10
TIIE HORNING OREGONIAX, FRIDxVT, DECEMBER 10, 1021
I. -
-ESTABLISHED BV HENEY U I'lTTOt K.
Published by The Oregonlan Publishing Co,
134 Sixth ii'lreoL, Portland. Oregoa.
C. A. UUKDEN. EL B. PIPER.
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; APPROACHING TIIE MILLEXMl'M.
'.' Do the people of this and the
J Other countries concerned fully
appreciate the tremendous signifl
; cance of this announcement from
- Washington:
- (imt Hrltnln. the In I ted State and
J Japan were in full accord aa to principles
tonight on plan o( naval limitation.
- Thi3 is a complete reversal of
rolicy on the matter which most
" profoundly affects the future of the
; human race the probability and
; extent of war. A year afro those
" three nations, having the most
" powerful navies in the world, were
measuring one another's power and
watching additions and improve
; T ments with a view of deciding how
; large and how fast they should build
- new .ships. Their standard of
measurement -was ability to attack
- and destroy another nation's fleet
" with the thought in mind that they
might clear the way to land an army
" on that other nation's shores and
carry war to his capital and the
; hca.t of his country.
- The guiding principle on which
these three great powers are now
"In full accord" is that no one of
them shall be strong enough at sea
to make such an attack with success.'
that each shall be strong enough foi
defense, but riot for offense. Thus
offensive naval war by any of these
three powers on any other is made
Impossible, and by any weaker power
against any of them It la plainly
impossible.
-- Then the effect Is that naval war
"twill be practically abolished. So also
""will be armed Invasion to which
.""control of the sea and landing on
another nation's coast are necessary.
Not only do the three powers limit
-their relative naval strength; they
agree to destroy many of their
. existing ships, on which they have
expended well nigh a billion dollars.
and to build no more for ten years
beyond the limits set. France and
Italy agree 'to join In the compact,
and no other navy exists that can
approach In strength the weakest of
these five. They could put an abso
lute veto on the expansion of any
other navy to offensive strength, and
by combining they could defeat any
scheme to combine smaller navies
for attack on any one nation.
Thus begins realization of the
dream which has haunted mankind
for centuries. Many have been the
treaties by which . nations have
combined to make war, but none
have voluntarily agreed' to reduce
their armament so far that they
would be powerless for attack.
Especially during he last fifty years
the nations have competed in build
ing greater navies and armies, and
the end was a war which well-nigh
wrecked them. The victor's ' now
enter upon competition In reducing
armament. As great forces Increase
danger of war, so that danger
hrlnks as armed forces shrink.
By the Washington agreement the
thoughts of nations are turned' from
hatred to friendship, and th
thoughts of statesmen are turned
. from preparation for war to preser.
vation of peace. The number of
people engaged in training for war
;;and In making warlike Implements
will grow less, and the influences
orking for peace will grow stronger.
The conference has swung a huge
"3ever which has reversed the course
..of human thought. It has applied
the power of the great nations to
set the mind of the world traveling
in the opposite direction to that
.which it has traveled hitherto. In
r the next half century the new habit
hould become confirmed.
Casting off the burden of excessive
armament, the nations will be able
gradually to unload that of debt
which is a legacy of war, so that in
half a century it may be well nigh
extinguished. Having a new sense
of security, they will employ their
capital and energy to development
of the wild, waste countries, and to
enterprises which international co
operation and capital released from
wasteful use will make possible.
The cloud of enmity which hangs
over the minds of nations will pass
;away and they will get to know one
another as they are, not as tradi
tional prejudice makes them appear.
A new world Is dawning. Its light
will not immediately drive out the
evil passions on which war feeds and
which it breeds, but the forces of
-friendship, sincerity, frankness, good
-faith and respect for one another
and one .another's rights will pre
dominate and become ever stronger
until the only force remaining will
. be that controlled by the law of
nations in bringing into submission
to that law the diminishing races
which still delight In war.
The increase in the percentage of
homes in the United States which
are mortgaged, from 15 per cent in
1910 to 17.5 per cent in 1920, as
shown by the last census, is not
necessarily a hopeless sign, since the
practice of borrowing money for
productive employment has been
"growing with the expansion of busi
ness generally, and more facts than
are presented by the census bulletin
will be r.eeded on which to found
an opinion. The fact seems to be
that the mortgage no longer inspires
"the feeling of dread that once made
it a favorite subject of melodrama.
. and it is favored. Indeed, by many
because it is thought to make the
home easier to sell. The Increase In
percentage of rented homes, from
54.2 in 1910 to 64.4 ia 1920, also,
requires analysis to enable us to
arrive at a conclusion. Apartment
house living is responsible, in all
probability, for the difference, which
is a question apart from home
ownership, while it is well known
that large numbers of business men
carry mortgages from choice. It is
still true that home-owning is desir
able and ought to be encouraged,
but an over-pessimistic view should
not be accepted without . further
analysis of the facts.
DlfiTRl'STING THE PEOPLE.
A natural Inference from the governor's
call to the legislature is that our law
makers will be asked to hurriedly step
into Salem and rush through the Portland
exposition measure without debate or
change of any sort. In other words, a
three million dollar appropriation is to be
pased between trains. As the measure
stands It ia grossly unfair, for the reason
the state at large Is asked to bear 50 per
cent of the cost of the exposition, when
It is a well-known fact that Portland will
derive 0 per cent of the benefits. The
legislators will he Justified If they see fit
to do a Utile thinking of their own before
they submit any fair measure to the peo
ple. Pendleton East Oregonlan.
Let us understand our indignant
contemporary a little better. Does
it Insist that the sovereign people,
under the referendum, should not be
permitted to pass upon the proposed
$3,000,000 appropriation to the ex
position? Are not the people able
and qualified to judge? Must the
legislature save them from them
selves by denying them an oppor
tunity to judge their own affair?
This is new doctrine from a1
newspaper which has consistently
belittled the legislature, has played
politics with the "upsetters and
abolishers who desired to do away
with it entirely, and has loudly
proclaimed the right of the people
to take their own course in all
matters that concern them. New
doctrine, indeed.
Why not trust the people? They
are to be trusted, surely. They
know whether they want to vote a
tax. They are to pay it. Let them
decide.
DO FIGURES WEf
The operation of Seattle's street
railway system Is, of course, strictly
Its own business. If tle meddlers
and muddlers, who contrived to
work up a general enthusiasm for
public ownership and caused the
$15,000,000 purchase of the system
to be made by the city, are satisfied
with themselves, and if the public
la satisfied with them why, that is
also Seattle's business. But Seattle
will not mind if the lessons of its
great experiment are used for what
soever benefit they may have in
other cities In Portland, for
example, wnere tnere was once a
formidable movement to the same
goal of municipal possession, regu
lation, and direction, and where that
same grand socialistic movement has
suffered a paralyzing chill. Seattle
did It.
Now Seattle contemplate going
from an 8 1-3-cent fare to a 6-cent
fare In the hope of reviving declining
traffic. That is interesting, too
and audacious. If it succeeds, it will
be a powerful inducement for others
to do the same; if It fails, the others
will know better than ever what
not to do.
When Seattle studies the figures,
it does not get much encouragement
for the 6-cent idea. Traffic dropped
off in August, 1921, under an 8 1-3-cent
fare; about one-third in volume
from the peak totals of August, 1919,
under a 6-cent fare. If by the
desperate expedient of asking every
body to ride for a nickel, the high
aggregate of two years ago last
summer should be attained, the total
revenue under 5 cents would still be
nearly $100,000 a.month or $1,000,
000 a yeai less than under the
present 8 1-3-cent fare. Figures nay
occasionally lie, but there they are,
and they are stubborn things.
The eastern expert who was
employed to tell Seattle what to do
with its street railways did not help
much. He told Seattle what Seattle
already knew that the system
physically Is in a bad way and that
economies must be practiced. What
Seattle wanted was for the $8000
visitor lo perform a miracle, and
make something else than hard facts
out of hard facts. He did nothing
of the klnd.
Seattle's problem is Its own. It is
not to be solved by amateurs, nor by
demagogues, nor by candidates for
office, nor by anybody until the
railways cease to be the football of
politics. Nor is there any honest
way to solve the problem except by
recognizing the unpleasant facts of
Seattle's own folly, and paying the
price.
EVOI.ITION OF THl? HARDING IDEA.
The United States has Joined three
other nations in an association to
keep peace on the Pacific ocean.
There is in near prospect an
association in which the United
States will join eight -other nations
to restore the independence and
integrity of China, to help that
country to put its affairs in order
and to preserve peace in the far east.
The five greatest powers are
forming an association to reduce and
limit the size of navies, the United
States taking the initiative.
All the nations directly concerned
In economic rehabilitation of Europe
are moving toward an association for
that purpose, and the United States
should be among them, since Kurope
is its best customer.
Tho Pan-American Union is an
association on the same lines, for it
watches over the common interests
of all American nations.
Conference among the members of
II these groups can adjust those
affairs which concern all nations,
can provide machinery for arbitra
tion, and can establish a court where
questions of justice can be decided.
In this manner the Harding Idea
may be worked out "by a process of
evolution, the nations concerned in
each part of the world dealing with
its affairs without involving those
which are not so concerned uniess
a crisis should arise that threatens
a world disturbance. In that event
all groups would act together as a
world association, and would bring
into play the machinery for media
tion, arbitration or adjudication.
They would remain free in each
emergency to decide, after all other
means had failed, whether they
should use combined force against a
world disturber.
It may be asked: What would
then become of the league of
nations? Conceivably, as the
Ha.rding idea took form, the league
might be transformed on the lines
described and the United States
might become the leading member
of an organization that would be
open to none of the objections that
have been raised to the league.
Already some incidents have proved
that nations are loath . to interfere
with affairs for no other reason than
that they are members of the league,
their own interests not being affected.
On the other hand, just such nations
have done service to world peace
that Is beyond value because they
could take an impartial, detached
view. That was the case with the
upper Silesian settlement. These
considerations suggest grouping of
nations within the league on the
plan which Mr. Harding applies to
the Pacific and the far east, and
common action by all for aid to any
group that comes to a deadlock,
Mr. Harding has in the normal
way gone about the work of organiz
ing the world to substitute the reign
xjt justice and law for the reign of
force. He knew that such a struc
ture could not be built in a night in
a form that would endure. . He
knew that broad, simple principles
to which all nations would subscribe
must be laid down as foundation.
and that upon that foundation he
must lay stone upon stone, carefully
cut and adjusted. The building may
bo carried on by others after him,
but he builds so that his work may
not have to be undone and that
others may safely build higher upon
it, because it is altogether good.
AFTERMATH OF THE STORM.
The value of a tree, particularly
when it has attained beauty by long
years of growth, is impressed upon
all observers recurrently after each
wind or ice storm, such as that
which the entire country experi
enced this winter. The destruction
of shade and ornamental trees is
felt even more poignantly than the
damage wrought in orchards, for the
latter after all are but a commercial
proposition, and industry is pre
sumed to make provision tar depre
citation along with its overhead and
other costs. The tree in the orchard,
is but a unit, which In due time is
replaced if lost; and there are so
many more like it that its breaking
down is less a subject for sentimental
concern.
It takes a generation, however, to
grow a fine shade tree, and tree
I'.ned streets and roads are not so
common, . even in Oregon, that we
can look upon the slightest impair
ment of them with equanimity. The
thousands of shattered trunks that
the recent storm left behind it con
stitute a real tragedy, the more so
because so many of the fine trees
that they once were may never be
replaced.
Orcbardisls, spurred by commer
cial considerations, in a good many
instances have adopted measures as
a part of the routine of fruit growing
which tend to prevent the loss of
trees. A substantial supporting
framework of wire, constructed umbrella-fashion,
has been found ef
fective, and is one of the methods
used on a large scale in some fruit
growing districts. Yet many shade
trees are worth more to their owners
than any orchard tree could be, and
almost nothing Is done to protect
them against some future storm.
Of wind storms and so-called
silver thaws we have had enough in
the last decade to warrant us In tak-
ng precautions against them. The
tree-planting movement is popular
nnd its meaning widely understood;
the thought that tree preservation is
even more constructive does not
seem to have so firm a hold. It
would be a fine thing if the two
mcvements might be made to run
hand in hand.
THE MEMHAST MARINE AS AN
j ASSET.
President Harding's interest In an
American merchant marine testifies
to the fact that It does not concern
the people of the seaboard alone.
Mr. Harding comes from an interior
state, and presumably began his
study of public affairs with the gen
eral idea that Ohio had little, if any,
interest in shipping. His service in
the senate and his observation of the
events of the war broadened his
vision to such an extent that he re
alized maintenance of an American
merchant marine to be vital to the
whole nation, the people of the in
terior as well as those of the sea
board. He made discussion of this
subject one of the principal features
of his campaign for the presidency.
and he has given it close attention
since he became president. His ref
erence to shipping in his message to
congress and his announced inten
tion to address congress on that sub
ject especially go to show that he
has become more firmly convinced
of its importance as a subject of na
tional policy.
The president is prepared to main
tain the proposition that main
tenance of the merchant marine
should be entrusted to private enter
prise, but that it is so essential to
national defense and national prosperity-,
that the nation should give
whatever aid is necessary to insure
its maintenance. Since the days
when congress repeatedly rejected
ship subsidy bills there has been a
great change of opinion as to the
relative interests of the private ship
owner and the public. In those days
the public interest was deemed
slight, remote and contingent on im
probable events. Our exports were
almost entirely f5od, raw materials
which other nations must take from
us and manufactures in which we
so far excelled that there was no
fear of discrimination against us by
foreign ship owners. There were
plenty of ships under other flags,
other nations could do the ocean
carrying business cheaper than could
Americans. Then why not let them
do it? Payment to Americans to
engage in the business was regarded
as graft. The thought that our gov
ernment might need a great fleet at
its instant, absolute command to
transport troops and supplies oc
curred to only a few people, for war
was the last thing that anybody
thought probable.
The first jolt was given by the
Spanish war, when the government
had to scurry everywhere for ships
and buy them at extortionate prices.
That proved the need of a merchant
marine as an auxiliary to both navy
and army, but it was a small war,
soon forgotten. Then the Boer war
caused Great Britain to divert a large
fleet to transport service, taking
many ships from American routes
and causing ocean freight to rise,
which affected our commerce. These
lessons made slight impression, but
the world war almost stripped our
ports of foreign ships except those
used to carry war material and food,
and we relied on our few vessels and
some of neutral nations to carry our
goods elsewhere than to the warring
countries. Portland was well-nigh
deserted by its grain fleet, and wheat
was shipped overland .to lake ports,
thence to Atlantic ports to, go by ship
across the Atlantic, Inland Empire j
grain growers thus being reminded I
of their common interest with Pacific
ports in ships.
When the United States intervened
In the war we found a bridge of
ships necessary to victory, and our
coasts rang with the din of govern
ment shipbuilding for uar purposes.
At the same time we immensely ex
panded our manufactures, occupied
foreign markets which the belliger
ents had temporarily abandoned and
so increased our industrial output
that we must sell a large proportion
j abroad in order to keep factories and
workmen employed. We may export
only 10 per cent of our production.
Mut 10 per cent represents the dif
ference Wtween prosperity and de
pression. The war and the after-war
boom were no sooner over than we
found other nations striving to re
gain lost markets, their ships favor
ing their products against ours, their
exporters and importers sending our
ships away half empty in order to
load those of their own flag, and the
entire network of foreign trade work
ing against our exporters and our
ships.
Thus we have learned that, in
order to carry on war overseas, we
must have ships without limit. In
order to carry on foreign trade we
must deliver our goods in our own
ships, not trust our competitor to do
it at his convenience. We cannot
maintain the fleet that may be
needed for war, except at prohibitive
cost, unless we find employment for
it in peace time. By embarking it in
the general carrying trade, especially
that of our own goods, when at
peace, we not only have a fleet
always ready for war emergencies.
but we expand our trade and make
markets abroad for our goods. Thus
the merchant marine is doubly an
asset, "t not only serves the people
of the seaboard states to carry their
manufactures abroad. It serves the
manufacturers of the entire middle
west and of the Rocky mountain
region. It serves the growers of
corn, wheat, cattle, wool in Nebraska,
Idaho or Montana by carrying their
products to Kurope and Asia. It
is the American people's delivery
wagon, running to the homes of hit
customers on every continent, and
we cannot rely on any other.
Then there are two distinct form
of service that the American mer
chant marine performs one to the
citizen whose goods it carries; the
other to the .natjon at large. The
shipper of goods can and will pay
only as much as he would have to
pay the ship of any other-nation; if
he paid more Just to have his goods
carried under the American flag, he
would soon be put out of business.
For the nation the ship assures
tonnage ready for use In war; trained
men of American allegiance who will
serve it loyally in war may be en
rolled in the naval reserve and may
reinforce the navy. It carries the
malls to all parts of the world and
it maintains regular transportation
of goods and passengers to foreign
ports through good times and bad as
the only means by which American
commerce can be permanently ex
panded. For these services to the nation the
government should pay, and the
amount of payment should be regu
lated by the conditions. The Amer
ican ship owner is engaging in busi
ness in a field that is comparatively
new to him and in which he must
compete with men of other nations
long established and well experi
enced, also controlling world-wide
machinery of trade. He must begin
to operate under American laws and
customs which impose cost far above
that of other nations, and he must
operate probably for years at a loss
while building up a profitable traffic
and bringing cost down to that of his
competitors.
That' would be a just basis for Mr.
Harding's proposed "remuneration"
to ship owners. He would annul no
treaties in order to compensate
ship owners with preferential duties,
but would frankly and. directly
pay them what it was worth to
run American instead of some
other nation's ships. Experience has
proved that government operation
costs more hi operating loss than
remuneration would cost. Every
body wants to end the government's
career as a ship owner, and opinion
Is strong that its ships should be sold
for operation by Americans under
the American flag. Both ends can
not be gained unless the operator is
assured a living profit by the nation.
Tho amount of needed remunera
tion can be reduced materially by
wise amendment of tho navigation,
and seamen's laws. Practice can
effect economy in operation, whicb
should be stimulated by gradual re
duction of the rates of remuneration,
and a time might be set when the
merchant marine shall be com
pensated only for carrying the mails,
for training naval reserves and for
being available for government serv
ice in war. By paying for these
services we should merely do wha,t
other nations do.
If all the aliens whose properties
were seized during the war make a
go of recovery, Mr. Hohenzollern
may be tempted to try to recover
what he had in this country.
Roy Gardner being safely back in
the penitentiary and the conference
delegates about - ready to wind up
their work, the bridge whist advo
cates may have the floor.
The high cost of maintaining rear
admirals will in a measure assuage
the grief of the world that the dis
armament conference is trying to
make "them obsolete.
Man -is prone to joke at the use
of consonants in the Welsh tongue,
but try spelling your name in the
original Irish if you want something
puzzling.
Christmas and New Year's jokes
in Manhattan: Every place that
sells liquor will be closed, by order
of the authorities.
Man needs clear and cold weather
to make him step lively. It puts
roses on the cheeks of the Christmas
shopper, too.
New York regards prohibition as
a big joke an example of dry
humor, so to speak.
And just to think that this naval
limitation agreement comes too late
to scrap Mr. Daniels!
The Kansas militiamen might try
laughing gas bombs on the militant
mining women.
If there is a better investment
than state highway bonds it must be
sought.
The Listening Post.
By DeWItt Harry.
THERE are lots of folks who never
eat tripe, and others who get ill
even at the mention of raw oysters.
Snail-eating Frenchmen were objects
of much amusement until a appreci
ative world sampled their delicacy
and mucn the same tale is connected
with the popularity of frogs' legs,
now an epicurean delight In the
United States. In this year of plenty
many Inhabitants of Russia and east
ern Europe are subsisting on a diet
of ground twigs and clay. Cruel
necessity forced peoples during; the
world war to eat food substitutes
that few normal humans had ever
previously tasted. All this as an in
troduction to the squid.
Now a squid Is a mollusk, strange
a it may seem, a miniature devil
fish except that the squid has ten
tentacles, where the octopus branch
of the family is endowed with but
eight. Likely there are those who
read this who would squirm with
horror at the thought of eating
uevi.uan, out squids meet with a
ready sale on the public market. It's
hard to believe that the soft, snaky
squid is a shellfish, for the shell that
should form a protection armor is
Inside. In the squids found on the
Mediterranean the boney structure is
the cuttlebone of commerce, so ap
preciated by canaries and other birds.
Squids are greatly esteemed as a
delicacy in Portland, and those who
have conquered a certain aversion to
their exterior appearance when raw
appreciate their charms when fried
Twenty cents a pound Is the usual
price and several tons are disposed
of each week. Most women shoppers
shudder when they see the snaky
carcasses and pass them by.
In the water the squid has chame
leon-like powers of changing its
colors to suit its backgrounds for
protection and in addition carries an
ink sack tor added camouflage,
through which it discharges colored
water when threatened, and under
protection of the cloud darts to
cover. These added defensive prop
erties ar likely provided by nature
on account of the fact that Mr. Squid
was deprived of his shell.
The squid's body . is beautifully
marked with iridescent spots 'and
he possesses two large and perfect
eyes. Somewhat fish-like in appear
ance, his ten tentacles terminate In
cup-shaped suckers. His mouth ia
shaped somewhat like a parrot's beak
with two powerful teeth far back on
the jaws. Active and powerful, the
squid is a terror to small fish, dart
ing into their schools and then right
and left like lightning, seizing the
small fish by the nape of the neck
and killing them Instantly.
Up-to-the-second is this city ro
mance. She a telephone operator
resident of a hotel. He a card writer,
domiciled in an apartment house
across the street. On her way home
she slipped and sprained her ankle.
Several days' confinement certain, so
she prepared to make the best of It.
installed herself on a lounge near her
window, obtained several good books
and a big box of candy and arranged
to have her meals sent in.
He, working away on some art
cards in his room across the way, idly
gazed at the hotel windows, possibly
in sUrch of inspiration. It came.
for one of the daintiopt ankles he had
ever seeri peeked over the sill, di
rectly opposite, the tiny foot nearby
encased in a velvet "mule." With the
intriguing limb iu view he turned
out a record day's work, all the time
speculating on the appearance of the
owner. Notwithstanding the sprain.
the cute ankle had not lost any of
its alluring contours, and late in the
day, as she reached to adjust the
window shade, he grlimpsed the fair
maid and was pleasantly surprised.
Next day he took station, but In
stead of the ankle her face was at
the window, and with rapid strokes
he blocked out a message to the fair
Invalid. She answered by card held
to the window, and he replied and
she answered again, and then he re
plied and before the day was over
they were well acquainted.
But on the hotel floor below was a
middle-aged minister and his wife
and the wife thought the messages
for her. Her husband was irate when
told of the persistent advances from
across the way and went to invest!
gate with fire in his eye, located the
card writer and told him he wag
flirting with his (the minister's) wife.
Just then the girl of the ankle made
her appearance and the minister ad
mitted that she was not his wife.
shook hands on the mistake and went
his way satisfied.
Oh, yes! The romance. Well, that's
all we Jinow of it,' but it's all fact
this far, but as the neat ankle should
be healed by now the chances are
that their acquaintance has pro
gressed. .
When do you read your newspaper?
Circulation experts figure that the
average paper has five readers. Some
times the usefulness of a newspaper
is not ended for months after publica
tion. Copies reach distant locations
through Indirect means, mislaid copies
are unearthed and interesting bits
reread, old files consulted; there are
many ways for an old paper to be
come useful. Its life, contrary to the
beliefs of many experts. Is not done
the day after publication.
Take the case of the woman last
week who was taking down the paper
from her pantry shelves. Though
several months of age she found a
bargain advertised, located the owner
and made a deal. It happened to be
a'eeetion of a Sunday paper that had
been mislaid In that home and served
to refute the saying that "the oldest
thing on earth Is yesterday's news
paper." Now is the time tor subscription
gifts and canvassers are reaping 'a
harvest. Door-to-door peddlers for
magazines infest many office build
ings and districts of the city. Per
sons from all walks of life turn to
this method of earning some little
extra money. .
Lying by her telephone on a bed
she has not left for over 20 years Is
Miss M. D. Doane, nearly her sola
support her subscription books. For
several years past she has earned
tidy sums by this means. She can
not get out, so has to rely on her
phone for business. She has managed
to build up a neat trade in this line,
mainly through the efforts of her
many friends.
Those Who Gome and Go.
Tales of Folks at the Hotels.
About one-third of the Skyline
scenic road will be built by a year
from this date. Many people have
supposed that the proposed road to
connect the mountains and lakes in
the Cascades was nothing but a
vision, yet It is materializing rapidly.
The road, when finished, will be some
300 miles in lenclh and about luO
miles of this road will be ready by
the autumn of 1922. The road will
be 12 teet wide and can be built,
largely, for 12000 a mile, save around
i . r r . .... mi ;
.... " ' " .L la
ambition of Sam Garland, former
state senator of Linn county, to have
the road from Albany and Cascadia
built on to the skyline road. Mr. Oar
land, who Js registered at the Impe
rial, is advocating the creation of a
road improvement district, or two
districts, from Albany to the line.
One district can be made to build
from Albany to Sweet Home and
there is a proposition now pending
to finance between Sweet Home and
the ranger station in the forest re
serve. This road, if finished, will not
be the first to tap the skyline road,
however, as that distinction will go
to the McKenzie pass highway.
Benton county, with commendable
local pride, doesn't want to be mis
taken for Polk county. The follow
ing paragraph appeared in "Thoae
Who Come and Go," and by a 'slip
the wrong county was mentioned:
A. B. Robinson. Judge of Benton countv,
which fought the plana of the state high
way commission and thereby delayed com
pletion of the west side highway through
that county, la among the imperial ar
rivals. Editor Ingalls of Corvallls, prompt
ly wired the developments:
CORVALLIS. Or.. Pec. 14 Corvallla
business men are running around the street
this morning carrying a copy of The Ore
gonlan in their hands and a look of mur
der in their faces, because of an Item
In the hotel column Tuesilav In which it
is stHted that "Judge Itobinson of Benton
county who prevented the building of the
west side Pacific highway" is in 1'ortland.
The reason for the Indignation Is that
Benton county waa the first county on the
west side Pacific highway to complete Its
pavement, both the county court and the
cHlrrns making extra effort Involving e
pendituren which the county could not af
ford to get the pavement completed to the
Po'k county line. The pavement in Benton
has been finished for over a year.
"The special session should end In
a week," declares E. V. Carter, banker
of Ashland, at the Imperial. Mr. Car
ter Is a-representative for Jackson
county. "However, there are so many
of the members talking about special
bills that if everyone has action on
his measure the session will run in
definitely. I am of the belief, never
theless, that we can do all the neces
sary work In the single week." Re
garding the 1925 fair. Mr. Carter says
the legislature should refer the mat
ter to the voter of the state so that
the latter can express themselves on
whether or not they wish the exposi
tion financed, in part, by a property
tax.
When people are prosperous they
eat more ham and eggs and less
bread, according to William Soell,
representing a waxed paper company,
who is registered at the Multnomah.
"Few people would think," says Mr.
Soell, "that waxed paper would be an
Indication of conditions, but never
theless, such Is a fact, as we sell
thousands of pounds of wax paper to
bakeries for wrapping bread. Dur-
Injr the war the wax paper business
suffered considerably because of the
decrease in the amount of bread con
sumed, substitutes being used for the
bread of commerce.
J. Eyre of New York, who is regis
tered at the Multnomah. Is proud of
the fact that his college fraternity
composed of graduate chemists, vol
unteered In a body to enter the serv
ice during the world war and the
fraternity was accepted to a man.
These men did valuable work for the
government In various Chemical
plants and In the perfecting of offen
sive and defensive gns. Mr. Kyre
served in France and England, being
In two engagements ofid gassed twice.
As a result of being gassed he Is un
ablo to eat vegetables, with the ex
ception of a little potato once in a
while.
To advocate more progress on tho
Roosevelt highway, B. F. Jones, of
Lincoln county, arrived in Portland
yesterday. Mr. Jones, as a member of
the legislature In lil'i, was father
of the measure which brought about
the Roosevelt highway law. Mr. Jones
and others in the Roosevelt Highway
association are to have a conference
with the state highway commission
H. J. Overturf of Bend, who offered
an exceptionally large number of
bills in the regular session, Is reg
istered at the Benson. Representative
Overturf will remain In Portland until
Sunday when he will join the flight
to Salem to be on hand for the
opening of the special session Monday
morning.
J. D. May has arrived at the Hotel
Oregon from Yachate, a small settle
ment on the Oregon coast In Lincoln
county. Yachats is a beautiful place
regarding scenery and there Is a good
variety of fish and game in the vicin
ity, but It is so difficult of access
that outsiders rarely go there.
Roadmaster Birney of Union county
caught the night train for home last
night well pleased with the high
way commission because that body
awarded a contract to Union county
to grade 18 miles of the La Grande
Elgin highway.
County Commissioner Harlow of
Lane county is in the city to explain
to the highway commission why Lane
county should not pay some of the
items in the road bill which the state
has charged to the county.
Judge Kinsr. of Jefferson county,
reports that his section has been ex
periencing more rain than anyone can
remember. The Judge is in Portland
to seek aid on road work in his
county.
John C. Davis, lumberman of Coos
Bay. Is among the arrivals at the
Benson. John C. Kendall, an attorney
from the bay, Is also at the Benson.
A. W. Wheelhouse and wife of
Arlington, Or., are at the Imperial.
Mr. Wheelhouse is mayor of the town.
F. L. Meyers, banker of La Grande,
is at the Hotel Oregon.
TimtHr Artlclea Heveallng.
ABERDEEN. Wash.. Dec. 14. (To
the Editor.) The Oregonlan is doing
a great. public service when it pub-
ishes the remarkably informative
letters on President Wilson by his
former secretary. Mr, Tumulty. 1 he
details Mr. Tumulty produces show
that the former president haa -been
maliciously and wilfully lied about.
and that the high aims ne sougnt to
achieve were frustrated by critics
upon whose shoulders now rests the
responsibility of several million job
less men in the United states. Equal
ly responsible are they for the stag
nation In business now prevailing
and the enormous losses sustained by
farmers, merchants and mechanics
alike.
These critics have been biting off
their own nose to spite Mr. Wilson,
and they are still so blind they can't
see their own nose is aisiiKurea.
There are none so blind as those that
do not wUh to see.
JOSEPH JACOB.
Burroughs Nature Club.
Copyrlshl, IlouahtOB-Mlfflla lo.
Anawrra to I'revloua Uneatlona.
1. Does the goose turn her eggs
during Incubating time?
2. What Is a basking shark, and
what does the name mean
S. Is the ocean equally salty all
over?
Answers in tomorrow's Nature
Notes.
Aaanrera to Prevluua Queatioa.
1. Po bob-whites or quail feed on
"IQA nnt..l'
Bob-white . is
both an Insect and
weed-seed feeder. It takes so little
grain aa hardly to count In its diet.
There are 129 different weeds listed
as supplying its diet. A great variety
of Insects, mostly destructive kinds,
are eaten. The ability to subsist on
weed seed allows this bird to remain
active all the year round in a given
locality, as it can take to such seeds
as are found above snow drifts in
winter, when insect food is not ob
tainable I. Can you tell me anything about
a bee that cuts uniform shaped pieces
from honeysuckle leaves, what it Is,
and where I can read up about it?
The chances are that this bee lie
longs to the genus Megachile. If so.
It constructs a tight, thimble-shaped
cell, either In a burrow excavated by
the female or In some ready-made
crack. Thirty cells arranged in nine
rows are said to have contained 9000
pieces, or thereabout. Leaf-cutter
bees are fully described In Lutz's "A
Field Book of Insects," and there Is a
short but clear disctiss'on In Sander
son's and Jackson's "Elementary En
tomology." 3. Do bats and whales suckle their
younit?
Yes. both are mammals, warm
blooded creatures that characteris
tically suckle their young. Stone and
Cram, In their "American. Animals,"
give what is probably the best de
scription of the habits of bats. In the
"Riverside Natural History" is a short
mention of the whale, and a longer
one on bats.
BLl'K LAWS Will, C'OMK AOAIX
Reaction From I'rraent-llny Lax
Morula Will He Severe One.
PHILOMATH. Or.. !ec. 14. (To the
Editor.) We in this fast and so
called progressive age look back to
the time when our ancestors first
set foot on the bleak New England
shores and began a new state of
existence, and we wonder at the
stringent laws that were enacted by
those old Puritans, and we thank our
stars that we have gotten away from
them yes. Indeed, very far away
from them. We have gone to the other
extreme. Instead of solemn sober
respect for law. we have drifted to a
careless indifference for all law. In
deed there exists In all communities
a silent contempt for law. and tills
disrespect for law Is growing to
where it becomes a menace to civili
sation. Spare the rod and spoil the child
was the old thought. True, under tho
old plan, we raised some splendid
characters, like Washington. Lincoln,
Webster and a host of otherH. hut
now the plan Is to spare the kid nnd
let him spoil the rod. If. perchance,
our petted offspring gets Into the
hands of the lax laws of today, wo
feed him on the fat of tho land, nnC
send him flowers and cards and
cigarettes to enable him to pass away
the time while serving; out his sen
tence. The r.ock pile and hard labor
would never do for our dear lawless,
law-defying; darlings.
Our society young; men wear abbre
viated pants to show their pretty
socks, and our society young ladies
go them one better they roll down
their stockings and cover up their
ears.
On every hand we hear about the
hard times, and yet three out of every
four young men you meet havo money
to burn, and make the air blue with
tobacco smoke. The society young
lady is following their example. If
these tobacco fiends would only eat
some onions, or get close to a skunk
before going out into public places
it might help some.
Whither are we coing? Why, this
is the reaction from the puritanical
blue laws, the swing of the pendulum
to the other extreme, only in time to
swing back to law and decency and
sanity. This is the history of tho
human race. The puritanical laws
were but the reaction from the law
less age preceding it. and just as
surely as history repeats itself will
we get our fill of the frivolity and
degeneracy of present-day society,
and swing back to sobriety, law and
Older. J. S. McMURTRY.
SCHOOL UKM'AL FEE EXTLAIXEII
Fond of SI 0,000 Halard for Clinic
Laat Year.
1'ORTLAND, Dec. 1.",. (To the
itor.) Under the heading, "Fees
Charged by Dentists" (December S),
Terplexed" quotes 10 cents an
operation as the fee In our -public
school dentistry and apparently uses
that as a basis to judge dental fees
for a private practice.
Your answer explained how fees of
professional men are governed, but
failed to explain how it is possible to
give the public school children such
low fees. The reason is that some
one else but the recipient foots tho
bill.
The Junior Red Cross, aided by tho
sale of waste paper gathered by
school children and by cash subscrip
tions from the dentists raised over
$10,000 for last year's dental clinic
in our public schools.
A number of dentists are giving
time and service free, whilo tho pay
of the dentists employed by the
Junior Red Cross averages less than
$100 a month.
This year the children have been
denied the privilege of helping as
they did last year, but the Junior Red
Cross and the dentists are carrying
on the work. Five dentists and five
dental nurses are employed and the
fee of 10 cents contributes very little
toward the maintenance. .
Ten cents Is charged for a tooth
brush that retails for 50 cents.
M. C. HOLBKOOK.
Word Wanted From V.vr.
PORTLAND, Dec. 15. (To the Edi
tor.) "Eve's" appeal to Santa Glaus
a year ago undoubtedly struck a
sympathetic chord In many hearts,
and It Is with pleasure that one (of
the lonely ones) reads of the happy
fulfillment of her dream. How de
lightful to realize one's fondest
wishes, and in the ease of "Eve."
that The Oregonlan contributed to
this felicitous state of affairs, makes
the situation all the more interest
ing. We lonely ones are a great army
perpetually fighting the bogies of
loneliness and depression. Work Is
a panacea, 'tis true, but is not "love
the greatest thing in the world?" And
is not Christmas the season, par ex
cellence, when homes and families (a
garden and chickens!) count more
than anything else?
Congratulations to "Eve!" We
should enjoy hearing from her again,
as The Oregonlan suggests.
ANONVMOUS.
More Truth Than Poetry.
By Jantl J. SJontnguo.
A CINCH.
The poet has It pretty soft:
He writes a paltry, trifling verse on
A grain field or a garden croft
Made lovely by some working per
son. And when his few brief lines are
done
A wealth of fame Is he accorded.
While he who grew the stuff goes
unrewarded.
Take Wordsworth near some grassy
hills
(Xo poet can exist without 'cm);
He saw a host of daffodils
And penned two hundred words
about 'em.
The lines were printed, conned and
praised.
But not a history discloses
A thing about the laid who raised
the posies.
And Omar. In full many a line
Whose rhythm he had nicely mas
tered. Declared how quickly Terslan wine
Would get a tippler good and plas
tered. Th public hung on every word,
The leading critics all reviewed It,
But of the wine we've never heard
who brewed It.
The poet does not toll nor spin,
But sentimental geta, and mellow,
About the labor that's put In
By some good, plain hard-working
fellow.
All men with their applause are free.
And on tho rhymester they bestow
it.
And that is why I'd like to be a
poet.
naalneaa Booming.
Since rigid prohibition enforcement
the local Judges are trying more cases
every day.
Germany's Illlllonnlre.
If Herr Stinnes' fortune Is In
marks, he must be worth almost $66
Absolutely Solid.
Tromlnent among the blocs In con
gress are tho concrete blocs.
Farewell.
By t.rnce is. Halt.
The spring shall come again, and yet
again.
With all Its witchery of bud and
bloom.
Its madrigals of song. Its mist of
rain,
lis dank sweet odors In the wood
land gloom;
Its wondrous tender love notes In tho
dawn.
When feathered wings first cleave
the waiting air.
Rut I shall wake to know that you
are gone
And hear hut sounds of mourning
everywhere.
The flowers shall yield their fra
grance and their grave,
And lucinus be the clusters on the
vine.
But I shall teel your blown hair on
my face,
Tour tears upon my hands like
sacred wine;
When autumn once again its maglo
weaves
In colors richer than the orient's
art,
I'll hear a wordless threnody of
leaves,
And sound of sobbing, deep within
my heart.
In Other Days.
Twenty-five Years Ago.
Kroni The Orgonlan of December 1ft.
A banquet was given last night at
the ItiO.iTl.il hotel honoring the Most
Rev. W. II. Gross, archbishop of Ore
gon City.
Jack McAuliffe, the undefeated
champion In the lightweight clasa,
now in Portland, yesterday announced
his retirement from the ring.
Plans for the new Portland custom
house building have been completed
and approved in Washington, and
work on the structure will be started
in the spring.
Theodore T. Ocer of Marlon county,
presidential elector-elect and candi
date f ir collector of ciiHtoms. Is In
the city in interests of his candidacy.
Fifty Yeiri Ago.
From The Oregonlan of December lfl, 1K7I.
Carson. Xrv. The branch mint here
has been doing a big business. In
the past three days it has received
four tons of bullion, valued at $350,
00". On completion of the railroad to
Tlillshoro. which will be accomplished
next week, that town plans to cele
hrate by tendering a banquet to Mr.
llolladay and other guests.
The time for voting on the pur
chase of Park Row has been set for
next week.
John W. Johnson, the principal, re.
ports an average attendance of 52 at
the high school, there being 60 boys
and la girls enrolled.
WIlITKIl'S VIEW FOl'MI HTRAXGR.
Peeling of Iliagnat Wltb Tumulty
Articles Not 1'nderatood.
PORTLAND, Dec. 15. (To the Edl-
trr ) A correspondent whoso letter
appears In The oregonlan December s
comments adversely on the Tumulty
articles. Jn the detailed narrative of
tho acts of Woodrow Wilson's publio
life during the crucial days In which
t e was America's president, she finds
nothing to commend. In the exposi
tion of that mind and soul agonising
under a world's burden rothing draws
from her any expressing of sentiment
ether than that of disgust and rancor.
The picture which she must look upon
eacli Sunday Is vexatious to her, al
most beyond endurance. How strange!
1 read the same articles and look
upon the same picture. To me thej
are like an oasis In the desert, ft
"rock In a weary land '" I am grati
fied with the example of confidence
an,i regard between those two men.
I. is sincere and wholesome. I am
profoundly impressed with the charac
ter that is revealed. By every mode
of apprehension that 1 possess I rec
ogmza true greatness In Woodrow
Wilson. I g'.ory in It. because it is of
America; I reverence It, because it is
f God.
In my opinion the columns of The
Oregonian were never better occupied
han in presenting this Intimate view
c: the great peace advocate.
AN AMERICAN.
' .Mother -irm n Itlat.
London Paf sing Show.
Daughter He's frightfully attract
ive. I think.
Mother I can't see It.
Daughter Good heavens, do in
mean to pay you can't see that bi
yellow car?