Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, March 13, 1918, Image 8

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Morning Oregonian., March 13, 1918, Page 8, Image 8

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Newspaper Page Text8 THE MOTtXIXG OREGOXIAN. WEDNESDAY, . 3IARCDT 13; 191S. (Hie (Diwman it inncul Postorr.ca a adveaea 71 a. "a a con t c ui mail rael'-r. lu3cr;p!lM rata liir!W ll "ol'. a-as'la li-tfi.l. esr ....... I4 v. ja f lr. ie.1, e- asa-aths ..... t a. . Sinlea -!,,. 1. 1. mm m" be - t'i ?. in4a? in tt-tt. ori intitl -T't. r. :rFtixt f'in1v. ene year ... I' ' r. w I "lout $ an 1 ay. e-a BlaBtl r. S'UaoBJT. eae maaia, . F .......' ItuSlAtftlilBul'T' i Br Carr er J'". fim-ftr fnr ire.i. ore vear ....V' I' a. I. .:niut l m1tl. n Vt4f ? " " - - - 4 - Mew la taVwalt We. pooa.orr.ee money ar dor, upr-aa er poraoeal ea ' I"" l4n. ateinpe. ruia or eofr-nre ai-a el ow a - - raa. semrru-e tilirna la la .t.vl.Bg county eaJ lUla rMttt lain-l I" 1 paaea. 1 ": " i- p.caa. I cit. It la p--. coats. la sac-a 4 con'. to To !. -n:a Te to patrva, ceaia. rorelsa puel t4. deal). rat. Uatan HasJaeee Crfflro Verree lta. Il-u-ia.. 0:;l n. Nt Torn. Varra at Con. ,n. e: . t.r eai .1 iaj. Chicago. Verree a oaa 'v I'-.e t'reee baiut.as. De-roil. V fll.. eae rnarlara r- eraeealo .. ve. K- J. ..iee... 1- alraai atroou I j torjr. The Important part played by photography has born made possible by relatively recent chemical dis coveries. The khaki color which makes the soldier Inconspicuous In the Held is a modern product of the labo ratory. The outlook (or the l'nlted States to excel in ail these lines Is made brighter by the fact that cheap labor Is no lonirer at factor In chemical production. It Is estimated by an au thority on the subject that of the f2SO.000.000 worth of chemicals 1m ported In 1I5. not more than 4 per cent represented labor value. alMBtl r THE A!OC1.TrD PE-l. Tba Aaeor atad Praee la) eac miarr entlt ad ta tre Haa for rap'loicslloa of a,l Baws alia polvn-e rr.J.ta.1 to It or et.ierw.ee trad ifl to ?!.a pEer. sad a-oo Uaa latal ooo miA" LariO'i LaratB. . t.ttt-t o ra?Qb'!rat!oa ef .paxlal da- ati'hao haraita or o o raaafT'!. rorruo. tritror. makch is. ii RUE DO UWTUS Br.LOGT A furious letter In a contemporary fanounrlnr lawyers for their nefar tous service In lawmakln- and law to' terpretation. and demanding Imme-d-.ee reform, la referred to us by a srmpathetic reader with a request fo commendatory comment. A paragraph ef the beetle diatribe one of the xaUdest will show Its quality: Lo at ro aaoko th low, atttt thoa tnis t aaj Intarprol tho loos aa bains aparallaa or s.nt.-notltuttooot. IWabjr li aaltaa aaac-a ana aaa Ihlr.aTO OO frlma bot arootv-rtrao aa poooltlom Ab4 vacS b Ibo raara giomoroloai coadttoa oaiollnaj (rorn Atpha tn mf a oa fiti-l ahito popar ruio-t br prtatano aar-a troaa u aiaaatary looo fr tn fwvarntaanl of tho lKaua caaizimoa oaaita. ll aooms or Man t that thooa la karo boo parpooolT ttilo Ihot war to Irtaia ba r n an I baolAOoa foe lawrora and litlaatloa. The ea.ir surcestlon Is added by the reformer that the LerUlature be filled with Inteiiirent business men and farmers. Wlthatandlnr the temptation to say the obvious thlnf. which Is that law. tnaklnr Is clearly the function of law Vara. Ivt us remark that a lrtalature Lf. Brst of all. a representative body. and that It Is appropriate that there be members representing; all occupations. No Ictslsture should be made up ex- rlusively of lawyers, or any other pro fession or occupation. Cut there oujcht to ! enouch lawyers to five the boaly export direction and technical counsel, so that correct forms are preserved, and that the laws are not a Jumble of aruMsuttleo, Imperfections, contradic tions ao-1 duplications. I It true that we send cone but laaryCT to the I.e-t!ture? It Is not true. The last House alt Ralrcn had. we believe, five attorneys out of a total ef twelve, from Multnomah and In the tutal membership of ninety, less than one-third were lawyers. As to whether or Dot this Is too irrtat or matt a proportion, we venture no opinion. Hut if the laws are contra dictory, meanlnirlroji and Ineffective, we should say that the reason Is that the Lectalature did not have enouch lewyers of the rich! kind. At the risk of bringing a violent rebuke from I the foe of all lawyers, let us firmly declare that there are lawyers of that kind, and they should be elected to Itrtslatures and elevated to Judce- htps. Why do not the people choose them? Since the state of Orecon was ad mitted to the t'nlon. It has sent a total ef twentv-seven L'nlted States Sena tors to Washlnrton. When the Legis lature had the constitutional privilege and duty of choosing the Senators. It showed a marked partiality for law yers. Of the twenty-two Senators thus named only one was not an attorney. When the soverrljrn people took over the irreat bu.itneea of naming I'nited States Senators, the natural assump tion La that the unwarrantable prac tice of putting public affairs thus In the exclusive hands of the lawyers, would have been Instantly changed, r.ut. alas, the electorate seems to have much the same notion of the eminent fi tness of members of the bar. Only a single exception to the old rule was made, and he was a doctor. Jut to emphasise the general attitude and to conQrin the hold of the lawyers on Congress, the people at the lust two elections have rrjcted those candi dates for Senator who were business men. The problem of too many lawyers in office was setird valiantly by the people of North Iakota recently, and they not only elected a Legislature of farmers and others not lawyers, but rejecte! the candidates for the Su preme llench who were lawyers. It Is said that a worthy farmer who was thus signally honored for the bench landed at the state capital on a Sun day. and was annoyed to find that Sunday closing of newistands. cigar stores and other pernicious Industries of Satan was a sad reality. The new Justice was a confirmed smoker, and be wanted a cigar or perhaps It was a pipe. The tobacconist on demand refused to take the chance of arrest and fine. Hut the Jurist then and there showed his superlative fitness for Judicial place. He declared the law unconstitutional forthwith. There Is still In some communities an Idea that a candidate for a Judge ship ourht to have a thorough equip ment of legal learning and eiperier.ee. Hut North iMkota has proved that a Judge need be no lawyer. North P.i kota is not alone. Indeed, in that dis covery, for elsewhere men who were not lawyers have bven raised to the bench; but they had been admitted to practice at the bar. Aa Ideal Legislature la 'a body of men and women from all walks of life, with an aptitude for public af ftirs. with an Intelligent Interest In the goneral welfare, with no thought Of promoting unduly Individual or class advantage, wtth a leal for effi ciency, and economy, and wtth due perception. Instinctive or acquired, of lae svhemos of humbugs, demagogues, entators and profiteers. We should Lke to see such a Lertslature. IX THE iTAS AT LAST. The casualty lists grow steadily from day to day, and the war Is at last torrible presence In American homes. Walt, said the knowing ones. In those early days when the war was still re garded as an Incident In the dally life of America wait until the lists of dead and wounded come In; and then America will get fighting mad, and make war In earnest. That fateful day Is here. The serv ice flags are proudly shown In the windows; and other Insignia are ap pealing to show that the record Is closed for the martyr of some house holds. After all. the loss Is of prime concern to fathers and mothers and of less Interest far less to the com munity or state. The roster of the soldiers 'who have done their bit and best Is growing, and now It Is Important to devise new ways of making the names known to those most aSerted. without apprising the enemy. The War Department say that to print aught but the names, giving units or locations. Is valuable Information to the enemy. IVobably it Is true. We are coming to the time when the shocking an nouncement of the death on the field of honor of a brother or son or father will be privately conveyed. The cas ualty lists will be printed weekly, or, at the most, daily, with no Informa tion but the bare names. America Is truly la the war. tlrst and second Carman lines. Along two thirds of the front of attack they took only the first Una, demolished by artillery prep aration, and were checked by the German proved within the past few years. Ad- second German lines. In contradiction vancctnent does not so much depend i the Times dispatch says: upon prowess In rour;h-and-tumble The question of political Interference never fighting as It did even thirty years ago. . even arose, because It was obvious by tho There probably never has been a time ' 'J"- n,h' ,n,t ,h" rapture impossible. . . , , . . . I The attack was stopped in tho sense that a in history when merit was so certain . m. mloVDrd wnn h. ehmr.M .. con- to win advancement. The denmnd for rrete wall. The French did not take the competent men is far greater than the supply. Kxperlence has shown that one need not be "born to the sea" to make a ' "re from the second line, whose strength ttn fri,.- i v tv.' hi'l been little Impaired. On April 17 the good sailor. There Is hope for the , ,.off,nlv. ruptur!: Conclved by General most, inrxprririiceu. a ills nas oeen proved In the Navy as well as In the merchant marine. The essential quali fications do not differ greatly from those In other trades. All-around manliness and willingness to learn are first among these. There was a time when Americans made the finest sail ora In the world. There Is a chance for them this year to begin to win their old place back again. warnxa wniioiT rvrowTiof. In the course of an article In the Tax Liberator In which Mr. C E Spence attempts to tell what he knows or does not know about the Non.iartlsan I.cague of North Da kola we find, this paragraph: Neither la I ba l.o anje privately attracts: aor pnaia.y coatroU-4 by any ono ind-ata- I. ot B B3tca so as s e any of ITio dom leant pan Ira of the state privately directed or contm!.e4 by tae cae-xmaa of the central commutes. A. C. Townley, president of the league, directly disputes the foregoing statement under oath. At Bismarck on January I. lilt, at his heating In bankruptcy before a referee he testi fied as follows: Q. Now la retard is the Nos -Panisse Leeeuo. that w a potltlcaJ oraaaiaatloa ? A. Vrsv sir. V. I Ha o hue tho powers and dutlea aaray or the chairman of the llepub'lcaa Mate Centra! Cirnmltte or Democratic fltate antra; Cntnmtttee aa to the finance during he camera? A. too. 1 do la a veoeral way. Q. Ae president of the n.farttsaa LaMaSve our p-oware aae duties are they similar to hoe? A. Tea. sir. There are numerous other Interest- ng features In the testimony of Mr. Townley which The Oregonlan hopes o find time some day to review. They rll a strange story of one-man con rot, of expenditure of money without ocumentary evidence of approval by the executive committee, of control of llled organisations through Interlock- ng directorates, of establishment of a league newspaper organ with money contributed by the farmers, and of the turning over of the complete legal title to that property, now worth many thousands of dollars, to two lcagu organizers. Mr. Spence would do well to Inves tigate more thoroughly before he writes of the Non-Partisan League. COARSE. The flippancy with which Commis sioner Kellaher has taken up the com paratively Inconsequential duty of purchasing a few hundred bathing suits for use In city swimming pools does not add luster to an administra tion supposed to be conducted by high - grade, high - minded business men. Stories of his Intention to have liv ing models arrayed In bathing suits parade before him to determine the modesty of the garments have gone out over the country. It Is quite gen erally known that Portland has a com mission form of government conceived with respect to salaries and methods of election so that representative men shall presumably be elected to city oflice. But the spirit that conceived his private exhibition Is not representative of Portland. The central Idea of the plan Is that both modest and im modest bathing suits will be presented for selection. Commissioner Kellaher Indicates a vapid or worse desire to see how each would look when cloth Ing or near-clothing the flesh. In that desire he belongs to a limited set, but expressed as It Is by a City Com missioner it reflects upon the entire community. A bathing suit speaks for Itself, but If one Is less than ordinarily Intelli gent a department store dummy clothed In such a garment should tell one all he needs to know. It Is time that Commissioner Kellaher passed up his plan as a crude Joke unworthy a 15000 Commissioner of a (Teat and fairly moral city. Without the chem'sts this war would be a comparatively primitive affair. With artillery lire at the high est point ever reached In any time, he is furnishing both the resistant metal for the guns and the explosives with which the missiles are charged, lie la producing the materials for bombing and gassing and also gas masks for protection. The cement for defense works Is a chemist's produc tion, as well as the concentrated foods employed for emergency rations. A wide variety of pharmaceutical prod nets Is being employed In the hospitals In this war for the. first time In hls- Jktr.N IX) R TUE MEItOIANT MARINE. Announcement that Govern men schools for the training of young men for the American merchant marin on the Pacific Coast are poorly at ta-nded means one of two things Kither the young nen of the Wes prefer service in the lighting branches of the Army and Navy, or they are not alive to a splendid new oppor tunity. It Is known thnt they are not lacking In the spirit of adventure. The recruiting service of the United States Shipping Board is Increasing Its provisions for the training of men who must be provided, not only for the duration of the war, but tor so long afterward as our ling Is seen in commerce on the seven seas. It has been pointed out that more than 3000 oilicers will be needed for the deck and engine-room departments of the vessels constructed this year In Wash ington and Oregon alone. If the pres ent programme is carried out. The need In the entire country will be proportionately greater. Qualifications for entry in the ofiicers' schools con slat of a good physique and eighteen months previous experience at sea. The course Is an Intensive one. and good berths are practically certain to be obtained by those who show fitness for them. The (aoverament meanwhile Is tak ing steps to train wholly Inexper lenced men to man the fleet which is now In process of construction. Train Ing ships are being equipped for this purpose, and the first of these, which sailed from tho port of Boston, re cently completed Its cruise and dls charged Its recruits at New York, where the young men were placed In their first positions. There were 410 apprentices In her crew. The former Army transport Meade Is being fitted out for tho accommodation of 1100 apprentices. Men are being trained for the deck, engine-room and stew ards" departments. The engine-room recruits learn tiring, oiling, water tending and coal-passing. The stew. ards are taught everything pertaining to the food of a ship. Those In the dck department master the duties of tlors on passenger and freight- boats. AH hands must master the technic of handling boats In the water. An Important phase of this train ing Is that after two years at sea those In the deck and engine departments are eligible for examination for offi cers" licenses. Those who meanwhile serve acceptably during the war are automatically entitled to classification In Class 4 of the draft, which Is next above actual exemption. Care. how. ever. Is being exercised In choosing recruits. Their motives will govern their admlasionlo the training schools. Obviously, the Shipping Board does not desire to encourage the enlistment of mere draft evaders. t Service In the merchant marine now bears little resemblance to taat of the old days when a sailor's life was all hardships and small rewards. It Is returning to the status that It held when It attracted our best young men and when whole communities of neighbors and friends sailed the seas together. In mutual respect and confi dence. Conditions have vastly lm- FACT TER.ifS nCTlON nr THE vTAR An article by Wythe Williams In Collier's Weekly, In which the French offensive on the Aisne In April. 1917. was discussed and on which The Ore gonlan has commented, has brought from Charles H. Grasty, Paris corre spondent of the New York Times, a crushing reply In which every state ment of fact made by Mr. Williams Is flatly contradicted. Mr. Williams said In substance that the French of fensive was begun In concert with the British: that it had every prospect of success In driving the Germans back to the Meuse; that It was stopped In response to panicky protests from a party of French politicians at head quarters agulnst the slaughter of troops, and In violation of an agree ment with the British. Mr. Grasty has evidently had access to the official records of the French government and had Information at first hand from French officials. On eighteen distinct statements of fact Mr. Grasty flatly contradicts Mr. Williams. Several clauses have been entirely elided by the censor, but enough remains on which to form a comparison. The statements of the two men are published in parallel columns In the Times. Replying to the statement that "this offensive was really a great French victory." Mr. Grasty says: Nlvelle was stopped deliberately by himself. Unofficial estimates of French losses by M. Godart were declared to be "an exaggeration of over 70 per cent," but Mr. Grasty says "the official figures were not underestimated." and refers Mr. Williams to the documents. So far from M. Painleve having or dered on April 29 that "the entire -Offensive be Immediately stopped," on April 30 began the attacks on Mont Moronvilliers and Mont Carnlllet, "which continued successfully for six days," and on May 4 began the at tacks on Caronne and the Chemin des Dames, which also succeeded. The statement that the German army was ordered "to prepare imme diately for a quick retreat to the line of the River Meuse" is denounced as "pure fantaisle." It is denied that Mr. Lloyd George created a scene in his remarks to the French government after the attack was stopped. The conference between French and British did not deal with persistence in the attack, but with readjustment of plans In view of its failure. Painleve did not order the offensive to cease after Haig and the British government had been assured that it would continue, and the offensive did not cease. He did not say In the Chamber of Deputies on July 7 that "henceforth the French armies would seek only limited objectives." He said that "henceforth the activity of the French armies under Petain would be as energetic as possible," and "results Justify his assertion." So Jar from the Germans finding, on receipt of the Paris papers of April 18 "that panic existed in France," Mr. Grasty says that, "no matter what French paper you see, the operations were everywhere regarded until the end of April as a brilliant victory." The conclusions of the court-martial were not favorable to Generals Nlvelle and Mangln, for "the result of the in quiry was that Nlvelle, Instead of be ing generalissimo, now holds a second ary pot In Africa, and General Man gin commands an army no longer." To clinch the Times article. M. Painleve has cabled to Collier's a "most Indignant protest" against Mr. Williams' article, saying that "in it there is not one statement regarding me, there Is not one figure, which is not contrary to the truth," and prom ising proof from official documents "when it will be possible for me to give a public explanation." The Oregonlan publishes this syn opsis of what appears to be a com plete refutation of Mr. Williams' story because, accepting it as true, this news paper has published its substance and commented freely on It. It Is essential to success of the United States in the war that there shall be close co-opera tion with our allies, which requires a complete and sympathetic understand ing. Publication of statements, un founded In fact, which reflect seri ously on the statesmen and military commanders of our allies is a serious obstacle to that understanding, and, therefore, to success of American arms. At such a time it is more than ever the duty of every newspaper and magizine to adhere closely to the truth, for nothing would graitfy the enemy more than the dissension among the allies which would be promoted by false statements as to their acts. The Macedonian Cry. By Everett Earle Staaard. We had trodden the paths of peace so long. Adown the beautiful, happy years. That the cry of Europe's pain and wrong Was like a far-heard ghostly song Wafted from alien spheres. A watchman cried from the battered wail, "Come over and help us, come, come!" Thin and clear was the mystic call. And some of us heeded it not at all. And some said, "France, you may stand or fail; Our hearts are sealed and dumb. "Cease, be silent' and go your ways. You little peoples in farther lands. Go down with your cries to the voice less days. As for us we will sigh, and then give praise That America still stands. CAESAR'S CLAIM TO GREATNESS. Reasons Why He Should Be Regarded as Leading; Figure la History. PORTLAND, March 12 (To the Edi tor.) I read with great Interest your article in The Sunday Oregonlan on the world's great men. Leaving out literature and religion, I would like to say something on Caesar's clsfim to be idered the greatest man in a material sense, that ever lived. Most men called great, have had little in fluence outside the countries of their birth. George Washington is honored, even revered, in almost every country, but it must be confessed that his in fluence has been slight outside of the United States. The same rriay be said of Napoleon In France, of Peter th In Other Days. Twenty-Five Years Ago, From The Oresonian, March 13. 1833. Superintendent Gardner, of the Boys' & Girls' Aid Society, places three wards of the institution in good homes at The Dalles. -v Directors summarily disband Har monic Society, but arrangements are made for continuing rehearsals under the direction of Professor Buck, as can ductor. W. A. Storey leaves for Chicago as delegate from the Oregon Sportsmen's Association to the National Convention of Sportsmen. George T. Myers, president Oregon Great in Russia, of Frederick the Great . World s Fair Commission, goes to Chi And as we walked on the world's high road. In our priestly purple and selfish pride. We thought it a part of our priestly code To avert our gaxe while the blood stream flowed From the man who was beaten by staff and goad. We passed on the other side. So long we had lived for ourselves alone, i We gave little thought to our brother men. The love in our hearts was turned to stone. We thought of no woes but woes of "our own. Thank God. we shall now for the past atone: We are part of the world again. And never so long as the earth shall stand Shall we in the priestly way pass by. Refusing a brother the helping hand When the tyrant tramples a neutral land. We have come at last to understand The Macedonian cry. RECORD BUILDING IX EARLY DAYS In One The Oregonian is pleased to wel come Bruce Dennis back to the news paper field. He has bought the La Grande Observer from Mr. Leiter and It waa not a great victory, hot a -suceees j associates. Mr. Dennis possesses ln dleetlme, . . . which cost dear In mm i .... . , , , . . and t.ii far .hort of tho amb.t.oaa hopes illative, force and ability, and is back in nis tormer neia oi enaeavor to make a. .good paper of every issue of the Evening Observer. He will. vith arnica tho plaa of operations a as con ceived. The plan was said to have been adopted on January 15, 1917. at an allied council attended by Lloyd George. Bonar Law. Generals H:iig and Nlvelle, Premier Rlbot and the French War Minister. M. Painleve. At that time Rlbot was not Premier and Painleve was not a member of the Cabinet, not becoming Wat Minister until March 20. The plan was said to have been that the French should attack on the Aisne while the British attacked between Lens and Arras, in the belief that re tirement of the German center must thus be enforced. On the contrary, the French plan is now said to have b.n an attack on a seventy-five-mile front In a deliberate attempt to break the German lines, with the hope that the cavalry would reach Iaon on the evening of the first day and that the Infantry would reach the line of the Olse a forty-mile advance on the fourth day. If the line were not broken in twenty-four, or at most forty-eight hours, the attack was to he abandoned. It failed and was aban doned by Nlvelle. who devised it. on April IS, having begun on April 16. Other conditions were to have been simultaneous attacks on the Russian nd Italian fronts, which were not i snakes. made. French failure to break through was explained by the statement that "by nightfall of April 16 the French armies were no longer under military authority, but were In a domain purely political." This Is met by the state ment that the French failed because it was Impossible to concentrate suffi cient artillery on such a wide front" to destroy the German defenses; be cause the ground was broken with steep ravines and grottoes, and clumps of trees sheltered the German gun positions; because the French lacked dominant observatories and bad weather obstructed air observation: and because the Germans had cap- ured a non-commissioned officer on rhom they found detailed plans for the attack north of Rheims. The Germans were able to concentrate such a disastrous counter-fire that the French went Into a death-trap. The attack was "stopped by its own failure." Over a dozen French Senators and Deputies went out to see the attack. and Mr. Williams suid they "were all in a mad panic and frantically tele phoned to the government to stop the attack." Mr. Grasty says the party! included .M. uiemenceau, "wnnse cour se and coolness at the front are notorious," and he adds: . An enlisted man, professing to be a Socialist, who refuses to obey orders and gets from twenty to twenty-five years at hard labor, is a bigger fool than the general run of the party. He Is not a martyr to any cause. The women's committee of the Ne braska Council of Defense objects to Kastern college girls for farm work. No reason Is stated, but it can be guessed: The men's heads must not be turned. Strikers who interfere with progress of war work should be put into Class 1 regardless, and this country may come to that course long before peace Is declared. Most of the hundred killed In the air raid on Paris Tuesday night were women and children. By and by American airmen will lead the way to Berlin. If St. Patrick could have had a vision of the "favors" that nowadays commemorate his birth, he would have put a curse on more things than Waterfront Claimant Erects It Day City Tears It Down, PORTLAND. March 12. (To the Ed Itor.) The complete erection of the liberty temple in one day Is not the only Instance of that kind In the history of the city. No doubt there are a rew old-time residents of Portland who can recall that a building was ejected about the year 1859 on the northeast corner of Front and Morrison streets (site of the old Esmond Hotol) in its entirety in one day. The reason for this, as I recollect. was that George W. Vaughn (a former Mayor), owning the property on the west side of the street, laid claim to the water-front directly opposite. At that time the entire leve from Washington street to the south had no buildings on it- It coming to the knowledge of the city officials that Mr. Vaughn was to erect a building on the levee, he was Informed that he would be prevented from doing so. He determind to carry out his scheme and procured the neces sary materials and had it all prepared to put together In . hurried manner. One morning it was hauled to the place and with a large force of mechanics he proceeded to erect the building. Toward evening It was entirely completed, to the astonishment of a large crowd of spectators and dismay of the authori ties. The following day after a consulta tion of the city officials the City Mar shal was authorized to procure neces sary help and tear down the building, and with axes and ott.er appliances a force of men began the destruction of the building. The debris was carted off to the plaza opposite the Courthouse. Law suit was instituted by Mr. Vaughn against the city and I believe carried to the united States Supreme Court. Un doubtedly it must have been decided tn his favor, for later buildings were erect ed ail along the levee side of the street. This is about as near the facts as I can remember. Perhaps it would be in teresting to old-timers, particularly to the members of the Lang Syne Society, If you would reprint the particulars of the matter as reported in your paper at that time. SIMON HARRIS. Mother Nature. Old Mother Nature is a stern old ds.me. Down through the ages she has been the same; All her laws are written plainly And she only smiles urbanely When you break them quite insanely 1 Binning that you II cheat her game. Old Mother Nature's stubborn as a mule; Acts just the same on genius, sage and tool. You may have an III or make it But her cure, you'll surely take It, Ere you're able quite to shake it For she never breaks a rule. Old Mother Nature laughs at your wry face. Goes right on working on the human race. It's no use to try to cheat her, And you'll profit lf you treat her With the very best of grace! GRACE .E. HALL. Enlistment of a shipbuilding army must soon be followed by that of a farming army if the allies are not soon to be reduced to eating grass. The owner of a vacant lot in what he considers Is a "swell" residential section should be among the first to offer it free for a war garden. The man who slew his bigamous wife and pleaded guilty to manslaugh ter is not as crazy as an attorney might have made him appear. No use regretting waste in bygone years of stuff that now costs two or three times as much. It would not have kpU anyway. The Aurora dentist who looks like the Kaiser has gone into cold storage for the rest of the war for talking like a replica. With every neighbor a possible in former, the would-be slacker posing as a farmer has poor show to escape service. Loans for Aetna! Farmers. PORTLAND. March 12. (To the Editor.) Would a widow be able to get a Federal loan on land that has mortgage on it? Said land is in a small town In the Valley. Amount of land, seven acres; amount wanted to pay off mortgage, 450; taxes on land over. $200. She does not live on land, as she could not work it, but rents it out. SUBSCRIBER. 1 An absentee landlord cannot obtain a Federal farm loan. in Prussia and Germay, but what of ! Caesar? The jurisprudence of the world Is founded on the laws codified under his direction. The calendar year in stituted by him has governed the time of the world for almost 2000 years with one small-change. Now as to his professional qualifica tions for greatness; every school boy knows he was an author and every man with some classical learning knows that as a prose writer he was at least the equal of any of his time. No great set speech of Caesar's has come down to us but we have the word of Cicero, and surely there could be no better Jrdge. that as an orator, he was in the first rank. To compare Generals of different periods of time, is a thankless task as the conditions are so different. By most. I believe, Hannibal is considered the greatest general of ancient times, because his victories were gained against the troops of at least equal quality, and often superior numbers, but he was defeated in the. end, and if Rome and Roman literature had not survived, we would know as little of Hannibal as we do of the great gen erals of Semiramis and Rameses. He was but a fleeting shadow on the con quering course of Rome. Alexander never suffered defeat and conquered most of the then known world, but except when he destroyed the Thebans, his opponents were Asiatics, little bet ter than slaves and armed in very in ferior fashon to the Greeks; at any rate the very small loss suffered by the Macedonians at Granlcus and Arbela, show that genius was scarcely neces sary to gain the victory. It is true that Alexander destroyed the Persian empire and so changed the world's his tory for never again could it be a fac tor In Europe, but the march of the Greeks from Babylon to the sea showed it was an empty shell waiting to be crushed at the first touch. Ten years after his death Alexander, for all of his greatness and glory, left scarcely a ripple on the troubled waters of the world. Caesar also never was defeated In tattle and he also practically con quered almost the whole known world. His first great victories were gained against nations then called barbarians, probably armed in very inferior fash ion to the Roman soldier, but even against them, he proved himself to be the world s first great strategist and also th6 first great military engi neertwo points in which Hannibal was deficient, which In fact were the final cause of his undoing. Moreover, at Pharsalla, Caesar defeated a far superior force of Romans under Pompey, then thought to be a great general, assisted by Labienus, who claimed the credit for Caesar's victories in Gaul. Caesar's last campaign In Spain was wonderful in its swiftness and com pleteness, yet the Spanish infantry was then considered second to none. It also shows that unlike Napoleon, his military genius was unimpaired to the end. It cannot be said that Caesar's mili tary exploits, like those of Hannibal and Alexander, had little effect on the world. He changed the course of em pire for he was really the first Roman mperor. He could have had the title by stretching forth his hand and the Roman emperors ruled the world for centuries after his death. Then take him as a man. Who can read without a thrill how he faced his favorite Tenth Legion, when it mutinied. For a hun ted years it had been the custom at Rome for the victors to destroy as any of the defeated faction as possi ble. When Marius, 50 years before. gained control of Rome, he murdered every one of his opponents he could find. Sylla when victorious did the same thing, so completely, that there was no one left to oppose his will and he could retire and pass his remaining years in peace and the pursuit of plea- ure. Caesar in similar case, spared is enemies and they assassinated him. but does that lessen the greatness of bis soul? Of the great men of the world, some n.-ay have surpassed Caesar in one way ana some in another, but take him as a whole, author, orator, lawmaker, gen eral, administrator and "man, I cannot think that any other human being can be compared to him, or else all the his tory that has been taught to us is but a false flimsy story. G. S. C. cago to make necessary contracts with exposition management in regard to the Oregon exhibit. W. H. Eldridge as signed task of Interesting manufactur ers of state in assembling exhibit. Governor Pennoyer and State Treas urer Metschan start on tour of state for inspection of sites offered by The Dalles, Heppner, Pendleton, La Grande, Union and Baker for the Eastern Ore gon branch Insane asylum for which the Legislature appropriated 165,000. Half a Century Ago. Prom The Oregonlan. March 13, 1868. New Hampshire Union party carries state election by 3000 majority. Victory taken to presage success of Unionists in Pennsylvania, Ohio and Illinois and the redemption of New York and Cali fornia The result is also considered a vote for the impeachment of Andrew Johnson. New York Washington dispatch says Reconstruction Committee will report a bill for admission of the State of Ala bama under a constitution recently voted by the people of that territory. C. M. Cartwrlght reports successful operation of mill at Salem for the man ufacture of linseed oil and kindred products. Output of plant adequate to supply demands of state. Tualatin River is so badly obstructed with drift that river steamer service from Portland to Forest Grove is neces sarily abandoned. Republican State Convention of Penn sylvania declares unanimously for Grant for President. United States Senate tables a me morial objecting to the admission of Colorado as a state. RESPECT FOR A.THE3I DECLINING Woman Protests Against Growing In. difference to National Air. PORTLAND, March 12. (To the Ed itor.) Since your editorial page seems to be the Mecca for the complaints of the general public, please add my bit. Why is it that at the beginning of the war when the "Star-Spangled Banner" was played everyone stood attention, women forgot such things as veils, hats and powder puffs and stood in silence (or. sang) all through the song? We are still at war; it has become part of usj. everyone has someone dear to him or her who is either lighting or preparing to, but the time taken to stand with respectful attention seems too precious. Hats are put on or um brellas collected and a few audible whispers from our women, "Oh, dear, I am so tired of this; let's go out before .it is finished." etc., are heard. Please do not allow the men to think that we have not the power of con centration. That is what it amounts to it is thoughtlessness. We all have brains and we are all heart and soul in this war. Let us show it by cour tesy to our flag and song. C. B. OAKTREE. 0'B CAUSE OF FREIGHT DELAYS THE HIS, Search our tongue for strongest terms Applied to fiendish deeds of hell. Just now, we see, we need to learn Some stronger epithets to tell Of ancient savagery outdone By the scientinc methods Of the educated Hun. Of Belgium's fate the story's old Of dark, vile deeds we cannot tell. But future ages shall be told How heroes fought those "imps of hell." Heroic sons of Belgium! How they blocked the devilish purpose Of the craving, grasping Hun. How valiant France well did her part. With steel for steel and shot for shot. Made rough and rocky from the star The Paris road for "lie und Got," While "scraps of paper" canceled ones Shocked the world with the perfidy That had slumbered in the Huns. I thought I'd add a stanza each For England, Italy and U. S., But there's no language I can speak With tongue or pen that I can trust To describe the foe we fight as one, 'Gainst revolting, craven principles That had slumbered in the Hun. T. P. KENDALL, 434 East Eleventh street. Another Wish. Since wishes are in order, I'd like to be a fleet ' Of fifty thousand aeroplanes All finished and complete. With bombs and guns I'd harass the Huns, By night as well as day. Till back across the Rhine they'd go. And be content to stay. E. K. S. Writer Cites Small Wages and Conse quent Inefficiency of Handlers. PORTLAND. Or., March 12. (To the Editor.) Apropos to what has been written and stated regarding the many causes of freight congestion, with Its consequent car shortage now prevailing throughout the land, let me ask anyone interested to visit either one of the local freight warehouses. Judge the average age of he men trucking to the cars, also those en trusted with greater responsibilities. such as checking, loading and unload ing, and they will find, with but few exceptions, men doing this labor wno have impaired eyesight or otherwise are not capable of deciphering legible marks of destination of shipments, though they probably should be cred ited with doing their best Should you further ask the foreman of the department why it was he was compelled to use so many broken down men when action was needed to v.n.inn twanntAr- rt fnnri material and rations for livestock, he likely would , It's the youth you've got that's great. THE CALL. Oh, it isn't the time for tears, boys. And it isn't the time for grins. But it's Just the time for common sense And the fighting blood that wins. Oh, I know it's sudden and rough, boys. And I know it's serious, too. But think of the country you're going to save And what it will mean to you. Why, you're all dressed up in your suits, boys. You're the good, old American stuff; Just over in France where they're fighting hard You'll find diamonds in the' roueh. Wearinrc of Service Pin. CLOVERDALE, Or., Feb. 11. (To the Editor.) Am I allowed to have a star in a service pin for a brother-in-law who is in the Army? A READER. There is no fixed rule or regulation. No one can stop your wearing it. Th comparatively little they saw of the battle appeared to be proere!nc satisfac torily. They had no panic None of litem lephoned to Parla during tho day. The ontv on's who return! fcrilng snxtous were hoes who saw Nivelle's face that erenlna and drew ominous conclusions from It. No pressure waa exerted on the Paris govern ment and tnere were no orders from Parts to stop the offnalv. From the first day the offensive was said to have been "so hampered by political interference that It could never again get Into Its stride." though the French had taken the first and In the hand-to-hand encounters yes terday the Americans won, of course. It was just boxing and football to them. The restaurateur who would fool with Hoover finds his doors closed and no appeal allowed. Anybody who objects to the new substitutes ruling Is a pro-Hun. The boys in France are yearning for the "makin's." Minimum Wage In Washington. PORTLAND. March 12. (To the Ed itor.) Please publish what is the min imum wage that can be paid to wait resses in the state of Washington. WAITRESS. Ten dollars eluded. a week, meals not in- reply: "Labor shortage." But if you would then ask him what wages were being paid these employes he would inform you honestly that 2.70 pen day for ten hours' work was the a-nount allowed by the company. Then carry your investigation down to the employment agtnci.s, where hundreds of capable, efficient and ac tive young men are seeking work in the city where they can earn sufficient to keep up expenses and remain with their families in Portland, enjoying some of the other blessings of life. This particular freight-handling job has no inducement for the young men. WnO WUU1U UO KU LU L 1. 1 cam. . the waites Justified, and that is the 1 necessary to And your plucky, clean, strong will, You've endurance, too, and I'll bet on you When there's a place to AIL Oh, I love you all, my brave lads. And I'd like to clasp each' hand. So here's Godspeed when pur shores you leave For France with our flag to stand. ELIZABETH A. FLAVEL. No New Registration Rules. ASTORIA, Or., March 11. (To the Editor.) If a man has become 21 years wishes to enlist in the Army, -is it do so before the next ;H -IchSreXtLhrhSen Senator's Church Affiliation. PORTLAND, March 12. (To the Edi tor.) Would like to know the church affiliation of Senator Charles L. Ho Nary. A READER. He Is a Baptist. They Are Exempt. PORTLAND, March 12. (To the Edi tor.) Kindly let me know lf men of draft age, and in Class I, are exempted from military service while employed iiuui uiiji iai oca ,ii-a . luia ciiifaujri These knickers foretell the coming I for the Emergency Fleet Corporation, of the X-ray skirt. J MACHINIST. to the mills or other industries. The saving of a few cents per hour for individual freight handlers may seem a big saving in the aggregate to the railroad companies, but to the pub lic and merchants who desire their necessities supplied every method pup- sued by the railorads that will aid in hastening loading and reloading of cars with the least possible delay will be appreciated by everyone. So, if a small added wage will secure the right men for the place, let us have the in crease and improvement of conditions. AN OBSERVER. Oregon Blue Law. LEBANON, Or., March 12. (To the Editor.) Please publish the definition for the "Oregon blue law." WILLIE O'BRIEN. The term was applied to a statute lately repealed which prohibited the opening of certain places of business on Sunday, registered? A READER. No new registration has yet been ordered and no regulations have been fixed,-so we cannot answer your questions. ll FREE SERVICE AND INFOR MATION. The Oregonlan has established a bureau of Information and serv ice at Washington City for the benefit of its readers. No charge is made for a reply to any ques tion relating to Governmental af fairs or for procuring any avail able Government publication. For reply send 2-cent stamp. Address Frederic J. Haikin, director Oregonian Information Bureau, Washington, D. C. Do NOT write to The Oregonian at Portland.