Morning Oregonian., November 21, 1921, Page 8, Image 8

TIIE MORXING OREGOXIAX, MONDAY, NOVEMBER -21. 1021
ESTABLISHED BY HE'BY I.. 1'ITTOCK.
Published by The Oregonian Publishing Co..
Hi Sixth Street, Portland, Oregon.
C A. MORDEV, E. B. PIPER.
Manager. Editor.
The Oregonian la a member of tha Asso
ciated Press. 'J'he Associated Press la ex
clusively entitled to the use for publication
or all news dispatches credited to It or not
otherwise credited In this paper and also
the local newa published herein, ah rignis
of publican, c of special dispatches herein
are aiso. reserved.
Subscription Bates Invariably In Advance.
(By Mall.)
Dally, Sunday Included, one year IS.00
uaily, hunday incluaea. six monini .
Dally, Sunday Included, three month
Daily, Sunday Included, one month . .
Dally, without Sunday, one year
Dally, without Sunday, six months . .
Daily, without Sunday, one month, ...
Weekly, one year
bunday, one year
4.23
2.2.1
.75
6 00
8.25
1.00
2b
(By Carrier.)
Dally. Bunday Included, one year 19.00
Dally, Sunday included, three montba. . a as
Dally. Sunday included, one month ... ..T5
Daily, without Sunday, one year I f 0
Dally, without Sunday, three months. . IKS
Dally, without Sunday, one month 65
How to Kemlt Send postofflce money
e.-der, express or personal check on your
local bant Stamps, coin or currency are
at owner's risk. Oive postofflce address In
lull. Including: county and atate.
Post- Kates 1 to 19 pages. 1 cent: 18
to Dz pages, Z cents; 8 to 8 pages, 8
cents: 60 to 64 pagea, 4 cents: 66 to 80
psges, 6 cents- t2 to H8 pages, 6 cents.
Foreign postage double rate.
Eastern Business Office Verree Conk
lln. Soo Madison avenue. New Yorkf; Verree
at Conklln, Kteger building, Chlcaito; Ver
r A. tlruiklln. Free Press bulidillg, De
troit. Mich.; Verree & Conklln. Belling
building, Portland.
HERB WE GO.
Portland expressed a hearty faith
In Itself, in Oregon an In the 1925
exposition in the vote registered isat
urday. A majority of four to one on
a measure submitted to the people is
uncommon. Probably in the past
the city has indorsed as emphatically
some measure on the ballot but
only on rare occasions. The ratio
was nearly equaled by the vote cast
in this county on the soldiers' bonus
measure last June, although
smaller percentage of the registered
vote was represented on the bonus
measure. The state at large on only
four occasions has given a four to
one or a greater affirmative ratio
and only one of those high expres
sions of approval occurred in the
last fifteen years.
While the total vote cast on the
measure was Just a little under 40
per cent of the registration, it was
still not small in comparison wun
the usual turn-out for a special elec
tion. As already indicated, only 35
tier cent of the registered vote eX'
pressed Itself on the bonus measure
in the special election last June, al
though the issue, as the vote indi
cated, was a popular one with the
people, It is, moreover, a peculiar
habit of many voters that they will
attend the polls to vote for candi
dates but will not vote, on measures
of interest and importance.
An example in point was in 1920,
the year of a presidential election.
The multiple issues of the campaign,
national and state, attracted only 68
per cent of the voters to the polls,
yet the most popular measure re
ceived the affirmative and negative
votes of only 52 per cent of the elec
torate and the least popular only
41 per cent.
It will not be honestly disputed
that the vote Saturday represents the
sentiment of the entire city. The
success of the tax levy was as cer
tain beforehand as a forecast could
be. Predictions made as to the ratio
of approval to opposition were car
ried out with surprising exactness.
An election whose result is known
in advance does not induce as large
a vote as one hotly contested, and
particularly is this true when
weather conditions are unfavorable.
They were never worse on an elec
tion day in Portland.
The Oregonian looks for almost
Immediate substantial benefits- from
the - enthusiastic support given the
fair by the voters. The great pre
ponderance of faith and approval in
this city is an almost certain indi
cation of faith and approval by the
people of the state. Despite what a
few persist in saying, the folic of one
section of the state are not very dif
ferent from those of another. The
same good will toward others, 'the
same pride In achievement, the same
aspirations, the same desire for state
progress actuate us all. 5ur only
differences are over methods of put
ting these characteristics in prac-i
tice. There may be a closer division
of opinion over the exposition as a
forward step in our progress when
the state vote is recorded,' but it is
reasonable to believe that the opin
ion of four out of five persons in
Portland is pretty well reflected in
the minds of those who live else
where in the state. It will be believed
and the exposition will now be con
sidered a certainty.
The benefits from an exposition
are not coincident with the period
during which it is held, nor may we
look to see preliminary returns con
fined solely to preparaion for the
event. To hold an exposition of the
magnitude planned and now ap
proved by one-third of the people, is
aY courageous undertaking and cou
rage is contagious. As the soldiers
In the trenches best found them
selves by contact of shoulder to
ahoulder, so shall we find ourselves
in the knowledge that we are in
touch with one another in our confi
dence in the future. We shall dare
to do that which we hesitated to do
because we feared that others held
not the faith that we hold. Now we
know they do. We shall build larger
and Invest more. We shall advance
steadily toward a greater prosperity.
A HERITAGE OF SPORT.
In the popular plot of field and
stream the game commission is com
monly cast in the role of. villain.
Wardens are to be tolerated because
we couldn't get along without them,-f
but are nevertheless held to be spoil
sports and dispensers of abundant
gloom. Say what you will,-the aver
age citizen with waders on, or but
toned up in hunting khaki, has ever
the haunting fear that he may have
unwittingly violated some one of the
law's many canons. He regards the
state game commission and its of
ficers with the same enthusiasm
that a misanthropic tomcat has for
a. Boston terrier. . - -
'The fact is that wardens are quite
human, with a fondness , for briar
pidns. tali stories, high-top boots and
vtl-.l k . chewing- tobacco. Most of
n are, oddly enough, in the serv
for the same reason that we go
lng. And the truth about them
their tasks is that quite incon
uously they are bending' their
. efforts to the preservation of
rt. That is to say, they find a
n pleasure in repairing the dam-
wrought by rod and gun in re-
Ing our streams and lakes and
ds and woods. Were it not for
yphase of the wardens work a
'day would speedily arrive when,
rrom many quests for sport, we
should return ' luckless andi discon
tent. Nature needs sympathetic aid
to fill her orders.
An apt illustration of this service
to the sportsman is the trout propa
gation record of the state game com
mission during the past year. There
are so many fishermen in Oregon
that statistics, in this instance,
should not prove tiresome; and the
statistical fact is that the total trout
fry planted in 1821 and on hand
number 13,671,990 trout. No tiny
little fellows such as fall pray to the
first predatory fish they meet, to the
shambling crawdad, or the flashing
kingfishers, but fingerllng trout.
from four to six Inches in length. Of
these fry, 7,301.825 were rainbow,
5,094,855 were eastern brook, 849,
888 were black-spotted or cutthroat,
and 426,478 were steelhead, the lat
ter being released only in the Rogue
river.
The eastern brook trout were lib
erated in the snow waters of the
Cascade lakes for the most part,
where they will grow as paunchy as
aldermen and as pugnacious as ma
rines, though many thousands were
used to stock the barren sand lakes
that nestle in the dunes of the coast.
Brook trout of last season's planting,
in similar lakes near Tillamook, had
attained a length of nine inches this
summer, testifying to the ideal con
ditions which awaited them in these
neglected and beautiful bodies of
water. The black-spotted trout and
rainbow, natives of the Oregon coun
try, were liberated in such streams as
required replenishment. And the stout
steelhead, as has been said, went to
the Rogue to learn the art of rising
to a hackle and the knack of bend
ing a rod double. In a single year
the state commission has more than
doubled the production of its hatch
eries, which means, incidentally,
that it has doubled the pleasure of
years to come and the possibility for
such yarns as anglers are addicted
to.
Protection' and propagation are
twin paladins of sport, and where
they are equally administered the,
sportsman has nothing to fear for
the future. Twenty years from now
an angler's favorite riffle will be the
same alluring place it is today. He
will cast with the certainty of a rise,
and hook his fish and thrill to see
It leap, because the present is look
ing ahead.
1HE FARMERS' INTEREST IX SHIPS.
Chairman Lasker of the shipping
board' shows by his speech at New
York that he has made great prog
ress in learning his job. He realizes
that imports are as important as ex
ports to economical operation of
ships. Ultra-protectionists are so
far from having learned this that
their ideal condition seems to be
ships going out with full cargoes and
returning either in ballast or with
commodities which we cannot pro
duce. If they had their way, the
American merchant marine would
not long srurvlve unless fed with sub
sidies so heavy as the people would
never grant. Great Britain, the
greatest shipping nation, '"owes its
pre-eminence largely to balanced car
goes, though inbound tonnage of
food and raw materials so far ex
ceeds exports of manufactures that
large coal shipments are neecssary
to fill ships outbound. . . .
There is food for thought by the
people of the interior in Mr. Las
ker's definition of the relation be
tween interior centers of production
and seaports. The people of the
middle west who assume that ships
concern only the seaboard need to
realize that the route by which their
products are exported begins only
with the railroad and includes the
ships by which they are carried
oversea to the foreign consumer.
Though the bulk of Kansas and Ne
braska wheat is consumed in the
United States, the price for the whole
crop is governed by the price of that
part which is exported, and every
dollar saved in ocean freight is a
dollar more in the farmer's pocket,
not ofcly on exports but on domestic
sales.
By the same rule the price which
a Kansas farmer pays for coffee and
sugar is affected by the ocean freight
rate, and the rate both on these im
ports and on wheat exports is higher
or lower in the ratio In which the
ship is loaded both ways. The man
on the prairie and the man on the
coast profit alike by having a tariff
which equalizes cost of production
at home and abroad but still permits
the foreigner to compete, for it per
mit imports which cut down ocean
freight, both on what we import and
what we export.
The greatest need for permanent
maintenance of an American mer
chant marine is a campaign of edu
cation which will teach the people of
the interior that they have a direct
interest in it as a matter of business,
not solely as a matter of sentiment
or of defensive policy. Mr. . Lasker
and his colleagues on the shipping
board would do well to make
speeches like that In question at
Chicago, St. Louis, Omaha, Kansas
City or other places where a ship is
never seen.
NCTHATCHES IX NOVEMBER.
November's forest is a silent place
and golden. Down by the river the
cotto-nwoods are showering the dark,
damp earth with treasure, until it is
paved as by sunshine. When the
mists are heavy over the Columbia
and the boughs drip steadily, there
is indeed a curious illusion of fair
weather and Jurie in the carpet the
cottonwoods cast. Both Illusion and
silence are perfect save for the faint
but incessant impact of the dropping
leaves and an accompaniment of
gossip so light and reedlike that one
harkensi twice to hear 1t- Th
thumbs of"the forest are twirling and
pranking through the gray branches
and- the medley of elfin, voices is the
casual small talk of that gay little
bliM the nuthatch gymnast and
gypsy.
Of all the feathered folk of the
river wood, from swaggering crow to
the lesser blue heron and back again,
the nuthatch is far and away the
most inconspicuous of them all and
yet the most ubiquitous. In his
Jacket of ashen blue, whole flocks
of htm, he moves through the griev
ing forest with ths inspired agility
of some clownish acrobat, yet withal
so mildly and self - effacingly that
the eye seeks for a moment ere it
finds him out. A midget bird in a
merry mood, it pleases him to perch
tread downward on the tree trunk,
to twirl pertly about the bough, one
instant with his crown saluting
heaven, the next with his absurd
little tall jauntily affronting the sky.
Treemouse, some rural naturalist
named him. and a treemousa ha if
if a mouse were to sprout feathers
and an elfin sense of humor.
People will tell you that the nut
hatch is a gymnast perforce andi not
by way of jest; that his pleasing
performance among- the cottonwoods
has a purpose no less prosaio than
bug hunting. They will contend that
the bugs are many but small and
that tom7thumb has merely adapted
himself 'to the insatiate demands of
his private insectarium. This is idle
talk, for the hunting of food, as food
alone, Is a sober business and there
is a distinct air of jollity about his
researches that gives the lie to the
canard. He has solved the secret of
contentment to find Joy by tha way
side and play in work and work in
play. A very proficient philosopher
is the pygmy nuthatch,
When the black crow caws men
roll their eyes wisely and proclaim
him the herald of winter. Doubtless
he is, but like many another weather
prophet, the forecasts are frequently
premature. The idle rogue is well
aware of this. Flying- south today,
m apparent trepidation, he is quite
apt to be flying north tomorrow, still
insisting that the end of autumn is
near at hand. An unreliable bird
and a pestiferous, saved by a rude
sense of humor from utter grs-celesa-ness.
It is not so with the nuthatch.
One may depend upon him.
Along about this time of year. In
the cottonwoods by the river, the
treemtca are flinging- themselves
through the bare branches, like o
many godless little Quakers. Tou
must look twice before you see one
and then you are not sure for he is
no longer there. But the talk they
are having and the pranks they are
playing mean most Indisputably that
the old year totters. We have me
calendar for that, of course, but
never was calendar printed that
made such pleasant reading. No
vember's forest is a silent place and
golden, but not wholly deserted. The
nuthatches are there.
HUGHES' DIRECT ACTION.
One name is in the mouths of the
people of all nations since November
12 Charles K. Hughes. Before that
day he was known to the world at
large simply as secretary of state of
the United States. He is now known
as the man who cut his way straight
through the tangle of argument on
armament to the poll, which was:
How much would each nation re
duce? He answered on behalf of the
United States: "We will reduce so
much if you will reduce so much.
His idea is that the way to reduce Is
to reduce, not to talk about it, and
that the nation best able to pay for
armament should set the pace.
That Is the Hughes style of direct
action. He followed it in the man-.
ner of making his proposals also.
The air had been full for months of
demands for public sessions of the
Washington conference and of plaus
ible reasons why negotiation could
not be conducted in that way with
the least hope of agreement, Mr.
Hughes had his opinion about that,
but he did not join in the discus
sion. The general expectation was
that the conference would meet in
secret at the start-and before con
sidering anything else would decide
whether its proceedings should be
made public or secret and, if public,
in what degree with the doors wide
open or just a bit ajar. Mr. Hughes
doubtless knew what the decision
would be if reached in that manner,
so he took the matter into his own
hands and put one over on the
apostles of secrecy. At the first ses
sion he invited the people in to see
and hear. Diplomats of the old
guard may have thought this was just
to witness a formal ceremony, to
hear some pretty but meaningless
speeches which would commit no
body to anything, that then the pub
lic would be shooed out or that the
delegates would retire to a back
room, close the doors, set guards at
them and begin to dicker In secret.
But President Harding had no
sooner made his opening speech
than Mr. Hughes got down to busi
ness. Without 'consulting the dele
gates, he laid before them in ths
hearing of the whole world his stag
gering proposal to reduce navies and
do it now finish scrapping super
fluous ships in three- months and
build no more for ten years.
The effect was to put objectors
among the delegates on the de
fensive, not only against the Ameri
can delegates but before the whole
world. Millions of overburdened
people on every continent saw a
prospect of deliverance,. The Unit
ed States, which had most to spend
on warships and most to lose by
defeat in war, was ready to re
duce; why should not their gov
ernments? Like Mr. Hughes, the
average man is a straight thinker
and believes in direct action not of
the I. W. W. kind, but of the Ameri
can kind. The enemy was beaten;
when he lifted his head he was
knocked down and dragged off to an
island, as was Karl of Hapsrjurg;
then why should the free nations
carry so many guns? In substance
this is what the average man mil
lions of him in many lands said to
the delegates at Washington." In a
day Mr. Hughes had become far
more than the spokesman of the
American people: he became the
spokesman of all peoples aching to
shake off their burdens.
It is Interesting to observe the
conduct of the delegates from other
nations. Mr. Hughes' public an
nouncement was a challenge which
rbey could only answer in public.
They were in favor of . reducing
navies, but in the way to which they
were accustomed. That way was to
make deals in strict privacy and with
due deliberation an old-world dip
lomat loves nothing more than de
liberation and they did not know
how to adapt themselves to the
Hughes style. Mr. Hughes consid
erately gave them two days to think
it over, and during those two days
their people thought it over and
reached a -very prompt conclusion,
which was published in newspapers
and sent over the cables to Wash
ington. It was expressed in one
word: Accept. So they accepted "in
spirit and In principle." which
phrase left them an opening for
dickering, but, as their people know
and have approved the Hughes plan,
they will not venture to change it
much. The speeches in which the
foreign delegates replied are an In
teresting study. They are the lan
guage of men called upon suddenly
to work in an unfamiliar way.
Mr. Hughes' handling of China's
case is no less characteristic of his
methods. Other nations have been
in the habit of doing things to China,
without consulting it taking its ter
ritory, making war on Chinese soil
to decide which" shall have a piece of
It, handing over an entire province
by treaty against Its protest, bullying :
its government into submission. But
Mr. Hughes invited China to the
conference on equal terms with the
other nations interested in far east
ern affairs, to the evident perturba
tion of Japan. China was to have its
say at the same table as other na
tions. As the United States called
the conference, it may have been ex
pected that Mr. Hughes would .take
the initiative in proposing a policy
on which the powers should agree.
but as far -eastern affairs chiefly
concern China, the Chinese dele
gates were put forward' by Mr.
Hughes to state in public the prin
ciples on which their country's rela
tions with other nations should be
based principles known to be ap
proved by the United States. Then
the other nations were called on to
state their position, and all accepted
the Chinese ten points; they dared
not do otherwise. Though these re
plies to China were made at a prl
vate session, they were immediately
published and all the powers stand
committed before the world.
The Hughes method is to go after
what he wants in the most direct
way. That flustered the diplomats.
with whom he would have to con
tend under a handicap if he followed
their methods. He saw that, in order
to accomplish more than a compro
mlse which would1 mark no real prog
ress either in arms limitation or in a
far eastern settlement, he must enlist
support of some compelling force.
He doubtless knew that the peoples
as distinguished from the politicians
of other nations wanted Jkist what
he, acting for the American people.
wants. He therefore forced proceed
Ings into the open. The result Is
that the contest in the conference,
instead of being the United States
against the field. Is the United States
and all the nations against the field,
which consists of a group of -bewil
dered diplomats.
By -this course Mr. Hughes has
also guarded in advance against hav.
ing his work mangled or undone by
the senate. By strictly limiting
secrecy, he keeps public opinion In
formed from the start on what is be
ing done, rallies It to his support and
carries it along with him. A public
opinion thus informed and drawn
into .cohesion cannot be turned by a
Johnson, a Borah or a Reed.
Through Senators Lodge and Under
wood, as liaison officers, Mr. Hughes
will keep posted on sentiment in the
senate and will keep the senate in
formed on conference doings, but
he will mainly rely for ratification
of decisions on the public opinion of
the American people, which will
constantly say to the senate: "Rati
fy," and that call will be re-echoed
from- around the world.
Mr. Hughes grasps an idea, puts in
practical form and makes it a fact,
by sensing what the people want and
what they think. By clear thinking
and firm, straight action he has done
more in nine days to lead us out of
the wilderness into which war led us
than did all the wise men who
mulled over treaties for months at
Paris.
The great powers have a sure
check on naval expansion by the
small powers, for the United States,
Great Britain and France , will here
after produce almost all the steel in
the world and will hold down Ger
many, the.only other important steel
producer, to the terms of the
treaties) which permit only coast de
fense vessels. An embargo on ,ex
port of steel would be an effective
check till ne'w sources of supply are
developed.
Almost three months have passed
since congress enacted the law au
thorizing loan of a billion dollars to
farmers, and so far the war finance
corporation has made loans of only a
little over $30,000,000. Either the
corporation is slow to act or the
farmers do not need the money.
One gets an Idea of limitation in
the news that the superdreadnought
West Virginia, launched Saturday,
will be scrapped under the agree
ment. She was planned to be almost
Invulnerable to torpedo and other
attack.
Naturally Japan objects to discus
sion at the Washington conference
of such "minor matters" as Shan
tung, Manchuria and the twenty-one
demands. It would be embarrass
ing, even to the nimble wit of Nip
pon. -
Portland has learned to expect a
rainstorm in the third week of No
vember, but this is rather early in
the season for a silver thaw, yet it
is better-now than when the trees
are in bud.
It used to be said that bulk ship
ment of wheat from Portland to go
through the tropics was imprac
ticable, but it has become the habit.
Now that we've had book week
and children's book week, why not
put on a borrowed book week and
return them to their owners?
If the wife of the governor of Ne
braska continues, she will be able to
qualify to write a cookbook for
young wives.
American admirers are making
Marshal Foch's welcome too stren
uous and the warrior is to be allowed
more rest
The first effect of the fair came
before the votes were counted
plans for a twelve-story hotel.
In the controversy in the school
board something may be released for
publication unintentionally.
Madeira will have interest for the
American tourist who would see
royalty in- exile.
Brisk fires in stove and grate will
help take some of the "silver" out of
the thaw.
A prisoner who breaks jail during
this kind of weather is "foolish in
the head."
Would not yesterday have been a
grand day for a hike by the Maza
mas? The sinner does well to stand In a
slippery place. The good man falls.
With apologies to the Grangers.
Drop in during June.
Eating turkey may be like biting
money.
Yes, Portland wants that fair.
Go 'way, thaw!
;1
Stock Dividends for 19S0 Analysed In i
Response to Request.
SISTERS, Or., Nov. 17. (To the
Editor.) I have read all your edi
torials regarding the railroad situa
tion and have come' to regard The
Oregonian as an authority on rail
roads.
inererore l was somewnat
taken aback when I read an editorial
statement in a farm paper in whose
opinions I had also come to have
some confidence. The statement from
which I will quote Is given a promi
nent place on the front page of tha
paper and is printed in lage type.
it is In part as follows
Tha official records show that the roads
in this great western group paid In dlvl-
aenas in iwzo on their preferred ana com
mon stock an average of nearly 7 per cent,
to be exact 6.81 per cent. These dividend
payments amounted to the magnificent
sum or 14,rH0.729. Ths heads or theet
western railroads may say that, while that
Is true, only 107.000,000 of the sum paid
in dividends was strainers of 102O. but
that S30.S2T.4OS was taken from surplus or
savings of past year. On the face of ths
returns, that is true, but when we get be
hind tha Juggling bookkeeping we find
that It is not true. The official figures
show that whlls $36,827,408 was taksn for
dividends from the surplus, at ths same
time and In tha aame year ths same roads.
In the aggregate, put back Into surplus
IAA.1UA.12U. In other words In tha aggre
gate their surplus or savings account after
payment of nearly T per cent In dividends
waa 62.SS,T12 better off at ths end of
1920 than It was at tha beginning of, the
year.
The editorial from which this quo
tation Is taken was headed in larga
type: "Western Roads Make Money."
Figures are adroitly Juggled to indi
cate heavy losses. Is the above state
ment a true statement of facts? Are
the figures upon which the interstate
commerce commission base their de
cisions Juggled? If so, why are the
jugglers not brought to book?
By a simple process of arithmetic
we can find that if the editorial in
question is a true statement of the
facts the net earnings of the western
group f roads was nearly 12 per cent
In 192Q. If these roads are earning
12 per cent why do the freight rates
stay high? Please publish and an
swer questions. AN INQUIRER.
Apparently the western group re
ferred to is that established by the
interstate commerce commission in
advancing rates, which extends from
the Mississippi river to the Pacific
coast, but does not include the south
west. Reports from all roads in this
group are not available, but those of
the four great transcontinental roads
Northern Pacific, Great Northern,
Union Pacific and Southern Pacific-
will serve to test the accuracy of the
conclusions drawn in the article
quoted. For these four roads the ag
gregate paid in dividends was $79,
263,971, surplus remaining $17,157,
057. Against this surplus there was
expended in additions and better
ments $46,243,442, which was either
taken from surplus or borrowed.
During six months of 1920 the.
roads received a guaranteed income
from the government, being paid the
amount by which their net operating
income fell short of the standard re
turn fixed by the federal control act.
For this period the Great Northern
reports a deficit on the guaranty, but
does not state the amount; the Union
Pacific reports a deficit of $4,661,444,
the Southern Pacific a deficit of $20,-
490.427; the Northern Pacific a deficit
o $1,238,010. Dividends paid were:
Union Pacific 4 per cent on, pre
ferred, 10 per cent "on common stock;
Southern Pacific 6 per cent; Northern
Pacific and Great Northern 7 per
cent. . The roads were enabled to pay
these dividends by the sjovernment
guaranty and by income on invest
ment of surplus from former years
and from other property.
' The guaranty period expiredi on
September 1, 1920, when trade depres
sion had set in, and since that date
earnings have fallen off seriously,
having been only 2.6 per cent for the
eight months ending August 31, 1921,
for all class 1 roads in the United
States. They have no guaranty
nothing but instructions from con
gress to the interstate commission to
fix rates which will pay 6 per cent.
If its judgment should prove at fault,
the railroad's fall short. In order
to pay the usual dividends this year
the roads will have to dip deep into
their surplus.
Railroad accounts are kept in a
manner directed by the Interstate
commerce commission and are aud
ited by the commission's accountants.
We have no reason to believe that
the commission Juggles accounts or
permits the railroads to "juggle them.
NOT EASY TO ENFORCE! DRY LAW
Though Imperfectly Executed Pro
hibition la a Triumph.
UNIVERSITY PARK, Or., Nov. IS.
(To the Editor.) What has Just
been said through correspondence
and a well written editorial in The
Oregonian appropos of prohibition in
Its enforcement, prorrlpts to . a few
words of comment. We are to re
member what the law has to meet In
being executed. First, the craving
appetites of men, which have been
fed and Increasingly so, as appetite
today is not satisfied with Its supply
yesterday. It is not to be wondered
at that appetite has evaded the law.
Secondly, a vast amount of money
waa investe"?! In ' the business, and
capital is reluctant to go out or busi
ness. Thirdly, man is proud or what
he calls his personal liberty, and
easily resents what he deems an as
sault upon his personal rights. Con
science is elastic enough for drinkers
to Invoke its aid to cling to their
cups, in view oi inese true consid
erations who will not be surprised
that the law of prohibition has been
creditably enforced? To evade the
law surelr is lawlessness whioh is
the menace today of our institutions
and flag.
Things do move. I hurrahed when
a boy for Fremont,, and when he was
defeated for the presidency I cried
over the situation oC freedom in
America, but I had to live only a
decade of years to hurrah over the
death of slavery Itself under our
flaar. I never expected to witness the
triumph of prohibition in our land
as I now behold. Yet emancipation
has been followed by Indignities to
the blacks In depriving them of the
vote and! lynching horrid to contem
plate. Hhat tha law is imperrectiy put into
effect is a bugle call upon all, even
those who have loved strong drink
and those who sold it Is to make
onev rather than drunkards to put
purpose into actuality.
B. J. BUAUL1SI.
TREES OF THE NORTHWEST.
Oh! forests of the Northwest.
So stronar and straight and true, ; .
Give my soul that wondrous strength
That seema to belong to you.
Who sees your splendid symmetry
Oh-! cedar, fir and spruce.
Must feel inspired by the beauty
That serves so great a use.
Teach us the secret of your strength.
Your power that fear no storm,
A faith that keeps you always
straight.
Superb and true to -form.
.uUKJii a. warns,
EARNINGS OK RAILWAY GROl
Those Who Come and Go.
Tales of Folks at the Hotels.
Due to the unexpected snow storms I
that have blockaded the trains east
hound nv.r tha Knrth Runic and
o.-W. R. & N. roads, many eastern
Oregon and Washington business
men, ranchers and stock men are
wondering how they are going to get
backto their respective homes. Snow
drifts and slides on the lines run
ning parallel with the Columbia
river have tied up transportation.
Among those at the Imperial who
yesterday were worried and anxious
to return' home was W. T. Matlock
of Heppner. "I have two bands of
sheep out in the storm and I do not
know whether I am going to get
back home and take care of them or
not. Sheep cannot survive a bad
storm like the one that is reported in
eastern Oregon unless they have food
and shelter from the elements." Mr.
Matlock brought his family to Port
land for the w(nter, but will return
to eastern Oregon as soon as the
weather conditions permit. ,
"Pat" Mahaffey, banker and stock
man of Bend, who used to be in the
office of the county clerk under the
administration of John B. Coffey, Is
at ths Oregon with Mrs. Mahaffey.
Testerday he attempted to establish
telephone communication with Bend
to learn the weather conditions, but
found that the wires had been broken
down by the storm. Mr. and Mrs.
Mahaffey, drove down from Bend, and
they are now perplexed to determine
how they are going to be able to
drive a machine back to the central
Oregon country. Pat and John Coch
ran met in the Imperial yesterday
afternoon and the central Oregon
booster was tailing about storms that
be had been through in Bend. "Why,
John, a stouple years ago we had a
snow storm that filled the streets
to armpit depth," he said. "What are
you trying to do." inquired Cochran,
"encoucage settlers to go to your
country?"
Frank Davey, whose face Is as fa
miliar in Salem as the state capitol.
Is in Portland with' Mrs. Davey
and they are stopping at the Im
perial. Mr. Davey is working for
the state insurance commissioner and
Is here to Investigate Insurance con
ditions. He has been a member of
the state legislature, and has held
many positions with the state gov
ernment since the days when he was
known as the "Sage of Burns" and
held the government land ofice there.
Boosting Is the hobby of E. N. Hurd.
mayor of Seaside, and this trait of
character has been responsible for
Seaside being a real live city. Under
Mr. Hurd's administration as mayor
a sea. waH hag been built along the
beach, cement walks have taken the
place of the old board walks and the
city has advanced and prospered. Mr.
Hurd was a member of the last'legis
Iature and Is one of the state's fore
most workers for Improved highways.
He Is at the Imperial.
"I congratulate myself to he a resi
dent of the Willamette valley, where
I do not have to worry greatly about
snow storms." said R. H. Wood, hop
grower of Dayton. He is in the city
and is registered at the Oregon. He
boosted the Willamette valley yester
day when he heard the complaints of
eastern Oregon men who are snow
bound in Portland and unable to reach
their homes.
"I've been missing things lately."
said Milton E. Taylor of Berkeley,
Cal., when he looked out into a down
pour of rain from the lobby of the
Multnomah hotel. "I came north and
missed the California-Stanford foot
ball game. Here I expected to go
over the Columbia River highway, but
no such luck the storm's too great
for a Californian to venture out in."
Dr. and Mrs. E. Nelson Newlin of
Astoria drove up to Portland Saturday
and registered at the Imperial. Yes
terday they were wondering whether
they had better leave their automobile
here and go back by train, as they
were rather skeptical regarding the
condition of the Lower Columbia
River highway.
Fred B. Rivers, who last year was
secretary of the Seattle baseball club
under William Klcpper, who now is
one of the owners of the Portland
Beavers, is -registered at the Imperial.
Mr. Rivers will soon become a citizen
of Portland, as it is certain that he Is
to come here as secretary of the
Beavers.
F. R. Beals Is mixed up In so many
enterprises of benefit to his home city
of Tillamook that it ' 1s difficult to
state just what his business Is. His
stock took prizes at the recent live
stock show, held In Portland. He is
a rancher, a banker, a real estate
man and a livestock breeder. He is
at the Imperial.
C. B. McConnell, one of the leading
citizens of central Oregon and a resi
dent of Burns, was at the Imperial
yesterday. It was Mr. McConnell who
made the surveys of the Silvies River
and Silver Creek irrigation project
He is now engaged in operating the
latter project.
Oreajo-n climate boosters took a day
off yesterday around the Portland
hotels and were buoy explaining to
easterners and tourists that the
storm was jut one of Portland's
"beautiful" silver thaw, and that if
it cleared up and the sun came out
it would be a great sight to see.
"I told you so Oregon's old fight
prevented defeat at the hands of Ore
gon Agricultural college Saturday,"
declared Lyman Rice. Pendleton
banker and University of Oregon
graduate, at the Benson yesterday.
Rice Is a member of the state sol
diers' bonus commission and Is in
Portland to attend a meeting of the
organization.
Despite the rain and the storm
there was one hapy man at the Mult
nomah hotel yesterday. That was Dr.
Frederick V. Fisher, who has been
active in the campaign for the 1925
fair tax. Mr. Fisher came from Idaho
to aid the campaign committee in its
fight.
Robert S. Eakin. an attorney of La
Grande, is at the Imperial. Mr.
Eakin Is the son of the late Justice
Eakln of the state supreme bench,
and following his graduation from
law school he took up his practice in
the city of La Grande.
Sam. -Matherheadv former receiver
of the land office at Burns and prom
inent democrat of central Oregon, is
In Portland. He recently lost his po
sition in the land office when J. J.
Donegan was appointed ' under the
Harding administration.
E. B. Hunhes of Astoria, county
coroner of Clatsop county and a mem
ber of the state board of examiners
for embalmers, is at the Imperial
hotel.
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Johnson of Salem
are registered at the Imperial. Mr.
Johnson is in the furnishing business
in the capital city.
Mrs. J. H. Upton of Prlneville, wife
of Jay Upton, state senator, is regis
tered at the Benson. t
E. P. Merrick oi Medford was reg
istered at the Imperial yesterday.
George H. Snell and C. L. Raliff,
leading citizens of Walla Walla,
Wash., are at the Oregon hotel.
J.- R. Wyatt, s-n attorney of Al
bany, is at the Oregon.
Burroughs Nature Club.
Cjpyrlcht. Hoaahton-Mifflla C.
I
Can Yon Answer These Questional I "Oxygen men should marry nltro
1. How long have domesticated I gen women." Dr. R. Kendrlck Smith
fowls been known?
2. How long does a bee live whose
sting is gone?
3. A recent newspaper article de
scribed apparent accelerated sympa
thetic movement of gold fishes in a
pond near which a band was piaying.
In the same pond were trout which
aeemvd unresponsive. Should this re
action of The gold fish be attributed
to the music or the effect of eound
waves?
Answers in tomorrow's nature notes,
see
Answers, 4o Previous Questions.
1. How many eggs do sea gulls lay,
and do the young take care of them
selves? From two to three eggs Is the usual
number, but four are sometimes found.
The eggs are a greenish, or grayish,
or sort of buffy color, spotted with
brown or black. The young are fed
by parents and stay In the nest at
first.
e
2. Do male and female fishes have
different coats, like birds?
Some species differ, the male having
bright colors and more prominent
fins. Generally speaking the appear
ance of the two sexes is similar. At
the approach of the breeding season,
however, some species of fishes show
brighter colors on the male.
e e .
3. How does a spreadhead or cop
perhead snake look?
We do not know the spreadhead.
but fancy either the flatheaded adder,
a hognosed snake, may be meant or
the "chunkhead" also called copper
head and "rattlesnake pilot," de
scribed in yesterday's notes. Copper
head and chunkhead are the same.
and are poisonous. The flatheaded
adder or puff adder, or common hog
nosed snake is over a yard long, and
may be brown, reddish or yellow, with
irregular markings of black or brown
on the back, with half-rlnirs of dark
on tail. Middle of abdomen yellow
or greenish. They vary a good deal
in color, some being quite brick-red.
Not poisonous.
SCHOOL CONNECTION EMPHASIZED
Director Thinks Too Much Stress Pat
on Phase of Vice Scandal.
PORTLAND. Nov. 19. (To the
Editor.) This is not a protest, but an
appeal. During the past week pub
lic prints In our city and throughout
our state have carried headlines read
ing:
"Vice Scandal Hits Benson Poly
technic." r
"The Benson Polytechnic Scandal."
"Alleged Vice King" at Benson Poly
technic."
'Youths in Rcnson Polytechnic
Scandal Sentenced to Jail."
"Two More Benson Students Are
Suspended."
Two youths are under sentence,
four, possibly more, are Implicated
and as many young girls. In a moral
lapse which has received just con
demnation from all decent-minded
people has been judicially treated by
an upright judere.
There are 1500 youths attending
Benson Polytechnic school. Tho
writer has stood before them In as
sembly on many occasions. A fine,
upstanding student body, the citizens
of tomorrow.
Why in a disclosure such as has
taken much news space, and properly
let us admit, in our papers, should
the public schools, the high school.
the technical school, be always head
lined with It? In reason could not
the church which these youths at
tended, granting they did. or the sec
tion of the city from .which they
came, be used as a means of identi
fication and with as much justice.
Recently appeared this hesdllne
"High School Students Read Trashy
Magazines." Do the students at high
schools read them any more than
those at private schools? Or as much
as their fathers and mothers? -
This filthy publication to which
reference has been made is sold openly
on street corners, at news-stands by
adults, and at last reaches our high
schools, no note being taken of the
matter apparently until watchfu
teachers and principals bring the
matter to light.
Our public schools are not sacro
sanct. The children who attend are
a cross section of the nation's citizen
ship In the making. They should not
be played as favorites, but should re
ceive constructive criticism and cer
tainly whole-hearted support. And
your paper and other papers through
out our city and land give of this
again and again freely and helpfully
witness the page and more you ex
tend each Sunday to the throbbing,
helpful activities of the same public
schools.
And so these words are not penned
In a spirit of recrimination, but
merely as a plea that the delinquency
of parents should be emphasized
rather than the public schools, for
superintendent, principal and teacher
alike are engaged each day In. meet
ing these very problems, endeavoring
to overcome therm problems to which
the parent too often gives no thought
or heed.
WILLIAM F. WOqDWARD.
It seems to The Oregonian that
those parents who by precept and
example instill high Ideals into their
children ought to be gratified to learn
that teachers and school authorities
are alert regarding tha morals of
those children whose home training
is slack. It Is a high compliment to
the schools that vice and Immoral
literature are jiot tolerated, and The
Oregonian did. Just as Mr. Woodward
suggests, emphasize tha delinquency
of parents which commonly attends
the moral defection of children.
The most natural Inference from
publication of the articles referred to
Is that children who leave home clean
are not to be contaminated by unclean
pupils if the school authorities, by
rigid supervision and quick action,
can prevent it. The result of sup
pression of public school Interest in
incidents of the kind would be cir
culation of rumors and exaggerations,
with a resulting breakdown of con
fidence. Orlarln of Mans Cats.
GERVAISi. Or., Nov. 17. (To the
Editor.) (1) Where did the Manx cat
originate? Are there different colors?
(2) Are they supposed to be better
mousers than other cats? R. C.
(1) The origin of Manx cats is now
attributed to the arrival of these cats
on the Isle of Man from ships belong
ing to the Spanish armada that were
wrecked there. They were probably
brought from Japan or eastern Asia.
They are a d'stinct species with short
Irelegs and elevated hindquarters,
and differ from other cats somewhat
In call, ways and character. They
vary in color.
(2.) There Is no printed authority
for the Manx cat's merit as a mouser,
but people who have owned them for
long periods say they are not good
mousers or hunters. In character they
are rather similar to a dog. being
highly companionable and having
some of the qualities of a guardian,
but they are not considered hunters in
any sense of the word.
More Truth Than Poetry.
By James J. Moslagne.
of Boston.
THE CHRMKML VNIOX.
Oh, lovely, nitrogenous lady.
Each oxygen atom in me
With love la aflame, and demands
that you name
The d-iy when our wedding shall be.
Yea! even the tiny electrons
Of which the said atoms are built.
Would droop in despair If a maiden
so fair
Were to prove a perfidious jilt.
So hark to my passionate pleading.
Let our hearts and our souls have
communion
With never a sigh as the years
hasten by
In a perfectly chemical union.
I wedded, before I had wisdom.
A maid of the oxygen sort.
Our marital life was a record of strife
Which ended, of course, in a court.
Identical atoms composed us.
Our wants were exactly the same.
It's a fatuous plan for an oxygen
man
To marry a nitrogen dame.
We both wanted fat for our dinner.
Unlike Mr. Ppratt and his spouse,
And for seven long years, filled with
curses and tears.
Our rows made a wreck of the
house.
But yotfre a nitrogenous maiden;
Your atoms are friendly with mine:
For the fat 111 be keen; you'll be
strong for the lean.
And our dinners will all be divine.
We'll dwell In delightful content
ment. According to chemical law.
And our Joys will Increase In mole
cular peace.
With never the slun of a flaw.
oo prnnee, accept my proposal.
Send me word that you'll eurely be
mine.
We'll be happy through life as a hus
band and wife.
For our atoms will get along fine.
s
We'd Rather Be Alive.
We learn that a new tenor Is eager
to take Caruso's place for much less
money. To paraphrase the late Charles
ll. Hoyt. we wouldn't take It for all
the money in the worhf. .
e
No Lesson, ,
As faas we are able to observe, an
election prove! only that somebody
has been elected.
see
OhllKlnar.
We take It from M. Brland's re
marks that France la perfectly will
ing to diisarm If disarming doesn't
mean any limitation of her arma
ments. ffpvr1irht by th, T,H Srnfll, Tnr ,
In Other Days.
Twenty-Five Iran Aao.
FrJ.'? Th" r'Knl"n. November II. lmaJI
The American Lesion Is the title of
an organization which Major Cicero
Newell hopes will become widespread
In Oregon and throughout the country.
Snow bejran to fall during the fore
noon yesterday and kept It up briskly
for several hours, clinging to Mho
frozen ground with never a Bicn of
thaw.
Atlantic Highlands. N. J The mon
itor Terror did today what no other
ship In the United States ever did.
She fired solid shot at sea from her
10-inch guns In one volley.
The Santlnm river was reported to
have been hla-her last week thHn since
the flood of 1891.
Fifty Years Ago.
From Tha Oresonian, November 21, 171.
The British srovernment has granted
a pension of 30(1 pounds to the chil
dren of Dr. LlvinRstone. the explorer.
Livingstone when Inst heard from,
was slowly making his way towards
tho coast. '
There are
Olympia.
145 school children In
J. B. Harker has started up his
large flouring mill at Dayton.
Workmen commenced yesterday to
drive the piles for the foundations of
Halaey's hotel at the corner of F and
First streets.
WILSON'S MOST SINGULAR FEAT
Adnlnilnn nf Tumulty Credits nlm
With Impossible Deed.
NAMPA. Idaho, Nov. 18. (To the
Editor.) I have read with much In
terest the Tumulty series of articles
concerning his associations with Mr.
Wilson. I noticed In the Installment
of November IS in his description of
Mr. Wilson's fight to brlna; to success
the enactment of the federal reserve
hanking law. Mr. Tumulty used this
sentence:
"It was obvious to Mr. Wilson from
the outset that Insurmountable ob
stacles and difficulties lay In his
path, but he brushed them aside s
If they were the most Inconsequen
tial thlntrs."
Now Webster defines "insurmount
able" s "not to lie surmounted or
overconn?." How r.tn you do some
thing which cannot be done? In the
parlance of "slnnp-." here appears to
be a "literary hull."
The writer has not had the ad
vantages of a higher education, hav
ing received his schooling In a little
country schoolhouse in Ohio In the
late 60s and earlier 70s anl ma v not
know all the rules and limitations
governing writing for publication. It
may be that the "literary hlKhhrnws"
are allowed a rertiiln license and ex
ruses may be founjl for them In the
lapseei. in correct phrasing. In their
enthusiasm over the subjects they
are wrltina: on. which sometimes
seems to be fulsome flattery, they
mnv make mistakes.
We wonder sometimes why the
roles Mr. Wilson and Mr. Tumulty
played In their various political cam
paigns were not reversed, and Mr.
Tumulty should not hove been the
leader and Mr. Wilson the adviser. If
you take Into account all the valtinhln
advice he tells you he gave Mr. Wil
son and his political advisers, and
also the great understanding on all
political questions he wishes you tc
know he has.
We believe a larpe niH.iority of the
American peoplo will Justly Judce the
services of their public servants, and
give praise where praise due. and
adverse crltielsm when Just!fled In
doing ao, and no literary writer caii
change that verdict. L. A. HART
Tnrlfr on Gifts.
ST. HELENS, Or.. Nov. 19.(To the
Editor. ) 'ould you tell me If one
Is comoelled to pay a customs tax
on a gift sent Into Canada, or where
I could obtain this Information?
SUBSCRIBER.
It depends upon the nature of tha
gift. For definite Information, write
to the collector of customs, Vancou
ver, B. C. '
Votlna; nt Road Merlins.
LAUREL, Or., Nov. 19 (To the Ed
itor.) Does a voter have to be a tax
payer to vote at a road meeting, when
such meeting has been called for the
purpose of volinir a special tax for
road improvements? B. V.
Under the law those who may vote
are legal voters. There is no other
qualification necessary.