Morning Oregonian. (Portland, Or.) 1861-1937, July 27, 1918, Page 10, Image 10

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    TO
TIIE MORNING OREGONIAN, SATURDAY, JULY 27, 1918.
PORTLAND. OREGOS.
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PORTLAND, SAT CROAT, JULY 87. 1918.
THE ICBMNO POINT.
'The German Crown Prince has not
been captured, nor will he be, for
there is no likelihood that he has
placed his noble hide in jeopardy any
where at any time. Nor has hts re
treating and defeated army surren
dered, or been bagged. But a great
victory a decisive, momentous and
pregnant triumph has been achieved.
Let us not underestimate its full meas
ure by failure to weigh Its signifi
cance, nor overestimate it through de
pendence on misleading newspaper
headlines, or by substituting hopes for
facts or probabilities.
The great lessons of the recent bat
tle are:
(1) The offensive has been sud
denly and completely wrested from
the German high command, so that he
must reorganize entirely his plan of
campaign.
(2) The American troops have
played a great and influential part in
the battle.
(8) General Foch's tactics have
been sound and the allied project of a
generalissimo, directing all forces. Is
vindicated.
(4) The Germans misjudged the
whole situation, assuming that the
allies had definitely taken the defen
sive and that they had no real power
of swift offensive through rapid mobi
lization of reserves ''behind first line
troops, they thought the French had
no reserves and the Americans were
not considered and worked them
selves into a pocket from which they
are having great difficulty in extricat
ing themselves; but probably they will
succeed in re-establishing their front
along the Vesle river, which appears
to be their first objective.
(B) The German losses have been
heavy, but their retreat is systematic
and they may succeed in saving the
bulk of their artillery and supplies.
But the prospect of considerable
further losses is excellent.
(6) The Germans are not able to
withstand the American troops in
open fighting, lacking their dash, in
itiative, individual resourcefulness
and physical stamina.
(7) General Foch saw his oppor
tunity and took instant advantage of
the German strategical error, by a
bold and sudden strike, which de
veloped rapidly into a general en
gagement. (8) The Germans' defeat is greater
than its actual losses in men, -supplies
and territory; for time also is lost
to them, and it is vital; for every day
sees an increase in allied strength
through American accessions and new
recruits from other allied countries.
(0) The immediate danger of the
loss of Paris is gone; and the ultimate
danger that it will be , taken is re
duced almost to zero.
(10) An. effort at renewal of the
German offensive either from the
Vesle river or at some other place, is
to be expected immediately, or as soon
as the German forces can re-establish
themselves after their defeat.'
(11) The absolute dependence of
the .'Jlies on America is finally Justi
fied, for its contribution to the vic
tory, in its stimulus to the allied mo
rale and the actual participation of its
soldiers, speaks for itself.
(12) The high-water mark of Ger
man effort has been achieved and
passed; and the beginning of the end
though the road to final victory
may indeed be long is clearly here.
KILL OFF THE ROOSTERS.
In passing along Front street past
the commission-houses almost any
business day one will see a large num
ber of crates filled with poultry. Most
of It has come from farmers, and
upon examination It will be found
that fully half of this poultry is made
up of hens of the laying age. The
others are cockerels and pullets of this
season's hatch.
It is all right for the farmer who
has more poultry than can be con
veniently cared for on his place to
ship his surplus stock at the present
attractive figures something like 25
cents a pound for hens and roosters
and upwards of 30 cents for chick
ens hatched during the Spring months.
But it would seem that the farmer
who ships practically all, or a large
portion, of his hens is not wise.
Eggs are worth about 50 cents a
dozen. Good hens, well kept,' ought
'to produce more than nine dozen eggs
a year. To feed a hen on commercial
feed at the present high prices does
not cost over a cent a day per hen,
oi, say, $3.50 a year; but there Is a
lot of waste products, such as dam
aged and overripe fruit and vege
tables, cull potatoes, scraps from the
table and damaged grain. The cost
can be cut in half on the ordinary
farm for a flock of, say, 60 hens.
Fifty hens properly housed and
eared for would, or ought to, produce
upwards of 450 dozen eggs a year,
and those eggs ought to, and almost
undoubtedly would, sell for an aver
age above 40 cent a dozen, making
the gross income 180 for the year,
with a cost of about that amount If
commercial feed were used exclusive
ly. But the farmer ought to be able
to cut that feed bill In half, and thus
realize $75 a year from the 60 hens.
By taking five hens from the flock
and adding five roosters, about the
ratio the average farmer keeps, the
profit would be decreased fully 25 per
cent, for hens do better, lay more
eggs and thrive better in every way
when no roosters are allowed to run
with them. The infertile eggs from
the all-hen. flock are better In every
way, save for hatching, than the fer
tile eggs.
That Is just the rock the average
poultry keeper, farmer or city lot
fancier falls upon a lot of deadhead
roosters. It Is not uncommon to see
a flock of poultry being: fed day after
day, even In the Winter months, when
food Is scarce and high, where 20 to
25 per cent of the number are roost
ers. Why poultry keepers will follow
this foolish method year after year
is past finding: out. If one wishes to
raise chickens one or two roosters for
thirty to sixty days In the Spring:
would be sufficient to produce fertile
eggs enough to raise 100 or more
chicks.
HEARST-USE.
The courts ought to be the shield of the
weak, the sure protection of Individual lib
erty and collective rights.
But they are not, and everybody knows
that they are not.
The Judges ought ts be the last line of
ueiense oi me people against the
. j- - . . . .
people against
priv-
lleged interests.
But they are not. and
everybody knows
that they are not.
The Judges are the last Una of defense of
the privileged Interests against the people.
That la what they are, and everybody
knowa It.
Not from the Portland Evening
Journal, as the reader will instantly
surmise, unless promptly informed
otherwise, but from the New York
Hearst paper. It is typical Hearstism,
just as the recent astounding attacks
on the Oregon Supreme Court and
the Multnomah Circuit Court by the
Portland paper are Hearstlike.
The Supreme Court of New York
upheld the right of the people of
Mount Vernon to bar the Hearst pa
pers. The response from the news
papers was a bitter arraignment of the
courts. The Supreme Court of Ore
gon, affirming the Circuit Court, up
held the six-cent fare, and the Port
land paper, in approved Hearst fash
Ion, defamed the court, accusing the
Judges of being the Instruments of
privilege and the tools of buccaneers.
The country, out of its inexhausti
ble patience, has tolerated Hearst for
years; and he has grossly abused his
opportunities and its good will. Now
he has excited its suspicion and
aroused its deep resentment by his
course in the war, and, in great alarm,
he has pretended to mend his ways.
The imitator and echo of his journal
istic methods here may well profit by
the Hearst experience. It is no time
to undermine confidence in popular
government, nor to describe the peo
ple as half-wits and the courts as
partners of highwaymen.
AX OLD GAME FOR THE AMERICANS.
Details of new German tactics and
of American success In defeating them
suggest that American experience In
fighting Indians in the West and Fili
pinos and Moros In the Orient is prov
ing of value.
German success in the early part of
the present campaign was won largely
by the process of infiltration, which
General Pershing described on the au
thority of a prisoner taken at Vaux.
Eight men deployed in skirmish line,
immediately followed by other groups,
each of which carried two light ma
chine guns. They were stopped by
machine gun fire from their flanks,
and another platoon which deployed
on the left was also decimated. The
men were then ordered to save them
selves as best they could, and they
took refuge in a cellar, where fifty
or sixty of them surrendered.
American defeat of German Infil
tration is explained by the Army and
Navy Journal as having probably been
due to incessant vigilance, superiority
of fire and outflanking the flankers
by regular troops, who thus used their
training In fighting Indians and Fili
pinos. It was a game of sneaking up
in small parties, Indian fashion, at
which the Germans tried to beat the
Americans, not knowing that the lat
ter were past masters at it.
The other two features of the new
German tactics were secret prepara
tion by bringing up large bodies of
men at night, and a furious bombard
men too short to give the enemy time
for adeq.Ui.te defensive measures be
fore attack with masses of infantry
began. The French and British seem
to have learned how to foil these tac
tics; in fact the former sprang a sur
prise defense on the Germans in
Champagne.
A VICTORY FOR THE AMERICAN PEOPLE
A great victory was won by the
American people before their army
In France had taken part in a great
battle. It was won by self-denial and
by a degree of economy to which they
were not accustomed in the use of
food, not by marching armies or by
artillery bombardment. If that battle
had not been fought and Won. there
Is good reason to believe that the allies
would have been conquered by famine
before the American army could have
reached the front in sufficient force
to prevent the subjugation of France
and Italy and the isolation of Great
Britain. The United States and our
American allies might then have been
left to cope with the entire force of
the Germanic powers, reinforced by
the resources of the countries which
they would have conquered.
The totals announced by the Food
Administrator of the vast increase in
shipments of wheat, other cereals
and meat to the allies during the last
fiscal year are the measure of this
victory. The 85,000,000 bushels of
wheat which we were able to export
out of the quantity which we should
have normally consumed, and the
hundreds of millions of pounds by
which we increased our meat exports
carried the allies through a critical
Winter and sustained their fighting
spirit by keeping up their physical
strength, and brought them into
Spring in condition to meet the ter
rifle blows of the enemy and to strike
telling blows in return, while our army
in France was swelling to 1,200,000
men and was taking its place at their
side. The huge total of food exports
has been worth as much to the cause
of democracy as a great military vic
tory, in which the enemy lost hun
dreds of thousands of men and thous
ands of guns.
Satisfaction over this moral and
economic victory of the American
people should not blind us to the
large degree to which the allies have
co-operated In winning it. By a dras
tic system of rationing they reduced
the quantity of food which we were
called on to supply and the tonnage
of shipping needed to carry it. By
so doing they increased the tonnage
available to carry and supply our
troops. They have maintained, and
in the case of Great Britain enor
mously Increased, their domestic pro.
duction ' of food. The women,- old
men and half-grown boys of France
and Italy have persisted in cultivating
the soli to within range of the cannon,
and- when the German advance began,
they often had to be driven away from
their fields. In Great Britain 4.000.
000 acres have been added to the cul
tivated area, and the depleted forces
of the farms have been filled by
women and boys. The proportion of
the nation's food supply which, was
produced at home has thus been in
creased from one-fifth In the first
year of the war to four-fifths this
year. By these means the British
were able to lend the United States
enough ships to carry more than half
of the American troops which went
to France in the critical three months
ending with June.
Although shortage of food in Eu
rope has been removed "as a motive
for some of the measures of economy
which have been adopted in America,
the great demand for tonnage will
impose continued economy on the
allies. Available tonnage to transport
and supply troops may place a limit
on the size of the army which this
country can maintain in France. " for
it is estimated that, after an army of
6.000,000 men had been transported.
15,000,000 tons of shipping would be
needed to supply it. Every ton saved
in carrying food to Europe would be
added to the tonnage for supply of
the American army, land therefore
would make enlargement of that army
possible. The allies may be trusted
to continue rationing, to maintain
home production at the highest point
and to reduce consumption of im
ported food, in order that the full
might of America may be felt by Ger
many. American shipbuilders may
also be trusted to do their utmost to
increase output of tonnage for the
same purpose.
THE LABOR DRAFT.
With the Government taking over
railroads, telegraph and telephone
and ships, establishing a form of en
forced military service and regulating
food prices, the public has become so
used to drastic methods that Govern
mental regulation of labor is received
without particular wonderment. Yet
there has been no policy quite so
sweeping since adoption of the draft
law as that which will become effect
ive August 1.
Just, as with a modicum of direct
authority the Government has found
a means of controlling many prices
indirectly It has, through its control
of war industries, devised an indirect
method of virtually compelling non
essential industry to give up its com
mon labor to the war Industries
whenever they may need It. The plan,
at the start, will govern only common
laDor, out regulations applying to
skilled labor are now being worked
out.
The Government already has an em
ployment service. The control of labor
supply and labor movements begins
with a regulation which limits war
Industries solely to this employment
service for recruitment of labor.
Direct or indirect solicitation will not
be permitted. The want advertise
ment and the street car placard will
not be available to the employer en
gaged in war industry.
The Government Employment Sor
vice will recruit the labor, which it
will distribute, by drafting It from
non-essential industries. A survey of
labor requirements will be made and
when the demand for unskilled labor
n war work is found, each state will
be assigned a quota, representing the
common labor to be drawn from
among men engaged in non-essential
ndustrles in that state. Those state
quotas will in turn be distributed
among localities.
It is at the point of filling quotas
that the compulsory feature seenu
to end, but it is remarked by the Dl
rector-General of the Department of
Labor that "quotas by localities and
individuals are to be accepted as read
ily as they are for Liberty Loan and
Red Cross campaigns."
The requirement that unskilled la
bor must be recruited through the
sole agency of the U. S. Employment
Service does not at present apply in
the following five cases:
(1) Labor which is not directly or
Indirectly solicited.
(2) Labor for the railroads.
(3) Farm labor to be recruited in
accordance with existing arrangement
with Department of Agriculture. '
4) Labor for non-war work.
(5) Labor for establishments whose
maximum force does not exceed 100.
Aside from the purpose of maintain
lng an adequate general supply of la
bor for war work the system has sev
eral other objects. It is designed to
secure use of local supply, so far as
possible, to fill local demand. It i
aimed to prevent competition over la
bor supply and the loss of time and
energy consumed in labor movements
from place to place. It is also indi
cated in an interview in the New York
Sun with Felix Frankfurter, chalrmon
of the National War Labor Policies
Board, who is said to be author of the
plan, that there is a social pholosophy
indirectly involved. It is the theory
of Prof. Frankfurter that much of
labor's unrest Is due to the migratory
character of labor. Two elemental
causes of discontent, he holds, are
homelessness and insecurity. He say
Unsteady, migratory labor suffers acutely.
even mourn it may not always be con-
acioua of the cause of the suffering. It is
among tne migratory workers that seditious
propaganda takes root. Men will fight for
their homes, but ta .fight for their com
pany boarding house is a different matter.
They will fight for their country. If they
are conscious of a place in it, but if they
are constantly haunted by a sense of inse
curity, the temptation is to fight for noth
ing due tnemseivea.
It is not overlooked, however, that
something besides security of employ
ment ana encouragement of the home-
making instinct is needed to make
labor content. Wage scaled, are af
fected by competition and if Competi
tion is withdrawn some plan just be
aevisea other man a.u arbitrary fixing
or wages, to convince labor that
is being paid what It is worth. A plan
of negotiation, .not yet announced, is
expected to reach an equitable adjust
ment. A further encouragement of
content will be Inauguration of
method of advancement to the skilled
labor class.
But It should be made clear that a
social philosophy or a governmental
trend toward paternalism is not the
inspiration for the general labor
policy. The one object Is to win the
war in the shortest possible time with
the least possible loss of life. War
Industry must be kept in continuou
and at maximum motion If that ob
ject is to be gained. So It is that it
has been decided that non-essential
Industry must give way to the needs
of war Industry. If a social benefit
shall be conferred by the system
will be that much added to the sta
bility of industry and the morale of
the people.
NO MERCY FOR THE WAR GRAFTER.
Probably the most despicable of all
men who are false to their country In
time oi war is tne dishonest army con
tractor. A spy risks his life, so does
the traitor who gives direct aid to the
enemy, while the man who shirks mil
ltary service pays the penalty by en
during life-long contempt. But th
crooked contractor who supplies pa
per-soled shoes, rotten cloths, porous
raincoats or embalmed beef endan
gers the life and health of thousands of
men who are fighting for their coun
try, all for mercenary gain, He takes
small risk, for lie hides behind the of
ficer or Inspector whom be has cor
rupted, and he is so base that public
contempt does not affect him. For
these reasons the camp-follower, of
whom the army contractor Is the suc
cessor. Is always scourged by the his
torian.
Such fellows as the Department of
Justice exposes and prosecutes are
largely responsible for the slowness
of the American people to take up the
challenge of Germany long before the
proclamation of submarine war.
Added to the natural preference for
peace and aversion for bloodshed wan
the memory of the parasites who had
fattened on army contracts in former
wars. This thought gave point to the
specious arguments of pacifists and
disguised pro-Germans that war was
desired by munition manufacturers
for their own enrichment at the ex
pense of the American people or for
the protection of their trade with the
allies. The argument could appeal
only to superficial minds, for it as
sumed that the Government was with
out either power or will to prevent
dishonesty or excessive profit and that
the people were willing to risk their
independence rather than suffer from
such incidental evils of war.
The vigorous action of the Govern
ment is to be commended, because
the people desire that their soldiers
shall have the best of everything, that
no undue profit be made and that the
rascals who would defraud the Na
tion's defenders be severely punished.
Having engaged In this war for no
selfish ends, the American people are
determined that it shall not be per
verted to serve the selfish ends of the
crooked and rapacious. They will
not be satisfied unless every rascally
manufacturer, inspector and agent Is
sent to the penitentiary.
The chemical warfare section of the
War Department claims to have pro
vided complete protection against poi
sonous gas. Masks protect soldiers as
long as they are required to remain
in areas drenched with gas and their
clothing will resist its effects for a
normal period. An ointment has been
provided which neutralizes the effects
of mustard gas by being rubbed on
the parts of the body where the- gas
is likely to penetrate the clothes. Men
whose duty is to clear trenches of gas
are protected by chemically treated
underwear, which neutralizes poison
ous gas.
The utter falsity of reports reflect
ing on the morals of the American
Army in France is shown by the state
ment that the ratio of venereal dis
ease is the lowest on record 47.8
cases per thousand. This means that
less than one man In a thousand per
week contracts disease. The best
previous record was 91.23 per thou
sand' in the year 1916. With the
Army in the United States the rate is
still lower, only 21 per thousand for
a year.
When such large numbers of Brit
ish munition workers strike in the
midst of war, there is surely some
thing wrong with the government's
arrangements to keep them working
and contented. Probably the cause in
neglect to keep In close touch with
the sentiments of the workers or the
habitual slowness of officials in set
tling questions on which they delib
erate. The allies may not capture a large
number of live Germans in the Marne
trap, but it is safe to predict that the
concentrated artillery and aircraft fire
from three directions will cause a vast
number to remain there dead. The
trap is becoming a huge slaughter pen.
in which the Kaiser will lose a large
part of the reserve on which he relied
to hammer his way to Paris.
Japan has ample forces to overcome
any enemy they are likely to meet in
Siberia. The army has been on a
nominal war footing of 600,000 men
for four years, can easily be raised to
the 850,000 men provided by the re
organization scheme, and can be in
creased In a few days to 2,000,000 by
calling out reserves.
Any American who sells ammuni
tion to Villa in these days Is a double
traitor. He supplies the murderer ot
many Americans with the means to
commit more murders, and he mis
applies cartridges which should be
fired at Germans.
Allied warships need a reminder
that German U-boats are not the only
submarines at sea. Those of Great
Britain and Italy have done good exe
cution among the enemy, and we may
yet hear of feats done by American
subs.
French losses are smaller than
American because this is the first
good chance the Yank has had at the
Hun and he takes no heed of death
when the battle lust is on. Four years
of it have steadied the Pollu.
It takes a great deal to convince
the Bolshevik! that they are enemies
of the allies, but they will discover
the fact when an allied army Joins
the Czecho-Slovak army In sweeping
them out of Siberia,
Prevention of the marriage of
woman of 8 3 by her daughters empha
sizes the need of daughters by other
and younger women similarly Inclined.
Men, too, for that matter.
When the war is over and the doves
of peace roost on every crossarm.
whole lot of men will eat a whole lot
of food, thinking of the days of '18
and '19.
There Is Joy in being a farmer of
Eastern Multnomah, qualified to at
tend the Grange picnic at Gresham to
day. The horse thief always stole a horse
when he made his getaway and better
cannot be expected of an auto thief.
Only a master printer would think
of shutting shop and paying wages to
the hands at a picnic
,
Viereck's devotion to the Fathe:
land was not entirely disinterested
not by about $75,000.
Women doing men's work In men's
attire, with needed variations, arouse
little interest now.
Arrange today to take your car full
of soldiers out the Highway tomorrow.
There is a limit on use of sugar but
none on use of elbow-grease.
This battle of the Marne fixes no
menclature: they are "Yanks."
Having put out the fires, good-bye.
rain.
The wind Is right for fair weather,
Peter-Out Patriots.
By Kills Parker Bntler, ( the
Vigilantes.
The verb "to peter-out" Is a queer
one. The dictionary says its origin is
uncertain, but I have an idea it comes
from the Peter whose loyalty to Christ
faltered when the cock crew thrice.
He was faithful when the cock crew
once and when the cock crew twice,
but his morale weakened as the long
night dragged. He "petered-out." He
"came back," however. He was the
rock on which the church was founded
at last.
The American who weakens and then
strengthens Is not as bad as the Judas
who Bells his country. He can "come
back."
The patriot who weakens and then
"comes back" only comes back because
there are others who do not weaken.
If we all weakened It would be all over
with us and with patriotism and with
America. Freedom would be dead; au
tocracy would rule.
Don't you be the one to weaken!
Don't be the "peter-out" patriot. Per
haps you canvassed in the last Red
Cross or liberty loan campaign and in
the one before that, but now you are
so tired! You'll let some other fellow
do it.
Don't do thatl Buck up! You've
made a good record so far; keep It up.
Let on that you've enlisted for the war;
if you "peter out" you are a deserter.
And don't think It will not be known.
Already, here and there, you hear peo
pie saying of this one and that one,
"Oh! he's a peter-out patriot. He was
mighty wonderful while the Job was
fresh and interesting, but look at him
now! He s quit:
The peter-out patriot is noticed be
cause there are ao few of him. He
sticks up like a sore thumb. He is the
woman who was going to let her auto
mobile be used whenever needed for
loyal work and who Just can't spare It
now. He Is the man who was eager
to write for the Vigilantes until the
novelty wore off. He is the child who
gave up gum and candy to buy thrift
stamps until she forgot. lie is the man
who ate rationally until he lost the
novelty of it and then began stuffing
his overextended belly again. He Is the
woman who planted her garden but
stopped cultivating it when the sun
grew hot. He is the man who shouts
when the band goes by and never does
another blessed thing to help win the
war.
The peter-out patriot Is the curse of
any country. He rushes in at all be
ginnings. He ts the man who makes
this loyal organization show a huge
membership that gradually peters out.
He Is the man who boosts his town's
subscription to the liberty loan and
then falls to pay his installments. He Is
the man with the mental and moral
hookworm. His bump of grit is a hol
low. His real love for hi country is
pig's love for a troughful. liven a
pig will rush to the gate and grunt
Joyfully when Its master appears, but
it has a short memory.
Instead of being a peter-out patriot.
be a bulldog. Take hold and bang on.
Grab a little more work between
growls. There will be two phrases of
honor some, day. One will be "He gave
his life for his country." The other
will be "He did his level best for his
country all through the war." There
will be two great phrases of disgrace.
One will be "He was shot as a de
serter." The- other will be "He petered
out!"
riATIXO INTO HANDS OF HfXI
Danger Seen In Retarding Industries
That Replace Urmai-Midt Goods,
EUGENE, Or.. July 25. (To the Ed
itor.) As a buyer and salesman for a
large Portland wholesale firm, buying
and selling, among other lines, dolla,
toys, games and many other novelties
for the Christmas shopper. I am some
what interested In the press notices
sent out by the National Council of
Defense urging that Christmas shop
ping be discouraged during the dura
tion of the war.
Until this country declared war upon
Germany we were buying from that
country a very large percentage of all
the dolls, toys, etc, which went so lar
towards making glad the hearts ot
young America at Christmas time. Mil
lions of dollars' worth of dolls ana toys
of every class and description were
shipped into this country for the
Christmas trade.
At the present time American man
ufacturers, most of them only in their
Infancy as such, are supplying us with
the dolls, toys and games which for
merly came from Germany. Each year
since German goods were shut out our
American manufacturers have been in
creasing their lines, improving on their
dolls and toys, trying to build up a
new and large Industry to replace that
which the Germans have lost, but only
temporarily If the Council of National
Defense has Its way.
The American business man. Imbued
with a single-hearted purpose to back
his Government and help in every way
nossslble to win the war. Is naturally
reticent about urging his personal
rlerhts In times like these, but unrea
sonable agitation against legitimate
business has reached the stage where
silence would be unpatriotic rtia en
deavor to boycott certain Industries
under the cloak of curtailing non-essentials
has a direct bearing upon the
international situation now and after
the clash of arms has ended, our ene
mies. you may be sure, are fully aware
of this.
The militarists at Berlin know weu
enough that Germany's commercial
strategists will have their hands full
in resralninsr some measure or ner lor
mer position in the world's markets if
America and her allies succeed in keep
In a- business machinery in good work
ing order during the conflict. These
would-be world domlnators are far
sighted schemers. As they planned
years ahead In preparation for this
war. they are planning now years
ahead for the prosecution of a commer
cial contest after the peace treaties are
signed. In the meantime they want to
ana our industrial and commercial ac
tivities curtailed and our whole busi
ness machinery turned topsy-turvy,
ao it will take us years to recover our
present state of commercial efficiency
and strength.
Wholesale destruction ot this Indus
try and that, complete wiping out of
n-oalled non-essential lines, will so
rni tha whole American business fab
rlo that quick repair after the war will
he imnosslble. Iet men wno are roca
ing the American business boat in the
present crisis ponder well the probable
results of their course of action; let
them examine the Influences that have
led them to take sides with business
destroyers and make sure of the origin
of any propaganda designed to hurt
American Industry of any kind what
soever, n&xn HAKUA.N.
Call of Class) IV Cnllkely.
PORTLAND, July 26. (To the Edi
tor.) A young man of draft age who
has been working In the shipyards the
last year and who was put in class
four, and Is married and has one child,
will he have to go to war very soon.
and how soon? He wishes to buy
piece of property, but la undecided, for
if he goes to tne xront no win De un
able to pay for it.
SHIPYARD WORKER.
Class IV men are to be called only as
a last resort. Necessary shlpworkers
are not subject to call. There Is. there
fore, no present prospect that a regis
trant such as la described will be called
into military service.
Ace la Pulled I s.
Boston Transcript.
Ace (relating experience) I had
flown three miles over the German
lines when I found that my engine was
missing. The Olrl Mercy! How could
you fly mo far without any engine?
COST MAT NOT MEAN REAL WORTH
Parser-ted Value of Hr Houses Based
a Farmer Rlet ( Speculation.
PORTLAND, July If. (To the Edi
tor.) What good purpose does "Real
Estate Dealer." who writes to The Ore
gonlan expect to serve. by his sarcastic
and Illogical letter on the question of
rentals and values of houses?
Passing over the sarcasm, we will
seek for the logic in the second and
seventh paragraphs of the letter, quot
ing ana asking a question in their turn.
I believe that competent people have
gone into the housing situation carefully
and decided that houses were not renting
for' normal prices, and. as a dealer in real
estate. I will say that I have not .old a
house In two months wlthLn .-ou ot m-tit
It cost.
If this is true, why are tpn.nl. mov
ing out on account of advanced rent
als? Also, why are the highly paid
workers not buying up these homes
that are offered for $500 less than cost?
II tne working people are intellizent
enough to earn 14 to $11 oer dav. thev
are intelligent and fair-minded enough
raauy to pay reasonable house rent.
consistently advanced in sympathy with
tne times, ana not go to the additional
expense and trouble of moving. They
also have the good Judgment to buv a
nome instead or renting when desirable
homes are offered at the reduced nrices
mentioned.
I know of one woman who owned several
nouses nero onoe upon a time, in April
fSOuO piece of property went to vwr
$1000 mortgage and the attorney fees are
yet unpaid. She is now trying to sell aome
outers at uu less than cost to pay that.
ii mis is true again, why are the
rfil estate speculators not buying up
these properties, if their clients or the
prosperous workers cannot be induced
to invest in modern homes at such low
prices :
The truth concerning the value of
many Portland homes is that they were
built for speculation and are not worth
what is asked for them either for sale
or for rent. I sold a home for $3000
that cost me $4200, but I needed the
money, and. besides, I received all th
ii was worm or that I -would be will
ing to pay again for It The loss was
mine, out that was no fault of the nur
chaser because, like hundreds of others.
I had been gambling In real estate and
ae.ervea to lose as well aa gain.
Thousands of homes now offered to
purchasers or renters at prices to cover
losses from speculation were con
structed during the period when every
one from tho banker to the serving
maia was running riot in Platting lots,
swppplng lots, building cheap bunga
lows, hard-surfacing, assuming mort
gages and contracting to pay millions
in Donaecl street assessments, but the
bubble was blown up from nothing
more substantial than soapsuds, and it
burst.
The home buyers or renters in Tort
land are not so foolish or unfair in
buylrg or paying rent as some prop
erty owners and rental agents unwise
ly charge. They will buy at a fair
price or cheerfully psy a reasonable
advance in rent, which is all that a
practical, fair-minded seller will think
of asking.
GIRLS AND CAMOUFLAGE
IN THE
SUNDAY OREGONLVN
The Government lias discovered that the feminine instinct for
decoration is' valuable as a war asset. An interesting and instructive
article tells why.
THE PERSHING SHOE The United States Government considered
the subject of what is being done over there for tho soldiers of so
much importance that it took miles of films to show us how the
ships and guns and uniforms and cantonments and food were made.
They forgot to take some pictures of the shoes of the Army, or else
they took, so many other pictures they didn't get around to shoes.
But one clever observor, Frank G. Carpenter, did, and he tells in
The Sunday Oregonian all the art and work required to shoe our
Army. His story is written following a personal visit to the
factory where the new Pershing Boot is being made.
CAMERA FLASHES OF WORLD NEWS There are a lot of folk
who go to motion picture houses merely to see the educational
feature exhibition, the film that tells "what's going on in the
world." One part of the Sunday Magazine section is given over to
interesting pictures, camera-caught, of "what's going on in the
world," and interesting descriptive accounts accompanying each
picture.
GIRLS AND CAMOUFLAGE It seems that wise officials who are
mobilizing America to win this war have "discovered" that girls
have a natural aptitude and predilection for camouflage. A fas
cinating arraignment of the lipstick, eyebrow pencil and sundry
bits of boudoir tricks, so-called gifts of camouflage, brings out the
startling information that these have made girls wonder 6tudents
in concealment and deception and all of it is now being turned to
good account. The tools of the beauty parlor are now giving way
to the paint-brush in shops and factories, the camouflage training
of the boudoir is being proved of tremendous value wherever
women are employed in Government work.
LIFE ABOARD TIIE TRANSPORT Just because a world of fathers
and mothers and kin of the brave boys will never have their read
ing fill of all the things that are going on "over there," we have
secured an informative illuminating compilation of enthusiastic
descriptions of the experiences while crossing the ocean, and life
aboard the big transports, sent by the khaki-clad lads who have
landed in France. It is called "Going Across" and is a close-up,
intimate account, such as no one letter home could telL
THE WORLD A-GRIN To paraphrase another observation, "A little
touch of W. E. Hill makes the whole world grin." He is so human
in his gentle thrusts at the world and his wife, as we know them.
There isn't one of hi3 delightful character studies in crayon whom
we haven't met. In tomorrow's Oregonian this artist who senses
the spirit of the day, introduces us to another flock of "Us
Mortals," who bring home to our sense of humor a few of the
used-to-be conventional and expected things that have been changed
by the four years of war, from the lounge lizard who used to give
the old girls a treat at $4 an hour, to the passing of the 300-pound
Brunnhildes and Siegfrieds with German opera.
JOHN KENDRICK BANGS AND THE HISTORICAL ERROR An
historical error, reported by wireless to John Kendrick Bangs,
humorist de luxe, is recorded in nimble facile manner for the edifi
cation of those who are following his interesting "At the House
boat on the Styx."
HOUSEHOLD HINTS I ENOUGn SAID Wars may come and wars
may go, but the business of housekeeping goes on forever. House
hold hints, all the newest ideas in Summer toggery from a war
day view, a lot of information about milady's Fall hats interest
ing things about what to cook and what not to cook and why and
when some new ideas in needlework, and a batch cf chat about
the furnishings in a prospective dining-room with hints of interior
decoration that can be done at home; and a big, interesting article
on the war garden timely and pertinent are only a f e of the
dozens of articles that promise delightful reading.
WHAT WE TALK ABOUT Just what we all talk about in groups,
and on corners, and discuss over the soup and on the Etreetcars
and wherever patriot meets patriot, "the objective of our Yankee
boys" and what they'll do when they cross "over the Rhine," has
been taken as material for an able discussion by Rene Bache and
a big illustrated description of the country for which our armies
are headed, the river to be crossed by Pershing's Crusaders in
their drive toward Berlin, and some of the age-old castles to be
captured, is graphically told about.
BOOKS, CHURCHES AND THE SOCIAL WORLD Bookland is
visited, the stay-at-homes and 6hut-ins may learn of the services
being held in every Portland church and read bits of the sermons
they longed to hear news of the social world letters from soldier
lads accountings of what's going on in theatricals, clubs and
civic centers and all the newest in news with the always funny,
funny paper for the kiddies and their grown-ups.
AND RELIABLE CURRENT NEWS The day's developments at
home and abroad, will be chronicled by a staff of trained writers
whose judgment is mature and unbiased. You get it all in
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN
A NICKEL AND A NOD
In Other Days.
A Half-Century Age.
(Prom Tha Oregonlan. July 27, IBM.)
Virginia City Enterprise, July IT.
passenger train passed over the Cen
tral Pacific Railroad to Wadsworth.
Hereafter passenger trains will run
regularly to that point.
Baltimore. Heavy rain flooded a
portion of the city. Damage estimated
at $3,000,000 was done and 60 persons
reported drowned.
The steamboat Rainier, owned by the
Cowlitx Navigation Company, was sold
at Marshal's sale, under a Judgment
for penalties for violation of U. S. pass
enger and navigation laws. The
steamer was sold to J. C. Klngsley for
$4500, legal tender.
The full text ot the platform adopted
by the Democratic National Convention
was published. Also comment of prin
cipal newspapers of the country com
menting on the candidates and the
platform.
Twenty-five Years Age.
(From The Oregonlan. July 2T. ISM.)
New York. Tho Erie railroad went
Into the hands of a receiver yesterday.
The company's floating debt was
placed at $6,000,000.
New York. Reported from London
that the German Emperor will arrive
at Cowes Saturday night, and that
Queen Victoria would have the Order
of the Garter conferred upon him.
Denver. Dan A rat a, an Italian sa-
ipon-keeper of evil repute, was hanged
by a mob of 10,000 people lor the brutal
murder of a G. A. R. man. The lynch
ing was witnessed by 40,000 people.
Spokane. The First National Bank
closed its doors; also its allied institu
tion, the Spokane Savings Bank.
Vice-President Adlal E. Stevenson
and Mayor Mason wero photographed
Saturday as the parade passed on
Sixth street. They were caught as a
troop of cavalry passed In review.
Water In Rivera.
TTGH VALLEY, Or.. July 24. (To
the Editor.) Please state which river
carries the largest volume of water,
the Columbia or the Mississippi.
I. E. T.
The mean discharge of the Missis
sippi at the mouth is estimated at 610,
000 cubic feet a second. The discharge
of the Columbia in other than flood
times ranges from 80,000 to 300.000
cubic foet.
Beneficiaries of Inauranee.
ASTORIA. Or. July 25. (To the Kfli
tor.) Can a person take out life Insur
ance in favor of one not related?
A READER.
Yes. in old-line companies; no, If you
mean Government insurance of soldiers
and sailor.