TUE 3KJUMSU OllliGOMAN, SATUHUAY, MAY 1, 1920
tSTABI ISHlD B HENRY L. PrTTOCK.
Published by The Orenonlsn Publishing Co.,
JJo faixth street. Portland. Oregon.
C A. MORDEN. E. B. PIPER.
Manager. Editor.
Tho OroConlan Is a member ot the Auo
;ated Pre. The Afuioclated Pre Is
exclusively entitled to the use for publica
tion or all news dispatches credited to it
T no.t. otl?crwise rredited In this paper and
1st. t Me local news published herein. All
rid s ot republication ( special dispatches
lier-.n are alao reserved.
nbcription Ry. Invariable In Advance.
(Bl Mall.)
r .... ..
ths .
nonths
. -3
.75
8.00
8.2S
.80
1.00
5.00
9.00
.75
7.80
1.95
T - ill . '-' u i , une mnniu
i)?i C" Zl.il u Sunday, one year
r-tiZ' Z !out Sunday, six monthB
Wti'.,T",hout s"nday. one month
ecu ly. one year ....
Sunday, one year 111111111111111
, (Bii Carrier.)
ral y. Sunday Included, one year
t ' undy Included, three months. .
fcundy Included, one month
fi y ""J' Sunday, one year
w',hout Sunday, three months ..
Dally, without Sunday, one month
.65
Hemit Ecnd postoftlce money
E VU;P,M" OP P"onal check on your
local Dank. Stamps, coin or currency are
ow,ne.". r,"k- 3'v postoffice address
in lull. Including county and state.
io1?""? Rates 1 to 18 pages. I cent;
18 to a;J paces. 8 cents; 34 to 48 pages. 8
cents: BO to 64 pages. 4 cents: 6H to 80
pages. 6 cents: :i to 6 pages, 8 cents,
foreign postage, double rates.
Eastern Business Office Verree Conk.
m. Brunswick building. New York: Verree
Conklin. fcteger building. Chicago; Ver
ree & Conklin. Free Press building. De
troit. Mich. San Francisco representative.
R. J. BldwelL
WHAT A PIXXAUTT DOES.
Five candidates are on the repub
lican prinj-vry ballot for president In
Oregon. 1, the name of Mr. Taft
had been in.Oded, as proposed by
certain of b.isHw-found and over
enthusiastic aders. the number
would have been Increased by one,
making six in all. Now The Ore
gonian has a letter written by Mr.
Taft, In which he emphasizes the
fact that his candidacy here could
only have the effect of increasing- the
chances of endorsement of a candi
date whom he earnestly opposes
Mr. Johnson. That the situation is
clearly apprehended by Mr.Taft is
shown by a paragraph in his letter:
Tiie Issue between radicalism represented
by Mr. Johnson and regular and progres
sive republicanism represented by the other
candidates In Oregon, is a very Important
one. and the use of my nsme. whether in
pood faith or not, in such contest could
not but strengthen the radical side of that
controversy bv dividing the vote for regu
lar and progressive republicanism.
Readers of The Oregonian may re
call that on April 8 it voiced its ob
jection to the forced Taft candidacy
in Oregon by saying that it would be
of "distinct aid to .Mr. Johnson,"
whether so intended or not. So it
would have been.
No one can read intelligently the
primary election returns from Michi
gan or Nebraska without learning
anew the full lesson of their signifi
cance, which is that several candi
dates cannot beat one candidate in a
primary. Complete returns from
Michigan show that Johnson re
ceived 156,933 votes. Wood 112,566,
T.owden 62,418, Hoover 52,503,
Pershing 17,971, Simpson 3857. and
Poindexter (the favorite son of our
sister state) a grand total of 2662.
The combined opposition to Johnson,
representing almost in its entirety
the conservative thought and pur
pose of the republican party, dis
closes a majority of 95,038 against
him., Tet on the face of these re
turns he appears to have had a great
triumph,.
It was much the same in Nebraska,
where the conservative forces di
vided between Wood and Pershing.
Johnson ran away from the field, yet
actually he failed by about 10,000 to
carry a majority.
Have the experiences of Nebraska
and Michigan no meaning for Ore
gon? A V. LIES CAUSE OF FRICTION.
Once more , it is announced that
the allies have, settled all their dif
ferences, that all is harmony and
that with a united front they will
compel Germany to fulfil the treaty.
Such, announcements would gain
more credence if they had not been
made before, soon to be followed by
new friction and new conferences
which brought the allies together
again.
The allies periodically disagree
because all have not the same in
terest in doing any one of the things
on which agreement is necessary.
France feels that its safety demands
demobilization and disarmament of
Germany to the point fixed by the
treaty, and that restoration demands
prompt payment of reparation in
demnity and full delivery of the
stipulated amount of coal. There
fore France occupies more German
territory in order to enforce com
pliance with the allies' terms.
Having put the German fleet out
of existence, Britain feels free from
danger. From the taxpayers comes
a demand for retrenchment, . from
the working men a demand for re
duced armament, for a limit to for
eign activity and for concentration
on radical internal reconstruction.
The British business wants to revive
foreign trade, especially to work the
once rich fields of Germany and
. Russia. Britain, having no devas
tated area like that of France, feels
no such pressing need of reparation
payments as does its neighbor.
Hence opposition to more military
occupation with proposals to give
Germany time to get on its feet.
Italy has no cause to fear German
aggression and wants to cut expenses
' with an ax, therefore refuses to take
. part in more military occupations
and steadily reduces its army. Its
money claim to reparation from Ger
many is comparatively small, but it
needs coal and steel above all things.
and Germany Is its nearest and
cheapest source of supply. The treaty
awards Italy considerable coal sup-
'plies, but internal disorders prevent
Germany from delivering them. Italy
also needs raw material and food
from abroad, but the adverse rate ot
exchange combines with high ocean
'freight to make the cost almost pro
hibitive. Bolshevism is rampant
among the peasantry and spreads
readily among a people that is
on half rations. Italy wants eco
nomic measures taken in order
that Germany may .revive industry
4nd mine coal and that Italy
may bny food and raw material.
These, together with coal, would set
Italian industry in operation to pro
: trace goods for export in exchange
for the commodities named and to
lower exchange, and would quiet the
people. For these reasons Italy is
practically of one mind with Britain.
But both of these countries see that,
if they do not maintain a united
front with France, Germany may
Attv them to enforce the treaty, and
that then they wouhi either have to
throw awav all t rruus or victory
or undertake wliitari . operations.
more extensive than any that Franco
now- proposes.
This diversity of interest among
the allies is Germany's opportunity.
It has only to inspire its secret agents
to dwell especially on' British and
Italian advantage to be derived from
leniency to Germany and on Krench
vengefulness, or to hint to Franco
that it has tjeen left to its own re
sources by its allies, in order to pro
duce friction. If the United States
were a party to the treaty and con
sequently an active party to the al
lied conferences, it would be the
means of preserving harmony among
them, ot bringing them into agree
ment on a policy and holding them
to it and of removing friction as
soon as it arose. Unlike them, it has
no special interest to serve, but has
only a general interest in common
with . them in rendering Germany
powerless for further harm by root
ing out the remnants of militarism.
For that reason it is qualified to
mediate between them. If the United
States had played this part, Germany
probably would not have attempted
to evade its obligations or would
have been promptly disciplined. We
lose by not having a hand in enforce
ing the treaty, for we feel the ill ef
fects of the disturbed condition
which results from its violation.
HOW THE SCHEME WORKS.
A good example of the extent to
which estimates are padded by de
partment officials in the effort to' get
as large appropriations as possible
out of congress was given by Sena
tor Smoot He said he was afraid
the appropriation committee had not
cut a certain item enough because
the chief clerk of a certain division
asked him what the subcommittee
had done with it. He then related
this dialogue:
I said, "I think the sub-commrrtee is
going to cut the amount." He said. "Do
not cut It more than 25 per cent." "Why r"
"Our estimate, of course, is always made
more than we anticipate getting, but we
cannot get along with a cut exceeding
li5 per cent.'
So the officials follow the method
of the storekeeper who privately
marks prices up, then publicly marks
them down again. The cat now be
ing out of the bag and congress
knowing that estimates are padded
25 per cent in expectation of a re
duction, we may expect the padding
to be increased to 50 per cent in
order still to get ahead of congress.
It is to stop this game that a
budget system with an independent
audit of expenditures under sole re
sponsibility to congress is necessary.
wirr?
Chairman BucHtel, of the public
utilities commission, has aroused -the
wrath of certain citizens of Astoria
because the commission- has inter
ceded in the Astoria rate case. It is
contended there that the commission
should have kept hands off, if it
could not support the Astoria view.
What is the Astoria view? It was
once that it was entitled to terminal
rail rates on a parity with the cities
of Puget sound.
The historic contention of Port
land is that it is entitled to rail rates
below the Puget sound rates, because
of the cheaper hanl and the shorter
distance over the Columbia water
grade.
Now the contention of Astoria is
that it is entitled not only to rates
on a parity with Sound terminals,
but that Portland, one hundred miles
nearer the Columbia basin, is not en
titled to lower rates than Astoria
that they must be kept on a level
with the Astoria rates.
Why should not the Oregon pub
lic utilities commission seek to serve
the shippers of the state by procur
ing for them lower rates than to
Puget sound?
Why should the public utilities
commission seek to serve the cities
of Puget sound by aiding them, by
inaction or otherwise, to prevent
lower rates to the principal terminal
and port of Oregon?
The case for Portland is the case
for Oregon.
1JKK ON OTHER PLANETS.
n is impossinie to reason from any
known hypothesis upon the possibil
ity that life exists on planets other
than, our own. Because of this the
subject is highly attractive to those
who like to Indulge in pure specula
tlon, unhampered by restrictions of
any sort. Scientists realize that re
search almost always in the end
reaches at least a temporary im
passe, from which there. is no escape
except by a daring assumption. Such
an attempt to escape from a scien
tific cul de sac was that of Professor
Lowell, whose conclusion that the
canals of Mars are indubitable evi
dence of existence of a people of
high intelligence is as good as any
other conclusion until it has l!.een
disproved. Mere assertion that "' the
markings that scar the surface of
Mars are not canals will not be suf
ficient to discredit the Lowellian the
ory in the light of our present lack
of knowledge of other worlds.
As the correspondent whose letter
is printed in another column sug
gests, it does not follow that if Mars
is inhabited its people resemble even
in the remotest respect the denizens
of earth, let the ancients who ere
ated gods in their own image did so
because it was virtually impossible for
them to conceive of a being wholly-
different from man, and we have not
greatly developed our imaginations
in this respect since their time. We
still think of canal building in terms
of manual labor, requiring hands and
ieet, ana or tnougnt as a process
originating in an organ called the
brain. We have not succeeded in
getting much beyond this in all the
ages in which we have pondered the
subject. We see and hear and feel
and experience sensations of joy and
apprehension, of greed and of satis
fied, ambition, and when we .create
new beings in our minds we invari
ably endow them with these attri
butes. Our ouija board enthusiasts
ana our trance, mediums conjure
from the realms of the unknown no
beings that are not essentiaf replicas
ot man. -
Only occasionally a speculative
philosopher gets out of the rut. C.
Fitzhugh Talman, who writes on the
subject In the Scientific American,
has been unable wholly to discard
our theory of evolution, but he is
original in other ways. He notes that
"on our own planet the development
of life apparently entered, at an early
stage, on two diverse roads." He
finds no reason for supposing, how
ever, that the course of events has
been the same in every, other world.
It may be that on Mars only plant
life exists. And assuming, as scien
tists, do, that Mars may have sup
ported life longer than the earth,
these plant forms might reasonably
uo vn;meu iu uavt lvatxiea a ttage4
of higher development than the
plants with which we are familiar.
"Plants would therefore exist 'com
pared with which our highest forms,
such as daisies and asters, are simple
and rudimentary." It is neverthe
less inconceivable that any plant,
however high in the scale, could hold
communication with the human race.
Mr. Talman will find many to
agree with him when he adds that
"if life has been produced at all on
other planets than our own it has
assumed forms of which we know
nothing." It -may be, for example,
that these are neither animal nor
vegetal, but are life forms of which
we are quite unable to conceive. Life
is so plastic, so protean, that it chal
lenges every law of probability;
nothing Is excluded from the cata
logue of things that might be true.
White the quest for a means of com
munication with our neighbor worlds
continues to occupy our scientists,
there is a kind of comfort for lay
men in the thought that the guess
of plain John Jones is for the present
every bit as good as that of Professor
Lowell, and that in the game of
speculation the layman can have as
much fun as the wisest scientist that
lives.
WHY SUGAR GOES tTP.
Soaring price of sugar, Is in large
degree due to withdrawal of govern
ment control when President Wilson
refused to exercise the powers con
ferred on him by the McNary law to
continue existence of the equaliza
tion board. Uncontrollable economic
causes have forced the price to an
abnormal figure, but they are the
more reason why the government,
strictly as a war measure, should in
tervene to prevent greed from grati
fying itself in the present opportun
ity. The Cuban crop was offered to the
equalization board last summer at a
price far below that now prevailing,
and the board recommended its ac
ceptance, but the president took no
action, and the Cubans sold in the
world market at a high price, Ameri
can refiners securing only a fraction
of the total. An open market with
a short supply gives the growers an
opportunity to charge all that the
traffic will bear, and they doubtless
make the most of it. Refiners say
that their profit is but a fraction of a
cent, and blame is placed suceesively
on growers, wholesalers and retail
ers, who in turn, with the possible
exception of growers, pass the blame
around again. Control assured the
producer a fair price and limited the
costs which were added for refining
and distribution. How much it saved
to the consumer is indicated by the
rapid advance in price since it was
removed. Attorney-General Palmer's
prosecution of profiteers is ineffec
tive, and the public is left to rely on
economic law to increase the supply
and thus to reduce the price.
These causes have operated all
around the world to raise the cost of
sugar for Americans. Before the
war practically all the Cuban and
Porto Rican ccops came to the
United States. War cut off the Rus
sian beet sugar supply from western
Europe, shut the product of the
central empires in those countries,
and destroyed many beet fields and
refineries in France and Belgium.
Britain's usual supply was thus cut
off and it began to draw heavily on
Cuba, thus leading the United States
..l. . n . .
oiiuiu amen sugar ' was grown in
Java, but submarines made ships so
scarce that none could be spared for
the long voyage to Kurope. The one
opening for this country to make
good the deficiency . was to grow
more beets, but beet-growing requires
much cheap labor and the war sent
probably a million men to Europe to
fight before the United States inter
vened, practically stopped immigra
tion and sent wages up beyond reach
of beet-growers, so far as much in
crease in production was concerned.
Whichever way we turned for sugar,
we encoumerea me war at some
angle.
The one consolation about the
present high price la that it cannot
last long. It will lead people in all
countries to grow sugar cane and
beets until the supply will be ade
quate for all, ocean freight will fall
and the price will go down, but years
will probably pass before we shall
again be able to buy sugar at the
good old price of 18 or 20 pounds for
a dollar.
MISSOURI CASTS OUT RKKI1.
Missouri democracy in state con
vention left no doubt how it stood in
the fight between President Wilson
and. Senator Reed.' It straddled the
issue ir regard to the league of na
tions; it was silent about prohibition,
although beer has done much to
make St. Louis famous: but it did
not hesitate to strike down the man
whose democratic mind ran in op
position to that of the president.
That convention at Joplin was one
of the old-time, uproarious demo
cratic, kind. It remained in session
all night, eager for the battle. It
had so many fist fights among dele
gates that they attracted attention
only from those who were near the
combatants. Though It was the first
convention in which women had sat
as delegates, it was such a rou.h
house that the entire police force of
Joplin was unable to keep order,
benator Reed was marked for
punishment because he was the one
democrat who joined the death bat-
tairon senators and fought the league
as aggressively as did either Sena
tor tsoran or Senator Johnson. This
was the crowning offense of many,
in ine eye or tnose who follow Wil
son without swerving. He had free
ly criticised the federal reserve bill
he had heaped scorn on the Clayton
anti-trust law, he had condoned the
sinking of the Lusitania, he had op
posed conscription, he had bitterly
fought the food control bill and he
naa opposed other war measures o
tne administration. His name was
anathema at the White House, and
tne wuson men were determined
that he should have no part in
naming the candidate to succeed
vuon. ine demand that he be
cast out came from the country and
the small towns, where the faithful
take their democracy straight, just
as it is served out to them by the
Dig cruel at Washington. Kaneau
City to a man and St. Louis almost
to a man stood by him the forme
city because it is his home,
Reed's. friends did not waste am
munition in the vain effort to have
him elected delegate-at-large. They
eiectea nim delegate from Jackson
county, which includes Kansas City
and comprises the fifth congressional
district, touch elections require ap,
provai Dy tne state convention, but
respect tor nome rule has usually
made that a mere form. By naming
xveeu aa a tuijirict delegate they ea
listed in his support all to whom
that principle appealed and held in
line some delegates from the two big
cities who resented his opposition to
the league. But the mass of dele
gates was so- determined to repudi
ate Reed as a representative of de
mocracy that it swert aside custom,
local rights to. representation and
the Imminent danger of a bolt and
loss of the state, and rejected Reed
by a vote of 1070 to 490.
Joe Shannon and Tom Pendergast.
the two bosses of Kansas City, tried
to gain time and wear out the weary
convention by fighting to have alter
nates to the delegates at large elect
ed, but were defeated and when the
chairman refused a record vote the
convention became a riot. Jackson
county was called on to name its
delegates, and it named Reed among
the number. A substitute motion
that Reed's name vbe rejected and
that Jackson county name another
person let loose a storm that lasted
an hour. The defiant reply was
made that Jackson county stood
firm for Reed or none. . Colonel
E. M. Harber of Kansas City, pro
testing his fidelity to the league and
the democratic ticket, pleaded for
the right to home rule. Frank M.
Curies of St. Louis replied with the
tale of Reed's offenses, which ante
dated the league, and said that the
senator "equivocated and condoned
until he led the country to wonder
whether Missouri was not more pro
German than pro-American." He
won an ovation when in reply to a
question where he was in the war he
said:
1 was in the first officers' training
camp, went Into the army and came out a
lieutenant-colonel.
He said that when the league cov
enant was written, "Reed met it with
malignant hate for the president.
hate for the world and hate for all
human world -hate hate."
Another plea for home rule by
loyd E. Jacobs, a volunteer ex-
soldier, was accompanied by a plain
threat of a bolt, causing loss of the
tate and the presidency. J. G.. L.
Harvey, Reed's law partner, strove
In vain for a hearing, his voice be
ing drowned in a storm of hoots and
hisses. One of the most effective
anti-Reed speeches was made by
Mrs. W. W. Martin of Cape Girar
deau, who said:
One of the most desperate proMema has
been to explain .Senator Reed to the
women voters. To say that wo love "Wil
son and send his greatest political enemy
the ' con vention is not loic to women.
We know but one way to be represented,
not to send a man tied hand and foot, but
to pick one who thinks as we do.
The intensity of Kansas City's bit
terness at the repudiation of Reed is
shown by the comment of the Star,
which said that to deny the people
of the fifth district the right to se
lect their own representatives "is to
deny democracy" and that the state
convention "showed itself fundamen
tally autocratic and distrustful of
democracy."
Reed was quoted as saying that
the action of the convention means
that "Missouri will go republican
next fait by 75.000 to 100,000." He
said he would not contest the de
cision, but "I'm going to Missouri in
ten days and." He left ..the sen
tence unfinished, but the dispatch
adds: "His manner indicated that
things will begin to happen after ha
reaches his home state."
This triumph for Wilson over the
most persistent rebel in his party
was not unqualified. The convention
indorsed the league covenant and
accepted the assurances of the presi
dent that It needs no change, "yet,"
the platform said, "we are willing to
accept the ratification of the treaty
with such reservations as do not im
pair or vitiate In the least degree
the primary object of the covenant."
To sum up the whole matter, Mis
souri democracy is against Reed and
is for Wilson and the league, but is
willing- to accept reservations,
though Wilson has said that any res
ervations, strict or mild, would nul
lify the covenant. For this equivo
cal declaration of faith it is pre
pared to risk loss of a state which
has already shown decided leanings
toward republicanism in several sue
cessive presidential elections.
rue carmen and the company
show an appreciation of community
interest that is commendable In ex-
tenaing tne present wage scale a
year. There are no bolshevik! on the
platforms.
rne judge wno sentenced a man
guilty of tampering with the mails to
25 seconds in jail .must have been
under the misapprehension that he
had only stolen a few automobiles.
General Pilsudskl is leading the
Poles in their offensive against the
Russian reds. The only hope we can
see for the reds is to engage General
Pilsner to repel the attack.
A school for moonshiners is re
ported from Los Angeles as being
quite the latest thing. Way behind
the times. The federal courts began
schooling em long ago.
The record for butterfat has
swung to "Plain Mary," a Jersey, to
stay until some one brings forth a
Holsteln to dispute her. The rivalry
Is good for the world.
The democratic brethren can be
depended upon today to make good
reading for republicans. Why these
fellows continue to quarrel in a lost
cause is a wonder.
"The Communist Party of Amer
ica," whatever that may be, would
have a general strike in Boston to
day, but Boston has not forgotten its
policemen s strike.
Somebody go out there' and sit be
hind third and put the cross-eyed
jinx on the visitors. The Beavers do
not belong at third place In the
table.
Nicolai Lenin announces that here
after the Bolsheviki will observe Sat
urday as a day of rest- Looks like
an appeal to the American labor
vote.
Chicago restaurants have reduced
the price of hash from 15 to 10 cents
per order by eliminating wastage
Presume they put it into the hash.
The weatherfolk might be clever
today and give the Champoeg excur
sionists something pleasant for
change.
The price of sleeping car berths
has gone up 50 per cent. Even in
somnia comes high nowadays.
Mav day was strike dav in nilipr
- . - earst but uo more.
ISStE
It la Belwrn Radicalism and
Its
Opposite In Oregon.
The Oregonian has received from
Mr. William Howard Taft copies of
two letters written by him when he
was informed of the effort being made
to put, his name on tho republican
primary ballot of Oregon as a presi
dential candidate. One is to the sec
retary of state and the other is to
the sponsor of the petitions. It ts
due to the organizers of the Taft
movement to say that they abandoned
their plan when Mr. Taft notified
them of his opposition. It is proper
also to say that Mr. Taft has been
misinformed aa to the result of the
Hughes appeal to keep his name off
the ballot In 1916. The question was
taken to the supreme court of the
state, which in effect held that citi
zens of Oregon had a right to came
any fine as their presidential candi
date with or without his consent.
The letters follow:
BEAUMONT, Tex., April 24. My
Dear Sir: Having observed from the
Associated Press dispatches that peti
tions were being prepared and filed
in Oregon seeking to place my name
on the list of presidential candidates
to be voted for in the presidential
primary in your state, I telegraphed
you on the 11th of this month re
questing that you withdraw my name,
and give publicity to the fact of with
drawal. I have been advised that you
have intimated that it Is not possible
for me to control the question of the
use of my name under your law. I
venture to urge that this cannot be.
I remember that Justice Hughes had
a similar controversy and my recol
lection is that In the end his request
that his name be withdrawn was ac
qulesce-d in. I hope you will do me
the favor of acknowledging my tele
gram and also this letter, and that
in accordance with my urgent request
you will withdraw my name from the
official list of the candidates to be
voted for in the primary. Tou should
address me at New Haven, Conn. Sin
cerely yours, WILLIAM H. TAFT.
The Honorable, the secretary of
state, Salem, Or.
BEAUMONT, Tex., April 24. My
Dear Sir: I have yours -of April 6,
which was sent to New Haven and
then forwarded to me, reachin- mo
day before yesterday. I haven't had
an opportunity to answer it, there
fore, until now. The effort to secure
signatures for petitions seeking to
put my name on the list of presl
dential candidates in the primary in
Oregon is wholly without my author
ity, and is directly against my wish
As soon as I learned by an Asso
ciated Press dispatch that such peti
tions were being prepared and filed.
I telegraphed the secretary of state of
Oregon that I wished my name with
drawn.
The issue, between radicalism, rep
resented by Mr. Johnson, and regular
and progressive republicanism, rep
resented by the other candidates in
Oregon, is a very important one, and
the use of my name, whether in gqod
faith or not. In such contest could
not but strengthen the radical side of
that controversy by diriding the vote
for regular and progressive republi
canism,. I therefore insist that you
shall cease your efforts to secure
petitions of the kind which you say
in your letter are being prepared and
filed. Such preparation and filing
are without my authority and against
my protest. Sincerely yours.
WILLIAM H. TAFT.
Charles W. Ackerson, Portland, Or.
RATIONALISM III2LD TO BLAMK
Decline In Church Membership At
tributed to Oodlcsa Doctrine.
PORTLAND. April 30. (To th Ed
Uor.) In your dispatches there was
recently an item concerning tne loss
of church membership by 11 of the
leading denominations of Protestants
that as a whole Is disheartening to
the average citizen, who believes that
the world ought to grow better as
years .go by. The total loss aa given
in the dispatch for theae denomina
tions is 1S7,604. However, there was
a. gain for Protestantism as a whole
of 155,000 members.
The cause of this tremendous tail
ing off is variously given as world
war conditions, unusual unrest of the
peoples of the world, labor conditions,
etc., and to all these causes may be
attributed perhaps 10 per cent of the
decline, but not more. The other 90
per cent is a mere matter of his
tory repeating itself. There must be
a fatal blunder somewhere, for never
in the history- of Christendom was
there so much machinery as now
for carrying on the work of Pro
testant Christionity. This inter-
church movement, the proposed unit
ing of all Methodist denominations.
are in the same direction, dui witn
the help of all these the net results
are a falling off that to many is a
punzle.
Not claiming to be an expert in
such matters, nevertheless this writer
does claim to have a perfectly nat
ural and adequate explanation of this
situation.
For the last 50 years, and espe
dally the last two decades, these
losing denominations- have in a great
measure forsaken tfod, as revealed
in the Bible, and have gone off after
rationalism as first taught by the
German universities, which alowly
crossed the British channel and found
lodgment in the colleges of Great
Britain, finally crossing the Atlantic
and gaining a foothold here. To one
who has not studied this propaganda
carefully there is a tremendous awak
ening coming. It is now securely
planted in more than 90 per cent of
our theological schools and in a large
per cent of our denominational col
leges, until today one meets it lit
erally on every corner.
This philosophy denies the inspira
tion of the Bible in any special sense
denies the virgin birth of Christ, his
resurrection, his atonement for sin,
future retribution, if not a future al
all. criticises the authority of the
Bible until nothing la left and mini
mizes to nothing the life' after death
Permeated with these and many
other deadly doctrines, these denomi
nations are as powerless to arouse a
sleeping world to its needs as would
be a battleship on shore.
The remedy is to rid our libraries
of this godless rationalism, come
back to God and the Bible, and then
as soon as this is done and we be
gin to follow God and honor th
holy spirit, and believe the Bible, the
tide will turn, and' instead of losing
air these denominations will begin to
gain; but following the course now
pursued can end in nothing but dis
aster. L. N. B. ANDERSON.
Where to Get Blue Book.
BEND, Or., April 29. (To the Ed
Itor.) Where can I get an Oregon
Blue book' J. KNOTT.
Apply secretary of state, Salem, Or.
Bit of Book Gossip.
Baltimore American.
"I want some good current litera
ture." "Here are some books on elec
tric lighting."
MR. TAFT STATUS TUB
Those Who Come and Go.
At the head of navigation on the
Suislaw Is Mapleton. and that is the
place where Joseph Morris has made
his headquarters since lSiV. ren
Franklin said that If a man eticks to
one Job for ten years he will be
wealthy," explained Mr. Morris at the
Imperial yesterday. "Had I remained
dairyman ten days loncer 1 would
have proved that Franklin is & pre
varicator. When I was ten days short
of completing ten years in that busi
ness I became a merchant, and I ve
been 13 years in this line." Mr. Mor
ris says that the main industries In
Mapleton are gathering chittem bark,
dairying and the lumber business. He
still has a carload of chittem bark to
ship.- When he was In the dairy busi
ness he received about 13 cents for
butterfat. and the stuff was shipped
by water a long ways and chances
were taken on it being fresh when it
arrived at its destination. Now the
dairymen in his old stamping ground
receive about 70 cents a pound and
there Is a quick dispatch direct to
Portland.
Everyone is talking about the races
t Condon. The annual meet starts
May 25 and will run for five days.
There will be between 100 and 125
running horses and already the sta
bles are filled with prospective en
tries. James Burns, former mayor of
Condon, who is at the Multnomah, is
president of the racing association
and predicts a swell, elegant meet. He
asserts that the races at Condon are
the best in eastern Oregon. There Is
no betting ring, but almost everyone
anagea to make a wager. Speaking
of crop conditions, Mr. Burns says
that they are excellent and the wheat
men are hoping to get in a bumper
crop before the reaction, which' pes
simists are forecasting, sets in. Yes
terday Mr. Burns heard that there
waa aomeone lp Portland with a car
load of potatoes and he started on a
still hunt for the treasure trove.
"I can't for the life of me see how
prices will come down," said a sales
man at the Hotel Portland. "I have
received a cablegram stating that the
price of the European article I am
selling as just Increased 30 per cent.'
prices can come down, but said that
whereas a year ago when a 315 pair
or shoes were offered a customer
he would ask the dealer if he
had anything better, and now," said
the shoe man, "when S15 shoes are
offered, the customer Inquires If there
are any for $10." That a change in
conditions Is coming is the belief of
many traveling men, who say that in
Seattle they are not selling orders
Merchants In Seattle admit that they
need the goods, but that they can
not or will not buy, as business has
been on the decline.
Mrs. Charles D. Stuart, daughter of
Portland pioneers and widow of the
late Captain Stuart of Yaquina Bay
coast guard station, passed through
Portland yesterday en route from Los
Angeles to her home at Long Beach,
Wash, while many persons are be
moaning the way they were separated
from their hard-earned cash in aouth
ern California last winter, it is not so
with Mrs. Stuart. Some friends took
her to Tia Juana, Mexico, in their
machine and prevailed on her to place
a wager on the ponies. Imagine her
surprise, when, on having placed
small amount on a horse, she found
herself leaving the track with a crisp
3100 bill collected from the coffers
of the Jack Coffroth outfitl
"Wool la now being assembled and
on May 25 the Condon wool sale will
be held, announced II. F. Shelling,
cashier of the First National at Con
don. "The wool movement will be un
der way in about a month. We are
drawing on the John Day highway
country and when tbe highway is fin
ished the wool from as far away as
Dayville wtll be trucked to Condon
for eale and shipment. A large amount
of this wool will come to Portland, but
not all of It." The Indications are
that this will be a big year in the
history of Condon in the way of busi
ness.
Jans Zimmerman, from Crescent.
arrived at the Imperial yesterday,
Crescent is off in central Oregon on
what is generally designated as The
Dalles-California highway, and is
about midway between Lapine and
Crater. There is a long controversy
over the way -to spell Lapine. The
people there insist that It should be
La Pine, being a tribute to the beau
tiful tree, while an unsentimental
postal guide consolidates it into one
wo rd.
K. A. Poe not ICdgar Allan
literature arrived at the Hotel Ore
gon with Mrs. Poe from lone. Or. The
contractor having the Job of grading
the Oregon and Washington highway
which passes through lone, from
Hennner to the Gilliam county line, i
making the dirt fly and by the end
of the season most of the new grade
will be completed. Parts of it are
now more of a temptation that auto
mobilists can resist.
Today Thomas Finnigan, of th
Hotel Portland staff, former lieu
tenant for Uncle Sam, is to be mar
ried. Hotel affairs were relegated to
secondary place yesterday by Mr,
Finnigan, who discovered that stag
ing a marriage ceremony requires as
much tact, diplomacy and attention
to as many details as the job of man
aging a hotel.
G. Clifford Barlow, member of the
executive committee of the state
chamber of commerce, is registered
at the Imperial from Warrenton with
F. M. Wilson. Mr. Wilson has the
distinction of being the mayor of
the town which has a greater bond
issue per capita than any other In
corporated community In Oregon.
Mr. and Mrs. Clarence L. jReames
of Seattle were li Portland yesterday.
Mr. Reames started as a good demo
crat in-Medford. was elected to the
legislature, was appointed United
States attorney for Oregon and was
then shifted to Seattle to direct the
department of justice work during
the latter par of the war.
John L. Rand of Baker, one of the
best-known citizens of eastern Ore
gon, is registered at the Hotel Port
land. Mr. Rand Is here on profes
sional business, being a lawyer. He is
also a candidate for delegate to the
republican natloral convention, run
ning at large, but is not doing any
campaigning.
On their way to debate with stu
dents of the Oregon Agricultural col
lege, J. M. Bailey and M. A. Robbins
of Seattle are at the Hotel Portland.
The visitors are students primed to
show theforensic gymnastics as in
culcated at the University of Wash
ington Mr. and Mrs. James F. Corbett of
Grande are among the eastern Oregon
people at the Imperial. When at home
Mr. Corbett Is In the railroad business
and when away from home he is the
most enthusiastic booster for La
Grande that the town boasts.
Misses Ruth Kerr, Dorothea Hop
per, Grace Barnes, Lucy Miller and
Richard Odlin, students from the Unl-
vert-lty of V.-ishington. are at the
Uxltnntnah. ThPV onmft in Tor-tlH
to participate in the programme at I
the Little theater. j
James Donaldson, a sheepman ot
the Arlington country, is In the city
on business and is registered at the
BEHEVKS MARS IS INHABITED
Writer. Arrfptinj I.ovrell Theory,
& ports la tea on Laniruage Mcdinm.
PORTLAND. April 30. (To the Edi
tor.) That the planet Mars is inhab
ited by intelligent beings, and that
Its inhabitants are adepts in civil en
gineering, will. I think, be conceded
by all who have carefully examined
the results of Professor Lowell's in
vestigations. But it does not follow
that the bodies of the Martians are
constructed just like ours, though a
certain degree of resemblance Is
probable.
The possibility of communicating
with these distant people is another
matter. The languages spoken on
earth have undergone changes from
time to time
and Cicero or Horace
would have difficulty in making him
self understood on the Roman Corso
today. It is as nearly certain as any
thing of the kind can be that the
Martians do not speak any language
now in use here.
This being the case, communica-
ion. If at all feasible, must take place
by means of signs and symbols. For
example, if we could transmit seven
trokes, like the sounding of a bell.
and receive eight; then transmit nine,
and receive ten, the interchange of
thoughts would be apparent. Or if
we could manage to transmit a geo
metrical figure, such as a triangle,
that might be understood. The M;fr-
ians already have mown ns such
figures as great arcs of circles, not
ndeed for our sakes. but because the
Irrigation of their planet, being vital-
y necessary, compelled them to make
long canals. It may be added that
the "canals" which commonly go by
mat name and which have been re
peatedly photographed are belts of
verdure, fertilized by streams of wa
ter invisible to us. and that throe
belts of verdure are about as wide as
tne Willamette vallev.
i-.iie as we live It here could not be
sustained on Mars, on account of the
rarity of the Martian atmnsnhor
Ana oi course the rarefication of th
in me interplanetary upaccs
luruias travel, even if other riimni
ties were overcome. So the nlan of
an and woman in Kana t n n nr.
in n hues TOCKet la mrIv Ki,4.irlol
"cy "an Dttter -wait and see" (as
Mr. Asquith said) whether any. sort
' coiuraunicmon is practicable.
RICHARD H. THORNTON.
FEES ARE OST COXTISCEXT BASIS
Lender In Whratrroirrrs' Assoc! a
lion Have Not Yet Bern raid.
PORTLAND. April 30. (To the Ed
nor.; -tne tjregonian, April 30. car
ries an article headed. "Farmers
Warned of Wheat Concern," contain
ing statements alleged to have been
made by A. Y. Satterfield. general
manager of the Farmers' Equity of
Ida no and Ltah.
Writing of the Washington and
Idaho Wheatgrowers" associations, Mr,
t-atterrleld says: These peonle ac
knowlege to our president, M. J. Kerr,
that they paid the attorney. Aaron
apiro of San Francisco S10.000 to
draw up the contract. They also paid
$5000 to one J. F. Langner for pub
licity and advertising work and 35000
to one A. A. Elmore for organization
worn.-'
These statements are untrue and
have already been publicly refuted in
The Oregonian by N. B. Atkinson and
Walter J. Robinson, chairman and
secretary respectively of the Wash
ington Wheatgrowers' association.
Neither Elmore. SaDiro nor I has
received the fees stated by Mr.- Sat
terlleld. nor any fees of any kind.
We offered our services free to the
organization committee of the asso
ciations. This offer was refused. A
contingent fee wa finally suggested
by the organization committee as
follows:
H 15,000.000 bushels of wheat are
signed up in the organization by July
1 Mr. Sapiro is to receive 310.000. Mr.
Elmore 35000 and myself $5000. If
less is signed up by that date the fee
will be reduced proportionately. If
the association is not organized at all
there will be no funds available to
pay any fees at all to anyone.
A statement that any fees have been
paid at all at this date or will be paid
at any future date, excepj on a con
tingent basis, is false and' misleading
to the wheatgrowers ot Washington.
Idaho and Oregon. J. F. LANGNEU.
I'ropcrtles of the Lodes tone.
Exchange.
One of the most fantastic stories
of the "Arabian Nights" is of a moun
tain of "lodestone," which draws the
nails out of any ship that may ap
proach it (together with any other
Ironmongery that may be on board),
ca-using the doomed craft to fall to
pieces. It Is to be presumed that t-hisi
remarkable tale finds its germ in the
accidental observation of the attrac
tion of iron by pieces of magnetic
Iron ore. Why is magnetic iron ore
magnetic? Nobody known. Only now
and then is iron ore found that pos
sesses this strange property. It is
eo exceptional that collectors of min
erals are always hunting for frag
ments of the material known in
earlier days as "lodestone."
uiiiiMiiMiiiMminiiiiiiintHiiiumiHiunuNiuiiiimiiiiiitimntiimnnnmiiinimtinitntiiiHiimmHiiiiiiiimtiiiimiiiiiHH
How Oregon and America Are Caring for f
I the Boys Who Weren't Lucky 1
I It's ever so easy to forget providing always that it isn't your leg
that was shattered at Verdun, or your lungs that were gassed in the
I Argonne. In the Sunday issue, with photographs, De Witt Harry
has a story about some boys right here in Portland who are suf-
fering yet from the exactions of overseas service. An illuminating 1
yarn is this one, to a city that needs to remember that some folks
are never going to forget the war. Mr. Harry tells how Oregon and
I the federal government are combining effort to make torn bodies
1 and shattered nerves strong and fit again.
Who'8 Afraid of Snakes? It all dates back to the garden of
1 Edfn, some assert, and the wily old serpent that whispered to Mother
Eve this fear of snakes that abides with so many of us. However
that may be, it is certain that not all snakes are equal to their evil
repute and that many of them are as harmless and friendly as frogs
I and nobody ever heard of a frog biting anyone. Of course, there
I is the dreaded family of the pit vipers, but on the other hand there
is the lustrous, beneficial king snake. It's all a matter of knowing
which serpent to trust. A story in the Sunday issue may alter
your notions of the snake clan.
Alfred Noyes Says Work Is Recreation. He has written a great
I deal, and his word isn't to be questioned, this English poet, Alfred
i Noyes whose verse is strong and wonderful. And he says that
I literary creation is play of which he never tires. An interesting
interview, at a different angle, in the magazine section of your
Sunday paper.
When Love Faces the Scorn of Society. Sometimes the ties of
marriage become frayed and snap at the glance of stranger eyes
or the touch of stranger hands. And then there is the deuce to pay,
1 with tragedy stalking down the stage, perhaps, and divorce courts
1 ready to spread the scandal. In the Sunday issue there is a story of
tangled matrimonial affairs the principals all prominent in Wash-
ington society of former days.
1 "Enfant Terrible" The Czar's Sister. Olga Alexandronova, sis-
I ter to the ill-starred ruler of the Russias, an inordinately spoiled
1 daughter of royalty, has tasted romance to the depth of the -cup
I and at the end of the chapter has wedded an untitled officer. The
story is told in the Sunday magazine section, by no less an author-
1 ity than Princess Catherine Radziwill.
I Yours for an Informative Hour. "When you unfold the big Sun-
day issue you have before you a compilation complete and authentic
I of the news of the world, your country, state, county and city.
1 It's all there, and cable and wire hurried most of it undersea and
overland to your front door or the street corner where your "newsie"
hands it to you damp from the presses.
I
i
All the News of
THE SUNDAY
' awuuiWIUMIUIIHHIMmHniUUUMUUM
More Truth Than Poetry.
By James J. Montagae.
A BARD tl'CK STORY.
We knew that TJncle Jake would
leave
His all to us. when he departed.
And though his drinking .made us
grieve
We struggled not to be down
hearted. For booze will hurry one along.
To. where all mortal ties must sever.
And Uncle Jake took his so strong.
We felt he couldn't last forever.
Alas, for futile human hope!
Alas for ever-keen ambition!
We fancied that we had the dope.
But who could count on prohibi
tion?
Did Uncle Jake give o'er the can?
Become a Dry, hard-boiled and
zealous?
And grow to be a healthy man?
Ah, no! A far worse fate befel ui
He drinks as often as of yore.
A quart is still his daily diet;
WTe sometimes fancy he takes more
Than in the days when one could,
buy it.
The old man hits the same old pace;
His appetite is unabated;
And at two hundred bucks a case.
A fortune soon Is dissipated.
Whenever he goes out to buy.
Cold perspiration wilts our collaxa.
And quaking with despair we cry,
There goes another thousand dol
'lars." We wouldn't do our -uncle wrong.
We feel that his demise would
grieve us.
But if he doesn't go ere long.
He will not have a cent to leave tul
IlardinK and Cox.
Ohio lives right up to her reputa
tion as the mother of presidents. She
has entered twins in the favorite eon
contest.
ess
No Prospect, Either.
We haven't yet saved enough day
light so that we can let any of It
into tnat two-billion-dollar airplane
mystery.
w ' m
Alas!
Having given up work on the peace
treaty, the allies are now collaborat
ing on a dissolution of partnership
notice.
(Copyright. 1920. by Bell Syndicate, roc.)
In Other Days.
Twenty-Five Years A CO.
From The Oregonian of May 1. 1396.
Mrs. Mary A. Leonard, the female
lawyer, pleaded a case yesterday in
the court of Judge Stearns.
Mayor George P. Frank has re
quested the resignation of Police
Commissioner Henry Haussman and
of J. 'George Mack, secretary of the
board of police commissioners.
The First Presbyterian church has
as yet received no definite reply
from Kev. Edgar P. Hill of Freeport.
111., who has been called to succeed
Dr. Arthur J. Brown as its pastor.
Eight of the nine alleged Chinese
merchants who arrived by boat Sun
day have succeeded in winning the
rltai to land.
AT 74.
If I didn't wake up in the morning.
Or possibly didn't at dawn.
Just what chance would I then have.
In the journey I might be on?
Would I fly on the wings of morning.
Or grope in the hush of night.
Would there be a lamp lest ray feet
might stray?
In that sky will the stars be bright?
The one in the east I am thinking
about.
Which some wise men saw one day,
And it guided their feet to a manger.
Where a great and good child lay.
And east is east and west is west.
Just as it was of yore.
An.d I trust that star will shine
for me.
As it shone in days before.
But I want it to guide me along a
trail.
Where the love of my heart has
gone.
And a life like 'hers, so full of love.
It, too, has followed her on.
He gave his life for his country's
sake.
Though the tears from my eyes
will flow
I knew he said he was willing to die.
If, indeed, it must be so.
Then why reck tho day or the hour
that comes.
It surely will have to be.
As sure jrs the sun will rise and eet.
'Tis coming to you and me.
And if I meet those loved ones there.
Sometime or maybe before.
Will thry know me then, as they
knew me once?
I am seventy possibly more.
S. P. W.
Fort Orford. April 24. 12n.
All the World
OREGONIAN
kimutuinimuwu luuiiuttinuuus
(