The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, July 04, 1915, SECTION THREE, Page 6, Image 36

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    TTTT: SUNDAY OREOOXTAN. POHTLAXD, JULY 4, 1915.
mmn
rORTLASD, OREGON.
Entered at Portland. Oregon. Foatofflce as
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PORTLAND, SCSDAr, JVI.X .
THE GLOBIOCS FOCBTH.
On July 4, 1776, the founders of the
United States of America declared
their country Independent 'of England.
They laid down In that Immortal
document the eternal principles of
liberty and pledged for the mainte
nance of the Ideals which they had
formulated, "their lives, their for
tunes and their sacred honor." But
the Independence which they asserted,
though a bright and glorious vision,
'was at first only a vision. It was
made real by eight years of war. At
Hunker Hill, Saratoga and Yorktown
the citizens of the young republic vin
dicated with their blood the principles
which had been asserted by their rep
resentatives. Without the courage of
the men who drew up the Declaration
of Independence and signed It at the
peril of their lives, aided by the cour
age of the men who died for It on the
field of battle, the United States never
would have been a free nation. The
moral courage to assert the right
theoretically must be upheld by the
practical courage of the soldier In
order that wrong may be dethroned
and the human race rise to Its loftier
destinies.
"O Freedom," writes Bryant In a
noble Inspiration, "thou art not as
poets dream a fair young girf with
light and delicate Limbs a bearded
man, armed to the teeth, art thou.
Thy brow, glorious in beauty though
It be. Is scarred with tokens of old
wars." The price of liberty is not
eternal vigilance -alone, but eternal
readiness to defend it. Hardly had
the Republic passed the years of its
infancy when a second war was forced
upon it. The quarrel was none of
ours. The European nations were In
a death grapple over the quenchless
ambition for universal empire. France
was the nation which sought dominion
over the world and the rest of Europe
had united to baffle her power. The
same questions of the right to navi
gate the high seas, which threaten
our peace now, drew us into the war
of 1812. Had the United States not
defended this right as best It could
our country would have bee reduced
to a weak dependency upon the Euro
pean belligerents and our National
sovereignty would have been impaired,
It not lost. The war of 1812 was re
deemed by some brilliant actions on
land and sea, but upon the whole It
went against us because we plunged
Into Its unprepared to fight.
The British sent against us veterans
who had been trained In the long
struggle with Napoleon. We faced
them with raw militia. Our repeated
Invasions 'of Canada were repelled.
Our National capital was captured
and burned. We fought like a rude
country youth against a trained glad
iator, but in spite of our military de
ficiencies we wbn a moral victory.
The sovereignty of the United States
was vindicated and our latent re
sources provoked the respect of Great
Britain even while she routed our
raw levies. Not long after peace was
concluded the United States still fur
ther asserted her independence of
Europe and her right to full sover
eignty In this hemisphere by proclaim
ing the Monroe Doctrine, which for
bids foreign powers to build up colo
nial empires on this side of the At
lantic. From that day to this the Monroe
Doctrine has been respected --by the
European nations, partly because
great regions In Africa and Asia lay
open to them for exploitation, partly
because we had shown In the AVar of
1812 that we were ready to fight for
our principles and. If driven . to the
wall, would maintain them at all costs.
Without the demonstration of our
temper which we had thus given to
Europe the Monroe Doctrine would
have been but a form of words, a
scrap of paper to be brushed aside,
and we should have been obliged to
look on helplessly while our sister
republics to the southward were par
celed out like the native African
states among the greedy powers of
Europe.
The liberty which was won In the
war of the Revolution and vindicated
In the War of 1818 had to pass
through a yet more terrible ordeal in
the Civil War. Up to that decisive
struggle It was still questionable
whether we were a Nation or not. To
some we appeared to be but a weak
confederacy of independent states,
from which any member might with
draw at will. To decide this vital
question four years of bloody war
were necessary. A peaceable settle
ment was impossible because each
side was convinced of the rectitude of
its opinion and prepared to lay down
life itself rather than yield. Such
differences can no more be arbitrated
than the everlasting struggle between
, light and darkness, Ormuzd and Ahrl
man. The opposing principles must
face each other on the stricken field
and one or the other must perish be
fore the strife can cease.
The Civil War, with its blood and
rum, decided that we were a Nation
with a full claim to the loyalty of
every person living beneath the flag.
When Grant received Lee's sword at
Appomattox, sectionalism disappeared
from our history. We cherish no local
loyalties in opposition to the common
Government, we tolerate no division
of allegiance. We are citizens of the
United States, that and nothing more,
that and nothing less. The United
States, with her splendid history and
her glorious achievements, wants no
divided loyalty from any citizen, for.
eign-born or native. The American
with a hyphen must learn that he
cannot serve two masters, "for either
he will love the one and hate the
other, or else he will hold to the one
and despise the other." When he be
came an American, he renounced aj
legiance to his Kaiser, his Czar, his
King, and he renounced It absolutely
and forever. He no longer has place
or part In European quarrels. The
hatreds, the love the Interest of the
European nations are no longer his.
He has become a denizen of a new
world and must accept a new loyalty,
complete and absolute.
Naturalization Is not a mere ex
ternal ceremony to be performed
lightly and lightly forgotten- It la a
change of heart. It la the birth of a
new patriotism. From the day when
he takes the oath of allegiance the
naturalized citizen Is an American
with an American's aspirations, loves
and hopes. The enemies of the United
State are his enemies. The friends
of the United State are his friend.
Bone of our bone and flesh of our
flesh, he must live and die with us
and for us, and the Stars and Stripes
must be for him as It Is for the rest
of us, the symbol of his dearest earthly
affections. This is what the United
States demands of her citizens of
whatever birth or speech and he who
gives less than this, whether native
or foreign-born, is not a citizen, but
a recreant and a traitor.
mrr bo Tirrx - g kixts d r
We have learned, alas, too late, that
it does not do to trifle even in the
lighter vein with the state affections
of some Mlssourians. The other day
we attempted In roundabout fashion
to say that Nature had been so bounti
ful to Pike County that Missourlans
of that locality did not have to work
very hard and could therefore, every
one, afford to take a day off to at
tend the wedding of Champ Clark'e
daughter.
But the part that was obviously hu
mor has been taken by 6ne or two to
be serious, and the part that was ob
viously serious has been taken to be
sarcasm.
As a safety first precaution against
persons totally devoid of humor the
arlcle distinctly stated that the charge
of laziness was not preferred against
the citizens of Pike County. But, be
hold, Mr. Ogilsby Toung discovers an
inference of laziness in the article. Mr.
Young's letter Is published elsewhere,
but one received from another writer
la so charged with epithets and
stern rebuke that it has been sent
back for the alterations he will un
doubtedly desire to make now that
excessive Summer heat no longer af
fects a usually good disposition.
But we would caution the austere
among our Missouri brethren against
protesting too much. Remember the
lady. Some may not know Pike Coun
ty so favorably as we do and may
think it has & dark secret which
makes its sons thin-skinned to shafts
of good-natured comment.
EIRE A LAWYER.
Quite an elaborate explanation of
the mysteries of the "ground rent"
definition in the. U"Ren and Labor
Council single tax measure is .present
ed by Eugene E. Smith in a published
statement. The bewildering definition
reads thus:
The worda "ground rent" a used la this
section mean the highest price that la or
can be obtained In the open market for the
uso of any lot. tract, or parcel of land for
a definite tune. 'exclusive of improvements,
plus the total tax on the (round rent and
plus the tax on the lease. ,
It seems from Mr. Smith's expla
nation that there is a block of land
In Portland which has been rented In
the open market for leas than It ought
to bring and that the terms of the
lease require the tenant to pay the
taxes. It was to reach such cases that
the "ground rent" definition was de
vised. It might be a good Idea to incor
porate Mr. Smith's illustration In the
amendment together with a few dia
grams and illustrations to make plain
er other portions of theamendment.
The measure is already fortified with
a preamble and Incorporates an argu
ment. Election laws presume that
arguments appearing lifs the state
pamphlet shall be paid for. . Here is
a distinct evasion; an attempt to get
something for nothing. Why not add
a few more things that are need-ed
only because the amendment Is ram
bling and Incoherent,
The most striking defect In the
amendment is the confusing double
use made of the term "ground rent."
Early In the amendment the term Is
given a fixed definition; but later the
words "ground rent" are used as ob
viously indicating something entirely
different from "ground rent" as previ
ously defined. The term is applied to
a rental that is something more than
ordinary or commercial land rent and
again is used seemingly often doubt,
fully to mean commercial land rent.
Neither voters nor court could In
telligently Interpret the measure a It
Is written.
The Labor Council have asked for
criticisms from their fellow citizens.
What is needed first is criticism by a
capable lawyer who Is versed In draft
ing laws and amendments. .
TRYING TO "II X- A NEWSPAPER.
An eccentric attempt has been made
to convert the New York Times Into
an anti-suffragist organ as distin
guished from an independent news
paper which oppose woman suffrage
on principle as a matter of public pol
icy. An anonymous correspondent In
Chicago, whose sex even is a mys
tery, sent to the editor a 1 1000 Gov
ernment bond, saying:
I want yon to use tlia amount a fa
ther the anti-suffrage cause. Use your best
juaszrieui ,n me matter, but I mlcht suc-
eeai. iuh you utiuxe a portion in payment
for an article from time to time Hti,n
by men and women of National or state
wide prominence. I observe articles In this
line are riven a place of honor on tne
editorial pace of the Times.
Tne Tlniea refused to submit to this
species of "subtle compulsion." It re
fused to accept suggestions as to what
should appear on its editorial page or
to allow any one else to pay for arU
cles to be printed In Its columns. It
therefore holds the bond for ten days
subject to the owner' right to prove
title and recover It. After that time
the bond will be given to the New
York State Association Opposed to
woman bunrage.
The writer of the anonymous letter
in question Is one of a rather Burner
ous class, which seems Incapable of
understanding that a newspaper val
ues its independence of outside1. car
tlcularly mercenary. Influence over Its
policies. Such person assume that
when a newspaper champion or op
poses a certain measure it does so
from sordid motives and can be in
duced to reverso or modify It position
by the same means.
Newspaper publishers do not claim
moral superiority over their fellow
men in this respect. They do. however,
claim to possess reasonable judgment.
of which tnetr success is the best evl
dence. They know that the largest
part of the value of their property
consists In the good will of the public,
without which their newspaper would
shrink to the limitations of a print
ing plant, office furniture, a list of can
celed subscriptions and a few unre
cewable advertising contracts. The
good will of a newspaper consists in
the public confidence that It will pub-i
linn tne news without color or discrim
ination and will comment on It from
the standpoint of public interest, not
of sordid. Immediate gain. A pub
lisher who was governed by any out
side Influence of the latter character
would be worse than a knave; he
would be a fool, for he would destroy
hi own property. The editor of tho
Times ha proved that he is not a
fool.
ATHlETtS IX WAR.
An Incident of the fighting In
France shows that the trained athlete
can bring hi .strength and skill Into
play id war to great advantage. A
correspondent relates that during the
British attack on the German line east
of Festubert about the middle of May.
Company Sergeant-Major Barter, of
the Welsh Fusiliers, went out on the
right of the attack with seven men.
He cleared with bomb and occupied
500 yards of German trenches, cut
eleven mines and captured 103 prison,
era. Including three officers. . .
A feat such as that could be per
formed only by men having no, only
strong muscles, but highly developed
skill In hitting a mark with a hand
thrown missile. Had Barter and his
seven men been Amerlcafts. we should
have guessed that they were baseball
pitchers, who had learned to fling
the ball with great speed and accu
racy across the plate, 'or fielders
ekllled In putting men out at the
bases. As they were Welshmen, we
guess that they acquired their skill in
bowling at cricket or In pitching
quoits. Many an afternoon's sport
contributed to the capture cf those
600 yards of German trenches and of
those 102 German prisoners.
There 1 no faculty of brain or phy
sique, no acquirement of mind or mus
cle, which does not find its use In war.
A supreme test of all that is In a man
Is made by war, but It ruthlessly
casts away er destroys that which It
ha brought to perfection for Its pur
pose. An exploding shell fired from
a gun miles distant, by a man directed
by, a mathematician who In turn Is
directed by an aviator, or a shower of
bullets from a machine gun operated
by a man who turns a crank, may
have wiped out in a few seconds those
eight expert bomb-throwers, whose
skill Is the product of years' training
with the harmless implements df
sport. War uses such men and yet
destroys them. War is a waster; It
undoes what little good It has done.
BLIND TO TILED OWN INTEREST.
If a hostile fleet should force its
way up the Columbia River, or If a
hostile army should penetrate to the
Willamette Valley and should levy
contributions on the people, from
whom would It make the heaviest ex
actions? Surely from the merchants.
manufacturers, bankers and owners
of large property.
Then surely these people have -the
deepest interest In maintenance of
an efficient force for protection of the
country from attack on land or sea.
Yet these are tho very people who
throw obstacles in the way of main
taining such a force at due efficiency.
If an enemy should come, the first cry
would be, "Call out the National
Guard" to back up our diminutive
army In repelling the attack. That
cry would come loudest from employ
er of labor and owners of property.
Yet these very people object when
employes desire to absent themselves
for the purpose of acquiring the nec
essary skill In military operations.
It 1 not much that is asked of em
ployers on behalf of the National
Guard only that they will not dis
criminate against men who desire
leave or aosence ror tne purpose or
attending annual maneuvers. That is
little compared with what the Guards-J
men give up. They devote two or
three evenings a week to drill and ten
day a year to Instruction In the field,
where they apply in practice what
they have learned In the armory. An
impression seems to prevail that the
National Guard is a mere social or
ganization with -military trimmings.
Let those who. have that Impression
visit the armory on drill nights or
visit the maneuver camps, and they
will form a very different opinion. As
Adjutant-General White well said In
his letter to the Chamber of Com
merce:
The principal benefit to a man nerform-
Inc this service Is the rare prlviiece of coin
to the front in the event of war. to subsist
on bacon and hard bread and faca herdsnlp
and bulle'..
Every employer who obstructs the
work of the National Guard by "tlQ
iraruy reiusing 10 aiiow nis men ij
leave their work In order to attend
the annual field practice is false to
his patriotic duty and blind to his
own selfish Interest. He Is careful to
provide a watchman - for protection
against right-prowlers, but he ob
structs the development of a body of
trained watenmen who will guard
state and Nation against murr.udlut
foreign armies.
General White has done well to
call the attention of the Chamber of
Commerce to this subject, and the
Chamber would do well to use l: in
fluence In bringing Its members to a
better frame of mlr.g.
TIME TO fcaXL CANAL BONDS.
The expected favorable trade bal
ance of over f 1.000,000.000 for the
fiscal year Is a fact. So also Is the
expected Treasury deficit, present es
timates of the amount being $40,000,
000. The immense excess of our ex
ports over Imports ha combined with
the cessation of tourists' expenditures
la Europe, the reduction of Immi
grants' remittances to Europe and the
stoppage of European Investment in
this country to disjoint the foreign ex
change market. It Is bringing to this
country gold which we do not need
but which Europe does need, and Is
piling up i'i our banks money which
business cannot, or at least will not,
employ.
There Is no immediate prospect that
the Government's revenue will in
crease to an equality with Its expend
itures, much less to a point where the
deficit will be wiped out. Regardless
of Its causes and of who Is responsi
ble for them, a condition has arisen
which doc not comport with sound
National finance. II is not to be ex
pected that the Government will per
mit Its cash balance to be much fur
ther reduced by monthly deficits.
Hence step must be taken to replen
ish It.
The Government has means ready
to hand for doing this without further
authority from Congress. Of tne to
tal expenditure on the Panama Canal
$214, 454. 6SS had been paid with cash
from the Treasury to June SO, 1914.
The Secretary "of the Treasury has
authority to Issue bonds for this
amount or for any part of It. There
Is no reason why, he should not do so.
The construction of the canal having
been partly paid for with money on
hand because the money could then
be spared, the Treasury should be re
imbursed now that the money Is
needed.
It was never contemplated that
the canal should be built with current
revenue. It was always expected that
the money would be borrowed and
that until canal revenue sufficed to
pay interest the airhual deficit would
be paid from the Treasury. Then why
not sell canal bonds, make good the
Treasury deflcif-wnd restore the work
ing balance? When commercial psper
I being offered at J per cent, the Gov
ernment could at least get a low a
rate of interest. The money Is await
ing investment and the Government
needs It. Then why not use it? When
the ranal revenue begins to show a
surplus over expenses and Interest, a
sinking fund can be created to redeem
the bonds.
WAR BI STARVATION.
So much has been said about star
vation In connection with the war
that It is as well to get the record
straight. ,
When Germany conquered Belgium
she confiscated the rood upply and
left the population to starve. It waa
saved from starvation by Americans
chiefly.
Ostensibly a reprisals for Gorman
acts of inhumanity, but with a veiled
purpose to starve Germany, Great
Britain -attempt to atop all commerce
between Germany and other countries.
Germany, by mo.n of submarines
nr.; mines, attempt to destroy British
commerce, consisting largely In the
Importation of f oi. She has treated
grain a contraband and ha sunk
grain ships, whether they were des
tined for the military forces or the
civil population of her enemy.
In the light of these fact 1 it cot
rank hypocrisy for either party to
raise a "cry about the other's attempts
at starvation? Either would willingly
reduces the other to starvation If
therebyejt could reduce the-other to
submission and could hasten peaje on
It own terms.
If the victor were ,to win by tar
vatlon. It would only do what the
North did to the South fifty year ago
and what Germany did to Pari forty
five years ago.
Starvation is a recognized weapon
of war against a beleaguered city.
By the same logic It is defended
as a weapon against a beleaguered na
Uon In arms. Britain tries to besiege
Germany with her blockading fleet,
and Germany tries to besiege Britain
with her submarines. If neither suc
ceeds, it is not for lack, of trying.
The only concern of the United
State In this war of starvation is to
see that. In carrying It on. neither vio
lates American right or takes Amer
ican life. From this standpoint alone
we have protested against both block
ades. Both are inhuman, but one la
more so than the other in Its wanton
destruction oMIumtn life.
3- e
RESOVRCES FOR THE EVCL DAYS.
Toward the end of June a retired
California merchant named Merithew
committed suicide In a Philadelphia
hotel. He took hi own life to avoid
confinement in a lunatic asylum. It
seems that he was losing his mind
and proceedings were threatened to
shut him - up permanently. This he
dreaded so passionately that he pre
ferred to die rather than suffer It.
What had unbalanced hi mind we
do not learn definitely from the re
ports, but we may draw our own con
clusions from a passage in the letter
he left for his eon Lyle, "Never retire
from business, Lyle; that is what
ruined the man you call father." He
wrote to the same purport In his last
letter to his wife, "Oh. why could I
not have kept to my business. No
one knows how I hate to leave this
world and my loved ones." Clearly
Mr. Merithew' business was his only
anchor. Cut loose from It, he drifted
wildly on the sea of life and rapidly
ran upon destruction. His business
must have been to him all that re
ligion, the love of outdoor sport, read
ing, art, are to other more suffi
ciently educated.
To many men retirement from busi
ness Is the goal cf their life's ambf
tion. They look forward eagerly to
the day when they can give up their
dally routine In the store or office or
upon the fsrm and pass the rent of
their days in perfect freedom. They
lay many a plan for that blessed
period when money worries shall all
have been overcome and unbroken
liberty gained. They will at least be
able to cultivate the hobby they have
dreamed of year after year. They will
read, travel. Increase the number of
their friends. But to some It seems a
more alluring prospect simply to do
nothing. A person who he spent
year in relntles toilets disposed to
think of rest a the most blessed of
all joys. Like the old Scotch peasant
woman who thought of heaven a a
place where ahe might alt forever In
her rocking chair, he pictures per
fect Inactivity as perfect bliss. No
doubt Mr. Merithew once had visions
or this kind. We gather from hi
tragic letter that freedom from the
oullgatlon of business had been his
favorite thought year after year. He
had panted for It "a the hart pant
eth for the water brook," but when
he at last attained to the fruition of
hi dream It beeame a duct and ashes
In hi mouth.
So it doe to many others. The
retired farmer is not, as a rule, either
a happy or a useful man. Time bangs
heavy on his hands. If he goes to
tewn to live, as he often does, he takes
little part In civic movements. HI
attitude tends rather to be obstruc
tive. He imports the Ideals of the
farm Into the city, refuses to enlarge
his mind to suit his new environment,
and. out of harmony with life, gradu
ally falls Into discontent. Much the
same fate too often befalls the: retired
merchant or minister. The truth of
the matter Is that our United States
civilization has thus far made little
provision for the man of confirmed
leisure, and he almost necessarily
reels out of place. As the years pass
he becomes more and more of an alien
in lf ellng. The breach between the
vision of retirement and- the reality
does not always, happily, yawn as
widely a It did for Mr. Merithew. but
the circumstances of our National
life almost always -tend to form such
a breach. Bustling activity is our
Ideal. We have but scant tolerance
for the man who loiter In the sun
shine, and we have a thousand way
of making him feel out of place.
There Is a time for rest as well a
for work. When this Nation has be
become more mature, and mellow its
philosophy of life a little, the man
who has retired from active eTTort
will not be so alien to our sympathies.
A place will form for him, and In or
der to close his years happily he will
prepare himself to fill It. The great
trouble with such men as Mr. Meri
thew la that they want to eat their
cake and have It too. They want the
excitement and stimulus of business
with the freedom of retirement. They
cannot have both. They must choose.
But It doe cot follow that retired
men must live In complete stagna
tion. That Is what wrecks them.
Empty - handed and empty-headed
from the cessation of their business,
they have no resources to fill the void
with. Art. books. gardening. all
these venerable relaxations are empty
games to them. The taste for such
pastimes was not acquired In youth,
and otd age repugns them.
We have remarked that our Na
tional life has little place or tolerance
for the leisure of re-age. in conso
nance with this lack, our education
make but eMght provision for such
leisure. We school our boys and girls
i If they were to die and be done
with a soon a they can no longer
work. Of the resource which make
retirement happy we give them but a
feather weight. , It is only lately that
inualc began to be tolerated in the
public schools. Art is still an alien
intruder there, and literature has been
made a drudging taskmaster Instead
of a Joyful friend. In our blind pas
sion for toll we call these consolations
of retirement "fads." ar.d try now
and then to banish them utterly from
the school. It Is hard for u to be
lieve that life has any other legiti
mate purpose than grinding drudgery.
When .a person educated by this
lamentable theory gives up hi busi
ness and turns to depend upon his
other resource he finds to his sorrow
that he ha cone. With the business
routine gone, life collapses like a
punctured bladder. It has often been
noticed that retired politician soon
die In the United Slates. . Anybody
who ha lived In Oregon for ten years
can prove the saying from his own
memory. They die because life ha
lost it savor to them. It Is much the
same with retired farmers. None of
their dreams come true. And the re
tired business man Is sometimes
driven by mere vacuity to follow Mr.
Merithew way. If this victim cf a
starved education had been taught In
his boyhood to love muilc. art and
literature and to practice some out
door sport for hi diversion, ran we
believe that he would have been
driven to suicide by threatened In
sanity? It Is the man of one resource
who commits suicide when his life
ha lost Its habitual prop.
THE NATION'S rSErtKBCD CLAIM.
Offers ,ef lucrative employment In
arma and munition factories and ship,
bulldlrif isf.ia. have temrted several
Army vi" Navy officers to tender
their r -agnations. Secretary Daniels
Is disposed to refuse officers permis
sion te resign, end Secretary Garrison
la seeking a legal opinion a to the
right to resign. The present time,
when there Is a possibility that the
Nation may need the services of every
trained man to meet an emergency. Is
a good time to settle this question.
When a boy goes to West Point or
Annapolis, there la a contract with
the Government, express or implied,
that in exchange for his services to the
Nation throughout his active life he Is
to be educated at National expense
and Is to have honorable employment
and a retirement pension. He acquire
special skill at the expense of the Na
tion on the understanding that It Is
to be used In the service of the Na
tion. Only too frequently, after the Na
tion has performed the most expen
sive part of Its half of the contract
and after an officer ha acquired prac
tical experience and reputation, which
I particularly valuable in engineering,
he Is lured away by a tempting offer
from private employer. Good-natured
Secretaries are unwilling to stand In
the way and are subjected to much
social Influence, so they usually yield.
It la argued on behalf of the officers
that the private work on which they
are to be employed will be a great
public improvement, that the Influ
ence of the high standards of honor
they have acquired will be good In
business, and that. If emergency calls,
they will return to the public service.
But the present discussion of our
National defense puts the matter In a
new light. The great need of both
Army and Navy Is offlcers, for both are
under-officered. We need Army and
Navy reserves, but they cannot be or
ganized without a reserve of officers.
In case of war we should need to train
an army of volunteers. Unless we
were already provided with trained of
ficers, we should not have the means
of training them. It follows, then,
that the Government should keep a
tight hold on every officer in either
service and should adopt every ex
pedient to Increase the supply of men
qualified to train soldiers.
An officer who resign to obtain big
fee In private practice does not play
fair with the Government. After he
has been educated and commissioned,
an Army engineer, for example. Imme
diately begins to draw 14000 a year,
and he draws that salary year In and
year out until he retires on a pension.
Had the same man engaged In private
practice, several years might have
elapsed before his earnings would
reach that figure, and bin later In
come would fluctuate with circum
stances. GETTING TANGIBLE RESCLTS.
There ta better prospect of practl
cal result from the latest Pan-Amer
lean Conference than from, any of
those which preceded It. Former con
ferences have been given, up too much
to flowery speeches and resolutions.
Little has been done to put those reso
lutions in effect. The emergency
growing out of the war has driven
the last conference to get down to
the business of providing that It con
clusions be followed.
The conference voted to hold an
annual financial conference at Wash
ington. It voted for the appointment
of an International high commission
to meet in Buenos Ayres November 1,
1815, which should agree upon plans
and press measures In each American
country for uniform commercial laws
and for arbitration of business dis
putes. A plan of arbitration ha been
adopted already by the chambers of
commerce of the United States and
of Buenos Ayres and may serve as a
basis for a like agreement among all
American republics. Permanent com
mittee of United State bankers end
business men are to act with commit
tees from each other country to foster
closer commercial relations. Promi
nent bankers and business men are to
visit each La tin-American country.
the Secretary of the Treasury to ap
point a committee' which will arrange
the tour.
The most Important step In advance
I the preparation for adopting uni
form commercial law.' It la proposed
to eliminate irritating and obstructive
laws and regulations, and to bring
about uniform laws respecting com
merclal paper, bills of lading, classi
fication of merchandise, customs reg
ulations, consular certificates and In
voices, port charges, regulation for
.om morel at travelers, protective legis
lation for trade marks and patents
and copyrights, etc
To prot-jre uniformity of .laws n
al! these subjects among more than a
score of rations is a'.one a great un-den-tl.ini',
on which action by all the
legislative bodies concerned Cannot be
obtained f jr several years. If It should
be ' accomplished, the two American
continents would -be bound together
In a commercial union surpassing even
that of the United-States, for there is
diversity of state law on several of
the subjects covered. The "'commis
sion having this rn after In charge Is
also to carry Into effect all other reso
lutions of the conference and is to
have the assistance of a new bureau
In the Pan-American Union, which 1
to employ expert In each country. " A
permanent committee la also to work
towards putting Into effect the plans
for direct steamship communication.
Having provided for continuity of
work and permanence of organization.
the conference 1 well on the way to
accomplish something definite. Sev
eral years may be consumed In carry
ing out all the plan It has set orf foot.
but there 1 good reason to hope that
the outcome will be a species of com
mercial union bound together the
more closely by community of political
Interest as related to the Old World
and by similarity of political Institu
tions. Unqualified approval of the Presi
dent' course la regard to the war
has been pledged by the United Irish
Societies of Chicago. The societies
also declare it "is Impcrativo upou our
people that they should avoid all
local alliance with those whose
mother countries deny to Americans
the protection of international law.
and whose realty to our Republic la.
In a sense, open to question." No
person ever doubted the lojalty of
Americans of Irish descent, but the
renewal of the pledge Is no Iras wel
come.
The women of Kr.cland seem deter
mined to dlenrove the slander that
their sex Is unmllttary. Mrs. Pack
hurst's demands for "a larger share In
the war" have been conceded, perhaps
for a reason she does n"t suspect. e
Imagine that Lloyd Georce would
(Madly send her to the front as a
Malor-Generat If he felt sure sho
would not return.
It will be difficult for old-fashioned
theorists to persuade women that
"twilight sleep" la not a blessing to
Ihelr aex. The same arguments are
Bsed against It as were used against
anesthetics long ago. In fact, the in
tellectual armory of reaction does not
contain a great many weapons. The
same old guns are fired In every field
Knsltt'jt nsmtrallfv la not likelv to
h lnrlne-J unon. She has little com
merce to be destroyed and her citizens
are cot likely to travel much in tne
war zone, while her geographic sltu-
H.in la far from ths aoena of hostili
ties. In the turmoil the Spaniards are
a little more agreeably situated man
we are.
Archbishop Hanna talks rather
sensibly about the "peace at any price
party." He says It would fade away
were the National honor attacked. It
certainly would. People who cry for
peace when there Is no danger of war
reel very differently when fighting
begins.
That 11,000,000.000 balance or
trade may be embarrassing to the
United State, but It would be more
so If it were on the other aide of the
ledger.
"German gel Krasr.lk." says a
headline. Which leaves reader in
doubt a to whether the German
have acquired a position or a disease.
We don't want to svem unkind, but
if a dozen or two more of thte Mexi
can presidents would pass along mat
ters would be greatly simplified.
In Pendleton the pastor neks his
fold to come costless. Just at this
season It might be well to urge. also,
.he bringing of alarm clocks.
A Chicago phvticUn advises use of
alfalfa for illness. However, for out
part we deny belr.g that sort of an
anlraaL
Owners of bees over in Washing
ton are advised that they must pay
assessments on their hives. Stung
again!
But then the Italian army may have
been forced to hall until a fresh sup
ply of spaghetti could be sent up.
More than 110. 0C0 Irishmen have
been sent to the front. Strange the
war Isn't over by this time.
High Navy officer will not be per
mitted to retire. A verdict that will
make aspiring juniors weep.
And this Is the anniversary of our
National birth. My. what a big child
we have grown to be!
With the Third Regiment assem
bled at the beach we'll bo ready for
any emergency.
The International situation la due
for a few handsprings the coming
week.
This Is the season when we enjoy
last Winter' cooling ruins In retro
spect. Poor old Bryan must realize by tills
time that he's off on another tangent.
Lost The Italian army of Invasion.
Last heard of en route to Berlin.
We certainly are beginning to think
a lot on the subject of vacation.
Dispatches say the Russian navy
has won a victory. It can't be.
The German reply will reach Wash
ington July 9. Will It say nein?
This weather Is provided . for the
haymakers.
However, we shall observe July
nrth.
Cheer up. Cherries are ripe at Sa
lem. But It surely was hot while it lasted.
And the spirit of "7l3 tiU with us.
On to Bonneville!
Gleam Through the Mist '
By Drs Colli aa.
July rawrta.
Muse, (rive the almanac a lew!
It a!mot makes me sob
To see you. when there's work to do,
A-loaflne on )oor job.
Mae haste, make haste;
No tlrae to masie.
For day by dsy Is swiftly chased.
Brine oat my cymbal, harp and drum.
My piccolo and lympasura.
July the yourth must be mr theme!
Turn loose the eac.e: let htm ecresm.
Lat hlra ca outspread pinion f:y;
Crank up my car, iriy llmoetine;
& sure that we have gsc.in:
Crank up ar.d throw her In the high.
And up Parnassus we will fly
On cylinders that anort and r-o
To touch off flrewolks at the top,
Asd eeletrate, tor all wa r moril..
The day that cT eur nation tutu.
There were some men in our tuwn
and they were wonderou wise, and
they stood out ror "safe ar.d sane."
on all Kourth cf Julys, but at urn
schema the children boot the your.
Idea like to shoot, and Freedom t
lory freest learns from sizzling pur.U
and powder burns.
My judgment argues for tie luvn
who stood for "safe and " but
when it comes to aectlrueut my judg
ment cries in vain; my heart anil clam
ors loud to light a cracker fu:l of
dynamite and reels that powder sparks
should fly uron the Tourth of each
July.
But only In the small town in these
degenerate days may children In the
good old way their juMUtlon raise.
Keform, which la these days runs
loose, out of the Fourth has squeezed
the juice, and larger towns must celo
brate In manner quiet and sedate.
Aa quiet as a Sabbath morn July the
Fourth gets ly
This style f erse depresses me. Forclve
my mus acd 1.
If "sate and sane.' teor r-i::3 theme, na.
tlnward. we throw don
And at Ue fount ef poasy s stream the halt.
In terse we dzeen.
The tatteied taenia alde she flinf;
AiooJ tl. e (.relui tnuioi alecs
' Urlve on. James Muse, la bisher thlecs.
r:eathea thete a msa with soul eo !e&
That he beta opened up his head.
And clamored loudly without ceasa
That unrrefaredcesa makes for peace,
W'ho fi-ora sur histortra would puree
The rum tie of the bailie's sure.
An4 fd the ou:h our nstloa s b.epe-
A Une vf weak wtiiie-f eetaer dope T
Tee, such there be: Oo merk them well!
He.-e. a here our brave turetethers tell
in carnese far the creater for
Tr-.-lr unpreperediieu tor a war:
Here where iner foucbl with ail their might
ror Kreedooi, taousa untrained to fight;
Aad stained our ahorea a ftttom red
ivuo blood that need not hate been shed;
rlrr still, one haa to caim his fist
le MH sons prattacc pel(lst.
Oh would some power the git" Sie as,
Te see eutselves as ethers see us.
A Nation whose success hss stuck
less ua preparedness than oa luck.
On, could we see with wndimmed eia.
l'l"n tills t-ourih lay of Jul),
L'jKn our esse no more we'd cloat.
Hut with aa ernt, humbia note
We'd study how wa best m.ht serve
Our weil'iored Nation to rreserre;
Our eara no longer we'd present
To chaps who lisp disarmament.
The Courteous Office JPcy said. "Sir.
with that advice I do concur; and so.
to prove what we stand for, let's both
ao out and shout for war.'
I beat him sharply with a stave and
told him sternly: "Cease to rare! Let
our ona hop forever be peace for
this country great and free."
"Then why have you stood up and
hissed the 'unpreparedneaa' pacifist?"
"Because, my son. to put It strong,
his dopo la plausible but wrong. Let's
boost for r with all our might, and
ready le to back our right for peace
and all of its delight, by belr.g well
prepared to fight."
"Well." aald the C. O. B. "by gravy.
I gueas I'll go and Join the navy."
"When Freedom, from ber mountain be'.ghi.
t'cfurled her standard to the air.
She tore the asure rube of night
And set the stars of clury there."
And through a hundred years and uiore.
In spite of every rorce of i:U
The tiers that frreeuoiu set before.
At-ove our land are gleaming eiU.
And bundrttl million souis todey
atsnd 'r.eath the cory of their tay.
A hundred in.llloa may we stand
And . ledge tudey these bearie of ours
To strive for aa to keep our land
fresh la tne vigor of ber powers.
That sull the stars that Freedom lit.
As g'orlous as they were of-?ore,
t'pon lirr tanner bnglit may s.t
A hundred centuries and tnoia.
e e e
I'd llko to grab a trolley, a
haekmy or a but. and hie away upon
this day to mingle In the fuss, the up
roar and confusion fine, with which,
at Hotneburg up the Hue, they whoop
'er up with fervor gay and boost for
Independence Day.
The eagle never, never flew on wings
so widely spread, as he will flap to
fly away at liomeburg. up lL line to
day. Nor rarer pearla i;l shed their
lustre In the aotig or speech tl".
Homeburg will en.pioy to teach IhS
rising young In just what way w won
thia Independence Day.
Nor will there be a cornet band
wllr blare with half the noise that
will be scattered through the land by
Horoeburg'a good old cornet band and
Homeburg'e brave band boys.
Though every city celebrates ,ur In
dependence Day. and every village Ju
bilates In much the sain old way.
there only Just one place for mice,
where Freedom's smile seem most di
vine, I like to slip away today to
Homeburg up the line.
see
Ob, wake and call ma early, call me early,
mother, dear;
For tomorrow la the happiest day et oil the
glad near year;
Of all the g'.ad new year, mother, tba ay-
est. giddiest date.
And I got a packs gs of dynamite, sad I'm
coins ru celebrate.
e e e
IMesalRge oa thee, little man.
l.reToot boy. with cheeks of tan.
With your little et'ck of punk
And your firecracker and Junk.
That Is just tne s:u:f tor beys .
Wusn they want to inaao a noise.
Zi.ess your joy. nothing dim it;
But please don't forgt tost yon
Cannot put your Joy -f est through
Here Inside the city limit.
s
THE CLOSE or DAY.
across the Western ramparts
Are the crimson banners spread.
As th. suu. In flaming splendor.
Low sinks to his ocean bed.
Calm angels of benediction
Stand the mountains, robed In snow,
Wnil In misty, purple shadows
Vale and city lie below.
Gleams in reflected glory
Afar on cathedral spire.
Like a holy sign from heaven.
The. Cross of the Christ, afire.
Darker the shadows are creeping
O'er city, mountain and dale.
And out of the velvet curtain
Comes the star of the evening, pale.
Lo. now In radiant beauty.
Rides the crescent moon, new-born:
The peace of night la upon us:
Peace and rest for the wea rr-wom.
SaKa ii. WREVNN.
I