Portland is the highest In the coun
try. Is Mr. Grimth mistaken? Again,
there Is an Insurmountable difficulty
to formation of a conclusion. The in
formed letter writer thoughtlessly neg
lects to offer figures for comparison.
And on the same subject of wages
there was another objectoj- who com
plained the other day that the wages
paid the streetcar employes were too
high that there were thousands Of
persons working longer hours, at em
ployments requiring greater skill and
training, for lower warres. But he had
the same careless habit as the others
He did not tell who they were or
where they worked.
There is a letter on the desk of the
editor of The Oregonlan from a writer
who desires, over a pen name, to ac
cuse, unnamed persons of "framlng-
up" with the Public Service Commis
sion. This is a serious charge, and-If
there is anything in it the public
would like to know about it. One
would naturally think' that the writer
would consent to make his identity
public so that he could be called upon
to prove the things of which he is so
certain. But. like some of the other
writers, ha Is burdened with thought
lesaness.
There is. In addition to all these ex
pressions, the charge that the City
Council is meeting an outrage and in
justice by instituting a leal action
which it knows cannot be successful.
There it Is -a plain, charge that the
people cannot get relief from outrage
In the established courts of Justice. If
the e-cent fare is profiteering; if the
books of the company have been doc
tored; if the Commission has been de
ceived or has wilfully burdened the
people without cause, one would think
that the courts would right the in
justice. But the publio is informed by
men of legal learning that, although
an outrage has been committed, the
courts will not interfere.
All these uncertainties and contra
dictions, and the general helplessness
of the people, have led to the sugges
tion made at the beginning of this
rticle: That the streetcars be put on
the old jitney basis no regulation, no
taxes, no schedules, no responsibility,
provided Mr. Griffith will agree to a
3-cent fare within the old Jitney zone.
We think he would. Of course, there
would be loss.Qf life and limb and
delay and aggravation. But why Is it
not better than Jitney transportation
of the same quality at 5 and possibly
6 cents per ride? Let us look at this
issue calmly and v intelligently. If we
must save money, on transportation.
let's save a lot.
, It is the fond hope of the United
States Food Administration that the
food conservation movement will see
justice done to llmburger cheese,
which It says, in an official bulletin,
"has long suffered from misunder
standing created by newspaper Jokes."
The Administration takes occasion to
explain that cheeses of this type are
made from good material, with great
care, and "after systematic ripening,
are at once among the most delicious
and perishable of cheeses." Manufac
turers have resorted to pardonable
camouflage. In view of existing pre
judices, by marketing this product un
der trade names, and the public has
responded encouragingly. That there
Is room for a large Increase In cheese
consumption In this country is indi
cated by the statement that the aver
age amount per capita now eaten by
the people Is- represented by a piece
about large enough to bait a small
mousetrap. The surplus now availabl
In the United States Is due to the lit
tie-known fact that prior to the war
we were large exporters of "imported'
brands to European countries, now
cut off from us.
Holland Is so close to Germany that
It would have been extremely impru
dent to allow those machine guns and
cartridges to reach that little isle of
neutrality in a sea of war. Some
American soldiers might have been
shot with American bullets from
American guns. Of course, the Gov-
ernment does not suspect that the
Dutch government would let the gun
go to Germany, but there are smug
glers in Holland, and they do a thriv
ing business. Besides, we need those
guns.
There have been logged-off lands in
Oregon for half a century, and will be
for another half unless better methods
are devised. Commissions cannot clear
them; that is done by labor and pow
der. Government may take hold of
the problem after the war, when the
time shall arrive to locate discharged
soldiers. There is not the virgin prairi
land for veterans that there was fifty
years ago.
Food Commissioner Ayer la right
about the little dairy. To put it out
of business will endanger children.
Every mother knows the bottle-fed
baby cannot be fed Indiscriminately.
The Infant raised "by hand" has
poor prospect at best, and whatever
helps must be encouraged.
Perhaps the judge who dispenses
the sentences knows best . when he
sends a few automobile thieves to the
reform school and paroles the others,
A certain amount of mercy must go
with Justice. It will be well, however,
to watch those not sent up.
Senator La Follette says there is a
conspiracy against him and his fellow
pacifists. Yes, 99,999,000 of the Amer
ican people have conspired against
the other thousand, of whom La Fol
lette Is one. That leaves a margin for
the Germans and pro-Germans.
It seems to be a wasteful operation
for the Government to melt 100,000,-
000 silver dollars Into bullion and then
to mint an equal amount of silver to
take its place. Why should not new
purchases of silver be stored as bul
lion?
No doubt Parole Officer Keller can
pick a full company of men from the
Penitentiary, and there is no doubt of
their fighting ability. He might begin
drilling at once and await what hap
pens without the guns, of course.
There Is good spruce timber on the
Coos Bay wagon road grant. If the
Government hurries to buy and survey
the land it may cut the spruce for
airplanes in time for use before the
war ends.
Chamberlain's bill to draft youth sj
attaining majority is likely to become
law and may stand for years. Mili
tary training Hn school or college will
be a help to the boy when he be
comes 21.
abuses In the food and drugs indus
tries. The Federal food and drugs
act of June 30. 1906. has been In oper
ation practically a decade, and oppo
sition to the enforcement of the law
In principle has practically died out.
The great gain to the public has
lain In the fact that it has obtained
protection previously regarded as im-
A new responsibility has been
standing! placed on the states south of the late
Every few days one of those pro
fessors who a few years ago told us
that there would be no more war, sails
for Europe to study war at first hand.
The professors are getting back to the
facts.
It will not fill our boys in France
with desire to be captured to read the
statement from Berlin that they will
be treated just like the prisoners of
other nationalities.
The volunteer advertising men have
a chance to distinguish themselves by
coaxing the farmers to put some of
the price of that 32.20 wheat in liberty
bonds.
That was a wise porter who caused
arrest of the 16-year-old girl with
dynamite in her satchel, though he
may have supposed it was a case of
"booze."
Those who say that Americans are
a one-language people forget that most
of us can talk baseball lingo, as well
as the everyday vernacular of the
conntry.
It would seem that all these men
who get into print as knitters might
be doing man's work. A curious peo
ple will wonder who splits the wood.
Another' bank employe, this time in
Texas, has stolen liberty loan bonds
and has been caught. Even a Texas
horse thief should know better.
HOW RED CROSS IS ORGANIZED
President of Society Is Woodrew Wll
aon, Elected by General Board.
MILTON, Or., Jan. 18. (To the Ed
itor.) Kindly give me the names of
the National officers of the American
Red Cross. Are they elected or ap
pointed? MRS. WILLIAM S. AHERN.
The elective officers of the American
National Red Cross , consist of presi
dent, vice-president, counsellor, secre
tary and treasurer. All elective offi
cers are elected by the general board
of the American Red Cross at its an
nual meeting. Such officers hold office
for one year and until their successors
are appointed and qualified. The Na
tional officers of the Red Cross were
elected December 12 at the Wlllard
Hotel at the annual meeting of the
general board. They are: Wood row
Wilson, president; Robert W. deForest,
vice-president; John Skelton Williams,
treasurer; John W. Davis, counsellor;
Dr. Stockton Axson, secretary.
The general board consists of
(1) the incorporators namd In the
act of Congress creating the cor
poration of the American National
Red Cross; (2) the five associates.
named by the President of the United
States; (S) the delegates of the states
and territorial societies and chapers to
the annual meeting; (4) the members
of the central committee (of this com
mittee six are elected by the incor
porators, six by the general board at
ita annual meeting and six appointed
annually by the President of the United
States); (6) the members of the War
Relief Board; (() .the members of the
National Relief Board; (7) the members
of the International Relief Board; (8)
the members of the National Commit
tee on Red Cross Medical Service; (9)
the members of the National Committee
on Red Cross Nursing Service (Nos. 6,
6, 7, 8 and 9 are all bodies, the officers
of which are appointed by the central
committee from its membership, with
varying numbers of additional members
selected from their knowledge and ex
perience); (10) the delegates of the
collective members of tfte Red Cross.
The original Incorporators were men
and women, specifically named In the
act of Congress, of prominence all over
the country. As tbe incorporators die,
the absent places are filled by vote of
the remaining Incorporators.
The entire control, management and
administration of tbe American Red
Cross is in the hands of the central
committee,, the chairman of which is
among the six appointees pf the Presi
dent of the United States.
The War Council, which as a matter
of fact, takes active control of all war
work, was brought into being by Presi
dent Wilson May 10, 1917. H. P.
Davison was appointed chairman by
President Wilson.
RETURN OF JITNEYS IS PRAYER
Writer Flu da HU Sentiment Hnn Been
Changed by Extra Cent for Fare.
PORTLAND, Jan. 19. (Tot the Edi
tor.) I would like to say a few words
about that extra 1 cent that the P.
R., L & P. Co. extracts from tbe peo
ple, thereby placing the city of Port
land In tbe list of towns eo small that
a streetcar company afterN getting a
franchise for a E-cent fare cannot
make its lines pay without taking an
additional profit from its patrons the
people, who by their patronage have
made it possible to buy and put In
large power plants of the cheapest
power that existe today water power.
Many cities and towns even of smaller
population and far less patronage and
with steam-power plants are able to
run their cars for a 5-cent fare and
are nt making any complaint that
they are going into a receiver's hands.
Of course it costs more to operate
the system than it used to do and
the company is carrying more -people,
in my opinion, than ever before, ex
cept possibly during the Lewis and
Clark Fair. Look at the traffic your
self on any of the lines, morning and
evening. See how many are strap
hangers; see the workmen going to the
shipyards and the travel to trains,
which has been heavier by far than
usual at this time of year. I have on
frequent occasions had to let a car go
by because standing room was all
taken and wait for the next car, only
to find that practically in the same
condition. .
I hear many murmurs about the
service since the Jitneys went out of
business: that people on many lines are
not getting the attention or accommo
dation that they did. Generally speak-
nir the sentiment of the public waa
against the Jitney and in favor of the
streetcar company and I am speaking
for myself as well as others that I
know. But not so now. As the saying
s, "All things change and we cnange
with them." So have I changed my
feelings, both towards tbe streetcars
and tha litnevs and I welcome Mr,
Carver and his franchise and he can
onnnt on me as one of his patrons if
his line comes within five or six diocks
of my street, although there is a street
far Una naesine our block.
Because the streetcar company built
lines far out into the sparsely settiea
districts or on tbe hillsides to neip
out some real estate boom or specula
tor, the public should not ne rorcea to
stand the expense. If such lines have
email natronage. wny not operaio
ik, -nr with one man?
It appears to me tnat me company u
m- riecaiisR it nan to raise i vy
of its employes and wants to take it
nr nf tha neonle. AS i saia ueiurc
me for the Jitneys."
,A TRAVEI-JiNti OAlcojiiJiii,
COCRSE TAKEN ONLY WAY OUT
SAILORS INCITED BY TWO MEN
Writer Dealea Justification of Seattle
Raid on Patriotic Ground.
PORTLAND. Jan. 20. (To tha Ed
itor.) The Oregonlan prints a com
munication from Lue F. Vernon, in
which he. apologizes for the raid and
destruction of the Pigott printing plant
of Seattle on January 5 by 20 sailors,
led by two civilians. The excuse for
the wrecking of this plant was that
It published the Daily Call, an alleged
seditious paper.
Mr. Vernon states that if one had
read the Washington State Weekly of
January 4 one could understand why
the printing plant was raided and
wrecked. Quite so. An inflammatory
article in that issue virtually urged
the destruction of that plant In the
blind hope that the Call would suspend
publication, which it did not
Had the Call been seditious, as
claimed, the Federal or other authori
ties, who are not kindly disposed to
ward radical papers, would have sup
pressed this publication, but the fact
that it still continues is sufficient evi
dence to the contrary.
Tbe Call has consistently opposed the
German . ruling class, as well as Im
perialism in certain allied nations, and
the pretext of treason is mere camou
flage.
The two nondescripts, who were
themselves too cowardly -to wreck the
plant, imposed upon men in the uniform
of the United States to apply sabotage
to this establishment and then calmly
proceeded to wrap tbe flag around
them to cover their despicable act, just
as the Phelps-Dodge Company aid
Bisbee, when they engineered the
deportation of 1200 miners.
The Pigott Company printed several
other papers besides the Call, and was
also doing, at cost, work for the Red
Cross, who lost more than 3500 In the
wreck.
Neither this, concern nor the Call Is
asking for damages. On the contrary
the former offered a reward of 3500
for the arrest of the two. persons, who
nave since been apprehended.
The bald fact remains that this raid
was the rawest and most contemptible
act of outlawry that has disgraced
Seattle, and the pretense of patriotism
is simply revolting to a DeoDle who
In Other Days.
are fighting for democracy.
. M. E. DORFMAN.
HUST BE PROUD OF OREGONIAN,
Three
Same
Coplea ef Annual Sent
Iowa Paper by Friends.
Clarlnda (Iowa) Journal.
The Journal has received three ooples
of the New Year's edition of The
Morning Oregonlan, Portland, Or., one
or which has come from a former print
er in this office. Ferd Melllnger, now i
Portland resident. The other two cop
ies are from unknown friends possi
bly, however, one may have come from
R. U. McClenaban, formerly a Page
County citizen. We should be glad to
know the names of people who favor us
occasionally with copies of newspapers
for some special reason, and who fail
to place their names and addresses on
the wrappers. It is a pleasure to know
we are remembered In this connection.
The New Year's edition of the Port
land Oregonlan is a wonderful achieve
ment in newspaper publishing and it Is
no', to be wondered at that more than
one friend would think of distributing
copies or it. The edition sets orth In
text and picture the remarkable char
acterlstics of Oregon. Particularly no
ticeable are the many military portraits
in it, ana the great help Oregon pa
triotism Is to the United Statec in the
war this country is encae-ed in.
It Is noted by the same edition of
The Oregonlan that the San Carlo
brand Opera Company which Barter in
The Armory In Clarlnda last November
is advertised to appear in Portland this
week, at the Public Auditorium, and that
the engagement is under the auspices
of the city of Portland. Part of the
San Carlo programme In Portland In
cluded the operas given by that com
pany when In Clarinda.
When the news pirates are no
longer permitted to steal news, they
are likely to invent it. Some of them
can beat Edison as inventors.
frost belt, in the furnishing of several
million gallons of castor oil to be used
as lubricant for airplanes. There
was a boom in castor bean growing
several years ago and the industry
was assuming large proportions when
ntineral oil began to displace it, both
as a medicine and as a lubricant for
ordinary machinery, and it languished
"Pacific Coast International League"
Is too long for handy utterance. Some
body must dig up something short and
effective for a nickname.
Unless exceptions to tbe fuel order
are carefully restricted, the shutdown
may be whittled down to nothing.
With the Government buying silver
at a dollar an ounce, Mr. Bryan can
live and die happy.
Bad Situation Called tor itemeay F
plied by Feel Administrator.
portTT-AND. Jan. 19. (To the Ed
imr l I want to say I was very giaa
to read your editorial entitled "Drastic
Rtinadv the Best." lO a man wun any
acauaintance from me railway, uponi
rs" point of view with tne transporta.-
on problem, tne action iacn uy
fuel administrator was, on the race or
. the onlv loeical ana possiDie way to
handle a bad situation, and I for one
was considerably grieved over tne edi
torial and Congressional criticisms
WiHav nn the subject
ive are all too mucn inciinea to yen
up heads off when our rignts are in
txrfarad with, but we ought to remem-
har that if Germany and us auie win
won't have any rights, ana wnen a
aw order Is issued that is tne inevita
ble, result of our state of war we ought
to wait until we learn something about
it before we try to discredit tne gov
ernment. Wa need encouragement and help in
every branch of the service. Instead of
condemnatory criticism.
o. e: JOHNSON.
Letters to Soldiers Abroad.
WASHOUGAL, Wash., Jan. 19. (To
the Editor.) What would be the cor
rect way to address letters and par
cels to a soldier in France? He is In
Company F, 20th Engineers (Forestry).
- A SUBSCRIBER.
Add to usual, address the words:
"American Expeditionary Force, via
New York."
the
Soldier at Home, Wounded.
CaeseU's.
Stella Was Jack wounded at
front, then?
Maud No, on the contrary, he came
home on leave, and sat on a wasp's
nest.
PRETTY STORY IS EXAGGERATION
Eight Soldier Sons of Mrs. Belts Dwin
dle to One Probability.
PILOT ROCK, Or., Jan. 18. (To the
Editor.) Referring to an article ap
pearing In The Oregonlan some time
ago relative to Mrs. Henry Belts' hav
ing eight sons in the service of her
country, I would like to state that she
does not- even have one. The young
man who made the statement was her
son and the only truths that he ut
tered was Uie fact that his name was
Clyde, and that his mother Is Mrs. Hen
ry Belts. She has but three sons, the
eldest farming; Clyde, and a son much
below draft age. That young man is
In Pilot Rock waiting for the draft;
his mother is in Pendleton with her
two youngest children, taking advan
tage of the high school.
Pilot Rock does many creditable
things, both patriotic and otherwise
but as a community we feel that we do
not want credit that Is not due us and
so want to correct the impression that
has been Wrongly given out that w
have here a woman who has given
more sons than any in America to the
cause of right and justice.
v ANNE E. D. SCHLEGEL.
Chairman Pilot Rock Chapter Ameri
can Red Cross.
Twenty-five Venra Age.
From Tbe Oregon Ian of Jan. 21, 1SV3.
Fremont, O. The last sad rites were
said for ex-President Rutherford B.
Hayes, snd he sleeps beneath a mantln
of snow by the side of the devoted
companion of his- HfSi - '
Spokane. The contract for the Great
Northern sflops in this city was let this
afternoon. , The contract price is $80,-
000 and the construction of six build
ings ia provided for, to cover 40 acres.
The Dalles The mercury has hardly
risen above the freezing point since the
heavy snowfall of December 19, and
for a morjth stores and other places of
business have closed their doors at
1 P. M.
At a special meeting of the water
committee yesterday it was decided to
advertise for bids for the construction
of the Bull Run pipe line.
There was Ice sufficient for skating
yesterday at Guild's Lake, Columbia
Slough and on Sullivan's Gulch, but it
was. hardly strong enough to be safe.
A number of persons were out, however.
Wnere to Apply for Allowance.
CAMAS, Wash., Jan. 19. (To the Edi
tor.) (1) I have a client who wishes
to know what steps It would be neceB
sary to take in order to get the Gov
ernment to furnish relief to a widow
whose two sons have enlisted in the
Army and Navy. If you cannot fur
nish me the information, where should
I write In regard to the matter?
(2) I wduld also like to know
there is any official sanction neces
sary for flying a service flag; also de
sign of the same? J. D. CURRIE.
(1) Apply to Bureau of War Risk
Insurance, Treasury Department, Wash
ington, D. C.
(2) There is none. Those In the
market are of proper design.
Warships and Torpedoes.
PORTLAND, Jan. 19. (To the Ed
Itor.) (1) Kindly inform me If It Is or
Is not possible or likely that a sub
marine torpedo could cause' enough
damage to one of our large armor-
plate war vessels to sink it. (2) Could
such a torpedo be effective in piercing
the heaviest armor plate?
READER.
(1) It Is possible.
(2) Torpedoes do not pierce' any
type of ship. The damage is done by
explosion of the torpedo against the
side of tbe vessel. So far as we now
know the torpedo-proof ship is yet to
be built.
O. U. Hoover.
My Tuesdays are meatless,
My Wednesdays are wheatless,
I am getting more eatiess every day.
My home it is heatless.
My bed it is sheetless.
They re all sent to the Y. M. C. A.
The bar rooms are treatless.
The coffee is sweetless.
Each day I get poorer and wiser.
My stockings are feetless.
My trousers are seatless,
My God, but I do hate the Kaiser!
Clerical Work for Navy.
PORTLAND, Jan. 19. (To the Edi
tor.) Kindly tell me where I can get
Information concerning the clerical
work for women In the Navy.
A READER.
Address, Commandant, Navy-yard,
Bremerton, Wash.
Half a Century Ago.
From The Oregonlan ot Jan. 21, 1868.
The stepmother of Abraham Lincoln,
still lives near Farmington, Coles Coun
ty, Illinois, in a one-story log cabin
containing two rooms. Aunt Sally Lin
coln, as the villagers call her, is now
SO years old and Is very feeble.
New York. John Jacob Agtor died
today in his 66th year.
The old Winter King seems to be
going it decidedly strong these days,
and Is evidently In one of his peculiar
moods and means business. Tbe freez
ing wind still comes from the Northeast
and when a change may be expected has
not been telegraphed. ,
Several persons are reported as hav
ing broken through the Ice on Satur
day. It would be well to exercise great
prudence while skating on or crossing
the river.
From October SI to December 81,
1867. S254 acres of land were sold and
transferred in Benton County. The aver
age price per acre was $S.
SOLDIER OF TODAY IS CLEAN HIS
Chaplain Speaks In Illch Terms ef
Men of Coast Defense,
FORT COLUMBIA, Wash., Jan. IS.
(To the Editor.) There has been con
siderable discussion of late as to the
morality and general moral conduct
of the American soldiers. My personal
observations for the last five months
have been limited to the Coast defenses
at the mouth of the Columbia River.
Out of justice to these soldiers, and
for the information of those who may
be specially interested in them, I wish
to commend, most heartilyi the hiph
standard of their moral conduct. They
mean business, and, apparently, have
no time for dissipation. Gone are tha
days when the term soldier stood for
rip-roaring good time. .mciency
is now the watchword.
- Unqualified praise Is due the Coast
Defense commander, Colonel Ellis, and
Colonel "C. C. Hammond, O. C. A., for
their consistent efforts to protect these
soldiers from Immoral conditions and
Influences. This statement calls at
tention to a fact of frreat general In
terest of which a leading United States
Journal has recently said, "Never be
fore has a Nation taken so advanced a
position on moral matters in time of
war." WILLARD A. ELK INS,
Captain-Chaplain, O. C. A.
Prices Paid for Henna.
LEBANON. Or., Jan. 19. '(To the Ed- .
Itor.) In answer to a question The
Oregonian says that it is not aware
that beans grown in California are
worth 5 cents a pound more than those
grown in Oregon.
On the market page or Tne urego-
nlan the same day are following bean
quotations:
BEANS California Jobbing prices: Small
white, i:iVto; larne white. 13c: bayou. 10c;
pink, 10c. Oregon buus, buying prices:
White. 9aluc; colored, 7io.
Perhaps you do not have time to read
the caper you get out, but we farmers
get awfully tired of this sort of bunk.
Jf'AKMbK.
Farmer needB to learn how to read
market reports. The jobbers prices
quoted on California beans- ara the
prices at which the middleman sells
after buying from the producer. The
buying prices quoted on Oregon beans
are the prices paid the consumer.
Grading is not so generally practiced
in Oregon as in California, but grade
for grade, there Is no material differ
ence. Location of Recruit.
ECHO, Or., Jan. 18. (To the Editor.)
Please give me information through
your columns concerning the Aerial
Photographers' Corps. (1) Are there
many enlisted in this corps? (2) Can I
obtain the names of the ones enlisted
from Idaho and Utah and the places
they are stationed? If so, to whom
should I write for the Information?
A PHOTOGRAPHER.
(1) It is estimated that about 15
men have been enlisted for the Aerial
Photographers' Corps through the
Portland Army recruiting station.
(2) No list of recruits for the branch
could be obtained from any source.
Queries regarding any one enlisted
man, whose name is given, will be an
swered by the recruiting station ad
dressed. Idaho and Utah are in the
Salt Lake district and, presumably, the
Army recruiting station at Salt Lake
should be addressed if you are seeking
information regarding a recruit from
either of those states.
Enlistment In Spruce Dlvlnlon.
ASTORIA, Or.. Jan. 19. (To the Edi
tor.) (1) Can one who is in Class j.
and likely to be drafted in the next
draft join the Spruce ' Division of the
Signal Corps, or is it that he must no
far enough back tnat ne wuoian i do
taken?
(2) What are the qualifications one
must have to join? A READER.
(1) He must obtain a certificate from
his local board showing that his order
number is not within the "current lo
cal quota." There is some difference
of opinion among local boards as to
the meaning of tbe term. A registrant
desiring to enter should consult his lo
cal board.
(2) The registrant must pass the
physical examination.
Delay of Family Allowance.
FREEWATER, Or., Jan. 19. (To the
Editor.) Please inform me why 1
havent received any pay from the
United States. My husband has been m
the Army for almost rour montns. i
am supposed to get ou per niumu. mo
papers were signed up over two months
Probably the delay is due to red tape
and congestion, but an authoritative
answer can be obtained only from the
Bureau of War Risk Insurance, Wash
ington, D. C. .
Name for American Soldiers.
OREGON CITY, Or., Jan. 19. (To the
Editor.) Call 'our soldier boys "Ted
dies." They will like the name.
EX-NAVAL APPKEKTICE.
i
V 1