THE SUNDAY OUEGOXIAN, PORTLAND, MAY i?3, 1915. Tl
PUBLIC OPINION ON TIMELY TOPICS TOLD TERSELY
PAJ..T meter scheme OPPOSED
Thomas McCusker Praises Mayor for
Stand Against Plan.
PORTLAND. May 32. (To the Ed
itor.) I want to commend the attitude
of Mayor Albee on the meter question.
A great deal has been said in an. ef
fort to convince the voter that by
vending several hundred thousands of
dollar we will be saving money as
well as water.
In this 1 agree that is, to the extent
that there will be the same kind of
Having. At the present time the water
Is going to waste over the "spillway
and the money will go in the same
manner. . ,
I do not charge Commissioner Daly
with any willful waste of money or
any lack of honest intention, but 1 be
lieve that this meter business is get
ting to be a personal matter with him,
so much so tht through his desires he
has lost sight of tho practical side ot
the question.
When this meter question first came
tip it was said that the average life of
a meter was seven or eight years. They
are trying- now by "scientific talk" to
prolong this life a few years.
Be that la it may. there Is no ques
tion but a system of meters would be
somewhat similar to perpetual motion,
about the time tho last one was
in.-. tailed we would have to begin re
placing the first ones, so that all the
money derived (if any) from conserv
ing water would have to go to main
tain the system; consequently there
would be no sinking fund to take care
of the bonds.
I notice that. they have obtained the
pinions of engineers in Omaha, Bos
ton and other liastern cities and some
of those engineers express the hop.
that we will adopt the system and that
It will save us money.
This goes to prove the old saying
that you can get any kind of an opinion
from an expert by just letting him
know what you want. You will ob
serve that these experts give an opin
ion based upon their own local condi
tions and it may not apply at all to
our conditions any more than if we had
an opinion from a Chicago florist as to
how best to cover our rose bushes in
Winter to keep them from freezing,
based upon his local climatic condi
tions. The Mayor has said, and I have
beard It from others, that more water
runs over the spillway at the Bull Hun
head works than comes to us through
tho pipes, and If anyone will take the
trouble to inspect the amount of water
running away into the river from our
reservoirs he will hardly be convinced
f the necessisty of meters to conserve
our water supply. j
No doubt everyone has seen the lit
tle dinky reservoir on Seventh street.
In South Portland, the source of our
former water supply. This reservoir
will hold about enough water to give
a Jitney bus a shower bath. This reser
voir took care of our needs when we
were younger, the water being pumped
from the river into it.
Suppose we still used this reservoir,
till pumping the water from the river,
there would, of course, be a sliortagu of
water during the Summer season.
Now suppose someone suggested that
wo Install a meter system in order to
conserve the water supply. What do
you think would happen to him? Then
we have the river with its abundant
supply. Is it not reasonable to be
lieve that someone would suggest that
we could enlarge our reservoir capac
ity and obviate the necessity of spend
ing all that money for meters, and we
would be better supplied In the end?
In my opinion that is the key to the
present situation.
In the irrigation districts large res
" ervoirs or dams aro constructed to
conserve the Winter snow or water,
no as to keep tho flow uniform durlns
the Summer.
By a moderate expenditure a dam or
reservoir could be constructed so as to
form a large lake, large enough to
bold a Summer supply of water at the
head works, and as the same amount
or water flows Into it regularly, the
extra supply would not be drawn on
except when an unusual demand was
made at this end and this would take
care of us for tho next 10 years and
perhaps longer.
By the alternate day system we had
a sufficient supply last year, which
was tho dryest year ever known in
Oregon and not likely to occur again
for 50 years.
Meters should bo used on large
buildings and factories, so that an ade
quate return could be . had for the
water used, and, as suggested by Com
missioner Dleck, it might be well to
conserve the water on the hill where
an extra pumping Is required, but It
would, in my opinion, bo 111 advised to
vote for a general meter system at this
time.
I am Informed that a bond issue was
voted some, years ago for the purpose
of Installing an auxiliary pipeline in
the business section, pumping the water
from tho river, to be used for tire pur
poses. Much good water is wasted In
this manner, as well as a great waste in
flushing our streets with Bull Run
water.
( believe the time will come when
wo must use river water for tho pur
poses mentioned and I would much
rather see a bond issue for the con
struction of such works. The Instal
latlon of such a pipe line would put a
Treat many men to work and would
also be of benefit to one of our Indus
tries that needs' patronage.
THOMAS M'CUSKER.
Mcsro system is co.wl.uxt
Teacher Explain Lack of Science
Hakes Education Difficult.
BROWNSVILLE, Or., May 21. (To
the Kditor.) In your editorial on
Haint-Saens May 19 you ask the ques
tlon "Why in music so much harder to
learn than any of the other common
bit of craft?"
One of the chief obstacles that stands
In the way of acquiring a musical ed
ucation is our Inartistic and unsclen
ttrtc system of musical notation. The
characters used to represent sounds do
not give to the brain through the eve
anything like the idea of the author
of the music, and It Is burdened with
so many exceptions and irregularities
all of which have to be learned ami
which uselessly consume the time of
the student, that the study of music is
rendered about four times more diffi
cult than it should be.
Now that we have practically aban
doned the diatonic scale and have ac
cepted, or rather substituted, the tem
pered scale In our greater musical
creations, mere is no use. why we
should retain the system of usiu;
sharps and flats, which are so confus
ing to the student of music.
Kven In writing for voices, where the
distinction Is made between F sharp
and U llat, there is no need of writ
ing that distinction, because the voices
will naturally make It in their natural
processes in passing from one harmony
to another.
Another thing that renders tho study
of music difficult Is its nomenclature.
Nearly all the terms used to express
the qualities, quantities - and rhymlcs
of music are borrowed from other arts
and are inappropriate and misleading
in their application. For instance, we
speak of a tone being sharp or flat.
How is it sharp or flat? Is It sharp
like a knife or flat like a sidewalk?
The terms are not appropriate.
We speak of a high tone or a low
tone when, in reality, there is no such
thing. Some tones have a greater
number of vibrations -than others, but
that one tone should be higher than
another Is ridiculous. If one person
should get upon soma high place and
produce a tone and another person
should get In a lower place and pro
duce the same tone, the one tone might
be said to be higher than the other.
One of the greatest difficulties that
m.usio teachers have to contend with Is
to disabuse the mind of the student
that one tone can be higher than an
other the Idea of altitude. This Is es
pecially true of those who teach the
voice. The erroneous Idea that cer
tain tones are "high" and that others
are "low" is largely responsible for
the ruin of many otherwise good
voices. It Is also responsible for 99
per cent of the inaccuracies in . piano
tuning.
The dot upon the lines of the stave
do not convey to the mind the idea as
to whether ita neighbor is one-half or
a whole tone distant from it and one
has continually to bear in mind the
places where the half tones will occur.
This requires a great amount of train
ing and one must be well versed In
scale formation before ho can have a
comprehensive idea of the subject and
makes reading music at sight difficult.
What we need is a revised music
ography in which there is neither
sharps, flats. or rests and in which the
true relations of tones, one to another,
is clearly expressed, that a certain
chord shall always bave the same ap
pearance to the eye. no matter where it
may be placed upon the stave. We also
need a new nomenclature, applicable
to tho science of music only, that shall
not give false ideas as to its art.
With this we will be rid of much of
the mystery of which you complain,
the study of music will become pleas
ant and profitable and a musical edu
cation can be acquired in about one
half the time It now requires.
CLINTON A. CASH.
STREET EXTEXSIOX OPPOSED
Bene.rits of Greeley Project for Rank
and 111 Arc Doubted.
PORTLAND May 22 (To the Edi
tor.) Mention was made In The Ore
gonlan recently of extending Greeley
street to Delay street, at an estimated
minimum cost of $360,000, to be paid by
taxing 11,450 lots about $25 each. Most
of the lota In this district are 25 feet
to 23 1-3 feet wide and, as I suppose,
would be assessed .various amounts, oc
cording to location or estimated bene
fits, ranging, it may be, from $10 to
$00 each. If it is necessary for the
rank and file of those who now feel
keenly tho pinch of dull times and high
cost of living to add this expense for
the purpose of saving an hour or two
in a year or two, or adding selling val
ues to the real estate of a few capi
talists, the latter being the corner
stone of the so-called "big project,"
then why not wait until we voto St.
Johns into the city? The people of St.
Johns certainly would be benefited as
much as the bulk of us, if not more,
and certainly ought to help pay, and
possibly would not forgive us if not
invited into the "big project."
About a year ago, when this same
street extension was being urged upon
us by the few interested ones, tho peo
ple hero took their word for truth that
tho range of cost per lot would not ex
ceed t'S to $15 and signed their peti
tions so understanding.
What reliable assurance, have we
with the precedents at hand that the
streetcar: company will not demand
that If we want the extension we must
build it and guarantee the company a
remunerating per cent for operating it?
It looks to some of us as if some one
is getting in an unbusinesslike rush
about this matter.
Please do not "holler" back "kicker"
or "mossback." for that is not In evi
dence. We are always in favor of neces
sary improvements which we can af
ford, but hold it to be a crime to spend
public funds hastily or unwisely.
U. K. TUdvEK.
CANADA WUOSIES TOCRISTS
Idea. Americans Seed Passports Mis
conception, Says Official.
VICTORIA, B. C. May 20. (To the
Editor.) We find there is a great mis
conception on the part of the American
public as to their admission Into Can
ada under the present circumstances.
Our city has spent a great deal of
money during the past two years in
attracting people to the Pacific Coast,
not simply to Victoria, but to the
whole Coast, such as Los Angeles, San
Francisco, Portland, Tacoma and Se
attle. We should be obliged if tho press
in our neighboring cities would help
us to remove this misconception.
We have pleasure in drawing your
attention to tho circular Issued by the
various transportation companies, as
fol lows:
"The Superintendent of Immigration
at Ottawa has issued tho following
statement:
"Numerous items have lately ap
peared in the press advising residents
of tho United States to secure pass
ports' when visiting or passing through
Canada. Inquiry was made of govern
ment officials regarding the necessity
of so doing. The Immigration Depart
ment announces that Its officers are
in no way interfering with bona fide
tourist traffic, and that persons de
sirous of visiting points of interest in
Canada or passing through Canada en
route to other places will be accorded
the same courteous treatment as was
customary before the outbreak of war
and that passports are not required."
This removes all doubt as to the con
ditions upon which tourists and citi
zens of the United States are admit
ted into Canada.
Our association (tho Victoria and
Island Development Association. Ltd.)
representing all public bodies. . would
appreciate very much indeed your co
operation with us in this matter.
HERBERT CUTHBERT,
Commissioner.
DOCTORS AID ORPHAN BABIES
Sinters of Mercy at St. Agnes' Home
Extends Hearty- Thanks.
PARK PLACE. Or.. May 22. (To the
Editor.) The St. Agnes Baby Home at
Park Place, as its name indicates, takes
care of young children, and all who
have in any way devoted themselves to
this line of work will agree that it is
a constant ource of anxiety. Children
in their own homes are always the first
thought of fond parents, and Justly so.
since some day they, in their turn, will
be the men and women of the next
generation.
Often in their tender years and be
fore the ordeal of school life beginB,
they will require the care of a phy
sician, and how grateful the loving
mother Is when the little ones are once
again restored to health!
'If such be the case in private homes,
on a much larger scale is the phy
sicians' devoted care appreciated in an
institution, and particularly on this ac
count, the Sisters of Mercy, who are in
charge of St. Agnes- Baby Home, ex
tend their grateful thanks and appre
ciation of the services rendered to the
home by Dr. C. H. Meissner, Dr. W. E.
Hemstead. of Oregon City; Dr. P. J.
Payne and Dr. J. C. O'Day, of Portland.
Tho poor motherless orphans have
found charitable friends iu the above
mentioned physicians. Many of the
little tots have been operated on within
the last couple of months, having
adenoids and tonsils removed. Dr. J. C.
O'Day being so kind as to' give from
four to five days to those operations.
Those who were old enough realize
the great benefit it has been to them.
and with cheerful voices will always
welcome the doctors' return to their
bright and happy home.
SISTERS OF MERCY,
STAY AT HOME, ADVICE GIVEN'
Foreign Travel Declared to Be En
dangering; Country's Neutrality.
PORTLAND. May 21. (To the Ed
itor.) To those who have not seen a
ship of the magnitude of the great ones
which are being lost ana aesiroyea ,
with such frequency of late years it
is hardly possible to convey an Idea of
them, and even when for the first time
we see them, it is not so real to us
then. - They seem to come out of the
realm of impossibility and to return to
It. Therefore the disaster connected
with the loss of theLusitanla Is diffi
cult to comprehend. Just as the magni
tude of many of the tragedies- now be
ing enacted in the name of war are in
comprehensible to us, bo far away.
Is it curiosity that takes people away
from these peaceful lands to see what
those fighters are doing over there?
Is it a desire to embroil our Nation in
a fight which seems deplorable? It is
at any rate like a lot of little ducks
whose mother is a hen. falling into a
pond, where she knows goblins fond
of little ducks are waiting for them.
We are placing our Government in a
position which is hazardous In many
ways by curiosity and love of adven
ture or whatever It is that causes peo
ple to sail on a vessel whose doom Is
sealed and settled and of which they
are advised beforehand.
Is this proper or ethical? Would It
not be better for Americans who are
really neutral to show it by staying at
home .and keeping out of the fight?
Even ff we do "take action." as Teddy
the Brave advises, where will we take
It? We will get our ships sunk, our
young men killed and we will have a
lot of crippled fathers for our future
generations of men. We have hardly
recovered from the Civil War and be
gun to produce prize babies now. Our
men have regained that loss of physi
cal perfection and we have a good
place to stay in and plenty to live on,
and why don't these venturesome and
curious citizens stay here and go out
on their farms and produce foodstuffs
to care for the children of men who
are being killed and who represent the
future men and women of the earth
and Its human types? We need every
bit of grain, of stock, of textile pro
duction to meet the demand to be made
upon us as the warehouse of the world
and its most dependable country today.
When tho war is over we can ship
our goods, we can sell our products,
and now is the time to go back to tho
plowshare and to the loom and distaff
and prepare for that time which will
come. We can' raise our products and
manufacture them and store them in
their various ways and keep out ot
that fight and away from It- In this
way and perhaps in this way only will
we be able to preserve our neutrality.
American people don't stay at home
enough. Our women don't stay at
home enough. They take the excuse
of "getting fresh air" to cover this
spirit of going about and much mis
chief is occasioned by It. We should
counsel our women at this time to cul
tivate a more equal poise and aplomb
and to stay at home and make it a
place where those who also have it
for their headquarters will want to
stay. We can in this way regain
much of the prestige we need to re
pair public opinion about us and at the
same time have the most desirable
Influence and power to be given to
women and that Is the power of oui
home influence on the community.
Much depends upon our women, in
this particular war, more than in their
activity outside of the home and away
from . the preserving, the baking and
the care of the babies. Those realms
are best ruled by women and we should
realize it- The divorced women of
Rome caused its downfall. We should
not ' foster animosities, lack of home
life and a desire for public activities
and all at the cost of the. Nation's
foundation the home. This is the
peace policy and it will .cause the peace
angel to dwell in our midst even when
other nations are rent with the shriek
of shrapnel and the cries of its dying
youths and men. It is the peace
ground and women should hasten to
take it In the United States of America.
SAFETY FIRST.
MOTIVES CALLED IMMATERIAL
Value of Submarine Attacks Not of
Interest Here, Says Writer.
VANCOUVER. Wash.. May SI. (To
the Editor.) A communication appears
In The Oregonian under the heading
"Best Keep Cool and Quiet, Too." Like
all other anti-American contributions.
it harks back to causes and motives
leading up to the murder of American
citizens by order of the German gov
ernment. Such arguments or pleas
are absolutely Irrelevant. The Amer
lean citizen is in no way Interested in
Germany's motive for committing this
crime.
vv e care not what gain it was to
Germany. Nor do we care what loss
it was to Britain. We are Americans
But two pertinent questions come to us
at this moment: First, is Germany un
der any conditions justifiable in mur
dering noncombatant citizens of the
United States sailing the high seas on
an unarmed vessel?
Second, will Germany give us sati
factory assurance that it will not be
repeated?
The future course of our Government
hinges on the answer we receive to
these two questions.
I would, as an American, say to all
un-Amerieau citizens, this is an Illy
chosen time to express anti-American
views. Surely they can see by the
tone of our press that the American
people are in no mood to listen to un
patriotic sentiment expressed bv rest
dents of this country who are held in
leading strings by any foreign ruler,
prince or potentate. I would there
fore say to them "Best keep cool and
quiet, too," AN AMERICAN.
COLONEL SANDERSON" A GEXITTS
Death Recalls Management of Ex
tensive. Stage System.
STEVENSON. Wash., May 21. (To
the Editor.) A brief dispatch in the
daily press announced the death of
Colonel Jared L. Sanderson at his
home in Boulder, Coloi. the 10th In
stant. He lived to the remarkable age
of 95 years and from the days ot his
early manhood, when he forsook his
Vermont home, until a short time be
fore his death he was one of the fore
most of the empire builders of the
great West.
The lure of the gold fever of 1849
took htm from the driver's seat of
Burlington stage line to the great
bend of the Missouri River and before
Kansas City had a name he chose that
strategic point as the base for the op
oration of the most gigantic overland
transportation concern the country had
ever seen.
From "Westport Landing" he organ
lzed, equipped and maintained a system
of stage lines extending thence to Fort
Scott, 100 miles; Santa Fe, 800 miles
El Paso, 1200 miles, Tucson, 1600 miles
Los Angeles, 1900 miles, and to San
Francisco and Portland, more than 2000
miles. Each of these were grea
through lines with numerous branches
ramifying the country adjacent and
reaching every important town, mining
camp and industry of whatever char
acter.
The Barlow & Sanderson Transporta
tlon Company at one time shortly after
the Civil ar employed 5000 horses.
1200 men and more than 200 Concord
coaches. To manage such a concern,
secure the supplies for men and horses
and tens of thousands of passengers.
build- and maintain stations at short
intervals across plains, mountains and
deserts, keep them stocked with pro
visions and forage and in numerous
instances with water hauled for miles,
and to defend them against Indians
and highwaymen; to repair damages
and losses by the elements and withal
to care for and protect the precious
mails of Uncle Sam, required executive
ability of the highest order. i
The senior partner may have " fur
nished the capital, but Sanderson did
the business. It was his farsighted
ness, daring, industry and generalship
that made success possible. . His eyes
were everywhere. He anticipated
emergencies and provided for them,
from the smallest detail to the largest
undertakings. His pulse was quick
ened by the need of 100 tons of oats at
the mountain- stations before Winter
set in or by a letter from some irate
passenger saying that the water at a
certain station bad given out or wasn't
fit to use, and both matters were given
immediate attention. He went over
the lines frequently and in this way
during the many years that I enjoyed
the favor of a pass I met Colonel San
derson and' learned his strength of
character. While he was king and re
quired bis men to obey his every com
mand, whether they could see a reason
for it or not, he was also a humane and
considerate man.
He looked after the wants of his
employes like a father anticipates the
needs of his family. If a faithful
man became sick he was sent to the
hospital and his pay went on just the
same. If a passenger became sick he
was cared for In the best way possi
ble, regardless of expense or inconve
nience. If a horse became sick or In
jured it received the best of care until
it was fully fit for the road again. He
was cnivalrous toward women passen
gers and gave strict orders to give
them the choice seats, whether outside
of the coach or inside. The strictest
deportment was exacted of all drivers
and drunkenness or improper lan
guage were punished by dismissal. He
was generous also. Many a man could
testily that when he was "broke"
Colonel Sanderson gave him a ride on
the "hurricane roof" and a seat at the
table with the rest. Many an old man
in Colorado and New Mexico and I dare
say in any of the states from the Mis
souri to the Pacific, paid a tribute of
tears as be read that Colonel Sander
son had passed on and prayed that he
mignt make the "home station" in
safety. ALBERT R. GREENE.
SOAPBOX WORSE THAN" BAXJTER
License Given Freak Orators Bad
Advertisement for City.
PORTLAND, May 22. (To the Editor.)
We have been cleaning and painting
our houses, trimming the rose bushes
and in a general way preparing to im
press tourists en route to the Panama
how with our cosmopolitan accomplish
ments. i
A movement Is on foot to banish the
banner hikers that parade the streets
with an imaginary grievance asrainat
ome reputable, merchant, but no one
seems to offer any protest against the
continuous performance of the Sunday
soapbox orator down on the" lawn in
front of our magnificent Courthouse.
Tourists as a rule are exceptionally
representative of the culture and re
finement of their respective communi
ties. They come from localities that
aro represented at their public scath
crings by men of brains. Their orators
are men of high ideals. They use
chaste language, say something, quit
wnen they get through; their discus
sions make for the betterment of the
community and their personalities are
a tribute to the high standards of our
present-day civilization.
Imagine a group of these cultured
sightseers strolling along on the Sab
bath viewing our magnificent pub
lic buildings and. lured by the crowd
suddenly find themselves on the Bow
ery in front of Portland's 2x4 open-air
ireaK, with a face like a discarded
aoorKnob. features that imply a atrug
gle to keep the parole, limbs that re
semble a contest between two matches
a voice that would stampede a donkev
There he stands, smile redolent with
egotism, reet, tongue and arms mov
ng automatically. haransrutnsr th
crowd. He bears about the same rela
tion to the real thing that a cocoanut
aoes to a bald head.
A mere phonograph., all but the
rramework, he reviles the Christian re
Iigion, uses guarded profanity. Jntl
mates that every nubile official Is i
scoundrel and we tolerate it by con
soling ourselves that ."he that hath
evil in his own heart imatrinea evil in
the hearts of others." Under the guise
oi ireo speecn ne poses as the cham
pion or some of the unemDloved. He
uses language that would not be tol
erates in the same location in any of
me iniermountain states.
If law is public sentlm ent rm.
tallized surely 90 per cent of Portland's
population are entitled to soma relief.
Strangers drawn unexpectedly into the
voriex oi eucq a mixed conglomeration
of nomadic nationalities are liable to
get wrong ideas of progressive Port
land. PRO BONO PUBLICO.
RECORD DESTRUCTION'' WRONG
Judge Gatens' Removal of Evidence
Affalnst Children Not Liked.
PORTLAND. May 22fTo the, Fil
ter.) It may possibly do some credit
to the heart of the Juvenile Court
Judge that he tears up 2500 criminal
records, out it can hardly do credit to
his Intelligence. To the sentimental
the announcement of the judge's in
tention and the picture of the judge
with his two assistants encrasred in the
act of pulling to bits the records of the
young persons who have appeared be
fore him is doubtless touching. It may
even occur to this soft-hearted Judge
that he is actually wiping out the
crimes with the records. I have heard
worse logic from the bench. It is a
pretty idea.
But let us consider the thing from
a calm viewpoint. "Frequently." says
Judge Gatens. "parents come to me and
ask that the records against their child
or children be destroyed. There is not
the slightest doubt that the judge re
ceives numerous requests of this kind.
Almost any person prefers to have his
or her offspring unencumbered by a
court record, it is one of the appen
dages that Is regarded as undesirable
by most of the human race.
Undeniably, there is a prejudice, if
not an abhorrence, of a court record.
But when parents, through ignorance.
negligence or badness, fail in the prop
er up-bringing of their children and
permit them to do things for which
they are punished m the Juvenile Court.
wily Bnuuiu ineir BCDumuuuti plea oe
listened -to? There is no disgrace in
having been, a ward of the court in it
self. The records often show that a
child was guilty of nothing but being
an orphan, unfortunate or financially
dependent.
What is the use of keeping records
if they are to be destroyed? What is
the use of wasting time and money?
Why should not Judge Cleeton have the
benefit of his predecessor's experience?
The Juvenile Court records are, as
are any other records, primarily a pro
tection; they protect the judge, the
public, and last, but not least, the un
fortunate little offenders themselves.
Therefore It is the duty of the people
to see that they be preserved. They
should be preserved with dignity and
with respect for the sacredness of the
court- The records should never be
given to the public gaze. The Juvenile
Court should not be used as an adver
tisement nor as a sob-kerchief, but as
a defender of the young.
AN OREGONIAN.
ECOXOJUO FREEDOM ADVISED
Woman Will Then Cease "Selling"
Herself, Says One Mother. .
PORTLAND. May 22. (To the Edi
tor.) I have read with interest the let
ter by Louis Barsee and the answers
that have appeared recently In The
Oregonian and I would like to add a
few remarks to what has been said.
The writer mentions the fact that a
great change has come over woman
within the past half century.. . Indeed a
change has come to woman as well as
to man. In the past woman helped man
rear his children spun, wove and
sewed their clothing prepared their
food, etc But most of the duties that
woman performed half a century ago
have been taken from her and are now
handled by machinery in our large fac
tories and mills. Children are em
ployed to a large extent to run this
machinery. So we see. today that in
stead of woman spinning, -weaving and
making clothing for her whole family,
child labor Is grinding out this food
and clothing; and millions of thought
less women are heedlessly spending
their time and energy overdressing and
overfeeding themselves and families.
forgetting that the children who op
erate these machines are stunted by
their occupations and can never de
velop into normal men and women.
I am glad to see woman taking her
place beside man on the industrial and
political field. She has occupied the
place of "queen," doll and slave and
furnished food for factory, mill and
cannon long enough. Now let her work
with man as his comrade and equal. It
is time she was exercising a voice on
the political field. It is right that she
should help shape conditions under
which her posterity shall live. And
there is no 'better place for her to be
come educated for her political duties
than on the Industrial field where she
comes In contact with the Ills of so
ciety. Thl3 association will cause her
to make a deeper study of the use of
the ballot and will enable her to see
beyond the four walls of her own
household and make her feel that she is
indeed the mother of the race and re
sponsible to all children for their fu
ture. And her mother heart will sure
ly awaken and respond at the ballot
box.
With "more than 1.000.000 jobless
men" why should woman be Impelled
to marry and bring more human beings
into the world to go hungry and com
pete for the Jobs? Isn't it time she
stopped and looked about her to see
what she can do to help right these
terrible conditions In society? What
wonder that the girl who has been
forced out In the Industrial field turns
her back on her sweetheart and shuts
her eyes to the vision of shadowy lit
tle forms and faces and the thoughts
of soft little arms, etc. Tho bread and
butter question of life is speaking so
loud that she cannot hear the call of
love, and so she decides to make her
own living or wait for old Money-bag.
I see no danger to society In the fact
that women are fitting themselves ror,
and successfully filling, positions for
merly occupied only by men. But there
is a danger to society from the para
sitic lives lived by many women who
are kept In luxury and Idleness and
who look on marriage only as an op
portunity to live a life of ease and
luxury. Many earnest "breadwinners
are supporting women with so little
useful work to perform that they spend
their time following fashions, cooking
unnecessary and . unwholesome food
and lavishing their maternal affections
on poodle dogs. Woman's advent into
the industrial field greatly lessens the
loveless marriages. .With other ave
nues open to her and with a chance to
choose marriage and motherhood,
rather than to accept It merely because
It is practically the only field open to
her. we will have better mothers and
better children. And then she will
more readily see her way clear to ac
cept relief through the blessed lnstitu
tion of divorce rather than remain in
marriage prostitution.-
Give woman her economic freedom
and she will cease selling herself for a
home for herself and children through
life, as is the case with our loveless
marriages. If woman has a useful duty
to perform (instead of being a dolled
up "queen." or a slave to passion) she
will at last reach her crowning func
tion in society as an object for the pure
affection of man and the guiding in
spiration of his and her children.
LTHTH M. CANNON.
( Mother.)
BCKRAM SQUINT IS ANSWERED
J. Hennessy Offers Congratulations
and Some Comment
PORTLAND, May 22. (To the Edi
tor.) The following appeared in an
afternoon paper in this city:
Impossible thouKh It might appear to the
surprised world, Oermuny is dubtined to win
in this gigantic struKRia. and In the final
settlement she will claim and take posses
lion of Ireland, and she will so fortify It
that never agolu will England claim to be
mistress of the sea. And wheu there has
been aa complete an exodus uC Irish from
Ireland aa when tt. Patrick expolled the
snakes, then Ireland, undar German control.
thirtt and development, will become the
Garden of Eden spot on this mundane
sphere, the Emerald Isle In perfection.
BUKRAM SQUINT.
I congratulate the well-known in
transigent, Mr. Wacht on the Rhine
commander-in-chief of the Rausmittem
Micks, bis sauerkraut legal advisers,
professors, chaplains and through them
all the Bockwurst Irish, on the holy
cause they espouse so ably set forth by
Bukram Squint and for which they so
earnestly strive for that delectable
future, "when there has been as com
plete an exodus of the Irish from Ire
land as when St- Patrick expelled the
snakes and when Ireland under German
control, etc."
Personally. I don't -believe that you
could smash the point herein through
their hard-surface domes with a pile
driver, but the good Lord is merciful
and if they will but attend the Armory
meeting next Monday night they ma,
Doaslblv leave it with a chastened
mood and conclude that Bukram has
another Squint coming.
J. HENNBSST MURPHY.
AVAR DANGER N'OT BELIEVED
Germany's Exhaustion Considered
Assurance of Peace.
COTTAGE GROVE. Or., May 21. (To
the Editor.) I would like to commend
to the attention of the writer ot the ar
tide in The Oregonian entitled "Too
Weak. Not Too Proud to Fight."
editorial May 15 in the Saturday Even
, lnur Post, entitled "That Invasion."
I 1 seems DLraugo w -1 ucumcuif 111
timed that this persistent outcry and
appeal to prepare lor war oy oattie
ships and armies should grow louc"est
at the very hour when such a policy
seems to profoundly discredited in th
eyes of the civilized world. Is It-
should It be our highest ambition to
convince the world that we are not a
nation of . weaklings and cowards by
parading armies and navies in sight
What nation in the world Is in an
serious danger of believing that we
are a Nation of weaklings and, cow
ards?
Another thing: It seems remarkabl
that this refrain of self-protection
this outcry of warlike preparations,
should grow most insistent at the ver
time when, judged by all ordinary
standards, our danger is the least ap
parent, our safety most secure. Neve
in her whole history has our country
seemed In less danger from foreign in
vasion than it is today.
The nations that might be able to
attack us seem to be wholly lackln
in the motive and the desire. The one
nation which might be assumed to
have the motive and the desire must,
in the very nature of the case, for a
long time to come lack the ability to do
so successfully.
You say "If Germany were not at
war with other nations and if those
other nations did not shield us, we
could not stand against Germany."
Perhaps so. But why not allow the
two facts conceded to bear their full
weight In the argument? Germany i
at war with other nations and not
only is, but will, be till her military
strength is exhausted. Those other
nations not only shield us. but must,
for their own protection and safety,
continue to shield us in the future. If
they do not succeed in sufficiently hu
miliating her In the present war, an
attack on us would afford them the op
portunity they must covet for complet
ing the task. Germany must know
this and must hesitate long before giv
ing them the opportunity.
"Should- we now elect to return the
blow Germany has given us, etc." But
we shall not elect to return the blow,
not in kind at least. This Nation is
not In the mood to return Germany's
blow in kind nor enforce her demands
by war. Nor yet will her course in
the matter be such as to export her to
tne charge of being weak and cow
ardly.
There are other means of enforcing
those demands without appeal to arms,
means which comport better with her
principles and her practices In the past
and with the yet higher career which
she has Bet for herself in the future.
T. W. DE LONG.
METER PLAN" IS CALLED WASTE
Idea of Measuring Out Water When
City Supply Large, Not Liked.
PORTLAND, May 22. (To the Edi
tor.) The meter question being an is
sue before the people at the coming
election. It ts opportune that it be dis
cussed from all angles.
The Oregonian is truly right on the
meter issue. To let each user of city
water have, proportionately, for his
full -need is more equitable for the
community than the purchasing of
meters that cost the city $500,000. and
which bring absolutely nothing in re
turn. To use meters to limit a prac
tical use of water is like restricting
an Individual from breathing a full
ung capacity because another cannot
contain a similar number of cubic
Inches. A waste of water is far better
than a waste of taxpayers money.-
Truly you mentioned but a few of
the "Inequalities" about us in your
comment on I. W. S.' letter. For in
stance John D. Rockefeller has much
more wealth than he can utilize for bis
own immediate needs ;uniess we ac
cept as need, the dog-ln-the-nianger
policy of hoarding and keeping from
others that which Is in his possession,
as the water is in possession- of the
city. John D is running this meter
business to a fare-you-welL Tho whole
capitalist system is founded upon it.
It is not every one according to his
need, in this life, as the good book
teaches us to observe, but the depriv
ing of others without benefiting our
selves.
Of course this plan of water distri
bution to the citizens of Portland Is
not capitalistic. It is quite socialistic
nd may be somewhat anarchistic. The
fact that it opposes our much-loved
capitalist system, of depriving our
selves to accommodate no one. fchouid
lot prejudice us into purchasing me
ters unless our water supply demands
suoh conservation: which it does not,
at least for the present. This man-
made meter system which says you can
only nave of the bounties of nature, re
gardless of your capacity or need, that
which you are able to purchase from
some ono else who happens to be in
possession of it. is a foretaste of that
biblical hell. Defeat the water muter
bonding measure. C W. BARZ12B
HOW TO Willi GERMANY TOLD
Supply Munitions to Allies and Let
Them Do Joh, Suggested.
PORTLAND, May 22. (To the Ed
ltor.) There han been quite a little
talk about the Inability of tho United
States to do unything in case Germany
refuses to recognise the President s
note of warning. The Army and Navy
have both been belittled and the claim
has been made that the United States
is helpless. But we wish to say that
the United States under existing
conditions can wipe Germany as
nation oft the map within four months
and never lose a man. Of course you
will say that this is an idle dream, but
it is not.
It costs a vast amount of money to
carry on an army, in the way of food
and supplies, but with the United
States it would be far different. We
can call for a volunteer force of from
COO, 000 to 2.000,000 men ami guarantee
them a wage of from $3.50 a dfly up
and get the army immediately. Avheri
this army has been assembled It wiil
not be In one place, but all over the
United States, the Government can take
over every public and private shipyard,
steel and iron plant, auto truck manu
facturing concern, copper and other re
sources to make ammunition; then pu
these 2.000.000 men, working at good
wages, to make munitions of war
Then cable England, Franco, Italy apd
Russia: "What do you want in the way
of munitions of war? We will give you
anything up to 60,000 Gatltng guns
Four months active service of 1,000,000
or z. 000,000 men will put enough mu
nltlons or war In the hands of tho
people, who really want to fight th
Germans, actually to overrun and kill
every man In the empire.
But we are satisfied that the Ger
man nation will not antagonize th
United States to tho extent necessary
lor a aeclaratlon of war.
FRANK LEE,
roses arousf: APPIOXIATIOX
Correspondent Finds Artist Nature'
Masterpiece In Portland.
PORTLAND. May 22. (To the Edi
tor.) This is the time of roses. W
see in Oregon's lovely gardens and
parks clusters of beautiful roses
painted in the richest hues by the lav
ish hand of that glorious artist. Nature,
and dispensing -on the soft i r soul
permeating perfumes compounded in
the crucibles of her laboratory.
What flower is more beautiful than
the rose? Tho queen of the fioral
kingdom, showering her favors alik
on rich and poor, and gladdening th
hearts of little .children and cheering
the solitude of some lonely recluse. I
carries God's sunshine and love int
the hovel as well as the mansion, to
the hospital and the prison, and is th
sweet envoy of many a loving message
from lovers to each other, and is also
the gracious sentinel on many a lonely
grave, custodian of our tears and sor
row, yet a fitting emblem of a life
anew. Look around and view the pic
tures, more beautiful than were ever
depicted on the canvas of a painter.
Here we see a deep, rich crimson, its
curving petals inviting one to pause
and breathe a kiss; there, near by, in
sweet profusion the dainty "Maiden's
Blush" blooms' under a canopy of
"Cloth of Gold": there the glorious
"Caroline Testout" uplifts her head
beneath the banners of "La France"
and whispers secrets, borne on the
breeze, to the lordly "Marechal Neil,"
but, glorious above all others, and in
rich profusion among her sister-queens,
we 6eo unrivaled "American Beauty,"
the peerless "monarch of all she sur
veys." MARIE W1TTMAN DIXON.
350 East Thirty-seventh street.
DETECTIVES WHO OWN AUTOS
Secretary to Mayor Tells the Awful
Truth of How It's Done.
PORTLAND, May 21. (To the Ed
itor.) I notice in The Oregonian where
our city detectives all have their pri
vate automobiles. I cannot under
stand this, as they do not receive such
pay as would enable them to afford
such expensive things. I would like to
bad out the system.
O. E. ALFRED SON.
The following information Is fur
nished by W. H. Warren, secretary to
Mayor Albee, The latter Is Commis
sioner of Public Safety and as such has
supervision of the bureau of police:
It Is always a pleasure to answer
honest Inquirers, especially when the
subject is one of such general Interest
as that concerning which Mr. Alf rod
son writes. Not using any names,
hut merely furnishing the Information
asked for by him, the facts are these:
One captain of police has two cars
In his family; a suspicious person
might, not knowing tho facts, think
there was something wrong In this.
One Is a low-priced car which he pur
chased by practicing economy, the
other was won by his daughter in a
contest, which required a lot of hard
work and "hustling" by herself and
friends.
One lieutenant of police has two
cars at' his home, a low-priced car
purchased by exchange for a lot near
St. Johns, the other a touring car left
by a deceased sergeant; his daughters
are under the care of the lioutenant
and wife, the lieutenant being adminis
trator of the estate; the touring car
Is used only for the benctit of the chil
dren.
One detective sergeant has a car pur
chased for htm by his father-in-law. It
being a small runabout.
Another detective sergeant has a
low-priced car purchased by himself
by denying himself and family enough
other things to save the money.
One detective, whose wife works bard
all the tlmo as a public stenographer,
because she wishes to be useful and to
assist her husband, has the use of a
low-priced car for tho reason that r.he
bought it with her own money, while
her husband Is paying for the home.
Another detective, unmarried, saved
enough to buy a car for the express
purpose of taking his aged mother out
for drives to improve ber health.
Still another detective has a small
second-hand car, paid for by himself.
There arc 30 men In ' the detective
division; five have Inexpensive cars for
tho reasons set forth and 25 have no
cars, so that Mr. Allredson is misin
formed when he states that all of the
detectives have them.
Hundreds of thousands of working
men own small. Inexpensive cars these
days, many of whom, no doubt, are re
ceiving smaller salaries than our de
tectives and detective sergeants, so
that there need be no suspicion attach
ing to the ownership of one by a citi
zen, even though he or she may chance
to be a public official.
It is earnestly hoped this Informa
tion may be of use to Mr. Alfredson and
perhaps of some Interest to other read
ers.
GAM BI.ER'S
CHANCr
TAKEN'
Discretion Should Have Kept Amer
ica ii3 OH Lusltanla, Sajs Writer.
THE DALLES, Or., May 21 (To the
Editor.) In The Oregonian I notice an
article by Father Gregory which is so
near my way of thinking that it could
be looked upon as an article from tne.
I wish to congratulate Father Greg
ory. While in a barber shop the other day
there were seven others present, only
ono of whom was of German parent
age, and all but one of the seven
agreed with me on the pros and cons
of the victims of the unfortunate Lusl
tanla. As American citizens every one of
them had a right to go wherever they
pleased on the .high seas or on land
for that matter.' They had a right to
go between the trenches of the allies
and Germans, but they didn't. Their
discretion told them not to do so.
Their discretion for the same reason
should have told them to stay away
from tho warring countries at this
time, either by land or by sea. But
they preferred to take a chance.
They gambled with fate, their trip
was the game, tho excitement of run
ning Into danger and then running
out again was the inducement, they
plauyed their stakes on the card ft
Englihh promises antf believed the card
of German warnings to be the losing
one.
They played and lost. Like ill
other gamblers, bad they been lucky
enough to win out. to run away from
the German submarines (for they ill
expected to meet them) there would
have heen no end to their glorying
about their great adventures and suc
cesses. And, also, like all other gam
blers, when they found that they had
played on the wrong card, burst out
with the ever-rccurrlng howl that they
didn't pet a fair chance.
There is nothing like being open
minded af this time as well as at any
other time, and I write these lines
principally to show that there are
many of that frame of mind. At least
in one crowd of eight, accidentally
brought together, there were seven
who thought that the victims of that
unfortunate ship should not hae
taken the chances.
Regrettable as the whole thing ha3
turned out to be, 10.000 times the mor.t
regrettable part of it all Is the fact
that Innocent and trusting children
were taken by their parents on such a
fool's excursion.
robkrt (bob) wirTTr:.
Stand of The Oregonian Commended.
SALEM, Or.. Mity 21. (To the Edi
tor.) 1 wit-h to commend you on your
editorials In The Oregonian concerning '
the sinking of the Lusitanla. They ably
represent the feelings of the Ameri
can people, despite a few of your pro
German readers. Why was Germany
the aggressor in this war if she wanted
peace? One of your correspondents
says, "Germany has craved American
sympathy with childlike fondness." By
repeated insults to the United States
culminating in this latest murderous
deed, sending so many innocent men.
women and little children to prematura
graves, have they shown their affec
tion ror the Americans?
The exportation of munitions of war
is legal. It is the exportation of guns
and ammunition that has made Krupps
and other firms as big as they are to
day. They had no qualms of conscience
about making widows and orphans in
tho Russian-Japanese war and the
Balkan wars and the Boer war. We all
want peace, but it must be peace with,
honor. The American people are firmly
behind tho President In this trvlrg
time. GILBERT WHITE.
Let Well ISneagh Alone.
Atchison Globe.
Sometimes good luck ts m. result of
just holding to a job.