6
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND. DECEMBER 13, 1914.
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I'OKTLAXI), SUNDAY, DJEC. 13, 19U.
STINTING THE JfAVV.
Compari-son of the recommendations
of Secretary Daniels with those of the
General Board of the Navy as to ad
ditions to our naval forces furnishes
an example of the necessity that pres
sure be brought to bear on both Con
gress and the executive departments
in order to ensure adequate force for
the defense of the country. Almost
Without exception the Secretary rec
ommends leas new construction than
the General Board, and the House
allows less than the Secretary has rec
ommended. For some years under Re
publican rule the Secretary endorsed
in full the Board's recommendations
and succeeded in extorting from the
Mouse trie full allowance for battle
ships at least, but under Democratic
rule this has not been so. Secretary
Daniels cuts down what the General
Board deems necessary, and the House
usually makes a. further cut.
This has been done in face of the
fact that the General Board is com
posed of experts in naval warfare, who
shut out all considerations except the
force necessary, to National Security.
On October 17, 1903,' it expressed the
opinion, "after mature consideration
of our National policies and interests
and of those of the other leading naval
nations," that the fleet should be built
up to a strength of forty-eight battle
ships by the year 1919. Although its
composition has since been changed,
it has held to the same opinion. Start
ing in 1903 with ten battleships com
pleted and fourteen authorized, it rec
ommended that two additional be au
thorized each j-ear until and including
the year 1915. Completion of these
ships would have brought the fleet to
the desired strength four years later.
In its report for this year the Gen
eral Board says its conclusions' were
fixed "by a calm and logical review of
the policies and aims of the Nation
and the known laws and prospective
developments and aims of other eoun-j
tries; and the policy was to provide
and maintain at all times a fleet equal
to or superior to that of any other na
tion likely to challenge our policies."
It declares that "any navy less than
adequate to the best interests of tha
country is an expense to the nation
without being a-protection." It uses
these forceful words, which re worthy
of attention from every patriotic
American:
The wisdom of such a policy Is well illus
trated by recent events, and is reinforced
by the teachings of all history. For a re
view of the history of all ages will show
that no nation has ever created and main
tained a great over-sea commerce without
the support of sa power. It will furtir
show that trade rivalry, which is the active
expression of the most universal of all hu
man traits desire for gain 'has been a most
fruitful cause of war: and, when the clash
has f-oino. the commerce of the weaker sea
power has been broken up and driven from
the seas. That has been true for all time,
and is true today: and has a particular1 bear
ing on the Tnitert States at the present
time. wtTcn such strenuous efforts are be
ing ''made to build up a National merchant
marine and extend our foreign commerce.
The Board holds that our practi
cally insular position requires that
"our main defense and protection from
invasion must always rest with the
Navy," but it warns us that "this de
fense, unless adequate, is impotent."
Although the General Board was
established to advise the Secretary on
the number and types of ships and on
other matters concerning the Navy,
and although the Secretary is a civil
ian having no special knowledge of the
subject and dependent on expert ad
vice, the Board's advice has been per
sistently disregarded, either by the
Secretary or Congress, or both. The
yearly number of new battleships
authorized has been reduced from two
to one on five occasions. Experience
proved by the year 1910 that a battle
ship effective, life is twenty years,
and four ships tiave thus become ob
solete, while two more will become so
in 1915. The Navy is now short ten
ships of the number required to carry
out the General Board's programme,
for it has only thirty-seven battle
ships, when it should have forty
seven. The Board has consistently
sought to have deficiencies made up
by recommending four instead of two
ships each year, with a third to re
place an obsolete ship, but its recom
mendations have been twisted to make
it appear as desiring that four battle
ships a year be built for an indefinite
period. It simply proposed to Increase
the number sufficiently to Insure a
total of forty-eight ships in 1919, and
thereafter to limit building to the re
placement of obsolete ships and to the
maintenance of an' equality with the
strongest of our possible enemies.
Secretary Daniels still persists in
disregarding the advice of the General
Board, as will be seen from the fol
lowing comparison of the recommen
dations contained in the current an
nual reports, for appropriations at
this session of Congress:
General
Type of ship Daniels. Board.
Tireadnougnts : 2 4
l.vstroye;s 6 16
Seagoing submarines .......... 1 3
t'oast defense submarines ...... 7 16
Scouts 0
Uunboats 1 4
Jil l'uel ships 1 J
Destroyer tenders .............. 0 1
submarine tenders ............ n j
Transport -0. 1
Hos-pital ship O 1
Supply ship 0 1
Air service (Daniels) indefinite; (General
I!oard .".e0O.(Kj0.
Mr. Daniels endorses the opinion of
the General Board that the "backbone
of any navy consists of its battleships,"
for in testifying before the House
naval committee he said: "Battle
ships are the only ships We can rely
on to defend the seas." He. in effect,
endorses the Board's opinion that
naval defense, "unless adequate, is im
potent," for he said: '"If you go into
war you go in to win." Tet he delib
erately cuts down the number of ships
which the Board considers adequate.
The explanation is that he is Influ
enced by considerations of politics and
of what he can expect to get, Instead
V
of what is necessary to the National
defense. - - .
We have had proof during the pres
ent -war of the soundness of the Gen
eral Board's Judgment. Germany has
a navy stronger in capital ships than
our own, but its main battle fleet has
remained cooped up In port because
hopelessly- inferior to the British navy.
The German navy has confined itself
to naval guerrilla war with subma;
rines and cruisers. These vessels have
performed some spectacular feats, but
have made practically no impression
on British naval strength. The sub
marines have disposed of one battle
ship and about half a dozen cruisers,
most of them of old types. The Ger
man cruisers have damaged com
merce, but have almost all been de
stroyed by more powerful ships. Their
success at Coronel In sinking two Brit
ish ships only goes to prove that a
nation might as well have no ships at
all as have inferior ships. Unable to
command the sea, the main German
fleet has proved of no value except as
a possible menace to keep the enemy
on the alert. The German nation has
not been getting the value of its
money. ' -
Thi Nation should either follow the
General Board's advice and build "a
fleet equal to or superior to that of
any nation likely to challenge our pol
icies" or abandon the attempt to have
a Navy. Anything less than enough
is in this case no better than nothing.
FOB A l.ItTE IN PRISON?
Judge McGinn's remarkable review
of the Tronson case is a powerful ap
peal for the rigid and -exact enforce
ment of the law against murder.' It
is more. It is an' unanswerable ar
raignment of the foolish sentimentali
ty which led at the recent election to
the abolishment of capital punish
ment. Tronson, a bloody-minded and lust-
crazed murderer, ought to be hanged.
He was and Is a ravenous beast who
should be exterminated for the safety
of society and as an example to other
low-witted human wolves.
Judge McGinn sentenced Tronson
to life imprisonment and demanded
in the name of justice tyiat life im
prisonment should mean nothing
short of life imprisonment. Why did
Judge McGinn .register his solemn
protest in advance against any pos
sible future , attempt to mitigate the
severity of his judgment?
Because he knows what always
happens when a murderer in Oregon
escapes the gallows and "is confined
nominally for his natural life in the
penitentiary. The inevitable result is
that an agitation for his release or
pardon or parole soon begins. No Gov
ernor has ever been able to escape
the importunities of tearful relatives
or sympathetic friends. , No parole
board has failed to be attacked
through an organized campaign in
behalf of some atrocious man-slayer.
How marry murderers sentenced to
a life term have died in prison in
Oregon? The Oregonian ventures to
say, not one In frVe.
NO CAUSE FOB EXCITEMENT.
Lest the dispute over the terms of
the prospective prohibition statute
shall become so heated as to occupy
the attention of the Legislatureto the
exclusion ofr other important busi
ness, a few observations as to how
little law is needed to enforce the con
stitutional amendment may not be
amiss.
The Oregonian asserts, without fear
of successful contradiction, that the
constitutional amendment is enforce
able without the enactment of any
statute whatever. The amendment
prohibits the manufacture or sale of
intoxicating liquor in Oregon. It is.
self-executing. After January 1, 1916,
sale or manufacture of intoxicating
liquor may be enjoined or abated as
a public nuisance, because it will be
llegal. In addition, under the
statute prohibiting common law
nuisances, the violators of the law
may be fined from $50 to $200 or Im
prisoned for a period of six months.
By reason of the fact that manufac
ture or sale of liquor becomes a crim
inal act, premises believe"0 to be places
where intoxicating liquors are manu
factured or sold will be subject to
search under the 1 general statute
authorizing the issuance of search
warrants by magistrates. Under the
same chapter of the code destruction
is required of seized property, the
manufacture or, sale of which is un
lawful. '
A method to compel delinquent of
ficials, to perform their duty in en
forcing the prohibition amendment
and the existing statutes which have
gained scope by its adoption, is the
law passed by the Legislature of 1913.
This law empowers the Governor, in
the event officials fail to enforce the
criminal laws, to appoint temporary
peace officers after the proper show
ing has been made in court. ..
If it be said that the penalties at
taching to the sale of liquor under
the nuisance statute are inadequate
and that the procedure for abate
ment of the. many saloons in the state
is cumbersome, it may be pointed out
that the abatement of. the few manu
facturing plants will"- automatically
put open saloons out of business within
a short period without furfher pro
cedure under state laws. The Federal
statutes prohibit shipment into the
state from another state of intoxicat
ing "iquors for unlawful use. Inter
state liquor shipments must be plainly
marked as to quantity and character
of contents. Consignments to fictiti
ous persons are prohibited. Penalties
imposed on the carriers for violation
are severe and Government law en
forcement is so thorough that the car
riers may be expected to comply with
the Congressional enactment..
So far as the numerous liquor deal
ers ace concerned, they will be sub
ject, without further legislative enact
ment, to a severing of supply, to
search of their premises, to destruc
tion of confiscated liquors, and to fine
or imprisonment. The manufacturers
will be subject to fine or imprison
ment, to confiscation of their stocks
on hand and. being fewer in number
than the dealers, their activities will
be more practically subject to abate
ment under the nuisance statute.
The chief legislative enactments
needed are a specific definition of the
term "intoxicating liquor," and
stringent laws to repress the speak
easy and the blind-pig masquerading
as a drugstore. Additional meas
ures to facilitate enforcement' of
existing laws may not be amiss but
we can perceive no cause for alarm
over possibility of failure of the pro
hibition amendment. A. referendum
by the liquor dealers in the hope of
gaining an additional ten months'
lease of life cannot be effective.
Moreover there is nq grave emergency
that requires extensive debate and
consideration by the Legislature
while other important matters wait.
In this connection it would be a
happy .circumstance if the Legislature
n oukl make continued and systematic
lobbying at Salem in the interestof
any element, wet or dry, unwelcome
and unpopular. It Is proper that
careful consideration be given to the
various bills that will ba submitted,
no matter from what source they
come. It is wise that there be public
committee hearings. But insidious
lobbying, buttonholing, and organized
political or business pressure - should
be frowned dawn; The Legislature
has much to do. If the various con
tending elements interested In the
prohibition question .re permitted to
have full sway it is now apparent
they will practically monopolize the
attention of the Legislature to no use
ful purpose but to the detriment of
the public welfare.
DENMARK'S IKADEHSHU'.
The value of small countries in the
civilized life of the -world is exempli
fied by Denmark. That nation has but
an insignificant territory and its pop
ulation is not numerous compared
with Germany or Russia, but It has
built up a Serene and beautiful na
tional life. Denmark holds a notable
place in literature and art. Comfort
is widely diffused among the people
and the standard of intelligence is
high. It has perhaps the best educa
tional system in the world. A recent
bulletin from our Federal Bureau of
Education states that Denmark has
only one illiterate person to the thou
sand, while we have seven.
The comparison tells a great deal as
to the relative efficiency of the Da.nish
public schools and ours. Thejr com
pulsory attendance act is enforced
with "rigor, but that is not the only
reason why the schools are well at
tended. Intelligence is valued for
itself in that country. Teachers are
looked upon as among the most dig
nified members of the community.
Their salaries are high, dwellings with
gardens are provided for them, their
positions are permanent and when
they finally retire they are pensioned.
The public schools with their teach
ing force occupy the place of honor
which the army holds in some other
countries. The scholars wear a spe
cies of uniform.' Education includes a
well-rounded preparation for life and
the rural high schools never allow in
terest in Intellectual subjects to die
out. These schools are attended by
old and young.'who study and recite
together. -" .
Teaching in the Danish schools is
quite emancipated from the worship
of text books. The instructors draw
largely - from their own mental re
sources and present the .various
branches after original methods. They
can do this because they must have a
good general education as well as
thorough technical preparation before
they enter the schoolroom.
- A MODERN RJSSif?RRKCTION.
In some ages of the world tho-restoration
of-Mrs. Akers to life "would
have been accounted a miracle and the
physicians who did it would have been
worshipped as deities or put to death
as sorcerers, according to the feelings
of those who witnessed the wonder.
The' woman in question, Mrs. Akers,
was undergoing a surgical operation in
a Los Angeles hospital. An anesthetic
had been administered to her in the
usual way and at a certain point in
the proceedings that disaster hap
pened of which all operating surgeons
stand In constant fear. The patient
collapsed, and to all appearances died.
It seems that the person who was administering-the
anesthetic did not ob
serve this fatal effect until some ten
minutes had passed. In other words,
Mrs. Akers' soul had been "absent from
her body for ten. minutes before its
disappearance was remarked. Was it
then too late to recall the escaped
spirit from the vasty deep whither it
had wandered? The physicians feared
so. ' Nevertheless,, they .get-about do
ing the best they could.
According to their accounts we eari
admit no doubt that Mrs. Akers was
dead. They applied the tests which
are relied upon in "such emergencies
and readily, perhaps a little too read
ily, convinced themselves that she had
passed to the bourne whence no trav
eler returns. Her heart had stopped
beating. Her eyes were fixed in the
stony glare of death. To the common
physieai-rtests for the least spark of
life she gave- no response. The grim
monster haJ evidently claimed his vic
tim -and made off with her Immortal
part to his own dark dominions. But
the attending physicians fortunately
did not lose their presence of mind in
the presence of the dread -visitation.
The nurse promptly began, to admin
ister oxygen to the patfent. ' It is men
tioned that she had enjoyed experience
on- battlefields and therefore knew
precisely what ought to be done. If
any argument were needed for the
value of war other than those in com
mon use this would seem to supply
the lack. But .the oxygen, valuable
as it is in the trenches, was of no
avail for Mrs. Akers. Her soul did
not obey the summons of the vivify
ing gas. - -
What was there to do next? Sci
ence could answer " the . question,
though the answer -was ver new. j It
is only within a short time that physi
cians have ventured to lay hands upon
a patient's heart, the very citadel of
his life. When it ceased to 'seat hope
was abandoned until yesterday. vBut
the surgeons In the Los Angeles hos
pital opened the dead ' woman's chest
cavity. One -of them-seized the mo
tionless heart in his hand and im
parted to it the rhythmic impulses of
its normal motion. At first there was
no effect. The "organ yielded to the
surgen's strength.' but lay inert when
left to itself.".- But the man of science
persevered, and as the lingering mo
ments passed there appeared the faint
inception of the miracle. The heart
fluttered almost imperceptibly. The
flaccid arteries grew elastic, though
scarcely more so than those of Laz
arus when th first whisperings of the
Lord's command touched his sepul
chred ear. Into the dead woman's
lungs there crept a zephyr lighter than
the ray of a. star upon a slumbering
rose. But' it was' enough. The
rhythms of the body had been re
awakened. - "The'-maiden." said the
Savior, "is not deacl. but sleepeth." He
meant that the deepest Ieath was
nothing but a sleep which he had
power to- break." Has science wrested
from the depths of nature the mystery
that has been hidden for twenty cen
turies and -was never known before
except through supernatural power?
Before we can admit any such mar
vel we must first convince ourselves
that Mrs. Akers was truly dead. Some
skeptics will maintain that the -very
fact of her reanimation . proves that
life-was only suspended. Had it been
quite extinct,. they will argue, it could
not have'been rekindled. They. boldly
assert that a person never is dead
until all possibility of ' restoring life
has been destroyed, and Uje chances
are that they are right abaft t it. Pro
fessor Loeb's wonderful experiments,
combined with those of Dr. Carrel,
seem to oljlige us to modify our ordi
nary notions of life and death. Pro
fessor Loeb has demonstrated that life
can be perpetuated artificially. The
fertilization of the animal germ may
be effected without the help of the
male principle. Dr. Carrel has sev
ered pieces of tissue from the bodies
to which they originally belonged and
placed them under conditions suitable
to their survival, providing them with
what we may call molecular nourish
ment. Thus situated, the severed
tissue has been made to live, and even
grow. In some instances the growth
has been more rapid and apparently
more healthy than it would have been
under natural conditions. Can we say
that the bits of tissue thus treated by
Dr. Carrel ,are dead? Can we say
that they are alive? They continue to
grow while the body of which they
once formed a, part lies molderlnfc in
the grave.
Suppose Dr. Carrel or some similar
magician should discover a. way to
conjure the soul into any part of the
body he likes. Having once impris
oned the immortal essence in a muscle
or a corner of the liver, suppose he
should cut oft that piece of tissue and
cause It to begin growing independ
ently, as he often has done similar
segments. He assures us that he can
make these fragmentary entities thrive
for many years, perhaps forever. Why
Lmay he not thus confer upon human
beings, or at least upon small .portions
of them, an earthly immortality in
which their souls shall participate?
The fancy seems startling, but scarcely
more so than many another triumph
of physical science.
EXTRAVAGANCE WITH HI MAN LIFE.
h. What has been the cost of the
great war in human lives and what
relation do these losses bear to the
final decision? Definite figures are
lacking on this subject, yet a fairly
accurate estimate may be made from
the announcements of casualties issued
from time to time by the contending
armies.
That the total is very close to 2,
500.000 men killed, wounded and
missing may be assumed as a conserv
ative estimate. This Is a tremendous
figure, representing able-bodied men
enough to settle a state or populate
the greatest of American cities. Yet
it is not so large a figure when the
enormity of the war is taken Into con
sideration. From the very first hu
man life has been held cheap and the
one determination has been to win
and to -win quickly regardless of the
cost.
Germany has set the pace in the
fighting and hence it is not surpris
ing that the German losses have been
fully as great as. If not really greater
than, those of all the allies combined.
A total loss of 1,250.000 men is a fair
estimate of what the German mili
tary force has had to assimilate in
losses and .this without bringing the
war measurably nearer a favorable
decision. Germany set the fast and
furious fighting pace at the outset,
rushing her splendid first line against
France in an effort to overwhelm that
country early in the war. The world
had Its first view of the German
fighting spirit jtt Liege, when line
after line of, German Infantry and
cavalry was hurled to death against
the defenses of the Belgian strong
hold. Nor did the pace lessen after the
losses . sustained in Belgium. Complacently-disposing
of the fallen, the
German forces kept akead, pell-mell,
smashing the French first and second
defense lines and taking losses of two
men to one in order -to obtain their
main object Paris, and the rout of
the French army.
Even after the disaster on the
Marne and the retirement to the
Aisne the Germans did not lessen
their pace. Line after line was again
hurled forward against the superior
forces of the French and British, who
had by this time fairly completed their
mobilization. Falling to break the
westerrufoes by frontal smashing, the
Germans sent their flying columns
to the Channel, taking Antwerp en
route. Then they completed their
entrenchment on the second French
line . of defense and settled down to
a defensive campaign while the men
ace of the Russ to the east was . be
ing taken care of.
For some weeks the numerically
Inferior German forces in the west
ern area . have ben holding their
ground, often sending forward des
perate charges to counteract a strat
egic gain or concentration of the al
lies. Fearful losses have been en
tailed. We have read of trenches
filled with the dead and maimed, of
battlefields fairly carpeted with vic
tims. But the Germans have taken
these losses stoically and held their
ground in the west.
The same grim tenacity has marked
their course in the eastern . theater,
where again they have been greatly
outnumbered. In Poland and East
ern Prussia the Germans have had
no advantage except that of their de
termined fighting spirit. Perhaps
portions of their first line rnen have
been superior to portions of the Kus
sian first line troops in ' matters of
discipline, training and equipment.
But the advantage has not been great.
Therefore the desperate German ag
gressiveness must have been respon
sible for their conduct against the
Russians.
It was the German military spirit
that took Von Hindenburg half way
across Poland to a position in front
of Warsaw, from which he was forced
to retire by a sharp Russian offen
sive. It was the German ' offensive
spirit that rallied the Kaiser's forces
and sent' the Russians back from
Prussian territory after the issue was
apparently .settled. Once again they
were driven back. Ten days ago the
German position in Poland was
thought untenable. The . Slav on
slaught was delivered with seemingly
irresistible fury. Broken and over
whelmed, the Germans fell back. But
Von Hindenburg picked the moment
when the Russian offensive was fairly
spent and delivered a counterstroke
which, during the past week, amazed
the world.
.. Now the tide appears to be flowing
the other way. Once again the Rus
sians Have taken the offensive and
have been making gains In Poland,
while holding their own in Northern
Prussia and Galicla. But the world
has learned to draw no conclusions
as to the outcome. The Ger
mans have shown such a marvelous
capacity for assimilating punishment
and losses that it is fair to expect that
they will deliver another counter
stroke which may send the Russians
back again to the Vistula in Poland.
But while the tide flows back and
forth the question arises as to what
effect the fearful losses are going to
have on the German fighting . ma
chine. Already a quarter of the Ger
man first and second lines !s gone,
estimating the initial war strength of
the Germans at 4.500",000. The Ger
mans say they can raise 10.000,000
men if necessary. But to do this they
must use, young boys and old men.
German military authorities have
been loudest in their contempt of
such raw material ""in battle. There
fore it would seem that unless they
become more economical .with their
firsl-class fighting men the present
policy of lavish expenditure of human
life may prove a serious setback in
the later stages of the war, especially
if the great struggle degenerates into
a test of national endurance.
MESSAGES FROM OVER YONDER.
Sir Oliver Lodge professes a robust
faith in spirit communications which
the great majority of mankind can
not share, no matter how much they
may envy it. The distinguished scien
tific man asserts that the possibility
of communicating with, the world be
yond the grave has been "definitely
proved. " Few agree with him. Proof
to one mind Is merely vague sugges
tion to another. Evidence that con
vinces Sir Oliver Lodge appears, vain
and insignificant to his next-door
neighbor. It Is pretty safe to say that
belief in spirit communications will
never become common until some way
has been devised to obtain them hab
itually and easily. As long as these
phenomena depend upon unusual gifts
in the medium and must be produced
by means of hocus pocus with cabi
nets, darkrooms and incantations of
one sort and another, no extensive cre
dence will be awarded them. The sus
picion of humbug will usually out
weigh any possible testimony to their
veracity.
Henri Bergson, who has become a
member of the Psychical Research
Society, has pointed out another weak
ness in the current evidence for spirit
communications. It is purely person
al. The credence we give it depends
greatly upon our confidence in the
witnesses. If we know them Intimate
ly and feel sure of their trustworthi
ness we are disposed to believe what
they say, no matter how .startling it
may be. But no man is known per
sonally to more than a few people and
everybody is a total stranger to the
next generation. Hence evidence of
this kind is unavoidably limited in its
Influence to a small circle at most and
It loses terribly, from the effect of
time. When messages from the other
world become as common as telephon
ing there will be no more skeptics.
Whether this triumph can ever be
achieved or not by the psychic re
searchers Is a question which nobody
is in a situation to answer. Positive
assertions one way or the other are
unwise because they depend upon in
sufficient knowledge. If spirits exist,
why should they not return and talk
to their old acquaintances? 4f they do
not exist, of course nothing of the
sort should be expected.
BUFFALO VOTES FOR COMMISSION.
Buffalo Is to become the largest city
Under the commission form of gov
ernment, having adopted a commis
sion charter by popular vote. The
charter is similar in many particulars
to that of Portland, there being five
commissioners, only three of -whom
are to be elected at one time after the
first election. They are to take the
places of no less than fifty elective of
ficers. Party is to be Ignored at pri
maries and elections, as in Portland,
and names are to be arranged alpha
betically on the ballot. A candidate
may be nominated by petition of 300
citizens. Wards are abolished and
commissioners are to be elected by the
city at large. A referendum may be
called on ordinances by five per cent
of the voters.
One point in which the Buffalo plan
differs from that in operation in Port
land is that it takes control of the
schools. The Board of Education and
elected Superintendent are abolished
and there is created a Department of
Public Instruction headed by a board
of five, one of whom must be a
woman. The voters alone are given
the power to grant franchises to pub
lic service corporations at general or
special elections, and if the election
Is special, the corporation must pay
tho expenses.
It will be interesting to observe
whether Buffalo has the same experi
ence In non-partisan elections, with
nomination by petition, as had Port
land namely, a swarm of candidates
and whether that city will show the
same sagacity in sifting out the fit
from the unfit or the less fit, as
did the Oregon metropolis. Buffalo
has about twice the population of
Portland, being credited with 423,715
by the census of 1910. Its action
shows the. gradual progress of com
mission government from the smaller
cities, wheh first tried the experiment,
to those of the first rank. We may yet
see great cities like New York, Chi
cago and Philadelphia ruled by com
missions. - .
SERVIA'S STRUGGLE FOR I JFK.
Servia's struggle for existence has
been lost to sight amid more engrossing-events
on the larger theaters of
war on the eastern and western, fron
tiers of Germany and Austria, yet it
rivals in heroism the defense of Bel
gium against the invaders. At the
outset Servia, with the aid of Monte
negro, not only kept the Austrians be
yond her frontier, but even penetrated
into Bosnia and inflicted some serious
defeats on the enemy. But Austria
brought up new armies of such
strength that Servia, although the
whole nation was under arms, could
not withstand them. Resisting dog
gedly, the Servians were forced back
step by step until finally they were
driven from their capital, and Bel
grade fell into the hands of Austria.
Servia recognized at the beginning
of the war that Belgrade "was unten
able and removed the government to
the interior town of Nlsh. Belgrade
occupies a triangular ridge at the con
fluence of the Danube and Save Riv
ers, which form the boundary, and is
thus exposed to artillery fire from
Austrian territory: ' It was bombarded
from across the rivers on the first day
of the war, but Servian valor has de
layed its occupation by the enemy for
four months.
The storms of war which have raged
over Southeastern Europe for many
centuries have beaten about Belgrade,
which was regarded as the key of
Hungary, and it changed masters often
before It finally became the capital of
the present kingdom. Though its ex
posed position on the present frontier
renders it undesirable as the seat of
government, the realization of Servian
ambition to annex Bosnia, Herzego
vina, Croatia and Slavonia would ren
der it fairly central. Being on the
Danube, --It- would naturally be the
commercial center of a greater Servia,
for that river is the great artery of
the entire region.
The straits In which Servia finds
herself may hasten the intervention of
other Balkan states In the war. The
obstacles seem to have been Bulgaria's
desire to regain the part of Macedonia
nnicn servia-snatched irom her after
the second Balkan war and Servia's
reluctance to give it up. Servia may
now be more inclined to yield and her
great allies may assure Bulgaria that
they will see she keeps faith. Rou
mania and Greece may then consider
it safe to join in the fray. The plot
ting of Russia, France and Britain Is
probably opposed by counterplots of
Germany. Austria and Turkgy. Should
the Balkan staes Join the former alli
ance, they would about offset the ac
quisition of strength which Turkey
gave the Teuton powers, and could
advance on Constantinople by land
while the allied navies tried to force
their way In by sea. Roumania
could also relieve Russia by attack
ing Austria on her flank in Transyl
vania and Bukowina.
PASS THE COASTGUARD BILL.
Secretary McAdoo in his annual re
port renews his recommendation that
more revenue cutters be built and that
the Coastguard bill, consolidating the
Revenue Cutter and Lifesaving Serv
ices, be passed. He says that "during
half the year the entire coast from the
mouth of the Columbia River to the
Mexican boundary must be left un
guarded." owing to the transfer of
cutters to Alaska. The loss of the Ta
homa has increased the need of a hew
cutter, on the Pacific.
In regard to the Lifesaving Service
he says:
The efficiency of the personnel of the
L.lfesa.ving Service has greatly diminished,
owing to the impossibility of obtaining; or
retaining; suitable men under existing con
ditions. Iesirable men will not Join this
hazardous service without th incentive of
a retired list to provide for them after their
active years are over, or when they become
permanently injured in the performance of
their duties. The Coastguard bill w-ould pro
vide for the retirement of the Lifesaving
Ser-viee. With the Inducements and equities
of the Coastguard bill tho service would un
questionably acooinplish vastly more and
with greater economy than the two organi
zations have been able to accomplish work
ing Independently, with one of them handi
capped by a crippled fosce. Tills measure Is
all the mora justified because the Life
saving Service will then receive a military
status and will become a first naval reacrva
in time of war.
Through 'the loss of lives by the
Hanalel the necessfty of the measure
recommended by Mr. McAdoo was
abundantly proved. Those lives were
lost through the callous Indifference
of Congress to the saving of life as a
prime duty of governments. If its ra
pacious mind can be taken off the
pork barrel long enough to pass the
Coastguard bill and to make adequate
appropriations for surveys and light
houses on the Pacific Coast, the sea
will be navigated with greater safety
and the reduced number of shipwrecks
win be attended with less human sac
rifice. We shall see whether Congress
haj a conscience.
Eastern boards of education are
agonized over the "immodest clothes"
which their teachers wear. A uni
form for teachers is proposed as a
remedy for the evil. To a crude
Western mind it docs seem that a
woman who knows enough to teach
school knows enough to choose her
own. clothes, but more cultured souls
than ours say no.
A hopeful sign: People are begin
ning to applaud when the Stars and
Stripes are shown at theaters. They
should also learn to stand when the
"Star Spangled Banner" is played by
band or orchestra.
The routed Austrians are given no
rest by the Servians, says a dispatch.
But they need no rest. The Austrians
are used to running and can keep it
up day and night if necessary.
You wlll note that the Mexicans
tvt o more . pkuuis on American
soil after the latest Wilson-Bryan
warning was delivered. They know.
American artillerymen are prepar
ing to shell the Mexican trenches.
Unless we are very much mistaken,
they are wasting their time.
No doubt the job of Provisional
President- of Mexico has lost its
charms since Funston sailed away
with that 1, 000, 000.
China Is said to have but one doc
tor to every half million or so of peo
ple. No wonder the Chinese are such
a healthy race.
There Is peril in placing our can
non on the border. Exposed to the
air they may rust. Otherwise there
is no danger.
The warring nations win be invited
to participate In a peace congress.
Don't make us laugh we have a
chapped lip. :'
Figures show that the United States
consumed two billion gallons of beer
the past year. Literally enough to
float a ship.
Prosperity Is slowly but surely com
ing into Its own in spite of the Demo
crats. You can't keep a great coun
try down.
If there is any of the milk of hu
man kindness In your makeup, this
is the season when it will come out.
The French government has ven
tured back to Paris, but' the Belgian
capital continues on horseback.
More Ulan $28,000,000 was brought
In by the income tax. Just think of
the pork that will provider
By the way, when does the Sultan
salute the flag? Probably on the
same day with Huerta.
Portland is now beaming in the
sort of weather that becomes the
Winter capital.
The United States may claim the
North Pole by right of discovery. By
Cook or Peary? '
The Kaiser's fever is abating, says
a dispatch. ' Not his war fever,
though.
There Is some little talk of " HI
Johnson for President. Get the hook!
Make your plans eacly to go to tha
1915 Fair, which, is now hard upon us
, 7 , ;
The world will hardly miss such
as Richard Canfield.
The eastern battle Is a regular run-sheep-run.
affair. -
Belated shoppers are now due to
get into action.
Ah,, be a Good Fellow.
Gleams Through the Mist
Br Ieaa Lslliaa.
The Soul of the Mandolin.
The strings ot my mandolin, tenderly tinkling-.
Bring- back the Ion? nights remembesed
- so well;
The stars of a Southery ky. trembling,
twinkling
O'er moon-silvered rums of fan Miguel.
The crests of the palm trees. dark-fluroeo
and slender.
The stretch of the gulf, lying- somber and
wide.
The voice on the night air, full-throated and
tender
Of a starry-eyed maiden, who aang by my
aide.
A. time when the world for a time was for
gotten. TVhen blind was the heart to th right or
the wrong".
A time full of madnss and passion, begotten
Of the passion that burned In the wild
woman's aong.
The sound of the song and the voice of the
singer
Were drowned long ago In the world's
busy din;
But tha soul of the maiden forever must
linger -
About the frayed atrings of the Vld man
dolin. Ofote Produced, at this time to
prove to a certain friend of mine that
I can put on the vox humana stop
any old time the occasion mo-y or may
not demand, if I care to do it.)
e
"Sir," said the courteous office boy,
"do you suppose I could get tho society
editor to sew on a button for me?"
"How have you come to this pas?"
I asked quaverlngly.
"My mother," said the C. O. B. with
a sob, "is knitting socks for the Bel
gians, my sisters are hemstitching;
hankies for the German soldiers at the
front, and my aunt is embroidering
night shirts for the Red Cross sur
geons with the British Army."
I loaned him a nail and a safoty
pin. with a heart full of sympathy.
"Sherman thought that war wa.'
hell, said the C. O. B. driving the nail
where It would, do moBt good, "but
what experience had he had with,
neutrality?"
m
"B. L. T." ( in the Chicago Tribune
recently pulled a list of "Famous Fifty
fifties," in which he did not overlook,
of course, the paw-paw. the dumdum
and Baden-Baden. For a later edition;
however, we might suggest the fol
lowing list of well-known and per
fectly authenticated GO-BO's:
Tut-tut.
Pooh-pooh.
Yum-yum.
So-so. " '
Bang! Bang!
Tweet! Tweet!
Zem-Zem.
' Sing-Sing.
Relative to the decadence of Rome:
In tho day of old. when Romans bold
Bestrode the world they say,
They did not have eugenics. Ha!
Them Romans where aro they?
Or. to pursue their sad and disgrace
ful history:
In the days of old, when Romans bold
All other powers bent to.
They had no woman's clubs. Ah-ha!
Where have them Romans went to?
Fanoiti Balsaelog Acta.
Ding-dong. ''
Hurly-burly. -
Roly-poly.
Hari-klri.
Ping-pong.
Hash-heesh.
Oh, yes! Remembering that guy of
the homely table manners:
He has to bolt his food I Are
When on tho sea he saila;
But can that any reason be
Why he should bite his nails?
e
Responsive to our late lament on the
absence from the Land Show of tho
Rambo apple which, by the way, we
think is spelled "Rambeau." but what
is a letter or two between friends a
lady sends us the following guide back
to the fruits of our childhood. Wc
thank her and, placing it in this
colyum. enter a charge of three cisars
against Old Yamhill for adv.
Rambo Apples and Others.
In the "classic shades of old Yamhill"
The. dear old apples ripen still.
You turned your back on the old Rambo
When you went to a city apple show.
In a bed of chickweed green and white
The waxen apples fall at night.
In the morning we find them where they .!
And mother deftly makes the pic.',.
The gnarled old trunk of the Bellflower tree
Still turns its back to the breeze from the
sea;
From its roots deep pressed to Its sunkissed
dome '
It gathers the flavor all its own.
The spicy Sp'ltzenberg'. Xorthern Spy
And Golden Russets stand close by.
To grace the Christ child's birthday board
The Ladyapple still we board.
Oh sweet the orchard when silver moon
Looked down in the time of leafy bloom
And sweeter still when In quiet rest
Of full fruition Its hopes are blessed.
The orchard stands In sun and rain
Still blossoms and bears and Is pruned
again.
Its lesson to me is sweet and true
And I hope you will find it as dear to
you.
Through the heat or cold, UtrougU the rain
or shins
It holds the symbol of life divine.
With our feet on tha earth and our face
to the sky
Let us bear good fruit for the passerby.
Julia Lee. .
The following answer suggests it
.self on that nail-biting problem:
He bites bis nails, so some allege.
Tha wise and careful wight,
- Because he fears they'll dull the edge
Of his keen appetite.
Frankly, we didn't have to wait for
some one to slip us an initial stanza to
start all these reflections about Nosstx
and the Romansv-etc. We could have
started It Just as well ourselves, it we
had been so inclined.
Like this:
Though mathematics may not bo
One of the favorite fads
Of carpenters,' it seems to rrss
I've heard about their adze.
And with this for a beginning, yrj
go right along.
He is not apt to go away
To war, the foe to kill; 1
Tet carpenters most any day,
A man can sea them drtll.
Looks easy, don't it! See, if like
this: .
The carpenter don't earn his 5y
Like barbers, o'er the strop.
And yet you'll see, most any dY
His shavings in his shop.
m
But why tell ail?
" e
For if we told all
' .
There'd be nothing left for next
week.