lO
THE MORNING OEEGONIAN, SATURDAY, JULY 20, 1918.
PORTLAND, OREQOX.
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rOBTLAND, SATCKDAI, JCXT to. 1818.
WEIX-MEANING. BUT CARELESS.
A phase of direct legislation not
infrequently encountered in Oregon
has been made the subject of a test
by the Psychological Laboratory of
Reed College, and an interesting re
port of the experiment is now out in
pamphlet form under - the authorship
of Eleanor Rowland Wembridge and
Edgar R. Means.
This phase is the use of the double
or complex negative in stating the
titles of measures to be voted on. To
illustrate, a complex negative title
might be thus: "An act to abolish
that section of the constitution of the
state of Oregon abolishing the death
penalty for murder. It is obvious that
such a title requires a little more
thought before one grasps its true
meaning than if the proposition were
stated. "An act to impose the death
penalty for murder." The. Reed Col
lege tests reveal that the various
groups to which the two different
title forms were submitted required
a time interval for comprehending a
proposition stated in the double nega
tive nearly five times as long as the
time interval for comprehending a
simple affirmative statement.
But a more interesting disclosure
followed a test In which actual voting
conditions were approximated and two
sets of ballots were submitted cover
ing the same measures. On one ballot
the titles were worded affirmatively;
on the other negatives were employed
in varying numbers. The groups were
asked to vote their convictions. In
some groups the confusion in voting
ranged as high as 47 per cent.
That is to say, the percentage was 47
in which the vote on the negatively
expressed measures contradicted the
vote by the tame group of persons on
the same measures affirmatively ex
pressed. The particular incident in Oregon
elections which attracted the attention
of college psychologists was the de
feat in 1916 of the measure designed
to remove from the constitution the
wholly useless and long Ineffective in
hlbition against the negro vote. It
may be assumed that it was commonly
known in Oregon in 1916 that negroes
were unmolested in their right to vote
in spite of the prohibition in the state
constitution, and that nothing could be
accomplished by retaining a form of
prohibition long ago abrogated by the
Federal Constitution. Yet the vote, in
1916 indicated a desire of a very small
majority of the people of Oregon to
retain the useless section in the con
stitution.
me measure was negatively ex
pressed. It was an act to repeal a
prohibition. If one may safely judge
from the Reed College experiments a
large percentage of the Oregon voters
registered "no" when they did not
believe in restrictions against negroes,
and thereby defeated their own intent.
The question is not wholly new in
Oregon. In other matters there has
been speculation as to whether the
voters were not confused by the
title wording. But this speculation
has been met by the argument that a
negative statement confuses both sides
equally and that the confusion of the
"no" voters will offset the confusion
of the "yes" voters on the measure
Reed College psychologists answer this
argument with the statement that even
so "this reduces the vote to a chance
rather than an intelligent vote, and,
furthermore, it gives an advantage to
the 'no' vote because of the well-rec
ognized tendency to vote 'no' when in
any doubt about the measure."
To this reply we may add that as
to a measure against which the oppo
sition is negligible a form of title that
induces a large percentage of the
voters to vote the contrary of their
convictions may defeat the will of the
people. Common sense would assume
that the only opposition to removal
of useless inhibition against the negro
franchise would come from a very few
persons densely ignorant or strongly
prejudiced. If the real opponents
constituted only 7 per cent of the elec
torate and 47 per cent of the electorate
were confused by the wording of the
title the result registered on the negro
franchise amendment is not so curious
after all, provided that of the total
number of voters 10 per cent were
persistent "no" voters out of doubt or
general dislike of the system, and
were therefore not affected by the
title form.
In other words, if 86,000 out of
100,000 voters are at heart in favor
of a measure, yet 47 per cent of them
vote "no" because confused by the
wording of the ballot title, while of
the remaining voters 5000 set out to
vote "no" regardless of conviction, the
measure is lost by a small majority.
The like confusion of the 10,000 sincere
opponents of the measure does save
it from defeat, and the will of a large
majority is circumvented.
Withal, Reed College has supplied
an excellent reason for reforming the
Oregon method of constructing ballot
titles, but one is not altogether com
forted by the thought that that which
he once supposed . was an innocuous
expression of race prejudice was but
slacking of a duty to comprehend
a simple proposition before voting
thereon.
American scientists engaged in the
interests of the National defense are
making disclosures almost dally of
unsuspected natural resources which
we may employ in time of need. The
search for native plants yielding rub
ber, for example, has led two botan
ists to the California Sierras, where
they have found several wild shrubs
containing from i to 10. per fien,t of
crude rubber, and holding: out almost
unlimited possibilities of production
under cultivation. An important phase
of the discovery that the "giant rab
bit brush" contains 7 per cent of
rubber is that the brush grows on land
which is useless for any other pur
pose. It' requires no irrigation and is
easily propagated from cuttings. The
India Rubber "World, which records
the preliminary findings of the scien
tists, warns against excessive optim
ism, but says that the mere fact that
the rubber exists is comforting in an
extremity.
ROOSEVELT AT SARATOGA.
Mr. Roosevelt may not, and prob
ably does not, desire the nomination
of the Republican convention as Gov
ernor of New York; besides it is an
"unofficial" convention.
New York has a direct primary,
which performs the function of record
ing legally the nominations of both
major parties; but the real work is
done by the body which accords with
the despised assembly in Oregon. In
New York the parties both adhere to
the practice of meeting to counsel
and to act through their representa
tives. The Democrats lately had a
conference at Saratoga, where they
attempted through their leaders to
agree on a candidate for Governor.
They adjourned to meet again at
Saratoga, where doubtless the momen
tous question will be decided.
If Mr. Roosevelt refuses the Guber
natorial nomination, or to permit his
name to be used, it will not be be
cause he is not a Republican, or has
scruples about the right of a "con
vention" to usurp the sacred office
of the direct primary. His appearance
before the Saratoga meeting settled
his status with the Republican party,
and was a recognition by him of its
right to speak for the party. If he
oes not want to be Governor, it will
be doubtless because he thinks his
obligation lies elsewhere.
It is- only two years to another
Presidential campaign and election.
ON A SMOKELESS DAT.
The Rotarians are an organization
with a membership recruited solely
from the sterner sex; but, being of
strong masculine fiber, we do not
lightly assume that the measure of the
sacrifice they propose in establishing
Smokeless Day on a Tuesday, per
haps a series of gloomy and peniten
tial Tuesdays is small.
A smokeless day, we suppose, means
day on which 'My Lady Nicotine
8 hall be banished. We hear from a
voice at the next desk that a life-
preserver will be quietly thrown out
to those sufferers to whom the effort
Is too fcrat in the promise that they
may eat their tobacco cake and have
It, merely by donating to the Belgian
babies the amount they usually spend
in twenty-four hours for Indulgence
of their habit; but we scorn the hint
as sheer slander. Surely the Rotarians
mean to do something worth while
for their membership as well as for
the suffering children of the lost
kingdom.
Let us say that the average age of
Rotarian in full bloom is 30 years;
and let us estimate that there are
two . hundred members and that
seventy-five per cent of them are
users of the fragrant weed. They
have been smokers for, say, an aver
age of ten years each, for three hun
dred and sixty-five days each year.
Here are four hundred and forty-
seven thousand five hundred days upon
which smoke has ascended from the
immediate direction of a Rotarian
nose and mouth; yet it is proposed
that the rite be suspended for an ag
gregate of but 150 days. It seems but
a little thing to do; yet it is not our
purpose to minimize the effort, but
to say that it represents, or should
represent, a genuine act of self-denial
If it does not, the Rotarians will have
done something for the babies, but
nothing for themselves.
It is our idea that each Rotarian
should for his own sake cut out to
bacco for twenty-four hours, just to
demonstrate to his own satisfaction
or dissatisfaction, the hold habit has
on him. He never has done it, par-
haps; all the more reason why he
should do it now. If he fears the
ordeal, all the more reason why he
should essay it, for then his apprehen
slons will be converted into fact I
condition, and not a theory. Should
a grown man admit to anybody, par
ticularly to himself, that he is so com
pletely in the thrall of habit that he
Is helpless in its clutches?
Having proved something by the
tobacco fast, your smoking Rotarian,
after he recovers his equilibrium, may
better be able. to make up his mind
what he will do about it. Perhaps he
will all the more readily decide to do
nothing, but to pursue his smoking,
or chewing, days, to the end. Or per
haps he may think that it is high time
to decide whether habit, or will, is
his master. It is at least well to think
it over, and act.
In any event, it is clear that the
Rotarians have devised a scheme that
will be of much benefit to the Belgian
babies. It may turn out also that the
Belgian babies have done a lot for
Individual Rotarians.
THE HUNT FOR A BAD BOY.
The Boys Brotherhood Republic
of Chicago, which started out a few
months ago in quest of a 100 per cent
bad boy, has been forced to be content
with one who is only 90 per cent de
praved. The purpose of the leaders
is to use the boy as material in
series of social laboratory experiments.
designed to test Its theory that there
is hope for the reform of even the
worst boy that ever lived.
A glance, however, at the require
ments of the experimenters will 'raise
doubt whether the boy it professes to
seek ought, in fact, to be classified as
bad. It is specified that he must
never have had a good home, or
kind mother, and it is preferred that
he shall never have been able to call
any man "father." He must have
slept in holes and corners, not be
cause he wanted to, but because he
had no other place to sleep, and
have stolen because if he did not
steal he could not eat. If he has
been "hounded by the police,' all the
better. And if he has been suffl
clently seared by his experience the
Boys' Republic wants to show what
can be done for him by kindness and
good counsel, and by a demonstration
that "there is a lot more fun in using
his energies in being a good boy than
a bad one.
The results, however, will be de
prived of a good deal of their value
by the fact that the boy who has
answered the requirements probably
Is not a bad boy at all. His assumed
lack of opportunity to learn the dif
ference between ngnt and wrong
ought to absolve him from a lot of
moral responsibility. And if a boy
who never knew a mother's tenderness
or a father's name has been "hounded
by the police," then it would seem as
if the police needed the attention of
the reformers more than the boy did
If there 1 a, "100 jper. cent bad boy"
in the land we should look for him
elsewhere than in the fields to which
the Boys" Republic appears to have
confined its search. The boy who
knew a mother's love and did not re
spond to it, for example, would seem
to be more nearly totally depraved
One who habitually lied when the
truth would serve his purpose better
would make an interesting subject for
experiment. If he stole, not because
he was hungry but for no visible rea
son, there would be a superior quality
to his badness. There ought to be
real Joy in reforming a boy like that.
Occasionally one is encountered who
ought to be entitled io a 100 per cent
rating. The Boys' Republic has made
the common mistake of confounding
"badness" with a kind of misbehavior
which may not imply depravity at all.
The spirit of the Boys' Republic J
nevertheless is excellent and ought not
to be discouraged. It is adding to the
already abundant testimony that the
chief need of most so-called bad boys
is only guidance for their overflowing
energies. As a test ot total depravity,
it is not conclusive, for it is working
with the wrong kind of material.
CALL TO A SEAFARING CAREER.
The estimates of the United States
Shipping Board are commended to the
ambitious young man seeking a career.
If our mercantile marine fleet reaches
the proportions predicted for it. it will
need 4000 additonal deck officers and
4000 new engineers within two years.
Manning our vessels after we have
built them threatens to become a
serious problem.
We can only theorize as to the rea
son for the reluctance of young Ameri
cans to enter the service under mod
ern conditions. We are not without
our own marine traditions, and the
adventurous spirit of young America
has not been extinguished, although
It has found an outlet in the military
and naval branches. Most of the con
ditions which made the merchant
service unpopular a generation ago
have been remedied. The perils of
the sea never have frightened Ameri
cans away from it. .
The Government has sought to pro
vide against contingencies by estab
lishing twenty-six schools of naviga
tion and eight engineering schools,
which are free to approved candidates
of suitable age and experience who
are American citizens. Graduates have
assurance of a permanent career, be
ginning with $120 a month and ex
penses and receiving bonuses of 60 per
cent for voyages through the war
zone. Promotion will depend upon the
man himself, which is all that any
American ought to ask for. Excep
tional advantages are now being of
fered him in making his start.
It is disquieting to learn that en
rollment in the Government schools
has been disappointing. Not only our
success in the war. but also our future
trade, may depend upon the personnel
of our merchant marine. The call of
the sea now combines a note of pa
triotism with the promise of substan
tial pecuniary reward.
WAR GIVES CHECK TO BIRTHS.
Population of the belligerent coun
tries of Europe is being reduced by
prevention of birth as ' well as by
death due to war. In a recent lec
ture Sir Bernard Mallet, the British
Registrar-General, said that the num
ber of births In England and Wales
had fallen from 881,890 in 1913 to
814,614 in 1916. 780.620 in 1916. and
668,346 in 1917. The decrease was
checked In 1916 by the record num
ber of war marriages in the preced
ing year. Dut tne total for 1917 Is a
loss of 24 per cent from that of 1913,
and the country has lost 650,000 po
tential lives since the latter year.
This is 1.4 per cent of the popula.
tion according to the census of 1911,
but Is small compared with the loss
suffered by the central powers, which
Sir Bernard places at 4.5 per cent of
the pre-war population for Germany,
5 per cent for Austria and 7 per cent
for Hungary. He estimates the total
loss of potential lives due to the war
at twelve and a half millions, and this
loss continues at the rate of 7000 a day
in Great Britain, trance, Italy and
the central empires "race suicide" on
the most colossal scale.
Realization of this loss has caused
the nations to guard child life as they
never did before. Most assiduous care
Is given to mothers and babies in
Britain and France, and those coun
tries partly atone for the decrease in
births by causing a marked decrease
in infant mortality. Waste of human
life In its maturity causes them to set
great store by it In Its infancy. Mothers
are instructed in the care of babies.
and the outcome may be a wide
spread of knowledge on that subject
and a consequent permanent fall in
infant mortality which may compen
sate for the babies which war has
prevented from being born.
A CONFESSION, NOT A DEFENSE.
A new version of the delay in pro
duction of the Liberty motor has been
given to the New York Tribune by
Theodore M. Knappen. It appears to
have been Intended as a defense, but
It la nothing of the kind. It is a con
fession.
The story is that the idea was born
on May 26, 1917, and was put on
paper on June 4. The first design was
for- an eight-cylinder engine. Tho
parts were ordered from different fac
tories, and on July 3 "were brought
together from far and near and as
sembled into a motor that worked like
a charm." That Is the degree of truth
there was in the legend of a motor
invented, made and tested in twenty
eight days. It had not been tested In
actual flight; only in a factory or
laboratory.
unen Degan the delays. we are
told that "on foreign advice It was
decided to increase the motor's power
and make it a twelve-cylinder type.
This model "passed all tests with
flying colors on August 25 fifty-three
days gone passed an altitude test at
Pike s Peak, underwent more changes
"and finally was ordered into quantity
production." Then on October 29
sixty-three more days gone "the first
motor that could be roughly called the
result of quantity production was tried
in a De Havlland 4," and then:
Th result was so satisfactory that ararv.
body thought It was all over but tho shout.
ing ior Doth plane and engine.
We have been Informed on other
authority that contracts for quantity
production were let about a week
later, and Mr. Knappen says that such
production "was due to begin in De
cember," but "presently troubles be
gan to develop," that Is, after the test
of October 29, and there were whis
perings of failure. March came ten
months gone "ana tnero was no
quantity production," though we were
to have had 3000 motors in March
Then Chairman Coffin, of the Aircraft
Board, "appointed a committee of
engineers to find out what the. trouble
was." That committee found several
weak points and "insisted on changes."
This is Mr. Knappen s explanation;
Programme or no programme, ther said.
America soull not aXlord to save aaythlag
but the best. It would nsver do to let m
motor of exceptional design bs ruined by
mistakes In. the parts.
So it was not until April 28 eleven
months gone since the idea was born
that "the committee of engineers made
its final fifty-hour tests." But the
manufacturers also had a hand in the
delay, for "there were a great many
lesser alterations suggested chief by"
them.
Through all these months, every
time the inventors scored a point in
progress they told an enthusiastic
story to Secretary Baker or the Im
aginative George Creel, who gave It
to the public in magnified form, but
every time they encountered an ob
stacle they kept quiet. Thus the pub
lic was deceived, all sorts of alarm
ing rumors gained currency and noth
ing was done to get the seekers after
perfection back to their real job. This
was not solely to produce the perfect
motor; It was to use the great poten
tial aircraft capacity of the United
States in producing motors and planes
which could fight the Germans. The
British, French and Italians were pro
ducing them, and were doing deadly
execution with them, as figures Just
published by the British government
prove. Mr. Coffin's engineers could
have used one factory in perfecting
the Liberty motor, while all the others
could have been employed throughout
those eleven months In producing ma
chines which might long ago have
been ravaging German territory, or at
least teaching thousands of young
Americans to fly. It would have been
time enough to stop making other
motors when the engineers had per
fected the new one, but they were
more interested in insuring that "a
motor of exceptional design" be not
ruined by mistakes in the parts"
than in producing some other motor
which could in the meantime carry on
the war.
Although Germany did not suspend
the war until the United States was
ready with the best motor, we are
asked to be content with the state
ment that production is now fifty a
day and "Increases in volume weekly."
Bnt how about the motors and air
craft that might, could and should
have been but were not produced
while the Liberty motor ws altered.
altered again and brought to this rate
of production?
Employers can help to hold matters
level at home by refraining within rea
sonable limits from discriminating
against men who are subject to the
draft but have not yet been called.
There Is natural reluctance to spend
time breaking In new help, only to
lose it later on, but the registered men
who are awaiting their turn must be
provided for and not all of them have
jobs. Sooner or later they may be
summoned to sacrifice themselves, and
It would be a pity to make the last
days of their civilian lives unpleasant
for them. Some inconveniences must
be endured by all, and it would seem
that the country ought to welcome
the opportunity to show its apprecia
tion of service about to be performed
There are not a few to whom the
hardship of the new situation has al
ready been made apparent.
The War Department is Hooverlz
ing and on production of small arms
and ammunition saved $8,767,025 In
two months. This was accomplished
by slight changes In manufacturing
processes, increasing the number of
bidders for contracts, co-operation
with the War Industries Board in
purchases, revision of requirements
for spare parts and saving on arms,
repair chests and accessories for
rifles and pistols. By giving gun
stocks an oil finish instead of waxing
and buffing 1.76 cents is saved on
each rifle. By these various means
$13 each has been cut from the cost
of rifles.
Discovery that Hugo Munsterberg
and other German professors in Amcr
lean colleges were directors of pro
German propaganda will make Amer
icans extremely cautious about ex
changing professors with other coun
tries. That was a device of the enemy
to break down our moral defense.
The third battle of the Marne Is be
Ing fought, and It promises to be the
last and to be as decisive as the first.
By winning the first the allies decided
that the Germans should not reach
Paris; by winning the third they may
decide that the Germans must get out
of France, never to return.
The plant of the Heppner Herald
was destroyed In the recent fire that
swept part of the city, but Editor
Pattison has not missed an issue. Not
having been insured, he appealed to
the delinquent subscriber, and as
result a new plant is golnfr in.
Director Campbell begins and ends
his band concerts with "The Star
Spangled Banner" and "America," and
If there Is a man present whose soul
does not rise to the height of patriot
ism he is a Hun.
Having put Portland in a fair way
of considering the merits of fish as
food, Mrs. Spencer is going to do mis
sionary work in San Francisco. Port
land is pleased to recommend her to
the Bay City.
By and by, when all the pastures are
dry and cow feed scant, and Govern
ment takes all the butter, people will
of necessity "cotton to" oleomargarine
and find It an excellent war substitute.
There Is not an old chap in the land
who cannot recall the days when a
big "gob" of molasses candy was a
choice confection, and nobody died
from eating too much of It.
Portland has a reputation for hos
pitality that must be lived up to when
the Grand Army visitors come next
month.
Somebody has discovered that Port
land babies measure above standard.
Of course, but tho discovery was slow
work.
The Idle rich need have no trouble
In finding work. There is plenty in
the hayflelds of Central Oregon.
Those Benson Techs who go out
evenings to pick fruit are bully Hun
chasers in a way.
Taft calls on the country to elect a
Republican Congress, and that's the
Oregon plan.
Drafting the doctors may not be
necessary, but If it Is the doctors
will go.
Everybody but himself seems to be
arranging a programme for Roosevelt.
If the "sausage" balloon were good
to eat, more of them might be bagged.
This la the Kalsora Gettysburg-,
WHERE JUSTICES SHOULD CONTROL
Schools) la Class Wit Home amd Church
la That Regard.
PORTLAND. July 19. (To the Ed
itor.) As a patron of the Portland
schools. I take the liberty of address
ing you relative to the action of the
three members of the Portland School
Board in their attempt to abrogate
(or that which amounts to the same
thing) the contract of Superintendent
L. R. Alderman.
In my 12 years of experience In edu
cational work 1 never heard of an In
cident that parallels this action. Pub
lic schools are institutions that con
cern the future citizenship of our coun
try and above all else the transactions
of a School Board should be exemplary
The home, the school, the church are
sacred Institutions closely Interwoven,
and should embody the highest type
of Justice in their control and govern
ment. Politics have no place In our
educational system. Petty politics too
often have eaten the life out of rural
schools and with the recent action of
the School Board in Portland, unless
checked, will accomplish the same re
sult.
A member of the Portland School
Board should bo a big man. for ho has
big lob to look after. He holds- a
responsibility In relation to the future
of the city that Is second to none.
The recent action of the new members
of the School Board following their
lection, is. to my mind, but a pre
arranged programme engineered by pol
iticians and others who would use our
splendid school system to get even with
somebody. We have no hesitancy In
speaking out as to the qualifications of
superintendent Alderman. As a pro
gressive educator, he ranks high among
those who know of his splendid quali
fications. School boards and educators
In other states have long recognized
In him. a really arrest educator a man
with the vision of the need of utilltar
lanlsm In education. The practical In
our curriculum In our Portland schools
has been augmented by the work of
Superintendent Alderman during th
past few years. His introduction of the
practical, as well as the theoretical. Into
the Portland schools has received much
favorable comment In Eastern cities and
made Portland favorably known as a
city ot good schools.
As one who has visited our grade
schools and high schools. I speak from
a knowledge gained first handed. The
recent action of the Portland School
Board should be rescinded. A square
deal should be given Mr. Alderman and
he should be allowed to complete the
contract made with him by the School
Board. It Is well to ask at this time
what may we expect of the future ac
tlons of tho majority members of the
board in the light of their recent per
rormances? E. E. FAVILLE.
672 East Twelfth street North.
THE SEA KING'S TRACK.
Lafayette
We Have Come!" General
feraulng.
We have followed
the track of tho
western star
To the coast of the last frontier
Storm and tempest and splintered spar
ah or the way to hero
With scorpion whips you drove us far
on a highway dread and drear.
With scorpion whips you purged your
shores
Of the spawn of your high disdain
And brine was the wine In our open
sores.
Plenty of brine and pain.
You spat in our tracks by tho Tagus
broad.
You hissed when we tried to pray;
Tou cursed us loud In the name of God,
In the open face of day;
Tou spat in our tracks made warm
with blood
On the shores of the waiting bay
By the deep Danube, by the Zuyder Zee,
ay the felbe and tho foamln Rhone,
Black-faced children we were to thee,
Black as thy heart of stone.
Frail and fickle the crafts wo steered
Into tho bending sky;
Frowning with tempests we so much
feared
And the death which we all might
die;
Still had we sailed though worse ap
peared.
Whatever before might lie.
Tracking the trades through tho dim
ea mist.
Going we knew not where.
Only that out on the curving west
Ever a star was there.
Up and up by tho trail of goats.
And down to the forest grim:
Of the skins of beasts we made us
coats
By our campflres low and dim:
Going with rivers in tree-bark boats.
Going with prayer and hymn.
Over the lakeless, treeless waste.
Over the desert sand:
Sun-baked regions where death had
traced
Ways with his bony hand.
Cities we made in tho curve of streams,
Palaces, markets and mills;
Gardens of roses for love and dreams
And castles set high on the hills;
Halls we fashioned with cedar beams,
Strong as our steel-wrought wills.
Forges we made where tho valleys
wind.
Loud did our forges roar
Copper and silver and gold wo mined,
Mountainous heaps or ore.
Now. O mother, you call us back
Over the wide sea foam.
Over the way of the Sea King's track
Calling your children home.
Not to the lessons of lash and rack
Do vour black-faced children come.
But fair as tho moon wo turn about.
Glowing of breast and brain.
And our great-nosed ships aro pushing
out.
Taking us back again.
You sent us forth but a feeble few.
Spurned from your haughty land;
Bannered and mighty we come to yon
Uncounted as ocean sand;
Come tho prophetic thing to do.
Delivering, uplifting, grand I
Come to Interpret tho mazy past.
Sons of the prophet line;
Bringing you gospel and battle-blast
And bottles oi new sweet wine.
Emancipations. O. mother, wo bring;
New systems for systems oia;
We'll teach you tho songs we have
learned to sing.
With voices pitched high and bold,
And we'll croon you a hymn of tho Bet
ter Time
On a luto that has reeds of gold
And tho bones of your dead In tho val
ley of death
Shall rise to a reformed earth.
When fleshed and vlsloned and full of
breath
We travail them forth In birth.
GUY FITCH PHELPS.
Salem, Or.
Net Ban on Jelly.
tnTTT.Avn. Jnlv 19. (To the Edl
tnr ) (l) May we use our sack of
mriii for anv sort of canning that w
wish? I was told our Jelly would bo
seized, as It Is unlawful to make I
ti Also, will the Government fun
flscate lard and pork. put up by farm
ers for their own use? A utAur-n.
(1) No distinctions are made betwee
the different kinds of preserved fruit,
but householders are expected to be as
economical as possible in their
methods.
J There io no such prospect.
Six Warriors Parade.
Boston (Mass.) Cor.
Six men who marched in tho last Me
mortal day parade at Lowell. Mass., ar
both veterans of the Civil War and sons
of veterans ot the Civil war; that is,
both they and their fathers fought I
that war. The men aVe W. L Dickey
Charles E. Bracket. Charles M. Blxby,
J. B. 8. Baldwin, A, J. Blxby aad Thomas
CRegaa. . ,
LIME PROJECT IS WELL HANDLED
Mr. Heons Finds Grattfytas; Results la
Splto ot Insufficient Funds.
PORTLAND. July 19. (To the Edl-
tor.) Within the last few weeks I have
received several letters from Interested
persons who Inquire about the state
lime plant, and the prospects for ob
taining lime before the next Spring
seeding at a reasonable cost.
The state lime plant, while not com
pleted for a maximum output, due to
lack of sufficient moral and financial
upport. Is nevertheless capable of pro
luclng lime In sufficient Quantities to
relievo the situation before the de
mands of another season aro made.
Credit is due the men In charge of the
construction and development work for
aving carried It so satisfactorily for
ward to tho point of availability for
production under such Inexcusable con
ditions and opposition. I doubt ver.v
much If the plant as it stands today
could be duplicated for J30.000. It cost
tne state around 120.000. This fact
hould bo a source of eratif lcatlon to
the taxpayers of the state. The fact that
the price to the farmers at the plan
wm not exceed l.bO per ton trans
portation charires added to Western
Oregon points should not make It pro
hibitive for extensive use. Every farm
er within reach of the plant should be
gin as early as possible after the busy
eason to form some estimate of his
needs and profit by it.
It IS needless for me to sav that the
value of lime as a fertilizing agency
ana as a means of combatlnir manv
pests which make farming a nightmare
cannot De overestimated. As a war
measure for greater production of crops
ts value to tho country would make
the cost of the plant negligible. But
put aside the matter of greater pro
ductlon for the moment. The means to
future fertilization of the impoverished
sous ot tne Willamette Valley, for
maintenance of crop Droductlon and
quality are a question and need which
must oe answered and met sooner or
later, and to oppose action to meet this
necessity because of tho trifling cost
Is tho very antithesis of crood Judgment
ana gooa Dusiness sense. There Is noth
Ing so productive of stability and In-
austry ana development of the country
here Is nothing which so affects the
economical and Industrial status of the
Nation, as successful farming or the
opposite. I need not remind my readers
or mis ract; but the pity of it Is we
have men In public office who are will
ing to sacrifice the best interests of
tho country for political Interests or
tnrougn chagrin. The measly (5000
handed out in charity to the Lime
Board for such an unquestionable cause
la a reflection upon those who would
insult the intelligence of the people of
uregon. If wo Had more such nubile
spirited men of the typo of Governor
v lthycombe. who knows the real needs
of the country, we mtcht have further
cause to natter ourselves over our
well-being. But the need of a generous
suply of lime at reasonable cost Is i
real necessity, and a liberal approprla
tlon by the Legislature for greater d
velopment and supply should be forth
coining. J. II. MOOUfclS.
TRAINMEN KEPT ON XERVE STRAIN
Autolsts Appraarkiag Crossing Rarely
Indicate They See Engine.
ASHLAND, Or.. July 18. (To tho Ed
Itor.) A reference In The Orcgonlan
Wednesday to the crossing accident
near Medford in June Is a repetition of
the hysterical statements made at the
time by the woman who had just seen
her friends crushed and who was In no
condition to consider the subject calm
ly. I am sending you tho correct ldei
In order to preserve' the reputations of
tho engine men. whom I know well, to
bo careful and attentlvo men of long
service.
Tho facts aro that this crossing is In
a perfectly flat and open country, with
trains visible. If looked for. over half
a mils In the direction It was coming
from. There were no trees, no brush
nothing except that the parties were
off the main road and were evidently
consulting a road map. as they went
along and paid no attention to trains
or anything else.
Engineers tell mo that every dav
along this part of the valley they see
cars running at full speed toward
crossings, with not the slightest atten
tion being paid to signs or signals
they never look up or m-ave their hand
to show that they see the train. When
the crossing Is reached, they either
dash across ahead or stop within 1
feet of railroad, as mood or conditions
tndidcate.
It gets on. an engineer's nerves In
course of time"; they cannot stop; they
must go along, as tho dear public com
plains of delays and slow time aa it is.
As to grade crossings in that part ot
valley, to put the tracl high enough
In the air to miss present grade cross
ings would be a large expense and
some Inconvenience to tho five towns
the railroad passes through there.
Crossings average every mile and a
little care will preserve the life or any
autolst where no considerable impedi
ments obstruct vaslon. as Is the case.
Yours truly,
H. L. WHITED.
TTTE RED CROSS DOG IN ACTION TOLD IN
The SUNDA Y OREGONIAN
Lovers of dogs, and their name is multiple-legion, have heard at
times the faint bark of rumor that the canine friends were working
for humanity in the rip-tides of battle. There hasn't been a great
deal about them in the news stories, for the simple heroism of a
shaggy-coated pup is lost in the thunderous gabble of war. But here
is a yarn, in the Sunday issue, of the Red Cross dogs who are saving:
human lives on the fields of France.
"ON LEAVE" Though the Sunday issue is bigger and better than
most magazines, it is a safe wager that amid the profusion of its
offerings there is one page that is favorite with all. When W. E.
Hill, who presents the crayon sketches, "Among Us Mortals," has
finished with the subject, life and laughter stand forth in recogniza
ble guise. They're as real as the folk who turn eagerly to them
each Sunday. Tomorrow's page depicts the adventures of the
boys on leave.
AMALGAMATED BROTHERHOOD OF KINGS They are bo far
aloof from the world that the rolling thunders of war never so
much as ripple the placid waters of their dark river, but the
eternally interned immortals on "The Houseboat on the Styx" have
not lost interest in mundane affairs far from it. They know all
about the jangle in Europe and some of them are prophets. Is
the King business about petered out? Read John Kendrick Bangs
report of their debate.
DARING ESCAPES FROM GERMAN PRISON CAMPS To lie down
at night on foul straw in a dark and frowsy hut, ringed round with
barbed wire that carries sufficient electric voltage to jolt a regi
ment into oblivion, is the lot of those who wait in German prison
camps ill fed, misused, and tortured by the peculiar boorish
brutality of the Prussian. Desperate as the chances of escape are,
certain brave lads of the allies broke through their barriers and
won freedom. In the Sunday issue is a corking fine yarn about
a number of them.
IN RUSSIA WITH BELGIAN CAR These were the lads who fought
their way through Russia, tossed in the tide of war and the mael
strom of revolution entering at Archangel in 1915 and emerging
at Vladivostok in 1918. Adventure? One should guess yes! A
good story, told tomorrow by Maurice Rogez, who was with them.
MOBILIZING THE LEATHER INDUSTRY When the doughboys go
striding down the roads of France to the front lines, so many lithe
swinging steps to the minute, when they vault over the parapet
and rush across the field of glory and shellholes they are wearing
out 6hoe-leather to beat the band. In the Sunday issue Frank G.
Carpenter has a story about the number of hides millions of
'em that are required for the Army and Navy.
ALL THE NEWS OF ALL THE WORLD Cable and telegraph bring
the distant places near to the linotypes and presses. In an hour
or so, or even less, the news of the world is yours for a nickel re
liable, well told, nncolored.
A NICKEL AND A NOD BUYS
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN
In Other Days.
Twenty-five Tears Ago.
From The Orsgontan. July 20. iSSS.
Spokane. Seventy-five citizens. In
cluding the Mayor, have signed resolu
tions favoring tho repeal of the Sher
man law.
Jacksonville. Fla. The Australian
ballot system was tried for tho first
time In this state today. It worked sat
isfactorily to everyone. Tho straight-
out .Democratic ticket was elected.
rarls. Says the Under Secretary of
the Colonies, M. Ktienne: "Tho annex
ation of Slam is unavoidable. I am per
fectly certain the government will ac
complish this in order to prevent it
falling into the hands of Great Brit
ain." Berlin. Tho Emperor today ox-
pressed his sincere thanks to Chancel
lor von Caprlvl for his work in passing
the army bill.
A P. Anderson was arrested for fast
ing himself In obeying tho orders of a
fanatlo religious teacher.
Half Century Ago.
From The Oregontan. July 20, lies.
A number of our German fellow citi
zens amused themselves In their accus
tomed style at the plcnto yesterday.
The entertainment consisted of music
singing and dancing.
The messengers of Wells. Fargo b
Co. and tho Union Paclfio are holding
speed trials between Reno and Virginia
City. So far the Wells-Fargo messen
gers have beaten every trip. They
made the distance of 22 miles in 69
minutes.
Halifax. A paper says the Nova
Scotia authorities arrested and tmprls i
oned an American citizen for celebrat
ing tho Fourth of July.
New York. Twenty-four deaths from
heat were reported here today.
San Francisco. The Ocean Queen
sailed from New York July 16. with (00
passengers and 125 tons of freight. In
cluding 100 firkins of butter, for San
Francisco.
MILITARY
POLICE
INT ALCABLFJ
Recognition of Their Valor and Effi
ciency Is Expressed.
PORTLAND. July 19. (To tho Ed
itor.) An Important feature of tho
great parade Thursday evening in cel
ebration of tho victorious battle of th-
American Army in Franco was the
spirited march of the Oregon Military
Police. '
This organization, under the capable
and efficient command of Major Dteck.
is rendering invaluable servtca in theso
strenuous times when enemies stalk
throughout tho land and German In
trigue and chicanery lurks In every
nook and corner.
A large portion of thin organisation
is made. up of men who have seen pre
vious service In the Spanish-American
War, as well as other minor frays that
were necessary to purgo tho country
from the vile hand of autocracy, and
their deeds of valor have but added
cardinal colors to the wings of the
great American eagle.
Let us then realize the necessity of
this organization and tho great service
it is rendering at this momentous
period lu the annals of our history, la
protecting our waterfront. In estab
lishing; order out of chaos. In quelling
riots and lessening crime In general
throughout tho state.
l,ct us then, rather than wait to place
withered laurels upon the solemn htera
of Tiur marble heroes, place living flow
ers of gratitude, bedecked with the
dews of appreciation. In the hands of
these boys here and now. while thetr
olfactory organs are alert to Inhale the
singular fragrance of thetr rare and
rich perfume. M. C ARMSTRONG.
WHEN TO CI ft FADES WHATf
When Tim. th painter, shall have
traced upon our sunny brow
A set of telltale wrinkles that you do
not dream of now;
Shall with a brush deep-tinged with
snow touch up your raven hair.
And place upon your smiling lips a
twist of anxious care.
When lagging steps shall mark your
gait that now Is quick and gay.
What charm can you then give th
world, to sort of your your way?
There is a debt that none may shirk
nor any man disclaim.
An obligation that is due from everyone
the same:
To cultivate some gift of mind, some
richness In the heart.
That shall endure beyond the day when
youthful charms depart;
And those who deal in transient wares
that fado with passing years.
Shall sow a harvest full of tares and
reap with bitter tears!
GRACK K. HALL.