10 THE 'MOUSING OREGOXIAX, THURSDAY, DECE3IBER 9, 1920 4V--- 4w 2iw uiiiiu vyiijyHuw ESTABLISHED BY HENRY L. FITTOCK. Published by The Oreiconlan Publishing Co, 133 Sixth Street, Portland. Oregon. C. A. HORDES-. B- B- PIPER. Manager. fcditor. The Oregonian is a member of the Asso ciated Press. The Associated Press Is ex clusively entitled to the use for publication of all news dispatches credited to It or not otherwise credited in this paper and als the local news published herein. All rtghl of publication of special dispatches herein are alito reserved. Subscription Kates Invariably hi Advance. (By Mall.) Daily. Sunday Included, one year tS .00 IaMy. Sunday Includ-d. six months... 4.-3 Ijmlv Hundi.v inrliiripd- three months, 2.-v Ially. Sunday included, one month Daily, without Sunday, one year... Daily, without Sunday, six months.. Dally, withoutSunday, one month. "Weekly, one year..... Sunday, oe year ' 3 e.oo 3.25 .t0 1.00 6.00 (By Carrier.) Daily. Sunday included, one year. . . . . n.00 Daily. Sunday included, three months. -.-3 Daily, Sunday Included, one month... Dailv, without Sunday, one year 7. SO Dally, without Sunday, three months. l.5 Dally, without Sunday, one month.... 65 How to Remit Send postofflce money ordr. express or personal che'jic on your local bank. Stamps. cin or cif rency are at owner's risk, tiive po.toffice address In full, including- county and state. ro.tare Bat 1 to la papes. 1 cent: IS to '22 pugrx. '2 cents; 34 to 4s pages; 3 cents: 50 to 64 pages. 4 cents; 66 to 80 pages, 5 cents: H2 to 98 pages, 6 cents, foreign JJV Laf$ UtlUUlQ 1 LV. - Kantern Business Office Verree & Conk- lin. Brunswick building. New York; Verree ft Conklln. Steirer building, Chicago: Verree A- Conklln, Kree Press building, Detroit. Mfoh Hun Kranckcji rpnrpKBn ta tlve. R. J. Hidw'ell. WHAT UK KNOWS ABOUT ECONOMY. Nothing but total mental blindness to his own failures, utter incapacity to understand the motive of the peo ple in taking the government out of the hands of his party, can account for the solemn exhortation to econ omy which President Wilson ad dressed to congress. For the con duct of Mr. Wilson during the war and more especially since the war shows that he does not know the real meaning of the word "economy" or does not know how to practice it. The principal work of the republican administration will be to uncover all the facts of the' waste which has gone on and is still, going on and, in order to stop it, to rip wide open the"vast, disorganized ma chine by which it is perpetrated, to expose it to the people, to punish those who are criminally guilty, and to build anew. Though much has been revealed, every day brings some new revelation indicating that it is but half of the whole truth. The people sensed the worst, and made a clean sweep of the wasters. When the United States intervened in the war, the people expected waste, for they knew that war was waste, that unpreparedness doubles waste, and that by their own act in re-electing Mr. Wilson they had ap proved unpreparedness. They knew that time was. more essential lhasi money in wari and that, in order to win, it is justifiable to double ex penditure. But they saw unstinted expense accompanied by delay1 that well nigh proved fatal to success. Added billions should have brought added- military efficiency more guns, shell, airplanes, tanks at the front when the decisive struggle be gan. They saw the billions spent, but' few of these weapons of Ameri can make at the front. They saw $ 1,200,000,000 spent on army camps to train troops, but only 300,000 Americans were in France when the Germans made their last bid for vic tory on March 21, 1918. They spent billions for ships, but much more than half of the troops were carried on allied ships. Congress gave the president unlimited power to reor ganize the government for greater efficiency, but he added more boards with duplicated power to the exist ing inefficient organization, produc ing less result for more expense. When the armistice was. signed, J the need of lavish expenditure ended. The people were disposed to call the money already wasted water over the wheel, if then a real beginning at economy was made. They wanted generous provision for demobiliza tion of the army and for the care of the disabled and the families of the dead and permanently Incapacitated, out tney expected an early end to war expenditure. That work should have held equal place in the presi dent's estimation with making a peace treaty. He gave it practically no attention, but went to Paris, leav ing the spenders to go on spending; they did not know how to do any thing else. The greatest opportunity to practice economy to good purpose was during the eight months between Armistice day and Mr. Wilson's final return from Paris, which practically closed the fiscal year 1919, but it was thrown away. During those eight months the ad ministration continued to build sev eral army and aviation camps, which had become unnecessary. Work had just begun on a camp in Georgia, and the house military committee exacted a promise from Secretary Baker that it would be stopped, but after congress adjourned he resumed land purchases and building. Work was continued on a vast naval base at Norfolk, Va. Shipbuilding con tinued on only a slightly reduced scale on the Atlantic coast, though the unfavored Pacific coast suffered wholesale cancellations. These are but examples of general improvi dence. In disposing of munition fac tories, from which the army and navy had derived little or no benefit, recklessly bad bargains were made. For example, the powder plant and material stored at Nitro, W. Va., cost over $.70,000,000, but were sold for $8, 551. 000. On the other side of the account, the shipping board held . . . " mmc ui suiys mat far exceeded their after-war value, and thus kept on the hands of the government an asset which steadily depreciated. Its only apparent rea son being reluctance to take a loss by charging the depreciation to the war. The war risk bureau was the only one where added expense was justified, but with an immense staff it continued in dire confusion, and claims made two years ago have not been settled. There was as great need of a general plan for getting back to a peace basis as there had been of a plan to get on a war basis, but the government ran at loose ends while its head was absent. His con duct of the war does not indicate that there would have been mucl improvement if he had stayed at borne. After the war had ended, the ex ecutive departments asked congress la .December, 1918, for appropria tions for the year-ending June 30, 1920, exceeding 111. 500.000. 000. Thai was a democratic congress, but it cut these estimates deeply. A fili buster held over several appropria tioa bills for the new republican ongress, which cut off almost an other billion dollars-and could have cut artill more if It had "been dealing Tvith an administration that was will :nc to economize. As it was, the total c ppropriations for that fiscal yea " a yoar of poace which began almost eight months after the war ended ( were $3,848,738,332 less than the ! sum asked by departments. j Even for the fiscal year ending I June 30, 1921, which opened twenty months after hostilities ceased, the administration was unable to get back to a peace basis. It asked congress- for $5. 785, 812, 929. Exclusive of the postal and railroad services this was 516 per cent of the appro priations for 1916, and forty of the major items exceeded those for 1920 by an aggregate of $989,715,687. Congress reduced the total to $3, 975.000.000. Kqually illustrative of the inca pacity of the administration to re trench is the small decrease in number of government employment employes at Washington since the armistice. The number grew from 37,908 on April 1. 1917, to 117,454 on November 11, 1918, and had only shrunk to 96,266 on March 31, 1920, almost seventeen months later. There was a decrease of. 19,518 in the war and navy departments, but this was partly offset-by an actual inerease in other departments. But when con gress passed a law imposing some duty on a department, the head pleaded that he could not do 'it with out still more money: " The head of such, an administra tion does not know anything about economy, except to talk about it. One j or tne imperative duties or tne ward ing administration will be to learn where the money went, who got it' and why he got it Though no dis honesty may be proved against any high officials, when they run affairs so loosely, they throw the door wide open to thieves to steal millions. Evi dence against the shipping board" and regarding cantonments indicates that many . billions were stolen. The people will not be satisfied . unless the rascals, big and. little, are brought to justice, and the parasites who hang on the public payroll are sent to their homes, mostly in the south. - NOT TO BE DKIVEN. Somehow we are not surprised to find behind the new movement for a sinless Sunday the impeccable fig ure of the Reverend Clarence True Wilson. True, the National Reform association, whatever that is, has the great benevolence In hand; but Brother Wilson is co-operating, as might be expected. In an interview he is quoted as saying: I believe that instead of importing the continental Sunday with its loose morula and low idea's, we sliould replace our American Sabbath on its civic fituudatiotis. We need the Sabbath day for the sake of the men and women who toil, for the sup port of (he family life of the Republic, for the opportunity of the church. We should have .Sunday rest laws made for man apart from the rfillyioua significance of their re lation to God. What the nation needs is to have the civic foundations fcf its morals and ils religion made more firm, not for one, but for seven days, in the week. It may be doubted if the cause of the church is advanced by depriving the man of his jarolf, or his baseball, or of his automobile trip, or any other recreation on Sunday. But certainly it would be done if the church would offer him something that would lead, not drive, him away from his amusements. This ' the wise authorities of the church, in most of its denominations, see clear ly; and they are not joining any ef fort to create a puritanical sabbath. TOO MUCH JNDIFTc-KKENCE. The tragic and needless death of Miss Maud Ferguson, a valuable and esteemed school teacher, brings again to public attention the in creasing perils arising from reckless automobile driving. It may transpire-that the motor car which ran down Miss Ferguson was not going at excessive speed, . and that the driver was using what he deemed ordinary care. The night was dark, the streets wet and slippery, and the rain had made the usual blur on his wind shield. Yet it is true that any accident which might have been pre vented should be classed as due to carelessness or recklessness. Every automobilist knows the dangers of night-driving in the rain The hazard is then vastly increased and there is no commensurate meas ure of caution on the part of the man at the wheel, if it be assumed that the accident which befell Miss Ferguson was attended by no excep-- tional circumstances, it is not too much to say that it might have hap pened to four out of five motorists in Portland on any rainy night, in any part of the residential district. Not one person who runs a car has failed to have the disconcerting ex perience of discovering in his effurse the unexpected apparition of a man or woman materialized with star tling vividness from somewhere or nowhere out of the dark and the rain. He or she is usually seen In time, and a tragedy is avoided; but the happy outcome is' as often due to luck, or to the agility of the pedes trian, as it is to the skill of the man in the speeding automobile. The records of the census bureau disclose that in 1919 a total of 3S08 persons were killed in the United States from automobile accidents. In New York alone the aggregate -of fatalities reached 780, an increase of 89 oyer the previous year, and more than double the number in 1915. The death rate in the nation is 14.1 out of every 100,000 inhabitants. These figures are appalling. The public reads them and virtuously re solves that something should be done. There is talk of one-way traf fic, safety islands, danger signals, limitation of licenses for drivers, re duction of the speed limit,' and the like. But very little is done. The reason probably is that nearly every person owns an automobile, or hopes to own one, and resents any real test of his ability as a chauffeur, or in terference with his freedom to go where he pleases, whenever he pleases, and. in too many instances, as fast as he pleases. Occasional fines accomplish small results; the threat of jail deters few; actual in carceration for any offense with an automobile is almost unknown. The time is at hand when the pub lic must take a sensible view of traf fic regulation. - Few people counte nance manslaughter; but that part of the public a very great number ; which is indifferent to the neces sity of real anti-speed laws and their effective enforcement is neverthe less an accomplice before the fact in many preventable deaths. By putting the financial screws on Greece, the allies have led that fickle people to take sober second thought about restoring their exiled king.' Greece has borrowed much money from Britain and France, and will need much more if it is to retain and develop the new territory given it by the treaty of Sevres. If it should persist in its Infatuation for Con stantine, its only friends would be bankrupt Germany, Austria, and Hungary, with the possible addition of Roumanla. among the allies, svnd it could get no loans from any of them. The allies have another string- to their bow. for several treaties give them a voice in the affairs of Greece through guaranty of a constitutional government. By the treaty of Sevres they renounce thes rights, but it has not yet been ratified, and' they may revise it by cutting out the clause mentioned. Greece may yet prefer greatness under Venizelos to a shrunken, starved existence under Constantine. 1DKAL1S.M AND FB.KK TOLLS. The repeal' of the Panama tolls legisla tion gave the American government a rep utation for fair dealing and honesty, which it had not always enjoyed .n forlga cnur tries. World's Work (New York).- No one knows why the free tolls act was repealed, except that Presi dent Wilson demanded it. He gave no reason, only that he wanted it done; and he wanted it done to guar antee the stability of our peaceful relations with some unnamed foreign power or powers. Affairs of "greater consequence and nearer moment" or some such Wilson phrase, was as near as he ever came to giving the source of the danger in international complications. Congress, under pres sure, inspired by the White House panic, real or simulated, gave in to the great Wilson ian idea of-internationalizing the Panama canal. The Wilson idealism comes high, in terms of dollars and cents, t There was idealism in the White House but practicalism in Great Britain. No idealism there, but just hardheaded commercialism. The real source, of the. demand to impose on .American vessels tolls for use of an American canal, costing $400, 000,000 of American, money, was doubtless Canada. It wanted to use the great waterway on eiual terms with American ships. It demanded aid from the imperial government and ' It was given. The dusty Hay Pauncefote , treaty was brought to light, and demand made on America to comply with its . terms as Creat Britain interpreted them In iti own interest. President Wilson yielded to Great Britain, and congress yield ed to "President Wilson; and Cana dian and British ships are carrying freight through the canal which might, and would, otherwise go to American ships. An idealism which dreams about what it can do for the benefit of the world stands little chance in conflict, with the commercialism of a nation which knows what It wants for itself. HOLD DOWN THE MEMBERSHIP. The present congress or, failing action by it, the new congress, has an opportunity so- prove its sincerity in promising, to reduce government expenditure when it comes to .make the new apportionment of members based on the census of 1920. IS very census since the constitution became effective, with the exception of that of 1840, has been followed by an in crease in the membership of - the house of representatives until it has reached 4 35. ' This is too large a membership for expeditious transaction of public business. It tends to concentrate ac tual control of business in the'hands of a few leaders, and it limits the sense of responsibility of members both by that fact and bydivision among so many. It adds to expense of government without correspond ing increase in service. Including salaries Of secretary, clerk afid ste nographer, each representative costs $12,000 a year directly, besides the cost of stationery and of printing speeches and documents. It buries many members in a crowd, reducing them to the status of agents for their districts and xt pliant party men. A smaller body is far more efficient, for each member's sense of responsi bility is proportionately increased. As .the population of the country grows, either the number of mem bers or the number represented by each member must . be increased, tvery state is reluctant to lose mem bers, therefore congress has taken the easy way by adding more mem bers from the states showing large increase of population.. The people look' o, the new congress' to abandon the easy way for the right way, though, it involve loss of a few mem bers by- some states. The member ship of the house should be . de creased, at the very worst it should not be increased; in order that one item in cost of government may be reduced or held stationary and that the house may work effectively. TOWNSHEND SEEKS VINDICATION. The chickens of British war-blunderers are coming home to roost. General Charles Townshend, the hero of Kut el Amara and the Irian select ed as the goat by the men guilty of the early disasters in Mesopotamia, has been elected to parliament from Wrekin. When he was nominated he had an invitation from' General Wraig-el to take command "o-f one of the white armies in south Russia, and he said the alternative for him was between Wrekin and W ran gel. The cause of Wrangel is now irre trievably lost, and his election has given him 'the alternative. The episode of the war in which Townshend was the leading figure was one of the most shameful for the Asquith cabinet. The British government called on 'that of India to supply troops and material for the campaign and continually enlarged the field of operations without con tributing more than most meagre aid, after it had for years imposed the most rigid economy on the In dian government. It first aimed to occupy the port of Basra-and vicin ity, but it was lured on by easy sue cess to penetrate farther into the country until after taking Kut Town shend was ordered to push on and take Bagdad with a worn and deci mated army. The result was the de feat at Ctesiphon, the tragic retreat to Kut, the siege and final surrender of that place. Attempts at relief were bungled as badly as was the whole campaign. Transport was mis erably deficient, being dependent on the Tigris river, the medical corps was weak and incompetent, and troops reached tfie front in driblets. The Turkish lines, were impregnable and the only chance of relief was to outflank them with a superior force But as troops arrived, they were wasted pieceneal on frontal attacks, a fine army was ruined, and Kut was lost. A commission brought out the whole story of criminal . folly and named high officers as guilty, among them being Lord Hardinge, viceroy of India, but none of them has been punished. If that had been done, re sponsibility would have been traced up to Asquith, then premier, and . to Austen Chamberlain, then secretary for India and now chancellor' of the exchequer. Influence was too strong An attempt was made to fix respon sibility on Townshend, but the worst that was said of him was that, when besieged, be scut misleading mes- sages to the relieving army, and that is disputed. Townshend may now demand that his record be cleared and that the blame be placed where it belongs. He will have a forum in the house of commons from which he can reach the whole British people and where he can-not be silenced. Asquith, who seems to imagine that the people have already forgotten his utter fail ure as a war premier, will be on the defensive, and Lloyd George will feel bound to stand by his colleague. Chamberlain. Admiral Jellicoe. another war hero, is also under fire. There has been a lively controversy in the Lon don Times on the question whether he showed undue caution at the bat tle of Jutland and should have fol lowed up the German fleet and de stroyed it, though he did lose more ships by torpedoes and mines. Men who are proud of British naval tra ditions are not pleased with' the con trast between Jutland and Trafalgar. CHKIST5L4S TREES. The ' estimate by -federal forestry officials that between four and five million young evergreens are used annually as Christmas trees is ac companied, fortunately for the peace of mind of certain ultra-conserva tionists, by the statement that the practice of cutting them does not threaten our forests witji extinction. It is the 'opinion of department of ficials that the custom is so old, so well grounded and so venerated that even if it, were economically some what indefensible, its social 'aspects would outweigh its disadvantages. There is, however, little or no rea son to suppose that the practice on the whole is incompatible with the welfare of the forests. Nature's amazing fecundity is il lustrated in her forests, in which millions of seedling trees in excess of the number necessary for mainte nance of the species spring up an nually. The superflous members of the forest company in due course of time would fail in the struggle for existence. ' It is .recognized by the department that Christmas trees cut the- vicinity of cities are taken from land that would never develop into commercial forests if let alone. but would be cleared in the ordinary course' of farm and town improve ments. For these reasons, the de partment is inclined' to encourage the age-old custom. A word of caution. is spoken, how ever, against vandalism in tree cut ting. The supply of Christmas trees, if not of commercial timber, will be conserved by care not to denude con siderable spots in any. one place and by treating the area from which trees are taken as a potential source of future supply. 'Trees ought to be cut in such, a manner as not to- fh jure those remaining, and precau tion should be taken against leaving litter, to inerease the fire hazard. With these rules in mind and with a little of the spirit of give-and-take such as ought to be easy to Invoke around Christmas time, the Christ mas tree ought to give joy perpet ually. Douglas fir is pre-eminently the Christmas tree of choice in the Pa cific northwest because it is the pre dominating evergreen, but Engle- mann spruce and most of the pines are also utilized. The custom dates back; to remote antiquity, and, is so. well established that it would jus tify' a department in forestry of its own if there were no other way to cater to the wholesome purpose that It serves. Portland nexxweek will have the only large poultry and pet stock show in this region this winter. Sec retary Whitmore says the exhibits will be free to the public. That is an innovation and assures record atten dance. There is something about, a chicken show that attracts not only the "cranks,"' but nearly all as well: everybody has. an idea as to getting rich with hens and goes to a show to prove it to others who will listen. The automobile Is here to stay un til the aeroplane succeeds it as the car did the bicycle: There will be accidents, with fatalities. Pedes trians have rights, but no right to take a chance; neither has a driver. The victim who is killed can say nothing; the ' driver who does the killing tells his one-sided story. Is a machine less dangerous than a gun? Irregularities with women lead to death and lesser troubles. The coun try will be deluged with the details of the killing of Jake Hamon, poli tician of Oklahoma, to its fill. The few commandments that pertain still hold good. ; Secretary Colby should be given what he asks to protect the Declara tion of Independence and the Consti tution. This country to not given much to worshiping idols, but those sacred documents must be kept from harm. Some fellows who carry a bottle of moonshine in the hip pocket may not know it was made from swill and may not care. The man who drinks moonshine has a thirst that passeth understanding. ',- Now it seems that Colonel House got $1000 a. month for the period when he was one of the peace com missioners at Paris. No wonder he maintained a dignified silence. The name Sandy road was in use when old citizens were barefoot boys. Calling it a boulevard was a conces sion to civic culture. Further change will be iconoclasm. Governor Cox in a letter to the local Cox club blames human nature for his defeat. It certainly would have been contrary to human nature for htm to win. Test shows many high school girls at Hood River have defective teeth, but, pshaw! who up -there eats the core and grinds the seeds. . Rains or showers, winds easterly or southerly, they are- Portland's own, and who would have them otherwise? After all, there's nothing like a baby for a Christmas present and the tree that blooms that way is blessed. Constantine says he expects to sail for Athens this week. He'd better play safe and buy a return trip ticket. Now that the war lords have been repealed it's really time to repeal the war laws. Ants, well diggers and profligates are builders who begin at the top. Comment on the weather is risky. something may jar loose. Stars and Starmakers. ' By Leone Caaa Baer. THEDA BARA closed her sbow, "The Blue Flame," in Chicago two weeks ago and we saw it the closing night. Personally I wonder why she delayed the closing. She is very sad as an actress on the speaking stage and the play is a mess. She may make the play over into a film, or she announced that she may retire to pri vate life and enjoy the. fortune she has accumulated. Sophie Tucker continues to be the sensation in Chicago, and her devotees follow her from one big vaudeville house to the next to hear her new songs and see her new frocks. She has one capital new melody called "Learning," composed by herself and Jules Buffano, the piano player in her jazz band, and which is being whis tled and hummed by everyone who hears Sophie sing It. Miss Tucker will not be out this way this season, and in May she resumes her engage ment in Atlantic City. Nfexf season she may go to London. ; She has been offered a big. engagement there and may take - it. i Chic Barrymore, featured as a Sanc er and soloist in "Hello, Alexander," is in Chicago, with Sophie Tucker. Little Miss Barrymore, who is no kin to the others "of the same name, left the Mclntyre and Heath production In Los Angeles and hurried back to Chicago and her friend. Miss Tucker, who has made Miss Barrymore's ca reer her especial care. Miss Tucker is writing a sketch, assembling new songs and music . and fitting the clever Barrymore youngster out -for vaudeville. ' Fritz Leiber, who used to play with Robert' Mantell, is now out on his own. We saw him billed all over Chicago in Shakespearean repertoire, but didn't drop in to see how,' he does it. You can see Shakespeare al most any time, but the "Follies and the "Irenes" and the Winter Garden come all too Infrequently in one's life. Ashton Stevens said of Lieber's Julius Caesar that It was "cheaply horrible and horribly cheap." 1 We saw the "Honey Girl", in Chi cago at Cohan's Grand. It is a re vision of "Checkers" set to music, with that keen comedian Joe Keno featured. It is going on the road soon and "The Hottentot" will Replace it. . Saw Ethel Barrymore in her Zoe A kins' piece, "Declasse," at Powers' in her seventh week in Chicago. She is a tremendous favorite in Chicago and seats are sold out far ahead. Another of the George White Scandals" is a big attraction in Chi cago at the Colonial, also in its sev enth week. It is the "1920" version with White himself a dancing hound starred with the clever little Ann Pennington. ' - Jane Cowl is to have a theater built and named for her in Chicago a Sel wyn house. She is a great success there in 'Smilin" Through." . "The Storm," one of the Langdon MaoCorinick spectacular productions. is having a big run in Chicago. It has a sort of a plot, enough to hang it together until the third act, which is the forest fire scene that has top lined on two occasions at the Orpheum. This is the play Katherine Graham appeared in when it received its first presentations in the east. Miss Gra ham, by the way, has arrived in Port land to spend the Christinas holidays with her parents. Captain and Mrs. A. B. Graham. Saw "Adam and Eve," a new Corn stock & Gest -production, in Chicago. Molly Mclntyre, who brought us "Bunty PullB the Strings," Is playing Eva. Molly has made her brown hair a nice goldy gold. " A youthful Portlander, Gladys Wal ton, has had a phenomenal rise from an extra girl in the Universal com pany in Hollywood. Miss Walton is a type like Mayo Methot and about the same age, 17. She has moved her mother from Portland to the land of her picture activities and now, with a Persian kitten, an Alaskan dog- and a roadster, her family is complete. The day- we were at Uni versal City Miss Walton was being made into a film, but between spells talked of her high school friends in Portland. She is one of the few who do not want" to return here. She loves Los Angeles vnd her work too much, she says. "Listen, Lester," we saw In Los An geles. It is a peachy nonsensical mu sical comedy, and will be here for the Christmas week. Another Lester play has Just been made from the Cort show, "Jim Jam Jems." To avoid litigation with the hectic magazine of the same name the piece has been changed to "Hello, Lester." Arrangements are being made In San Francisco for May Yohe to be featured in a play, "Marrying Mary." May Yohe, you remember, was once Lady Hope and later married two or three other gents. The play is to be sponsored by John J. McArthur. Ned Doyle has been engaged to produce the show and Paul Ash will provide the music It will have about 10 prin cipals and a chorus of 12 girls. Th show will probably open the early part of December on the one rsighters before trying the larger 'cities. In Los Angeles, Edward Everett Horton, who used to play leads here, is making a wide circle of admirers. He is featured as leading man with the Wilkes stock players and his playing of character roles has atract ed attention from motion picture peo ple, who have ofered him positions at various times which he invariably refuses. He really prefers the speak ing stage. Mr. Horton's mother and a younger brother are with him. They have a big car and an ever increas ing list of friends, but they still love Portland and plan a vacation here next summer. - Trixie Friganza is playing in Mem phis, Tenn, but she has a new suit pending in San Francisco in the su preme court against Thomas Day, theatrical manager, for $3050, al leged due her for her part in "Poor Mamma," whioh was produced' in San Francisco last yar. Those Who Come and Go. "Idaho will have about $10,000,000 to spend for roads in 1921, but prob ably not more than half that amount can be used in the coming year," says W. C. Stone, who has arrived in Port land for the winter. Mr. Stone was roadmaster for Bingham counts and built 105 miles of grades and bridges, 13J miles of gravel road and eight of paving in one year.- This past year, as contractor, he built 67 miles of grade and bridges, 14 miles of gravel and put in 168 bridges and culverts. In the coming year he is to build 12 miles of hard-surface. In Idaho, says Mr Stone, efforts are being put for ward to complete the north and south road, which runs . from Lewiston to Weiser, and is intended to run from the Canadian line to the Lincoln hign way. For 125 miles this road follows along the Weiser river and Is highly scenic. All but about 30 miles of this highway has been constructed. Black top is the pavement used for sur facing in Idaho. The roads are paved 18 feet wide, with three-foot shoul ders on each side. The roads are usually almost level, but in the moun tain district the maximum is 5 per cent. With the $10,000,000 in sight, the road programme In Idaho is be intr prosecuted as vigorously as pos sible. With 1000 chickens laying for him. John W. Mtnto left the farm yester day and came to Portland to talk politics. Mr. Minto brought with him 90 dozen eggs and not one of the 1080 eggs was more than a few days old. he asserts. Once upon a time Mp. Minto was more familiar with yeggs than eggs, but that was when he was a policeman in Salem and Portland and when he was warden of the penitentiary. The evolution from yeggs to eggs came about naturally, through the medium of hogs. Mr. Minto became a swineherd and was on the way to become a pork pluto crat until the bottom dropped out ot the market and then he disposed of his squealers and invested in cack lers. The farm of Mr. Minto is only 12 miles outside of Portland, but he only gets into town about every two or three months. To inspect the Oregon dairies and study the dairy laws of Oregon, J. J. Farrell, secretary of the Dairy Asso ciation of Minnesota, is in Portland and is registered at the Multnomah. If Oregon has anything that will help to better dairy conditions in Minne sota Mr. Farrell wants to know about It. "Oregon has the best dairy law of any state that I am familiar with." said Mr. Farrell. "The Oregon laws protect the dairymen, the consumer and the middleman, so that all con cerned are given fair treatment. The Oregon laws are firm but not drastic or unreasonable and they cover every point intelligently and from what I can learn, they are satisfactory to the producers." About the maddest man in Portland yesterday was 'John C. Sehulte of New York, a traveling salesman. Mr. Sehulte was on a train where the porter of his car was too everlasting ly obliging. The porter was so anxious to give service that he didn't want his passengers to handle their own baggage. When Mr. Sehulte got off the train at the station his suit case was gone and the obliging porter, who had taken care of it, didn't know where he had placed it. The result of this outrage was that several local merchants had a chance to sell Mr. Sehulte a new outfit yesterday after noon. Mr. Sehulte is at the Hotel Portland and still indignant. Bringing a tale of woe. Jay Upton arrived at the Benson yesterday from Prineville. Mr. Upton says that there Is plenty of hay in his district, but no cattle to eat it. The hay business, therefore, is suffering the same as the stock business. Mr. Upton is the newly elected state senator for Crook, Deschutes. Jefferson, Klamath and Lake counties, succeeding the late Senator Baldwin. It is political gos sip that Mr. Upton will be chairman of the senate committee on irriga tion when the appointments are given out by the Presi'd'ent-to-be Ritner. All of the Schmidt boys are at the Imperial. The Schmidts have done much for Oregon, although they reg ister from Olympla, Wash. The Schmidts, Frank T., Peter and Fred erick, are in the loganberry juice business and have spent a fortune in advertising this strictly Oregon-made product. A year ago they spent about $90,000 telling the - people of the United States the benefits to be de rived from using loganberry juice in its varied forms. State senator for Coos and Curry counties, member of the state fish commission, president of the state chamber of commerce, titles fall read ily to Charles Hall of Marshfield. who is at the Benson. When the legisla ture meets Mr. Hall is expected to be on the banking comimittee and the committee on roads and highways. He may grab off the chairmanship of the latter committee. Anyone with 70-odd acres in bear ing fruit trees in -Oregon is a for tunate individual. That is the happy state of F. J. Robinson of Dallas, who is in Portland on business. Mr. Rob inson has a diversified orchard, specializing- in walnuts, prunes, apples and pears. With the prices command ed by fruit this year, Mr. Robinson can ,be envied by the men whose money is in wheat and cattle. Ivan . G. Martin of Salem was in Portland attending to a divorce case yesterday, his business being that of a -lawyer as well as a lawmaker. Mr. Martin has served repeatedly as a member of the legislature, acting as one of the delegation of Marion county, and he will act in that ca pacity again next month, when the law 'machine begins grinding at the state house. W. D. Walters of Nehalem. Or., is at the Hotel Oregon with his family. Down at Nehalem and Wheeler now the people are talking about a propo sition to dike 1200 acres, at a cost of about $125,000, which will provide homes for 200 families. Plans of the project have been drawn by engi neers. F. G. Barnes, member of the legis lature of the state of Washington, is at the Imperial. He is registered from Kelao, and sometime he regis ters from Trout Lake. The legisla ture of Washington is not as good as the legislature of Oregon because the former remains longer in session. ' Once upon a time, C. W. Barrick was chief engineer at the penitentiary. Probably reasoning that the peni tentiary was filled , because of the mistakes of lawyers. Mr. Barrick be came an attorney and is now located at Tillamook. He is registered at the Imperial. One of the best-known druggists of The Dalles is M. Z. DonnelL He is at the Hotel Portland with Mrs. Donnell and came to town to attend the meeting of druggists, who went on record favoring the further elim ination of liquor. R. L. France, in the railroad bus iness in San Francisco, is at the Hotel Portland. During the war Mr. France used to come to Portland and buy ties the rialroad, not the neck variety. Mrs. Charles TJmbach of Iakeview, Or., is at the Imperial. Mrs. Umbach Is the worthy grand matron -of the order of Eastern Star, and Is on a tour of Inspection. Her husband is an attorney. STSTESI IS 1)1 :('I.AItKL PRACTICAL Christian Scientists Willing to Com pare Results With Medical Men. PORTLAND, Dec. S. (To the Edl tor.) A fewdays ago there appeared in The Qregonlan under the head line "Christian Science Adherents Warned," an article from Los Angeles in which the district attorney of Los Angeles county was quoted as saying In a published letter: It is. of course, well known . . . . that parents suffering the fanaMHsms and delusions resulting from the teachings of what Is known as Christian Sulence or other cults allow their innocent children to languisn and die of malignant and contagious diseases, feloniouslv refusing and neglecting to provide that-, medics! aid and attendance required by the statutes ot the state of California. The district attorney, it seems to me, is undertaking overmuch if he attempts to prove his assertions and intimations. It sounds as though he were seeking the limelight by build ing up a straw man which he may later take the credit for knocking down. For he must surely be aware of what is now so well known and widely acknowledged, that Christian Scientists are both intelligent and law-abiding. "Other cults" and other non-medical healing systems should not be confused with Christian Science as taught by its founder and discoverer. Mary Baker Eddy; for Christian Science stands alone, distinct from all other systems, as re-establishing the purely spiritual healing methods of Jesus Christ. As did he. Christian Science teaches absolute reliance upon God as the healer of both sickness and sin "who healeth all thv diseases." Ps. cili:3. -If we iude-e It "by its fruits,'" the success of this method of healing by prayer, as taught in our denominational text book. "Science and, Health. With Key to the Scriptures." by Mrs. Eddy, fully justifies the assertion that it Is prov ing itself to be the most effective and reliable curatijre system known to mankind, in innumerable instances restoring to perfect health after all oher means have failed. Christian Science 's pre-eminently practical, as much in cases of con tagious and malignant diseases as in other types, and when parents be come convinced of this through per sonal experience, it is not unnatural they should want, and intelligently so. the same practical remedy for their children. Such parents give every evidence of loving their chil dren and thoughtfully seeking their welfare quite as much as do Chris tians of other faiths. If Christian Scientists fail to heal In every case, what Is to be said of the practice of medicine rii. and1 death are contlnnaHy occurring under medical treatment, in spltft of the best that physicians can do. Why not as reasonably accuse and threaten with prosecution those who adhere to the medical systems for "allowing their innocent children to Tanguish and die," because they too have failed to get the desired results in all cases? The master gave sound advice when he said "Judge not, that ye be not Judged." THEODORE BURKHART. COTJXTIES CAW EXDrHB XO MORE Legislation for Jlor Taxes Would Wreck Them on Limitation Reef. TOLEDO. Or, Dec. 6. (To th4 Edi tor.) I am a reader of the. rimrnn Voter, and admire the thorough and forceful way in which all subjt-cts are handled by that magazine. But I wish to take issue with it on the subject of "Getting Around the Tax limitation," appearing November 27. In the clos'ng sentence these words appear: 'The only anoarent remeriv for this condition is legislative re straint." I am not quite sure If it is meant to amend or abolish the mar ket roads law. "Restraint," as ap- piiea to a jaw, seems to me means to make it inoperative. Under normal conditions the 8 per cent limitation amendment was all right, but conditions are not nol-mal and will not be ' for some years to come. It has worked a great hard ship on county funds. County courts have been up against a 100 per cent raise In material and labor, and could only make a 6 per cent raise in tax ation. If the market roads law was intended as an evasion of the 6 per cent limitation, it was under all th conditions justified. The funds provided by the mar ket roads law were a godsend to most counties. The law seems to be giving" general satisfaction. It pro vides a means of permanent Improve ment for roads of leseer importance under state supervision. The objec tionable parts of the law as regards Multnomah county are apparent and could be remedied by amendment. At the same time amend the law so the counties and state can each vote 3 mills instead of one as at present. Also amend the law so the state treasurer will have to turn over to the various county treasurers their portions of this money at the earliest possible moment. This money la stay ing too long in Salem. Anything the legislature does at the coming session will not relieve the counties from their serious financial condition for 1921. It can help, however, by not passing any legislation whatsoever that will in crease our taxes. If this cannot be done, then it should provide for rev enue from new sources to meet the added tax burden of new legislation. Absolutely the counties cannot stand any increase in taxes and still op erate under the 6 per cent limitation law. The market roada law was the one anchor to windward that kept the counties off the 6 per cent limitation reef. By all means save it. JAY W. DUNN, Commissioner Lincoln County. FAIR.VESS. How about the one. my brother", Who in harness works with you? Do you, for his earnest-efforts. Aim to give him credit due? You may wear the gilcred trappings And empowered to command. May forget the silent factor Working for you, heart and hand. On another's aid relying Can you truthfully proclaim To the world what you've accom plished Without mentioning his name? Clasp the hand that truly aids you. Giving earnestness its due. And the joy of honest sharing Richly will compensate you. JANETTE MARTIN. What Can Lonely Woman Do, PORTLAND, Dec. 7. (To the Edi tor.) "A Woman's Plea to Santa" I read, and it struck home. I am a lonely widow because I have lost my mate. Like her, I would like a clean, home companion. I am a well preserved woman, but the well preserved men my age seem to be looking for chickens, and the others look as if they needed a nurse. One does not feel like nursing at my age, but if one could find a com panion who had a little home, one would only be too glad to make that home attractive and homelike. A club for the lonely, I am afraid, would not do. for it would bring the undesirable. I dare not sign my name or my people would laugh at me. WIDOW. True Diplomacy. "Did you ever try to convince a man that he is wrong?' "Well, not exactly. I usually get him to believe that I am right, and let it go at that." Judge. More Truth Than Poetry. By James J. Montague. THIS UOLFKR'S DEFIANCK. I have no quarrel with reform; I know that it would ill behoove me To gnash my teeth and rage and storm At others' efforts to improve me. When Mr.' Volstead's law forbade A further alcoholic diet, I saved what little stuff I had And only drank it on the quiet. I'll not indulge in language blue Or waste my time in futile croaking. When in another year or two I'm ordered to forego my smoking. I'd not make trouble if I could Because, as the reformers view It. They pass these measures for my good And, anyway, they're going to do it. But if they take my golf away, A pleasure I enjoy but ONE day, (Because I have no time to play Around the course except on. Sunday). Although I'm not a man to let A casual vexation try me, I'm going to try my darndest yet To lay those emus old birds a stymie. I don't need smokes; booze; I don't reed And though I rather hate to lose em, ril give 'em up, if better folks Than I declare I mustn't, use 'em. I've been an easy man to drive Resembling muoh dumb driven cattle But just as long as I'm alive 111 not quit golf without a battle. It Makes Difference. Demand for some things must he slackening. Nowadays automobile salesmen almost smile at you when you go into one of their stores. a Far From the Madding Office Seekers. It strikes us that Mr. Hardinir would have been wise to remain in Panama till his appointments were, all announced. Here o Stay. The Volstead law will never be repealed. The bootleggers' lobbv is already strong enough to prevent any such thing. (Copyright, by the Bell Syndicate Co. Tnc John Burroughs Nature Notes. CAAT YOU A55WKR THESE Q.IES TIO.S? 1- Is the blue heron easily seen? 2. What i3 the height of the Yosomite Falls? 3. Why do wild ajiimal-s some times flee to man for protection? Answers in tomorrow's nature notes, a m Answers to Previous Questions. 1. How do different birds seize and carry their prey? One day I saw an eagle flying- over with somthing like a rope dangling; from its feet, probably a black snake. A bird carries its capture with the member by which it seizes it. which with birds of prey Is the foot, and with other birds the beak. The king fisher lives upon fish, and he always seizes them with his beak and swal lows them head foremost. 2. Will coons try and wash their food even if no water is available? Dallas Lore Sharp says that hi tame coon would go through the mo tions of washing its food on the up turned bottom of Its empty tub, and that it would try to wash its oysters in. the straw on the floor of its cage. This habit doubtless had, its origin in some past need or condition ofi life of the race of coons, and it per sists after that need is gone. 3. What does a bee never Ieara from experience? We marvel at what we call the wis dom of the hive bee. yet there Is one thing she never learns from experi ence, and that Is, that she is storing up honey for the use of man. Neither does she ever know when she has enough to carry her through the win ter. Gather and store honey as long as there is any to be had is htr motto, and in that rule she is safe. (Rights reserved by Houghton-Mifflin Co.) In Other Days. Twenty-Five Tears Atco. From The Oregonlan of December 9, 1?!5. Cleveland, O. The first case on rec ord of a perfect cure of a broken neck has been perfected here. The patient is Erwin Keiciei, a 14-year-old boy. m Workmen are busily engaged in laying the conduits for the under ground lines of the telephone com pany on Washington street. The October report of the city health officer shows 59 marriages and 104 births. The electric cars will soon be in' operation on First street, laying of the track having been completed Frw day. I-'ifty Tears Abo. From The Oregnniao. of December 170. E. S. Kearney, United States mar shal for Washington, territory, was in the city yesterday, en route from Walla Walla to Olympla. Ex-Governor Woods will take the next steamer for San Francisco and thence will go east on business. It is reported that a nugget of gold worth 183 was found In the Eagle creek diggings last week. JANITORS STTLL OX OLD SCALE" One Class of Phone Employes Needs Part of Proposed New Revenues. . PORTLAND. Dec. 8. (To the Edi tor.) I saw in The Oregonlan a short time ago that the Pacific Telephone company was asking for a raise in rates. Now I think that It should have more money. It pays pretty good wages to all but the Janitors. For some reason it pays janitors only $75 to $80 per month. A man can hardly live on that money. They should have at least $1 00. Rents are high and so is everything: that they have to buy. I know that the Janitors are nearly all old, but they have to live. They pay the same street car fare, the same for coffee, tea, flour and everything else to eat and wear. I know several of these Janitors and know them to be good and faithful workers, and I think that If the commission allows a raise in rates that the Janitors should get some of it. All of the operators and all men in other departments have had several raises in wages, but the poor Janitors none. I hear that the phone com pany Janitors in Seattle get at least $90. Now Portland should be as good a town to live in as Seattle. Don't you think so? These Janitors work eight hours, some at night and some in the day, and some part night and day. Can you tell me why they should not have more pay so that they can live like white people and be able to dress their families liku other people? I think if the public knew it they would be willing 'to pay enough for their phones o that the company could pay more for janitors as well as for material for new line and automatic phones. AX OLD MAH.