8
THE 3IORMXG OREGONIAX, TUESDAY, DECEMP.FK fi. 1921
J M I- BY HENRY I . PITTOCK.
j'ubllshe.l by The Oregonlan Publishing Co..
13o Sixth Street, Portland, Oregon,
C. X. UUHDEN, . B. rirr.ii.
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HARDING A SAFE LEADER.
At the session which has Just
Opened congress will make the rec
ord on which Its members must go
before the people for re-election next
fall. They can hardly be satisfied
with the record that they have made
in the extra session. They did much
creditable work, but the most im
portant piece of work the tax bill
was ill done, and many things that
should have been done were not done
at all. Congress has done nothing to
put the railroads in a position to re
duce rates to a proper ratio with de
flated prices or to improve service,
has made no provision to settle the
debt of the allies and it has a half
finished tariff bill on its hand. It
has done nothing for reclamation of
arid and swamp land, though by this
means it could add to the productive
area of the country, employ many
thousands of the unemployed and
make homes for many ex-aervice
men.
The brief recess between" the
special and regular sessions will have
served a useful purpose if it only
gave congress an opportunity to
learn what the people think of it
and of President Harding. Its mem
bers must have learned that it has
fallen low in public esteem, while the
president stands immeasurably
higher than he stood on the day of
his inauguration. When the mem
bers recall how frequently they have
acted contrary to the president's ad
vice they will do some thinking
about the contrast between what
they have done and what the presi
dent advised them to do. Then the
republican majority may conclude
that a president who gains strength
Is a safe leader for men who wish to
stand well with the people, and they
may mass behind him to give effect
by legislation to republican policy
and pledges as expressed in trfelr
platform.
The outstanding difference be
tween Mr. Harding and congress has
been that he has thought and acted
for the whole nation, while congress
men in too many instances thought
for particular interests and groups.
Congressmen have been too ready to
give ear to the noise of clamorous
minorities seeking something for
themselves; the president read cor
rectly the minds of the silent masses
those who are slow to volunteer
opinions in a way to make a noise
but who readily and frankly express
opinions when Invited. Congress has
been misled by vociferous groups to
split into corresponding groups,
which have obeyed the demands that
the few dinned in their ears rather
than the national will as expressed
at the polls. The men who have
thus misjudged public opinion have
learned that their popular support
was an Inverted pyramid perilously
balanced on its apex while that of
the president rested on the broad
base of recognized service to the
whole nation. Congress will find
safety on the foundation which the
president has laid.
The peculiar problems which con
tent the present congress cannot be
solved by men of parochial mind
who look at them In one narrow as
pect; an honest search for their so
lution may lead a man all the way
from Kansas to Kamchatka. The
man who finds a farmer burning
corn for fuel because the freight on
one bushel to market is the price of
two bushels on the farm cannot per
manently help the farmer with some
patent legislative device to raise the
price or lower the freight on corn; he
only treats a symptom. Still less can
he help the farmer by firing broad
sides of oratory at banks, capitalists,
railroads, speculators. A broad pol
icy which reduces taxes by reducing
expenses of government, which puts
railroads in condition to render
better service at lower rates, which
restores the economic health of the
world and, by setting industry and
commerce in motion in ail land,s
creates a demand for the farmer's
corn, helps the farmer at the same
time that tt helps the whole nation
and other nations. Such a policy is
the work of a statesman, who at
tacks and cures political, economic
and social disease; the parochial
politician can apply temporary pal
liatives at best.
The American people instinctively
recognize that Mr. Harding Has at
tacked the disease which afflicts this
nation at its source by seeking to re
duce the waste of money on arma
ment and, to that end, by dispelling
the cloud of war which hangs over
the far east. By relieving other na
tions in lango r measure than it can
relieve the United States his policy
will bring back prosperity to them,
and through them to us. He reduces
waste in our own government by half
a billion dollars a year. He calls on
congress to readjust our tariff to
changed conditions and to fortify our
merchant marine. In all these
things he takes the national as op
posed to the group view, and when
occasion demands, he expands the
national view to a world view. He
sees that the f'ure for the nation's ills
is a world at work, succeeding a
wonc at war. Let congress follow
him.
The scars that war leaves are not
on the wounded alone. A traveler
Just back from central Europe re
ports that even sadder than the pov
erty of the people and the suffering
of the sick Is the spirit of distrust
which prevails everywhere. This Is
due in part to the breaking down of
authority, as a result of whtcta
thieves and swindlers go unrebuked
and unpunished and honest folk
suffer because they have no way of
making their virtues known. They
in turn become embittered, and un
less made of uncommon fiber are apt
to conclude that in such a struggle
honesty is not worth while. A few
are proof against temptation, many
succumb and reconstruction and re
organization are indefinitely delayed
when they are most essential to hu
man happiness. Americans who
complain of conditions in their own
country do not know when they are
well off, and the one bright spot in
many a Kuropean community, ac
cording to this traveler, is the relief
center maintained by Americana
who, when they return to this coun
try, will be able to do real service" by
picturing in their true colors the con
ditions which they have left behind,
THE PEOPLE MUST VOTE.
It is stated by the Oregon Voter
that the special session of the legis
lature can enact an income tax
which will go into effec t within
ninety days after it has been signed
by the governor, unless it be referred
to the people by referendum petition.
The suggestion overlooks the 6
per cent tax limitation. While that
section of the constitution is com
monly called a tax limitation it is
more properly termed a tax revenue
limitation. Revenues raised in any
one year by taxation may not exceed
those raised In the preceding year by
more than 6 per cent, except that the
people by their votes may authorize
a greater increase.
It is clear, we think, that the leg
islature has no authority to levy any
kind of tax that will raise sufficient
money to finance the exposition.
Only the people may do that.
As heretofore pointed out, the leg
islature is summoned, in this con
nection, only to act as intermediary.
It is asked to submit a definite meas
ure to the people for their approval
or rejection, and that request is by
more than double the number of
voters whose signatures are required
to submit an initiative petition of
their own making direct to the
people.
SHIPS SUSTAIN THE PORT'S LIFE.
When nineteen ships of various
nations are in the Willamette river
on one day, the people of Portland
can visualize the great proportions
that their ocean commerce has at
tained. Since the days when all
buildings clustered along the river
bank business houses and residences
have moved back some distance, the
greatest docks are far down the river
from the business center, and ships
come and go there unseen by the
majority of the people.
But shipping becomes constantly
more intimately connected with the
business of the city. Vessels not only
come to terminal No. 4 to discharge
and load bulk cargo; they push on to
the upper harbor with general cargo
for mercantile houses and gather
shipments from the upper docks.
Great freighters equal in tonnage to
eight or ten of the largest sailing
vessels of former days are under the
eyes of the people as they cross the
bridges. They carry grain and lum
ber across both the Pacific and At
lantic oceans, they have begun tak
ing full cargoes of apples to Europe,
and they bring silk from Japan,
coffee from South America, glass
from Belgium, copra from the Pa
cific islands and varied goods from
many lands.
Thus we realize that the river is
the great artery through which
courses the lifeblood of the city, that
the men who worked through years
of discouragement to improve the
channel to the sea and to build docks
were not visionaries, and that the
confidence of the people who voted
money for these purposes was justi
fied. Portland has taken its place
among world ports.
EXPLAINING THE LOOT OF CHINA.
Explanations offered by the great
powers for their seizure of Chinese
territory are most illuminating as to
what is the matter with China. Be
cause Germany forcibly occupied
Shantung and constrained China to
grant a lease of Kiaochow, Russia
demanded and took the Liao Tung
peninsula. France took Kwang
Chowan and Great Britain took Wei
Hal Wei and Kowloon. They basei
their claims on "the necessity for
preserving the balance of power in
the far east" and China granted the
leases "with the sole purpose of
maint
Vast t
cV-nlr
plain
maintaining the balance in the far
between the other powers con
ing China." Translated into
American, this means that,
Germany, having stolen a slice, each
other power stole a slice to make
things even, and China acquiesced on
the theory that there was safety in
numbers of thieves, the presence of
the others serving to restrain any
one from stealing more.
All now admit that this was all
wrong, but when called upon for res
titution Japan and Great Britain
urge that they be allowed to retain
much of what they have taken.
Japan was late in getting into the
game and had to fight Russia and
Germany in order to get a share of
the plunder. It offers to restore
Shantung on certain conditions, but
"has no intention to relinquish" Its
part of Manchuria, f.. r it was ac
quired from Russia, which had no
right to it, "at considerable sacrifice
of men and treasure" and is "a
region where Japan has vital inter
ests." Great Britain Is wtlllng'to re
store Wei Hal Wei, but maintains
that it should hold Kowloon, which
is on the mainland opposite Hong
kong, for whlthout it Hongkong is
Indefensible and "the safeguarding
of Hongkong Is not merely a British
Interest but one In which the whole
world is concerned."
By the same line of reasoning as
Japan adopts the United States
should have annexed Cuba, for we
drove out Spain "at considerable
sacrifice of men and treasure" and
that island is "a region where the
United States has vital interests." By
the British line of reasoning Cuba
might take Florida, if it could, aa
necessary to its defense, or the
United States might take Juarez
from Mexico aa necessary to the de
fense of El Paso, lest 'some preda
tory third power should take it.
If the conference should accom
plish no more than to require these
nations to justify their occupation of
Chinese territory, it would serve a
valuable purpose. Their delegates
must feel decidedly embarrassed
while defending their conduct virtu
all" in the hearing of the whole
world and under the eyes of a natioo
hich went Into the world war ask
ing notning tor itself ana came out
with nothing but a great debt and a
long list of killed and wounded.
But It is not true, as the dispatch.
I says, that the United States is "not
I concerned directly in this phase of
the discussion." A cardinal principle
of American policy is the independ
ence and integrity of China, to which
the conference has pledged "itself.
Occupation of Chinese territory by
other nations is contrary to that
principle. The open door of oppor
tunity in China is necessary to
American interests, but it cannot be
wide open while foreign nations
stand guard at some of the doors.
Kxpediency may dictate that resti
tution of some occupied territory be
deferred until China is strong enough
to defend it, but the necessities of
those who took it cannot be accepted
as a valid reason for their retain
ing it.
SOT VINDICATED.
A Jury disagreement in the case of
Roscoe Arbuckle lacks the quality of
a vindication, as for that matter still
another hung jury or even an ulti
mate verdict of acquittal would do.
In the strict consfruction of the law.
Arbuckle Is on trial for causing the
death of Virginia Rappe; in the eyes
of the public there are other not
wholly minor matters which will not
be overlooked.
It is admitted, for example, that
Arbuckle was a participant in an Il
legal orgy, that the behavior of the
members of the party was scandal
ous if not utterly Immoral, that the
atmosphere of the whole affair was
one of pajamas, and booze, and jazz,
and that a death resulted directly In
consequence. The testimony con
cerning the whole affair shows that
the actors were recreant to a trust
which the public reposes in its idols.
The sense of moral responsibility
which we think ought to exist in a
peculiar sense in public and quasi
public characters seems to have
been lacking throughout.
Doubtless considerations such as
these flitted through the minds of
the recalcitrant Jurors. Ten believed
that Arbuckle had not been proved
beyond doubt to have caused the
death of Miss Rappe; two thought
that a great wrong had been done
that ought not to go unrebuked. It
will not be said that the prosecution
proved its case, or that It ever will
be known just what happened to the
victim of the tragic adventure. Nor
will it be held that verdicts arrived
at "on general principles" are right
or safe. Yet it is certain that the
public has lost almost as muoh as
Arbuckle has by being deprived of
its faith in one whom it looked upon
as the veritable embodiment of joy
ous spirit and wholesome fun.
USE FOR OLD WARSHIPS.
Since we have begun to ' talk of
scrapping warships, the question
arises: "What shall we do with
them?" The armor steel of battle
ships is so hard as to be extremely
dififcult to cut and is of such com
position as to be useless for any
other purpose. Hence the best use
that the United States navy can find
for old battleships is as targets with
the deliberate purpose of sinking
them, and a British middy, who was
greatly impressed with the power of
the submarine, profanely told Sir
Percy Scott that "a battleship Is no
damned use at all."
Records of the British navy indi
cate that nothing is so useless as an
obsolete warship. A miscellaneous
lot of old ships, ranging from a
mooring lighter built in 1827 to a
pre-dreadnought battleship, was sold
in 1909 and 1910. The lot cost S19,
227,914, but It realized only 1759.408
or 3.8 per cent of Its cost. The cost
of the old lighter was not known but
it sold for $73,507, this artificially
raising the percentage. From their
character it may be presumed that
the salvage from dreadnoughts
would be even lower.
After the guns and equipment
were removed, some use might be
found for the hulls. The old French
cruiser Chasseloup Laubat has been
converted Into a fish-drying factory
at Port Etienne, West Africa. Old
dreadnoughts might be moored in
harbors for coal storage, some might
be made into naval museums to pre
serve relics of the way we used to
fight before scrapping of navies be
came the fashion, and some might be
used to train our diminished navy
forces, though they would need up-
to-date ships to finish them off. But
the best we can make of it is that an
obsolete warship is about the most
useless thing afloat.
WRECKERS PUT TO SILENCE.
Why was that threatened attack
on the Washington conference not
made? The inclination exists among
the men who have striven, with too
much success so far, to block every
effort to reconstruct the world. The
provocation is present, for the con
ference Is making marked progress
n bringing other nations to work
with the United States for the com
mon good of all nations, which in
the jaundiced eye of the wreckers is
submergence of American sover
eignty in .he world sovereignty of a
hypothetical superstate. Then why
do they hold their hands, or their
tongues? If the nation is once more
to be saved by their prophetic warn
ings, now is the time to speak.
Consciousness that the conference
is executing the composite will of
this nation, of all nations, has struck I
the marplots dumb. .On the f irst I
day of its meeting it scored its first '
success through submission anr. '
proclamation to the world of Secre
tary Hughes' plan to reduce navies.
It went on to adopt Elihu Roofs
four principles to govern the nations'
relations with China. It has pro
ceeded to apply those principles by
agreeing to leave China in full con
trol of postal service and adminis
tration of justice. After years of
threats, boycotts and diplomatic
fencing It has brought China and
Japan into direct negotiation on
Shantung, Mr. Hughes and A. J.
Balfour mediating as friends of both
countries and as representatives of
countiies having a common aim.
All of the western nations are sub
stantially agreed on the naval ques
tion, which leaves no room for doubt
that Japan will fall into line with
them after a period of hesitation in
hope of last-minute concessions.
Ily this series of successes won In
the brief period of three weeks
brief as affairs diplomatic are meas
ured the conference lias added mo
mentum to the pressure of the vast
body of public opinion that was be
hind It. By calling it President
Harding called forth a multitude of
hopes and prayers for its success
which drowned, every discordant
note. By his naval proposals Mr.
Hughes massed that sentiment on
something practical and concrete, so
that it bore down opposition from all
quarters except Japan and left that
nation in so solitary a defensive po
sition that its public opinion has
, been stirred and that its military-
statesmen are shaken by the spec
tacle of hopeless odds agninst them
if they should cling to plans of im
perial power. The weight of opinion
behind the conference, passionately
approving what It has done and pro
poses to do, has swept It on over ob
stacles which at former conferences,
meeting in secret, would have been
deemed insurmountable. Realiza
tion that the American people were
behind their delegates and that other
peoples required their delegates to
follow the lead of America em
boldened the conference to go for
ward firmly and without delay to
lay solid foundations of peace. The
loudest spokesmen of dissent are
awec" to silence by the success that
Is achieved and by the universal ap
proval that greets it. The few carp
ers that are vocal merely call atten
tion to the smallness of their num
bers and the baseness of their
motives.
Practical effect is being given to
the desire for some organization of
the nations to provide a substitute
for war, in place of the existing or
ganization of each nation to make
war. That desire prevailed before
the war and became well-nigh uni
versal during the war. The league
of nations was formed to gratify that
desire and the United States was
rightly expected to be the backbone
of its strength, but the builders
pushed their work too fast and in too
great detail for that faction of
Americans which still lived In the
past and "by inspiring fear that the
league would merge all nations Into
one world-state they led this nation
to stand apart. How causeless was
that fear Is proved by the fact that
the league has been overscrupulous
in its regard for the rights of indi
vidual nations and has stood ready J
to admit the United states virtually
on its own terms. How great was
the need of it was proved by Its liv
ing and gaining strength in our ab
sence. When the nations rally to
the call of this republic as leader in
a new move in the same direction
and practically confess that they
cannot begin to reduce armament
without our aid, they demonstrate
how foolish a bogey was the danger
that partnership would have in
volved loss of sovereignty.
The sentiment which . gives the
Washington conference its resistless
motive power is deeper, less lifted up
in the clouds of theory and idealism,
than that which brought forth the
league. Three years of strife and
agony added to that of the war have
sobered the people, brought them
back to realities and made them con
tent with the broad, simple but
strong foundations which the con
ference lays for Its structure of
peace. In place of a slow-moving
commission of all nations to decide
on reduced armament, it proceeds io
direct negotiation? among the great
powers, confident that the small
powers will follow their example. It
makes a direct attack on far eastern
troubles by working to bring all na
tions into agreement on one policy,
which it applies in practice to pres
ent conditions, and which each
power individually will pursue.
Here is no league, association or al
liance, simply a meeting of minds of
the delegates and of the nations they
represent. When minds of nations
thus travel together, there Is far
better assurance of unity in action
than Is to be fund in any written
pact. Italy and Roumania were
bound by alliance to Germany and
Austria, but turned against them be
cause their interests were adverse.
Great Britain was tied to France and
Russia merely by an entente an
understanding but they stood to
gether till Russia broke in pieces,
then France and Great Britain
fought together to the finish. When
nations freely agree on a common
policy, they can trust each other to
pursue it without written pledge of
help, because self-interest moves
them. No alliance could hold them
beyond the point where their inter
ests diverge.
No formal alliance or association
neei be expected to result from the
Washington conference, for the suf
ficient reason that it will be unneces
sary. But from the co-operation es
tablished there, should develop co
operation in other fields of action,
so that the United States and the
other powers concerned will work
along parallel lines with the league
until the two merge. That is for
time to work out.
One interesting question about
Lloyd George's coming visit la
whether he will call on Woodrow
Wilson. Another is whether they
will enjoy remlnlscenses of Paris.
Bill Eatchel's machine on thaw
snow and ice on a highway, per
fected, will make him a millionaire
and melt a way to the north pole.
Verily, It will be "hot stuff."
As the labor boar'd says conditions
on railroads are improving, we may
hope soon to see the improvement
materialize in the shape of lower
freight bills and lower prices.
He who notes the fall of a sparrow
also notes the death of a helpless in
fant. The malady that is resulting
fatally In a babies' home in this city
surely can be stopped.
A button Chinaman well up says
a woman loses her hold on a hus
band when he learns to cook. Well
said, but all cannot be Chinamen,
and get by with it.
Who knows but the one lone
woman on the Arbuckle jury maybe
right and the eleven wrong? It may
be instinct, it may be hunch; It may
be right.
Organized baseball needed some
body like Landis, and has him. He
is no respector of heroes, as Ruth
and others have learned.
This packing-house strike will be
the "toughest" ever pulled off. It's
a brave strike-breaker who will
tackle a carver by trade.
Already there Is talk of the ex-
Lkaiser marrying again. That Is his
privilege but the old rascal!
A word in the ear of the city em
ploye: Do a little more work. The
day of the "snap" has passed.
Arbuckle's mother-in-law calls
him: "The poor boy!" Perhaps; and
then, again; Perhaps.
Another daily newspaper in Port
land will disburse much of some
body's money.
On a modern jury one is as good
as eleven when the one Is a woman,
The Listening Post.
By DeW Itt Harry.
BY DEWITT HARRY.
HE steel corporation is a small
thing compared with the res
taurant industry." the caterer said
as he and his guest were at lunch.
"There is more money invested in
dining and lunch rooms than in steel,
but the( steel industry is organtied.
If one great firm could control the
feeding of the United States as thor
oughly as steel Is controlled it would
take an immense capitalisation.
"Prices In restaurants are, to a
great extent, based on overhead.
Short cuts frequently enable the man
agement to pare a little from the
right-hand side of their menu cards.
Careful checking. elimination of
leakage, a properly directed system
of purchasing and an efficient kitch
en with the utilization of all portions
of food purchased make for a better
menu at a price within reach and at
the same time will pay dividends.
"There are few businesses more
mismanaged than restaurants. Con
tinual vigilance is necessary to hold
dewn. leakage. Yet, with all these
problems, hundreds of ill-fitted per
sons try their hands at catering.
"Take one of the best known local
establishments. This place serves
generous portions and it is hard to
make a mistake in ordering. Every
thing on the blll-of-fare Is usually
excellent. Some of their portion
prices are astoundingly low, in fact
many dishes called 'leaders,' fea
tured on the menu, are sold at an
actual loss. This serves to attract
trade and this loss is converted into
gain by volume of business and the
greater profit on other items sold aa
a consequence.
"Let's take tripe and other meats
of a like character. They are very
cheap, and allow a large margin ot
profit. A few orders of tripe, brains,
kidneys or like dishes go a long way
toward overcoming the actual lost
on 'features.' It is the law of gen
eral averages that makes the busi
ness pay. And this is only one of
the many neat little ways of convert
ing losses into dividends. Ask any
skillful housewife who works on a
budget how she manages to keep her
bills down?"
"Have you an October Delineator?"
The inquiry came from a man of
medium height muffled to the throat
In a dripping raincoat. The clerk in
the news stand said he might be
able to get one. It was the day of
Marshal Foch's visit to Portland.
"I wish you would. I was telling
Marshal Foch of an article In it when
we were out riding this morning and
promised to show it to hin. when we
dine tonight. Can you get it fcr me
by then?"
The clerk, with rough-and-ready
cigar store wit, was about to hand
in sarcastic comment on his customer's
familiarity with the famous French
leader when a man in front of the
store hurried in with outstretched
hand:
"How are you governor?"
And the man with the dripping
coat turned to the clerk:
"When you find that magazine send
it to the Mutnomab hotel. My name
is Olcott."
Meet Conductor 864, a man after
our own heart. ily..- many times
have you seen tne passengers sprawl
ing on the long side-seats the local
streetcar company - Ives us, each tak
ing up half again as much space as
one person is entitled to?
There was a gerverous supply of
seat hogs on this trip, and a crowded
car. Near the front entrance was a
little woman with a heavy market
basket, and near the rear door was
a gray-haired old woman, both stand
ing before an unsympathetic sprawl
ing audience.
No. 854 went Into action when
crossing the steel bridge. He stepped
Into the car and ordered the pas
sengers on one side to move closer,
created a seat and assisted the old
woman to It. Then he went across
the aisle, repeated the performance
and helped the woman with the bas
ket to a seat.
The big touring car approached the
street Intersection at a good rate of
speed, but under perfect control, stop
ping with a scream of breakes as the
semaphore showed red. On the pro
ceed signal the driver held out an
arm, came around In a clean curve
and proceeded. The traffic cop's Jaw
sagged.
"DIdJa see her." he was yet in a
maze. "Perfect driving. Perfect con
trol. Knew her business. Good
looker. Drov Just like a man. and
she was smoking a cigarette, Just like
a man would, no holder, blowing
smoke through her nose."
It's Impossible to excite those one
man car pilots. Jesse Rich "got in
with one last week during a heavy
rain storm. The little car was throw
ing spray for several yards as It
plowed through the water over, the
tracks.
"Hurry up on that gangplank." ad
monished the skipper. "We want to
pull out of here, the water's getting
low and we're drawing two feet. If
1 get with the current I can make
better than 12 knots. All ashore
there."
- a
Box factory glrl from a great
plant on Oregon street usually can
be spotted by their red tarn o'lhanter
caps. It must be the bright colors
that appeal, and they are certainly
entitled to any pleasure they may get
In this way. A day of hard labor in
front of a great machine, or of back
breaking toil bent over a bench with
paste pot and shears, warrant any
little pleasure. Girls are the came In
any walk of life: the liking for pretty
things is universal. Red caps might
not appeal to everyone, but they are
all the rage in paper-box circles.
Returning recently from a trip to
British Columbia, a local man went
to his bank to cash in several trav
eler's cheeks. He had bought, but
had not found It .neceseary to use
them. The teller asked him, as a
favor, if he would guide a party to
Canada next year.
"You are the first man I ever knew
who brought anything back from
there." was the explanation from
behind the wicket. "It might be pos
sible to go tnere with you and not
return broke."
111111H.1: OK (.011s in 1 u: 1 i IN
Correspondent Convinced It Had
Firmer Baals Mi ni Mythology.
PORTLAND, Dec. 5. (To the Edi
tor.) In a postscript to the letter by
Luctle Glover In The Sunday Orego
nlan, relating to the much discussed
Bridge of the Gods, you conclude with
the statement that the Cascades Is
well recognized as the supposed loca
tion of the mythical bridge.
Whether or. not you used the words
"supposed" and "mythical" to stir up
more interest in the romantic prob
lem of the Bridge of the Gods you
at least got me going to the extent
that I now ask you to let me say
that while i do not lay claim to being
fully qualified to argue the problem
1 have followed past discussions to a
point where I feel that the "supposed"
bridge was more than, a possibility,
and even more than a probability.
If you will pardon my departure at
this point from a plain letter I will
condense It to the form of a vision,
and seek to show what my observa
tions of past discussions have led
me to believe happened.
At one time the mountain chain
was unbroken at the point of the
Cascades. The connecting link at that
point constituted a barrier to a great
body of water which was held im
prisoned by a mountain high obstruc
tion, over which one of the world's
greatest waterfalls poured the Colum
bia into a great hole so deep that for
a mile or so below the falls the
evidence '.a still present.
Then as a result of subterranean
disturbances, at the time of Mount
Hood's greatest eruption, when Mount
Adams also poured forth the fury of
internal compression, a leak was
sprung at the base of the great re
taining wall, and in the course ot
time the barrier gave way and the
force of the waters of the great lake
which Included Hood River valley,
carried the mass of the mountain
down stream and deposited it be
tween the south point of the Rocky
Butte, on through what Is now Mon
tavilla, on through what is now Rose
City Park and Laurelhurst and final
ly depositing the last part In the form
of silt in what Is now known as the
eaEt part of Portland.
The Columbia then flowed to the
south of Rocky Butte and joined the
Willamette at the point of the cen
ter of the east side of Portland, but
the final banking of deposit became so
high at a point east of Montavllla
that a new channel was begun to the
north of Rocky Butte.
As evidence of the possible truth
of this the trunks of great trees may
now be found several hundred feet
below the surface in both Monta
vllla and Laurelhurst, such an inci
dent being on record when on the
occasion of boring for water on what
Was then known as the Ladd farm.
J. A. CLEMENSOX.
SPEED GOVERNOR IS SOLUTION
Suggestion Made That Motors Be
Equipped With Automatic llegulntor.
BAKER, Or., Dec. 4. (To the Edi
tor.) We are spending large sums in
improving our highways, which will
have to be maintained, else In a few
years they will be no better than be
fore Improvement. It is conceded on
all hands that the heavy trucking is
responsible for most of the injury to
the roads, but it will also be conced
ed. I think, that it is the speed of the
truck, more than the weight, that
causes most of the damage. If the
truck were limited to a speed of say
ten or 12 miles an hour little damage
wuold result, even Dy irucits carrying
20,000 pounds or more.
We have speed laws, but no way
has been found to enforce them ef
fectually, and there is no reason to
suppose that other or different speed
laws would be enforced any better
unless a more effective system can be
adopted, and that is the point 1 am
getting at.
Is it not ' possible to devise some
sort of mechanical contrivance that
will regulate the speed of a motor
vehicle, very much the same, for ex
ample, as the safety valve on a steam
engine, which opens a steam escape
when the pressure in the steam chest
seeches a certain point? I am not a
mechanic, but it would seem to me a
very simple matter to attach some
such device to a motor vehicle, by
which, to Illustrate, after the wheels
or some part of the machinery reaches
a certain number of revolutions per
minute the 'gas would be automatical
ly turned off. This device could be
graduated to any number of revolu
tions desired, thus insuring any speed
desired, and could be locked to that
number by the official Issuing the
license, who would retain the key.
The device could be used on any ve
hicle, and the speed regulated accord
ing to weight, the heavier the vehicle
the slower the speed to De requirea.
This would not only save tne roaas.
but eliminate the "speed maniac, and
wpuld obviate the expense of "speed
cops ana or poncing un nmnwa-i.
l Item well worth considering.
We have numbering machines.
adding machines and many other de
vices much more complicated man
the speed device suggested. 1 nave
no doubt we have hundreds of me
chanics In the state who could make
such a' device In ten days. I suggest
that the officials in charge of issuing
automobile licenses employ a good
mechanic, and in less than 30 days a
serious trouble will be solved. All
cars are already equipped with a de
vice to measure the speed, why not
have a device to control that speed?
It would certainly be a simple thing
to do. C A. MOORE.
Why Cube Floats Corner Up.
PORTLAND, Dec. 5. (To the Edi
tor.) The writer wouia De pieasea
to have your explanation of the rea
son why a square timber or any other
. . , In .....
square ODject wucii hhb "
water always floats with one corner
straight down. We have tested inn
,.t on timbers 12. 14. 16. 18 and 20
inches square and also on a piece of
kiln dried lumber of even grain 2x2
Inches and find that it will float
with any corner turned down but will
not float flatways.
We have had quite an agrument
on this subject and will appreciate
your explanation. H. L CROSBY.
, A floating body Is acted upon by
two equal forces in opposite direc
tions; one vertically down through
the center of gravity of the body It
self; the other vertically up througn
the center of gravity of the liquid dis
placed by the body. The stability, or
equilibrium, of a floating body de
fends on where the upward vertical
force, when the body is tipped. Inter
sects the axis, or line drawn between
the two points of grav-ty. This inter
section is known in hydro-mechanics
a. tho metacenter. If the metacenter
is above the center of gravity of the
body it is stable; if It Is below the
center of gravity the body is un
stable. The tendency of an unstable
floating object Is so to adjust Its po
sition that the metacenter will be
above the center of gravity.
When a cube has more than one
half Its bulk submengetLand floats
with one corner up. the two centers
of gravity are both lower and the
metacenter consequently higher than
when it is floating flat. In other
words, an object will float most
readily in the position in which it la
the least topheavy. ,
Those Who Come and Go.
Talea of Folka at (lie Hotels.
In the person of J. B. Mounter
there is a resident of Los Angeles
boosting for "Oregon 1925." which
proves that there is hope for citi
zens of Los Angeles and California to
see that the northwest Is worth while
boosting as well as their own Hate.
"While I live In Los Angeles," con
fessed Mr. Meunler. at the Multno
mah, "I am a booster for the rest of
the Pacific coast also, and believe that
what helps one section will help an
other. No one state has all the sights
.,h ...i.o v ,,., .,,,. - -
apple orchards and pruna orchards.
while we have orange, lemon and olive
orchards. In fact, the Sllmar olive
orchard, owned by the Log Angeles
Olive Growers' association, covers
2000 acres and is the largest olive
orchard in the world. Many people
do not know the meaning of Sllmar.
It comes from two Italian words
silvla. meaning tree, and mar, mean
ing sea. The word indicates a sea
of trees. It takes a long time to
make high-grade olive oil. Instead
of being pressed and then put on the
market, It has to be aged, very much
like wine, and for eight months after
the oil is pressed out It is passed
through 2000 sheets of litmus paper
twice, in order to make It perfectly
clear and free from Impurities. It
is then placed In large tanks and
only bottled when needed. In recent
years there has been a great demand
for ripe olives', and now California Is
the largest packer of olives anywhere
and ships large quantities to Eng
land." According to W. O. Parker, sales
manager for the Kennedy Fiber com
pany of Seattle, the concern believes
In using western products whenever
possible. Immense quantities of
western paper is purchased and made
into fiber for chairs and tables. These
products are finding ready sale along
the Pacific coast and has resulted in
enlarging the plant on Puget Sound.
Mr. Parker is registered at the Mult
nomah. Someone once said, after taking a
look at Biggs, on the shore of the
Columbia rhyer, with nothing but rock
cliffs and sand on every hand, that
anyone could better his condition by
going from Biggs in any direction.
Mr. and Mrs. C. E. Arnold have ar
rived from that dot on the map and
are at the Imperial. It was not far
from Biggs that the tragic railroad
collision occurred last week.
It looks like a railroad convention
at the Multnomah. Among the arriv
als are William Sproule, president of
the Southern Pacific lines; E. E. Cal
vin, president of the Oregon Short
line; C. R. Gray, president of the
Union Pacific; H. M. Adams, vice
president of the Union Pacific in
charge of traffic; J. L. Hough, assist
ant to Mr. Adams, and D. W. Batch
elder Jr., secretary to the president.
While his wife has been doing a
little pre-Chrlstmas shopping, Sey
moure Jones of Marlon county haa
been giving some attention to politi
cal affairs. Mr. Jones is mentioned
as one of the possible candidates for
governor in the republican primaries
next year. He was speaker of the
house in the 1919 regular session and
the special session which followed.
State Senator Porter of Linn county
attended the meeting of the commit
tee which Is collecting highway sta
tistics for truck regulation for the
benefit of the special session of the
legislature. The senator says he haa
not made up his mind on what course
he will pursue at thj legislature re
garding highway regulation or the
exposition bill.
Once unon a time, when Marcus
Daly was a poKtlcaa power in Mon
tana. D. W. French was his private
secretary. Now Mr. French Is presl
dent of the Basche-Sage Hardware
company of Baker, the largest con
cern of the kind In eastern OregOT
Mr. French Is here to attend the rate
hearing.
William von der Hellen of Medforil
is at the Imperial. Mr. von der Hel'.en
is a contractor and has built a con
siderable portion of the highway b -
tween Crater lake and Medford. His
father formerly was a member of the
state senate for Jackson county.
Dan W. Bass, a Seattle notelman
arrived at the Imperial yesterday on
his way back to Puget sound. Mr.
Bass has been In New York attending
the convention of hotelmen at the re
cent national gathering.
Owing to the snow in the Cascades.
George Brewster did not attempt to
get into Portland via the McKenzle
pass, but went around the other way
Mr. Brewster Is at the Imperial from
Sisters, in Deschutes county.
George Neuner, district attorney of
Douglas county, was a Portland vis
itor yesterday. Mr. Neuner had been
to Oregon City Sunday, where he de
livered a memorial address in the
Elks' lodge.
'We've been snowed In," announced
J. G. Farefowl, as he registered at the
Hotel Oregon yesterday from Shaniko.
"We have had an abundance of snow
and everything was tied up for a
while."
Clarence L Reames, formerly Unit
ed States attorney for Oregon and
subsequently looking after the Inter
ests of the department of justice in
Seattle during the war, is at the Im
perial. Adolph Straub of Waterman is at
the Perkins. Waterman is n the
range country and is a postofflce and
general store. Things around Water
man are going as well as can be ex
pected. Calvin Cobb, owner and editor of
the Idaho Daily Statesman, is regis-.
tered at the Multnomah from. Boise.
Mr. Cobb will spend a few days In
Portland and Seattle conferring with
C. Walters, In the lumber busi
ness at Eugene, is among the Imperial
arrivals.
O. C. McLaln. a cowman from Los
tine, Or., Is at the Imperial.
Paaaport Details Are Many.
MEDEORD, Or.. Dec 4. (To the
Editor.) Kindly answer what are the
requirements of an Amerlcan-born-tnd-reared
citizen. 45 years old.
physically and mentaKy sound, to
make ft trip to England and France
as a working man. Jack of all trades
and master of none? Have about
MOO. In other words, can I get pass
port to go, look and learn and labor,
and take a chance? It has taken me
about 30 years to accumulate this
amount and I. in all earnestness, want
to try some place else besides North
America, having been nd worked
in nearly every state and province.
DISSATISFIED.
Your letter does not disclose any
cbstacle to Issuance of passport to
you, but formalities for receiving one
are too detailed to be given In these
columns. Consult the World Almanac
in your city library, or write to clerk
of the district court, Portland.
Cards When Returning Call.
PORTLAND. Dec. 5. (To the Edi
tor.) 1 have recently moved to this
city and several ladies of my neigh
borhood have called. In returning
these first calls, should 1 leave my
card I M.
Yea.
WAY TO STOP ROAD IIRKlKUOWX
Legislative Kneuurstrrnient Hail
roads Will I nil Jitney Traffic.
EUGENE. Or. Dec. 4. (To the Ed'
tor.) This month the governor ha
called the legislature Into extra ses
sion io decide on two vitally Im
portant matters. First, to provide the
state share of tho finances of the
19-5 exposition. As lor this measure,
to my notion, there Is :iot even an
argument. Of course we should pay
our share. Every motorist from the
east who lslts Portland will prob
alily drive as tar as Eugene and on
to Ashland and Crater lake. Of to As
toria and the Columbia vaiicy towni
1 and ail art!) spend some money. A
1 """at many will be impressed with
1our, "u,uful climate, f'.r.e orchards
iiu 111 LUC 'HI 111-., unu uui iiino; now
business opportunities. Particularly
will they be impressed with our won
derful hard-surfaced highways if
and there's the rub If any of them
are left by that time.
Think of It. We have four well
built steel lines from Eugene and
Springfield north to Portland; cast
side main line. Southern Pacific main
line. Southern Pacific electric Cor
vallls line and the splendid line of the
Oregon Electric, all able and willing
to handle an unlimited amount of
traffic, running half empty trains be
cause we poor simps have turned our
million-dollar highways over to a
bunch of Irresponslbles who every
I hour of the day endanger the life and
limb of everybody who hits the au
dacity to use our own pavements.
Last Sunday, driving to Junction City
with my family, one of these road
demons passed a string of eight cars
all going aa fast as the law would or
should allow, using the wrong sida
of the road for at least half a mile.
And these freight trucks they are
regular Juggernauts.
Let me suggest a remedy: Let the
legislators use a little brains and
money to encourage the railroads.
Turn our electric railroads, the Ore
gon Electric and Southern Pacific red
line into regular amall unit interur
bans. one car at a time every hour.
Instead of trying to have them per
form the steam railway's function.
Empower them to make a .rate of 2
cents a mile and they would have the
passenger business so quick their
would be nothing to It.
Let the lnterurbans have all the
local passenger traffic, Portland to
Eugene and way. Give the Southern
Pacific main line all express, freight
and through traffic to the eaat and
from the east. Divorce both electric
lines from interstate traffic and get
away from all foolishness about three
men to a train. Hire a good practical
street railway operating official and
you won't need any antl-Jltney laws
because Jitneys could not exist.
Do this and In 1925 we will have
our highways and lots of people will
be alive to ride over them in their
own cars which Is what they were
built for. and not for a bunch ot
pirates to ruin our railways, which
everybody knows or should know
are the life arteries of our future
prosperity. JOHN T. EVANS.
In Other Days.
Fifty Years Ago.
From The Oregonlan of December 6. 1871.
Two of the persons awarded the
contract for constructing the second
section of the Northern Pacific rail
road are reported to have left the
city and state clandestinely, leaving
behind a number of creditors.
The common council of this city
has been asked to appropriate $1000
to publish the prize essays on the
history of Oregon written a short
time ago.
London The annexation of the
diamond fields in South Africa to the
British dominion has been completed.
The annual report of the secretary
of the treasury says that all Internal
taxes except those on liquor and
tobacco can be dispensed with, and
recommends certain reductions on
Import duties.
v
Twenty-five Yenr Ago.
From The Oregonlan of Detemher 6. UK
San Francisco The superior court
here has issued an injunction for
bidding payment of money to Sharkey
and Kltgimnions for their fight until
Investigations following charges of
fraud have been made.
If all the stories of killed and
wounded enemies told by both sides
to the Cuban struggle from the be
ginning were true, the Island would
be depopulated by this time.'
A mothers' convention held In Chi
cago has undertaken to set the seal
of condemnation on "Mother Goose."
the objection being that the rhymes
do not state real factB.
Hilary Herbert, secretary of the
navy. In his report to the president
says "we have not a single vessel of
war that could keep the seas against
a first-class vessel of any Important
power.
Meaning of Brindelllsm.
GRANTS PASS. Or., Dec. 4. (To the
Editor.) In the affirmative of our
southern Oregon district debate ques
tion. "Resolved, the open shop prin
ciple should be adopted in American
industries, my opponents Drougnt up
Rrlndcllism." "It was asked "Wouia
Brindelllsm be possib.le under the
open shop?"
1 think this term may nave oecn
taken from some radical closed shop
believer named Brindcl because I've
read of Tricklsm. IMnkertonlsm and
Carnegieism In reference to radical
open shop believers. 1 wouia appreci
ate Information.
LULA D. UAKHBIT.
The term "Brindelllsm" Is derived
from the name Robert P. Brlndell. ex
president of the building trades coun
cil in New York city, now serving
from five to ten years In Sing Sing
prison for extortion, having been
Convicted in February. 1921.
Exposure of his methods showed
that as head of all Duiimng traae
unions In New York, he used his
ower as a club over contractors who
were negotiating building projects.
Evidence produced was to the effect
that unless these contractors paid
Brlndell sums which he stipulated
workmen would not be provided for
their operations from the unions
Local strikes were frequently called
as reminders that Brlndell tad not
been paid, and as soon as these dif
ficulties would be adjusted the
strikes would then be called off and
tho work would proccel without fur
ther hindrance. A number of con
tracting builders who refused to sub
mit to Brlndell testified that they
had been forced out Of business.
Brlndell's rule was shown In court to
amount to almost despotism.
Federal Livestock Loans.
LAKESIDE, Or.. Dec. 4. (To the
Editor.) Otn you give me tha correct
address and to whom a farmer may
apply for tho information as to how
to obtain tho farmer loan on live
stock that is the federal loan? The
local banker has no data.
C. P. COLEMAN.
Write or apply to Victor A. John- ,
son, secretary Portland office war fi
nance corporation, tenth Boor, Spald
ing building, Portland, Or.
t