The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, January 14, 1912, SECTION FIVE, Page 5, Image 57

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    THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND. JANUARY 14. 1913.
President Kruger,, who arrived here in
very bad health, came to die In a free
country and his body was transported
later to Johsnnesburg for burial, while
President Steyn returned to Biomfon
teln after the war.
The present King of Sen-la, as Prince
Karageorgvitch, the pretender to the
PORTLAND PIONEER IN MUNICIPAL-
PROTECTIVE WORK FOR WOMEN
Department of Public Safety, in Charge of Mrs. Lola G. Baldwin, Is Doing Great Work in Dealing With Cases of
Poor and Unsophisticated Girls of City.
SWITZERLAND HOME OF REFUGEES
OF REVOLUTION AND ROMANCE
Geneva Harbor of Almost All Notable Fcfitives of E urope for Century Swiss Proud of Their Independence.
Mormons Only Compulsory Exiles From America Intrigues of Many Kinds Hatched Here.
j Servain throne, 'ved here for nearly
ten years with nis two sons anu uuurii
ter, who were educated In Oenevese
schools.
From scross the Atlantic, though there
are many voluntary exiles, there Is only
one class who have been forced to seek
refuge In this country the Mormons.
They were expelled recently from Ger
many and England became too hot for
them, so they have Joined the colony of
all the exiles In this central sanctuary
of Europe.
Dancing Master to Rcyal y
Makes Fortune
Wasblnatna Iops Retires From In
structing Europe, With a French
Wife and Wealth.
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EXEVA. January 1. (Special.)
I I To moat people SwItierlaJid la
beat known a th "playKround
of Europe." where tourlate revel In
Summer climbing or Winter sports.
Put to the kicker aealnst European
laws and resulatione it has a Tery dl(
f-rent attraction. In that it afford a
sanctuary for the refuKee from very
land. At one time or another nearly
every Important protestor against
tyranny In the eastern hemisphere has
been a temporary resident here.
Persecuted peasant or fuKltlre prince
ran atlke And a sate refuge In the little
republic, beyond the reach of pursuing
police or dread penalties. The Swiss,
who In times past have often fought well
and valiantly for their liberty against
long odds, look upon this Independence
of cltlsen and state as their greatest
national asset, and they are Jealous
of any attempt within or without to
restrict It either in Internal affair
or foreign relations.
In I'arllament. for Instance, a law
may be voted toy a large majority, but
If the Swiss peopl do not like the law
they repeal it by the referendum.
W hile they regard political, religious
and Individual freedom as their birth
right. tliy extend the same to all
strangers who have not outraged the
criminal or International laws, and
they are prepared to back that hos
pitality by force of arms.
Swiaa Leve Liberty.
For the sake of liberty the Swiss
risked a war with France In 13. when
I-outs Napoleon Bonaparte, afterwards
Napoleon III, Emperor of France,
took refuge In Swttserland and the
French drmanded his Immediate ex
pulsion. The Swiss refused. Under
tieneral Aynard a large French army
collected at Lyon, "to teach these
turbulent neighbors a lesson." while
the Swiss army gathered on the fron
tier ready to contest the road against
them. To save the conflict. Louis
Napoleon of his omn free will left
Switzerland, whereupon the French
government declared "honor was sat
tned" and withdrew its troops Just
when the clash seemed imminent.
That was a lesson which Europe has
never forgotten. Switzerland con
firmed Its reputation as the sanctuary
of the exiles, most of whom have
chosen Geneva as their headquarters,
from the time of Calvin and Kousoeau
till now. In addition to fugitives from
other lands, many voluntary exiles for
personal reasons have alo chosen to
live In Geneva. England has been rep
resented on thla list by Byron. Gib-,
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bon and a host of well-known Alpin
ists, such as TyndalL Matthews and
more recently 'Whymper and Coolldge,
while from Oermany have come Goethe,
Schiller and Wagner.
It Is not. however, of the voluntary
ex Lira among whom of late may he
Included many well-known Americans
that this article will deal, but of
those who, pursued by ruin, prison
and death, have found a retreat in
this city and its environs. After the
war of 1370-71. Princess Clothlldn. the
wife of Prince Napoleon, cousin of
Napoleon III. fled to Vevey. on
Lake Geneva, with her two young
sons. Princes Louis and Victor
Napoleon, and she lived many happy
years there, while her sons were being
educated by the best Swiss professors.
The Princess bought a chateau near
Geneva at Pranglns. where this year
lavld Jayne Hill, the former American
ambassador to Germany, was a neigh
bor of Prince Louis, and left it to her
sons, who are still the proprietors and
frequently pass the Bummer there.
Princess Clothllde died recently In
Italy at aa advanced age and was
given a royal funeral.
" Moraraa Ilaa Kdaratloa Here.
It msy be mentioned that Plerpont
Morgan, the American millionaire, was
educated in the same school SUlig's
at Vevey as the royal princes and had
the same professors.
Many French noble families who,
during the revolutions In their coun
try, were forced to flee, settled In
Geneva and It Is nothing out of the
way among the 40.000 Frenchmen liv
ing here even today to meet a French
viscount, baron or count. The last
notable French refugee was Captain
I'reyfus, who has a villa here and In
tends to retire to It when his active
work is done. He has many Oenevese
friends who warmly supported him
during the "Dreyfus affaire,"
Austria, the Implacable enemy of
Switzerland for centuries, formerly
sent across the frontier only artriies.
They came at the behest of the
haughty Hapsburgs. but members of
that family seem to have chosen
Switzerland and especially Geneva of
recent years as a neutral harbor of
refuge for themselves in which to ar
range their royal romances, away from
parental pressure.
The divorced wife of the present
King of Saxony, now known as Madame
Toselll. lied with her swetheart. the
Belgian tutor of her children. Mon
sieur Glron. and stayed with him at
the Hotel d Angleterre here tor many
weeks under the protection of the
Swiss lw. Their lawyer. Monsieur
Adrlen LachenaL was formerly the
President of the republic
A a resists Flad Refuge.
Another Austrian of high rank.
Princess Amelle. of Furstenberp,
eloped with ' Lieutenant Koczian, to
Switzerland three years ago and only
returned to Austria, when she obtained
the royal consent to her marriage.
There Is a small colony or Italian an
archists In Geneva who dare not re
turn to their country, but they are well
watched bv the local police and as long
as they obey the laws they are tol
erated. For taking part in the tram
way strike a year ago a number oi
Italian anarchists were expelled.
Curiously enough, the Black Hand and
Mafia secret societies have not Bought
anctuarr in this country, but they
levy toll on their compatriots in Switz
erland Just as they do In America.
The greatest number or xoreign ex
iles In this country are Russians, of
whom the majority are revolutionists
and terrorists, with a sprinkling of
students, who can obtain a much bet
ter and cheaper education In the Swiss
......
universities. Some years ago thi
friends and admirers of Tolstoi, fear
Ing his arrest and banishment to Si
beria, prepared everything for his
flight to Geneva, but the grand old man
refused. In spite of every entreaty, to
accept the alternative of flight.
"I would rather die In Siberia than
in Switzerland," he said: but happily
the arrest never took place.
Gorki Finds 'Rest" at Geneva.
Maxim Gorki, whose works have also
brought him Into contart with the
Russian political police, has taken sev
eral prolonged "rests" at Geneva.
"Pope" Gapon. when he fled from St.
Petersburg after "Bloody Sunday."
came direct to Geneva In disguise and
remained hidden in the Russian quar
ter of the town for several months to
avoid the Russian agents sent In
search of him. Gapon then went to
Parts and other towns, but the Rus
sian revolutionists discovered that he
had sold himself to the government
and become Its spy among them. Later
on they enticed him to a house out
side St. Petersburg and, after a short
trinL hanged him.
fcasanoft. who murdered Plehve In
St. Petersburg and afterwards escaped
to California, where he is believed now
to be living, with an American wife,
gave an Interview a fortnight after the
event, in the Russian quarter here. He
said he was at Warsaw when he re
ceived an order from the Central Com
mittee to come to Geneva on business.
The Russian revolutionists held a
night meeting In a villa on the Swiss
French frontier so that if they were
disturbed by the Swiss police they
could slip over the frontier, and vice
versa which was attended by a soore
of the "brothers," and Plehve was con
demned to death. They drew lots and
Sasanoff waa "chosen" as the instru
ment. There Is at present In a Swiss asylum
a beautiful, wealthy Russian girl of
a-ood family, Mademoiselle Leontleff,
aged 24, a victim of the villain Aseff.
He persuaded her to kill a Russian
Minister named Durnow, "for the good
of the country." and at lunch In a leading-
hotel at Interlaken the girl, using
a revolver, walked up to a French
millionaire named Muller and shot him
dead She shot the wrong man a fact
that speedily crazed her.
Yearns; Tark Lives at Gesot.
During the reign of Abdul Hamld,
Geneva was the headquarters of the
Young Turk party, which eventually
started the present regime. For the
last two years, however, many well
known Turks, dissatisfied with the
Union and Progress party, have left
their headquarters at Salonlkl. They
are beginning to arrive here to sup
port the new party in Turkey In oppo
sition to the military party. ,
Geneva is also the permanent head
quarters of the Toung Egyptian party,
whose chief object Is to make England
evacuate Egypt, according to her re
peated promises, and to secure a con
stitution, with the motto. "Egypt for
the Egyptians." Mohamed Kahmy, -a
clever Egyptian lawyer. Is the presi
dent, and every year he holds a con
gress here, which has been attended
by English Labor and Irish members
of Parliament, such as Keir Hardle,
George Barnes and T. M. Kettle, who
were more violent In their speeches
against England than the Egyptians
themselves. This colony of Young
Egyptians Is increasing In numbers
every vear.
Krutrr YlaHesl Switzerland.
Toward the end of the Transvaal
War Presidents Kruger and Steyn took
refuge In Switzerland, both of them
making a Ions; stay at Montreaux.
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PARIS, Jan. 11. (Special.) George
Washington Lopp, .the famous
American dancing master who
came to Paris 20 years ago, now owns
a palace In the heart of the metropolis
and has married into the French aris
tocracy. He is retiring from his hum
ble calling a millionaire five times
round if counted In francs.
Lopp took to teschlng dances for a
curious reason. His brother Chris
"our Chris." as he was- called was
chief of the Southern Baseball League,
and George Washington Lopp was
catcher one fine day in Southern Cali
fornia when a ball split the skin of
his hands. He hollered loud and long,
and "our Chris" said. "For heaven's
sake, go and open a dancing school;
you have lady's hands!"
Injury Turns Fortune's Tide.
George thought it over while curing
his hands, and saw It was a good idea,
so he taught in Los Angeles. Oakland
and Seattle. "Then I came to Paris,"
he says, "and didn't have a cent, al
though I took a room at the Grand
Hotel. Before long I got an engage
ment to teach step-canclng at the
Grand Opera. My French waa the Joke
of the place. Director Galllard wanted
me to turn Frenchman, but I said no:
If I couldn't teach as an American I
could not teach at all. So I'd quit.
Then Lord Dufferin. British Ambassa
dor at Paris, asked Die to teach the
family of the Prlncn of Wales, after
ward King Edward VII. I taught them
all, except the present Kin?.
"My royal pupils Included the Duke
of Clarence, now deaJ, the Princes
Louise. n w Duchess of FlTe. the Prfn
cess Victoria and the Princess Maud
now (jueen ot .orray. Then I was
engaged to gro to Osborne, and I taught
the royal children In the presence o
their grandmother, the late Oueen Vic
toria. My salary was $4000 a year and
everything found, including a suite o
rooms in the palace. One of the othe
tutors there used to Joke with me at
dinner, saying, 'I m sure he has a
volver in each of his boots.'
Court's Offer Spurned,
" hen I came back to Paris, Lord
Dufferin informed me the Prince had
commanded me to return to Osborne.
repiiea mat nnerty was dearer to me
than the splendor of palaces. Where
upon Lord Dufferin said: 'You are the
first man who has refused to go to the
court of England." I should mention
that the present Queen Victoria of
Spain was my pupil, and an excellent
dancer she was. I have also given les
sons to hor husband. King Alphonso,
He dances well and with Bpirlt.
I have given lessons to the Crown
Prince of Slam In Paris and have been
paid by a decoration. This is not tell
ng a tale out of school. The decora
tlon was formally offered to me in pay
ment without any suggestion from me
The heir to the throne of the great
German empire also learned to dance
Jigs and reels and hornpipes from me.
He Is not vivacious enough for these
dances. One of my most interesting
royal pupils was King Manuel of Por
tugal, lie is very graceful."
American Step Taasrbt.
Washington Lopp has in fact taught
Europe American dancing. The Amer
lean waltz, the two-step, the three
step, the double waltz are known to
every young Duchess of France be
cause of this teacher of the light fan
tastic. The palace he has built, known
as .the Washington Palace, is a monu
ment to his terpsichorean skill. Wash
ington Palace might be called the
cradle of International marriages, for
many a French nobleman has first met
his American charmer at the fashion
able concerts given there from time to
time.
"I am retiring now because I am old
enough to enjoy myself," says Mr: Lopp
airily. The palace haa been let on a
15 years' lease. Rumpelmayer, of tea
house fame, is the lessee. But the pal
ace will not he turned Into a chatterlni
tea place. Dancing classes, entertain
ments and Christian Science meetings
wlH still go on, without, however, the
American professor. After an absence
of 20 years Mr. Lopp returns to Amer
ica with a charming French wife, three
pretty children and a plethoric purse.
If he cares to do so, he can sport on
his bosom decorations bestowed on him
by the French, Spanish and Portuguese
governments.
French Rampant Patriotism.
St Louis Globe-Democrat.
Fredorlck F. Frellnghuysen, of Tux
edo Park, was discussing at a luncheon
at Narrangansett Pier the subject, of
patriotism.
"Modern thinkers tell us," he said
"that patriotism la disappearing, that
man's mind is so developing that he
can now love not only his own country
and his own people, but other countries
and other people as well. These mod
ern thinkers claim that there remains
little of that oi, narw feeling which
prompted they" villager to say. There
goes a stranger; heave a brick at him.'
"But, be this as It may," continued
Mr. Frellnghuysen. "I find patriotism
most ardent among the world's roost
highly civilized nations. Yes, there are
no patriots anywhere like those of
France.
"The Frenchman loves his country so
well that he never or practically never
emigrates. I once knew In Paris a
poor man, who to better his fortune,
emigrated to New-York. But he re
turned to Paris again after a few
years.
" 'How did you like America 7" I
asked him one day.
" 'Oh, very well," he answered. Tery
well, indeed.
"Then, with a sigh, he added, gazing
forth at the crowded and gay boule
vard :
" 'But I'd rather be a gas lamp In
Paris than President of the United
States. "
Fine Philippine Floors.
"The New Manila" in the Century.
To realize the splendid resources
of the forests of the Philippines one
has only to see the hardwood floor
ing In the public buildings and the
residences of the better class. These
consist of large slabs of mahogany,
or. to use the local names, molave.
narnv tindalo - and acle. these being
of various colors and graining. Fre
quently the pieces, occasionally as
much as 40 Inches In width and 40feet
in length, are laid alternately in dark
and light shades. Polished by the house
hold muchachos ((house boys) till they
reflect like mirrors, they produce
magnificent affecv
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BY LOUISE BRYANT.
TO PORTLAND belongs the honor of
the inauguration and development
of the pioneer municipal protect
ive work for young women In the Uni
ted States. This department, called the
department of public safety. Is now in
the eighth year of its existence. It
has proved a wonderful experiment In
the police service, although it was an
innovation looked upon with doubt by
many In the beginning.
The whole work is builded upon dif
ferent principles than ordinary polic
ing. The police deal with the effect of
crime, that is; the crime must first be
committed. The department of public
safety deals with the cause and en
deavors to prevent the crime. Of course
It deals with many cases where crime
has already been perpetrated but -even
these cases help it to study conditions
and - to destroy the evil environment
that brought them about. Anyone who
has watched the closing in on and
finally the wiping out altogether of the
public dancehall In Portland will readi
ly understand the results for which the
department Is striving
Work Shows Growth.
The department of public safety is
n evolution of the Young Women's
Christian Association travelers' aid de
partment, established during the Lewis
and Clark Exposition. The protective
work was carried on in connection with
other organizations. There were cared
for during the eight months of the ex
position 1640 girls. In the year follow
ing. 2555 girls, and In 1907 6630 girls.
That year public officials and city
authorities came to recognize the Im
portance of this 'protective work and
sent many girls to the department.
At the present time the work Is In
corporated under the city charter and
civil service rules. In Tip small meas
ure this has been due to the competent
management of Mrs. Lola G. Baldwin,
who has been with the department since
the beginning, and to her efficient as
sistant. Miss Chandler and the promi
nent Portland women who have always
given willing aid.
It is necessary to cite some of the
actual cases with which the depart
ment has to deal every day In order to
show Its power for good, especially in
looking after unsophisticated country
girls In a large city and subject to the
temptations and pitfalls of a metropolis.
to the foreign girl alone In a strange.
land, to the shopgirl, the factory girl
and the thousand and . one other girls
that naturally seek . enjoyment and
who will need looking after as long as
there are weak and unfortunate women
and the causes that render them so.
Cases Are Cited.
I cannot give the real names of these
cases" because I did not learn them, so
I will call them Mary, Susie, Mabel,
Hllma and Norah. We will take Mary's
case first. She Is a Portland girl and
lives in the suburbs. Her mother Is
dead. Her father works in the base
ment of a big meat shop, where he
scrubs floors and Is in and out of the
cold-storage rooms all day long. He
begins his work early and by the time
he quits at night he Is very weary and
cold, so he stops at the nearest saloon
and gets a drink of whisky. Then he
goes home, eats his supper and goes to
bed. He doesn't have any time to look
after his children. He is too busy earn
ing a living.
This is how Mary passed her day, for
we must see her side of It. She rose
arly, cooked her father's breakfast.
took care of a year-old baby and a 3-year-old
Imbecile brother. Can you
Imagine a more sordid surrounding? So
one night after her father had gone
o bed Mary went to a public dance hall.
Here she was so taken up with the joy
f being with people her own age that
she didn't think about the time; she
missed her last car and found herself
In a helpless situation.. Mary did not
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know anything about taxlcabs. and If
she had she could not have afforded to
take one. One of the men with whom
she had danced and the sort who wait
for an opportunity of this kind, offered
her his houseboat. Unsophisticated
Mary readily accepted and walked un
knowingly into the trap set for her.
Many other cases on this order led the
department into a vigorous fight
Against .the environment of the dance
hall. System Is Effective.
An Interstate case that shows the
preventive system to advantage is one
In which Susie, a little country girl,
plays a strong part. She had lived on
a farm in Idaho all her life, she had
never even been in a small town. She
was the oldest of a family of six girls.
The mother was dead. Susie was be
trayed by her father. He sent her to
Portland in the hope that she would be
"lost In the shuffle." As she walked
the streets she resembled nothing so
much as a bird with a broken wing.
Timid and frightened and sick, at last
she wandered into a physician's office.
He telephoned the department of public
safety. The girl was at once taken In
and cared for. The Sheriff of the
county from which she had come was
notified. He investigated and the father
was sent to the penitentiary. Five
sisters were thus saved from a similar
fate to Susie's and all that It cost the
department was the labor and the mes
sage to the Sheriff.
"rtiere are many foolish and senti
mental girls of the type of Mabel, a
15-year-old girl from Illinois. She cor
responded with a Portland man through
a marriage bureau and came out to
Portland to meet him, carrying with
her as baggage the Inevitable hand
bag and a few cents In change. The
man in this case had every Intention of
marrying the girl, but the girl changed
her mind about It after Bhe had seen
him. Her case was turned over to the
department. Mrs. Baldwin advised the
man, since he was responsible for
bringing her. here, to see that she got
safely back. Her parents were very
poor and not able to furnish transpor
tation. So the man" instead of giving
the money to the department, gave It
to the girL
Girl Spends All. Money.
The temptation was too muoh for her.
She had never had money - before in
her life. The sum he gave her was
about 75. The first thing Mabel did
was to go out and spend It This is
what she bought: a hat with plumes
for $30, a gold ring for 16.50, a brace
let for $8.50, a silver mesh purse for
$12, and false hair for $14. The mer
chants refused to take back the pur
chases and the department had to
raise the money to get her home again.
It took a long time and meant lots of
work. Interested persons bought the
different articles, that is, everything
except the hair.
The Department of Public Safety is
held in the highest favor by the for
eign consuls in the city. There is al
ways urgent need of help among the
foreign working girls. As a rule they
are gullfble and easily misled.
An Instance Is Hllma, a factory girl,
who had a mother to support. She
met a man at a dance with whom she
fell In love and who promised to mar
ry her. He brought her to Portland,
got her a "job" and told her to stay
here. rillma told her story very re
luctantly because she had "promised
him not to tell." The man she named
was found to hold an excellent posi
tion.,. When he was investigated it
was found that Hilda was but one
of his many victims. Today he is serv
ing a 10-year term in the penitentiary
and there is $300 in the hands of a
foreign consul to be used for this girl.
Department Is Friend In Need. -Just
how strong a hold for good
the department gets on some girls is
beat illustrated by this last story about
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Norah. I could tell you dozens more
but I believe these illustrate the points
well enough. Norah was sold by her
shameless mother for $5. When she
came under the eye ef Mrs. Baldwin
she had never known a real friend.
It was a revelation to her when she
found that the department took inter
est in her.
Some time later she was working
In a small town in. Washington, where
evil people agrain tried to catch her
In their web. Norah rem&mbcred those
who were kind to her and she again
sought their aid. This girl actually
walked 75 miles to get back to the
Department of Public Safety. The
soles of her shoes merely hung to her
feet when she arrived. She had slept
three nights in sheds on the road and
had had only a sack of apples to eat.
She is now living with a respectable
family in Portland who are interested "
in her. She shares all their amuse
ments and is tasting for the first time
the happiness she formerly missed.
According to the department, she is
"making good."
' One of the most interesting things
to learn In the work is the care taken
of the girls after the case has been
handled in the courts and when the
cause of truoble has been removed.
After that it Is a matter of mother
ing, not policing. The girls are helped
to positions, are looked after and a rec
ord of their life from that time on is
kept.
Records Are Kept.
The system of records kept by the
department is extremely business like.
Mrs. Baldwin was formerly in the em
ploy of the Government and it was
through her efforts that the present
svstem was worked out. The records
give full data of the cases handled and
by turning to Index cards every item
of information from nationality, edu
cation, occupation to physical condi
tion is shown. The records are confi
dential. It is the confidential nature
of this office which has been a strong
element of its success.
Many girls come to the department
for advice knowing they may safely
do so in confidence. Parents also come
for information and counsel regarding
daughters who are becoming wayward
and unmanageable. Girls needing legal
advice as to collection of wages and
matters of that sort take advantage of
the bureau free' of charge. During
the past year 2263 personal interviews
were held and 359 girls were registered.
The department is now at work
compiling the laws of Oregon which
especially relate to women, with a view
of getting some revision before the
next Legislature. A public defender
as well as a public prosecutor, paid
by the city, is urged and a separate
municipal court for the cases of women.
A state industrial institution for women
is another measure for which the de
Dartment is striving. Oregon is one
of the seven states in the Union which
has no such institution. a
Cansen of False Steps Told.
Debt is held largely responsible for
the downfall of girls. They frequently
buy clothes on the installment plan and
find themselves unable to meet the pay
ments. It Is not unusual to find girls
$75 or $100 in debt and absolutely dis
couraged. A number of these are saved
by advice from the department. Other
girls who are employed In places that
do not afford a fit atmosphere for them
are helped to other places where there
are other girl employes and more con
genial surroundings, oirls are warned
againt decoy letters, in which a large
salary In return for small labor is of
fered.' Many writers of such letters
have been prosecuted.
This in a small way gives an idea
of the work of the Department of Pub
lic Safety and its methods, which, while
they differ widely from ordinary po
lice procedure, yet work " in perfect
harmony with them.