Morning Oregonian., December 16, 1920, Page 10, Image 10

THE MORNING OREGON! AN, THURSDAY, ..DECEMBER 16, 1920
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IS THERE A BTOPPEfO PLACET
' The Oregonian has long been puz
wind to the reason why the aver
om ritlzen lavs UDon the state legis
lature a great part of the blame for
the burden Of heavy taxation, when
in fact the state spends less money
nroDOitlonately than any or its im-
portant subdivisions. It finds an ex
planation by its sensible contem
porary, the Athena Press, which Is
so plausible that It is reproduced
here:
School taxes and municipal taxes are
what make mostly fos high taxation, and
yet people pay little heed to the doings of
'school boards and of town councils, while
watchfully suspicious of the state legisla
ture. The reason is, pernaps, mai m
boards are composed of community cltl
sens and neighbors who are known to be
taxpayers themselves, who nearly always
serve without pay and who are thought to
Be doing the best, they can. uesiaes, tan
gible results are seen by ths taxpayer.
State and federal -taxes are the hardest to
pay because the man who pays the tax Is
often unable to determine where his money
goes, by visual and convincing evidence.
Ha therefore mors than half suspects that
more than half of It Is wasted, and unless
he lives at the capiswi or in a stats insti
tution town, he isn't able to feel that he Is
getting any direct and personal benefit
- from his taxes.
If this Is true. It may be well for
the public which has had all eyes
for the legislature and noue for Its
neighbors serving on school boards
and town councils, to direct at least
one eye to its immediate concerns.
It misrht be well, too, for the tax.
payer to give a little more practical
and continuous thought to the con
dition of his pocketbook at other
times than on taxpaying dates. It is
then that he makes his sense of dis
satisfaction vocal, and It is then that
he resolves to do something about it
He never does. He doesn't know
how. probably. It Is time to' find a
wav.
The state tax in Oregon for
many years since 1904 has never
reached five mills until now and has
run an average of three to four mills.
Yet upon the revenue thus derived
it is necessary to support the entire
state government the courts, the
executive departments, the legisla
ture and all the great institutions, In
eluding the two hospitals for the
insane and the penitentiary. Until
recent yeare the agricultural college,
the university and the normal school
Mgre included. Now we have a mill
age tax for the three Jatter.
This year the state .tax will be
double any rate for more than a
decade. The reason is not merely
the higher cost of public "living-. It
Is due, mainly to the deliberate act
of the people themselves, who last
, May voted an elementary school tax
(two mills), a higher educational
tax (1.2 mills), blind school tax
(one-sixth mill) and a soldiers,
sailors and marines' educational
tax (two-tenths mill). Going some,
we'll tell the world.
Here is the way the taxes for the
current year will size up, approxi
mately: - '
Mills.
County
County school ....
Library
City
School
Pocks
State
i'ort ot Portland I.
. 0.6
. 18
.8
, 13.14
. 9.7
. 2.01
. 9.5
. 1.4
j 1 now la mis ror mgn; l or me
new elementary school tax (two
mills) the county of Multnomah
alone will pay about (782,000 this
year. The generous taxpayep, was
'"'!. told last May that It would not op-
' . erate as an increased load on him,
1 but would be a substitute, at least
.' in part, for local school taxes, since
the funds thus raised from the state
at large would be redistributed to
the counties. Well, we believed it
then. When we look at the school
tax for Portland District .No. 1, how
ever, we are persuaded hat the ex
pected distribution has not yet be
gun. ' Nor will it begin soon, or ever.
There is always an immediate and
Imperative use for new taxes. They
are easy to spend and they bare
"X J ' tioen heretofore fairlv easy to ret.
' ' " It may be difficult hereafter. .
; v Nobody (a least nobody not In
' "office) is jnore to blame than any
' 1 i : V 1,. V. nA a V n n
' in '5 it. Including The Oregonian.
v- ' What's done is done. There is no
' - - J use ' in vain regrets, or in useless
'" arwM'ula.tion aA to .whether it would
v , , not have been better to do something
' r.( else. But It is time to wake up and
. "' '. stop. If there Is any such thing as a
good stopping place.
-. - j - una good resolution wm oe tor
ttia nnhlii ft rtaA In rtratAst Ae-nfnat
any proposed- expenditure woaiever
unless it knows exactly what it will
cost One fine illustration of the
way not to do it is the mess over the
Multnomah County hospital.
ARMING TO FORCE DISARMAMENT.
: - Secretary Daniels' recommendations
' of a strong navy and constant naval
preparedness ,' unless the United
States enters a league are signs of
belated conversion, coming from the
man who before 1917 always cut
down the general board's building
programme and scorned prepared
ness, though no league, was in pros
pect at that time. In approving the
-general board's proposals -he ap
proves the big navy programme and
the argument that it will force other
nations to diminish their armament.
Which he formerly rejected.
No doubt this nation could build
and maintain the greatest . nary la
the world, not excepting that of
Great Britain, and could weary all
other nations to abandon the race.
As they dropped out and reduced
their naval force this nation and
Biitaia could by agreement eaca re.
dnce In the same proportion. Ono
way to bring: about disarmament 1
(or a strong- nation of admitted pa-
ciflc temper to wear out competition
and thus to force all nations which
could .not hope to match it into an
agreement to settle disputes by ar
bitration or mediation.
But Chile's refusal to let the
league settle the Tacna - Arte a dis
pute is not promising. If each na
tion were to announce that it would
reserve some question from league
consideration and would stand firm
at the risk of war, no progress would
be made -fa disarmament or preven
tion of war.
HOW TO REDUCE MARKET PRICES.
Economic law prevails everywhere
but In the Portland public market.
There they have repealed the old
rule of supply and. demand and
charge all the traffic will bear, and
more, and get away with it.
A year or so ago the market mas
ter fixed maximum prices and found
as a result that the dealers always
demanded, and got. the highest al-
lowable price. Then the housewives
took a hand and insisted that the lm
position of arbitrary prices l!y out
side authority was a mistake and
that competition should have full
sway. The city council instructed
the market master to keep his ham
off and he did. Now the sky's the
limit. Perhaps It would be more
I accurate to say that it Is not the
limit
Competition is all right when
there Is competition. But who will
say that It is a known factor In the
public market these days? What
has happened there Is a virtual com
bination among the producer-deal'
era. A gentleman's agreement not
to undersell anyone clearly exists.
Anyway, retail ' prices are higher
than ever and Jobbers' prices are
lower. It is one of the .phenomena
of the times that wholesale figures
are down and retail figures stay up
at the public market.
We are not sure about the maxi
mum price as a panacea. But we
are not sure about anything con
cerning the public market except
that the public Just now is not get
ting its money's worth.
We know how to bring prices
down there. Business Is too good.
Let the public stay away, at least
for the present.
STILL DEFENDING THE BEDS.
Secretary of Labor Wilson in his
annual report still maintains that he
was Justified in releasing 2202 alien
revolutionists who had been arrested
for deportation, while he has ordered
that only 656 be deported. He finds
that membership in the communist
party and the Union of Russian
Workers is cause for deportation,
but that membership in the commu
nlst labor party and the I. W. W.
is not. In his view, "it Is the const!
tutlon of an organization, not what
its members do, regardless of its
constitution, that determines per
sonal responsibility for mere mem
bership. Therefore, he held that
the two latter organizations were
"not to be proscribed within the
meaning or tne statutes.
Then when a man joins a society
he is to be presumed to know noth
ing of its aims and methods of seek
ing them beyond what he finds in
the constitution. Mr. Wilson credits
the reds with a degree of guileless
innocence which would be truly
heavenly if it existed. The sabotage
and disloyal purposes of the L W. W.
were notorious; it'is strange that the
members did not know of them.
The only real difference between the
communist and the communist labor
parties is that when they split from
the socialist party they became rivals
for leadership In carrying the red
flag. The bolshevists drew no dis
tinction, for a captured letter sent
greetings to all three as comrades.
urged the two communist parties to
nnite their forces and praised the
good work" of the I. .W. W but
said it old not go far enough.
secretary Wilsons defense or tne
action of his assistant, Louis E. Post,
proves that they are birds of a
feather' and that the United States
cannot hope to be rid of the reds so
long as they remain In office. Hap
pily that will not, be long and we
have good reason to expect their suc
cessors to be men who will, give the
benefit of the doubt to America, not
to those who would bolshevize this
country.
REVOLUTION IN NAVAL STRATEGY.
Tucked away in the pages of the
formal report of the secretary of
the navy, in a chapter describing ex
periments in wireless control, is the
following challenge to the imagina
tion: 1
No fifing tests have been made, but the
equipment of the Iowa has been thor
oughly tested out and, contrary to what
might have been expected from the first
example of such novel application, it was
found to fulfill every expectation. The
tests' were conducted by the Ohio, which
has been assigned as an experimental
radio ship. Under her direction it wae
possible te maneuver the Iowa at wiM,
te alter her speed, and generally to exer
cise as good control over her for the pur
pose in view as u operating personnel
were on board. i
More details, but not as many as
this amazing romance of -& pre
eminently scientific age would seem
to warrant, are given. Further to
understand the magnitude of the
achievement It should, be known that
the Iowa, alluded to in (he foregoing
paragraph, is a ship pf 11,346 tons
displacement. Is 360 feet Ieng and ia
propelled by engines of 12,000
horse-power. Formerly she burned
coal; for the purposes of the demon-
(ration her equipment was altered
so that oil could be used.
Ostensibly the aim of the experi
ments was to obtain means of simu
lating battle conditions in targetprac
tlce. Heretofore the approved target
for. target practice has been a raft
towed at low speed. But in actual bat
tle chahg-es In tourse and speed are
constantly occurring,' as the secre
tary's report points out, so thalf in
order to establish the actual value of
our gunnery ana to afford opportunity
for improvement It is desirable that
the target shall be capable of ma
neuvering. Exposing a fully-manned
ship to such a test would involve peril'
to its erew that could not be consid
ered. The problem depended for so
lution on ability to utilize a vessel
of approximately the size, and ma
neuvering in approximately the same
manner as in real fighting..
The purpose would not have been ,
served by mere control of the ves
sel's helm. 1 Pumps for feeding
water to the boilers and also those
for supplying oil to the burners must
also be obedient to the will of the
operator, and finally the two power
ful main engines must be made, as
tractable as if experienced engineers
were present In the engine rooms.
The secretary's assurance that on
final test the scheme was "found to
fulfill every expectation" does more
than open a rrew field of speculation
as ta accuracy, vifttr under new op-
portunities for practice. It suggests
a revolution In naval strategy Itself,
Several common types of protect-
ive mine fields lose their significance
when it becomes possible to ma-
, neuver a vanguard of . -unmanned
vessels to search out and ex
plode them. The fire ships of
Drake which figured in the defeat of
the Spanish Armada and those at the
siege of Gibraltar were prototypes of
the radio-controlled monster now
made possible by the invention of
John Hays Hammond Jr but the
former now seem Infinitely futile by
comparison with the destructive
power of their modern successor.
What a different story there would
be to tell of Hobson's adventure with
the Merrimac at Santiago or of the
blocking of Ostend and Zeebrugge if
an Iowa, controlled by wireless from
afar and laden, perhaps, with a thou
sand tons of gelignite, had been
available!
Clearly it is not as a target that
the controlled ship is going to func
tion most notably In naval operations
of the future. Tet it remains to be
disclosed whether the invention
of an American In this- in
stance shall remain an advan
tage to Americana or whether
others shall reap the benefits of
American pioneering, as was done
with the submarine, the torpedo, the
rapid-fire gun 'and even the airplane
itself.
GUESSING TO ALARM. .
An alarmed correspondent sends
us the Pacific Christian Advocate
for December 8, points out a state
ment therein and asks whether It la
true. The statement, which is em
bodied in an article by a social serv-
ice secretary of the Congregational
National Council, Is this:
The stage Is set In America for
a new economic struggle. Two per
cent of the people of the United
States now own between 60 and 60
Der cent of the property." .
The first time The uregonian
found occasion to comment cn simi
lar statistics was about twtf years
ago. They then road that 2 per
cent of the people own 90 per cent
of the wealth.
The next time the statistics at
tracted our notice was last fall. Then
2 Der cent of the people owned 85
per cent of the wealth, a loss of 5
per cent,
Now it will be oDservea mat tne
grabbing 2 per cent have come down
to between 60 and 60 per cent.
If all the figures state facts, as of
time, wealth in two years has been
getting disastrously the worst of the
economic struggle.
But nobody knows, except in the
roughest sort of way, what is the
total wealth . of the people of the
country, and nobody knows, roughly
or otherwise, what are the Individ
ual holdings of any group of two
million persons, who would const!-
ture 2 per cent of the population. -
But to show what oan be done
with this arbitrary estimate, let us
take Portland as an example and
figure out one meaning that it might
have:
There are about 250,000 persons
in Portland, and the true value of
Portland property on the tax rolls
is about -500,000,000. This is far
from all the property owned in Port-
land. Vast values do not get on the
tax rolls, either because of legal
exemptions, or sequestration from
the assessor. But the taxed prop
erty will supply the Illustration.
If 2 per cent or tne people own
one-half of it, there are 5000 per
sons in Portland possessing, In the
average, taxed property to the
amount of $50,000 each. If the re
maining 245,000 share the remaining
one-half equally, each man, woman,
child and infant in arms possesses
a little more than ?i000. The aver
age number in the family Is nearly
five. Thus we would have 49.000
families each with a taxable wealth
of $5000 and with an untaxed wealth
of probably almost as much more.
In such a condition nobody would
worry about how much the other
mere 6000 families had. Nobody
would want for necessities. Every
body" could have luxuries. Even a
socialist would admit that it was an
almost perfect state of affairs.
The statistics quoted from the
Advocate might mean that and they
might mean something disagreeably
contrary. They are subject to. any
quirk and twist to suit an extrava
gant fancy. Their Intent, of course,
is to imply that a small percentage
of the people are very rich and that
the great majority exist in poverty.
The statement has but one purpose.
It is to alarm. But it has no founda
tion of ordered or comprehensive
investigation. It Is a guess and It Is
no better than anybody's else's guess.
CHOOSING A CABINET.
First Impressions of President
Harding's ' administration will be
formed from the composition of his
cabinet. ' The people look to him to
pick men from his own party who
not only are well able to administer
their departments; but are generally
recognized as ; having that ability.
Mr. Harding has the right and duty
to select men who as a body will
prove good advisers on matters ot
policy, who will work heartily to
gether in executing his policy, each
in his own department, and who will
be personally agreeable to the presi
dent and to each other. If the men
thus selected Inspire confidence In
the people that they will realize the
hopes of what the new administra
tion will achieve, Mr. Harding will
hold from the beginning the strength
that, he derives1-from the phenome
nal v majority by which he was
elected.
These considerations preclude se
lections of any man in order to con
ciliate any particular faction of the
republican party, or the rejection of
any man for the same reason. For
example, if Herbert Hoover were ex
cluded for no other reason than the
enmity of Senator Johnson, the
known ability and capacity for pub
lic service of Mr. Hoover and the
strength to be derived from practi
cally universal public confidence in
him would be sacrificed in order to
reconcile thepersonal following of a
man who trades on his reputation
for Irreconcilability. Other - state
and sectional leaders are urging ap
pointment of other men from mo
tives of politics, friendship or geog
raphy, but such - considerations by
themselves should have no weight
For the same reason appointment to
cabinet office of Harry M. Daugh
erty, Mr. Harding's personaL. politi
cal manager, would be impolitic but
that of Wl Hays, head of the na
tional party organization, could be
justified; for he would 'be a sort of
liaison officer between the party
organization and the administration
a. medium for keeping In .touch
with the people. -
The several elements of fitness
described forbid any but the most
sreneral' regard for the section or
state from which an otherwise suit- I
able man is drawn.- ,The fact that
both Mr. Root and Mr. Hughes are
from New York should not prevent
appointment of both. Senator Suth
erland's great ability as a lawyer
justifies his appointment as attor
ney-general," though he hails from
the comparatively unimportant state
of Utah. New England has always
furnished good cabinet material but
Senator Loatge's connection with the
league controversy as leader of one
party and therefore as the man on
whom the enmity, of the other party
is concentrated, renders hla selection
inadvisable. Some degree of geo
graphical distribution would, how
ever, naturally result - from wise
chbice for the several offices. Thus
a good secretary of the, navy and a
good secretary of commerce would
most likely be found in the seaboard
states, while a good secretary of the
interior, having to deal with western
problems, would be' founds in the
west, and a good secretary of labor
would be found In the great indus
trial area of the . east and middle
west.
Prospect that general reorganisa
tion of the government may lead to
establishment of several new depart
ments has raised expectation that as
many new members would be added
to the cabinet. There is certainly
need . of a department of public
works, which 6hould have charge of
rivers and harbors, public buildings,
reclamation., highways and perhaps
construction work of the army.
This might either be a new depart
ment or it might take the place of
the interior department, the remain
ing bureaus of that department be
ing distributed among other depart
ments. Proposals have also been
made for departments of transporta
tion, aeronautics, fine arts health,
education, women's affairs, each
headed by a secretary who would sit
in the cabinet The cabinet might
then grow to an unwieldy body of
fifteen os sixteen members, whlcn
by its size might lose much of its
value as an intimate, consultative
body. It now . has. ten members,
which number is about the limit of
effectiveness.
Custom has led the people to take
it as a matter of course that the
head o.a new department shall sit
In the cabinet, when in fact the cab
inet is not established by either the
constitution or statute and therefore
has no legal existence. It has
grown U4 as an extra-legal body
from the practice of presidents in
calling the heads of departments to
consult with him and each other.
This was found necessary that the
president might have the advice of
the men in direct charge of each de
partment, that they might work tn
harmony and that he might have
their collective advice on matters of
great moment. For the first five
years of government under the con
stitution there were four depart
ments.and as many cabinet mem
bers. From 1794 to 1798 there were
five, from that date till 18 9 there
were six, for the next forty-years
there were seven. Establishment of
the department of agriculture raised
the number to eight and that of the
departments of. commerce and labor
in late years to ten..
It Is in fact optional with the pres
ident to call upon- the heads of de
partments to sit in his cabinet, though
he finds it Impossible to discriminate
among officials of equal rank whom
he has chosen to aid him in running
the government. But if the number
of departments is to be increased
some plan should be found to limit
the membership. This might bedone
by grouping two or three depart
ments under one chief, who- would
represent all in the cabinet.' Unless
something is done to prevent add!
tions to the number of departments
from automatically adding members
to the cabinet, that body will either
become so large as to lose much of
its value or an inner cabinet will
grow up which will enjoy the close
confidence of the president at the
risk of misunderstandings, heart
burnings and consequent friction
with the other members. Congress
might attempt a solution by for
mally establishing the cabinet and
declaring of what officials it should
be composed, but that might be con
strued as interference with the right
of the president to consult as sf body
with any officials he pleased and as
Invasion of his executive preroga
tive. - Here is one of the delicate
problems of reconstruction wnlch
must be solved n the next few years.
To ''get quick action in the shlp
ping board prosecutions its said
that twenty lawyers will be required.
Somebody must have misunderstood
What's wanted is to wind up the case
briefly, not tangle it up with briefs.
Volcanoes in eruption at opposite
sides of the earth indicate activity
internal that would show fine on the
screen, i-arth, water and air have
been conquered and that is all left
for promoter and director.
The government Is continuing Its
prosecution of the cement combine.
If half the things the government
charges are true it should be called
the solid concrete combine.
With so many "aristocrats of the
feathered kingdom" on exhibition at
the auditorium may It not be about
time to make the poultry show safe
for democracV?
The- Munchausen prize for 1920
goes to a denizen of New Jersey, who
tells of a windmill' going so fast in
a young cyclone that It pumped hot
water., - ' ,
A wife-beater was fined a nomi
nal sum after the wife' had inter
ceded, saying she was to blame.
That ought to let her off the next
one.' '
Mail packages as early In the day
as- possible. Give the noon hour to
sworking people, who do not have
much time otherwise.
People complain of neat In sum
mer and grumble at cold In. winter.
The only contented one Is the iceman
who sells fuel. He has iia seasons
whipsawed.
The Mad Mullah' Is reported safe
In Abyssinia. Now why doesn't Lloyd
George recruit him for his black and
tans' brigade? , . . -.
Jack Demp8eys right fist is one
thing left in the world with a kick
in it And some -folks would sup
press that
Estimates for a Swiss- army are
heavy, but are somewhat balanced
by the lack of a Daniels In the re
public. ' ; -. - , -
Rain and easterly winds are a sleet
combination. Let us hope for the
best . .
The safe way to drive by a publlo
school U to use the next street, ..
Stars and Starmakera.
By Leone Causa Baer.
( Jacob R. Proetstel FSrtlander, is
representing Pavlowa's "Ballet Russe"
In the western states. . Pavlowa is
coming to Portland soon.
see
Robert Gleckler, who uaed to play
leads here a half dozen years ago
with' the Baker stock company, Is
now heading a stock company In St
PauL . Norma Phillips Is his leading
woman. ' ' .
Reply- to Interested: Tea, Mabel
Wilber is divorced. Her husband was
Madison Corey, a New-York publicity
expert and sprmer manager for
Henry Savage. Mr. Corey 'was over
seas during the war. Miss Wllber's
divorce was granted November 24 in
Columbia county,- Oregon. She is now
in New York.
Victoria Cross, whose hectic novels
had a wide -sale a few years ago,
turned -playwright this winter and
wrote "The Greater Law." It was
recently presented at the Kensington
theater in London and was a dismal
failure. Whereupon the authoress
wrote to the newspapers, panning the
critics and blaming the actors for the
failure. ,The papers obligingly printed
Mrs. Cross' complaints and now she is
angry at the press. x
Lord Beaverbrook Jias made an of
fer for the Brunton studios In Los
Angeles. The English nobleman ii
said to be representing a number of
British capitalists who are anxious
to- get a world foothold in the. film
Industry. Brunton Is said to have
turned down the offer because of the
fact that the First National Exhibit
ors' circuit Is in negotiation for his
plant. -
XX. Is generally reported, however
that Lord Beaverbrook stands ready
to top any price that the American
people may offer to get control of
the studio property.
see
Channlng Pollock, the playwriKbt
with Mrs. Pollock and their daughter
Helen, have sailed for Egypt for a
pleasure trip. Mrs. Pollock is known
as Ann Marble, a writer. She is
sister of Mary Marble of vaudeville.
see
Emma Bunting was married one
day last week to Bill Garrity of New
Orleans. He is a'.brother of former
Police Chief Garrity of Chicago.
James K. Hackett has been put
ting on 'TMacbzeth" In Paris, with Mra
Patrick Campbell as Lady Macbeth.
Now , they have gone to London to
present the play there.
e
Jehn McCftrmack's concert tour
through England has been cancelled.
The famous Irish tenor recently had
a mess of trouble in Australia, ascribed
to his failure to include "God Save
the King" In his programme.
- .
Lillian Gish and James Renirie are
to be married during- the next fort
night. Mr. Rennle Is at present ap
pearing as leading man for Lilian
Gish In a Frohman company produc
tion, and also playing In "Spanish
Love" at the -Maxlne Elliott theater.
New York. ,
Porter Emerson Browne, author of
"The Bad Man," in which Holbro'ok
Blinn is starring, will sail next week
tor this country after a tour of ob
servation in Europe for a series of
magazine articles. Mr. Browne holds
the record in -America for magazine
articles published consecutively by
any one magazine, having written 20
for McClure's Magazine.
' Branch O'Brien Is no longer busi
ness manager, of Chauncey01cott for
his tour of "Macushla," and it's be
cause O'Brien was not a good enough
judge of horseflesh to suit the star.
There is a horse used in one of the
scenes of the piece and the advance
agent was Conlmssloned to hire an
animal in each town.
In St Louis, where the company
was playing, the horse engaged for
the show refused to act and Olco.tt
got temperamental and ordered
OBrien fired because of the non-dra
matic qualities of the horse.
Despite the horse's refusal to a,et
"Macushla" drew 115,000 in St Louis
at J2 top. O'Brien Is now on his way
to New York to hook up with a non
anlmal opera.'
Mrs. Harry L. Cort. wife of the
librettist, and who is also John Cort's
daughter-in-law. In collaboration with
Mrs. Sarlee McClure, has written the
book and lyrics of -"Rose of Wash
ington Square," framed around James
Hanleys popular song of the same
name. Mr. Hanley- will do the score.
Mrs. " McClure is the wife of one
of the executives of the McClure
Newspaper Syndicate.
e e e
AmeBe Rives 'is to dramatize Mark
Twain's "Joan of Arc,J tor William
Faversham. .
Mary Plckford's double In "Pol-1
Iyanna" is to be starred in films, j
The young woman Is Jean Dupree
and Bhe has been placed under con
tract by Charles Geigrich for a ser
ies of productions. -
David Warf leld, refuses to either
deny or confirm the report that he
would take a try at the moving pic
ture game in the spring. "Who can tell
what I will do In the spring? I
may settle down and have a real
home, and, by the way, playing for
the screen gives you the privilege of
doing that the stage does not .,
'I am not among I hose "who scoff
at motion picture art The report
that this was my reason for refusing
my last screen offer Is false.
Rachel . Barton Butler, who at
tracted attention as a playwright a
season ago, died at her home in
Greenwich Village, New York, Novem
ber 24. M'ss Butler was about. 32
years of age. Her death was sudden.
As a student In play writing at Rad-
cliffe college under Professor Baker,
Miss Butler won the Harvard prize
with- her lay. "Mamma's Affair."
which Oliver Morosco produced last
year with an all-star cast
Prior to that her play, "The Lap-
dog," had been accepted by John D.
Williams, but it has not been- pro
duced. Mom,"' also written by Miss
Butler, which was In the competi
tion won by "Mamma's Affair." was
later- accepted by Mr. 'Morosco, but
has not reached the boards as yet.
Miss Butler was married to soya
Asrin. an actor, upon the' tatter's re
turn from France with the American
F.Kivedltlonary forces, a year ago. She
earae- from Cincinnati, where she
wrote a number at playlets: Last sea
son Miss Butler started a children'!
theater moveen.. .. - j
Those Who Come and Go.
'"A great deal of money will be
Invested in tne -niupp'iio
next year, according to reports in the
islands. Inveetors and people seek
ing to develop the islands are waiting
for the new aamiinistraiion, eam
M-Ahrens, Who arrived at the Hotel
Oree-on vestexdav from Manila and
is oh his wayeast. "The oU fields
wm De aeveiopea.- uia wis v
panles have had men in the islands
looking around and oil 'has been
found and wells capped pending a
change In laws which will encourage
production of oil. Then the lumber
industry Is coming to the front and
there is a big demand for Philippine
mahogany and other woods in the
islands which are superior to the
woods In the United States. So far
as I have observed, there Is not the
slightest desire for Independence
among the mass of the natives, for
they do not discuss it Why should
the Filipinos want Independence
when they are getting everything
now that they want? And besides,
they are not capable of self-government
As to prohibition, It will never
be a euccess In the islands and It
is not wanted there. The natives
drink a liquor which they get from
trees and after the fluid stands a
few days it ferments and develop a
powerful kick. You cam .buy a 'big
tumbler of the stuff for 2 cents.
Some American drink it and like it
but the natives are especially ' fond
of the stuff because they cannot af
ford to pay for real whisky. It would
be impossible to enforce prohibition
In the islands without chopping down
all the trees from which the native
extracts the base for their drink.
There is such a flow of travel to the
orient and bank that it le almost im
possible to book reservations many
weeks ahead," says .Mr. Ahrens. A
considerable percentage of this travel
consists of People who are going to
the orient for the purpose, of invest
ing money.
"We have three paving plants pav
ing hardsurface; one is at Mount An
gel, another at Aumsvllle and the
third is at Salem," said County Com
missioner Goulet, of Marion county,
yesterday. "The past season we
paved some of the distance between
Mount Angel and Scott Mills and part
way between Mount Angel and Wood
burn, and about 3 1-2- miles between
Salem and Bilverton. These pave
ments are 16 feet in width. Also this
year we graded and drained the Au
rora to Donald road, which is 16 feet
wide, and It will be ready for paving
the coming year. From Aurora to
Butteville we have macadamized a
12-foot road. Between Woodburn
and St Paul .we have put down a
light gravel, which eliminates the
mud. All told, a pretty good start
was made this past year, despite the
shortness of the season. SVe have
about 40 miles more to pave under
our programme. Marlon county
bonded itself to Improve Its road sys
tem, but It is now apparent that when
the present bond issue has been sold
and the money put into roads, there
will be another bond issue to carry
on the road development even fur
ther. The network of roads In Ma
rlon will be a valuable asset."
"Those old pioneers who came over
the old Oregon trail with their oxen
never got the credit they deserved
for the way In which they found the
route," said William McDonald, of
McDonald's ferry, which piles across
the John Day river about nine miles
east of Klondike, In Sherman coun
ty. "The pioneers were not engin
eers, but they somehow managed to
find the best locations for a road and
the best places to ford. The old Ore
gon trail crosses the John Day right
where the ferry Is located. You can
see the traces of the old trail with
out difficulty., Ezra Meeker came
along there a lew years ago with
hla ox team. He hadn't been there
since he first passed through but old
as he was, the old-timer recognized
the trail and followed it I saw him
standing by the river and studying
the country. He said he thought the
irau crossed thereabouts but sus
pected that he was a little too far
south and he was, but only half
a mue." Mr. Mcuonaid went to Van
couver, wash., yesterday to see
12,000 ton steamer launched. Not
since the day when the John Day
was young and Central Oreeon was
an inland sea has there been enough
water jn that country to float
12,000 ton boat'
"Harriet Beecher Stowe was livlne
at Ludlow, Ky., when she got the Idea
or jciiza crossing the Ice from actual
facts and personal observation." da
clares Lewis R. Coffman, who Is at
the Multnomah from Ludlow. "Some
people contend that Mrs. Stowe was
visiting at Ripley, O, when she wrote
Uncle Tom's Cabin.' but the Eliza in
cident was developed while at Ludlow.
In those days all thiy best families
lived on what Is now the water front
and the bouse she was visiting was
one of the most pretentious in the
village. She saw much, of the "under
ground railway from the south to
Canada, and it was nothing unusual
for thousands of people to cross the
Ice when it was strong enough to bear
them up. The rest of the story is pure
fiction and much overdrawn at bat.
'Astoria- harbor presents a wonder
ful sight, filled with shipping of ail
kinds," says Mrs. Robert Dermllye,
who is staying at the Hotel Wash
Ington while In Portland from Seaside
to do some Christmas shopping. "The
storm has been so terrific outside that
the vessels have been accumulating in
the Astoria harbor waiting to go to
sea."
Mr. and Mrs. P. O. Powell motored
from Monmouth to attend a meeting
of the Oregon Dairy council yester
day and Mr. Powell, was elected vice-
nresidient of the organization. Mr
Perry is becoming quite successful
in his election adventures, for last
month he was elected representative
in tb legislature for Polk county.
Charles B. Hervey ha joined the
Multnomah' staff and is in charge of
the catering department. Mr. Hervey
has operated such hotels along the
rulf coast as liattie House, MODlie,
Ala; San Carlos, Pensacola, Fla., and
the Blerville and Cawthorn in Mooue,
j. A Laycock, now a resident ot
Salem but one of the pioneers of the
John Day valley, was in Portland yes
terday. Mr. Layooca is a iormer mem
ber of the legislature, having served
in the state senate.
Eleven years ago yesterday the Im
perial hotel. 16 new section, was
. n " I. ... - 1 . - L.
openeo. ooma or me oww uieo w uu
were with the Imperial at that time
are still working In the establish
meat
' Owner of several ranches, John
Knoxof Condon is at the Hotel Ore
gon, Mr. Knox is one of the few
stock men of that country who feel
like searching for Santa Claua this
season.
Tn attend the poultry show, W. C
nnnnnr la here from 6alem and P. W.
Harris, who represents a poultry Jour
nal at Seattle. They are registered
at the Hotel Washington.
With his wife, W.'j., Beemer of
Heppner is a Portland visitor. Mr.
Beemer is president of the Farmers'
ft Stockman's bank and ia a aheefi
owner on the slde.
' Despised the Raincoat. .
Banks Herald.
-We wonder that more parents do
not name their boy babies "Nor-h."
Noah was A great man he krew
enough to come In out of the rain.
MR. SPARROW ACCEPTS BLAME
Trixnaafaa; of Crater Lake Park EatJ
. mate Not Dae to Mr. Mnther.
MEDFORD. Or, Dec. 13. (To the
Edltor.V I have read with interest
and some amusement the, many ar
ticles appearing In your paper and
others, regarding the controversy be
tween the director of the national
park service and the president of the
Crater Lake company. I have had the
honor rf associating with these men
for several years and know them both
to be gentlemen of the first order,
who are working for what they con
slder the best Interests of the public
and the national park. The bright
spot In this unoleasant business, is
that their sense of honor and-falr
play to an absentee will keep per
sonalities oua, which if allowed to
creep In would oniytend to retard a
satisfactory settlement
The Oregonian has a reputation for
fair dealing and for that reason I
wish to call your attentioi to an
error tn your editorial of December
11, In which the director oC the na
tional park service, Stephen T.
Mather, was charged with an offense
for which I im guilty. Mr. Matner
was charged with prescribing the size
of the appropriations for Crater Lake
national park. If this were true, we
would have had S60.000 for the cur
rent fiscal year and not less than
150.000 next year. Last year Mr.
Mather directed that estimates for
SCO.000 be prepared. This was done
and finally got to congress for lab.
300. where It was trimmed to J25.S00
This year estimates were submitted
ror 326,400. notwithstanding ' Mr,
Mather's Instructions to ask for S50,.
000, and, as he was absent from
Washington at the time. It Is my
opinion that until the estimates were
consolidated and ready for congress,
he was under the Impression that
350.000 had been asked for.
The road system of the park has
been completed, also the trails for
which there is any Immediated de
mand. There are 57 miles of road
and -34 miles of trail, and, for the-
money expended, I believe we have
as much mileage as any national
park. We have an extensive building
programme that was prepared by our
landscape engineer, the. late Charles
P. Punchard. This programme should
be carried to completion at some op
portune time and as each building
may become necessary, but not at this
time when every one is howling for
a reduction In taxes, and public serv
ants should be economizing accord
Ingly. What we need Is better roads;
this means improving what we have
and paving certain sections of them,
and as road work In this park is
limited to about three months in 12.
It will be seen that paving As going
to be a slow operation. To get this
under way, an estimate for three
miles of paving was submitted last
year but the appropriation did not
come through; therefore, no estimate
for paving was submitted this year,
and for this sin of omission and the
unpardonable crime of disobedience
of orders, I accept full responsibility
and will divide the honors with no
one. As this has served In a 'small
way to remind our friends In northern
Oregon that we have the best founda
tion for a national park that there Is
In the country, I trust they-will lend
It and the man who tries to manage
It their support, as all of southern
Oregon has done In the past.
As to comparing appropriatfons for
our three months' wprk with parks
that have several times our mileage
and employ a permanent force from
nine to 12 months, will ey that this
would be going pretty strong.
I feel Inclined to add a few more
remarks, but realize that I have taken
up too much space In your valuable
paper, and the length of this letter
reminds me of an old friend who said,
"it required two to write a report;
one to write It and the other to kill
him when he bad said enough," so I
will quit before the ax falls.
. ALEX SPARROW.
- Superintendent
NEWSPAPER RATES WILL STAND
Expenses In All Departments Have
Increased Since 1014.
Editor and Publisher (New York).
Deflation Is now In full swing In
the United States. Pyramid prices
are giving way before marked publlo
resistance. The newspaper Industry,
however. Is one Jn which there can
be no radical revision In prices, for
the very good reason that newspaper
service, to both reading public and
advertiser has been for many years
undervalued and underpaid. During
tho war, and since, newspaper prices
have advanced as a last resort under
circumstances over which publishers
have had no control.
It is but honest and fair to state In
this connection that there has leen
no profiteering by newspaper pub
lishers, but, on- the contrary, public
service of the first order under most
unusual and extraordinary interfer
ence by government
There can' be no reduction today in
newspaper rates, neither to the read
er or advertiser in fact In many In
stances there must be still further
advances In subscription and adver
tising rates to cover Increases In cost
since October tn labor and materials.
Truth is, the hazards of newspaper
publishing are so great the lure to
exceptional slid expensive public
service so enticing, and competition
so keen, that it Is practically Impos
sible to accumulate, needed reserves
and necessary betterments, to say
nothing of adequate managerial com
pensation, dividends, etc.
Since 1914, the principal factors in
newspaper-making, organized labor
and news print have Increased In
cost. 49S per cent while In the same
period retail prices have increased
approximately 150 per cent; advertis
ing rates 180 per cent a total of 390
per cent, leaving a balance of ies
per cent in actual Increased coats of
production that has been absorbed
by reduction in pages and other econ
omies.
These figures do not Include noa
union labor increases, which have
been tn almost - equal proportion, or
a multitude of all kinds of tax Items
Deflation Is now the order of the
day in practically every business ex
cept that of newspaper-raaklng.
Prices must come down, but news
paper prices must never again be
permitted to fall to the old cut-throat
level that prevailed prior to vi
From the standpoint or production
costs labor and news print the
newspaper publishing business will
be unchanged In 1S21 over I9Z0. There
is no tendency to lower wage scales
and In all probability newsprint will
continue to sell on contracts at the
same leverage as in 1920, if not 10
per cent higher.
There can be bo lowering or rates
either to subscriber or advertiser.
Tho newspaper business Is today on
more solid basis than ever before
in Its history nd it must be kept
there. In some cases, as we have
said, further increases In revenues
will be necessary to meet the -new
standards. As a matter of fact since
October 1, over 800 newspapers have
raised advertising rates on an aver
age of about 25 per cent U may be
necessary for other newspapers, to
follow this lead, la spit of general
price-declines.
In the meantlm it ia the duty of
every newspaper publisher in Amer
ica to take stock in order that h
mav nresent a logical- dollar-and-
centa reason for his prevailing sohea.
ule of rates, instead of some eentu
mental reaaon which was th rul
om years ago and which, It t
hnnad. has been driven out of .raws'
paper and- advertising businesses for
all times. .......
More Truth Than, Poetry.
By Jamea J. Hoatarae.
tub KEW" ci ne.
When Doctor Brown, whose practice
lay
'Among the very wea'.thy,
Fouad out that working harJ all day
Would make a person beaji.hr
And read that there was no disease
Among the poor Egyptians.
Because they seldom took their ease
And never took prescriptions, .
Immediately he evolved
A plan to profit by It.
If work eured people, he resolved
To make his patients try It
A patient who was pursy made
By too much good and riches.
He handed out a pick and spade
And bade him go dig ditches.
To ladles who had limousines
About the town to roll In,
Me said, "Go buy yourselves blue
Jeans ,
And get the winter coal In."
To folks of social standing whom
The season had been hard on.
He said, "You're nervous, I presume.
Go out and weed the garden."
The cure, no doubt was quite all
right;
All Ills It might have bested;
But on that we have little light
For It was never tested.
For Doctor Brown, bereft of pelf.
Without an occupation.
Is seeking now to find himself
A means to dodge starvation.
For every dame and every gent
1 When told that their condition
Would mend with labor, straightway,
went
And got a new physician!
see
flad Behavera.
Strict enforcement of the blue lama'
will of course necessitate penitentia
ries for birds and flowers.
... ,
Morals Are Mending.
Wall street waa astonished the
other day when an office boy who
stumbled over a package of bonds
brought them back to their owners.
...
A a All-rartlaaa.
If Mr. Harding wants a secretary
of state who Is experienced and also
a republican, why not keep Mr, Colby
In the Job?
(Copyright, 1120. by the Bell Syndi
cate, Ino.)
John Burroughs' Nature
Notes.
Caa To Aaawer These Questions
1. Are tracka tn the snow mad
mostly by day or night-walking ani
mals? ' . ,
2. Where are wild strawberries apt
to be found?
3. How do sparrows avoid owli?
(Answers. In tomorow'e nature
notes.)
Answers to Previous Questions. '
1. Doea the white-footed mouse lay
up winter stores?
The white-footed mouse, high In the
hollow trunk ot some tree, lays by a
store of beech nuts for winter use.
Every nut 'is carefully shelled, and
the' cavity that servea aa atorchous
lined with (trans and leaves. The
WQd-choiper frequently aquand-ers
this precious store. I have seen nan
a peck taken from on tree, as clean
and white as If put up by the most
delicate ha oils.
2. What Is the secret of a success
ful flshermaa.
The successful angler seems born.
and not made; he appears to know
Instinctively the ways of trout The
secret Is, no doubt, love of the sport.
Love sharpens the eye, the ear, th
touch; it quicken th feet, it steadies
the hand, It arms against th wet and
cold. What wa lov to do, that w
do welt
3.' What la th appearance of th
shrill?
In six the shrike la a little Inferior
to th bluejay, with much th same
form. If you se an unknown bird
about your orchard or fields In No
vember or December of a bluish-
grayish complexion, ' with dusk
wings and tall that show marklnc
of white, flying rather heavily front
point to oint, or alighting down It
the atubble occasionally, it Is pretty
sure to b the ahrlk.
(Righta reserved by Houghton Mif
flln Co.
In Other Days.
Twenty-five Years Ago.
From The Oregonian of Dee. 14, ln3.
New York. The Morning Adver
tiser will aay tomorrow that Levi P.
Morton Is an avowed candidate for
the presidency.
Charles Babb of Portland waa th
first baseball player signed by th new
Pacific league and will play third
bas for Portland. Four other play
ers have now been signed up.
T. Jefferson Conray of Limerick,
Ireland, accompanied by hla valet I
at th Portland hotel.
The annual meeting of th Sheriffs
association of Oregon will be held in
Portland today at th courthouse.
Fifty Years Ago.
From Th Oregonlaa of Dee. IS, 1170.
Washington. Representative Bowea
of South Carolina, arrestod under in
dictment for bigamy, appeared la
court thl morning and was held un
der 000 bait
We noticed that, aom firms had
testes on display yesterday alear
case of attempting to tote in sea
aon. though th air was mildly sag
gestlve ot winter sports'.
Th city la filling op with tran
sients and some hotel ar uasfci to
accommodate all applicants.
Th eloek belonging to th grand
lodge of Good Templara I missing
and th grand secretary wants who
ever bas it to return It
SPINSTER. IS LONELIEST OF ALL
Reflefctloaa orn Tragedy at ! txaviac
Men Enono-a to Go Arouad.
PORTLAND. Dec 14. (To th Ed
itor. Ev. your letter ar all right
You hav defined loneliness In aucb
a manner that acarcely anybody who
has aver felt its PnC could read
them and not get their "heart throb."
But. Eve, It would seem that you ar
a widow, as you refer ta -happier
things," such aa a home, husband, etc,
ao 1 am writing thia to remind you
that if this bo true ther I some
thing that you hav never experienced
that la moie lonely still, and that la
th Ufa of tho spinster.
Sh has navar knows th joy of
having and "running" her own horn
nor ths protection of husband, nor
th lov of a child, nor th countlesa
thlna-a a wlf enjoys. Look around
and notice th hundreds of attractive
single women who don't hav a
chanca, becauaa there doesn't seem to
be enough men to go arounn; Bene
they lead a lonely existence. Thia
statement may b hotly denied, but I
Insist that deen dowa. In vary worn-
an'a heart la a sreat desr for lov
and companionship in a bom all bar
own.
80, Ev. count ail your bisin.
or there la on ?eu hav failed t
count namely, you are not a plntr.
-1
'.-''If,'
1
K J -