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About Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937 | View Entire Issue (May 21, 1918)
10 TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN, TUESDAY, MAY 21, 1918. PORTLANU. OKEGOX. Entered at Portland (Oregon) Postoffice as seconrl-class mull matter, Subscription rates invariably in advance: (By Mail.) Tin Hy, Sunday included, one year... .$8.00 linity. Sunday included, six months 4.5 r-iijly. .Sunday included, three months... 2.2. laily, .Sunday included, one month..... .'' Xmily, without Sunday, one year COO 2ally, without Sunday, six months Z.'l laily. without Sunday, on month 10 Veek.y, one yra- J. 00 Sunday, one vear 2.50 Sunday and Weekly 3.50 (By farrier.) rtaily. Sunday included, one year..... Xally, Sunday included, one month... Iaily, Sunday included, three months.. I;tily, without Sunday, one. year RhiIv. without J-unday. three months. . Xjaiiy, without unUuy, one month . . . . . .t9.00 l.!5 .65 How to Remit Send postoffice money order, express or personal check on your local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at owner's risk. Give postoffice address in lull, including county and state. I'oMtaire Kate 12 to 16 pases. X cent: 18 to S2 pages, 2. cents: 34 to 4S pages, :i cents: 60 to 60 paces. 4 cents: 62 to 76 pages, S cents: 78 to 2 pases, 6 cents. Foreign post age, double rates. Kaatern BusineNa Office Verree & Conk Un, Brumwlck building. New York: Verree A Conklln, Steger building. Chicago; Verree & Conklin. Free Press building, Ijetrolt. Mich.; San Francisco representative, R. J. Bidwell, 742 Market street. MKMBEK OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. The Associated Press la exclusively enti tled to the ue for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited to this paoer. and also the local n''vvn published heretn. All rights of republication of special dis pntclies herein are also reserved. 1'ORTI.AXD, IIKD.1V, MAT 21, 1918. XMV SCHKMES FOR VOIR .MOStV. The Oregon ian notes that the Sa lem Grange, No. 17. would socialize, or publicly monopolize, all the ptoc tF.ses of industry for war purpose;?, ami tlint it wouM also have the state undertake to control the machinery of manufacture and distribution, so far as it relates to the farm output. It is an ambitious programme. It is the Non-Partisan league in new guise, but without the name. Doubtless the Salem Grange felt that there Is an odium of public suspicion and disfa vor about the League, and It decided to run no risks. Doubtless, too, the grange is intensely patriotic. The League management and Townley. the manager, is the League Is not Intensely patriotic. The grange would curb profiteer ing. Certainly It would. Every American worth the name and privi lege would destroy profiteering and punish profiteers. But whether or not the Government shorild engage in manufacture of all war supplies, merely to head off the takers and makers of large profits. Is quite an other question. Just now the United States Is en gaged in gig-antic undertaking in Its preparation for war on an unprece dented scale. It would be remiss in Its full duty if it failed to utilize every available agency, public or private, for the making of war materials. It was' sought at the outset to prevent finan cial exploitation by contractors and others by the cost-plus system. It was a failure. The more it cost to build a ship, or erect a cantonment, or to create any other product, the more profit the contractor would make. The easy solution of taking over all war works is, of course, in many minds. But the Government itself must operate with and through the same men as the private contractor. It is the wise desire of the President and his advisers to avoid com mandeering when there is a guarantee of a reasonable efficiency and output by present methods. The public task of running steel plants, coal mines, railroads, shipbuilding establishments and the like is colossal, and, more over. It is something wholly new in America. No wonder a scheme of regulation is preferred to the direct responsibility of outright control. The Salem Grange does not end Its drastic recommendations here. It would also particularly look after the farmer by a system of state-owned terminal elevators, warehouses, flour ing mills, packing plants, creameries, cold storage plants and the like, all to care for the products of the farm. The problem of remunerative sale of agricultural products Is a serious and vital one, and we would not hastily reject any proposal in good faith of fered for Its solution. But a word of caution to the Oregon farmer is not amiss. Who is to run these public utilities? How are the managers to be chosen? Through politics? If not. why not? If through the present instrumentalities of political action, what assurance have they that expert management will be secured, and retained? What other way Is there to choose? The state recently made an experiment In flax culture. There was an opportunity for skilled direction and wise and careful over sight. Yet there have been constant friction and divided counsels from the beginning, and no man can say with confidence that the same amount of money expended under the auspices of private investors might not have brought far more satisfactory results. If we are to have publicly owned elevators, flour mills and so forth, we shall have politically-controlled institutions, unless we abolish politics from our public affairs. Can it be done? If so, how? It is a curious echo of socialistic agitation, often heard before the war, that "wealth be Immediately con scripted to pay the expenses of the war." Could anything more disastrous happen to the country than any policy by which the great war for liberty, freedom and right be a rich man's war? Should the rich and well-to-do alone subscribe to Liberty Loans and give to the Tied Cross? Heaven for bid. The essence of success in the war is an equal participation by all citizens in its responsibilities and an equal expectation as to its rewards. President Wilson seeks the widest dis tribution of interest and accountability by all citizens in his appeal for every one not alone the wealthy, the. mod erately well-off to take a bond, or as many bonds as he can pay for. Eigh teen million Americans enrolled them selves for the Third Liberty Loan. It was a mighty" army. The Loan would have been an unquestionable failure If the millionaires alone had furnished the money. It is a success because all Americans, in every state, got behind the war with their money, by a direct investment of money . according to their means. Let not the Salem Grange imagine that the rich are being in any way favored by light war taxes. Let some enterprising member present to the next grange meeting a copy of the new war revenue bill passed October 3. 1917. If so, .we can Imagine the grange will quickly pass resolutions of sympathy for the poor plutocrat. The unfortunate recipient of a 1.000, 000 Income must give $475,180 to his country in taxes and the other un happy possessor of $3,000,000 income must iv up $1,806,180, No account is here taken of corporation taxes or excess profits taxes, all of - which serve to reduce the incomes of the owners of large fortunes, so that be fore the $1,000,000 to $3,000,000 man gets his money a generous slice has already been taken away. We are a little curious as to why the grange thinks it would be well for the state to own and operate paper and pulp mills and furnish print paper at cost. Naturally, The Oregonian would like greatly to cheapen the cost of news print, being the largest consumer in Oregon or Washington. But we fear greatly that present prices would not be less ened by public ownership, but in creased. Let us commend to our Salem friends the idea of making a careful survey of the taxation situation in Ore gon. Let them find out how much tax per capita the average citizen paid a decade ago. and how much now. If there has been an increase as there has been what has the citi zen to show for it? If he is satisfied with his tax investment, it must be because public affairs are wisely and economically administered. If he is not satisfied, it will be because he will think there have been inefficiency, extravagance, waste, poor public in vestments in wrong schemes. What promise, then, is there that public control of these costly new grange schemes, and expenditure of the moneys to maintain them, will be any more profitable to hire? IS IT A SIGN? At this distance it is not possible to estimate at its true value the report that German troops on the western front are subsisting on greatly re duced rations, having been disap pointed in their hope of obtaining new stores in captured territory, but it serves nevertheless to emphasize once more the importance of food in win ning the war. If Germany has cut down the ration of its fighting men even slightly, it is a sign that the pressure is beginning to tell, and it means also that civil ians must be making still greater sac rifices, since the Prussian policy Is to give, first consideration to the effi ciency of its soldiers. It Is at least two month's before the yield from the next harvest will have an appreciable effect, and meanwhile momentous events may be recorded. It is the time for us to redouble our economies and double our help to our allies. A well-fed army confronting a half-starved foe has an obvious ad vantage. NOBODY LOVES A CORPORATION. There was in the special city elec tion the usual wise discrimination by voters as to measures submitted, to gether with the not wholly uncommon exception born of prejudice or misun derstanding. In another year the peo ple of the whole state, out of preju dice against the railroads, adopted a freight-rate bill that experts could not understand, and it finally fell foul of the courts. Wore recently the people refused to eliminate from the consti tution a measure denying the fran chise to negroes, although It had long before been invalidated by the Fed eral Constitution. These exceptions, due to neglect of study or of attempt to understand, furnish material for opponents of di rect legislation. Approval of the prop osition to open once more the streets of the city to jitney traffic is quite similar. The public became aroused, or rather was aroused, by persistent propaganda, against the 8-cent fare. The people well knew that every arti cle of every-day life had risen in price, from postage stamps and bread and milk to fancy millinery and auto mobiles. But the company, years be fore, not anticipating war or war prices, had accepted a franchise call ing for a maximum fare of 5 cents. The people insisted on the pound of flesh. To enforce the high-minded propo sition that a contract is a contract and should be kept regardless of conse quences, it has turned to the other high-minded proposition that the way to beat the devil is with fire. The jitney business is a gold-brick game. It is alluring to a class of individuals who cannot figure more than a. month or so ahead on expenditures. So the public will sell gold bricks to a few hundred jitney drivers who could be better employed and would be better off In filling the scant ranks of labor In necessary war industries. all for the purpose of getting that pound of flesh out of the street railway. We wonder if, had there been the same virtuous indignation expressed over violation of contracts, the people of Portland would have risen as mightily against the prohibition law or the minimum wage law, or a dozen and one other police measures that have been enforced for the common good regardless of their effect upon previous agreements. It may be a fine thing for the town to restore the 5-cent fare, if that be the result, even though the company goes bankrupt. But would it not be as fine for the community if we could say that no baker had raised the price of bread, that no dairyman had raised the price of milk, that no workman had accepted higher wages than in peace times; that they had done this for the glory of the city and the com fort of the population thereof, and to help the prosecution of the war, facing failure and starvation with a patriotic fortitude? We do not suggest that they do it. Dear, no. The point is that, it's a great life for everybody except a cor poration. DELATED RAILROAD IMPROVEMENT. Nearly a billion dollars is the amount which Director-General Mc Adoo considers it absolutely necessary to spend on railroads this year in or der to make them nearly equal to war emergencies. That is the sum which the late James J. Hill said some years ago should be spent every year for five years in order to bring the roads abreast of the country's transportation needs and to keep thenv. there. No approach has been made to that total, and there are consequently heavy ar rears to be made up. It is probable that two billions could be spent to ad vantage, ajMl that the programme has been cut to the bone because of the difficulty of getting labor and ma terial without interfering with more essential war work. Appropriations are made almost entirely for improvement of existing roads, only $18,203,000 being provided for extensions. Yet it Is certain that, if more extensions had been practica ble, many commodities of value in the war would have been made accessible. Oregon furnishes several examples, for short roads would bring the chrome and copper ores of Southwest ern Oregon to market, while the Stra horn roads would add much grain and livestock which would then be grown in Central Oregon. Some short stretches of these roads may be built, but tha Government is likely, to. post pone more ambitious schemes until peace time. In deferring necessary additions to his transportation system, not only by rail but by water, until the war began. Uncle Sam has acted much like a man whq does not buy a, gun till the shoot ing begins. He is late for the fight and pays a fancy price for his gun. if he does not find the supply sold out. TRACTORS FOR FRANCK. American women who propose to raise funds to provide tractors to be used in farming in the devastated re gions of France are giving a distinctly practical turn to their philanthropic instincts. It is doubtful whether any gift would be more welcome than a tractor so constructed as to meet the demands of a region of small farms. At the same time, such a piece of machinery would have the fairest kind of test, because it would fall .into the hands of a people long accustomed to community co-operation. Villagers to whom the community well and the community bake oven are a common place will have little difficulty in ad justing their affairs so as to enjoy the fullest benefit of an engine oper ated for the good of all. The tractor- is Just another step in the direction of reducing the human labor required to produce the bare necessities of life. If we were reduced to the methods in vogue even so re cently as 1830, for example, it is. in teresting to speculate upon what we should do for wheat. G. K. .Holmes, of the United States Department of Agriculture, has estimated that in 1896 the average amount of labor re quired to produce a bushel of wheat was ten minutes, whereas in 18 30 it was three hours and three minutes. In the earlier time a clumsy plow was used, and seed( was sowed by hand and harrowed into the ground by drawing bushes over it. The grain was cut with sickles, threshed with flails and winnowed in the wind. We now perform all of these operations with machinery. Even the horse is being eliminated as a factor by the growing use of the tractor engine. France also stands in peculiar need of the .help of powerful machinery because of the condition of her de vastated fields, and also her greatly reduced man power. It is expected that women will be trained to operate tractors, as they have done success fully in the United States, and this will greatly widen their opportunity for usefulness. In France, as else where in the world, ever-Increasing use of power will be stimulated by the killing of men in battle and by the continued necessity of provisioning the people while the armies are in the field. APH1DS. Spring brings with it to the farmer and fruitgrower the aphid to add to his many vexations. Etymologists say that the name probably was de rived from a Greek root meaning "unsparing," and entomologists point to the eating habits of the aphid to show that the method of combating it also must be unsparing. No better method has been found, aside from the thorough cleaning up of field and orchard in the routine of good farm ing, than to apply a contact spray so thoroughly that each aphis shall be covered with it. This requires much care, and it is costly In time and la bor, but there is no other way. There are several varieties of aphids, but they are alike in their common practice of attaching them selves to young shoots and tender leaves, and sucking the sap from them through a long, slender proboscis. They do not feed upon the surface of the plant, and poison sprays are for this reason Ineffective against them Those who employ other sprays than those which depend upon contact with the body of the aphid only waste material. Emulsions of kerosene, soapsuds and certain forms of nico tine are effective, but everything de pends upon thoroughness of applica tion. An annoying feature of the work of the aphid is that in a few days it causes the leaf tc curl in such manner as to form a protection against the spray. The lesson from this is that the man who begins the battle early greatly simplifies his task. The aphid seems to contradict the theory held by some that everything in nature was made for a good pur pose. It does not appear to exercise any beneficial influence in nature. It Incidentally exudes a honey-like sub stance which is greatly relished by ants and is called by some writers the "milch cow of the ant." but no good end is served to the farmer by maintaining the supply of ants. The latter, with their well-known Indus try, protect the aphid and convey them from place to place. The cam paign against the aphid is not com plete if it does not include measures for the destruction of ant hills, which are particularly plentiful this year. The visitation of aphids this sea son should not, however, cause the farmers to give up in despair. Its gravity may not be minimized, but there is some comfort in the reflec tion that there have been other such years and that reports usually are exaggerated. Besides, a cold, wet spell is often fatal to the newly- hatched aphid and this week's weather is nicely calculated to help the farmer in getting rid of the pest. TOO TENDER WITH OFFICEHOLDERS. The Senate was se scrupulous about passing retroactive laws that, in con sidering the sabotage bill, it refused t6 provide for dismissal from office of men who have been guilty of acts which are offenses under that bill, unless the acts shall have been com mitted after the passage of the bill. This was done by adoption of a sub stitute proposed by Senator Jones, of New Mexico, for an amendment pro posed by Senator Penrose, which, the latter admitted, would have been retroactive and would have required the dismissal of men for acts and ut terances in favor of Germany or the I. W. W. before the United States en tered the war. Both amendments provided for dismissal upon convic tion after hearing by the head of de partment or by the appointing officer. In this decision the Senate showed excessive tenderness for men who were pro-German before the United States declared war, but who there after suddenly became patriotic. Such men two or three months before we entered the war, in the language of Senator King, "denounced the Con stitution of the United States and our form of government and denounced the flag." Doubtless many of these men have experienced a change of heart, but with many others loyalty is only skin deep and is prompted by anxiety to hold their jobs, and they would be good material for spies to work upon. Some may remain in the service for the secret purpose of serv ing the enemy. Surely the safety of the Nation demands that cognizance be taken of men's acts and utterances from tie beginains I tbg war in judging whether they can be trusted to serve the United States faithfully. The Senate's error seems to have been predicated on the opinion that pro-German sympathy prior to April, 1917, would have been made an of fense against the law and that dis missal from office would have been made the penalty for that offense by Mr. Penrose's, amendment, "rte ques tion is not one of legal offense: it is one of fitness to hold office under conditions created by war. The Sen ate has frequently refused to con firm appointments of men on the ground that they did not possess the proper qualifications for office, but it did not regard their disqualifications as a crime, nor exclusion from office as a penalty for that crime. When Mr. Brandeis was appointed a Justice of the Supreme Court the Senate ex amined minutely- into his entire pro fessional career to determine whether he was fit. but an adverse decision would not have branded him as a criminal or made his rejection a pen alty. The Government Is in duty bound to consider the entire record, charac ter and affiliations of a man when deciding whether he shall be appoint ed to or retained in office at this time, when many are known to be in sym pathy with the enemy, and when spies are scattered all over the coun try. This is necessary to prevent be trayal of important military secrets. DEMOCRACY. The "California lawyer who decTtnes to accept a nomination on the Social ist ticket, and in doing so accuses the party of "secret sabotage against the Government," has grasped a .great principle underlying American gov ernment, which is majority rule, and with it acquiescence by the minority in the decision of the majority until the time comes when the figures have .been reversed, if orderly and educa tional methods can bring this about. It is surprising how generally those who begin by clamoring for "rights" as a minority lose this respect for mi norities once they have attained power. The Bolshevlkl of Russia are a noteworthy example. They no soon er obtained the reins of government than they became as intolerant of every other party as the Czar and the reactionaries had been. With all its faults, the majority sys ,tem must remain untij some construc tive statesman has devised a better one. If the Dutch warships should fol low the examples of the famous Ad mirals, De Ruyter and Van Tromp, by hoisting a broom at their mastheads, there might be something doing be tween Holland and Germany after all. It was not formerly the custom of Dutch seamen to run before any en emy. Foul language gets nobody any where but into jail. There Is nothing to be said in favor of obscene or blas phemous talk. The habit can be checked; man never Indulges the li cense around home, it would shame him.' Like other bad habits booze and tobacco It can be stopped. If the American Sinn Fein expect any sympathy with their imprisoned brethren in Ireland, they will be dis appointed. American sympathy will go to the people who fight shoulder to shoulder, not to those who refuse to fight anywhere except on the side of Germany. ' Rather than half fare for soldiers and sailors, why not consider the uni form a ticket? Trains must be run anyway, and there will not be enough to swamp them. This country owes its boys more than pay, and half fare is a kind of charity at best. The U-39, that sank the Lusitanla Is in a Spanish harbor crippled, and we might violate a little neutrality by yanking her out for a finish. Play ing square is hard work for America. All these young men about the city, well dressed and apparently without employment or a care, cannot be cap italists or the sons of capitalists. The wonder is who is keeping them. Watch for a great battle in the vl. cinity of Mount Ararat between Brit ons and Turks, where Assyrians and Hlttites used to fight thousands of years ago. Having failed to beat the British army, the Germans strafe the women and children of Ixmdon from the pre sumably safe altitude of 12,000 feet. Every munitions explosion abroad Is exploited in Germany as & Hun vic tory, while Teutonic affairs of the kind are ignored or belittled. There have been enough rainy Sun days. The next must begin the rain less. Perhaps Mr. Cordray, who is in terested, can arrange it. A news item tells that two Amerl can negro troopers, wounded, fought off twenty Huns. The razor certainly is a ferocious weapon. If the Chamber of Commerce has a publicity man in Washington, he must get Portland mention into the world news of shipbuilding. Warning to new and inexperienced Sheriffs: Before you demonstrate the use of handcuffs to a prisoner, be sure you have the key. There is one cure for "conscientious objection" that is pure stubbornness, and those in authority have found it. We are all members since the first drive. Now we are workers, and the money does the talking. In the Civil War to be drafted was a disgrace. In this war it's a glory for Its very democracy. Portland's quota is $250,000 less than a dollar a head. Why not make it two? The snow storm in the Inland Em pire Saturday was a-palouser for a finish. Pretty soon every tough-looking character will be a Jeff Baldwin. Georgia !s .at It again, with four lynched negroes to its discredit. Omaha starts a good fashion in classing lazy men as traitors. Anybody still sore? Lots of room on the front bench. The Marquam Gulch playground is a dream realized. All seem to be coming up as good losers, LARGE COXTRIBCTOR TO COrXTRI Nearly Fourth of C f b. Medical School Graduates Are- 1st Service. PORTLAND, May 10. (To the Edi tor.) Anent your editorial Sunday re- j garding physicians in the Army medical service allow me to state what the medical school of the University of Ore gon has done In this regard. First let me state that the University of Oregon medical school now Includes the gradu ates of what was the medical depart ment of Willamette University before the, two schools were merped into one. The first class was graduated in 1SS7, so please bear this fact in mind when considering the following figures as physicians who received their de grees much less than 61 years ago are not eligible for medical service in the Army on account of their age. The present addresses of 556 of the graduates are known: of these 125 are now or nave oeen in the service, or 23.6 per cent of the men (women are not accepted by the Army). There are undoubtedly a number in the service whose home addresses, being in distant states, are unknown to the comniler of the above. Other names are being added to the list from day to day. xwo or me a Dove nave died in the service. Four are Majors. 15 Oantaini and the rest Lieutenants. They are in an orancnes or tne service. Not less than 39 of the instructors are In the service. The medical school. Unlveraltv nf Oregon, -will do everything In its power iuwuru tne reconstruction of returned wounded soldiers and deserves the un divided support of the community in us eiions. The above statement is made from figures given me by the president of the Alumni Association, Medical School, University of Oregon. MELISSA UVEDALIA. GLASSED EGGS IN TIN COTAIKR Correspondent Finds That They Keep s Well as In Crockery. ILWACO, Wash.. May 19. (To the Editor.) In .this needed day of pre serving food many may fail to put away eggs for tile lack of the earthen ware or glass container. Some years ago we were short of earthen Jars and noticing that silicate of soda came shipped sometimes in tin cans 1 reasoned that if the pure strong article was not injured by being in a tin container the diluted article ought not to be injured. So I tried a five-gallon coal oil can for slllclte of soda preserved etrgs and could see no difference in the eggs packed In a tin container and those packed In an earthen Jar. We hava used tin containers now for three years with entire satisfaction. So the lack of earthen jars need not pre vent the preserving of eggs. But the eggs must be fresh and tin and water absolutely clean. WALTER SEABORG. American Born In Canada. PORTLAND, Slay 20. (To the Edi tor.) (1) Is the person under the fol lowing circumstances a subject of Can ada or of the United States? He was born In Canada. His parents were both native American citizens before going to Canada, and while living there never renounced their rights as citi zens of this land. Moreover, some time after the birth of the person in ques tion, returned to this country for a period of several years, after which they agraln moved to Canada, where they still reside without, however, hav ing at any time given up their claims to citizenship of the United States. This person has lived in the United States continually for the past five years and having now arrived at the age of 21. he wishes to become a citi zen If he Is not already such. (2) In The Oregonian. April 13. 191S. It was stated that the proposed treaty In regard to alien draft had been with drawn from the Senate for the purpose of modification. Has this treaty been ratified since and with what changes? A READER. (1) Xo naturalization Is required. He Is recognized as a citizen by the laws of this country. (2) It has not been ratified. HATER DOLOROSA. The sky Is so blue, the fields so fair, In the glory of Spring's advance. Oh, the terrible rain falling today On the battle-scarred fields o( France! We emlle, we pray, the mild days pass In the sweetness of love and life. Far over there they give their all, ' As they clash In the bloody strife. Oh, the bonnle lad, my youngest, most fair. Is he lying among the slain? Let me sleep, then he comes in his youth and grace. And my heart forgets its pain. Christ of all suffering eouls, look down. Let thy children not lose their way. Where chaos reigns, where murder stalks. Keep the boy of my heart today. J. A R., Forest Grove, Or. Homesteaders in Camps or Mills. MORSYROCK, Wash.. Mav 19. (To the Editor.) (1) Can a member of the Loyal Legion of Loggers and Lumber men get credit on his homestead for time worked in camps or mills? (2) If so, will he' have to complete the full -amount of Improvements re quired by law? A SUBSCRIBER. (1) The homesteader who engages in logging or mill work for the Govern ment does not get the period of such employment credited on his residence requirement, but is merely accorded protection against contest. Certain formalities are necessary. He should take up the subject with the office where his filing was made. (2) The full amount of Improvements must be completed when he resumes residence on the land. Rablts Bat No Market. PORTLAND, May 20. (To the Edi tor.) Seeing so much about raising rabbits for the food of my country and everybody, I went to work and saved "my money and have got the dandiest bunch of rabbits you ever saw. But 1 11 be blest if I can sell them not a bit of lt So what's a fellow to do for they sure eat their heads off. The markets don't want them and I wish you could hear the hotels say "no!" I wish you would help me, for hcnestly. I don't know what to do. A BOY. It is apparent from your letter that you have made the error committed by countless older persons of over estimating the market demand for a particular product. The Oregonian would be glad to help you but It cannot compel a reluctant public to cat rabbits. Employe Gives Hint. Tit-Bits. Employer I suppose you have no objection to early hours Youth You ca't close too early for me. Baseball Over There. Scores of French hills are being lev eled to make baseball grounds for the American soldiers to use with equip ment furnished by the Y. M. C. A. Irvine- Cobb Telllnar Stories. Irving Cobb is up close to the front lines in France telling stories to Amer ican, soldiers la l". iL C. A. dugouts. WHAT HEIXE TBOl'GHT OF PRUSSIA Germans: Poet Foresaw Resatts 'of Knltnr'o Methods. The Outlook. New York. In a recent address in the United States Senate the Hon. Lawrence Y. Shtrmin, Senator from Illin -. quoted the opinion of Heine as being to the effect that the Prussian Is by nature stupid and cruel and by science he is made ferocious, wicked and dangerous. The Outlook wrote to Senator Sher man for the sources of his quotation and he has replied, giving the follow ing quotations from the famous Ger man poet: It is true that even recently friends of the fatherland have desired the extension of Prussia, and hope to see in Its Kings the masters of a united Oar-many. They have baited and allured patriotism to it; there w s frussian liberalism and the friends of freedom look confidingly towards the lin dens In Berlin (an allusion toUie famous Cnter den Linden. the broad highway, planted with lindens, leading from the royal castle to the brandenburg gate. On the contrary. I watched with anxiety this Prussian eagle, and while others boasted that he looked so boldly at the sun, 1 was all the more observant of his clawa. I did not trust this . Prussian, this tall and csntlni. whlte-gaitcred hero with a big belly, a oroaci mouth, and a corporal s cane which ha dipped in holy water ere he laid It on. I disliked this philosophic Christian military despotism, this conglomerate of white beer, lies, and sand. Keoulsive. deenlv repulsive ti me. was this Prussia, thla stiff, hypocritical Prussia, this tartuffe among slatea. Preface to "Letters From Pans." vol. 1. page 16- . if the Kichtean dares all dangers because for him they da not exist in re ality, and the philosopher of nature will be terrible because he will appear In the Hon with tha primitive powers of nature. ab: to evoke the demoniac energies of old Ger manic pantheism -doing which there will awake in him that battle-madness which we find among the ancient Teutonic races who fought neither to kill nor conquer, but tor the very love.of righting Itself. It la the fairest merit of Christianity that it some what mitigated that brutal German saudium certamlnia. or joy In battle, but it could not destroy it. "Germany," vol. 1. page -07. Senator Sherman adds that in his boyhood hi knew Frledrlch Hecker, one of the German patriots of 1848, and that he expressed the same senti ments as the above concerning the Prussians. Many German immigrants of that time settled In and about Belle ville. 111., and it was among them that Mr. Sherman had his early experiences. They were all ardent popular govern ment people. General Slgel and Lorenz Hrentano were among the 1S4 8 Ger mans. They had all left their native country because of persecution and imprisonment, and. almost to a man. they opposed the King, one of the present Kaiser's predecessors. They believed in constitutional limitations on his power. This was regarded as treason. It made these men exiles and sent to our soil some of the best of the German blood on this continent. UKTHOSPECTIOX, You once belonged to me! I look at you today and wonder why Of all the earth I should have chosen you. On whom, throughout existence, to rely! When trouble came, and you in si lence went away, Tho heavens seemed but lowering, threatening clouds; The nights were funeral palls, and every day Teemed with dead memories, garbed in blue-black shrouds. You once were mine! Those vanished days and years Seem far remote and fanciful just now ; Verily, we two are changed, and it Is well Time leaves no telltale shadows on the brow! We meet and smile and pass, ond soon forget That we have smiled or passed or met again; And neither life Is tainted with regret. And broken ties cause neither gloom nor pain. I study you and marvel at the ways That make you seem a different sort of man; I try to vizualize the handsome youth But frankly, I confess I never can; And as In turn you study me, there flames No' deeper light in eyes I loved bo well: No sparkle kindles there, nor interest bright To Indicate you still might feel my spell! t You once were mine! How very kind Is Kate! As we have changed, how could I love but you? And yet, the marriage vow would make too late The chance to benefit by changing view ! I must have traveled far or you have stood quite still; There is no common ground on which we meet; How grotesque seems that fact, when I recall That once you made my life seem quite complete. GRACE E. HALL. I 507 East Forty-ninth street North. WORK. vVhcn the heart is wounded, when the spirit bends. Scarred and bleeding to depths below. Give me work! Give me work! When despair is present and God's light offends. And Fate has but sorrow to bestow. Give me work! Give me work! Work all powerful restorer! Work the balm for all ills! Work Sorrow's destroyer! Work Vast Emptiness fills. When your soul has drifted on the breakers of Life, cjeaten. broken with each current sway Work get some work! When your heart and brain are numb with strife. And Time's soothlngs are but an empty lay. Then get work get some work! Work the great ally of Time! Work, the healer of pains! Work the savior sublime! Work Life's balance retains. FIFEEN. Display of Service Flag. PORTLAND. May 20. (To he Edi tor.) My two youngest brothers have been called for service with the Amer ican Army at Camp Lewis. They both lived with me in my house because our parents are in Italy. Can I display the service flag in my window, and wear the service button? A CONSTANT READER. You certainly may. Descent of Property. PORTLAND. May 20. (To the Edi tor.) To settle a dispute, what is a wife's dower in Oregon In property rights where there are no children, in case of husband's death? J. B. The entire property goes to the wid ow in the absence of a will when there are no children. Civil Service Examinations. CORVALLIS. Or.. May 19. (To the Editor.) When is the next civil service examination and where can one get In formation concerning it? Also what are the qualifications for a general clerical position In that work? V. P. Write to civil service clerk, Post office building. Portland. There- With the Gooda." LA GRANDE. Or.. May 19. (To the Editor.) Allow me to compliment The Oregonian on its patriotism and war service. It remind me of o!d Man Ore gon it is always there with the goods. A. , GLUDLS, In Other Days. Twenty-five Years Age, From The Oregonian at liny 1. 1(91. Tacoma. Wash. Special Treasurr Agent Mulkey, who has Just returned from British Columbia, says that the Chinese axe pouring into this country. Chicago. The executive eosxmlttse of the National Lrjual ti f fr-asra Asso ciation met hero today to xxtaJco ar rangements for a campaign. The St. Johns water works plant was purchased from Its former opiums yes terday y W. A. Wlllison. Tho Willamette Is still rising; at thla point, hut It is probable that by morn ing it will have reached its highest point for several days. With tho yellow emblem of pestilence floating from her foremast, tha British, tramp steamer Danube Is quarantined In mid-stream opposite Eighteenth street. Half a Cestarr Its, From The Oregonian for March 11. ljes. Daniel Webster, In a discussion of the Influence of the press, spake as follows: "Every parent whose son is away at school should supply hlra with, a newspaper. Those boys who have access to a newspaper are superior In debate, composition and general in telligence." Tho President's last letter has reduced Grant to a grease spot and wiped him out with the Cabinet. Rev. Foster, of the Christian Church, delivered three lectures at tho Van couver district school house expoeinjy the tricks by which so-called spiritual ists impose upon their audiences. The Willamette River has been rising for the last few days. A good part of the time during last Winter the river was too low for comfortable steam boating. SALEM GRANGIS GOES OX RECORD Adopts the Townley Sehraaea Wlthont the Xante. The Oregonian has received the fol lowing with request for publication: SAT-EM. Or.. May 18. 1918. Saiam Grange, No. 17. Natrona of liuabandry. In regular monthly meeting assembled, hereby adopts and recommends to tb Oregon State Grange tor Its approval, the following: We commend our Government for the progress It has made In Its efforts to curb profiteering In the nceeasltles of lite and In war materials, and In fixing prices. V urge tha extension of such efforts on the part of tlia Government and demand that Congress give the I'realdent whatever authority may be necessary to carry Into effect such ex tension. We especially commend the McNary bill ax a step In the right direction. Justice demands and wo as a that wealth be immediately conscripted to pay the ex penses of the war so that those who do tho fighting shall not later ba called upon, to pay a war debt that was created -while they were sacrificing their all for our com mon country. We believe that the Government should manufacture its own war supplies of every kind, and demand that In industries where profiteering In Government supplies holds sway, the Government take over such indus tries and operate them with tho workers encaged In sui-b Industries. We commend organized labor for its will ingness to submit to Federal mediation all industrial disputes during the period of the war. Wo urge upon the Government the necessity of commandeering those Industries where Industrial disputes afreetlng the war do not promptly yield to mediation. As a means to Improve the economle con dition of tho farmers and other workers of this state, wo indorse the following legisla tive measures: state-owned terminal elevators. ware houses, flour mills, parking plants, creamer ies, cold-storage plants and any other fac tory, plant or thing that may be necessary to take care of the product of tho farm to the beat advantage. Kqual taxation of the property of rail roads, telephones, telegraph, electric light and power companies, all public utilities or other corporations, as compared with that of other property owners. State-owned and operated pulp and paper mills to furnish print paper at coat. A state eight-hour law for all labor ex cept that cneaged In agricultural persulta. I'anama Canal Tolls. DORR. Wash.. Mav IS. (To the Ed itor.) U) Was the Panama Canal transferred to Great Britain by or through the present Administration? (2) What countries pay toll and how much? SUBSCRIBER. (1) It was not transferred to Great Britain by this or any other Adminis tration. (2) Vessels of all countries except Panama pay tolls as follows: Merchant vessels carrying passengers or cargo. $1.20 per net vessel ton; vessels without passengers or cargo, 40 per cent -less than foregoing rate; naval transports, colliers, hospital ships and supply ships, same as loaded merchant vessels; other naval vessels, SO cents per displacement ton. Names of Newspapers. PORTLAND, May 20. (To the Edi tor.) Kindly print the names of the leading publications of Spokane, Pen dleton. Pullman and Walla Walla. SUBSCRIBER. Spokane: Spokesman-Review; also Chronicle. Pendleton: Tribune. East Oregonian. Walla Walla: Bulletin. Union. Pullman: Herald, Tribune. Excess Profits Are Taxes. ILWAOO. Wash.. May 19. (To the Editor.) I have been looking for .in formation concerning the excess prof its tax. Is there any such tax now or is there any new movement to secure such a measure? J. ARTHUR JOHNSON. The war revenue law taxes excess profits from 20 to 60 per cent, the tax being graduated according to amount of profits. FREE BOOKS; FREE INFOR MATION. The service rendered by The Oregonian Information Bureau at Washington In distribution of publications Is designed to be continuous. From time to time new books have been listed, but those pre viously announced are still avail able. Either of the following may be obtained for a 2-cent stamp to cover cost of mailing. There is no charge of any kind: Book on Canning. "German War Practices." Book on Colds. Garden Book. Book on Knitting. War Cookbook. Book on Navy. Rook o Drying Fruits. Book of Recipes. Bread Book. "How War Came to America." Write today and ask for x-oo copy. Inclose a 2-cent stamp for return postage and be sure to write your name and address plainly. Direct your letter to Tho Oregonian Information Bureau. Frederic J. Haskin. director. Washington. D. C. P. S. Tho Orecronian Informa tion Bureau at Washington will answer any question you may submit. Answer will be sent by letter. Just Inclose a 3-cent stamp for return postage. Do not write to The Oregonian at Portland for these books or for letter replies to questions. Note carefully the address given above.