i'-i
THE 3IORMXG' OREGOXIAX, TUESDAY, JANUARY 14, 191Q.
rORTt.ANP. OREGON.
Ja'er4 at Portia1-!.! lO-esooj Po!oflce a
inJciiM mail matter.
eaoa.:rip:ioa ra:ca lnvartatiy In aSrance:
iHr MaiL)
1 a SurMae in. . ude.1. an Dion tha.. . .
rat,y. Kunrfay Included, three mantoa.
1 'iily. tn.-ludrd. una month.. .
:;. t: liit s-jn1e . aue ear. . . . . .
I aritrtcut eiin tav. aiv monthi....
I'atle. wjraaut Sunday, on month... ..
fc V. on ymr
fraiiflay. on ea." ...
S-aaaj aa4 Weekly..... .......
CFy farrier. 1
Ta in. Ptxea'a Tncru'led. on year. -. . -
1 .at ) . Sundae lm lude.l. nr mom h. . . .
T'a. sundat ln.-tu.led. three woniU.
1 ai t v. i' iut sundae. ear
le'ly. nfiout Miniity. three- monthi..
X'ally. aithout Sonday. oat molh.
Haw to ReenH snd p;offlr inon'T r
r. cipma or peraonal chaos, ot. loir l'-al
kena. auinni. co n or curr-n -y an at own
e riok. line io-tof'le addrtJ in lut'
.tad;tic county and atala.
reataxe XaM 12 t 1 !- 1 cent- 1
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Jorklin. Stefer boildlnt. Ch:ei:
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t-an traccievo npreaantauve. R. J. B.de.l-
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treason for the predominance of the
standards." and the reason is apt
to be that they are best fitted to pro
duce under given conditions of soil,
climate and cultivation. Experimen
tation with new strains, which docs
not Include enlightened seed selection
such as ought to be practiced by every
farmer, can advantageously be left in
tunes like these to the professionals
and the agricultural colleges. Efforts
should be concentrated, in 1919 as in
previous years, upon obtaining the
greatest possible yields of staple food
stuffs.
MKMBER Or TBt ASSOCIATED rRlS.
I n Aeeucl.ted l'r ta m-lutlyily entl-
t:J lo lh uao for rapuoucaiin 01
twvpatrhea credited to It
cred.tc.t to trtia paper,
ae pub::thd herein.
AH r:-f.a rt republ.caMoii of apodal ola--T-a'-hee
aereln af a' re, rvrd.
not e:h!
a ad a.ao tn local
rOTLil. tlTJiU.IV. JA. It. ll-
OE-MAN .OTERNMET.
Soldiers returning from France land
in the I'nited States without money,
though many months' pay is due them.
If they are sick, no hospitals are ready
to receive thctn. No provision has
Wrn made for their civil employment,
eicrpt that the Government employ
ment offices are open to them as to
any civilian. No allowance has been
made for their maintenance until they
- f.nd employment, such as the allies
have made. They arc no longer need
ed by the Government since the Marnc
has been won. tho llindcnburg line
wiped out. the Argonne forest cleared
cf machine guns, and the lost battalion
found: so they are given no more at
tention by tho Government, and they
are cast aside like an old. well-worn
e. Yes. they are well-worn in wln-
11 in? t!e victories for which rretdcn
iI.on has been receiving the laurels.
I'are for the returning soldiers should
have had the attention cf Congress last
Summer, but Congress blandly as
sumed that the war would last another
;rar at 1'asC and It whlled away the
time tn booties talk. Having cauvrht
Congress unprepared for war. Ger
many caught It unprepared for peace
by Ineon.nderstefy making an unex
perted surrender. As Congress had to
make an Army after war legan. so It
has to make provision for the soldiers'
homecoming after they are at home.
The cause of this callous neglert,
which is a National xhame. is not far
to seek. The President, from the day
of his first Inauguration, has taken all
Initiative Into his own hands until he
has finally destroyed all power of In
flame in his rabinet and in his party
in Conerew. The only present mem
ber of the Cabinet who has shown any
f this auality Is Secretary laine. He
Is the only or.e who has made any
onerete proposal for readjustment to
peace conditions, but his scheme needs
much fixing before It will be work-aMe-
The other Cabinet members are
bedtent clerks, specially fclnce Mr.
McAdoo stepped out. The IVniocratic
members of Congress have degenerat
ed Into rubber stamps for the Presi
dent's decisions, the only exception
being those who have made well
merited criticism of the admlnlstra
tton and have received condign punish
ment. and those few who have ha
hobbles to tide.
When the present session opened
the eleventh hour for demobilization
and readjustment legislation had
truck. If the President had called
upon Congress to give thl work pref
errnre over all else. It would doubt
less have got down to business with
ii TI the speed of which it Is capable.
He said nothing in his address abou
rwre of the soldiers during demobilize
tion. left everything to our quit-
and resourceful" people, simply com
mended the I-ine scheme, slated the
railroad problem and gave It up. and
announce.! that he was going to Ku
rope to settle the affairs of the world
and woul-l run the I'nited States by
wireless.
Since his departure the Government
has been like a family deserted by
both parents, or like a flock of sheep
milling around without a shepherd.
The dollar-a-year men who had in
Jected some business energy and effl
ienry into the departments have re
turned to their own affairs, leaving
the small-six chlf to shift for them
selves. In the absence of the big chief
to tell them what to do. and of the
business men to show them how to io
it. these tame politicians are at a loss.
any Initiative or courage they ever had
havinr been drilled out of them. The
so-called lemocratic leaders In Con-
cress are in as bad a predicament
They are not accustomed to propose
anything without the President's O.
K.. and they have been Used to carry
uieir trouDies to mm. They can
scarcely do that by wireless. About
the only Democrats who originate an
Idea are men like Senators Chamber
Iain. Hitchcock or Heed, and they ex
pose the administration's deficiencies
more unsparingly than any Republi
can could. t
Since the President himseif has re
duced both th heads of departments
avnd Congress to this condition of Im
potence by taking all initiative into
his own hands, his duty is to come
home and take the lead in urgently
needed legislation, that the soldiers
may be paid. fed. healed and put to
work and that Industry may be speed
ily readjusted to the new conditions
which have suddenly arisen. The xcal
of the American people for the salva
tion of democracy in turope does not
flag, but tbey do not forget that the
President was elected for the primary
doty of caring for democracy In the
L'mted States. If It should not soon
receive more attention than it now has.
it may get Into a bad way and may
even be compelled to call upon the
democracy of Hurope for help. Surely
the President does not desire such an
antt-rlmax to Ms efforts to "make the
world safe for democracy."
HARD TO GET DOWTt TO FACTS.
FEforta that tha Amaiiean dftVratfon baa
acrrd on a vorklnc p:an for a leagu of na
tions and that It wiil ba one of tha first
th:r.-s to r laid brfnr tho conrreaa nava
bcro current la 1'arl. All outward evi
dences point In the other direction. It la
known tiiat as lat a Prealdent wtlaon'a re
turn from Italy he waa not prepared to lay
down a workinx plan and that ha preferred
to hava other plant orljctnatlnir amona tha
ententa deleaalea offered first. From an
Aaaooatad frcaa dlapatch from Paris, Jan
uary li
The President Is sure only that he
wants a league of nations, but he Is
not clear what kind of a league of na
tions. He is not alone.
The American people are in about
the same fix. They want permanent
peace and they think it may be had
if the Nations are agreed to keep it
and keep their agreement. But how
are they to be made to keep their
pledge? Through a league, of course.
What league? President Wilson will
make up his mind after others have
made up theirs. It will be easy per
haps to determine what he does not
want easier by much than to declare
what he wants. But he knows that he
wants a league. So does everybody
else want a league.
When the President, or anybody, is
asked to descend from the heights of
pure generalization to the lower levels
of actual fact about the league of na
tions, it is at once obvious that the
path is strewn with trouble.
ness man for employment, he would! be found elsewhere than ip a highly
promptly be invited to close the door I educated, sensitive and aroused public
from the outside. I opinion, which shall take, account of
The best prospect for development I the enormity of the offense of mur
and permanent maintenance of an I der from the social viewpoint and
American merchant marine lies In the I demand protective measures. Only
free play of private enterprise, under this can check the will to do murder.
laws modeled after those of the most But examination of the statistics of
successful shipping Nation in the the manner in which murders were
world, and with such aid from the committed in the period 1912-16 seems
Government as would compensate for to warrant the conclusion that some
regular mail lines and for employment I thing might be done to curb their fre
of American officers and seamen who I fluency while we are waiting for the
would be enrolled In the Naval Re-1 millenial' dawn. Something, for ex.
serve. If the excess cost of ships were ample, like a check upon the imple
written off as a war charge, so that I ments of destruction
they might be sold at prices equiva-1 In the five years in question, the
lent to the value of foreign tonnage, I total number of murders in the regis-
American merchants and shipping! tration area was, for the cities, 10,785
men would open trade routes as they land for the rural sections, 7646. Of
did in the clipper ship days, provided I those in the cities, 6135, or 56.8 per
they were released from our strait- cent, were committed by use of fire
Those Who Come and Go.
WHAT "IRISH FREEDOM" MEANS
Jacket navigation laws.
WITH FIFTr AIR PASSEXCERS.
A new seaplane, called the N C-l,
has made a flight near New York
carrj'ing 50 persons. It has three
Liberty motors of 400-horscpower
each. 1200 horsepower in all. and is
capable of a speed of 80 miles an
hour. The seaplane, unloaded, weighs
six and a half tons and has a gross
lifting power of 11 tons.
The mind finds it hard to imagine
a great mass of 23,000 pounds speed
ing through the air. But here it is
being done. The mastery of the skies
with heavier-than-air machines is an
arms; 1648, or 15.3 per cent, with cut
ting or piercing instruments, and the
remainder by "all other means. In
the rural regions, 6298, or 69 per cent,
were committed with firearms, and
831, or 18.5 per cent, with cutting in
struments. The high predominance of
use of firearms suggests that very
considerable protection might be given
to human life by more effective re
strictions upon the sale of these
weapons. It is well known that un
der present ordinances, practically any
adult can buy firearms as freely as he
desires. This remedy, suggested by
the writer in the Spectator, is not of
fered as a complete cure, but as a pal
liative measure probably worth while.
Laxity of laws governing sale of
accomplished fact. Accidents are rare
when stunts are not attempted and wcapons retlects in SOme degree the
when a competent pilot is in charge. n,lhli- indifference toward
BOO!
The Association Opposed to National
Prohibition evidently possesses more
money than judgment. One can imag
ine no more futile effort than an ad
vertisuig campaign in Oregon to pre
vent ratification of tha prohibition
National amendment. Tet the asso
ciation's advertisements and they
cost money are before us. Tomor
row or In the next succeeding day or
two the legislature will ratify the
amendment with but few, if any, nega
tive votes.
It is a wild alarm the liiuor asso
riation sounds. Prohibition is likely
to promote Bolshevism, Is its theme.
Yet the Bolshevik! in Russia hastened
to the wine cellars of the wealthy, and
they promptly restored the manufac
ture of vodka.
We shall have a rise of Bol
shevism to noticeable proportions only
if there shall be lack of common
sense in providing a practical read
justment of industry. If rioting enters
any city in which liquor is openly
sold, one of the first acts of the au
thorities will be to close the saloons,
that the hunger-driven mob may not
be enlarged -by others crazed by drink.
But the effort of the liquor Interests
to frighten us with a loud cry of
boo!" is relatively unimportant. The
significance of the feverish campaign
s that John Barleycorn is at the crisis
of his life. The flowers have been
ordered, the hearse Is prepared, an
he prospective mourners are already
pricing ciark-hued habiliments.
It requires no gift of prophecy to
foretell that the day of universal avia
tion is near. The fruits of war in the
sky are to be gathered by the enter
prise of commercial industry. The
talk of a long flight across the At
lantic does not now seem a mere
dream. There will be no great sur
prise when it is realized.
An aviator has flown from Sacra.
mento to Seattle and return. It 'is
difficult because of the height of the
Siskiyou mountains. But the time is
doubtless coming when a journey by
air from Portland to San Francisco
will be a mere commonplace of travel.
Once the Knglish channel seemed an
almost insuperable obstacle to air
navigators. Now thousands have gone
over and back. Why should mere
mountains stop the certain progress
of aviation?
homicide already noted
There is no doubt that our high
murder rate does "reflect most seri
ously upon the attained degree of
American civilization, methods of
thought and methods of life." It is
a subject with which educators and
clergymen, among others, might prof
itably concern themselves more gen
erally. But if restfictions upon sale
of deadly weapons and poisons
would reduce the number of murders
by onljr a fraction, they are worth
applying. It is the conclusion of
analysts of the homicide figures that
they would accomplish much good.
Amateur gardeners will do well to
heed the advM-e of an agricultural ex
pert who reminds them that In mak
tna? their plans for next year's vege
table patches they should disregard
the temptations offered by seed cata
logues to experiment with new and
on tried varieties. There- Is quit
enough novelty tn the adventure itself,
without Injecting Into it the uncer
tainties that attend production which
does not have local experience as a
gil'Jt, There Is nearly always good
KATE IT TO PRIVATE ENTERPRISE.
It is somemhat of a concession for
Balnbridge Colby, who is acting chair
man of the Shipping Board during th
absence of Chairman Hurley in Ku
rope, to advocate private operation o
merchant ships "in the main," for it
is the fashion for Government offi
rials to desire to hold everything that
they hav e brought under Gov ern men
operation and to reach out for more.
But Mr. Colby proposes "continuation
of Government building in order to
give stability to the American ship
building Industry, accompanied by
limited degree .of Government oper
ation. chiefly in pioneering in trades
where private capital might not care
to venture at first, and in establishing
certain lines of steamships."
What evidence has the Shipping
Hoard given that indefinite continu
ance of shipbuilding for the Govern
ment would stabilize the industry, or
tnai operation of any ships by the
trovernment would be more success
ful In trade than would private oper
ation? The board at first Dinned its
faith to the South and Kast for wood
ships and. when those sections fell
down, it turned to the Pacific Coast
where that material had been used
with success for two generations. It
blundered again by discarding the
designs which experience had proved
good and by forcing upon Pacific Coast
builders designs made by architects
of steel ships for use with the small
timber of the Kast and South. It
blundered again by constructing the
three great fabricated steel shipyards
on the Atlantic Coast, with poverty
of results in the shape of finished
tonnage, which contrasts sharply with
the enormous sums poured into the
plants. It has handicapped the
American merchant marine with ships
built at excessive cost, and has injured
the good name which the wood ship
had won by forcing its own designs
on nuilders and then condemning all
wood ships because those built on its
own designs fell short of its expecta-
ions.
Justice to the shipbuilder as well as
he interest cf the merchant marine
requires that the board finish tho ves
sels for which It has contracted.
whether of wood or steel, but it should
make no more contracts. When the
onnage now tinder contract has been
completed, the I'nited States will have
5.000.000 deadweight tons, which Is
about half of the British tonnage in
914. By that time the Industry
hould have shaken down into good
running order, with executives and
workmen who have acquired skill, and
It should be In a position to take pri
vate contracts in competition1 with oth
er Nations. It will arrive at that
stage far more quickly If set free from
Government dictation, to practice econ
omy and Inventiveness under the spur
of competition.
If the Shipping Board had made a
good record, it would still be ill-
qualified to operate ships in the pion
eering work of which Mr. Colby
speaks. The pioneer in any field is
the man who breaks away from a rut
and explores new fields with bold,
quick initiative. The tendency of any
Government board or official Is to set
tle into a rut. The subordinate offi
cial lacks initiative because he shirks
responsibility and fears to risk cen
sure; and the actual pioneering by the
Shipping Board on new trade routes
would have to be done by subordinates.
The Shipping Board has shown initia
tive, for the emergency drove it on.
but it has made a brilliant record of
blunders. If any man with such a
record were to apply to a good busi-
THREATEXtn WITH EXTINCTION
Romantic interest attaches to the
news from the Society Islands that the
older generation of natives has been
practically wiped out by the epidemic
of influenza, which now threatens the
remainder of the population with ex
tinction. The Society Islanders, to
the superficial observer a type of the
Polynesian race, possessed elements of
ethnological superiority which are not
easy to expluin. They had the rudi
ments of a culture when the iflands
were discovered more than three cen
turies ago by a Spanish explorer, and
the accounts of Captain Cook, written
nearly two centuries afterward, show
hat they had developed a feudal sys
tem of Government for which one must
examine the Middle Ages in Kurope
o find an approximate model. Un
like the natives of other croups in
ceanlca, they had built comfortable
dwellings and knew something of
ironmongery- Their early ruling
classes Included men of high intel
lectual rapacity and strong character.
The famous society of the A tools
which had for its aim the cultivation
of literary, dramatic and religion
mysticism which In all Polynesia
reached its highest development at Ta
hit), furnished an added fillip to th
researches of scientists and the works
of romancers. The traditions of th
mysterious "South Seas" were crystal
llzed in the life of this most advanced
of Polynesian peoples. Because they
were kindly by nature and most ready
to adopt the forms of Western civiliza
tion. Society Islanders won a place for
themselves in history and literature
quite disproportionate to their num
bers.
The people are now victims of the
preoccupation of the world with other
problems. Their comparative isolation
was heightened by the war. which di
verted shipping to other routes. Like
other primitive peoples, they were
highly susceptible to maladies of civil
tration. The scourge which is now
taking tragic toll from them was in
trod need, it is said, by passengers on
a steamship from Australia wnlcn
touched at Papeete. Before help could
have reached them, even if it had
been hastened, a seventh of the pop
ulation had died. By this time the
proportion of deaths may be lm.
mensely larger. Hospitality of a sim
pie people to the strange race which
has gone among them may be the
cause of their disappearance, a con
summation which will be regarded as
a real tragedy by all who are con
cerncd for the welfare of their fellow
men.
MILITARY QUESTIONS ANSWERED,
The following named correspondents
will find the Information they seek
concerning disposition of particular
military organizations among the an
swers to other inquirers printed on
page 9. Section 5. of the Sunday Ore
gonian. January 1":
Anxious Wife, Scappoose.
Charles Lister, Vancouver, Wash.
Wm. G. Kibbe, Vancouver Barracks,
Anxious Mother. South Bend, Wash
A Reader, The Dalles, Or.
A Reader, Portland.
A Subscriber. Hillsboro, Or.
Tkat Depends en Which Party 17 sea
the Expression.
J. B. Williams, Pacific Coast director OREGON' CITY, Or.. Jan. 12. (To the
of the War Department Commission on Editor.) What does the term "Freedom
Training Camp Activities, was at the for Ireland" mean? Wherein docs the
Hotel Portland yesterday, en route to administration of government differ
in ireiana irum i" u w .............
tered in other British possessions, to-
San Francisco from Camp Lewis, where
he recently inspected the various enter
prises of his department. "T found
Camp Lewis tne best conducted of any
camp on the Pacific Coast," testified Mr.
wit: Scotland. Canada, etc.?
The meaning of "Irish Freedom" de-
Williams, "and believe that it cannot pends on whether the term is used by
be equaled by any in the country. x-otfnnalists or Sinn Feiners. For
There is a tremendous sympathy mani- . eoDlo of the "south
f est for our work on the part of the
officers generally and the company
and west demanded home rule, that is,
commanders. I believe that the Govern-I establishment of a separate lnsn gar
ment, through the vocational depart- I liament and executive to control strict-
ment, will be excellently prepared to ly ir;8n affairs, but under the British
In Other Daya.
work with the civilian authorities and
agencies in the important matter of
replacement of men discharged from
the service. Mr. Williams is accom
panied by Lieutenant Robert New-1
begin, also of the commission.
crown. That is wnat tne ivauonansis
called Irish freedom. That demand
was granted by the law enacted in
1914, but suspended for the duration
of the war. The Sinn Fein party,
which has just elected two-thirds of
He can hoist a 100-pound pack on tha Triah Tnomhrs tn the British Par-
".niVri? if Jn.v.nt8 inh "anient, demands complete separation
out turning a hair or slacking step. ' , s
That is the tribute which State Game 'r"" and independence of Great Bnf
Warden Shoemaker pays to Jim ain, and that is the meaning of "Irish
Thomas, of North Bend, district warden Freedom" as employed by that party,
for Curry and Coos counties, and the Canada is a self-governing dominion
we T" f Do"sI?s "d HLa"eJ under the British crown. It has com
Warden Thomas was in Portland the ... . , .
other day as a witness in a moonshin- Plcte independence as to internal af
ing case, relative to the still discovered fairs except that the executive is a
near Five-Mile Lake, in Lane County, governor-general appointed by the
"The, principal trouble in my district," British government and that laws of
said Jim Thomas, "is the hunting of the Canadian and provincial Parlia-
deer with dogs. I recommend that . . . . . . . . ,, .
more stringent laws governing this in- ments are subject to veto by the im
fraction be enacted by the present perial Parliament when they are con-
Legislature." Among woodsmen. War- trary to British foreign policy. Also
den Thomas is known far and near for Canadian foreign relations are con
his ability as a tracker and his non- ducted by British diplomats. The Brit
chalant and never-failing sense of di- . . . . . .
rection in the mapless tall timber. ish and navy P'otect Canada
A. E. Reames, popular resident and contribution made by Canada is purely
well-known attorney of Southern Ore-I voluntary.
gon, is at the Hotel Portland for a few! Ireland, like Ene-land. Scotland and
daytt !SlSierin,,fr0m. his home town WaIes haa repreSentation in the Brit-
"The 'flu' is all but a
thing of the past in Medford." said Mr. ,sn Parliament. That body enacts
Reames. referring to the severity of the I some laws specially lor eacn or tne
epidemic there. "I am doubtful if the I four countries to meet their peculiar
masks, which were universally worn, nqeds, but the liberties of the citizen
the. atrinr.nt ,,,.',:., )-:. 1 the special laws for Ireland are aimed
helped more than anything else. At at insurrection and are called coercion
Twenty-live Years Ago.
From Tbe Oreconlan of January 14, ISM.
Liliuokalani has entirely abandoned
all hope of ever regaining the throna
of Hawaii and is now perfecting ar
rangements for bringing suit against
the United States for a large sura of
money.
Seattle. Wash. The body of Thomas
Ryan, a blacksmith, who came to this
city two weeks ago from Kamilchie for
a spree, was washed ashore from His
bay. His friends have been hunting
the city high and low for him for some
time and came upon him unexpectedly
finally at the morgue.
,
The taxpayers' committee of 100 held
a lively session in the Worcester block
yesterday afternoon. This time the
schools were called upon to reduce ex
penses. Discontinuation of the teaclv
Ing of the German language, thereby
doing away with two teachers, and sav
ing $2600, their salaries, was insisted
upon by the taxpayers.
An interesting ceremony was enjoyed
by a number of Portland's prominent
citizens yesterday when the draw of
the Burnside-street bridge was given
its first swing by the ponderous ma
chinery provided for the purpose.
Duplication of functions by the city
and county governments of Portland
and Multnomah County is only one ex
ample, of top-heavy officialdom preva
lent in America. Officials get in one
another's way and obstruct one an
other's efforts to do something in or
der to. prove the need of their jobs.
While we have been crying about
shortage of labor, we have had a sur
plus of labor misemployed in govern
ing us which might have been cm
ployed In pushing a plow or a saw in
stead of a pen or a scheme. Put the
surplus officials at useful work.
THE MIRDKR RECORD OF A YEAR.
It is true, as Frederick L. Hoffman
suggests in a review of the homicide.
record for 1917 in the Spectator, a
leading insurance magazine, that it
becomes more difficult to analyze sta
tistics of this kind as the year under
review approaches the end of the in-
ercensal period, but the outstanding
fact that the total shows an increase
for tho year by comparison with the
five-year period 1912-16. is worthy of
attention. There is no increase, it ap
pears, in appreciation of the sanctity
of human life. The homicide rate for
he year In question increased in
seventeen cities and decreased in four-
een. The net result is an increase of
4 per 100.000 of the population, or
7 per cent. Tet, as Mark Twain
said of -the weather, "Kverybody talks
f the subject, but no one ever does
anything about it." Law enactment
is apparently inadequate. Murder is
gainst the law everywhere. Law en
forcement varies according to locali
ties, but the percentage of convictions
by Juries is notoriously small.
That the tendency toward homicide
is relatively constant in this country
Is indicated by the fact that it waa
not much influenced by the war, into
hich we entered early in the year for
hich statistics are given. There was
no sudden stimulus of the murderous
pirit on that account. The influenza
pidemlc. it has been recently noted.
has actually caused more homicidal
ragedies than the war. but this is a
special subject for study by the alien
ists. The slayers in these instances
undoubtedly had become mentally un
balanced. But all but a negligible few
of the 1778 homicides in 1917 in 31
cities of th'e United States were com
mitted by men and women mentally
capable of judging their acts.
It is well recognized that "murder
is the worst of all crimes which one
fellow-subject can commit against an
other In a civilized community," be
cause it deliberately destroys the life
which it is the chief aim of the law
to protect. It Is true, also. In all prob
ability, that no substantial remedy will
How well this Nation cares for
discharged soldiers is told in a recent
news story. A demobilized man was
$4 In debt, when the paymaster set
tled. That official took the man's
shoes but allowed him to wear them
home on hjs promise to send them
back. As clothing is about the only
credit business with a soldier, this
shows a raw condition. A' bonus of
three months' pay to a man will en
tail a small part of a Liberty Loan.
Probably there is not a railroad in
the world -better equipped for safety
of its traffic than the New Tork Cen
tral, yet two dozen people lost their
lives in the accident Sunday night.
and In a Pullman car, too. the safest
spot of the train. Railroading is a
science, but it never can eliminate the
personal equation.
By appointing Walker P. Hincs
Railroad Administrator, President
Wilson has insured that agitation for
a five-year extension of Federal oper
ation shall continue.
any rate, the influenza in Medford ap
pears to have lust about petered out.
By the way, there was a fine Winter
run of steelhead in the Rogue, and the
egg-fishermen scored heavily. Most of
the Medford boys, however, use the
fly, so we didn't participate."
"The old town's more beautiful than
ever." Such is the dictum of Abe Delo
vage, formerly a Washington-street
jeweler, who has been located at Butte.
Mont., during the past three years. Kn
route back home from a vocational
period in California, Mr. Delovage is
spending a day or so at the Hotel Ben
son. "Butte is all right," asserted Mr.
Delovage, "a fine, sprightly, growing
city. But there s an indescribable some
thing about Portland that grets a fellow,
especially when he's been away for a
year or so. The climate, the green
trees, the clean ocean winds I dunno
just what it is. but there's something
about the town that catches the old-
timer, wnerever ne jives. And you ve
made progress since I've been away.
l ucre a no mistaking that.
laws. They are put in operation In
disturbed districts when occasion re
quires, and are suspended when peace
returns. Other special laws have been
passed to buy the land from the land
lords and sell it to the farmers. This
expenditure was borne by all the Brit
ish people. Free public universities
have also been established at the gen
eral expense.
Mrs. Lola G. Baldwin, former member
of the Portland police bureau as chief
of the Women s Protective Division
and now on leave as Pacific Coast
superintendent of the women and Kirls'
section of the vv ar Department Com
mission, leaves for Camp Lewis to
day to inspect work of her department is no reason why, if the players desire,
tV-iV iu k i m . m, . ine that one red four and one black four
week Mrs. Baldwin will return to San I.,. j .
Die.ro and San Francisco. "W ar shoud not be retained instead, but to
drifting away from the exclusively war-make them interchangeable as to suits
time character of our work." said Mrs. I in no trump would be a freak rule and
Baldwin, "and are planning to leave I would not be nermissible unless acrced
Roles of 500.
KELSO. Wash., Jan. 12. (To the Ed
itor.) Will you please tell me how to
use the joker in a nullo hand of 500?
Also how the four of hearts and spades
are played in no trumps. Do they have
to be played only as a heart or spade
or can they be played as a diamond and
club, too? J. E. J.
In nullo the joker, as in other bids.
is the highest card in the deck. It may
be played only when the holder cannot
follow suit. When in the hand of the
bidder it of course precludes possibil
ity of making the bid and should be
discarded into the widow before the
play begins. Only two fours are re
tained in a 500 deck and usually both
red fours are selected for the purpose
and are played according to suit. There
t organized as a permanent asset in
each community. In this design we are
Imeetlng with splendid co-operation.
He arrived yesterday at St. Vincent's
Hospital, his mother is happy and con
valescent, he weighs almost seven
pounds and they haven't named him
Fifty Tears Age.
From The Orcgoniajl of Jannarr 14. 1861.
A consignment of four tons of salt,
manufactured at the works at St. Hel
ens, was received in Portland. It is
pronounced by competent judges to be
of excellent quality.
Sir Edward Lytton Bulwer's fameus
play of "Richelieu, or The Conspiracy"
will be performed at Oro Flno Theater
tonight on the occasion of Mr. Bate's
benefit. It is a very elaborate produc
tion. The total population of the United
States in 1868 was 3ti.743.0n0, of whom
4,633,000 were colored.
Late advices from Japan confirm the
telegraphic intimations of the tri
umph of the Mikado's party. The prin
cipal opponent of the Emperor has sur
rendered and there is a prospect of the
restoration of order and a revival of
trade.
upon beforehand by all players.
Do not overstuff. Eat an apple be
fore retiring and sleep the regular
number of hours. Then you may not
need a doctor, who is busy elsewhere
The Cabinet as well as the Army is
demobilizing and when the President
comes he may need a new one. Some
men dislike being a row of dittos.
Do you note the lack of news of
distress and disorder from Tacoma?
For a quiet and genteel place in which
to live, commend us to Tacoma.
It was not to be expected that
Berger would like the espionage act.
It was passed in order to win the con
demnation of such men as he is.
There is popular belief one will not
catch influenza while attending
church, any more than be hit by
lightning at the same place.
The only kings and queens who hold
their crowns are those who led their
people te victory, or who kept out of
the war. .
Before developing plans for glorify
ing the soldier, fix it to keep him
alive. That is the problem.
Even in Argentina, which exports
great quantities of grain and meat,
Bolshevism brings famine.
Respect quarantine or you may do
all your trading by phone. It has been
done in smaller places.
The man who carries insurance and
gets the "flu" does not worry as much
as the neglectful man.
Tracing of Convalescent
NASEL, Wash., Jan. 12. (To the Ed
Itor.) My brother went to France with
Company B, 161st Infantry. He was
transferred to Company K. 18th Infan
yet. But his daddy, who is Day Clerk try, was in a convalescent camp at
L. B. Gillespie, of the Hotel Seward. Limoges. France, on November 3. We
avers to all listeners that the boy is. have not heard from him since that
beyond doubt, the finest infant thus far time. I understand that the 18th Infan
entered in tho birth register of 1919. try is with the First Division with the
win ne iaxe a course in hotel clerk- Army of occupation. Do you know it
"f. inouirea tne reporter, tovmsr art- an v letters have been received from
fully with a box of hostelry matches. I members of the Army of occupation?
ana later appropriating them. "Not if Where could we write for Information?
Know it!" replied the senior Glllesnie. IVAN HOLM.
s he twirled the register and dinned
ne pen tor another guest. The young man will probably be sent
Stockmen are lolling about) the hotel home as a casual, since he was not
obbies nowadavs with smiles that with his unit as the armistice was
mark them as men above the carkins I signed. First letters from the boys in
cares of mere money matters. All are the Arniy of occupation have just be-
"A,ut.e. .V,T' r P . . v. ., 'I sun to arrive. Write to Bureau of Com
stockyards. J. C. R. McCorkle, of Nam- munications, American Red Cross.
pa. Idaho and A. B. Shell anrt C P EH. wasningion, u. c. to learn in ne is
wards, of Condon, Or., now at the Per- I still in convalescent camp, and to
kins Hotel, are a trio of satisfied I commander 18th Infantry if you think
stockmen who havo Just brought con- he has rejoined his unit
oiiiiucius ui iLiiiv to ine i'orciana
yards and received plethoric checks
therefor.
Co. E, 117th Engineers,
BUXTON, Or.. Jan. 12. (To the Edi-
Certain trim, reliant gentrv are sign- Itor.): Please tell me the present loca
ing the hotel registers nowadays as tion of Company E. 117th Engineers, A.
delegates to the Marshall-Wells Hard- T- O. 715, 42d Division. Are they listed
ware Company's convention, which for early return or will they go with
opened in this citv vesterdav and will the Army of occupation? Also will
continue during the week. All are rep- Company F, 162d Infantry, return soon?
resentatives and salesmen of the com
pany, present in Portland from many
points in the Pacific Northwest.
. A. P. O'Brien, one of the timbermen
who cut the spruce crop for America's
airplanes, is at the Hotel Benson, while
interviewing officials of the Spruce Di
vision with regard to the future of con-
SOLDIER'S SISTER.
The 117th Engineers are with their
division, last reported at Ahrweiller,
Germany, 35 miles Northwest of Cobx
lenz. No indication that they will be
released for return. The Second Bat
talion of the 162d Regiment, including
Prisoner t War Escort Units.
PORTLAND ,Jnn. 13. (To the Edi
tor.) My son was transferred from the
162d Regiment to the 127th Infantry;
later was disabled and placed in P. W.
E. Company 55. Will he be placed back
in his original regiment or be brought
home in the organization he is now
with? I have not seen prisoner-of-war
escort units mentioned. Are they only
temporary units to serve as such until
prisoners are turned loose?
PROUD FATHER.
KELSO. Wash.. Jan. 12. (To the Edi
tor.) A boy was transferred from the.
162d to the 127th Infantry, Company.
and was wounded. After he got able
he was put into a prisoner-of-war es
cort unit. Will he be returned to the
old Third Oregon contingent and sent
back with the rest of the Oregon boys'."
ANXIOUS FATHER.
BEAVERTON. Or.. Jan. 12. (To tho
Editor.) Kindly tell me the duty of a
prisoner-of-war escort company, also
whether P. W. E. Company 91. A. r. O.
17, is listed for return soon.
ANXIOUS SISTER.
Troud father probably has the proper
conception of what thes newly created
units do. They are so new that military
authorities here do not know anything
of their status. The need for their serv
ices will doubtless determine whether
or not the P. W. E. members will be
held or returned with their old units.
Army Postoffice No. 717 is located at
Tours, France. Anxious sister will note
her mistake in deciphering the term.
75th Artillery, C. A. C.
VALE, Or., Jan. 11. (To the Editor.)
Kindly advise, if possible, where the
75th Artillery. C. A. C. is stationed, or
any other information concerning its
location. V. M.
Further than that it was ordered
home December 14, we have no infor
mation about it. The Coast Artillery
units operated independently and plans
for returning them home were started
when the armistice first became ef
fective, so Army officials have not
taken the trouble to tell anything
about them.
tracts suspended by the omnipotent ar-I Company F, was excepted when the
mistice.
Teaching the young and old idea
how "to shoot" is the professional ca
pacity of G. E. McShea, of Scrariton,
Pa., now stopping at the Hotel Benson.
For Mr. McShea is sales manager of the
International Correspondence Schools.
Mr. and Mrs. E. M. Wristen, Bickle-
ton. Wash., are stopping at the Per
kins while visiting Portland acquaint
ances. At home Mr. Wristen is engaged
in the mercantile business.
Irving E. Kesterson. prominent
Grants Pass lumberman, is at the bew.
ard while attending to business mat
ters in the city.
C. W. Vail, of Carleton, Or., a well-
known lumberman of the pioneer state,
is at the Oregon.
regiment was announced for return.
The Democratic party strongly runs
true to form in its blundering way of
winding up the war.
A man has to go down sick before
he realizes his wife is the best nurse
in the world.
The board re-elected Mr. Lea, there
by establishing the status of the next
State Fair.
The good men are leaving the Cabi
net to make a living elsewhere.
One does not appear as absurd in
a mask as he imagines.
Open those car windows.
near-Spring, anyway.
This is
46th Coast Artillery.
BEND. Or., Jan. 12. (To the Editor.)
Answering queries in your valued pa
per concerning the 46th Regiment, C. A.
G, a letter received January 8 from
my son. In that regiment, says they are
'at Braime, France, 600 miles south of
Brest. Hope to come home in January,
but you probably know more over there
than we do about this."
MRS. M. F. AMOS.
The Oregonlan is glad to pass along
this bit of information relating to the
46th Coast Artillery.
47th Transportation Corps.
NEWBERG. Or., Jan. 13. (To the Ed
itor.) Please tell us to what division
the 47th Regiment Transportation
Corps belongs and whether it has been
slated for early return.
A SUBSCRIBER.
Not definitely placed but believed to
be the transportation unit of the 47th
Coast Artillery, ordered for convoy six
weeks ago. If attached to the 47th In
fantry Regiment it is with the Fourth
Division in Germany.
Co. A, 25th Engineers.
WASCO, Or., Jan. 12. (To the Edi
tor.) Can you tell me where Company
A. 25th Engineers, are and when they
will land in the United States, or is it
a part of the Army of Occupation?
SUBSCRIBER.
We can only tell you that headquar
ters of the 2oth Engineers is at Vrain-
court. France, and that the unit has
not been listed for return.
Wilbur Wright Detachment.
EAGLE CREEK, Or., Jan. 12. (To
the Editor.) Please tell me if the Wil
bur Wright Second Aerial Overseas
Detachment is billed to come home.
FRANK T. FUCHS.
It has been
nouncements.
mentioned in no an
450th Motor Track Company.
CORVALLIS. Or., Jan. 12. (To the
Editor.) To what division does the
450th Motor Truck Company belong and
is it slated for return?
GRACE SMITH.
No record gives its assignment, nor
has it been designated for return.
Co. L, 128th Infantry.
PORTLAND, Jan. J3. (To the Edi
tor.) Please tell me when the 128th
Infantry. Company L. 32d Division, is
slated to come home. A FRIEND.
Is in the Army of occupation and not
due to come home soon.
Author of Book.
FRIEND, Or., Jan. 12. (To the Ed
itor.) Is there a book entitled "The
Song of the Wolf?" If so, who is the
author? ANITA E. BROWN.
The author Is F. Mayer. The book is
published by llolfatt. New. .Xoik.
SINKING GERMAN SCHOOXEHS.
Yes, I think the German people well de
serve a cruel rate.
But there's one thing that has tendency
to modify my hate
That is. when returning soldiey tell,
without a hitch or jar.
How they Bank the German schooners
as they came across the bar.
We all know the Yankee soldier has
been faithful to his trust.
He's despoiled the old autocracies and
laid them in the dust;
But what sets my heart to throbbing in
the stories from afar.
Is their sinking German schooners as
they came across the bar.
When these brave boys in their khaki
tell of their heroic deeds.
I go back to days so golden when I
touched life s sweetest reeas.
It won't harm to tell you frankly, .in
those days I sold at par.
For I sank the German schooners as
they came across the bar.
I was just a plain cowpuncher. In that
old-time golden age.
And I rode a baldfaco cayuse through
the royal purple sage;
There I held tho reputation which no
comrade thought to mar.
For sinking German schooners as they
came across the bar.
O. how can I keep from grieving for
those days that used to be.
Or fill up this gallon vacuum that
forms inside of me.
When I think of all the pleasure which
I reaped without a scar.
As I sunk the German schooners as
they came across the bar?
Tes, I laughed at those big vessels
with a handle on each side,
And I blew the foam to flanders. "give
me more, I gently cried;
Wore a groove to fit my belly, which
was larger then by far.
While I sank the German schooners as
they came across the bar.
I have left the broad pur-airee and the
life so wild and free.
Left my saddle, chaps and cayuse back
just where Id like to be;
And I'm lodged now with the muses
underneath my favorite star.
Where I'm dreaming German schoon
ers will attempt to cross tne ear.
F. W. PARKER.
Oregon City, Or.
SHIPS.
The ships that sail from England
Are wondrous golden things.
Flowers with sunset petals
Birds with moonlight wings.
And oh the precious cargo
Each ship from England brings:
The ehips f.iat sailed from Jersey
Were lonesome ones and grey.
Phantoms come at dead of night
To steal our sleep away:
But the ehips that sail from England
Are white dreams come to stay!
GERTRUDE ROBISON..
Dallas, Or,
9