8
THE 3I0RNIXG- OREOOXIAX, MOXD AY, DECEMBER 18, 1923
illorninDitoirimmn
ESTABLISHED BY HENRY L. PITTOCK
Published by The Oregxmlan Pub. Co.,
135 Sdxth Street, Portland, Oregon.
C. A. MORDEN. E. B. PIPER,
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GOING BACK TO EC ROPE.
At last the irresistible logic of
facts has convinced President
Harding that the United States has
such an interest in the affairs of
Europe as demands that he help to
save it from ruin. For two years
he has acted on the contrary the
ory, namely, that it does not matter
to us if Europe should relapse
through economic decadence and
renewed war into barbarism, that
America can live in peace and
prosperity amid a world on fire.
That theory is the ultimatum of
the irreconcilables to which he sur
rendered in 1920 and' which that
arch-irreconcilable, George Harvey,
reaffirmed in his speeches as am
bassador to Britain. After Europe
Has oeen suaing aown iu ciiaua iui
two more years and is literally on
the brink, Mr. Harding takes alarm
and reaches' out a cautious hand to
prevent its descent. To use a his
toric phrase, he is going to Ca-
nossa.
The cardinal vice of the oppor
tunism which is Mr. Harding's
policy is that it delays action while
a bad situation steadily grows
worse and cherishes the Micawber-
like hope that something will turn
up to serve as an excuse for doing
nothing. The result of this policy
in almost every instance has been
that drastic remedies became nec
essary where milder ones would
have served if used at an earlier
ntncA nf tTiA HqnpHpi" "Writ until n
definite breach has opened between
Britain and France and threatens
catastrophe does he realize that in
human affairs, as in the physical
universe, the area affected by a
disturbance is proportionate to its
extent and violence. While a local
earthquake sends through the at
mosphere a tremor which is known
and recorded only by a seismo
graph on the other side of the
world, a military, political and so
cial convulsion which engulfs an
I entire continent cannot fail to re
1 act violently on another continent.
I Against it the' oceans to which we
look for security afford no more
protection than" did the narrow
seas of Europe protect any land
against air raids.
as it nas Deen tnrougnout the
period since our relations with
Europe became the subject of po
litical controversy in this country,
origin of the crisis is the failure of
Germany to satisfy the claims of
the allies for reparation. Determi
nation not to pay and inability to
pay in full have led Germany
along a course which has ended in
inability to pay anything without
both help and compulsion from
outside. Britain, needing foreign
trade to provide work for its great
army of unemployed, is more in
tent on help than compulsion.
France, needing payment to reduce
the burden of debt incurred for
reconstruction and in dread lest
virulent German 'hatred bring an
other war, is more intent on com
pulsion than on trade. Germany, a
prey to the hysteria produced By
an orgy of inflation following the
orgy of war, looks to Britain to
block French plans for military oc
cupation and rejects all plans for
financial control which could re
store its economic health and de
velop an ability to pay that would
then exist.
So grave is the plight of all three
countries that a positive move by
any one of them that was deemed
harmful to it by either or both of
the others might light a flame of
war that would soon become a con
flagration enveloping the old world.
If a French army should advance
into Germany, not only might it
meet armed resistance but it might
easily start a war that would
spread eastward. Allied with Ger
' many is Russia, and allied with
Russia is Turkey. .These three are
the making of a new triple alliance,
hungry, destitute of all but arms
and fighting capacity, but in the
desperate mood to defy a world
that is utterly weary of war. If
Britain and Italy should stand
aside, these desperadoes might
defy France and might strike to
regain all that they have lost and
to take much more. Such a war
would sweep over Poland, the
Danubian states and the Balkans
and could not fail to involve Britain
and Italy.
It is doubtful whether the United
States could keep out. If we
should, it would be at the sacrifice
of civilization in Europe. Though
that might not move our isola
tionists, the loss of the market for
three-fourths of our exports would.
At the best, Germany would sul
lenly submit to armed occupation
and France would probably collect
from a nation that, having lost
hope, had abandoned itself to
bankruptcy, no more than would
pay the cost of the army, while all
Europe would continue to slide
down the slope of moral and ma
terial decay, more slowly though
no less surely than if hastened by
war.
Admonitions about the moral ob
ligation that we owe to Europe to
finish tne worn to wmcn we put
our hands in 1917 and which we
left unfinished in 1918 have fallen
on deaf ears, therefore are fruit
less. So are reminders that by the
separate treaty with us, Germany
made us parties to the reparations
and military clauses of the Ver
sailles treaty. The only argument
that seems to have weight is that if
Europe should not recover our
prosperity will shrivel, our boasted
standard of living will fall, and
our existence as a nation will be in
danger. The disease that has
deeply and widely infected Europe
cannot be kept away from us, even
though the states of that continent
should remain as they are politi
cally and though those states re
main at peace. But, failing recov
ery, Europe will continue to go
down and drag America on the
slippery descent.
This nation is able to exercise
moral compulsion far more power
ful than t,he physical compulsion
that France threatens. It should
be exerted against Germany first to
exact the conditions on which alone
a loan and a moratorium should
be granted, but also on France to
stay its hand, and on Britain and
Italy to impose sternly that control
of German finances that is neces
sary to re-establish German credit.
Until these conditions are estab
lished, there should be no remis
sion of allied debt, but congress
ought, in the interest of this nation,
not of its debtors, to relax the re
strictions imposed on the presi
dent. Secretary of State Hughes
has the understanding; courage and
public confidence -requisite for the
complex emergency and Secretary
of Commerce Hoover is an able,
well-informed second. But no timid
offers of mediation, no sending of
mere observers, will suffice. Dele
gates with power to act according
to instructions that give broad dis
cretion should be sent. America
should not "return to Europe" with
faltering steps and distrustful air,
but should step forward boldly
with hand extended to offer help
and to share the burden.
HEARTLESS CORPORATION 8TCFF.
A letter from a motorist pub
lished today illustrates, we think,
one of the greatest of our traffic
problems." It is indifference to the
rights of the majority.
Here is a citizen who refers to
the comparatively few who insist
on making use of automobiles
when the streets are filled with
newly fallen snow as "the public."
What he conceives the great mass
to be who travel by street car and
whose interests are in mind when
ever outside encouragement is
given to the streetcar company to
keep its lines open, we do not
know. Probably cheap skates who
have no rights anywhere.
It will be noted that the corre
spondent insists upon the right of
automobiles to travel along and ob
struct the newly-cleared streetcar
tracks, because in the clearing
thereof, windrows impeding to the
autoist have been thrown up on the
sides in a "public be damned"
spirit. Yet only 200 feet away is
a nice, wide street where the trolley
cars cannot go, because they have
no tracks to run on, and where the
streetcar company piles up no
windrows of snow to annoy the
progress of the haughty motorist.
Of course nobody complains of
necessary traffic along the cleared
tracks. The objection is to obstruc
tion to essential public service by
automobiles that ought to have
been left at home and to the self
ishness of the fellow who ought to
break his own road rather than
undo the enterprise of others.
Everybody knows his type. As
said before, his contempt for the
rights of pedestrians, the rights of
streetcar riders.'and even the rights
of other drivers, presents one of
our most serious traffic problems.
COMPLETE THE DEVELOPMENT
FUND.
Attention of Portland citizens,
which has properly been diverted
to the pressing necessities of As-;
toria diiring the last week, should
be turned again to the Oregon de
velopment fund, in order that the
entire sum asked by the Chamber
of Commerce may be raised in this
week before Christmas. The sum
is within the resources of the city,
and can be paid in such manner as
not to prove a heavy tax 'at any
time. Its expenditure is to extend
over two years, and before that
time expires results should be seen
which will justify the investment.
For, rightly viewed, the fun9 is
an investment in expansion of
Portland's business. It will con
tribute very materially to the pros
perity of farmers and of every city
and town in Oregon, and to that
extent is a gift from the metropo
lis to the whole state. But the
prosperity of Portland depends on
that of the state of which it is the
mercantile, commercial and trans
portation center. Oreg6n needs
more people, and their incomes
should be enlarged by the means
which the chamber proposes to
adopt.
A time like this is the best in
which the state can prepare to go
forward. The tide of national
prosperity has turned after being
on the ebb for two years. Positive
action is evidently about to be
taken that will start the return of
prosperity , in the world at large.
Foreign trade has declined so far
that -there is abundant room for its
increase, and the products of Ore
gon are of such character that this
state has a good opportunity to se
cure a generous share of that in
crease. An investment in Oregon
development will surely return
good dividends.
BUYING BACK A COLONY.
A profoundly interesting question
of ethics is involved in the proposal
credited to German medical scien
tists that a cure for sleeping sick
ness which is reported to have been
found shall be made the price of
the restoration to Germany of her
lost colonies in Africa. Assuming
the remedy to be all that is claimed
for it, the question arises whether
the discoverer is justified in with
holding it from humanity, and
whether the appeal of the sick and
suffering is inferior to the expedi
ency of world politics. The pro
posal in question is reported to have
been made at a recent meeting of
the German Association for the
Study of Tropical Medicine at Ham
burg, where one of the speakers is
quoted as having said:
This medicine is the key to tropical
Africa and consequently to all the colo
nies. The German government must,
therefore, be required to safeguard this
discovery for Germany. Its value is such
that any privilege of a share in it must
be conditioned upon restoration of her
colonial empire.
It Is true that an important "key
to the tropics" is the control of
diseases peculiar to the tropics, as
to which great progress has been
made since the Spanish war but is refreshing to discover a man
which have not yet been completely not long ago an alien who sees
conquered. Malaria and yellow that the spirit of "aristocracy"
fever are examples of maladies that which he encountered in an Ameri
have been virtually checked. De- ; can college is "an aristocracy of
velopment of a region of almost in. the same as existed in my native
calculable extent, containing re-
sources which some economists re-
gard as sufficient to sustain the American traditions unconscious
present population of the globe, de- because entirely lacking in the
pends on making it habitable by noisy chauvinism and racial intol
white men. The, engineering prob-J erance which characterized the
lems of drainage, irrigation and Teutonism of Austria and the
clearing of land are simple by com- Magyarism of Hungary. "A name
parison with those which confront with a fine American tradition
the physician and sanitary expert, back of It attracted much atten
Not only Germany's former col- tion, but it was only a letter of
onies, comprising a million square recommendation." Professor Pupin
miles and containing some of the has no quarrel with the spirit in
most fertile land on the globe, but which those are received who are
also other districts, in equatorial thus introduced, but he is sure that
Africa are relatively wasted be- they will have a lonely time in any
cause they are . perennially dec!- : company of young Americans if
mated by disease. they are found wanting in makeup
It was thought nearly twenty or conduct when weighed by the
vears aeo that the secret had been best American standards. On this
discovered when a German scien-
when injected into the blood of the
patient, was said to kill the germ i
of sleeping sickness. French scien- '
tists working independently con-i
firmed and added to the German's j
findings, but while their dyes were i
temporarily beneficial they did not
effect permanent cures. The Ger.
mans are now said to have isolated
a principle, not from the dye but
from basic materials from which it
is made, which accomplishes re
sults. This is the secret which it is pro
posed to exchange for an empire.
Will the Germans get their price,
or will the research workers of
other countries discover what they
have done and either duplicate
their ' work or find a remedy
equally serviceable, as the French
did with Ehrlich's original discov
ery? The chances are that the
latter will come to pass. The. Ger
mans have at least estopped them
selves from claiming Uie benefits
of a monopoly by their own acts.
The secrets of the laboratory are
extremely difficult to keep, as was
shown by experience with noxious
gases in the world war.
FLAYING THE GAME.
It is impossible to read the life
story of Michel Pupin, the Serbian
immigrant who rose to eminence
among the physical scientists of
America, without wishing that a
way might be found to impart to
all immigrants the understanding
of and reverence for American in
stitutions which permeates Profes
sor Pupin's writing. Yet Professor
Pupin indicates, we think, where
at least part of the fault lies. He
does not criticise in a fault-finding
spirit, but describes an incident
whih occurred at a memorable
point in his career.
"Two ceremonies," he relates,
"which are recorded in my life as
two red-letter days took place on
two successive days." It is instruc
tive, as the writer says, to give a
comparison between them. In one
he received his college degree of
Bachelor of Arts; by the other he
was made a citizen of the United
States. He stresses the utter want
of impressiveness in the latter, and
while he does not undervalue the
importance of the former, he is
moved to remark:
All those things served to increase the
painful contrast between the gay com
mencement ceremonies and the prosy
procedure of my naturalisation on the
preceding day. One ceremony made me
only a Bachelor of Arts. The other made
me a citizen of the United States. Which
of the two should have been the more
solemn?
Two phases of the development
of the true American spirit in this
former. young) Balkan herdsman
stand out in the pages of the in
stallment of 'his autobiography
published in the current Century.
One is the far-reaching influence
of the early study of American
history on the direction of his
thought, and the other his complete
acceptance of the principle that to
"play the game" is to be an Ameri
can of the best sort. While pre
paring for college he became in
terested by a fortuitous circum
stance in the life of Alexander
Hamilton. "What an appeal to a
young imagination," he exclaims,
after recounting how he was im
pressed by the facts of that revolu
tionary statesman's early career.
"Every American youth preparing
for college should read the history
of Hamilton's life." Study of Ham
ilton led to acquaintance with the
life and work of John Jay, first
secretary of foreign affairs and
first chief justice of the United
States supreme court, and with
Robert Livingston, who completed
the purchase of Louisiana from
France. These' names, .associated
with those of Madison and other
leaders of their time, and, by a
curious sequence of eventst with
that of Harriet Beecher Stowe,
whose "Uncle Tom's Cabin" he had
read while on a railroad journey
from Vienna to Prague, and with
that of Mrs. Stowe's brother, Henry
Ward Beecher, whose church he
attended on reaching New York,
created an impression which we
are led to suppose greatly inspired
him in his efforts to overcome
what he aptly calls his "social u
preparedness," of which he became
acutely conscious shortly after his
determination upon a college
career. " r.
The ' processes by which Pupin
became aware of the difference be
tween the traditions common to
the peasants of his native Serbian
village are illuminating, as. also is
his theory as to the reasons why
other young immigrants 'do not
always succeed as he has done. He
exalts tradition "my respect for
the traditions of my own race,"
he says, "had taught me to respect
the traditions of the country which
here I expected to adopt" because
of its value in fixing a purpose, but
he finds that an important tradU
tion of American national life is
expressed in the phrase heretofore
quoted. He says: , i
"Play the game!" What a .wonderful
phrase! I studied it long, and the more
I thought about it the more I was con
vinced that one aspect of the history of
ihe country with all its traditions is
summed up in these three words. No
foreigner can understand this country
who does not Know tne tun meaning ot
this nhrase. No foreign laneuaae can
so translate the phrase as to reproduce
its brevity and at the same time convey
its full meaning. Put when I heard it,
1 thought of the bootblacks and news
boys who, five years previously, had
acted as umpires when I defended my
right to wear a red fez. To "play the
fame" according to the best traditions
of the land which offered me all its op
portunities was always my idea of
Americanization. But how many im
migrants to this land can be made to
understand this?
Professor Pupin plays the game
by declining to hold that Ameri
cans are alone responsible for the
failure of the melting pot to fuse
all the material that it receives. It
peasant village." It was a spirit of
unconscious reverence for the best
heading the writer can be said to j
less son of a Serbian peasant vil-
lage, as he proudly subscribes nim-
self, he was elected president or a
class of college boys having among
them a Hamilton, a Livingston, a
DeWItt and several descendants of
John Jay. The spirit or American
democracy, he is convinced. Is very
much alive and in excellent cus
tody. - '.
A ripe classical scholar, though
distinguished as a scientist. Profes
sor "Pupin will prove an interesting
study for those who lately have
contended that the humanities are
but a waste of time to all who do
not aspire to the polite professions.
His reminder that there is poetry
in science shows how vastly the life
of the physicist is broadened if he
possesses imagination and indulges
his inclination for culture. Tyn
dall's "Heat as a Mode of Motion,"
Bryant's "Thanatopsis" and Long
fellow's "Hiawatha" all appealed to
him in very much the same . way.
"Science," he writes, "on its ab
stract side is poetry; it is a divine
philosophy, as Milton calls It.
Science is a food which nourishes
not only the material, but also the
spiritual body of man." But that
everybody realizes tins', as Profes
sor Pupin assumes, we are moved
to doubt. One wonders how greatly
the idealistic philosophy manifest
throughout Professor Pupin's re
miniscences may have been nour
ished by the thorough preparation
in ' the classics which constituted
the foundation fof his scientific
career.
There are lessons, of course, in
every completed life lessons for
others to scan. But it is seldom
that a life presents more whole
some and genuine illustration of
how to live than did that of George
Lawrence Sr., a pioneer of Port
land, who died last week. Mr.
Lawrence was more than 90 years
of age, yet by application to hisM
daijy duties, by the. constant bur
nishing of his mind against both
tasks and thought, he retained the
spirit and zest of youth. Some
there are who at a far earlier year
betray evidences of that rust which
mars the sheen of the spirit and
lessens the physical endurance.
This man would not and did not
permit himself to rust. Because of
that he could laugh at the years,
as he did, and to the close of the
chapter maintain a poise and con
fidence that enabled him to extract
from life the real essence of living.
The father of a young robber not
old enough to go to the peniten
tiary protests against sending him
to the reform school, as he has
been tbere and learned more wick
edness. He offers to take him back
to Montana, which simply will be
sidestepping an issue. A right and
just course cannot be followed, be
cause humanity forbids to thrash
the wickedness out of him.
The treasury department's policy
of encouraging the use of gold
coins as Christmas gifts has the
double merit of making Christmas
cheerful for the recipients and sat
isfying the curiosity of those who
haven't seen a gold coin for an in
terminably long time.
Somebody has sent the president
an opossum for Christmas; but
'possum requires an educated ap
petite. An old newspaperman,
however, can accomplish it and Mr.
Harding will be envied his Christ
mas dinner.
The president of the Polish re
public was killed by a shot in the
back by a man "mentally de
ranged," yet sane enough to at
tempt a getaway. Hanging is a
great cure for that kind of insanity.
Ever consider the "boys" who
handle the money in your bank?
An occasional fall from grace
shows the sterling character of
more than 99 per cent of these
young men.
Fifty years ago the "epizoot"
raged over the country. Horses
had it first. Having put the horse
out of business, the auto cannot
start an ill of the kind.
One of the hard lucks of the sea
son is the rain that melts the ice
about the time a boy gets a pair of
skates in his Christmas stocking.
Those fellows planning a flight
over the north pole can find a good
rehearsal location in th Inland
Empire just now.
' Based on Thanksgiving week ex
perience, probably the best Oregon
turkeys will stay in Oregon for
Christmas.
Those who put faith in "changes
of the moon" may be rewarded
with rain following today's - new
moon. '
Any boy troubled by "unrest"
should read the story of young
Vanderzanden and let it soak in.
In this weather a whole lot of
the day's work depends on -the
'.,,,. .
breakfast a man gets.
The auto that bumps a man into
the snow is merciful in picking a
soft spot for him. .
Labrador is about right for a
gold rush. A location hard to
reach has an attraction. .
, How much of the proposed Ger.
man 'Igian can be kept out of munitions?
"Do it now" week is just before
Christmasnow,
WHAT FOLLOWS FREE BOOKS
Free Pencils, Las. cars. Clothes and
Finally Comntnnfsm.
OSWEGO. Or., Dec. 16. (To the
Editor.) The Oregonian's editorial
and Director-Representative Wood
wards letter, both on the subject
of free text books, might well toV six years have been in Dayton,
prompt a question or two. j 0 George W. Simons, formerly ot
Here Is the first one: Is there ' the Pacific Bridge company, with of
going to be a stopping place on our i fices nere gtiu holds Portland as Ms
federal-state paternalistic road to h Mr Simons is at the Seward
communism or are1 we going to go . , ' .,, . . .., ,,,,
the entire route? hotel an(I wl11 remain in this city
The second question might well, for a week. 1 saw Portland grow
be: Are we in the future going to for 32 years and I will never forget
encourage the development of the i it or cease to be loyal to it," said
individual'stic genius which has jj, - gimons yesterday. "When I
iiia.ue AWBrica grcai ur m e w u
going to make it a public purpose to
reduce all our citiens to a standard
pattern just as like and common-
place as peas In a pod?
Your editorial says "Books are a
fh6CeHtflotl,eTfaMyt
the public schools. It would ap-
pear as logical and fair to require
a pupil to furnish his own desk as
his own books."
We are mostly agreed that society
should do some things for its mem-
bers that individuals cannot do and
that society should restrict the ac-
tivities of the individual when those
activities unrestricted would result
in iniTirv tn hu neiirhhnrs ThiH j,
why" w7 have" public schools ? 1 l-
wl. .w thiA
imprisonment for burelary. auaran-
tine laws, etc.
But should not there be a stop
ping place somewhere? The school
desk cannot well be individual prop
erty but the school book should be
individual property. The owner
ship of the school book is one of
the child's earliest lessons in prop
erty rights. The child who takes
good care of his school books, keeps
them clean and orderly, takes them
home for home study, has a right to
the pride which he takes in them.
He should not be penalized for the
sins of the child who defaces his
books, keeps them unclean, and
takes no pride in them.
Some of us of mature age have at
home the books we first used in
school. They are a priceless heri
tage. They represent to us a value
tremendously greater than the
memory of some state-owned books
we once looked at could ever repre
sent. Then there are some features of
sanitation to be considered. Johnny
Smith licks his finger and turns the
pages of a state-owned text book.
Sutie Jones gets the same book the
next day and mixes her lickings
with Johnny's. Some of ns would
prefer that our ch'ldren licked only
their own books.
If it is logical to furnish pupils in
a free public school with free text
books it is equally logical to fur
nish them free pencils. Lunches are
also a necessary part of the ma
chinery of public schools. Why not
go the whole way and furnish free
lunches.
Children who attend public
schools must have cloth'ng. If text
books, pencils and lunches are free,
why not free clothing? And then it
is but a step to the thing that many
of our communistic friends are hop
ing for secretly or openly the
child from birth the ward of the
state; the abolition of the home; all
children reared to conform with
certain state standards, made to
think alike, dress alike, look a'ke
as far as possible communism
pure and simple.
J. A. DAVIDSON.
THE LAW OP THE SAGEBRUSH
LAND.
Out in the land where the sage-
brush nods
Back at the smile of devils or
gods
(And it matters not which one
smiles first,
If only he quenches the gnawing
thirst
Of " its tangled and twisted and
bent-up roots,
And it matters less if he prays
or shoots)
Is a shimmering shining, gray ex
panse Where angels and demons hold
dally dance.
It's gray in the daytime and white
at night;
At sunset, fringed with a golden
light
That deepens down to sombre blue,
And cloaks the land with purple
hue.
Turning to white with the moon's
advance;
While out from the silent, wide
expanse.
Comes the plaintive, whining, pining
drawl
Of the mother-coyote's warning
call.
Somehow, there's something pulling
there.
Where the smell of sage pervades
the air.
The plateau throbs with a silent
life.
As gripping and strong as the
city's strife;
And, undisturbed by the tramp of
men.
Unreached by restless noise and
' din,
The silence holds resistless beck
A epell somehow you just can't
check.
I'll tell you, Pard, if you want to
know,
That's where God and the devil go
To think and plan in the silent lands.
Each , by himself on the lonely
sands.
And I tell you, Pard, you'll meet
them there,
Where weak men fall and strong
ones. dare.
If you're weak you fall; if strong
you stand.
And this is the law of the sage
brush land.
And I'll tell you, Pard, you've got
to fight
To stand up straight and turn to
the right.
Many a hero has slumped his chest.
Missed his step like a thing
possessed,
Slid in his weakness, weaker still.
Till his poor, wretched carcass
wasn't fit to kill
It'll use you hard, old Pardner Dan
But if you're a man, you'll come
out a MAN.
, ANNA JERZKT.
j
Sutcharge ln Pullman.
EUGENE, Or.. Dec. 16. (To tie
Editor. )-On my Pullman sleeper
ticket it say: "Pullman company's
IIZJJ-5-1 cmPany's sur
charge, $1.25." Total $3 75
9 wV!-t.1L1.8 -urchars:e for?
2. , Who gets this money?
T,i-,As ithls was a war measure.
Id like to ask whether the war is
over and if so, how much longer we
must pay surcharge charges?
1. A surcharge is charge made
by the railroad for the privilege of
traveling In more comfortable sur
roundings. 2. . The railroad company.
3. It ,1s the Intention of the rail
roads to discontinue this charge, but
they are unable to state definitely
how soon. The hauling of the Pull
man cars entails additional expense.
Well Treated.
New Bedford Standard.
"Mrs. Meeks paid you a very flat
tering compliment last night, my
dear." .
"What did she say?"
"She said that I did' not look like
a married man."
Those Who Come and Go
Tales of Polka at the Hotels.
Although his business connections
first came to the town the only
method of getting across the river
was the Stark street terry. ,asi
(Portland and Albina were separate
municipalities. Everywhere I go I
Sive.rny home as Portland. While
, . ' , , .
i 1 ve ln Dayton and nave mf lnter!
ests there I register at hotels as of
j Portland." Mr. Simons is engaged
m the coal mining business in Ohio,
, Tearg a at dea; of tBe min.
. , ..., . . -
i J XJ p0 li?0
i aenm VfJ .JiL
Sl t.i 1',' Zn
Jackson, Wellston and other towns
I elW ,Ch,1'lcotthe the
but a few feet under the surface of
the R'ound in most cases and
in
some cases it is visible from above
the ground. "Wagon mining" was
followed by many and farmers
would dig wagon loads from their
soil and haul it to market. Mr.
Simons and his associates have been
mining with steam shovels, and
have found the method highly suc
cessful. Mr. Simons has a great
many frionds here and in addition
to transacting . business he is re
newing .old acquaintances.
After more than ten years behind
the walls of the Oregon state peni
tentiary at Salem Jesse P. Webb,
pardoned murderer, enjoyed his first
night of freedom at the Multnomah
hotel Friday night. He left yester
day for Seattle. More than 13 years
ago Webb killed W. A, Johnson in
the New Grand Central hotel. Later
he was convicted of the crime and
sentenced to be hung. As a result
of the efforts of his little daughter.
who is now dead, Governor West
nnmmntort Wthh'. .AntfinrA tn lifo
imDrisonment. Webb's reformation
ln the years that have passed has
been complete. He was pardoned
last week by Roy Ritner, acting
governor.
H. . R. Donovan of Boise, who is
field secretary for the International
100 Per Cent clubs, left the Multno
mah hotel yesterday after spending
several days here. He has ben trav
eling extensively over the middle
west and the Pacifio coast states
and says that everywhere there is
a much better feeling regarding fi
nancial and business conditions. Pa
cific northwest states are in much
stronger positions that are the
states of the middle west. Portland,
he declares, is the best town on the
coast at this time.
W, J. Martin of Lake Charles, La.,
was at the Imperial yesterday. Mr.
Martin comes from a section -of the
country that has depended largely
upon the manufacture of southern
pine lumber. The Long-Bell Lum
ber company, now building exten
sively near Kelso, owns a big plant
in Lake Charles. Timber around
the country is being rapidly cut and
manufactured and soon other indus
tries must be started.
Mr. and Mrs. G. Creighton of Mos
cow, Idaho, were at the Multnomah
hotel yesterday. They were en
route to California where they will
spend the winter. "This is the sev
enteenth year that they have gone
to California for the cold winter
months. They shipped their auto
moble by train and will make use of
it in the south. The severe snows
prevented them from driving
through to San Francisco and Los
Angeles.
S. H. Smtther, who Is at the Wash
ington hotel, until two weeks ago
was a drygoods merchant in Asto
ria. The. fire completely wiped out
his establishment. Undaunted by
the loss of his stock of goods and
most of his possessions Mr. Smithar
is in business again. He has pur
chased a new stock and has con
verted his home into a store where
all may purchase their drygoods
A man who is thoroughly pleased
with the conditions of the sheep and
wool market is J. T. Updike, of Wei
ser, Idaho, who is at the Benson.
Mr. Updike is engaged in the sheep
business and feels much better re
garding conditions than he did a
year ago when prices were exceed
ingly low and when the sheep in
dustry as a whole faced neap ruin.
Business men of Boise are work
ing hard to raise the $325,009 fund
which will mean the building of the
Oregon- Short Line into their city
according to D. W. Morrison of
Boiae, who was at the Multnomah
hotel yesterday. The railroad com
pany consented to build into Boise
providing the town would make a
donation to the work.
A. K. Peck, attorney of Marsh
field, was at the Imperial hotel yes
terday. Mr. Peck, who was one of
Charles Hall's most enthusiastic
supporters in the primary election,
has been mentioned as a possibility
for a political appointment under
Walter Pierce when the new gover
nor takes office.
G. S. Holden, whose family owns
the Cleveland Plain Dealer and the
Hollenden hotel 1n Cleveland, has
been a guest at the Multnomah for
several days. While here he made a
trip up the Columbia river highway
as tar as crown foint,
Judgt and Mrs. J. W. Knowles ar
rived in Portland yesterday from
their home in La Grande and put ud
at the Imperial. Judge Knowles
will remain here all week and will
aid the Multnomah countyircuit
court judges in clearing overtaxed
dockets.
S. S. George, who is connected
with the schools in Eugene and who
was a candidate as an independent.
for superintendent of public instruc
tion in the general election, was at
the Imperial hotel yesterday.
John D. Porter, member of the
contracting firm of Portland Broth
ers of Spokane, was a guest at the
Multnomah hotel yesterday. Mr.
Porter's concern recently purchased
the Wells Fargo building.
C C. Cochran and family of Kerry
are at the Nortonia. Mr. Cochran is
here for the purpose of purchasing
equipment with which to clear snow
from the wagon roads.
The name of Mrs. B. Pancake ol
Halfway appeared on the list of the
Imperial hotel's guests yesterday.,
E. C. Simmons, business man of
Eugene, was at the Benson hotel
yesterday.
C. R. Shinn, a contractor of Boise,
is at the Multnomah hotel.
Check for Less Than $1. -
PEORIA, Or., Dec. 16. (To the
Editor.) Please tell me if there is
a state or United States law against
a person writing a check for less
than $1. I saw an article in print
that there was a law against the
writing of a check for less. -
J. W. LAMAR.
There is no such law, '
Burroughs Nature Club.
Copyright. Houghton-Mifflin Co.
Cam You Answer These Questions?
1. Do salmon eat before spawning?
2. We have seen sitting on a
branch of a dead tree, near a boggy
pond, what we take to be a black I
crowned night heron, from five to
seven birds in an afternoon. Some
seem pearl gray and others speckled
brown. The heavy bill, red eye and
pale yellow legs seem to identify
them. Is this right?
S. I have, an orange tree 7 years
old which wil not bloom. What
ails it?
Answers in tomorrow's Nature
Notes. (
Answers to Previous Qnestiontt.
t. Would a large gray garden toad
eat a goldfish lour to five inches
long? The toad has been in a small
concrete louniain penoaicuuy re
cently, and yesterday the goldfish
disappeared. .
Toads eat insects, as flies, ear
wigs, caterpillars, slugs, worms, etc.,
but so far as we know, could not
accommodate fish, not having a I
stomach large enough, even if
tempted to eat It. The gold fish
probably' was caught by a cat, or
might have been taken by a duck.
We know of a case where goldfish
in an ornamental small park were
constantly preyed on by ducks from
a large adjoining park, which flew
from their own lake to the well
stocked fancy pond of their neigh
bor. 2. What is a good species of snake
for a pet and for studying?
- The gopher or Indigo snake, spi
lotes corais, variety couperi, is re
commended as hardy, handsome,
easy to feed as It takes both warm
and cold-blooded prey, useful as a
ratter and readily tamed, it is an
egg layer.
3. Where can I get detailed in
formation on the migrating seasons
of birds in the heron class;
There is an excellent pamphlet,
"Distribution and Migration of North
American Herons and Their Allies,"
I Published by the United States de-
partmeni or agriculture, uuuoliu to
t the biological survey
It has ex
cellent maps showing location where
the different members of this fam
ily locate, tables of time of migra
tion, etc.
KLAN IS GIVEN UNDUE CREDIT
Governor's Statement That Order
Carried School BUI Is Disputed.
PORTLAND, Dec 16. (To the
Editor.) Governor Olcott is re
ported to have told the governors
assembled at White Sulphur Springs.
Virginia, that the people of this
state were all torn up in the recent
election, families and communities
arrayed against one another, all
owing to the presence of the Klu
Klux Klan, which he asserts secured
the passage of the compulsory
school education bill.
This is news to those of us who
took part in the election. The de
feat of Governor Olcott seems to
have gone to his head as well as
his heart. That we differed as to
who should be governor, as to what
was beat in reference to the school
bill and as to other matters is true,
but that hatred and strife are rank
ling in the hearts of the people of
this state as the result of the last
election is not true. Neither is it
true that the klan was responsible
for the passage of the compulsory
school bill.
Protestants and Catholics dif
fered as to the school bill. Mem
bers of the same family and of the
same church differed on this as on
other matters. But that does not
signify that they hated one an
other. Where there are free men
and women there will be differences
of opinion.
In Oregon as in other states we
are 100 per cent Americans, and we
abide by the majority vote. We
have forgotten that we differed in
the last election and are working
shoulder to shoulder to make this a
better state. When fire swept As
toria did we stop to ask whether or
not Astoria voted for or against the
school bill? Not at all.
The assumption that the klan is
responsible for this law gives credit
to a class that is not entitled to it.
Thousands of us Oregonians voted
for that school bill that had, and
have, little use for the klan. We
voted for it because we believe in
the American school system. It has
been good for 93 per cent of our
school population and we fail to see
wherein it would harm the other 8
per cent. If our governor wants to
htal any scars that remain from the
last election, he will do well to
abide by the majority vote of the
state. J. S. McMURTRY.
A WOODED CORNER IN WINTER.
Clumps- of brown, fringed fern and
hazel.
Bare of leaf and bud,
Bend and sway in the winter wind.
But yesterday your dress was green.
With glints ot intermingled gold
Between you and the soft dark
earth.
At your feet, amid the shaded grass,
A wood-violet, scented from a sum
mer rain,
Lifted up its purple face
In silent adoration.
The chattering squirrel
That played among the branches of
the tail fir
Towering and crooning above you.
Is snug within its nest,
Feasting on the sweet, rich nuts
Of autumn's harvest.
Content is he, until the first spring
days
Warm to life once more the loved
children.
You have fulfilled the promise,
Dead things that you are.
Gone is the leaf and bud;
The river is silent;
The swallow is flown,
And the earth's blood is cold.
A hushed spirit permeates the tir;
All that is left is memory,
Hidden 'neath sodden leaf and stone.
I wonder if you and I shall be the
first
To warm and waken
When spring calls
Flushed with new blood.
Love-thrilled while remembering?
Something haunts the heath and
glen; '
Invisible petals of ancient flowers;
A bird's carol an Insect's murmur
ing. HELEN CRAWFORD.
Heartless Corporation Staff.
PORTLAND, Dec. 16. (To the
Editor.) In an editorial Dec. 15,
you say:
"Automobile drivers are asked,
but not' expected to keep out of
car tracks cleared of snow by the
trolley company. The autoist seeks
the line of least resistance, and the
other fellow can go hang."
Shame on you. The spirit of fair
ness was absent and the bias to
ward the trolley company was
strong when the above inspiration
struck you.
Don't you know that the trolley
company goes up and down its
tracks (which are mostly ln the
middle of the streets) during snow
storms and piles miles and miles
of white windrows directly on that
part of the street which motor driv
ers need, but cannot use?
The other fellow may "go hang"
sure enough but from the trolley
company's standpoint "the public be
damned." S. H. B,
More Truth Than Poetry.
By Jinn J. Montaene.
THE DEPARTIXG SULTAN TO HIS
WIVES.
j d
1ITyo" ?" T . '
Instead of twenty-three,
Heart clasped to heart, we might
depart
Across the tossing sea;
And though our former glory
Has crumbled into dust
We still might share some other
where Our last remaining crust.
If you and I were one, dears,
Instead of such a crowd,
Perhaps you'd wait beside the gate,
Your head with sorrow bowed.
And, watching my departure,
You'd shed a tear or two.
And hope and pray that, some bright
day,
I might come back to you.
But travel is expensive,
And I am stony broke
And can't support a beauteous court
Composed of women folk.
To single one among you
Would be far too unkind,
And so good-bye, dear hearts, for I
Must leave you all behind!
I leave you sadly weeping
Beside the sobbing sea, ;
But do not deem I'll ever dream i
That you will wait for me.
One might prove fond and faithful
A miracle of grief
But twenty-two prove always truet
That's quite beyond belief!
The Hard Part.
Each American farmer, says ft
farmer's bureau, will earn $465 this
year. But will he get it?
A Settled Habit.
Every morning Ambassador Hai
vey takes a cold plunge into de
spair. m w
To Avoid a Shortage.
In the future Greece will prob
ably have to conscript her cabinet
members.
In Other Days.
Twenty-five Years Ago.
From The Oregontan December 18, 18D7.
Salem The report is that Captain
E. P. Mahoney, the Cuban patr'ot,
is trying quietly to remove from the
state some discarded muskets used
formerly by the Oregon National
Guard. Cuba has many sym
pathizers in Oregon, some of whom
are willing to prove their sentiment
in a substantial manner.
The continued wet weather has
caused more slides on the line of
the Astoria railroad. A B. Hammond
has been over the line to investigate
and decide the best course to pursue
to secure the speedy completion of
the road. ,
Reports from Alaska indicate that
there will, be great privation and
suffering in Dawson City unless re
lief is speedily sent forward. Many
are starving. Efforts are being made
to get up a relief expedition to reach
Dawson by the use of dogs.
Fifty Years Ago.
Prom The Oregonian, December 18, 1872.
The farmers are improving the
fine open weather in plowing and
making preparations for the coming
sowing season. A larger amount of
grain will be harvested in Oregon
the coming year than ever before.
At length, after the expenditure of
large sums of money and the per
formance of a stupendous amount of
mechanical labor, the locks and
canal at Oregon City has been com
pleted. A large frame house for the new
street cars is in process of construc
tion at the wharf at the west side
depot, just east of the turntable.
One of the largest and finest ves
sels which have touched at this port.
Is the Vistoria Nyanza. This vessel
arrived here on Sunday evening and
is discharging iron at the west side
depot.
UNPREPAREDNESS BAD POLICY
Training Camps and Battlefront
Felt Resultant Losses.
PORTLAND, Dec. 16. (To the
Editor.) The letter in The Orego
nian by a correspondent at Wolf
Creek, Or., cannot go by unchal
lenged, due to the fact that it reeks
of the same pacifist element we had
to contend with before the world
war.
It is inconceivable to suppose that
this same element is conscientious
when we hark back to 1917 and 191S
and view the conscripted men in the
training camps. Do these people
really know the number of men
we actually killed in these training
camps. We did not cause their
death intentionally, but they died
because they were unable to stand
the grind and we needed soldiers
immediately. They paid the price
of unpreparedness.
We have but to follow our sol
diers to the battlefields of France.
They fought like Americans, but
lost heavily because of hasty train
ing, . which necessarily meant er
rors in battle and the resultant
price, heavy mortality.
Mr. Zoellner states that It is van
ity which attracts men to the army
and navy. He makes other insin
uation which no red-blooded man
who wore the uniform can help but
resent. We who paid the price with
wrecked bodies are slowly awaiting
the last "taps." We are not with
out a soul or without Judgment and
did not enter the service of our
country with the prospects of an
easy living. We were ready to do
our bit for Mr. Zoellner and all the
rest. We helped to train the drafted
men and but for our regular army,
email as it was, it is hard to con
ceive what really would have hap
pened before the drafted men could
be mobilized.
Unpreparednss is sin unpardon
able and those who advocate it
well, let's suppose they just dont
understand. Prusslanism and pre
paredness cannot be senisbly com
pared. We are not too proud to
fight, but are not a nation looking
for trouble.
We absolutely need an adequate
army and navy, not to be Prus
sianized but to be prepared to up
hold our honor and to save Mr.
Zoellner's skin again if he needs us.
A DISABLED VETERAN.
Portland Form of Government.
TANGENT, Or., Dec 16. (To the
Udltor.) Please tell me the kind of
government the c(y of Portland
has?
ALICE VAN SCHOONHOVEN.
It Is known as the commission
form of government Its elective
officers are a mayor, four commis
sioners and an auditor. In addition
to legislative duties, each commis
sioner, including the mayor, pre
sides over an administrative de
partment. Assignments to depart
ments and distribution ot work are
made by tb mayor.
V