Morning Oregonian., May 08, 1920, Page 8, Image 8

THE MORNING OILEGONIAN, SATURDAY, MAY 8, 1920
ESTABUSHED BY HENRY I PITTOCK.
Published by Tho Oregonian Publishing Co..
133 Sixth Strt. Portland. Onion.
C A. MOFLDEN. E. B. F1PBR.
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I
the suffrage: OCT look.
Stranger things have happened
than the Delaware senate's reversal
of its vote on the equal suffrage
amendment, and It will not be sur
prising, either. If the lower house
finds a way similarly to befriend the
measure which it also spurned only
a few weeks ago. It is evident that
the suffrage leaders have learned
something of practical politics since
the campaign began: their wits have
been sharpened by exigency, as the
result in the Deleware senate shows,
and they can be reasonably relied on
to move circumspectly until victory
Is assured. Meanwhile, it is to be
observed that they are casting a
prudent anchor to windward in Con
necticut, where Governor Holcomb
is besought to call an extra session,
both to Insure against possible defeat
In Delaware and to forestall legal ac
tion In Ohio. As to the latter state,
there is pending a technical attack
on the right of the legislature to
ratify a federal amendment, it being
contended that the measure must be
submitted to the popular vote. Ob
viously, if this issue should be de
cided adversely to the cause, both
Delaware and Connecticut would be
needed.
It is perilous to venture to predict
what a court will decide, but it is not
easy to believe that the obstacle In
terposed by the attorney-general of
Massachusetts will prove permanent.
This official has held that adoption
of the federal amendment by the
states does not in Itself confer the
right of suffrage, but there must be
affirmative legislation to give it ef
feet. Either there must be amend
ment of state constitutions which are
In direct conflict with the federal
amendment, he holds, or congress
must pass an act specifically con
ferring the right to vote on women.
It will seem to the layman that there
Is ultra-legal hair-splitting in the
contention that the "amendment
does not confer upon women the
right to vote, but only the right not
to be discriminated against because
of their sex." He concedes that any
state constitution which affirmatively
denied the right of suffrage to women
"would be unconstitutional" when the
federal amendment is ratified, "but a
state constitution which confers the
' vote upon men but fails to confer it
upon women does not deny the vote
to women within the meaning of the
proposed amendment. A curious
situation would be presented if the
Massachusetts view should prevail.
It would be this: that states (if there
are any such) which affirmatively
declare in their constitutions that
women shall not vote will be com
pelled to grant the ballot, on the
theory that those constitutions are
enact a criminal penalty clause, j
since the remedy exists in the sug- '
gestion of Judge Cooley that "any
court, state or federal . . . must
take notice of and act upon the pro
hibition." il is of academic interest only that
there still stands In the constitution
of the state of Oregon the provision
(Article 2. Section 6): "No negro,
Chinaman or mulatto shall have the
right of suffrage." The curious ob
stinacy with which the people have
retained this section has not served
to nullify . the . fifteenth federal
amendment. We presume that, un
der the Massachusetts ruling, this
would have been held unconstitu
tional and void, while on the other
hand, if there had existed instead
only a provision that "white men"
were qualified to vote it would have
required affirmative legislation to
remove the bar sought to be removed
by the federal amendment: In
other terms, the way to prohibit is
to be careful not "o prohibit. We do
not suppose, without having exam
ined all of the state constitutions,
that any state forbids woman suf
frage with the precision of the Ore
gon prohibition of negro suffrage. It
would be all the better for women if
they had done so, should the Mas
sachusetts theory prevail. ,
We cling to the notion that the
states which do not permit women
to vote are denying them the right to
vote. This denial the proposed nine
teenth amendment expressly forbids.
If the Delaware house can be per
suaded to act favorably, and noth
ing adverse comes to pass through
the Ohio litigation, it i3 a long-shot
wager that suffrage for women will
be the law of the land without wait
ing for either congress or the states
to take further action.
but it may yet come to the point
where the wearing of last year's
clothes, service or civilian, will be
regarded as a badge of character. It
will show, at least, that the principles
of thrift are beginning to prevail
again, and that there is sound
thought, rather than mere emotion
alism, in the effort to cut down the
high cost of living.
CETfSrS PHlIXSOPHT.
"What difference does the census
make?" philosophically inquires the
Aberdeen World. "Not very much.
perhaps. It chiefly affects the city's
pride."
The occasion of the World's easing
remarks was the announcement of
the census figures for Aberdeen.
The result was 15,337. The directory.
school census, bank deposit, post-
office and other qualified experts are
able to make a satisfactory showing
that the real total Is at least 17,000,
but somehow the unfeeling govern
ment of the United States refuses to
be convinced.
But what of it? Take the case of
Spokane. The census return, just
announced, is for 104,204, or 196 less
than In 1910. Now hear Spokane
howl. " Tou can be comparatively
calm when your town has shown a
material gain in a decade, but an
actual loss is a jolt. Of course the
census is wrong. Spokane will set
about to prove it, and may succeed.
We hope it will. Indeed, we believe
it.
We wonder how Portland, which
is looking for 300,000 or more ask
any Portland booster will feel when
and if it shall turn out that the
census gives about 275,000. No, this
is not a tip.
THE STRAW VOTE.'
It is noticeable as regards straw
votes that no matter how painstak
ing their fairness or how complete
they may be they are Indicative, as a
rule, only of general results. As to
plurality figures they are not borne
out in the election.
' The poll undertaken by the Liter
ary Digest Is doubtless the most com
prehensive ever attempted prior to
an election. There can be no doubt
as to its fairness. The compilation
in the issue of May 8, prepared in
advance of last week's primaries. In
dicated with accuracy the republican
choice for president in Ohio, Indiana
and California as it was expressed
later at the polls by the voters. But
the total vote to be accorded each
leading candidate was not truly fore
cast. In California the Digest's poll re
corded more than 41,000 straw votes.
Therein Johnson had a lead over
Hoover of 2106. The Digest's poll
named " eight candidates, whereas
there were but two, Johnson and
Hoover, on the primary ticket. In
the poll Johnson and Hoover got all
but about 6000 of the straw votes. If
it be assumed that these 6000 voters
and others of similar mind split
evenly between Johnson and Hoover
in the real election Johnson would
have had a majority over Hoover of
about 28,000 in the 568,000 votes cast
In the primaries and so far tabulated,
had the Digest's poll been borne out.
But Johnson's actual lead in that
number of votes is 159,273. If it be
assumed that every one who voted in
the Digest's poll for Wood, Lowden,
Harding and others voted for John
son in the primaries. Johnson's ma
jority over Hoover would still be only
116.000 instead of 159,000, were the
poll a true index.
Likewise the Digest's poll indi
cated that Ohio would give Harding
a plurality of but little more than
4000, whereas his plurality according
to official count after the primaries
was 14,692. In Indiana, according to
the Digest's poll. Wood's plurality
should have been about 32,000,
whereas it was 5947.
Probably In the failure of a poll
accurately to forecast election fig
ures are Involved indifference and
interest of respective classes of vot
ers! failure of mail to reach voters
who do not remain long in one place,
and also Impracticability of confin
ing republican and democratic polls
conducted at long distance to voters
of those faiths.
probably have to serve, trained , or
hot.
Pacifists have estimated the cost
of compulsory training aione as high
as 11,314,000,000. The finance de
partment of the army estimates that
after six years, when the system
would be in full operation, the cost
of training would be $135,000,000 a
year and that of all military forces
--reguiar army, national guard and
training camps combined would be
$654,000,000, or much less than that
of the big regular army proposed by
the war department.
The plan for compulsory training
is postponed, but not finally rejected.
It will not down, for events are mor
ally sure to call renewed attention to
its necessity. Reason is bound to
overcome prejudice and misrepresen
tation, . backed up, as it will be, by
danger until the league of nations
becomes the dominant moral force,
supported by the physical force of
the world.
FOR A FAIR UNDERSTANDING.
The Oregonian is not devoting much edi
torial space to the federal probe of the
shipbuilding industry in Portland. a
strange contrast to the Interest It has
taken in all investigations of government
activities during the war. More than this,
its news stories are colored to make things
look as favorable as Qowible for the de
fendants In their fight to keep their books
and records out of the hands of the fed
eral grand Jury, although this action on
their part Is tantamount to an admission
of guilt In the eyes of the public. The
ships were being constructed during the
emergency of war on the cost plus plan In
order that work might be rushed and the
builders protected against possible loss,
and naturally the government, which was
paying the bills and a stipulated profit
above the cost, should have a right to see
the books. Eugene Guard.
The Oregonian has an old-fashioned
idea that a newspaper may not
with propriety certainly not with
impunity discuss the merits of any
cause in process of actual hearing
by a court. This may not be under
stood at Eugene, but here there is an
appreciation both of the rightful
privileges of a newspaper and of the
proper dignity of the judiciary.
It may be appropriate, however,
nnw fhnt thA Immerliatfi hearing is
unconstitutional, while those which r concluded to that the issues.
merely omit specific provision for
the ballot by women would be en
tirely competent by omission to ex
clude women from the polls. Of
course, the states which have hereto
fore granted the ballot to women
would not be required to await fur
ther action either by congress or the
states; even should the Massachu
setts idea prevail, this ray of light
will penetrate the gloom.
Can a prohibitory amendment to
the constitution be set at naught by
an unfriendly congress merely by the
latter's inaction? It Is true that it
may require supporting legislation to
make its administrative features
fully effective. This is true, for ex
ample, of the liquor prohibition
amendment. But the amendment it
self probably has the power of exe
cuting itself. Judge Cooley says that
"a prohibition of a power in the fed
eral constitution defeats any attempt
at its exercise, and any court, state
or federal, that may have cognizance
of a case in which the power can
come into controversy must take no-
tice and act upon the prohibition."
Now, it will seem (to the layman,
anyway) that if Massachusetts should
attempt to exclude women from the
polls after the nineteenth amend
ment has been ratified, it would be
trying to exercise a power which it
is forbidden to exercise. The fif
teenth amendment presents a pecu
liarly forceful analogy because the
rfineteenth was drawn in the light of
the experience which it had given
us. The fifteenth amendment pro
vides: The right of the citizens of the United
States to vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United states or by any
state on account of race, color or previous
condition of servitude.
The language of the pending suf
frage amendment is:
The right of citizens of the ITnited
States to vote shall not be denied
abridged by the United States or by any
atate on account of sex.
The ensuing section in each article
gives congress power to enforce the
article "by appropriate legislation.'
"It is unquestionable," says the au
thority heretofore quoted, referring
to the fifteenth amendment, "that
the amendment is i-elf-executing to
this extent, that all laws and pro
visions of state constitutions which
conflict with it were at once anulled.
Congressional legislation could only
be needed to prevent the impartial
rule of the constitution being nulli
fied by failure of officers to give ef
fect to it." It would Eeem that the
amendment itself does the very thing
which the Massachusetts attorney
general denies that it does that In
and by itself it prohibits nullification
by inaction. But it will not appear
tbat we rccd to wait for congress to
when finally determined, will define
the powers of the federal govern
ment and the rights of a citizen or a
corporation in a most important
matter. The government, making
charges of fraud, demanded the cus
tody, for the uses of the grand jury,
and doubtless of the United States
agents, of all the books of two ship
building concerns in transactions
covering construction of sixty-two
vessels. The companies resisted on
the ground that they could not carry
on their business without their
books, making the point that a sub
poena duces tecum for the books was
ii fact a search warrant, and that no
search warrant could issue without
specific charges of wrong-doing.
They offered to permit the United
States attorney to examine the books
on the ground without interference,
or the' special agents to have the
same privilege if the companies
might have present their own repre
sentatives during the examination.
The court ruled that the grand jury
was within its powers in demanding
all the books. The offers ot the
companies were rejected. The case
is on appeal.
The percentage of truth in the"
Guard's little article is fairly illus
trated by its statement about cost
plus. Two of the ships, built by one
of the companies, were sonstructed
on cost plus. Building of four others
was begun on cost plus, but they
were finished on lump-sum con
tracts. All the others some fifty-six
were built on lump-sum contracts.
not cost plus. .
The conduct of the companies may
or may not be reprehensible, and
they may or may, not by their
course -have made an admission of
guilt in the eyes of the public. But
they are entitled to a fair statement
and a fair public understanding of
their case.
An echo of the late lamented over
alls campaign is heard in the an
nouncement of President La Guardia
of the New York board of aldermen
that he intends to wear his olive drab
service shirts to work until they are
worn out, or until the laundries find
it in their hearts to launder white
collars at a good deal less than the
present prevailing price. The idea
embodies the best that there was in
the overalls movement, minus the
objectional feature that wearing any
particular style of garment had the
inevitable effect of increasing the
price of that garment, without bene
fit to anyone except the garment
dealers. Mr. La Guardia happens to
be fortunate in the possession of cer
tain relics of his service overseas
which, add distinction to the wearer;
THE FACTS OF THE CASE.
Opposition to compulsory military
training is a remarkable case of mis
representation or blunt denial of
facts and of blindness to the teach
ings of experience. Those are the
plain implications of Senator Wads
worth's speech in favor of that pol
icy and of its rejection by the sen
ate. Pacifists say that we are a peace
ful people, have few wars and there
fore do not need to train our citi
zens. In fact two-thirds of all gov
ernment expenditures from 1789 to
1920 have been, for war and in pay
ing bills left over from war.
"Victory over Germany under the
draft law is by some regarded as
evidence that we do not need com
pulsory training in peaee time. When
war with Germany was declared, the
regular army consisted of 120,000
mon. It was rapidly increased by
volunteers, but the first division did
not sail for France until two month"
later, and It consisted of 50 per cent
of green, raw recruits. On reaching
France tt had to go into training.
It is assumed that there Is plenty of
time to organize a citizen army after
war Is declared. The national guar.d
was hot snt to concentration cacps
until five months, and the first draft
ed men did not go to cantonments
until six' months after war was de
clared. In the five -months from
August 1, 1914, the Germans con
quered Belgium, advanced to the
Marne, were driven back and were
prevented from reaching the channel
ports only by the almost superhuman
efforts of the allies. In the Si'.me
period the Russians won two Austri
an provinces and crossed the Carpa
thlans, advanced into East Prussia
and were driven out. Those fact"
suggest what might happen in five
months if the United States alon
were to make war on a well prepared
nation with no trained citizen army,
The only safe alternative to
trained citizenship is a large regular
army. The war department pro
posed such an army of 576.000 men
which would have cost $800,000,000
a year. It would not have been large
enough for defense and Its cost
would have been prohibitive.
In all our wars we have relied on
citizen soldiers, but because they
lacked previous training wars were
prolonged and that with Spain w
marked bv great loss of life through
sickness due to ignorance, a result
of iin preparedness.
Compulsory training is called mill
tarism by its opponents, but militar
ism is a state of mind cultivated by
despotic rulers and created by con
tinuous service for two or three
years, which is apt to convert
man from a citizen Into a profes
sional soldier with a soldier's reli
ance on force. .
The war department's bill pro
posed three months' training for citi
zens in addition to a large regular
army, but it also provided that the
trained citizen should be drafted
into the regular army, where he
would be dominated by the profes
sional. Such an army could have
dominated the country. Danger lies
in a large professional army, not In
citizens trained for a few months,
then sent back to civil life.
The senate bill would have avoid
ed this danger by keeping the trained
citizens distinct as a citizen reserve.
behind the national guard, which
would be the first citizen reserve.
Both would become parts of the
United States army in war, bnt they
would not be absorbed into the regu
lar army, as they were in the wars
with Spain and Germany.
After training, each young man
would return to his own locality,
where he would be assigned to a
reserve unit at his home, commanded
by reserve officers drawn from
among his neighbors, which could
be called to serve only in a great
war. If such a war came, he would
ONE PASSENGER DEPOT.
Meeting in Portland of the chief
executive officers of the five rail
roads entering the city to consider
plans for operation of all passenger
trains from one depot is an earnest
that that long . deferred hope Is at
last to be realized. Scattering of pas
senger trains among several depots,
which caused transfers by street car
or taxi with extra expense and loss of
time of the traveling public, has long
been conceded to be uneconomical
and Inconvenient for both the roads
and the public. Experience with a
common terminal under government
operation has doubtless so impressed
this fact on the minds of the presi
dents that they are determined to get
together and to overcome the ob
stacles which have hitherto stood in
the way of agreement.
If any doubt remained as to es
tablishment of a union depot in fact
as well as name in the near future,
It would be removed by the pro
visions of the Cummins-Esch law.
The Interstate Commerce commis
sion is given authority to require
joint or common use of terminals"
on terms agreed between the car
riers or, if they fail to agree, on such
terms as the commission finds just
and reasonable. That provision gives
the more incentive to the railroads
to agree voluntarily and assures the
city of one passenger depot in any
event.
There should be small difficulty
about consolidation. The present
nion depot is used by all through
trains except those running over the
North Bank road. The depot ground
of the latter road closely adjoins
that of the terminal company and
could be annexed. The present Union
depot building has already become
too small for the city's traffic and
will probably prove to be badly lo
cated with regard to the enlarged
rea available for tracks, and a new.
far larger one will naturally follow
consolidation.
Consolidation of passenger ter
minals will fit in well with the plan
or new freight terminals which
forms part of the Swan island proj
ect. The latter will make the present
freight yards available for expansion
of the passenger yards, which in
creased traffic will flemand by the
time that project is completed. By
co-operation and joint use of facil
ities the roads would then have scope
for the city s growth during many
years. .
SNIFFED OCT, JUST LIKE THAT
No Such City as Portland In Oregon
Says Potofflce Department.
(Harvey's Weekly.)
Mr. Burleson has canceled Port
land. There Isn't any Portland. Ore
gon, any more. Like Sioux City, the
largest municipality In South Dakota,
and a number of other bustling
centers of population In various parts
of the country to which the political-master-general
objected. Portland has
gone sunk without trace. The fol
lowing letter, which came to us ac
companied with the envelope bearing
the official record of the postoffice
deuftrtment's decision that there is no
such place as Portland, tells the sad
story:
Sir On the subject of our postal
service:
Enclosed please note envelope, bear
ing address as follows: t
A H. Tanner. Esq.,
311 Spalding Bldg..
Portland, Oregon.
It was mailed to the above address
on January 15. 1919, and returned
after 18 days, marked: "No such post
office in state named."
Thinking that the mail service
might have discovered the existence
of some municipal dotlet named
"Portland," the letter was remailed
with the same address, plainly type
written, and after 15 days was again
returned, marked as follows: "No
such postoffice in state named."
Inasmuch as the letter concerned
Important litigation in Oregon, it was
mailed the third time, and accom
panied by a telegram. The second
envelope was sent to Mr. Tanner,
simply to advise him of the fact that
there was no such town as the one
he lived In. Strange to say. the third
attempt was successful.
I address this communication to the
city of New York, state of New Tork,
and should there be euch a town
known to Mr. Burleson, you may re
ceive it. S. D. CRUMP, Denver, Colo.
It is really too bad about Portland.
The whole country will mourn its loss.
It was such a beautiful, flourishing
city one of the handsomest nf th
Those vVho Cone and Go.
brilliant string of civic jewels that
adorn our Pacific coast. It was listed
as number 28 of the 100 lare-esit rlrl
in the United States. It was credited
with a population of 207.214 in the
census of 1910. We have not seen the
figures of its population under the
1920 census, but in 1919 its estimated
population was 350.000. And now it is
no more. Where it once stood is now
empty a civic vacuum.
How soon will New York's turn
come? Our correspondent, ns ha
states, addressed his letter to us as of
the city of New York, state of New
York. And it miraculously reached its
destination. So. up to that time at
least Mr. Burleson was still permit
ting New York, both state and city,
to live. But how much ' longer are
New Yorkers to be thus indulged?
Who can tell? Nobody can tell. In
an age of mail-delivery miracles, al
most anything may happen; and it
generally does.
George Harris Just can't keep away
from the orient. Mr. Harris, who
lives at the Imperial when he is in
the United States. left yesterday for
India and Java. Mr. Harris has
heard the temple bells of India so
many times that they are familiar to
him as an alarm clock, and as for
Java, he is as much at home there
as a Dutchman. In the years which
he has been traveling throughout
India, Japan, China, Java, the Straits,
Siberia. Russia, and the rest of thai
lands over there. Mr. Harris has I
managed to maintain his health and
pep. "The main secret is to be care
ful of what you eat. If you must
have vegetables." says he, "be cer
tain that they have been thoroughly
cooked. And be certain, if you drink
any of the local water, that it has
been thoroughly boiled. The casual
traveler who overlook these impor
tant matters will soon suffer the con
sequences of his rashness and igno
rance." Mr. Harris returned to Port
land only a few weeks ago and hardly
had time to shake hands with his
friends before he was ordered off
again. Thi time he will be absent
about a year.
"Prohibition is depopulating Calu
met. Mich.," declares Captain Thomas
Hoatson of that city, and his state
ment is confirmed by Mose Banditini.
a merchant, both of whom are. at the
Hotel Portland. "The foreigners in
and around Calumet are going- back
to the old, country, and their reason
is simply that they cannot have their
wine, as well as their bread, in
America." Captain Hoatson is presi
dent of the Calumet & Arizona Min
ing company, and . is worth a few
millions. Mr. Banditini is secretary
and treasurer of the company, and
the mine is near Bisbee. Ariz. Last
year they came to Portland and. de
voted a. week to fishinsr around Tilla
mook and had such a good time that
they are out here again. On the tor-
ner trip they had Al fierce, manager
f the Seward, as guide, philosopher
and friend, and today they are jour
neying to Salem to greet Mr. Pierce,
who is now managing the Marion.
The mining men have winter homes w "
m southern California, but their . jd en
summers they spend in good old t-ai-umeL
That Missouri girl, sixteen, who
killed her stepfather for alleged
reasons that would have justified
discharge if proved, was found guilty
on her second trial. About four
years ago she killed Ler father when
he was abusing her mother. There
is no doubt she is handy with a gun
and this may have been the jury's
view of the case.
Heart-balm quotations are rising.
in Seattle, at least, where a husband
wants $50,000 from the skipper of a
tugboat. At that rate the captain of
a liner would be good for $100,000.
Diversion, real or alleged, is costly
these days.
If sugar is going to 4 0 cents and
there's not much to hinder it going
higher because of prohibition and
consequent consumption of candy.
there will be something doing in
spite of "booze-hound" activities.
The movement to foster the build
ing of shacks should be encouraged.
Many a fine dwelling began that
way. The owners will not always live
that way depend upon the pride of
the womenfolk.
Ptomaine sufferers can get ready
relief by taking castor oil at once
"a bottle's the dose" but it's "hor
rible" stuff and . recalls the days
"when a feller had no friend at
home,"
PLATFORM CONVENTION FAVORED
Judse Lowell Would Have It Called
After Primary Is Over.
PENDLETON, May 7. (To the Ed
itor. Permit me to commend The Or
egonian's leading editorial Sunday en
titled "Every One His Own Platform."
The writer has been an advocate of
party conventions from the incention
of the direct primary in Oregon. The
assembly of ten years aso was
blunder because it sought to restore
tne discredited system . hich the di
rect primary supplanted. Had its
sponsors been satisfied to hold a Dart-9
convention for conference and for th
adoption of a platform, it is probable
that there would have been substan
ua.uy.no opposition eitner then or
now.
As one who had some share in the
adoption of the present nominating
system, and who condemned the as
sembly venture. I feel that my opin
ions may not be very far divergent
from the mass of the republicans of
the state when I say that it Is my
judgment that the chairman of the
state .committee will be justified In
calling a convention of the party soon
after the primaries have been held, to
the end that an organization may be
affected, a declaration of principles
promulgated and the party marshalled
for a .November victory. I am not
favorable to any convention until
after the people have made the nominations.
There are faults in the primary
scheme, but they are of slight moment
beside the corruption and bosslsm
which were concomitants of the'eau
cus and convention of 20 years ago.
io those of us who were In the polit
ical game in those days the frequent
ly heard charge that all candidates
are now self-seekers seems childish.
When, pray, did the party ever seek
its candidates? Under the old system
no man could be nominated without
bowing the knee to a boss, or without
promising in advance political favors
wthout stmt- Self-seeking was the
rule, and there were no exceptions.
The people will jealously guard
their prerogative of making nomina
tions, and properly so. The conven
tion as it once existed will never re
turn, but following the nominations, a
party, convention is needed to, com
plete and perfect the work of the
electorate.
STEPHEN A- LOWELL.
Lloyd George and the English peo
ple are laughing at the request of
the eighty-eight congressmen who
offered the latest Interference in the
conduct of Ireland, and why not?
That .Roman chemist who has a
liquid to make a car go 250 miles on
a gallon belongs in this country.
where there is room for a ten-gallon
spin not in Italy.
Putting up a big circus tent is supposed-
to be the acme of human ma
chine work until one sees a big rail
road replace a burned-out bridge.
That's efficiency.
Labor's political nonpartisan man
agers can be congratulated on knock
ing out Joe Bailey of Texas, who
would go to the convention.
The Mayflower is being fitted for
the presidential summer cruise, but
it will be considered confining after
the George Washington.
TTi. name is ratrick James O'Con-
nell and he comes from Butte where
he owns a comfortable supply of
stocks and bonds in the Silver Bow
mines which produce a nice income
when, the "wobs are wonting ne
tween strikes. He checked in at the
Multnomah yesterday morning ana
checked out again last night. "Port
land's a nice little city, all right, sain.
he. "but it's Victoria for mine. Ana
the Montana mininsr mat displayed
an Edwards button, which was pinned
to his light gray vest, next to ni
heart. "Sou see, I've just returned
from Havana, where a corkscrew is
still a good kitchen utensil. I struck
it back for this part of the country
for a month, but with the warm
weather coming on again, I decided to
travel northward and Victoria, from
all accounts, is a refreshing oasis
when a man's dry." So saying. he
slipped the porter a piece of "jake,"
a couple of suitcases and departed for
the northbound train.
R. E. Bratton of Grants Pass is at
Via Multnomah. In the vicinity of
the oass. the road work is getting
under way and the mud of Sexton
mountain is drying out. Below Grants
Pass, where the Pacific highway
the Roe-ue river, the new con
crete bridge has been completed and
it is one of the most attractive struc
tures on the entire length of the
hie-hwav. Until a few years ago
tourists driving through, preferred
shipping their cars from Grants Pass
to Cottage Grove, rather than, attempt
to push through the new grades. The
cars which undertook to drive through
crenerallv required a team to drag
them part of the distance.
There Is one county official in Ore
gon who doesn't worry about being
nominated and re-elected as regularly
as the primaries and elections roll
around. This person, who is almost a
personage, is Til Taylor, high sheriff
of Umatilla county. In Umatilla the
people vote for Til Taylor as a mat
ter of habit and he is as much an in
stitution as the reservation, the
wheat fields or the roundup and when
it comes to the roundup. Til is boss
of the ranch. Sheriff Taylor is
booked at the Imperial.
What Leslie Butler doesn't know
about Hood River isn't worth re
cording. Mr. Butler has been there
so long, that he is as familiar with
the valley, the town and its people
as he is with the A-B-C's. The ap
ple orchards were in their infancy
when Mr. Butler identified himself
with the commercial interests of the
community and as president of a
bank he was in position to know
more of the real inside about the
profits of the orchards than possibly
any other man. He is registered at
the Benson.
WORKERS DIVIDED BETWEEN S
Men in Lumber Camps Want Lowden
or Johnson, Says Lowden Supporter.
PORTLAND, May 7. (To the Edi
tor.) I have read with interest The
Oregonian's articles on presidential
favorites and I wish to tell you and
your readers not what I have hfcard
but what I know about these candi
dates. " I am a laboring man and have a
good knowledge of what the laboring
men think in the lumbering districts.
Their choice is either Lowden or
Johnson, and you will find that both
of these men will have a'larger fol
lowing than you probably imagine at
this time. The question is which of
these two men do the people of Ore
gon really want? This question I am
not able to answer but I want to say
what I personally know about Low
den. I was raised in the same neighbor
hood and taught school at the same
place as Mr. Lowden. Frank O. Low
den comes from one of the finest fam
ilies in Iowa and not being endowed
with wealth he was taught to look
out for himself. This Mr. Lowden did
and all his attainments, all the height
to which Mr. Lowden has climbed, are
due to the wonderful spirit and en
ergy of the man. He fought his way
up to his present position not by
crowding others down but by looking
straight ahead and pushing along. 1
have followed this man from the bare
foot boy on the Iowa farm through all
his career through school, through
the profession" of law, through con
gress and up to the position as gov
ernor of the great state of Illinois,
and all the way through he has made
good. Mr. Lowden Is not a radical,
and be assured if nominated he will
unite all the different factions in the
republican party and lead them to
victory.
Friends, laboring men. clerks, all
classes of humanity never needed to
use so much care in the selection of a
man as we do just now. Anarchy and
unrest at our very door. We don't
want a radical man. We want a solid,
true and tried man, and I personally
and the whole state of Illinois and
every one who has any acquaintance
with the man knows that Prank O.
such a man. Even the
democratic party of Illinois in 191S
passed a resolution while in conven
tion indorsing Mr. Lowden for his
patriotism and splendid business administration.
I am intensely interested In the
welfare of our country; my first vote
was cast for James A. Garfield and
never before or since that time have
I felt such an interest. I am not a
politician but feci it my duty to give
this warning.
R. A. KL1TZING.
1414 Oatman street, Portland. Or.
More Truth Than Poetry.
By Jamea J. Montague.
BLUE JEANS.
When furniture got pretty high.
In eighteen sixty-four.
And no one but the rich could buy
Their outfits at the store.
The common folks in every town
And city in the land.
Conspired to bring the prices down
And bought theirs second-hand.
But when they'd made a market for
Old beds, with legs askew.
The second-hand men charged them
more
Than if the stuff was new.
And now, if any buyer seeks
For tables that are old.
He finds that they are called antiques
And worth their weight in gold.
And therefore when we hear today
That people view askance
The prices they are asked to pay
For coats and vests and pants.
And say that they will wear blue
jeans
Those garments of the farm
And thus conserve their modest
means.
We shudder in alarm.
For well we know, and much we fear.
If ladles pay their calls.
And men upon the street appear
Arrayed in overalls.
The price of working clothes will soar
And in the next few weeks
We'll have to pay a fortune for
A suit of blue antiques.
.
A Winning: Quality.
There will be no opposition to heap
ing honors on the army mule. Any
thing with a kick is popular nowadays.
Tryinjl Is Out.
We are afraid if we made a good
job of Armenia the allies would give
us a mandatory for Ireland.
Junkets Come Illch.
The surest way to boost the H. C.
L. is to have a congressional investi
gation into It.
iCopyrlBbt, 1020, by the Bell Syndicate.
Inc.)
SNAKES OK SERVICE TO MANK1MJ
Valuable Agency for Destruction of
Vermin Deserves Human Protection.
PORTLAND, May 7. (To the Edi
tor.) I read with much interest the
story on snakes appearing in the
magazine section of The Oregonian
last Sunday and am prompted to
make a few remarks in defense ot
the snake.
I feel very grateful to The Ore
gonian paper for having taken up
this defense and hope that it may be
carried forward by other papers
throughout the country, as from my
study of snakes I feel there has
always been practiced against them
the most harmful of methods; they
have been proved to be the most
successful destroyers of vermin in
the country! especially the slug. This
has been actually proved by the ag
ricultural department of Pennsyl
vania, . whose work along this line
was carried on by Professor Surface,
who has written a book on snake
anatomy a very interesting and
helpful book along this line. The
fear of the snake should be directed
In Other Days.
Twenty-five Years Ago,
Prom The OreKonian of March S. 1S93.
Coroner Cornelius yesterday held
an inquest on the body of John K.
Hamilton, roadmaster of the Consol
idated Street Car company, -.who
death occurred Monday from input
received by a fall on the previi
day.
The executive committee of th
Floral society met in the office of
the state horticultural board. Chamber
of Commerce yesterday afternoon to
discuss plans for the annual rose
show, which will probably take place
during the second or third week in
June.
The steamer Elmore brought down
from Salem yesterday a merry party
of excursionists. There were about
200 people and the day was spent
in viewing the sights of the metro
polis, notwithstanding the cloudy
weather.
Now that the school year is com
ing to an end and the engagements
of ail teachers are about to expires
applications for positions as teachers
are pouring in at a rapid rate.
Tale of the St. Bernard Dos.
Exchange.
Although the tunnels which now
connect Switzerland with Italy have
greatly decreased the importance of
the St. Bernard and other passes, es
pecially during the eight months of
it is still deemed advisable to
snow.
toward the jungles, where many lives ! employ St. Bernard dogs
are lost each year, and whole settle
ments destroyed by fire.
I desire at this time to make a re
quest of your paper to endeavor to
plant a feeling of humanity toward
the snake rather than the fear which
exists today, and am anxious to have
a movement started whereby all the
papers of this and other countries
will take up the fight for the snake.
If you give these remarks space, I
trust that each reader will help to
protect our snakes, which are the
greatest vermin destroyers on earth,
and to turn their attention to keep
ing down the fires that destroy our
tiniber and the homes and lives of
many settlers each year.
P. HALDKJIAX,
K0t Montana avenue.
It is no
ttio-or customary, however, to send
out the doi;s alone with baskets of
food and drink; a man always accom
panies them. These dogs are not really
of the famous old St. Bernard breed.
That originated in the 14th century,
through a cross between a shepherd
dosr from Wales and a Scandinvanian
dog whose parents were a Great Dane
and a Pyrenean mastiff. The last pure
descendant of this tribe was buried
under an avalanche in 1816. Fortu
nately, there were found subsequently
at Martigny and on the Simplon pass
a few dogs which by crossing with
mates from Wales yielded the mod
ern St. Bernard dog, which is physi
cally even stronger than his medieval
namesake and ehares most of his
Fining and jailing do not seem to
stop all the speeding, but the money
is needed by the city and the law is
on the book anyway.
One Delaware house has ratified
suffrage, but the rest of the pin
hole state Is doubtful.
A French woman of quality wear
ing an American-made hat! Revolu
tion would follow.
Great baseball weather, but the
Beavers are doing better away from
home.
NEW ARMY CONTRACTS AMAZE
Writer Reasons That Favored Inter
ests Are Grafting: Off People.
PORTLAND. May 7. (To the Edi
tor.) It has occurred to me that the
only way to correct an evil is to ex
pose its faults, and I am like a great
many people I did what I could in
a small way to help our government
out in a financial way, by Investing
in liberty bonds. Now, I am still
like a great many people, simply dis
gusted with the way our government
is being conducted.
I have found my bonds discounted,
my cost of living soaring out of
sight, and then find favored manu
facturers who are grafting on the
government declaring outrageous
dividends out of the excess profits
taken from the consumer. Is there
no way to remedy existing conditions?
I note in the "Shoe Retailer" of
April 24 .the names of manufacturers
who have just been awarded con
tracts for 600.000 pairs of shoes for
the army, (over 3, 000, 000) ranging
in price rrom o.to to b.8Jo per pair.
Other trade journals make notices
of other such contracts. I under
stand from those who know about
the matter that the government al
ready has on hand shoes enough to
supply our army for the next ten
years without any further, purchases
This is proven by the fact that the
army stores have been selling shoes
at a price claimed to be below cost.
Cannot some publicity be glveh to
these matters so that our lawmakers
will make some effort to give us an
honest deal? As It stands now, no
sane man would invest in a govern
ment bond, knowing the money is
going to be wasted in pleasure trips
to Honolulu or grafted by favored
trusts.
1 think it would be a good plan to
have some of these candidates who
seek re-election to explain why they
voted to waste the money.
J. C. SIMPSON.
Carranza "lasted" very well.
Soft-drink weather, too. Bah!
Children Play at "House."
Exchange.
"Let's play house," suggested S
year-old Alice to her twin brother.
Ned. "All right, he agreed, "you get
the broom and be the mother, and I'll
get the newspaper and be the father.1
A box of dynamite car was
dropped on the floor of the Multno
mah by Manager Campbell yesterday
and because the caps behaved them
selves, there is not a vacancy in the
management. A few days ago a
patron telephoned Mr. Campbell that
he had left a box of caps in his room
when checking out, and asked the
manager to keep the caps until a
contractor friend called. w nue re
moving some articles from his de
posit box yesterday the box leu. dui
there was no concussion.
Mrs. J. T. Bridges, whose husband
for years had the big turkey ranch
at Oakland. Or., and who shipped
turkeys from California to Washing
ton, is at the Hotel Portland. Since
the death or Mr. tsnages, oue i in
fluenza, his widow is carrying on the
turkey business. It was the Bridges'
turkeys which were partly respons
ible for Oakland. Or., having its fame
for this specialty.
"The public ought to lay off kick
ing about tne cost i onuca. viii
plained a footwear salesman at the
Benson. "The price of leather is
high, the workmen are receiving more
than they were ever paid before and
they are turning out less worn- xnere
e other tnings which int neupie
should complain about insteaa oi
shoes. The price of sugar, for in
stance." f
T v. Douelas has contributed his
share toward giving Seattle a skyline.
He is manager ot tne jicirupoinan
Building company and the company
has built the Arena auditorium, the
Metropolitan theater, the Hippodrome
and several office Dunaings. wnue
in Portland he is locatea at tne jnuii
nomah. No longer does A. R. Tiffany give
advice to the freshmen at the Uni
versity of Oregon. For years he acted
in the capacity of registrar, but fin
ally tired of it and went into the
printing business at Eugene. After
being in Portland on business for
several days, he returned home last
night. t
' R. L. Kosack, formerly in the
United States navy, rode from Seattle
to Portland Thursday In three hours
and 12 minutes. This is the time he
made in an airplane, not an automo
bile. A very short time, after they regis
tered, people began telephoning to
Mr. and Mrs. Julien Arnold at the
Benson. The Arnolds have been in
Pekin, China, for some time.
Boyville in Portland
Today and Yesterday
The back lots of the city, beyond the residences and factories,
where the dandelions have a chance at their destiny and the wild
currant strives for place, are the settings for multifarious boyisn
adventures relates De Witt Harry, special contributor to the mag
azine section of the Sunday issue. The manner in which this nar
ration takes up its subject is bound to make you remember the days
of real sport. With illustrations.
The Then and Ijfow of a Bathing Suit. Ahem! This discourse
touches upon the growth of daring in feminine bathing attire from
the modest sea togs of the year 1890 to those of 1920, which aren't
so modest, not by many yards. Gertrude Epperson, wnting m the
Sunday issue, and furnishing photographs of the bathing girls of
every decade during the last 30 years, is champion of the shapely
one-piece suits .of the present, as contrasted with the restrictive
modes of the past. "They know how to handle themselves in the
surf because their suits give them a chance," asserts Gertrude, refer
ring to modern bathing maids.
No Pugilist Could Cope With Chimpanzee. They've called the
modern knight of the squared circle a great many hard names,
have the sport writers and the clergy but the favorite slant is to
dub them "abysmal brutes." As a matter of fact they are athletes
trained to the minute, with every muscle and nerve and sinew re
sponding to the slightest impulse perfect physical mechanisms.
Yet such is the strength of great apes the gorilla and the chim
panzee that Carpentier, or Fred Fulton, or any of the great ones
of the ring past or present would meet death in terrible form
were they to cope with the wild anthropoid of the African jungle.
"Tarzan," of course, is a figment of fiction and in this article the
author, Camillu Phillips, purports to give the facts.
Why It Is Fun to Be President. The general public notion of
the presidency is that it is a task of carking care and crushing
responsibilities. There's no question about the magnitude of the
White House tenancy the job is huge but there are recompenses,
declares Rene Bach in a special article for the Sunday magazine
section. The reasons why even the president can have, if he will,
the best of times not mentioning his private yacht and special
train, are enumerated in this entirely timely topic tale.
The Bride Who Refused to Say "Yes." A most unusual wedding
story, in the Sunday issue, narrating the perplexity of the clergy
man when the bride suddenly ceased talking and began upon the
sign symbols of the mute language. Was she stricken dumb? The
answer is novel as given by Mrs. Nellie Gillespie, who was that bride.
Study Election Ballots'. There are four ballots to be voted in
Portland in the election of May 21 and three to be voted in the state
outside of Portland. All of these ballots, as they are officially pre
pared, will be printed tomorrow. Every voter will appreciate this
opportunity to familiarize himself with the election issues.
All the News of All the World
THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN
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