THE SUNDAY OREGOXIA, PORTLAND, HAT iti. 1915.
rOHTMXD, OREGON.'
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rOKTLAM), nl'NUAV, MAY 10. 1913.
THK KLI'MBKKINU UIAXT.
Imminent Ptudeiits of American his
tory have expended much effort with
in the last few years to lay bare the
motives anil interests of tho men who
framed the Constitution of the
United States. It has been shown
pretty clearly that those men were
neither saints nor inspired philoso
phers. They were moved by the
ordinary feelings of human beings
and in writing the articles of the Con
stitution they often had In mind the
special interests of the social class to
which they belonged. All this may
be admitted without detracting front
the substantial merit of their work.
It was not faultless, for It had soon
to bo amended In fundamental par
ticulars. It has not brought the mil
lennium to pass, for the Jnited States
has its troubles like other countries
and is confronted with problems cry
ing for solution. But one thing the
authors of tho Constitution did ac
complish. One piece of work they
did which time has not impaired and
the stress of events has not shaken.
Krom thirteen weak, discordant,
imutually suspicious colonies they
founded a united nation.
Tho federal principle had been
tried timo and again before their day,
tout it never had worked In practice.
Jt was tried in Greece and brought
forth nothing but weakness. It was
tried by tho allied opponents of Rome
In her Italian wars, but for them it
Was a rope of sand. They fell asun
der before the armies of the Imperial
city and, her insatiate hunger for
ipower devoured them piecemeal. The
federal principle was tried by the
cities of medieval Italy In their strug
gles with domestic and foreign
enemies, but when brought to the
tern test of war it always betrayed
those who trusted it. Never until the
Fathers of the American Republic ap
plied their genius to the problem was
a federation of states made to endure
through foreign and civil war. Until
their day the only lasting unions of
sovereignties formerly Independent
were effected by conquest. It was
pure reason and the persuasive voice
of justice that cemented the thirteen
wrangling colonies of the Revolution
into the United States of America.
But the mighty work Was not com
pleted in a moment. Many decades
lapsed before the national spirit,
born when Hamilton and Madison
taught the people the meaning of the
federal principle, grew to its fullnessH
of power. For many years the state
came first in the hearts of the people,
the Nation second. The right of a
state to withdraw from the Union was
upheld in New England and the South
and many a. threat was made to apply
it before the great secession of the
slave-holding oligarchy occurred.
Very early in our history there was a
conspiracy to separate the West with
the mouths of the Mississippi from
the rest of the country and found in
the regions tributary to the mighty
river an empire hostile to the original
Union. The conspiracy failed by the
Providence of God and In that fertile
territory, doubly endowed by nature
with blessings for human kind, the.
Americanism that lives and dies for
the whole country sprang into flam
ing grandeur. The new states of the
Mississippi Valley and the Pacific
Coast entered the Union, not as inde
pendent sovereignties cementing an
alliance with their equals, but as
youthful communities admitted to
membership in a great and splendid
Nation and they felt that the union
thus formed was forever inseparable.
When the Federal principle had
stood tho test of the Civil War it was
safe forever and the subsequent de
velopment of the United States was
that of an indivisible Nation, not a
mere alliance of sovereign states.
That development has been pursued
in almost unbroken peace. Few and
widely separated have been our wars
compared with the strife that per
petually desolates the stricken coun
tries of the old world. The revolu
tions of 1848, the repeated overturns
In France, the birth struggles of Italy,
the tremendous wars that built up the
German Empire, the Crimean war
which France, Italy and England
waged against Russia, and the recent
war between Japan and Russia were
all fought while the United States was
at peace.
With the blessings of prolonged
peace we have felt something also of
Its disadvantages. Few Americana
know the real meaning of war. The
miseries of invasion seem to us like
the imaginery horrors of a night
mare. We read of the pitiful fate of
the Belgians and thank God for our
blessed immunity, but our vision of
their woe is faint. With our long ex
eruption from the interminable strife
that ravages the old world we have
come to believe that its troubles can
never touch us. Wars, we protest,
may blast the earth with their fury
elsewhere, but never here. We dwell
in an enchanted palace surrounded
with delights and, gazing through its
crystal windows upon the troubles of
the rest of mankind, we fatuously ex
claim "they never can be ours." But
they can be and we may rest assured
that in the course of events they will
be. No nation in all history has ever
endured long without having to fight
for its existence. Unforeseen destiny
Involves them inextricably in its web
and. once entangled, woe to the
people who cannot strike in eelf-de-v
tense when the aggressor aims his
blows at their heart.
"To be weak is to he miserable."
This is the great practical lesson of
history. If the American people are
weak it is by their own choice. No
other nation ever had our wealth of
natural resources, none ever came of
better blood. We have mingled in
our veins the richest vital currents of
the world. We have levied upon all
the earth for genius, courage and
patriotic fervor. The men who have
tome to share destinies with us are
not Englishmen any more, or French
men, or Italians, or Germans. They
are Americans now, Americans first
and forever. Their only flag is the
Stars and Stripes, their only hope is
in the welfare of the United States.
Old loyalties fade and die in the
splendor of their new patriotism. Old
hatreds perish in the glory of their
love for our common country. Who
touches the honor of that country
touches the soul of every American.
The peaceful citizen becomes an
armed warrior, millions of lives are
laid upon the altar. . "Sweet and
beautiful It is to die for our country,"
wrote the classic poet. Sweet and
beautiful we find it still. America is
a giant who has long slumbered, but
the giant can awake.
WHERE THE DECISION LIES.
The Oregonian has from an ex
cited citizen we guess he is a citi
zen a letter charging that we are
trying to "drag the United States into
war." The letter ought to have been
addressed to the Presi-dent of the
United States, who is the sole author
of the recent note to Germany and
who is responsible for the policy it
declares and the action It portends.'
Yet it Is well enough to say that,
if there Is war, it will be because Ger
many wants war, not the United
States. The issue is squarely up to
Germany, and the decision rests there
and there alone.
The whole case for the United
States has been stated by President
Wilson. We approve it, and so does
every loyal American, without reser
vation or qualification, and without
concession to a false-hearted Ameri
canism which would lower the flag
upon the demand of any enemy, ac
tual or possible, foreign or domestic.
We desire peace." We have said so,
and we mean so. But we are not will
ing to pay for it at a cost which de
nies to our citizens men, women and
children the right to go and come on
proper business on the high seas,
which do not belong to Germany or
any nation, and which involves our
assent to the doctrine that they may
be slain by Germany for any reason,
lawful or unlawful,, humane or in
humane, satisfactory to Germany, or
for no reason.
WATER, NOT MONEY. TO . WASTE.
The immediate question as to water
meters is tho authorization through
a referendum of the people for Com
missioner Daly to install 5000 meters.
The large issue is a formal declara
tion of public policy on the meter
question. If the .public approves, the
meters will have been endorsed, and
the Commissioner will pursue the pol
icy of universal meter installation.
Will Commissioner Daly, or any of
his handy newspaper allies, deny it or
avow a purpose then to limit the me
ter programme to a paltry 5000?
The meter question, reduced to the
simplest terms, is that Commissioner
Daly purposes, at a cost of many hun
dred thousand dollars, to restrict the
use of our over-abundant water. It
will stop waste, he says, and ulti
mately bring about lower charges to
the consumer.
The real duty of the Commissioner
is to stimulate, not limit, the general
use of water. Portland has the water,
and it Is spilling out of the overflow
ing reservoirs into the sewers. It
ought to be in the homes and on lawns
of Portland, in the fullest measure
and to the extent of the citizen's ca
pacity to use it.
Commissioner Daly's idea of econo
my is to employ an army of inspec
tors to read the meters and to flood
the town with water bills, and to put
in more meters as the present meters
deteriorate and become useless.
But always there must be meters
and inspectors the first to prevent
the user from getting all the water
he wants and the second to annoy
him about constant meter readings.
The people of Portland have water
to waste, but not money. Daly would
stop the one, but encourage the other.
HEROINES OF FICTION.
A writer in the Unpopular Review
deserves great praise for a courageous
attack which he has made upon the
"heroine of fiction." This female has
pestered novel readers ever since the
days of Sir Charles Grandison. She
simpers and swoons through the
"Scottish Chiefs," meekly ambles
through Dickens as the faint shadow
of the male characters, wearies us in
Scott and feebly annoys us in Thack
eray. In current fiction the heroine
is like an algebraic problem. She
clamors for a solution which most of
us are too much irritated to give her
if we could. And we could not if
we would.
It is the simple truth that half the
novels In the world would be more en
joyable if the heroine were left out
The author feels obliged to bring her
in now and then in order to keep up
"the heart interest," but he almost
always shows plainly enough that he
hates to do it and would banish her if
he dared. It is a great pity that he
does not follow his inclination rather
than the dictate of fashion.
The Unpopular Review writer to
whom we refer speaks of the heroine
as an "incumbrance" and a "plague."
She seems to be exceptionally annoy
ing to him in Rider Haggard's stories,
where, to quote his words, "she is
simply intolerable," combining "the
stateliness of a queen with the style of
a professional elocutionist and the lo
quacity of a cook off duty." And yet
all who wish to enjoy Rider Hag
gard's incomparable tales of adven
ture must put up with this disagree
able young lady. There are times
when literary fashions almost force
one to rise in rebellion.
Stevenson managed to write the
"Treasure Island" without any hero
ine to bother his readers. Why can
not other authors do the same? The
superfluous young lady overflowing
with emotion and ever bursting into
kisses is even more annoying in the
movies than in novels. No sooner
does the spectator begin to thrill with
expectation of a bloody murder or the
arson of a cathedral than everything
has to stop indefinitely while a pair
of idiotic lovers hug and kiss one an
other. It is an imposition upon the
public.
The Chehalls Bee-Nugget, which is
the oldest newspaper in Southwest
ern Washington, has Issued an anni
versary and historical souvenir edi
tion of unusual merit. The souvenir
Is in magazine form and is printed on
book paper. The cover is a beautiful
photo-engraving of Mount SL. Helens.
Inside is much valuable information
In early and current history and on
the progress of the community, all
adequately illustrated. Its issuance
commemorates the close of thirty-two
years of existence. It is a souvenir
that any weekly newspaper might be
proud of. The Bee - Nugget comes
about as near being our ideal of what
a small city weekly newspaper should
be as any printed in the Northwest.
Its columns are devoted almost ex
clusively to local news, which is writ
ten entertainingly and without pad
ding or flamboyant expression. More
over, practically every Hue in the pa
per .is written at home, set up at home
and printed at home. In addition it
presents an ably conducted editorial
page. The handsome souvenir is
worthy of such a publication.
A BILUON-BCSHEL WHEAT CROP.
The United States seems In a fair
way to make up deficiencies tia
Europe's wheat crop due to the war,
as it did last year. The acreage in
this country is about 14 per cent
greater this year than' last, and the
Government crop report for May indi
cates a yield of 693,000,000 bushels of
Winter wheat as compared with 619,
000,000 Indicated in April.
If the Spring wheat crop should be
no larger than that of last year,
206,027,000 bushels, it would swell
the total to 900,000,000 bushels, but
the -acreage Is so much larger and
the condition so much better that a
record-breaking crop is promised. In
fact, there is confident talk of a
1.000,000.000-bushel crop. This, with
the surplus from India and Argentine,
should suffice to feed the world.
Prices promise, to rule high so long
as the war continues, but are held
down by two speculative factors
aside from crop prospects the possi
bility that fo- ng of the Dardanelles
may release a large store of -Russian
wheat and the possibility of peace.
These bear factors account for the
fact that the September option is 40
cents below May, while the differ
ence last year was only 10 cents. But,
whatever happens, the farmer is
likely to earn a fat profit on this
year's crop.
OCR MILITARY LIMITATIONS.
At a time when the American
thoughts have turned to possible war
it is opportune to present a brief in
ventory of our war-like attributes and
assets; not that a prospect is present
that we shall be called upon to use
them, but rather for the purpose of
determining how powerful a case we
might be able to present in that in
ternational tribunal of last appeal
armed conflict.
In the event that war should be de
clared upon the United States it is
Inconceivable that we would declare
war on anyone how much of an
army could we muster for defensive
purposes?
At the outset let us look over our
regular army. On paper this force
runs into the neighborhood of three
full corps; mobilized, about one corps
of 25.000 men respond for the call.
This corps, in morale, training and all
the elements that make for effective
soldiery, would be unsurpassed by
any force of its size which it might
be called upon to cope with. The
particular defect is that there would
be only enough men for a very small
sector of the extended firing lines that
develop in modern warfare. How
would our one little corps hold its own
with the forty or fifty corps that any
first-class nation might precipitate
upon us?
After the regular . Army we may
next set down our organized militia,
which on paper measures up to the
full dignity of some four corps, al
though "corps" is referred to here
merely as a standard of measurement.
The necessity of organizing even our
regular Army into larger units does
not appear to have impressed our
military experts to the extent that
any such adjustment has been carried
out.
In fact, our, brigades, and certainly
our divisions, have no existence be
yond the realm of office records. Of
the four corps of organized militia
military men agree that a period of
preliminary training in consolidation
camps would be necessary.' Even then
this force would not be ideal for
active service against trained regu
lars. It is apparent that we would have
to have more than five corps to do
effective fighting. On the theory that
we would want 1,000,000 men with
which to meet a serious situation, it
is apparent that at least 800,000 would
have to come from civil life from
the shops and wheat fields. Store and
office clerks would have to be con
verted into soldiers and this, of neces
sity, requires time and patience.
Getting the men would be a small
matter. As no less a military author
ity than Colonel Bryan has agreed,
one day would suffice to raise an army
of 1,000,000 men. . This eminent ex
pert ' neglected to mention where the
equipment for such a force would
come from and when we consider that
there are only 600,000 stands of arms
available and that our facilities for
manufacturing small arms and can
non are very limited the question of
equipping an army of 1.000,000 men
becomes more perplexing. What
we would have would be a mob of
1,000,000 men; and reducing this mob
to an army would require not less
than six months. To render them ef
fective would require at least a year.
"Where, the officers would . come
from; where the supply system would
come from; where the field equip
ment would come from; where the
sanitary and medical supply system
would come from, are all matters
that even our War Department seems
to know in the vaguest way. Being
a resourceful Nation, no doubt we
would get these things in time, but it
is beyond the most optimistic expecta
tions that a few months would suf
fice to develop not only all this equip
ment, but efficient officers- particu
larly general officers to command the
higher units and provide a system of
supplies, of administration and of re
serves such as would meet the re
quirements of a real war.
The best available information on
the subject leads to the conclusion
that at the outset of a big war the
first few weeks would be spent in
utter confusion rather' than systematic
organization. We would be present
ed with the spectacle of politicians
seeking command of high units; of
men insisting on being given regi
ments, brigades and divisions who
were not fit to command squads. The
ancient struggle between states and
Federal Government for control of the
appointment of officers would break
forth again and add an element of in
ternal turmoil.
That Incompetents would gain com
mand is assured, for the deep-rooted
reason that there are not enough
trained officers to go around. Cer
tainly the regular Army does not pro
vide a sufficient surplus. Hence, of
ficers as well as men would have to
learn the science -of war during war.
We might ' get somewhere, even in
the light of such a handicap, were
the enemy kind enough to defer at
tacking us for a year or two while
j w were getting ready. But what
enemy is going to show any such char
ity unless prevented by physical ob
stacles not of our own making from
launching an attack at the outset?
Without ' discussing our naval
strength, which is accredited wit! e
ing more or less formidable, it is .ain
that we have neither an army n. r any
means of raising one on shor notice.
With our Navy once pushed asid we
should have to depend on the effi
cacy of prayer and raw levies until
such time as these levies could be
buffeted about and the survivors
molded into an army. The results in
event of attack are something fear
ful to contemplate unless, as already
suggested, our national opponent
were unable to get at us until we had
gotten through floundering around in
our present shallow military policy
axid developed a fighting capacity
worthy of the greatest o" nations. Per
haps the existing crirls will at -.-ken
us to a sense of our shortcomings. It
ought to, even if it be settled by diplomacy.
AMERICA FIRST.
r- Dr. F. H. Dammasch, president of
the. Confederation of German-Speaking
Societies in Oregon, made the an
swer as a patriotic American he
might have been expected to make
when he was asked about the atti
tude of that organization in the pres
ent National crisis.
"We will support the President of
the United States first, last and all
the time," said Dr. Dammasch. "We
are all true American citizens and it
is America before all others with us."
When Herman Ridder, editor of the
New York Staats-Zeitung, was asked
where German-Americans stand, he
replied:
X ipeak for myself and. I believe, for the
great majority of German-Americans, when
I say that we are with the President or the
United States to the finish In all matters
affecting National bonor or National pres
tige. I subscribe unqualifiedly to the state
ment of Carl Schurz: "My country, right or
wrong; If right. 16 be kept right; If wrong,
to be set right."
When George Washington Vierick,
the violent editor of the abusive -and
mischievous Fatherland, says the
President has brought "our country
face to face with civic discontent and
foreign war," he grossly maligns all
German-Americans.
050 YEARS OF DANTE.
The poet Dante, who was born at
Florence fn the middle or May six
hundred and fifty years ago, lived in
an age of great men. Only two or
three times in the history of the
world has genius been so common as
it was then, but it has- often been
more fruitful. Men of first-rate abil
ity were to be found In all parts of
Europe in Dante's day, but their
minds had little material to work
upon and if material had been ever I
so abundant they did not know how I
to use it, for scientific method had
not yet been rediscovered and what
the Greeks knew of it had long been
forgotten. A little later the remains
of the ancient world were brought to
light and able men found sufficient
occupation in adapting them to mod
ern needs. In our own day the rapid
ly accumulating discoveries of science
furnish all the material required to
keep the greatest minds profitably at
work. Dante's contemporaries were
obliged to exercise their brains upon
sterile metaphysical theories and
barren, speculations concerning un
known worlds. It is wonderful to
think what the poet made of this un
promising "material in his Divine
Comedy, but we can- not help re
gretting that he had nothing more
worthy of his genius to. work upon.
He made the most marvelous bricks
without straw that have ever been
seen.
His theme Is somewhat similar to
that of Milton and. like Milton's,
while it was once intensely interest
ing to intelligent men, it is so no
longer. The literature that deals with
Dante and his poetry Is of colossal ex
tent. Twenty-four complete transla
tions of the Divine Comedy have ap
peared in English alone and other
languages have their full share, while
commentaries upon his text and com
mentaries upon the commentaries are
almost countless. Some writers as
sure us that no book in the world has
been written ' about so much as
Dante's poetry except the Bible itself.
This Is probably. true, since the myth
ical and miraculous character of his
narrative is singularly attractive to a
certain class of minds, while his spec
ulations concerning the unknowable
give the widest scope to men of
kindred spirit for the exercise of their
unreined wits. And yet it by no means
follows that Dante is a popular poet.
There are certain passages in the
Divine Comedy which are quoted
quit,e frequently, but not a great
many after all. Not a tenth as many
as Shakespeare has given us. Virgil
is quoted more commonly than Dante
by literary men. He was from the
first admired by scholars. The
reader will recall that Boccaccio lec
tured on his works and naturally the
Italians have always made much of
him. But even In Italy he was not
especially popular in the true sense of
the word until the struggle for na
tional unity had taken hold of the
public mind. Dante was a great ad
vocate of a united Italy which might
be able to defend Itself from foreign
aggression and quench internal dis
cord. But this remained with him
nothing more than a dream. It did
not gain a footing in the practical
world until the middle of the last cen
tury. When it did, the Italians re
called the vision of their great poet
and began to heap upon him the
honors he had long merited but only
scantily received.
Dante has received a great deal of
attention from American scholars. Of
the twenty-four English versions of
his great work four were made in this
country, while our college professors
have deluged their classrooms with
commentaries upon him. Longfellow
translated the Divine Comedy into
blank verse. Charles Eliot Norton
rendered it into biblical prose. Pro
fessor Johnson's translation, which
has just appeared. Is In the same
meter as Dante's original, but without
rhymes. Our tongue is not nearly so
fertile in these ornaments as the
Italian and the work of inserting
them wherever the poet did would be
enough to discourage the most de
voted worshiper of medievalism.
American scholarship has won many
laurels at home and abroad by its
work upon Dante, but it has not suc
ceeded in gaining many readers for
the great poet outside of college class
rooms. In common with other mod
ern languages Italian is much more
studied in our colleges than it was
half a century ago and Dante has
profited by the change, but students
forget him as they do their Homer
wheJn they part with their professors.
There is nothing in Dante to awaken
vital interest outside academic halls.
Of course his style is incomparable
and his treatment of theological sub
jects .marvelous. But we all know the
predestined fate of sermons whether
in prosi or verse. Milton and Dante
sjtand slje by side upon the modern
bookshelf both immensely honored
and both unread.
The great Florentine was first
taught in this country by Luigl da
Ponte, a wandering Venetian who lec
turea upon his works at Columbia
University without pay. He continued
this lab.- of love -or twenty-eight
ye?-s from a few years after his ar
rival in New York until his death in
18S8. In that time he proudly re
c rds that he Instructed 2500 per
eo'.j, it the Italian language. o course
inducting all of them into the cult of
Dante. In fact it was his custom to
teach the language from the pages of
the inspire poet. A little before
Ponte's . death, Pietro 1 Maroncelll
began to glvt. Italian lessons at Har
vard, though by that time Professor
George TIcknorhad taken up the subject.-
Tickno was followed by Long
fellow, In whose day there was quite
a rage for Italian medievalism at Har
vard. Longfellow carried his love of
old and musty literature so far that
he delved into the forgotten Scandi
navian sagas. His own poetry smells
strongly o the midnight oil by which
he pursued his absorbing studies.
Dante's 0th anniversary would have
been celebrated with imposing exer
cises throughout the Christian woed
had it not been for the European wr.
As it Is, the rlncipal commemoration
will be in t v United States.
Some of the Washington High
School senior would take to the sim
plicity doctrine gradually and spar
ingly. The; are willing to adopt cot
ton gowns for graduation, but there's
a division of sentiment on the propri
ety of giving up the coveted elaborate
bouquet. Truly, tradition mingles
with fond r morles and high hopes
of commen.tt lent day the day of
days In the student's life.
A famous dramatic critic has just
come to the help of the legitimate
stage by saying that the movies can
not depict Foul-struggles. For this
words are Indispensable. 'If he Is
right about it, then a good deal of
music has been sadly misunderstood.
It is supposed to depict soul-strygglcs
and to do It wlihout the help of words.
Ever since the victories of the.
Swiss peasan. over Carlos the Bold,
Infantry has een the most valued
military arm. In this war it is sub
ordinate to cavalry and artillery. The
best observers tell us that while infantry-is
recklessly sacrificed the com
manders think twice before sending
a cavalryman or a gunner to death.
When the tide of prosperity ebbs
and flows at Marshfield some of it
must stay ashore, for Mr. O'Brien, of
the Record, has Just bought ground
upon which to erect a newspaper
home of iron, concrete and glass.
Since a newspaper is the index of its
city, a view of Marshfield through the
Record shows it' is all right.
The new interest in Russia has led
to a fresh translation of Dostoevski's
novel, "The House of the Dead."
This ibook ranks in literature with
"Don Quixote," "Robinson Crusoe"
and "The Vicar of Wakefield," with
all of which it has affinities. It is
one of the great monuments of Rus
sian literature.
The water meter peddlers have fallen
down temporarily In Tacoma. That city
does not want water meters. It does not
need water meters. Hut If the peddlers
have their eye on that city nothing can save
It. Water meters It will have.. Seattle
Argus.
Nothing can save such a city? Well,
watch Portland.
We may ask other neutrals to voice
their sentiments. It is doubtful, how
ever, if Holland or Sweden or' Den
mark would caie to speak out of their
turn in this matter.
Harry Thaw is to have anoth"
trial by Jury as his sanity. It must
be the Thaw theory that eventually
he will find a Jury crazy enough to
adjudge him sane.
Huerta's daughters and their hus
bands and children lave now joined
him. No wonder mere war and an
archy had no terrors for poor old
Vlctoriano.
The biggest rose crop and the big
gest Fose Restiy.j ever would seem .o
be assured. The weather certainly Is-
doing its full share these days.
The combatants are now hurling
great broadsides of ink and l.eir
press bureaus are black with the
grime of rattling typewriters.
What will the Kaiser say? That's
now the question of the hour. And if
we don't like what he says, what are
we going to do about It?
However, If the situation becomes
tense we may rly on W. Jennings
Bryan to provide a way out. A. B. C.
mediation, for example.
Missouri is indignant at Oregon
quarantine on Missouri stock and
hence will have to be "shown."
As to the note, so far so good. But
we can't quite forget Vera Cruz as
bearing on the issue at hand.
It may be that Germany will hold
out diplomatic straws in the hope
that we will clutch them.
The only flies we have noted were
in the immediate vicinity of the b.rne
team at the ball grounds.
In event of trouble one of our
greatest mainstays will be the German-American.
Federal probe of the cement trust
Is in prospect. It will be hard dig
ging, no doubt.
While the note was signed "Bryan,"
we wager sixteen to one that Bryan
didn't sign it.
Who 6ald there wasn't much pa
triotism and unity in this great coun
try of ours?
The Greek King is down with a
fever. Not the war fever, we take it.
Arbitration hinted at. What music
to the Bryan ears.
For1 our part we ain't seen no flies
to swat thus f;fr.
The vacation lure is beginning to
stir us strongly.
This is the weather that makes the
roses. " "
Press and President's Note
What Newspapers of lotted States
Say Concerning; the Communica
tion to Germany Comuiled by A e
aoclated Press.
Buffalo (N. Y.) Courier Right-minded
men of every party will approve Its tone
and tenor . The clearness, the defintteness
with which the presentation Is made can
satisfy the most rigid Americanism that
views large affairs sanejy. It seems to meet
very requirement of American patriotism
and honor.
Buffalo (N. Y. ) Express There has been
no backdown. Let the people's response go
out from every corner of the land. We are
all Americana.
Albany (N. T.) Argus Dignified in its
tone, logical in Its argument and conclu
sions; firm in its demands, the United States
note to Germany reflects the poise of the
President. Wood row Wilson, under most
trying circumstances.
Albany (N. T.) Knickerbocker Press
The not places the Issue squarely before
Germany for action; and an announcement
of future policy acceptable, to the United
States Ooverninent, particularly a policy ot
sea warfare, must nut long be delayed.
Bt. Louis Republic There Is not In the
note any slightest hint that this Government
will stop short of the fullest reparation for
the past and the guarantee of the recog
nition of the full rights of American ctuzeus
in the future.
Cincinnati Commercial Tribune The
strength of a Just man armed Is apparent
In ttie protest sent by President Wilson.
Devoid or truculence. breathing the highest
Ideals of International Justice, this remark
able paper, freighted with momentous possi
bilities, brushes aside all furmulltles and is
frank, and In unmistakable language tells
the Kaiser's government what the Amer
ican people think of tile series of incidents
leaaink up tu the slaughter ot innocents
ou board the Luiluma.
Boston Globe Piesldent Wilson hu not
shirked a grave responsibility. The Amer
ican note cleily shows that Germany must
relent jr take whatever consequences we
may decide to adopt.
Boston Herald President Wilson has
never written a great slate paper more ex
actly suited to the occasion. We hope
most fervently that In a spirit of reusonable
ntn Germany will coincide with the en
lightened position set form with clarity and
power by the I'resideut.
Boston Journal President Wilson's words
are those tf a patriot. We cannot believe
that a nation which is bound b so many
ties of friendship to this Nation Is so lar
possessed by war madness that sne will fail
to heed the message.
Boston Post The note Is all that such a
message from a Justly aggrieved nation to
the aggressor nation should be. lit It U
the voice of the American people at Its
finest and best. It is a powenul appeal to
German sanity.
Philadelphia Publlo Ledger The Admin
istration has spoken and spoken lo the point.
The German government cannot have the
slightest doubt as lo its meaning Will Ger
many listen to the voice of prudence be
fore It is loo later
Pueblo (Colo. Chieftain A wise, strong,
patriotic message free from Jingo hysteria.
Colorado Springs (Colo.) Telegraph The
Um id States should Insist upon a separa
tion of the, passenger traffic and the war
traffic. We should he prepared to uphold
the Nation's honor at any cost.
Pueblo (Colo.) Star-Journal The note
fully meets the expectations of the Amer
ican people, that Germany be held lo a
strict accountability for its actions.
Kaunas City Star President Wilson has
said what was In the hearts of his coun
trymen. He has said it with dignity, with
consideration. but with unmistakable di
rectness. His words embody the Idealism of
the American Aeople and the obligation to
maintain the principles of high humanity
which they feel has devolved upon them In
a world In which some of the hard-won
gains of civilization have been submerged
by the passions of war. The President has
notably met the demands of this critical
situation.
Salt Lake City Tribune We take It for
granted that the President's position is
his note to the German government will be
upheld with practical unanimity.
Great Falls (Mont.) Tribune The Presi
dent's message leaves the door open for con
tinuance of good relations within the United
States if Germany Is so minded. That Is
undoubtedly the position nine-tenths of his
countrymen would have the President take.
This country wants war only as a last
resort.
Bozeman (Mont.) Chronicle Couched in
friendliest terms, the note Is none the less
frank in its statements of America's cause
for complaint and direct in its demands
upon the German government.
Billings (Mont.) Gazette While tho note
is absolutely lacking In bomba-ttc utter
ances or threats, the note makes it plain
to Germany that this Nation is not going to
tolerato recurrence of the horrible events
that have destroyed American lives.
Anaconda (Mont.) Standard The note la
strong, firm and dignified, jet courteous.
Butte tMont.) Miner The Question
whether the United States Is to take part
In defense In this great war waged upon
civilization no longer rests with It, but re
poses entirely In the hands of the autocratic
and blood-mad ruler of Germany.
San Francisco Examiner In opening the
broad question of the legality and propriety
of a submarine blockade, the President has
abandoned the safe and firm bssls of ob-
slous and unquestioned American rights
and ventures upon the debatable ground ot
ntei national exigency and morality, and
has opened, tn- way to a retort which It
will be difficult for the United Stales to
bear calmly.
Los Angeles (Cal.) Germanla A condi
tion of war between the United states and
Germany Is unthinkable. Millions ot good
American citizens claim Germany as the
land ot their birth. These citizens must
now exert their Influence to prevent a war
which Is not Justified In any degree. The
merlcan people must remain calm and
trust the sincere Intentions of our Govern
ment. Sacramento (Cal.Bee The American peo
ple today have rich reason to be proud of
their president. Woodrow Wilson has met
a grave crisis splendlaly, facing it with
firmness, without fireworks.
Los Angeles Times It Is apparent that
the feeling and attitude of the president
aMtd his advisers Is conciliatory. That is
the state of mind of the country. But
America will Insist to the last that there
oo no more murderous attacks on merchanl
ment carrying non-combatants, women and
children.
Fresno (Cal.) Republican If Germany Is
prepared to make its submarine blockade of
England physically as well as psychologic
ally effective, we may be sure the imperial
government will yield to no argument ex
cept force, and we do not understand that
the word "art" contemplates the use of
force, nor that the American Nation is In
possession of any force to use if It were
so contemplated.
Seattle Times It is a temperate and
meaningful note. Nlnty per cent of the
American people will stand behind the
President In his efforts to carry cut those
real American declarations of true patriot
ism. Seattle Post-Tntelligesrer It is no Jingo
utterance; no "mere scrap of paper," but a
cool, calm declaration ultimatum It you
please ot this American Nation, and in
support of It there will be no faltering or
dlvialon. '
Salem (Or.) Statesman There Is In the
note a reaffirmation of the former atiituue
of President Wllsou. - Our Government and
our people cannot recede from this stand.
It must be consistently held, even to the
point of breaking oft diplomatic relations
with Germany, or worse,
Boise (Idaho) Statesman It is a "show
down." If the President's words mean any
thing It is that Germany must abandon Its
policy of naval anarchy or accept the con
sequences of our "other action-'
Missoula (Mont.) Mlssoulan Its general
tone Is most conciliatory.
Lewlstown (Mont.) Democrat The note la
much In accord with the expectations and
wishes of the American people.
Walla Walla Union If the American peo
ple ever had cause for thankfulness it has
been in the past few days In the realization
of the fact that Theodore Roosevelt does
not now hold the reins of executive power.
Aberdeen (Wash.) World If Germany
either wants wsr with the United States or
Is indifferent to such a clash the say Is
certainly open and made easy by the note.
If Germany cares for the friendship of this
country, there Is nothing in the note to pre
vent. Whatever the outcome of the note.
Americans have only one clear duty to
stand btrhind the President and give hlra
every possible support.
Walla Walla (Wah. Bulletin We have
all conflden-e In President Wilson.- There
is no President since Abraham Lincoln who
has so nearly the undivided confidence of
all the people.
Gleams Through the Mist
By Dean Collin.
SionsTlesa.
I cannot sing a song of spring.
Kor riprlng is almost out of data;
Nor csn my song to Summer ring,
Kor there Is still a month to wait;
With one too soon snd one too lata
It boLhers me like anything;
O'er neither can I Jubilate
So hanged it I know what to sing.
I cannot sing a song of pride.
About Britannia and the waves;
My friend who's on the other side
Against that sort of lyric raves:
With equal rape likewise behaves
My British friend If I should fling
A laurel to the Teuton braves
So hatuzed If I know what to sing.
I cannot sing a song of peace
Some of my friends for war are strong-
If t should urge that war should cease.
The Jingo bunch would hold me wroua ;
Nor can I boost In accents strong.
The flag of Mars abroad to fling:
Neither pface pipe nor battle song
So Hanged if I know what to sins.
L'KNVOI.
My friends, your differing tastes do fall
Too. far apart for me to sing
A sunt? that's bound to please you all
So hanged if I know what to sing.
e
We have seen more yardage made
and less rooting about in from tha
bleachers in a brueh college football
game, than the combatants are ac
complishing: at present in Flanders.
Solemn Thoiaa b r.
They may bang, they may batter those forta
if they will.
But tlie Dardanelles seem to be tioldlng
out stlil.
A mother's pride over her babe's first
tooth Is a weak and colorlees tiling
compared with the pride of the gubur
ban householder on beholdlnar tha first
bean-sprout tHat nets clear of tho
ground In his hack-yard garden.
"Sir," eaid the Courteous Office Boy,
and I was instantly ail attention for I
knew that he had brought out anothr
volume, of the capnurr classics on the
Five Inch Bookshelf for Busy Men.
"in this volume." said the C. O. B.
"we offer the busy public a two-minute
version of Hen. Longfellow's famous
epic of Kvangeline."
Primeval forest green;
Evangeline.
Village queen;
Her heart won
Mv Gii be. stirjli's son;
War; ho;is shattered;
Village N';attere,l .
Mie thinks ni:i; be
She'll find Gb, ; ;
Ljul'P, pitir fkiiti ,
loesn't waii;
In many a spot
He's alm'jt
And harilly ma
l'odge fiuncee.
But. wily, he
, Just keeps quite free.
Vange quits quist;
G.lbc gets rest;
Found at last
Wneti years have passed;
To., sh.k to fly.
linbe must die;
Wtieu he Is through.
She creaks too;
Vi'Iaire qu:n,
tC angellne ;
l'rmietal forest green.
There are scores of soldiers in the
Islands who have not yet been able to
read "The Eyes of the World," says
an article booktlng donations to a cir
culating library for U. S. soldiers.
After all. we see that tho soldier's
life lias Its advantages.
e
Tho United States is now about the
only big nation left in which there are
etlll citizens who feel that one of em
could clean up a whole regiment of
any other nationality.
A morning Ftroll with a eooial up
lift theorist might be referred to with,
propriety aa a bored walk.
The Appropriate Thing..
'TIs folly to feed to the sngle worm base.
A puddlnjf tuned up to the epicure's blood.
Your guest would prefer in this sort uf a
case
A nice little, delicate dumpling of mud.
'TIs foolish to offer a rabbit a steak.
Kor cabbage Is very much more to his
taste;
No hll with a lion a balad would make;
And soup to an oyster would be quite a
waste.
Why offer white wine to the mers billy
goat ?
Who much would prefer a nice paper or
can ;
And wny should the struggling, sorrowful
pole
Uncork high-brow odes on the average
man ?
e
It iu worth while to pause, once in
a while, and look back over our past,
and in this connection we would gay,
at this time, regarding thoso decadent
Komanx:
In the days of old. when the Romans bold
Sailed galleys on the ses.
They had no sort 'of submsrlne
Who knows now where they beT
e
Which is not especially good, we
believe, as is the following refe.t,ace
to the baker of the old days:
The bskrr rolls home with a bun.
Instead of raisin cake.
Oh. who can like this loafing one.
Though much dough he may make?
s s
We thought of the following last
week, but dropped it en route to the
coinpoejing room:
The boy stood on the burning deck
Nor thought of submarines;
They'd made the deck a total wreck
Because he held five queens.
riometlmes a man stands on his rec
ord In Jiopea that bis brogans will
cover up the unattractive part of It.
THK IJRKAMKH-
Tou of the gay metropolitan life.
Bred In the blaze cf the city'g wild
strife.
Worshiping fashion and custom and
throng.
O. do you think as you hasten along
That, in the progress of these advanced
days,
I am a dreamer too strange for your
ways?
You love the rush and the roar of the
town,
I adore nature from upland to down;
You are content to remain where you
are,
I long to follow the course of each star.
Long to forget mart's existence and
strife
Out where peace fosters an Idyllic life.
Weighed with the wanderlust paxtskm,
aflame,
I listen all things of the mist mouth
my name;
Breeze of the everglades, flower of the
Nile,
Waters of blue lakes that dimple and
smile.
Lost, ruined cities, Malay mysteries
Ail, all they beckon ine over the seas.
Often you wonder why I hate the stresst
That echoes the treading of myriad
feet.
Wonder no more. In the crowd's cease
less roar
I am a dreamer; the dark deeds of war
Swell but the calls of the wildertiess
where
No sounds of battle lefile the pure a3r.
MILDRED K. JIUDSOrV
Trip of An Airship.
Philadelphia Ledger.
"The airship went up in smoke."
"Burnt?"
"No; ascended in Pittsburg.'