THE MORXIXG OREGONIAX, FRIDAY, 3IAKCII 21, 1919.
12
PORTLAND. OKEGOX.
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1-OKTLAND, FRIDAY. MARCH SI
KKSTORING rORTLANU COMMERCE.
Organization of the Columbia Pa
cific Steamship company and the Pa-t-ific
International corporation is the
" beginning of practical steps by citizens
of Portland to use tne snips wmui
Portland has built in developing Port
land commerce, in marketing the pro
ducts of te Oregon country and- tn
importing direct to this port the for
eign products which are consumed
here. The steamship company is to
manage ships for the shipping board,
while the International corporation
will . nrovide cargoes by selling Ore
iron n roducts abroad. The one is the
delivery company for the other, while
that other will develop more business
to deliver.
As the steamship company will start
with thirty-seven vessels, and as the
shipping board must find employment
for its investment of several billion
dollars, no doubt need be entertained
that Portland will get good service in
h.indlinr its commerce, hence it be
hooves the people of Portland to use
the facilities offered, both for that
which it already has and for that
whih may yet be developed. There
will be no further justification for
handling Portland shipments through
other ports, when ships are ready to
land them at Portland docks.
There is unlimited opportunity for
expansion ofPortland trade, for the
rest of the world is in greatest need of
the very commodities which the Ore
gon country produces. Take so small
a country as Norway alone. In 1913 it
imriorted 631.600 tons of grain, of
which 190,000 came from Russia, 160
000 from Germany and 20,000 from
England. All of those sources of sup
ply have been cut off, and Portland
can do much to fill their place by ship
ping either grain or flour. Oregon
produces and Portland packs great
Quantities of animal products, includ
ing wool, also canned and dried fruit,
for which there is a great demand in
Norway. All the former sources of
supply for these products have been
cut off. and the market is wide open
and hungry for Oregon products. Nor
way has not yet adopted prohibition
and has bought Oregon hops through
New York and London, kut would
gladiv buy from Portland direct and
save two commissions. What is true
of Norway is true also of Sweden and
Pen mark. It is true as to some of
these commodities of Britain, France,
Italy. When peace raises the block
ade, it will be true also of Germany,
Poland and of the countries carved
out of Austria.
The sole limit to sale of Oregon
products abroad is lack of means of
delivery- In farm and ranch prod
ucts, output is only 30 per cent of
rapacity, because we have lacked
means of delivery and connections
with the markets. Of the annual cut
of lumber, almost half must be shipped
by .sea, and the present scarcity of
lumber and necessity for building in
Europe would enable the state to
double its cut. if it had ships to deliv
er its sales. The situation is the same
as that which occurs when there is a
car shortage on the railroads sales
are restricted by capacity to deliver.
The new enterprise will be Oregon's
delivery wagon, and it will be man
aged by Oregon men in Oregon's in
terest. By employing American ships
managed in -this manner, we shall es-
ape from the position in which we
entrusted our deliveries to our busi
ness rivals by chartering foreign ships.
Having begun with that policy, Port
land may be expected to continue by
building more vessels in its own yards
as the needs of its commerce require.
Restoration of Portland's commerce
seems assured by this new enterprise.
It is in the hands of able, energetic
business men who know what they are
about and have the means to do it. It
is for the rest of the citizens to give
them all the backing possible. This
applies to all the people of the Colum
bia basin, for the new steamship com
pany will make their deliveries.
WHO 1 RESPONSIBLE?
Once more the rlea of Pacific coast
Fteel shipbuilders for freedom to ac
cept foreign contracts is met by the
shipping board with the explanation
that it is powerless to comply because
the prohibition "was in effect at the
tfiroction of President Wilson," to
quote a Washington dispatch. The
world is so short of ships that flour
tuiiis are blocked with accumulated
.-.took, while Kurope is hungry for that
Mme flour. Yet shipbuilding ways lie
die because Mr. Wilson forbids them
to build for foreigners and because
the shirping board has not yet de
cided what kind of ship. it wants.
The shipping of the world is at least
10. POO, 000 gross tons short of needs.
Food remains in America which Ku
rope sorely needs, because there are
not enough ships. Shipyards need
contracts. Workmen need employ
ment at the shipyards. All must
wait till Mr. Wilson has finished the
work of weaving his own particular
plan for a league of nations so thor
oughly Into the web and woof of the
peace treaty that to separate them
would destroy both; also perhaps
until he has induced the allies to ac
cept soraeiiew plan for the manage
ment of the world's merchant marine
The interests of American industry,
employment of the American soldier,
are small matters by comparison with
the great schemes which are being
worked cut tt Paris.
It is .well to know where the re
sTor.aibr.ity lies for this compulsory
waltuig In America. The British nr.o
not waiting; thctr shipyards are fully
employed. The French are not wait-
njr: they are contracting in Britain
for ships, -which they tried to ret in
America but could not, and they are
exporting to France and British Co
lumbia the plants which the shipping
board, at lr. Wilson's dictation, -would
not permit them to use.
MORE SOCIAL IXEQCALITY.
The pitiful thing about the case of
Miss Garrison in Seattle Is that she
had not yet learned that with other
progress in human affairs a way has
been discovered of getting rid of a
wife who stands in the way of matri
mony and that with some degree of
honor and renown to the gentleman in
the triangle.
There is the case of George Davis
Herron. George was once a preacher
and educator and is now a lecturer
and author. The burden of a wife who
did not sympathize with his aspira
tions, or at least was thought not to
da so when another woman who sweet
ly sympathized and understood came
into his notice was shelved by the af
finity's purchase of George for $50,000.
Other than an annoying difference
of opinion over' the affair between
George and the Congregational church,
matters seem to have adjusted them
selves happily all around. George has
now been deeply honored by appoint
ment by the president of the United
States as one of the commissioners in
the Princes' Island conference to ad
just internal Russian affairs.
Miss Garrison by her ruthless and
ill-considered act has ruined her own
life, taken the life of Mrs. Storrs and
has doubtless spoiled the promising
future of Dudley Storrs, who must be
a fascinating and. accomplished youth
The student of domestic triangles
will realize of course that it is easier
in most cases to obtain 35 cents worth
of strychnine than it is to get $50,000
It is one of the inequalities of the so
cial system that ought to be corrected
ere more of our promising free lovers
are prevented by tragic circumstances
from becoming diplomats, statesmen,
or renowned authors and lecturers.
THERE FERHAVS, BIT HERE !
The article printed today from the
New York Times discloses again the
utter provincialism of the east. It is.
or seems to be, . practically unknown
there that Oregon is in an advanced
state of enlightenment, that here pol
itics and legislation are everybody's
business. Thus the Times blandly ex
cuses Ignorance by an Oregon school,
teacher as to identity of speaker, pres.
ident of senate and local representa
tives, with the expressed doubt that
many professors, clertfymen, lawyers,
doctors, bankers, merchants, know any
better.
Let -us recount again the inestima
ble educational advantages ol the Ore
gon system. The candidates spring
from the people. Once sprung, a neat
Bttle pamphlet is sent to each voter
at state expense telling why the can
didates have sprung and why they
should be nominated, all on the unim
peachable authority of the candidates
themselves. Later another neat little
pamphlet teNs why. on similarly un
impeachable authority, the successful
nominees should be elected. Still later
a blue book, published at state ex
pense and free for the asking, tells
who has been elected, but, alas! not
why.
Laws also spring from the people.
They too are set forth in other free
pamphlets, together with arguments
for or against them, and these pamph
lets go to every voter. And there
is no sex distinction in the matter of
voting. The pleasing picture may read
lly be fancied of the Oregon family
gathering, night and morning, while
father, or mayhap grandma, reads
aloud a chapter from an official elec
tion book about the virtues and
achievements of the candidate for
county assessor.
The Oregonian's chagrin was that
this thoughtfully devised system had
not reached the remotest school dis
trict. The inquiry itself reveals that
the questions had come up in the
school work. Kven the children were
clamoring for political information
that through some mishap had been
denied them.
THE RESURRECTION OF POLAND.
One of the remarkable developments
of this period of transition from war
to peace is the wonderful resurrection
of Poland. That part of the republic
which has been taken from Russia
and Austria has been laid waste re
peatedly by the contending armies
until not a trace remains of thousands
of villages, and many towns are in
ruins. Factories have been gutted of
machinery and skilled workmen have
been deported to Germany. Hundreds
of thousands, perhaps millions, fled
and scattered through Russia in the
great retreat of 1915. Yet the new
government is barely organized -when
it undertakes to raise an army of
1,000,000 men.
As of old, Poland is planted in the
midst of enemies and it no sooner
comes to life again than it must de
fend its existence. On the west it must
maintain its rightful frontier against
the Germans, who refuse to give up
Danzig, Posen and Silesia; on the
east it must sweep back the waves of
Russian bolshevism: on the southeast
It must fight with Ukraine for part of
Galicia, and on the southwest its claim
to part of Silesia is disputed by the
Czecho-Plovak republic.
The great service which Poland now
renders to Kurope is to serve as a
barrier against bolshevism. Even in
its misery and poverty it serves civili
zation as it did in former times, be
fore it was partitioned. Then it held
back the Russians when they had not
begun to rise from barbarism and it
repelled in turn the Tartars and the
Cossacks. Under John Sobieski it
saved Vienna from the Turks and was
rewarded a century later by Austrian
participation in partition. Polish sol
diers have fought in the army of
every nation that struggled for free
dom since that crime was committed,
and they now defend their ravaged
land against a ring of enemies.
One of the most effective means of
disarming Germany is restoration of
Posen and Silesia to Poland. Prus
sian Poland has produced grain, pota
toes, livestock and beet sugar out of
proportion to its area, but it also con
tributes a large part of the coal, iron
and ainc. The output of coal, accord
ing to apamphlet on "Prussian Poland"
by Jan J. Kowalczyk, was 36.000,000
tons in 1911; of iron ore in 1910. 302,
357 tons, and of zinc 150.000 tons.
When loss of these war materials is
added to that of the Lorraine Iron
mines and the Saar coal fields in the
west. Germany will have little material
to keep the Krupp gun foundry in
operation. Deprived of the greatest
coa! and iron fields on both east and
west. Germany will not be able to defy
the world again and cannot hold
second place among steel-producing
nations. Fmnce Is likely to distance
her and Poland will come to Hie front.
Danzig was the great port of old
Poland, and. as it is to be awarded to
new Poland, it will become the great
outlet of Polish commerce. It has
been held back by German policy,
which saw more profit in a long rail
road haul to Hamburg and Bremen
than in direct shipment from Danzig.
The Polish port should gain commerce
fast by handling such traffic and by
having use of the Kiel canal as a short
cut to the North Sea. German sta
tistics show that only a small part of
the population is Polish, but that is
mainly a result of deliberate crowding
out of Poles and colonization yf Ger
mans, partly of cooked figures. The
peace conference appears to have de
cided that Germany shall not profit
by changes In population which are a
result of partition.
THE WHOLE .EARTH IS GOOD.
Mr. Stefansson has given one more
-proof that almost any part of the
earth yields stood for man, and that it
is only for man to find and use it. Half
a century ago any man who talked of
going to the Arctic regions and living
off the country would have been pro
nounced insane, but Mr. Stefansson
has done it and returned in sound
health. Not only that, he talks of
raising great herds of animals in the
Arctic for food, and the suggestion is
supported by the success with which
reindeer are bred in Alaska.
Men are still living who remember
when the whole country from the Mis
souri river westward far beyond the
Rocky mountains was considered an
irredeemable desert, but'it now feeds
millions and exports a surplus to feed
millions more. It is not too much to
say that Belgium was kept alive by the
food of this quondam "desert." When
the French failed with the Fanama
canal, many were disposed to give up
the isthmus as too naturally pestilen
tial for men of the northern races, but
General Gorgas drained the swamps,
killed the mosquitos and taught Amer
icans how to live so as to keep healthy.
One result of the peace settlement
which is now being arranged will be
that white men will scatter to many
parts of the world from which barbar
ism, oppression and disorder have for
merly excluded them. If they will use
the food which the country offers and
will observe the general laws of health,
they will be able to live and prosper.
They may even irrigate the Sahara
desert and make it habitable.
AN tNEMVLOYED MERCHANT MARINE.
When the contracts which the sh1p-
ping board has decided to complete
have been finished, the board will
own 14.525,522 deadweight tons of
merchant ships or more than 70 per
cent of the ocean-going shipping over
500 tons under the American flag.
Authority to operate or sell these ships,
granted by congress to the president
and delegated by him to the board.
will cease six months after the procla
mation of peace by the president. Un
less congress in the meantime adopts
a shipping policy and provides for dis
position of these vessels, they will be
condemned to idleness, for their own
ers will not be able lawfully to sell
operate or charter them.
With the duty staring it in the face
to put this great fleet, second only to
the merchant marine of Great Britain,
into the service of American com
merce, the sixty-fifth congress has
done nothing and has gone out of
existence. The president has an
nounced that he will not call an extra
session of the new congress until he
returns from the peace conference,
probably several months hence. Pub
lic opinion on the subject has not
taken shape, and opinion among con
gressmen is In a hazy condition. Ef
forts to formulate a policy have been
made at a conference of shipbuilders,
shipping men, merchants, bankers,
labor leaders and public officials
which organized the National Mer
chant Marine association. At that
meeting no fewer than nine distinct
plans were discussed, ranging all the
way from complete government own
ership and operation through various
intermediate stages to sale to and
operation by private companies. The
shipping board does not know what
policy to recommend, and aims to
learn what the people want by asking
the United States Chamber of Com
merce to call conferences of various
organizations, which shall submit
plans, these to be submitted to a sort
of informal national referendum. The
people are expected to devote their
minds to this question while they are
full of the league of nations, the rail
roads, the returning soldiers, German
revolutions, bolshevism and what Pres
ident Wilson and congress think of
each other.
The American people are all at sea
on the shipping question. They have
come Into possession of a great mer
chant marine almost overnight, and
do not know what to do with it. In
six years our ocean-going tonnage will
have grown from about 7,000,000 to
19.000,000, and of the latter total only
4,473,328 deadweight tons, which are
in private ownership, will be in opera
tion unless congress acts in time. A
quick decision is necessary in order
that a great investment of about three
and a half billion dollars may not lie
Idle and in order that we may get to
work on that expansion of foreign
trade of which we have talked so much
but toward which we have done so
little. Delay is dangerous, for our
commercial rivals have made ip their
minds what to do, and they are doing
it. The British government recently-
handed over 137 ships to Lord InchVl
cape for distribution among various
shipping companies, and they are
going out to gather up trade on which
our manufacturers have had their
eyes.
The American people have had the
fact impressed on "their mind that
ships are only a part of a merchant
marine, and a lifeless part at that.
The live part is the great body of
skilled men. from the manager at the
home port all the way along the line
to the crew which runs the ships at
sea. We face the necessity cjf nearly
trebling this organization from a popu
lation most of which has become proof
against the glamor of sea life that
fascination which caused boys In for
mer times to run away to sea. The
shipping board has made a beginning
at recruiting officers and seamen, but
it will need to double or treble the
number. It can no longer offer the
attraction of patriotic service in war
at high wages and a spice of adven
ture. But the men must be found and
trained if the ships are to move. It is
a seafaring people that makes a mer
chant marine. Such a population has
given little Norway a merchant marine
25 per cent greater than that of Italy,
which has fourteen times as many
people.
In the face of such a need it Is id'.e
to talk of repealing those parts of the
seamen's law which secure for the
seaman fair wages, the same freedom
as a landsman, good food and healthy
quarters. All desire that American
ships be manned by Americans, and
otie will object to the language clause
after it has become possible to cmplov
Americans. No person proposes to
change the safety provisions of the
law. But seamen should not be free
td desert at any foreign port without
forfeiting wages or to tie up a ship
that is ready to sail in order to gratify
a grudge.
The experience of the people with
government operation of railroads will
not incline them to- apply that policy
to ships. As the capacity of our in
dustries has already passed our do
mestic consumption, the only oppor
tunity to keep tnem runy employed
is by selling the surplus abroad in
competiiion with the whole ".-orld.
Our ships also will be exposed to
world competition. Then the only
chance to expand foreign trade or to
keep our ships afloat under our flag
is to beat other nations on price. This
means low charter rates, which re
quire economic operation unless the
taxpayer is to make good an annual
loss like that incurred on the railroads.
The most successful shipping na
tions in the world have succeeded
under private operation, and we
should do well to learn from. them. If
we should not, we should be driven
either to entrust our ocean-carrying
business to our competitors, which,
does not conduce to commercial ex
pansion, or to keep, our merchant
marine afloat at a staggering cost. Of
all kinds of business, shipping thrives
best in the hands of private enterprise,
for then all energy is exerted fo de
velop business by seeking out new
markets, and to retain those markets
for the owner's customers'- by making
low charter rates. This is possible
only with a degree, of economy which
is impossible to this government
SALVATION ARMY FCNUS. 4
Decision of the heads of the Salva
tion Army to bring up to date their
methods of raising funds, andto de
pend on systematic efforts io "obtain
subscriptions rather than upon circu
lation of the tambourine, is a remind
er of the immense expansion of this
organization in recent years. That the
Salvation Army should have so en
deared itself to the people by its work
in the war is due not to mere chance
but to years of preparation along lines
with which the public was not famil
iar. .People who appraised it only up
on the basis of its religious activities
lacked complete information. Its tire
less efforts to relieve poverty and suf
fering wherever found have been grow
ing constantly and account for the fact
that it stood up so well to the task im
posed upon it by the war itself.
Announcement that the army "will
not lose contact with the young men
whom we are glad to serve in France,
or with their relatives and friends who
have come to know us in America,"
betokens a lively appreciation of the
new opportunity. The organfzation
emerges from the war with every senti
mental consideration in its favor, with
friends on every hand and enemies no
where. It is peculiarly in a position
to carry out the ambitious programme
suggested by Miss Booth, who says
that it intends now to engage in "fight
ing home poverty and suffering in the
trenches of America."
Statistics alone do not convey an
adequate idea of the work. The num
ber of beds provided in a year for men
who would otherwise have gone shel
terless runs into many millions; the
single item of doughnuts cooked for
the men in the fighting zone runs into
quite an amazing figure; in finding
jobs for jobless it has conferred a boon
on employers and employes alike. In
these and some scores of other activi
ties, however, the dominant reason for
success has been absolute submerg
ence of individual pride of station. No
service has been too menial, if it prom
ised comfort to some suffering mortal,
for a Salvation Army worker to per
form. Undoubtedly the organization
is now in a position to justify itself in
any plea it may make for the financial
support of those who have at heart
the interests of their fellow men.
There is a local story that a deputy
sheriff poured a quantity of confiscat
ed -wine into a pig trough and the an
imals partook and acted like human
beings. Of course it is true, for each
porker had a head on the morning
after. Occasionally the hog falls down,
but not often. When he does he goes
the limit. Perhaps tha is why peo
ple call it "hogging."
The $125,000 to be raised in Port
land for the livestock exposition should
come mostly from popular subscrip
tions of one or two shares as far as
possible. That plait will entail much
work and more bookkeeping, but con
sider the grand effect of popular own
ership! '.
Even Mr. Hoover cannot go on in
definitely Hooverizing as to salary, and
there is little doubt that he will suc
ceed in landing one of the "big jobs."
Consider the advertising value of his
name, for example, on a new brand of
cereal.
If the only battleship worth having
is to cost $40,000,400, none but rich
nations will be able to afford any
navy. Then" the poor nations in the
league may combine to abolish all
navies, and they will have the votes.
Before all the empire makers of
the 50s die let us hope air service will
be so perfected that each can make
the trip back in less days than it took
months sixty years ago.
We are not so wedded to the idea of
a league of nations that we must spell
lot of American words with the
English "ough" instead of the Yankee
owches."
There is a difference between Cham
berlain of Oregon and Reed of Mis
souri. The latter talks, while the Ore
gon man produces the evidence.
The contract price of 12 cents for
red raspberries offered by the Puyal
lup concern sets the pace for this year,
and it will be a lively gait.
A jury has decided Mr. Sorenson
did not run over Mrs. Smith and con
sequently did not kill her. Now the
question is. who did?
Cease, gedtle spri'g; ethereal bild
ness, cease thy eddeavors. Ha'dker
chiefs cost bore, even id the wet wash.
Suffrage is sure in the next senate.
Republicanism always has been and
forever will be the essence of progress.
Statistics show one in nine gets a
divorce. The eight of us are satisfied
and content.
It may be better to annex part of
the iTualatin valley before beginning
the big bore.
Felt like Twenty-fourth
Vaughan yesterday, didn't it?
and
How's this for a spring equinox?
Those Who Come and Go.
"I have assurances that the govern
ment will come through with money if
Oregon votes J2.500.000 for the Roose
velt highway along tha Oregon coast."
declared Ben F. Jones, representative
of Lincoln county. Mr. Jones Is here
to attend a conference to be held at the
Imperial at 2 o'clock this afternoon,
when delegations from Clatsop. Tilla
mook, Coos. Lane, Douglas and Curry
counties will diseuss ways and means
of bringing before the people the idea
of the Roosevelt highway. About 20
boosters will beat the conference ana
the first thing they intend doing is
working out a pubMcity campaign. "Of
course, if the people authorise tne
bonds and the government declines to
co-operate, our bonds won't have to be
sold and we won't be out anything.
The government realizes the importance
of a highway along the coast which can
be used for military purposes," con
tinued Mr. Jones, "and for that reason
there is an excellent prospect of re
ceiving federal aid."
Furniture won't be cheaper and may
go higher, Is the hopeful prediction of
M. Karpen, who is at the Hotel Port
land with his wifcand daughter. Miss
Ethel. Strikes in' the textile mills in
the east will make coverings for up
holstered1 furniture scarcer and, conse
quently, higher. Before the war tex
tiles were imported by Karpen, but now
they obtain their supply in the United
States, which costs more, but seems to
arouse little objection on the part of
customers. The war has opened a new
field for furniture and Mr. Karpen is
developing the South American trade.
"I'm used to living at home and don't
savvy this hotel game," explained J. J.
Haggarty of San Pedro, which is the
waterfront of Los Angeles and the
place where you take the boat to go to
Catalina to see divers, dive for abalone
shells which they have "planted" for
tourists. Mr. Haggarty had forgotten
"and wife" when he registered, so when
the clerk called his attention to the
lapse he wrote "and wife" after San
Pedro. Mr. Haggarty is here to meet
Mrs. Haggarty, who arrived last night
from Seattle. They are at the Seward.
To start a referendum movement
against the prohibition law in Wash
ington, Theodore A. Bell of California
passed through Portland yesterday on
his way to Olympia, Wash. Mr. Bell,
while In Portland a week ago, arranged
to have a referendum started in Oregon
and the papers are now in Salem.. Mr.
Bell, before taking up this-crusade, was
a candidate for governor bf California
on the democratic ticket. The republi
cans were too numerous for him.
Because he was an Elk a stranger
had a check cashed at the Multnomah
yesterday. The stranger wanted a per
sonal check cashed, but he was not
known at the hotel. In fishing around
his pocket for a draft the stranger un
covered a traveling card of the B. P. O.
Elks. "Lemme see that Elk card," de
manded the clerk. The stranger, with
, out a word, handed it over and the
clerk, after one. glance, placed his O. K.
on the check, not another word being
said.
To welcome home some Corvallis boys
who arrived from Camp Lewis yester
day, a number of citizens of that place
were at the Multnomah. Among them
were C. E. Ingills, J. C. Lowe, John F.
Allen and S. C. Elliott. Mr. Elliott,
when he was in the cigar business in
Portland, tried to operate a Hood River
orchard by long distance, but the re
sult was not very satisfactory.
It looks as though a "paint 'em up"
campaign js about to be launched. The
following men in the paint business ar
rived at the Benson yesterday: B. R.
Rogers, T. W. Hughes, W. B. Brad
ford and J. D. Tressler of Seattle; A. V.
Higgins and C. I). Taylor of Spokane
E. L. Webster of Eugene.
Owing to the illness of Everett Antes,
several relatives came to Portland from
Oakland, Cal yesterday and registered
at the Benson. They were Mrs. J. P.
Ames, who is a heavy stockholder in
the Ames-Neville company, Miss Ames
and J. H. Ames, a brother of Everett.
Former State Highway Commissione
E. J. Adams is at the Imperial. Mr.
Adams, although no longer connected
with the road-building branch of the
state, is as keenly Interested in high
ways as he was when a member of the
commission. He is here to help boos
the Roosevelt highway.
Colonel B. K. Lawson, now of Cottage
Grove but once upon a time warden of
the penitentiary when Oswald West, as
governor, declared martial law on
fence at Milwaukie, 4s at the Seward.
Charles Pankow, a merchant of
Marshfield, is at the Hotel Oregon, and
reports that Marshfield. is as busy as
ever, notwithstanding that one of the
big mills has shut down.
Iaterested in the Bunker Hill and
Hercules mines, a couple of well-paying
properties, N. WMliamsori is at the
Hotel Portland with his wife, regis
tered from Moscow, Idaho.
What's in a name? John T. Booz
arrived, in Portland from Chicago yes
terday and not one of the deputy sher
iffs, department of justice agents or
police tried to stop him entering the
city. . .
Miss Clara Bellinger, nurse with the
United States naval reserve forces, is at
the Seward. Those in the service have
to register hat way, it being one of the
rules.
Lee Wise, in business at Ilwaco,
which used to be the summer resort
for Portlanders before the Oregon
beaches were accessible, is at the Hotel
uregon.
Touring the Pacific coast, W. H.
(iraves, accompanied oy his son, arrived-
from Cranbrook, B. C, and are at
the Hotel Oregon.
D. C. Sprague of Wacomac, Wash., is
at the Seward with'; hie son, T. De
Wayne Sprague, a lumberman.
Judge A. E. Reames is in town from
Medford on a business trip. He is at
the Hotel Portland. . -
J. W. Bergman, -banker at Florence,
Or., arrived at the Imperial yesterday
for a brief stay.
One of Marshfield's attorneys, T. T.
Bennett, is in the city and is at the
Imperial.
Dr. E. H. Smith, a resident of Lake
view, Or., is among the arrivals at the
Multnomah. , r
How Balloons Are Raised.
Indiainapolis News.
The earliest balloon was one" which
was raised by heated air, "but its use
was restricted, as the means of gener
ating heat for the purpose was exceed
ingly limited. But now electricity has
been called into the service of the hot
air balloon. -The Electrical Experi
menter tells how James N. Lewis of
Detroit has arranged an electrical
means of heating the air inside a bal
loon. Of course, electrical connection
is maintained with the ground so that
the balloon is held on the end of a wire.
There is, thus, a restriction of balloon
freedom, but captive balloons serve
important military purposes. ' , f
Spring.
There's joy in the spring
When the first birds sing
And the crocuses spring ,
From the sod;
There's a hope in everything
When the happy tidings ring:
. "It is spring! It is spring,
Thank God!"
' MERKI IjL ARTHUR YOTHERS.
a 1 r 1 r.-
iU'UiUIUj Via, I
"Sweeney.'.'
By IV race E. Hall.
If you have a Care or worry and your
nerves are all a-flurry.
Till you haven't any idea what to do
or where to go, 1
There's a wise man in our city who Is
filled with tender pity.
And he's able to advise you and to
settle all your woe.
You will find him ever standing, wise
decisions ever handing
To the multitudes that wander and
are subjects of his will
jf you have not made decision he will
1 catch your strayinlt vision.
Ana ne it men una mere ueuiue 11,
though you ponder o'er it still.
If
you're going south he'll know it,
though you try hard not to
show it:
East or West you cannot fool him;
he is wiser than before.
Take your troubles to this being-- with
the eagle eye far seeing:
He will point the way of wisdom with
his cunning semaphore!
HOW VNIOV ARMY DEMOBILIZED
Veteran Telia of Riding In Cattle Cars
and of No Provision for Fntwre.
PORTLAND. March 20. (To the Edi
tor.) I noticed in The Sunday Orego
nian someone was making a kick about
soldiers coming home ,in cattle cars.
Now this was quite common during the
civil war. The last ride Uncle Sam
gave our regiment was 250 miles in
cattle cars and the transportation au
thorities did not take time to clean the
manure out, but threw in a little new
straw, and we were ordered to climb in.
It rained hard all night and we got
very wet. Our rations were about ten
hardtack and two pounds of raw sow
belly to each man, and a canteen full
of rjver wate.r. But we were on our
way home to God's country, and cattle
cars beat walking.
In those days we had no Red Cross,
Y. M. C. A., K. C. or anything of that
kind; no women- nurses, only In the
base hospitals. Boys were detailed out
of the ranks to care for the sick and
wounded in the hospital; the United
States did not furnish tobacco, cig
arettes chewing gum or candy; no
fruit or vegetables; we never got a po
tato or onion during our three years'
service unless we foraged it. Our ra
tions consisted mostly of hard bread,
fat meat, rice, beans, coffee, sugar, no
vegetables except a little dried vege
tables made of pumpkin, squash, car
rots, etc., whicn,very few men would
care to eat. We seldom got beef, but no
canned goods, such as the soldiers get
now. We had good wool clothing and
blankets, and $13 per month, with gold
worth $2.50 and calico worth 50 cents
a yard.
The government made no provision
for the army after It was disbanded,
but left- every boy to hunt his own job,
which we did without much trouble.
A. S. CAPPS.
106th Illinois Volunteer Infantry.
WHAT EVERY ONE SHOULD KNOW
Averag
Citizen In In Need of Much
Enlljrhtenment.
New York Times.
From the principal of a public school
in Clatsop county The Oregonian gets
this communication, which ' seems to
surprise it:
-'Who is the speaker of the house of
representatives in the state legislature?
Also the president of the senate In Ore
gon? Who are the representatives to
the state legislature from Clatsop coun
ty; the senators? "What is the number
of the present congress? How is the
number determined? These questions
have all come up in our school worJt."
Our Portland contemporary seems
rather inclined to birch the inquiring
school teacher. The legislature had
been sitting forty-six days when the
writer penned his questionnaire. The
newspapers "were carrying columns,
and even pages, about the legislature.
The members from Clatsop had been
nominated -nearly a year before," and
so on. "What are they teaching in the
public schools?"
Doubtless such ignorance ought to
shock us in a schoolmaster, but let us
be fair. In the whole beadroll of coun-
ties, how many are there'whose most
educated, enlightened and self-esteem-
ing citizens could answer in regard to
their own county and state the Clat
sopian's inquiries? How many clergy
men, lawyers, doctors, bankers, mer
chants, professors, could answer cor
rectly-all or a majority of these simple
questions?
These things ought to be taught in
school. They ought to be known by
every intelligent person. A good many
millions of us, thinking no small beer
of ourselves, need to go to school to
learn the rudimentary facts of our con
temporary politics.
Poor Folks Make Dnll Crowd.
New Republic.
Stand any afternoon on Fifth avenue.
New York City, and size up the condi
tion of the passersby. You Bee shop
girls in thin cotton who are under
weight, underslept, miserably nourished
and devitalized. You see puffy waiters
and stooping clerks. You see weary,
fish-eyed mothers who look as if every
day was washing day. Scores of sag
ging middleaged people go by, who
ought to be taken to a clinic. A little
earlier in the afternoon it's almost im
possible to share the. sidewalk with the
quat factory hands who overflow at
the lunch hour. They're hard to kill,
these poor fellows, but they're a puny,
stunted, ill-favored horde. But the
greater cleanliness of the people later
on, and their better clothes, doesn't put
them in a very different class. You
hear a good deal about the queens you
see, but really, the city streets of New
York in 1919, streaming with people
who have dun clothes to match dun
faces, make you wonder what's the use.
" f AI IT X l-J W
THE
The Oregonian. has assembled and published in book form under
the title "Somewhere Near the War" the twenty-six letters from
Edgar B. Piper, written from Great Britain and the war zone in
October and November, 1918. The requests that the series be
issued in a single volume have come from many sources; and the
result is a well-printed book of 150 pages, printed on Antique book
paper in large type, with wide margins and adequate illustrations.
There is no material change in the text of the original letters
as published in The Oregonian. But they have been rearranged
and fully annotated.
The nominal price of 50 cents has been fixed. Postage will be
additional. The book may be obtained at the business office of
The Oregonian or it may be ordered by mail.
POSTAGE PAPER COVERS UNSEALED
1st zone Bo
2d zone. Be
3d zone. c
4th ione.,,,,,, , , 7o
6th zone. -., 8o
Sealed apy-where, 33c.
In Other Days.
Twenty-five Yeara A to.
From The Oreronian of March 21. 1S0.
Ottawa. A bill was introduced in the
house of . commons today abolishing
French as an, official language.
Salem. The price of wheat dropped a
cent today. It Is now 39 cents.
Considerable flax is being sown on
Polk county farme.
At a meeting of the water committee
yesterday by Chairman Falling and the
following members: Knapp, Frank,
Dolph. Corbett, Lewis, Hill, Scott,
Fleischner, Dekum and Raffety, con
struction of the east side low pressure
reservoir was ordered started.
Firty Tcara Ago.
From The Orefc-onian of March "1, linn.
Washington, D. C. The Navy Regis
ter totals the number of government
vessels at 203 and 26 of this number
are laid up for repairs at various ports
on the east coast.
Statistics give the present population
of Montana to be 35,000 persons and
that of Utah 80,000.
The Willamette, which was for a
time so low as to prevent larger ves
sels from going upstream beyond Port
land, has now risen enough for the cus
tomary navigation to be resumed.
The Boise Statesman of March
says: "All Indians about Boise leave
tomorrow morning for Fort Hull res
ervation and the town will look better
without them strolling around in their
uncouth garb or no garb at all, as the
case may be." '
NEXT 1 INSPECTOR VV FLY W II K ELS
Tax-Reatlve Correspondent Points Out
Jobs Office Seekers Overlook.
PORTLAND, March 20. (To the Edi
tor.) City office holders, drawing fat.
salaries, are "inspecting" the chief traf
fic crossings, and reporting that so
many people and vehicles pass and re
pass Fifth and Washington streets
daily and at "peak" periods, and bo
many pass and repass Seventh and
Morrison streets, and so on.
Now this is edifying, doubtless, and
interesting, too; but it would be more
edifying and interesting to know how
many inspectors busied themselves at
this business, for how long a time and
at what salaries, and why taxpayers are
compelled to pay the bills for this and
other luxuries of officialdom.
These sinecure jobs are scattered
throughout the public service, both
local and federal. Men and women
everywhere are scheming to get on the
public payroll, in order to enjoy com
fort jobs, at short hours and good pay,
free from the drivings of a taskmaster
boss, whose eye is constantly on the
balance sheet. And the office holders
who have landed" are continually try
ing to make new activities for them
selves and more berths for their tax
eating confederates. All this at ex
pense of taxpayers.
After the boiler incident in the Cor
bett building the other day, the office
holders renewed their "drive" for a
boiler inspector and deputies (at big
salaries). No disaster like this ever
happened in Portland before, and none
may again. The Corbett building own
ers hire able men, presumably at good
wages, to keep the water in the boiler
and to protect the building from dam
age and the owners from law suits,
and boiler insurance underwriters hire
competent inspectors to guard their in
surance risks; but this does not satisfy
the office-holding crowd and the legion
candidates for office.
When the flywheeel of Samuel Jack
son's Journal automobile "blew up"
several days ago, scattering destruction
and injury, the episode clearly 'opened
new opportunities for public service -
and "good" salaries. Why not an In
spector (and deputies) of automobile
flywheels7 The Incumbents of these
new jobs could "protect" life and prop
erty from flywheels In most edifying
manner, and draw fat salaries, and sit
in winter-warm and summer-cool of
fices In the city hall and save them
selves the drudgery of working for a
living. There are some 25,000 auto fly-
' wheels "flyin
in Portland every day,
every one of them liable to "blow up"
any minute and destroy life and prop-
; erty.
Now for those traffic inspectors
again, who examine people who pass
and repass at street corners: If the
"gents" who stand In front of cigar
stands ogling and "sizing up" persons
who go by could get their names on the
public payroll all would be fine and
dandy, and they would then be earning
a respectable living. Thus far the sta
tistics of the traffic Inspectors fall
short of possibilities. It would be In
teresting for them to record how many
of the passersby at each point are
males and how many females, so that
merchants could gauge business there
by. Also, the barbers would like to
know how many men need shaves, and
the beauty doctors wou'd be grateful
for statistics. And so on. But as the
office holders are studying o' nights
devising new jobs and duties, they may
supply us such data later on for sal
ary considerations.
Great Is officialdom, and waxing
daily greater. And high are taxes and
mounting yearly higher.
FRIEND OF THE PEOPLE.
Increase of Pensions.
VANCOUVER. Wash., March 19. (To
the Editor.) Referring to your reply
to "Veteran" as to date of pension in
crease, permit me to inquire if the pen
sion referred to Includes Indian war
veterans. In case it .does, will it be
necessary for me to make application
for such increase of pension?
INDIAN WAR VETERAN.
The law referred to affects the pen
sions only of those who served 90 days
or longer in the civil war.
l-c IT J IT A U
WAR"
6th zone.... ...... 3c
7th zone 11c
5th zone 12c