10
titt: morxtxg oreroxtan, Tuesday, dece3iber 2?, 1921
r Jtlxrrnittcr (QtsgwAttn
ISTAULJSIIEI) 111 HENRY L. PITTOCK.
Pr.bllahu by Thn Orcg-ontan Publishing Co,
136 h.xth St.eet, 1'urllaad, Oregua.
C. A. 11'JEDKN E. B. FIPER.
Muster. Editor.
The O evonl&n Is a member of the Asso
ciated Pres. Tr.e Associated I'ress la ex
clusively entitled t ihe use for publication
if all newa dlspKtches credited to It or not
otherwise crtUii;d In this paper and also
tt.e local newa puui shed herein. Ail rights
f publication of special dispatches hereto
are also 'eierveu
fcubscripuon Bates Invariably In Advance.
'Et Mall.t
la fly, '8 -an day Inc.utcd. one year
Dally. Kui.day Inclrtied. six months .
J.'aKy, Suiiday Ini'uoed, tbree months
Ially, eijndar inr tided, one month
I'aily, snt.iout Si day. one year...
Tally, w thout Sunday, alx montha
Pally, without Sunday, one month . .
Weekly, ae year
tiunday, one. year
.1 O'l
2',
6 00
.no
1.00
2.00
(By Carrier.
rally, B inday Inc.jc'ed, one year Ifl.ni
Tally. 3'inday lnj tit'ed, three months..
I'aliy. Sunday l.ictM''.ed. one month ... -3
Pally, without HM-day, one year 7.K0
l.aily. w'hout Sunoay. three montha. . l.ltf
laily, without Si.'wiay. one month d5
How to Rem!i -Send postofflce rnonev
order, press or personal check on you
local bank. Fta:.'.ia, com or currency are
at owner a risk. ive poetofflce address in
full, lnc''ldin- Cibi.ly and slate.
rotace Ratea1 to 10 pages. 1 cent: IS
o 3 r. .. 2 cms: 84 to 48 nascs, 8
tents; 50 to fi4 patres. 4 cents: (JO to SO
pages, j cents: Si to 96 pagea. cents.
foreign postaga ucuble rate.
Eastern RnslneM Office Verree ft Conk
lin. 300 Madison avenue. New York: Verree
A Conkilt., Ktegc- building. Chicago; Ver.
r.e A Cnnkltn. F-ee Press building. ' le-
trolt, W.;h. ; Verne & Conklin, belling
building. Port.aud.
TILE rOTVEB OF PEACE AND GOOD
HILL.
Questions as to the exact meanln
of the Pacific treaty sink to their
real Insignificance when set against
the great progress of peace and good
will that Is marked by the signing of
the treaty and by the other great
achievements of the Washington
conference. The really important
points about the treaty are the
pledge of the four powers to respect
one another's rights in the Pacific
islands and to consult together
whenever peace In the Pacific is
threatened or attacked.
When the heads of nations under
the irresistible impulse of public
opinion are ready to meet face to
face, to confer in a friendly manner
and to agree on settlement of their
differences and on plans to preserve
peace instead of sending ultimatums
and declaring war, the spirit of peace
Is abroad. That spirit prompted
President Harding to invite othel
nations to confer about armament
and disputes in the far east, and it
prompted the other powers to .send
their delegates. It guided the con
ference to do the great things .whicli
it has already achieved, will remove
those misunderstandings to which
the president referred in his state
ment to the newspapers, and will
carry the conference forward to yet
greater achievements.
As Mr. Harding showed by his ref
erence to Austria's attack on Serbia,
prevalence of this spirit in 1914
could probably have prevented the
war. If Austria and Germany had
been inspired by the spirit of peace
and good will they would not have
sent the ultimatum to Serbia, or,
having done that, they would have
consented to the conference proposed
by the other powers at the suggM
tion of Sir Edward Grey.
One of the powerful influences in
favor of success at Washington one
that was absent from Europe in 1914
is the atmosphere in which the
conference meets. It is the atmos
phere of America a nation which
covets nothing that other nations
have, a- nation which contemplates
no attack on them, is chary of in
curring obligations because it is
scrupulous in observing them, fears
no other nation, and trusts the good
will and good faith of other nations.
This atmosphere contrasts with that
of intrigue, suspicion and secret
grasping, and greed for advantage
which prevails in Europe and Asia
as the pure air of the mountains
contrasts with the miasma of the
swamps. It has cleared the minds
of the assembled statesmen of doubts
and hesitations, has broken down
the veil of secrecy with which they
have been wont to surround them
selves, and has led them to make the
world witness, and, in a sense, party
to their deliberations and decisions.
When this influence has such
blessed results as we have already
seen and promises others of equal
moment, the American people will
have no patience with men of sus
picious nature or base motives who
befoul the air'with distrust. Inten
tionally or not, they produce an
atmosphere like that of old Europe,
which breeds war and malice in
place of peace and good will. Not
these men, but the president, speaks
for the American people, and the
world should, doubtless will, be left
In no uncertainty on that fact.
BIOLOGr AND THE BIBLE.
William Jennings Bryan's asser
tion that the colleges are turning? out
atheists by the mere process of em
phasizing study of the sciences and
fostering the spirit of Investigation
probably will not disturb the col
leges much and it is doubtful that it
will obtain the indorsement of many
clergymen. The ideal answer to the
charge if it can be called a charge
would be, perhaps, a statistical
one, giving the proportion of unbe
lievers -among present-day college
men, by comparison with those of a
generation ago, but since the neces-
iiary uaia tor mis are lacKing, it win
be interesting to note the opinions of
general observers who are in a po-
ML1UU LU B.UUW UIII C. Lllltl g Ol lUQ &U D-
Ject.
Half a dozen college officials, all
men of long experience, are quoted,
for example, in a New York dispatch
as saying they find no reason for
thinking that college boys of the
present day are appreciably less rev
erent in religious matters than their
fathers were. If, say these authori
ties, in effect, there is a decline of
the religious spirit in the country, we
shall need to go outside the colleges
for the explanation of it.
It is possible that Mr. Bryan has
confounded the spirit of inquiry with
the spirit of skepticism, whereas thej
are not at all the same thing. His
direct charge that professors of bi
ology are leading their pupils away
ftum the Bible b- requesting them
to disregard the Old Testament ac
count of the creation presents this
same confusion of ideas. It is still
fresh In memory that a leading Brit
, lsh clergyman found It possible to
f say that literal interpretation of the
Mosaic books was not a test of Chris
tianity, and what is more significant,
that his declaration did not raise a
storm of protest; but the facts of
moment in that connection are that
the churches themfelves are accept
ing the view that the scientific and
religious aspects of the Bible are not
lncompr tible, that the book loses
nothing of consequence as the result
of intellectual criticism, that in
many of the colleges there are spe
cial courses for bible study, and that
generally speaking' the sciences,
which we would not dispense with if
we could, are taught wholly on their
own merits and not employed to,
break down religious enthusiasts.
The Rev. Raymond C. Knox, chap
lain of Columbia university. Is quoted
09 saying:
The Bible is a growing influence In
American university life. The Columbia
aummer session of demonstrated, in
lia large attendance on religious courses,
an Increasing interest In religious educa-
lparninv fnr nil,.?. lack nf rolitrinu. ln-
I "truction are quite unwarranted.
It is to be noted with particular
Interest that Mr. Bryan quotes with
disapproval a remark that "Chris
tianity is a state of mind," thereby
leaving- the way open tc the obvious
retort by the dean of the college of
arts and sciences of the University of
New York: "Yet we surely have
biblical authority that that is pre
cisely where the kingdom of heaven
is to be found." Mr. Bryan Is him
self too close a reader of his own
Bible, and too appreciative a. de
bater, we think, not to recognize the
master thrust.
HUMANE EDCCATIOX.
"Speak kindly to animals as well
as people" appears first among the
regulations for daily conduct which
the department of humane education
of the Presbyterian board of tem
perance and moral welfare now pro
poses to put before the Sunday
schools of 10.000 Presbyterian
churches of the country during the
coming year. Its peculiar value lies
In its reverslbleness, which is true of
most of the precepts of humane edu
cation. If it read, "Speak kindly to
people as well as animals," it would
also convey a particular meaning.
For it is true that there are people
who, making "humane" endeavor a
hobby rather than a principle of liv
ing, confine themselves too closely
to the specialty of their choice.
The great value of every benev
olence lies In its reflex action upon
those who practice it. Kindness'to
animals Is provocative of greater
kindness to children, and practice In
listening to the call of distress
sharpens the ear of consciousness to
the call of necessity whenever
uttered. The essence of the kindly
disposition is consideration for
others, and If there were enough of
that the world would be a pleasant
place indeed.
William F. II. Wentzell, director
of the new department, urges "boys
to be chivalrous and girls to be
courageous In promoting deeds of
kindness and mercy and acts of
love," a whole programme in itself
and one which, it carried out, would
make all our better citizenship cam
paigns unnecessary. It is a new de
parture in religious work insofar as
It proposes to teach in a concrete and
extensive way the rules which it
now puts forward, but the principres
which it implies, like truth itself,
are as old as time.
WATERPOWER PROGRESS HELD CP.
Though applications have been
made to the federal power commis-
sion for preliminary permits on
powersites aggregating over 16,000,-
000 horsepower, all surveys and de
velopment are held up by a con
troversy on a point which was
thought to have been settled when
congress passed the waterpower law.
This is the question whether the
value of plants is to be amortized
during the period for which they are
leased or whether only sufficient
money shall be set aside from yearly
earnings to keep the plants in repair
and up to date, so that they will be
100 per cent efficient at the end of
the lease.
Amortization was advocated with
great determination throughout the
long fight in congress by the ultra-
conservationists led by Gifford Pin
chot. They sought to include in the
bill a provision that there should be
set aside from annual earnings
enough money not only for repairs
and to replace obsolete parts of a
plant, but, in addition, to equal the
value of the plant at the expiration
of a lease. This w;as proposed with
a view to acquisition of the plant by
the government at that time and to
subsequent government operation.
Tha amortization fund would com
pensate the lessee, and the govern
ment would acquire the plant with
out cost. It was a preparation for
government ownership and opera
tion of all power plants on public
land and navigable rivers, to be
managed by a great bureau at Wash
ington. That plan was rejected by con
gress, for the law requires the lessee
of a powersite to maintain the plant
Irl adequate repair for efficient
operation, to "make all necessary re
pairs and replacements" and to "es
tablish and maintain adequate de
preciation reserves for such pur
poses." It contains no provision for
a fund which would accumulate dur
ing fifty years to equal the value of
the plant at the end of that period.
The waterpower commission is di
rected to make regulations carrying
out the purposes of the law, and it
instructed its secretary. O. C. Merrill,
to draft regulations for its adoption.
Having been an ardent supporter
of the Pinchot policy throughout the
conservation controversy, Mr. Merrill
sought to work in the policy which
congress had rejected by making a
rule that sets aside out of each year's
earnings from 2 to 4 per cent of the
Investment, which at the end of fifty
years would equal the cost of re
placing the plant, on the theory that
the plant would continuously depre
ciate until, after fifty years, it would
be obsolete and worthless. In sup
port of this theory he made esti
mates looking fifty years ahead in
electrical science, which develops so
rapidly that inventions become ob
solete and are replaced within a few
years of their Installation, as they
would be under the requirements of
the law. He assumes that a dam
becomes worthless in fifty years,
though any dam which holds water
Is 100 per cent efficient. Many men
long past their 60th year know of
dams that stood when they were
boys and still stand. A dam in India
was built in 1661 and is still free
from leaks, though on the Merrill
theory it should have burst in 1711.
If the Merrill plan were adopted,
the state utility commissions would
have to add to rates for electric cur
rent about 2 per cent of the value of
the plant In excess of the deprecia
tion charge required by law. Cost of
power to consumers during a fifty
year lease would be increased by that
amount in order that the plants
might be handed to our grandchil
dren as a free gift, provided (that the
state commissions, which will fix
the rate, will permit this charge. If
they should refuse, the net return on
n
the investment would be reduced to
a point where power enterprises
could not be financed
Hence protests have been made to
the waterpower commission against
the Merrill regulation, and water
power development is again held up
pending its decision. Development
goes on ' apace in countries with
which the United States must com
pete in foreign trade, but in this
country manufacturers of electrical
and power machinery run their fac
tories to 25 per cent of capacity, and
thousands of men who would work
in- them are out of a job while Mr.
Merrill makes a last-ditch fight for
the Pinchot idea.
ITJiCLE SAM'S RISING CREDIT.
There is more than one explana
tion of the rising price of liberty
bonds. One is that profits on pri
vate enterprise have fallen so far
that government bonds at low rates
of interest have become decidedly
attractive because of their absolute
security. Another Is that the demand
for capital for private enterprise has
shrunk so far that money is cheap,
and that the value of liberty bonds
at fixed rates has risen in propor
tion to the fall in commercial rates
of interest. This Is a result of de
pression, which drives capital to
seek employment as eagerly as men
seek it.
As solvent nations recover from
war, their securities always rise in
value. The high interest paid in war
reflects the risk of defeat. As it
continues after victory, removal of
that risk enhances value of the
security. Interest on liberty bonds
was low in proportion to commercial
rates paid by other governments
during the war. Patriotism led peo
ple to Ignore that fact and pay par,
but when war ended business con
siderations again governed and sent
the price below par to accord with
the relation between the low gov
ernment rate and the commercial
rate. As the latter has fallen, the
price of liberty bonds has risen.
Those who place their bets on the
solvency and stability of the United
States cannot go wrong. The late
J. P. Morgan attributed his business
success to the fact that he was
always a bull on the United States.
There is better reason for being a
bull on the United States now than
there was in his time, and the rising
value of government securities Is the
proof. i
WHY THE AGRICULTURAL B I.OCT
Jujtt what uniind reason was there
for the formation of the bipartisan
agricultural bloc in congress which
has been the political phenomenon
of this year? The agricultural bloc
is an impromptu organization to
meet an emergency: Collapse of the
war boom, which continued a year
and a ' half after the war ended,
created this emergency. The whole
nation suffered by it, but the farm
ing interest was absolutely pros
trated, and this condition aggra
vated and prolonged the adverse ef
fects on other Industries, for no other
industrv can thrive when the aeri-
..,.-, InH.iHtrv l hankrnnL While.
prices of other products fell more
gradually and in general remained
considerably above pre-war level.
prices of farm products fell with a
crash, in some cases to or almost to
pre-war level. Manufacturers were
able to soften the fall by cutting cost
of production and reducing output
as prices dropped off. The farmers'
entire Investment in last year's crop
was made at peak cost, but that crop
had to be marketed when prices
were falling far below cost. Some
farmers held their crops in hope that
prices would recover, and they can
hardly be blamed, for economic con
ditions throughout the world were so
confused as to mislead many of the
wisest, and many backers backed
their clients' judgment with loans.
To sum It up, farmers are so deeply
in debt that the proceeds of this
and probably next year's crop will
barely suffice to bring them out
clear, and they can continue to pro
duce and can pay their debts only
if given extended credit, for which
facilities did not exist when the col
lapse came, and If helped in other
ways.
The distress of the farming busi
ness was as much the nation's as the
farmers' emergency. Agriculture
not only produces materials of food
and clothing; in the mass it is the
greatest consumer of manufactures
and the greatest shipper by rail and
water. In order that industry in
city, mine and forest may prosper,
that railroads may earn interest on
their investment, that our great mer
chant fleet may have cargoes, the
nation must put the fanner on his
feet. He must have credit long
enough and at low enough rates to
carry him through the period of re
covery, and he must have relief
through reduced railroad rates, more
economical marketing methods and
protection from foreign competition.
These are matters for national leg
islation, and the case would not per
mit delay.
Parties In congress were not so
controlled, and the habits of thought
among leaders were not such when
the special session began that relief
to agriculture would be givert first
place on the legislative programme.
Control of the policy of both parties
was concentrated in the northeast,
where manufactures predominate
and where party policies are in
spired or greatly influenced by the
masters of finance In New York
the great reservoir of capital on
which industry and railroads draw.
That section has for many years had
the greatest voting strength. Being
generally republican, it dominated
republican policy. As the democrats
looked to breaches in the solid north
eastern phalanx of their opponents
for enough votes to carry them to
victory, they, too, were guided by its
interests, even to the subordination
of the ever-faithful solid south.
Hence It came that political leaders
regarded anything that was done for
the west by the republicans, for the
south by the democrats, as conces
sions to outlying provinces. That at
least has been the view of New York,
New England and Pennsylvania, and
it has been taken by- states farther
westward as manufactures -have
arrow n more important than farming
within their borders. That tendency
has been stronger because, the manu
facturers are organized well in
formed and in constant -ouch with
political leaders, while farmers were
scattered, ill organized, often inclined
to radical theories and to independ
ent movements which antagonized
the old parties.
Beginning with 1916 in particular
a change has been in progress to
which eastern leaders, having a nar
row horizon, have not given enough
attention. The republican party in
1916 carried the solid northeast, but
was defeated by the combination of
I the solid south with an almost solid
; west. The west thus demonstrated
that It was not a mere outlying
province of the republicans, but held
the balance of power. It declared
its independence of eastern domina
tion, but when it returned bodily to
the republican column in 1920, the
east, in the habit of ruling and cling
ing to tradition, forgot. The admin
istration and the leaders in congress
gave first place to matters of national
importance which demanded, early
action, and they placed the needs of
the farmers, which were more
urgent, in second place.
Senators and representatives from
the west, republican in the main,
would not permit this, and could not
have permitted it if they would. They
knew, for they saw, and the fact was
constantly dinned in their ears, that
deflation was ruining the farmers,
and they believed that substantial,
practical relief to agriculture ehould
be first on the programme. The
democrats of the south were of the
same opinion, for their constituents
were in the same plight as the west
ern farmers and were calling on con
gress for aid. Thus arose a com
mon Interest between western repub
licans and southern democrats in
meeting an emergency from which
both sections suffered and to the
gravity of which the east was not
awake. The case had no connection
with the distinctive principles and
policies of either party, hence men
of both parties could combine to deal
with it and still remain true to their
political allegiance. The western
men may have welcomed the oppor
tunity to wrest control of congress
from the east and remind it that its
days of political dominance were
past, and the southern democrats
may have enjoyed their part in this
work, but there is no evidence of an
intention to make the bloc the
nucleus of a new party. All know
that parties formed in the interest
of a particular class have always
come to grief in this country. More
probably as the necessities which
have caused the bloc are met, its
members will drop away until it
disappears. It owes its existence and
Its power to general admission that
an emergency exists. If it should
attempt to obtain special privilege, it
would arouse popular opposition and
would dwindle as a political force.
Success of the bloc is due to gen
eral recognition, not only of the jus
tice, but of the moderation of its
demands. In former times of stress
farmers have taken up radical
theories and have formed parties to
promote them. Though their condi-
' tion ,s now worse than in the days
of populism, they turn their backs on
the non-partisan league and other
forms of socialism; they propose no
new nostrums and make few appeals
to class prejudice. They ask the gov
ernment for loans which the banks
cannot give; they ask power to im
prove methods of distribution by co
operation and their leaders meet
railroad managers in conference to
discuss rate reduction as a matter of
common interest. These are signs
that the farmer's economic and po
litical education has advanced beyond
the point where he expects to gain
anything by denouncing as enemies
those whose help he needs and who
can prosper only when he does. The
bloc has asked no more than the real
emergency demands; it is not likely
to survive satisfaction of those de
mands. So long as these are just, it
serves the whole nation by seci'ing
the farmers. Then condemnation of
the bloc should await the day when
it asks something that goes beyond
justice and attempts to obtain it by
political coercion.
Dan O'Leary, who at 81 years old
is challenging any man of 50 or more
in his home town to a walking
match, is the symbol of what any
form of vigorous outdoor exercise
will do to keep a man young and
healthy rather than an incentive to
taking up pedestrlanism as a busi
ness. O'Leary's achievements never
theless have been amazing. He has
walked, he estimates, more than
265,000 miles in his life and expects
to make It 300,000 miles before he
dies. When he was 70 he had no
difficulty In walking seventy-five
miles in a day, and he often exceeded
that mileage on a walking trip
across the continent. He now stands
as a reminder that there was a time
when walking was much commoner
than it is now, when there were not
even street cars to carry men to and
from their work, and where, accord
ing to accounts, people were health
ier in their old age than they are
today. O'Leary advertised the One
form of physical exercise that can
be taken without a cent of cost for
equipment or apparatus and that
might be employed with profit by
most men. .
The local postoffice force did great
work in handling the holiday mail.
Credit for some of that goes to ac
count of loyalty to the new "boss,"
who was one of them a while ago.
Grand opera In Chicago can be
maintained, it's announced, at a
deficit of "ices than $500,000 a year."
Now we know why they call it grand
opera.
A woman bishop of a "funny" re
ligion in the east says man is re
sponsible for the low-necked short
skirt. Possibly; woman strives to
please.
The senate's reluctance over that
gasoline tax is perhaps to be ex
plained by the fact that all senators
nowadays own automobiles.
Many domestic tragedies begin
with breaking the tenth command
ment.. Divorce, marriage and mur
der make the sequence.
Tommy Swivel may "go broke" on
his Christmas trees to fatherless
children, but it is a glorious break
ing. As she grows, the Christmas baby
will find combination of birthday
and holiday "perfectly disgusting."
The child of nature shows assim
ilation when a Filipino is held for
passing spurious checks.
And don't forget the postman in
handing out those Christmas
bonuses.
The price probe to. start here is
just in time for the clearance saJea.
Provide food and water for the
birds and keep away the cats.
Even the little snow
Christmas day was dry.
that fell
On today's menu: Turkey hash.
The Listening Post.
By DeWItt Harry.
GEORGE S. SHEPHERD tells of his
most profitable case, and nearly
the first job he had after coming to
Portland and hanging out his law
shingle. It was In 1S94, when the
lawyer started practicing in Portland.
His first call was' from William Bart
lett, a farmer on Government Island,
and the job was not a lan'suit, but to
repair a self-binder. Shepherd ad
mits that about this time he was more
familiar with farm tools than with
bis law library, and a self-binder was
one of his specialties.
In any event Shepherd went to the
farm and did the job and had quite a
good deal of trouble on account of
the high water, for 1S94 was the flood
year. Bartlett's wife had just com
to Oregon from England and Shep
herd saw her makiag . English plum
puddings when he was out at the
farm.
A few weeks later Bartlett came
into the Marquam building to settle
for the job and asked Shepherd what
his charges were. The new lawyer In
formed his client that one of those
plum puddings would be just about
right, and it was paid.
East Sunday Bartlett came into
Shepherd's office in the Gasco build
ing with a -plum pudding, the 26th
of a series, for George has received
hla annual pudding from the Bartlett
ranch on Government island. One
pudding was missed, and that was
Shepherd's fault, for on the year in
question he was away from Portland
on a cruise around the world in a
sailing ship. Shepherd counts t,he
plum-pudding case as the most prof
itable of his career.
"It was October 10, the closing
night of the Summer National theater
at Chackoff, quite a few years ago,"
writes Eeonil FulL "A severe cold
and unpleasant autumn were in full
swing. The theater was built in the
public park. Not having much to do,
1 was walking around in the twilgiht
watching the death of lummer. I
sat on a bench, meditating, when 1
heard the noise of the gravel and
saw a feminine silhouuite. She came
nearer and stopped. She was a slen
der, poor thing of the night. Her
rouge and paint were too pronounced
and she shivered from the cold, hold
ing her thin hands in her sleeves.
-'Have you a cigarette?" she asked.
"No, I don't smoke."
"Could you help me?" she said after
a short pause. I noticed her small
oval face pinched by hardship. 1 gave
her what change I had.
"Thanks," she exclaimed. "Won't
you take -me some place with you?"
"Why, no," I answered.
"Are you giving me money for
nothing?" and she came close and
looked directly at me. After a long
silence and with a deep sigh, she
said: "I never thought that there
were men who had any pity. I'm not
going to take your money for noth
ing, but I am going to give you some
thing I treasure."
"She unfastened her jacket and
pulled out a red rose. 'It was the
last money I had this morning and I
could not resist. I have lived with it
all day.'
"I told my mother about it and
gave her the rose and she put it
awayT
"I left for a two years' trip and
when I came back home I needed an
important paper. Among the en
velopes, there fell some dry rose
leaves. Our eyes met and mother,
after a deep sigh, said, 'I wonder
where this lost soul is?'"
- Messenger boys of a few years ago
were usually pictured on their fast
runs resting as they read a "Beadle
thriller." Pew of the beys of a short
time back have forgotten these dime
novels. This Just by way of Introduc
ing Stanley Allen Beadle of the
Beadle family, now a resident of
Portland.
Beadle first
1898, when he
the American
saw war service In
was a sergeant with
troops in Cuba. In
1915, unable to withstand the urge of
war, he went from New York to
Canada and enlisted, served In France
and was discharged with the king's
parchment certificate for disability.
One of his legs la a couple of inches
short and other severe wounds tend
to slow him up to a certain extent.
But the tale of his disabilities and
his line work is not the one to write
today. The holiday story Beadle best
likes to tell is of the time he lay con
valescing in Blighty and his best
friends were a quartet of cjuiarles, in
a cage near his bed. No man ever
had any more Charming friends than
Beadle's chums, for the canaries did
their best to make the days cheerful.
Talented, not only in song, but in
other ways. The Invalids rigged up
several sets of toys for the yellow
singers and the busy birds, when not
filling the air with melody, pulled up
their own water, by means of pulleys.
or busily worked away at a set of
chimes.
Information -at the local telephone
exchange has some hard ones to an
swer at times. Just the other day a
male voice called, evidently in a
dilemma;
"I'm boiling potatoes, can you tell
me how much salt to put in?"
Was information stumped? Not a
bit. "Put In a tablespoonful," was her
advice.
Information is a ' complicated job.
She Is supposed to answer calls and
inquiries relating to trouble with the
local exchanges. In short to correct
any abuses or set subscribers right
about service. As a matter of fact
her Job is much more difficult than
would appear on the surface, for the
snarls she has to unravel would be
puzzling in the extrame to even the
best informed man.
Nature stories just a little out of
the ordinary should delight almost
anyone. Take the Instance, vouched
for by a reputable citizen, of the
ally-cat that was taken home. The
cat Introduced himself one day when
the man was out for a walk, rubbed
against his leg in an inviting man
ner. Succumbing, the citizen took Tom
home and then found him -infested
with fleas. Spirited application of
lysol in a hot bath relieved the cat.
and the animal seemed to take a
great liking for bathing. Every time
the master would go for his tub.
there was Tom right at hand. Finally
it got so that the cat would clamber
upon a bath stool and beg to get in.
and the latest development is that
cat and master now take their baths
together, the. feline being right on the
job when the water Is drawn and get
ting into the tub with his master.
Those Who Come and Go.
Talea of Folks at the Hotel.
C. E. Woodson of Heppner. -who,
with Frank Sloan of Stanfield or
ganized 24 other members In the lower
house against a property tax for the
1925 exposition, is registered at the
Imperial. These two representatives
expected that the Portland fair com
mittee would arrive with a strong or
ganization to advocate the property
tax Idea, so they conceived the Idea
of gathering Into one fold such mem
bers as might prefer some other plan
of finance. With this object they , the female does not feed at all. sim
started circulating a petition and i ply mating, laying eecs. and then
Within a f... m.U.Iii.
nV Vh. .. .m.. J-ru li
uusu .......o
were astonished when they discovered
that they had the whip hand when
jail they had looked for was a : nail
e.but cohesive minority. Thereafter
they merely waited for the property
tax advocates to begin operations,
but this plan was abandoned before
being put to the test.
About the most disgusted man In
Portland Christmas was Denton Bur
dick, the debonnaire member of the
house of representatives. Mr. Bur
dick has a couple of boys and it
was his earnest desire to be home
with the family for Christmas. The
winding up of the special session of
the legislature dragged along while
Mr. Burdick kept one eye on the clock
and the other on the proceedings. He
chartered an automobile and finally
made a wild dash to Portland to catch
the night train for central Oregon,
but after facing the bitter cold in
an open machine, over a highway
coated with thin ice which made 30
miles an hour Impossible, he arrived
In Portland to miss his last chance
for being in Redmond Sunday morn
ing. There was no Christmas spirit
about Mr. Burdick after that, but
a mighty mad young man. And later
he learned that the water supply at
Redmond went haywire and water
was 3 cents a gallon in the emergency.
So far as R. J. Carsner Is concerned
he still maintains that he had a very
good solution to the problem of how
to finance the 192C exposition. Mr.
Carsner. who departed for Spray, Or.,
yesterday, thought that the millage
tax for the University of Oregon and
Oregon Agricultural college could
have been trimmed down to a point
where some of this millago, at least,
could have been uted for providing
the state's proposed share of the ex
position fund. Tr.e plan was dis
cussed at Salem, but did not get very
far. Mr. Carsner points with pride
to Spray as the only large town in
the state Spray boasts of 48 inhab
itants which does not have at least
one tentative candidate for governor.
When H. C. Todd left Salem for the
Perkins there was the finest Christ
mas tree in the state of Oregon illu
minating the courthouse lawn near
the electric depot. For 30 years a
fir tree has been growing on a corner
of the courtyard and it stands Iso
lated. The tree is perfectly shaped
by nature. Strung over It are scores
of large electric lights, with colored
globes and surmounting the tree is a
large electrical star. The effect is
beautiful and commands the atten
tion and elicits praise from every
traveler passing through the capital
city.
One legislator who Is returning
home quite satisfied with the speciul
session is P. J. Gallagher of Ontario,
who represents Malheur and Harney
counties He succeeded In having a
bill passed dealing with the coyote
bounty. In his section of the state
the coyote Is a nuisance which every
sheepowner loathes and despises, so
Mr. Gallagher had a bill passed by
house and senate fixing the bounty
on the varmints. This Is about as
good a piece of legislation for the
range country as any sheepman or
stockman could ask for.
The theory that air currents pro
tect orchards from frosts may be all
right, but when it comes to a silver
thaw you can't tell where It will
strike, according to R. B. Phipps, dis
trict horticultural inspector for the
state of Washington, registered at
the Multnomah. "For example," cited
Mr. Phipps. "on one side of the town
of Washougal the orchards were
badly affected by the silver thaw and
on the west side of the town we
found the orchards were practically
unhurt. However, the orchards that
are damaged will nearly all come
back in time."
S. W. Horn, master mechanic for
the C. IL Whseler Lumber company
of Cochran, Or., was in Portland for
Christmas and is at the Multnomah.
Cochran is the "hump" of the Tilla
mook railroad and to. get there from
Timber or from Nehakm requires
oouDie locomotive power. Cochran
was a few years ago nothing but a
shack where the railroad company
had a small supply of rails and a pile
of ties. Now all of the timber in the
surrounding country has been cut
away by logging operations, leaving
the hills of the coast range an un
sightly vista of stumps.
C. N. McArthur. representative of
the third congressional district, has
arrived to spend the holidays, with
his mother, Mrs. Harriet McArthur.
Mr. McArthur came to the coast as a
member of the congressional delega
tion which accompanied the remains
of the late Representative Elston of
California.
C. Aalvik, a lumberman of Steven
son. Wash, is at the Hotel Oregon.
Stevenson Is not a large place at
present, but expects to be distinctly
on the map when a toll bridge Is
built across the Columbia river at
that point. '
Taking advantage of the pleasant
weather, H. Percy Sharpe and. wife
of Seattle drove to Portland by auto
mobile and are registered at the Mult
nomah. They report that the "going"
was not at all bud.
Returning from their honeymoon at
Seaside, Or., Mr. and Mrs. C. K. Knick
erbocker are at the Multnomah on
the way to Salem. Mr. Knickerbocker
Is cashier in the office of the state
treasurer.
James Buckley of Toledo, Or., has
"come out" for the holidays and Is at
the Perkins. About the only way to
get out of Toledo now is by train.
Too Many Aliens.
HUBBARD, Or., Dec. 25. (To the
Editor.) The Oregonian's editorial.
JJecember 23, on "Checking the Immi
grant Flood," is timely. It no doubt
will stir a few of those who served
and are marking time now.
Having served a year and one-half
In the late war, I hoped to be able to
call myself a desirable subject of
this country, and at least to be en
titled to hold a Job on a government
shipyard upon my return to civil life.
Such was not the case, for long. We
ex-service men gave up our position
to aliens. I personally checked up
at one Portland yard "(name on re
quest), to find that aliens here from
seven to 31 years were still employed
when we were discharged.
Isn' it hell, though, when the men
who fought the war have to come
home and fight the war after the
war? A LEGIONNAIRE.
Burroughs Nature Club.
Copyright. Houghton-Mif flln to.
Can You Aimwrr These Quest lunar
1. Po fishes mind cold weather?
2. Do partridges and field larks
roost In trees?
s. un man be inoculated aga!r.s
coora oite.'
Answers in tomorrow's nature,
notes.
Answers to Prevlnoa Questions.
1. Does the gypsy moth destroy
foliage?
We suppose you mean In the adult
ftp mnlh ftm V" .... ....... 1. 1 . . ..
j . , . ...
7 ' " 18 lne caterpillar stage tlutt
is bo voracious ana destructive to
foliage.
2. Has the catamount any natural
fos?
Not unless you count in the man-wlth-the-gun.
It has no four-footed
foe. and will drive off even a bear
in any dispute over food. Occasionally
a puma may tackle a porcupine, par
ticularly if the former is an inex
perienced hunter, and get its nose
punctured by quills, but it is not the
porcupine who is aggressor.
s
3. Please tell when purple martins
come in spring and go in fall; what
color eggs they lay; how house for
them should be built, with how many
rooms; height of house from ground:
color of house; whether more than
one pair will nest in same house:
how to keep sparrows out; and
whether to clean house each spring.
In New England, in end of April;
earlier to the south. Ieave N. K. be
fore September. White eggs. From
two or three to a number of rooms, as
they nest in colonies. Single rooms
6 to 7 Inches square. Fifteen to IM)
feet above ground. A neutral gray
green or brown. Screen the entrance
holes as soon as martins leave, and
don't open them till the martins ar
rive. Yes.
PRESS PITS ON HOLIDAY DRF.MS.
orthnrst Nevispaprra Adopt Holiday
Colors and IncrrnNe Pagea.
Many newspnpers of the state
showed a measure of prosperity in
observance of the holiday season.
While the idea of a "Christmas" num
ber is to provide space for enlarged
advertising, many use the occasion to
exploit the resources of city und
county.
Honors this season go to the Coos
Bay Times of 3 pges In five sec
tions one devoted to the newa of the
day and the others recounting the
year's improvements and telling of the
resources of the "Bay." for the Coos
Bay Times Is not a local paper as de
fined by the city boundaries of Marsh
field. Mr. Maloney has done some
"great" things in his way In years
agone and this year's effort shows no
luck of effort and results.
" The Morning Register of the "City
of Radiation'' (more prosaically know n
as Eugene) enlarged its Sunday issue
upon occasion to 32 pages to meet
demands of advertisers in a "Christ
mas edition." Reading matter news
and seasonal was not neglected and,
on ttie whole, Messrs. Jenkins und
Gilstrap well may be pleased with its
appearance.
Resplendent In a title page In three
colors, the Pendleton Tribune ap
peared in a "Christmas Number" of
26 pnges. Business men. many of
whose names are not familiar to the
ordinary reader, possess much space
In their displays and show that Pen
dleton Is alive to the times. Mr. Kuck
is running a good paper in a good
city.
There were 36 pages In the "holiday
number" of tho Southern Coo County
American of Myrtle Point In a pic
turesque cover delineating the patron
saint of the day. Advertisers seem
to have vied to secure space and firms
of other cities appear In Its pages.
Interesting holiday text preserves a
balance. Editor Smith deserves much
praise und not a little belongs to his
editorial and mechanical staffs.
The "Christmas edition" of the Cor
vallis liazette-Times is Ideal in text
and illustration and. from the bus
ness point of view, in advertising dis
play. There Is good editing In It and
good printing, too, and considering
what Messrs. Ingalls, Monro and Ilurd
can do, no more need be said.
More people will know of Reeds
port and the lower linpqua country
when they see the "Christmas edi
tion" of the Port Cnipqua Courier.
There Is a good "story" of the 'devel
opment In two years of the city and
there is good matter telling of re
sources. Business houses are numer
ous and not at all modest In using
space. Messrs. Ditgen and F.iirchilris.
tho proprietors, seem to fit the place.
In more than doulile the usual num
ber of pages and In a cover p:ige of
four colors, the "Chrlstmaa edition"
of the Aurora Observer blazpns "195
Oregon World's Fiiir," devotes much
space to business advertisers at home
and in Oregon City and W.tlem and
"fills in" with well-selected holiday
matter. Mr. Robinson has improved,
the Observer very much since he pur
chased it a year sgo.
Deserving of more than passing no
tice are holiday Issues of the Rainier
Review, the Eastern Oregon Republi
can of I'nion, the Madras I'ioneer, the
Powers Patriot, the Scio Tribune and
the Hubbard Enterprise in Oregon and
the Napavine Independent, and the
Willapa Harbor 'Pilot of South Bend
in Washington: each is In a "picture''
cover and all have more pages than
customary; classed with them is the
Goldendale Sentinel in Just black and
white, but none the less meritorious. I
It Is no light matter to issue these
special numbers, requiring work in
addtlon to the usual labor of a "coun
try" offce.
'Wanton Shooting by Itoltbrr.
TORTLANP, Pec. 26. (To the Edi
tor.) 1 desire to thank The Orego
nian most sincerely for the fine edi
torials It has published recently
relative to proper punishment of
murderers, and as you say, "potential
murderers."
The man who shot me on December
6 did so from pure maliciousness or
revenge after he saw that his at
tempted bank holdup had failed. This
shows that he was willing to com
mit a murder, and I bel'eve all of
that class of men, or criminals, are
of that same frame of mind.
Public opinion over here on the
east side is strong for giving thi se
men the most ilevere punishment the
law permits, and everyone Is prais
ing the stand of The Oregonian.
H. H. NEWI1ALL.
National Constitutions Gasoline Tst.
PORTLAND. Dec. 26. (To the Edi
tor.) The constitution of tho United
States says. "No capitation or other
direct tax shall be laid."
Do you think a law taxing gaso
line so much per gallon constitu
tional? A. N. TER1ULL.
The paragraph In full reads, "No
capitation or other direct tax shall
be laid, unless in proportion to the
census or enumeration hereinbefore
directed to be taken." It is a re
striction upon the powers of con
gress, and was deprived of its force
as regards income taxes by the ICth
amendment. It has no bearing on
the right of a state to tax gasoline.
More Truth Than Poetry.
By Jnsnea J. Montague.
illi; MV OK t.lVIZ II'RIGHT.
(After Francis Bacon)
The man of life upriRlu
Who knows not how to shirk,
And finds his chief delight
In unremitting work.
Who holds that thtse who quit
Before it's quitting time
Deliberately commit
An economic crime.
That man may think his deeds
l'.-:erve the world's arclaim.
And that the life he leads
Will hrinir hint widespread fame;
But that's his bltr mistake;
J
Tile while he toils, poor chnp.
The wprl,, ltH h,.iul wilI 9!llke
And bay, "The guy's a sup!"
The man who is not lax
Thouuh rough may be his role.
Who pays his income tax
With gladness in his soul,
Who cares not for himself.
Who serves not selfish ends,
And freely lends his pelf
To all his needy friends
That man might hope to find,
'Mid rude and warring men,
A tranquil peace of mind
Beyond our earthly ken.
But let's talk common sense.
For since tho world began
There's been no evidence
Of any such a man.
Cnrloua Zooloelrnl Motamorphoala.
More eggs have been sold in Chi
cago than have been laid In the coun
try. The hens, apparently, havo
turned bears.
Verbal rhsnge.
It Is not right of self-determination
hut of self-extermination that tho
Irish d'C-hards appear to desire.
No I'fcr.
Resolutions of thrift are promptly
abandoned as soon as you look at the
post-Christmas mail.
(CopyriRht by the Pell Syndicate. Inc.)
In Other Days.
Fifty Yearn Ago.
From The OroKoninn of Iecember 27. la71.
The Japanese mint has begun tho
issue of coins identical in size, shapei
and value with those of the United
Stutes.
Commissioners have been appointed
for two ocean telegraphs. one from
the western const of the United Ptates
to China and Japan, and the other
from the Atlantic coast to Europe by
way of Bermuda and the Azores.
Butler of Massachusetts has Intro
duced a resolution in congress declar
ing the right of women to voto under
the 14th amendment.
Four men of the Immigration of
1S-13 met on the streets of Salem yes
terday. They were J. W. Nesmith,
Jesse Applegate, Daniel Waldo and J.
B. McClane.
Twenty-Five Yenri Ako.
Frn-n The Oretfnninn nf p,romber J7. 1S1I!
Princeton. Ind. A firedamp explo
sion In tho Maulo coal mine killed
nine men und injured many others.
A Portland man claims to havo
solved tho problem of constructing n
practical flying machine by Inventing
a funnel-shaped device designed to
combat conflicting winds.
The epidemic of burglary which has
given every Portland householder a
feeling of uneasiness and Insecurity
during tho past mouth Is unabated.
One of tho most dtsl ingulshed of nil
holiday books is Irving's "Alliamhra."
vi;k.ii n:i 1.111111:1 aiocati:ii
MyNtem Would Prove Incentive to
Bright Students, Snya Educator.
SPRINGFIELD. Or.. Dee. 2.r. (To
the Editor.) Now that tho Oregon
Stato Teachers' association Is to con
vene In a few davs for the discus
sion of various measures which It
deems necessary for the advance
ment of education In this state, may
I offer a suggestion which I believe
will be welcomed by thousands of
your patrons, both teachers und lay
men? That the committees on resolutions
and legislation, especially, glvo spe
cial attention to the matter of
"weighted grades;" e. P.. that for
subjects completed with average
grade of 90 or more, or Its equiva
lent, one-fourth extra credit shall be
allowed; that for an average grade
of from 811 to 90, or Its equivalent,
one credit shall bo allowed, and that
fur an average grade of from TO lo
ho. or its equivalent, only three
fourths credit shall bo allowed.
Front time to time, uw especially
since my connection with high
schools, I have heard complaints from
parents, an well ns from collrgo pro
lessors, that the bright students lack
proper Incentive to do their best, and
are apt cither to get Into habits of
laziness or restlessness, causing
serlniiH loss of discipline and morale,
or else leave school in disgust and
become discontented mitfits in the
lower walks of life.
To many, tho idea of "weighted
grades" may not be new, as I have
heard one of the professors In tho
school of education In our state uni
versity speak In favor of such a
plan: and tho more I think of tho
possible results tho more does It
seem that our boards of education
should take early action on such an
important matter.
J. E. TORBET.
RK.1IIS OP SENATE A II E CLEAR
Treaties Made Subject to Its Approval
by Fumlnnientnl Law.
PORTLAND. Doc. 2fi. (To the Edi
tor.) I read an article regarding tho
treaty-making powers of the agents
of tho United States government, ap
pointed for that purpose, that Is
worthy of some comment. It was
inferred by the article that tho sen
ate and houso of representatives were
a little lax in indorsing certain obli
gations made and promised by tho
ambassadors of this nation.
Now I want to say thut the United
States senate Is living up to tho
principles of government, for it was
solemnly declared In the writing and
signing of the magna charta of this
nation that we should absolve our
selves from all nations and declare
a separate station among the powers
of tho earth. That principle hus been
faithfully sustained till this time, at
least. Furthermore, the constitution
provides that any treaty made shall
be approved of by a two-thir.l.i vote
of that honorable body. It is further
Inferred that the above covenants
shall be guarded and protected by the
law-making bodies of this nation for
ever.
No league of nations or any na
Monal all'unco is to bo entered with
out the concurrence of the United
States senate. A. M. JF.NN.
Aviator Mnkea Confession.
Boston Transcript.
' "I suppose." said Miss Youngthlng
to tho famous aviator, "you really
feel more at home in the air than
ou do on land."
"Yes. indeed." he replied. "Why.
It's getting so I often feel a positive
craving for birdseed and such things."