THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN. PORTLAND, JtTLT Z5 1913.
PORTLAND. OKEGON.
Entered at Portland. Oregon. Fostofflce aa
second-class .mailer.
Eubscrlpilon Kates Invariably In advance:
(By Mali.) "
Dally, Sunday Included, one year 18.00
pally, Sunday Included, six mont'n 4.5
Jjally, Sunday included, three months.. 2.5
"Daily, Sunday inclutled, one month...
iJally, without Sunday, one year!.-- -9
Xai;y, without Sunday, six months..,. S.o
Iaily, without Sunday, three months... l.5
Iaily, without Sunday, one month BO
Weekly, one year 5',
Sunday, one year... 2.60
Sunday and Weekly, one year. .. 3.40
. (By Carrier.) '
Dally. Sunday Included, one year 9.00
Laily. Sunday included, one month....- -
How to Kemit Send Postofflce money or
der, express order or personal check on your
local bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at
a sender's risk. Give postoffice address In
tull. Including county and state.
l'oittage Kates 12 to 16 pages. 1 cent; 18
to :vi pases. 2 cents; S4 to 48 pages. 3
cents; Ou to 00 pages, 4 cents; tt2 to 70
pages, 3 cents; 78 to 92 pages, o cents. For
eign postage, double rates.
fca-tern .liusinetis Offices Veree Ac Conk
lin, Brunswick, bulldn g. New York: Verree
av Conklin. steger building, Chicago; San
Francisco representative, K. J, Bid well, i2
i'arket street.
l'OKTLAXD. 61XDAV, JILT 25. 1015.
THE I.AST WORD.
President Wilson passes over to
Germany, in his latest note, the entire
responsibility for all consequences
growing- out of violation of internation
al law through the empire's subma
rine warfare. If there was any ex
pectation that the President would
yield any measure of American rights,
or descend from the noble and Im
pressive determination of the original
warning to Germany, it has not been
fulfilled. The message has the tone
of finality, without being either per
emptory or provocative. It closes the
controversy over the facts and ends
the discussion of principles. The
United States Is no longer concerned
about what Germany says; It Is inter
ested only In what Germany does.
It might be wished, indeed, that the
President had laid more emphasis
upon the just expectations of the
United States as to reparation for the
Lusltania crime. It Is to be noted
that,, there is no demand upon Ger
many to right, so far as possible, that
Incalculable wrong; but there Is only
an Incidental statement of the desire
of the American Government that full
reparation be made. Obviously, -if
there shall be no repetition of the
Lusltania tragedy, and if Germany
6hall fail or refuse to accept blame
for her former misdeed, the United
States iwill make the best of the situ
ation, either by regarding the inci
dent as closed or by merely pressing
for a settlement through future nego
tiations. There is to be no break over
the Lusltania; but the sinking of an
other Lusltania will be regarded as
deliberately unfriendly." To be sure.
' The President appears to have
'with full intention broadened the
Ecope of the discussion to a gen
eral consideration of neutral rights
and belligerent obligations on the
high seas. He states most pow
erfully and unanswerably the Ameri
can position. He reasserts the unim
peachable principle of freedom etf the
seas to lawful commerce. He affirms
again In explicit language the rights
of non-combatants to immunity from
attack by any belligerent. He denies
the right of Germany; or of any na
tion, to ignore and deride the public
law, and Insists that the practices of
modern warfare must be made to con
form to the law In its fundamentals.
He notifies Germany and the world
plainly that the' "Government of the
United States will continue to con
tend for that freedom (of the seas)
from whatever quarter violated, with
out compromise, and at any cost."
The Imperial government Is thus
left in no doubt as to where the
United States stands for the future,
even if it is permitted to assume that
there will be no drastic or coercive
action for the transgressions of the
past. It is to the last degree re
grettable that the German government
has not seen fit to meet the issue in
the same spirit of sincerity and
straightforwardness as has marked all
the President's utterances. It is true
that the tone of the German replies
has been friendly, and there has been
manifest a certain anxiety to avoid a
rupture, but through all the shifting
and evasive phraseology of the Von
Jagow productions there has been no
sign that Germany would not in the
same circumstances sink another
Lusltania.
There is nothing substantial upon
which to base an opinion that the sub
marine war on enemy merchantmen
will not continue, whether neutrals
are aboard or not; and if there was
it would have been wholly dissipated
by the attack on the Orduna. Here
was a British passenger vessel, with
no contraband aboard, with American
and other passengers, outward bound
from England, yet she was attacked
without warning without a pretense
of detention and search and, the tor
pedo missing, she was shelled as she
sped on her course. Coming at a time
when the relations of the United
States and . Germany were critical,
how can it be regarded as other than
definite notice that any British ves
sel in the war zone, whatever her des
tination or errand, is subject to at
tack; 'that no notice will be taken of
the fact that she has or has not non
combatant passengers; and that there-
fore no assurance can be felt by
American or other non-combatants
that Germany will respect their rights,
under the rules of international law.
to travel the high seas on peaceful
errands under any flag but their own,
Indeed, it is clear from the German
proposals, and from the German
deeds, that she intends to respect
American rights only when they are
emblazoned and protected by an
American vessel flying an American
' flag; and if such a vessel flying such
a flag shall be attacked and sunk, it
will be subsequently disavowed as an
"unfortunate accident."
The high tone and Judicious firm
ness of the President's note are
worthy of all praise. It is glaringly
obvious that in the diplomatic fencing
between the two nations Germany has
been painfully outclassed; The great
stress laid upon the German admis
sion that her submarine policy to
ward merchant vessels is in the na
ture of a reprisal and that therefore
It is illegal, shows that the President
was as quick to see the weakness of
the German attitude as he is prompt
to advertise its lack of logic and con
sistency to the world. In effect, Ger
many in her scheme of reprisal upon
Great Britain pleads the law of necesV
sity as her Justification for punishing;
her enemy by striking a nation wnicn
is the enemy of neither Oermany nor
Great Britain. It requires from the
United States a concession to Ger
many's superiority over all obliga
tions to humanity and the public law,
iwhlch cannot in honor or. in self-respect
be made. If we acknowledge
Germany's right to change the rules
of international warfare to suit her
own needs in one instance, we shall
be called upon tg make the same con
cessions again and again, as the emer-,
gency arises, and we shall soon be
in an intolerable fix.
IN THE HEART OF CHICAGO.
The Eastland tragedy is one ol
those amazing and horrifying things
which ought never to have happened.
It is well-nigh inconceivable that it
did happen. '
The Eastland was a lake steamer.
used constantly for excursion pur
poses, so that her officers were fa
miliar with the humors and antics of
crowds. Yet while she is lyinir at
wharf in the river, in the heart of
Chicago, she capsizes, and a thousand
or more people are drowned. How
could It happen? But it happened.
The tragedy was without some of
the terrors of the Slocum disaster,
when men, women and dhildren were
consumed in a dreadful holocaust or
were drowned. But it was neverthe
less a fearful mishap, all the more
agonizing because it was so unneces
sary. ,,
Of course, the Government will
make a rigid investigation and doubt
less the owners and the captain, if at
fault, will be punished. No legal pro
ceeding now will restore dead chil
dren to heartbroken parents, or hap
less- wives to mourning husbands. But
it may prevent other such acciden
for 'a time.
THE FRIGHTFCX COST.
The stupendous nature of the Euro
pean war is measured by the cost and
the number of men engaged. It is n.o
idle figure of speech that it Is the
greatest war in history. It is a fact
that nations, and not mere armies, are
at the front. -';"
A German statistician, William
Michaelis, estimates that more than
21,000,000 .men are actually under
arms and that the dally cost reaches
the staggering total of $42,200,000.
The Michaelis figures are:
Men enraied
The allies
12.820.009
8.950.000
Germany, Austria, Turkey....
Total 21.770.000
vVarshiDS enerased
For Germany, et al: Line ships
OS, cruisers ti, torpedoboats
858, submarines 40, miscella
neous 139: total . BSC
For the allies: Line ships US,
cruisers zio. lorpeaoDoaif
704, submarines 179, miscel
laneous 231; total 1,442
Total 2.10S
The dallv cost
To the German Empire t 8,250.000
To Great Britain; exclusive of
colonies (about) . ...i v 8, 250.000
To France (about) - 8.500,000
To the ten nations at war.... 42,250,000
Total cost of war up to April 1 10,000,000,000
War was once the business of mer
cenaries and of other martial spirits
who took it up as a pastime. But
now, alas! it is the chief occupation of
men of all walks of life. The world
ought to be big enough for all, but
evidently it is not.
How long can the warring nations
stand the drain in men and money?
CARRYING THE WAR INTO MUSIC.
The story from New Tork that cer
tain stupendous fanatics are trying to
boycott German music is probably not
without grounds. People whose pas
sions outrun their reason are always
doing just such foolish things. If
some of the grosser sort of these
maniacs had had their way at the be
ginning of the war Professor Muen
sterberg would have been driven out
of Harvard University, but President
Lowell had the good sense to frown
down all efforts of that kind.
We dare say New Tork will as em
phatically frown down these later ef
forts to suppress German music.
Wagner, Beethoven and Bach are not
responsible for the war with its mur
derous horrors. : Music, science and
philosophy are precisely the factors
in German- life which we have all
admired in the past. Shall' we cease
to admire them now because cold
blooded militarism has for the moment
overrun them, as it has overrun all
the other fine and beautiful things of
the spirit?
Suppose we wanted to win the Ger
man militarists back to sanity, how
should we go about it? Should we
begin by condemning indiscriminately
all that the nation has accomplished,
good and bad, divine and Infernal,
lumping everything together without
judgment. Far from' it- We would
begin by praising the good and con
demning the evil. Among the good
things that Germany has given us is
music. This gift it Is our duty to
praise and welcome as heartily as we
condemn the barbarities on the sea.
The New Tork campaign against Ger
man music appears to be particularly
directed against Wagner, who was not
a militarist. His awhole life was con
secrated to his art. He was an evan
gelist of human liberty and one of the
pioneers of social Justice.
THE STATE AND PRIVATE AFFAIRS.
Some of the county newspapers
which opposed the consolidation
movement in the last Legislature, or
at least gave it no assistance, are now
crying out against interference by
state boards with the conduct of pri
vate affairs and bemoaning the high
cost of government. One critic directs
an onslaught at the Industrial Acci
dent Commission, but oddly enough
the criticism concerns something
which does not In fact exist, while real
reason for complaint Is Ignored.
The charges are based upon the as
sumption that the Commission is forc
ing employers who do not desire to
come under the state compensation law
to pay 'premiums Into the state fund.
Yet that is legally impossible, if the
employer formally declares In writing
his intention not to come under the
act. The law is framed on the as
sumption that those who do not de
sire to take advantage of its benefits
will so declare themselves, so an af
firmative act is required of the em
ployer. Complaints that employers
have been forced in against their will
can have no other basis than their
own neglect to assert their legal right
to remain out. The Industrial Acci
dent Commission cannot be properly
blamed for the employer's ignorance
of law or his carelessness.
The real fault of the law lies in the
administrative costs and the impost
Hon of a tax upon general property to
help maintain an insurance that ought
to be supported wholly by Industry.
The administration cost is not neces
sarily the fault of the Commission, but
rather the fault of the law. Nor would
compulsory compensation and actual
"interference" by the state In the con
duct of private affairs to the extent
that every employer would be Com
pelled to adopt the principle of com
pensation and every employe com-
elled to accept it be really so bad.
But compulsory compensation need
nkjt mean that the state shall build up
agreat industrial accident insurance
business of its own. State super
vlsicn, to the end that adequate,
fixeql compensation for accidents
is baid promptly in every deserv
ing case. Is sufficient. It is actu
ally of no interest to the employe
whether his compensation comes from
the fund of a private company or
one accumulated by the state if
there Is no difference in the compen
sation and it is paid as promptly. A
change in the Oregon law making the
state fund competitive with private
insurance instead of monopolistic in
the compensation field, and one or two
other amendments would produce
economy in one branch of govern
ment without sacrifice of efficiency.
But there comes in connection with
the criticism of the Industrial Acci
dent Commission the averment tnat
practically all the present state com
missions in Oregon might be abolished
without Injury to the welfare of the
state. This is so extravagant an as
sertion that it needs no reply. There
is room, however, for consolidation of
commissions. This was one of the is
sues of the last political campaign.
Public sentiment in favor of such re
trenchment was emphatic and wide
spread, yet the Legislature signally
failed to do its full duty in the matter.
It is not likely that there has been
any material change In sentiment. Nor
is it hardly to be doubted that if the
Legislature continually fails to act the
people will seek relief through the in
itiative. This Is one species of legisla
tion that properly should go through
the State Assembly, where the statutes
in the formative period are subject to
the wiser influence of larger counsel.
Yet the initiative is designed to secur
for the people the things they demand
that the Legislature refuses to give.
It is a clumsy implement for enacting
detailed statutes, but it certainly will
be used unless the Legislature is more
responsive.
THE SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION.
People in middle life can remember
when the Smithsonian Institution at
Washington was our only foundation
consecrated to the "extension and dif
fusion of knowledge." Henry Mc
cracken, former chancellor of New
York University, is now able to enu
merate several of the same kind in
an article contributed, to an Eastern
paper. The best-known a-re the Car
negie and Rockefeller foundations,
whose wealth and enterprise have be
come proverbial. '
High school principals of fifty
years ago dwelt fondly upon the mul
tiplied erudite activities of the Smith
sonian Institution in talks to their
pupils. The foundation was then
comparatively young, only twenty
years old, and Intelligent men were
profoundly Interested in what it was
doing. To Americans of that day the
extension of knowledge" was a nov
elty. Our schools and colleges were
engaged in teaching what had been
known for centuries. It seemed star
tling, almost perilous, to think of add
ing anything new to the venerable
treasure. But this was what the
Smithsonian Institution set out to do.
Its founder, James Smlthson, was
the Illegitimate son of the first Duke
of Northumberland. He must have
been a man of extraordinary intelli
gence, but he was not a money-maker.
His wealth came by bequest and he
left It to a nephew with the stipula
tion that In case the legatee had no
heirs it should go to the United States
Government to "found at Washington
an Institution for the extension and
diffusion of knowledge." . The money
came to this country in due time and
Congress, with quite unexpected fidel
ity, carried out ' the . wishes of the
donor.
The Smithsonian Institution has al
ways had a distinguished scientist for
its managing secretary. Such men as
Joseph Henry, a great electrician, and
S. P. Langley, - the Inventor of the
aeroplane, have served In that capac
ity. The "Smithsonian Contributions
to Knowledge," published at conven
ient intervals, contain investigations
in almost every field of . research.
Many of them have been made in co
operation with Government depart
ments. PREPAREDNESS AND HEALTH.
Men whose interest Is centered In
the problem of military preparedness
should, if they can find time for it,
give a moment's thought to the lack
of physical stamina among our citi
zens of the age to bear arms. It is
difficult to see how ships and guns
can be of much use without able
bodied soldiers to. handle them. The
progressive decay of our physical vigor
as revealed by report after report
from great medical authorities is ap
palling. The latest is from E. E. Rit
tenhouse, president of the Life Exten
sion Institute, which has made physi
cal examinations of CiOOO.OOO em
ployed males, that Is, of wage earners.
Since this is the class from which
most of our troops must come in case
of war his figures are portentous, and
they apply directly to the problem of
preparedness, inasmuch as the aver
age age of those examined was 30
years, the time of life when a soldier
should be in his prime. Dr. Rltten
house says that of these E, 000, 000
wage-earners no more than 3 per
cent were found to be entirely normal.
All the rest, or 97 per cent, were suf
fering from some defect or disease.
Of course not all their ailments
were serious. Some were very slight.
With these minor, or trifling, physical
defects, 3 8 per cent of the men were
suffering. It stands to reason that
these little troubles must Impair their
efficiency In the workshop and would
hinder their activity in the field, but
they are negligible in comparison with
the next display that Dr. Rittenhouse
gives us. He says that 81 per cent, or
more than half, of the 5.000,000 work,
ingmen who had been examined, had
"moderately important defects" which
needed immediate medical attention,
and did not get it. The remainder of
the group, some 400.000 men, suffered
from "serious impairments."
This condition of things would be
discouraging enough in itself, but
there is worse to follow. Not only Is
the physical stamina of our population
dangerously undermined, but the evil
is progressively increasing. The death
rate among men of military age out
runs the growth of the population
with discouraging speed.
' In the United States 410,000 persons
die every year of diseases which
should be confined to the period of
"old age." But. most of these persons
are not old when they succumb.
Many of them are under 40, and of
this number more than four-fifths
could be saved from premature death
by timely medical treatment. Why
do they not obtain it? Some of them
fair through sheer carelessness, some
through Ignorance. But for the ma
jority we must seek some other rea
son and we need not look far to find
it. They succumb to the effects 'of
curable disease because they have not
the means to pay a good physician
for proper treatment. And if we wish
to discover the cause of the lack of
physical stamina among uur wage
earning population we must pursue
our quest in the same direction. Just
as the best-bred steer In the world
grows up a weakling dwarf if-he is
insufficiently nourished, so the Ameri
can workingman develops Into a man
abnormally susceptible to disease for
want of sufficient nutriment.
We have beerftold many times over
by great medical authorities that our
working population, the true founda
tion of the National defense, subsists
on Improper and inadequate food. Add
to that poor shelter and clothing which
does not clothe and we find plenty of
reason for Dr. Kittenhouse's statistics.
An army enrolled from a population
reared on famine rations would stand
but a feeble chance of success against
such battalions as Germany sends into
the field. The. foundation of Ger
many's military prestige is the scien
tific care she gives to the welfare of
her laboring population.
Goldsmith saw pretty deeply into
this matter when the drift of Eng
land's population toward the city and
the sweatshop first began. "Ill fares
the land, to hastening ills a prey,"
wrote the wise poet, "Where wealth
accumulates and men decay." The
whole of Goldsmith's "Deserted Vil
lage" may be read with edification In
connection with Dr. Kittenhouse's ap
palling statistics.
DANCING AT PINE GROVE.
It is pleasant to. read that . the
women of Pine Grove Grange, near
Hood River, have made plans to con
duct a Friday afternooi dancing class
ror their children. In some commu
nities a great deal of fanatical preju
dice must have been overcome before
the grange would have tolerated any
such wholesome arrangement. We re
member reading last year of a grange
somewhere in Eastern Oregon that
lost Its best musician because some of
the members wished to dance to her
playing. She ought to have been flut
tered, but superstition was too strong
for common sense in her mind.
If the Granges, as a rule, paid more
attention to innocent and wholesome
amusement for the young they would
probably flourish better than they do.
It is sometimes possible to attract
boys and girls by ministering to the
spirit of mirth when unmlngled doses
of grave discussion repel them. Rural
life needs generous and healthy pas
times more than almost anything else.
It has had plenty of experience of vice
and neighborhood quarrels, but very
little of real, whole-hearted fun. In
fact, anybody who tries to Introduce
hygienic mirthfulness into a rural
community usually has to contend
with the ingrained belief that fun Is
wicked.
We should dislike to have to esti
mate how much misery this supersti
tion is responsible for. Young people
are literally compelled by nature to
seek enjoyment If Its innocent forms
are forbidden they will Inevitably turn
to those which are objectionable. Ex
perience has demonstrated this so
often that the lesson should need no
repetition, and yet we find very few
rural communities where amusement
for the young Is adequately provided.
The week-end baseball games now so
common among farmer boys are an
encouraging sign of the times, but
baseball Is not played in Winter and
at that season the sturdy youths have
no resort but the poolroom, the dive or
the blind pig.
In any village where there are two
churches It would pay heavy moral
dividends to dedicate one of them to
wholesome sports for the young.
The Lord would be far better pleased
by .these exercises than by a Jejune
ritual served out by a half-starved
minister.
HOI AN DESTINY.
The other morning The Oregontan,
casting a pensive eye over the world
and Its goings-on, remarked that
"man is the same old animal he was
five thousand years ago." Upon pe
rusing this reflection. Andrew J.
Marker was moved to write some ob
servations concerning human destiny,
which he published in the La Grande
Evening Observer. Mr. Marker's
temperament Is enviably optimistic.
He discerns in the European conflict
"the birth-throes of a new develop
ment." Above the roar of cannon he
hears "the rustle of angels' wings."
Though man's hands "are smoking
with blood, he is still the child ot
divinity and the darling of destiny."
"The future of man," thinks Mr.
Marker, "is not to be estimated so
much by what he is as by what he
hopes to become." Again we read
that "man had a divine origin," and
"as a spirit he is on the gain." To
demonstrate this spiritual gain we are
told that "the hand that once wielded
the warclub has become the hand of
Raphael and Michelangelo. The voice
that once accompanied the tom-tom is
now the voice of grand opera." and
we are reminded that "he has cut
through vast Isthmuses and subdued
the chafing oceans," with a good deal
more of the same sort which is
familiar to auditors of Fourth of July
orations.
As to the "new development" that Is
to come out of the big war we can all
agree that after the present state of
things something else will follow. It
may be better in some respects. It
may be worse in many. There Is no
ground for hope that diplomacy in
settling Europe after this war will
depart from its ancient habits and
proceed according to the rules of Jus
tice or even of commen sense. "The
thing that hath been it is that which
shall be and that which is done is
that which shall be done, and there
Is no new thing under the sun." There
have been "new developments" after
every great war, but what has come
of them except preparation for the
next war? "What profit hath a man
of all his labor which he taketh under
the sun?" The faculty of hearing
angels' wings rustle above the battle
field Is extremely pleasant. Would
we all had It! But there is little evi
dence that the angels have ever ex
erted themselves to stop the slaugh
ter. On the contrary, our best
authorities assure us that the super
natural powers are active partisans
and may be relied upon by both the
combatants to help slay the enemy.
It Is quite possible, therefore, that Mr.
Marker misinterprets the Intentions of
the angels whose wings soothe him so
agreeably. They may have guns In
their hands. Concerning man's origin
little can safely be asserted or denied.
If we choose to call It divine nobody
can punish us for doing so. Man's
conduct during his ' long career on
earth is far more Interesting than his
ancestry and that conduct contains
very little to encourage the belief that
he "Is the darling of destiny." There
is a great deal more evidence that
he is the sport of malignant demons.
We wish Mr. Marker had been a trifle
more explicit about the ""spiritual
gains" that man has made In the
process of his evolution. So far as we
can perceive the hand that wielded
the warclub of old now wields a mi-
chine gun, and the spiritual gain of
the change Is not self-evident any
more than it Is in regard to the voice
"that once accompanied the tom
tom." That 8a me voice Is now accom
panying a Jewsharp In the trenches.
Man's material achievements, which
Mr. Marker gloats over at great
length, simply reaffirm a' quotation
that he makes from Goethe without
seeming to feel Its force. "Man," eays
the author of "Faust," "grows more
acute, more clever, but not happier or
better." The Greeks could not have
built the Panama Canal, but they could
have ravaged defenseless nations Just
as modern powers do. Man has al
ways seen the future in a roseate
glow. He "never is, but always to
be blest." He has always reasoned
In his troubles precisely as Mr. Mar
ker reasons now. It is not realities
that count, but hopes and aspirations.
Only dream hard enough and your
dream will become a fact. Keep on
wishing and In the course of time
your wish will be granted. Now U Is
right here, as it seems to us, that we
find the key to man's perennial misery.
He has always, like Mr. Marker, been
trusting In golden rhetoric, in dreams.
In airy hopes, which comes to the
same thing as saying that he has
trusted In the angels and fairies, and
his reward has been the everlasting
renewal of disappointment.
It Is undeniable that man has
achieved some things that might bet
ter his condition. We doubt if they
ever have in any essential respect, but
they might If he knew how to use
them. These things have not been
won by listening to angels' wings or
aspiring to a happier future. They
have been won by hard and persist
ent labor, cither mental or physical.
The human hand guided by the hu
man brain has gone far toward mas
tering the forces of nature. Most of
them are harnessed and are toiling at
our command. But tolling for what
To feed the widow? To clothe and
Bchool the orphan? To develop a
sturdy and healthy body of citizens?
Not by any manner of means. The
natural forces which we so proudly
drive In harness are tolling at the
business of slaughter. Of those works
of man's Intelligence we can say. as
the preacher did of everything under
the sun. that they are vanity and vex
ation of spirit, and feel that are
using the most moderate language.
There Is no question about man's
ability to do things. He can do all
Mr. Marker and the Fourth of July
orators specify and a great deal more
that they never thought of. but what
of it? To go back to Goethe's ques
tlon, is he any happier or better for
it? The trouble Is that the minute he
has done anything with his hand and
brain he turns away to dream about
the angels, leaving his work to be
"swiped" by some kaiser or king or
other watchful magnate. He never
thinks of using his conquests for his
own happiness, and therefore happi
ness never flows from them. It is
literally true, and It can be proved by
a thousand Instances, that most of
man's Inventions have been turned
into instrumentalities of oppression or
misery because he has not cared
enough for himself to use them for his
welfare.
Th l nn truth after all. in the
report that members of the British
Parliament would contribute all sal
aries and allowances. We thought not.
"Carrania Takes Naco." says a
headline. After reading farther we
were disappointed to learn that Naco
Is a town, not a deadly poison.
A total of 3500 iron crosses has
been awarded German heroes. And
something like 100 times that num
ber of little wooden crosses.
When the Bryan Presidential boom
Is launched, as we have no doubt It
will be in due time, a dull, sickening
thud will be the only result.
Trifle warm of late. But not warm
enough to prostrate any one. We
never have any of that "real weather"
In Western Oregon.
American tourists who will visit the
Columbia Highway will find no cause
to complain that the war has shut
them out of the Alps.
About time for the Czar to make
another visit to the front. However,
our advice to the Czar is that he keep
away.
The season draws nigh. when our
own casualties will rival those in Eu
rope. The deer hunters are mobi
lizing.
Oregon's Navy will steam to sea to
morrow . to put on the finishing
touches of training for any eventu
lity.
Miss Jane Addams avers that the
war must end. And so It will as soon
as it has been thoroughly fought out.
Another thing to take wlth'you on
your vacation: Full Instructions on
how not to start a forest fire.
Mexico continues running things
with a high hand, despite warning No,
578 from the Administration.
"Heat drives man insane." reads a
dispatch from the East. Out here the
heat merely makes us mad.
Japan Is increasing her navy. We
are still talking about doing some
thing similar.
Now what will we do when Ger
many sinks another cargo of Anierl
can citizens?
No doubt Moscow will become the
new German objective In the eastern
war zone.
Thaw says he is still without plans
for the future. Probably always
will be. .
Make the most of watermelon time
The luscious Oregon product la on the
market.
The German war saw Is cutting the
Russian army off from Warsaw.
Gee! They're beginning to estimate
next year's tax bill- already.
Don't you do It again, Wllhelm, or
we shall become nettled.
Teddy's out already on a blood and
thunder platform.
Dee-llghtful! We refer to the
weather.
No doubt Caruso Is at the Italian
front.
These are the real swimming days,
The Shadow of a Flag
(From an address delivered bv Will H.
Thompson, of Seattle, at the banquet of the
Sons ot the American llevoluuon. Portland.
July 20.)
All the world loves a flag. Since
men began to gather themselves intj
tribes and nations they have fashioned
symbol to represent the public au
thority, and the flag has long been
the favorite symbol.
For more than 5000 years It haa
sheltered homes and guarded the passes
ot frontier lands. It has been the
highest expression of power. "Terrible
as an army of banners. comes the
Hebrew tribute out of Immemorial
years. The Egyptian carved his flag
In granite, where It vet holds Itself
aflaunt. above the dust of long-forgotten
kings. In tunneled tombs where
no wind blows.
No other symbol has ever so ap
pealed to men. No other Insensate
thing has evoked such tumults of ac
claim, or led such multitudes.
Just why nations, civilized and bar
baric, have so loved their flaga. has
not been written. From the time the
young banner la unfurled at the birth
of a nation, to the last hour ot na
tional life. It la cheered aa the peo
ple's gonfalon. Even lone after national
existence ceaaes. the sight of the lost
flag will bring a flush to manly
cheeks and wet brave eyes, unused to
teara. Tnere are In I'oland now, hidden
in aecret place, flags that waved when
Sobterkl was king.
J can well remember when a sum.
gi ay-clad boy. but a few weeks over
1 years of age. aick and wounded.
trudging homeward from Appomattox,
after week of Intolerable hunger and
blinding headache. and heart that
ached more than the head, with three
companions, sat down In the dust and
shea of 6hf rman'i awful path and
divided a small siuar of bunting
which one of them had torn from his
regimental flag and. ".ilJdt-n in his
bosom, had borne It away from the
Held of his last despairing battle.
Foolish," you say? "Foolish teara for
broken toy." It may be so. And
yet. you shoul.l remember lhat they
had followed It where angels might
fear to tread. i
How much It meant to them you
will never know. The smoke of hiloh
was upon It. It was scorched with
flame at the cannon's mouth In Cliica
mauga's splintered woods. In the
wilderness It was splotched with the
best blood of the aona of those cava
liers "who rode with Spotswood
round the land and Haleigh round t.is
." No wonder that Father Ityan'a
moan for the "conquered banner" la
yet a tragic whisper.
The appeal of the flags of lost na
tions, after no handa are left to up
hold them. Is powerful yet, and stirs
the hearts of even ua satisfied and
patriotic Americana. I think, and I
trust that you will agree with me, that
It would be worth a long and hard
pilgrimage If. at the end thereof, one
might find, folded away in some old
tomb or temple, the flag that the des
ert warriors waved, when through the
I'almyreun gates Zcnobla rushed upon
the Roman swords and lost to Aurelian
her freedom, her kingdom and her
crown.
How a flag will speax though It '.ias
no tongue? liow greatly a certain
Georgian boy, now grown gray with
years, would prize and cherish, and
guard and keep, a foeman's flag that
moved up through the breast of battle
and was planted by strong hands
against the flimsy log breastworks at
the bloody angle. Upton and Ills he
roic men brought it there.
Its folds were riddled and Its staff
was splintered, but It placidly waved
above friend and foe alike, whose bay
onets were tangled together above t he-
works. And once the shadow of the
foeman's flag fell upon the young
Georgian's face, and as he looked up
hla '.leart gave a startled leap as he
saw that Georgia's star waa on the
old banner yet.
Does It mean nothing that In the
hour of Immeasurable strain such - a
thouttht should have been born In Oe
shadow of the flag. Was It only the
delusion of a disturbed and awestruck
boyish mind? Or waa It the past of
the nation whispering? Were not the
c'.ieers of Tlconderoga and Yorktown.
of Monterey and Chapultepec fluttering
Its folds aa the radiant thing stood
in the shriveling mouth of hell and
waved and waved?
I forego the attempt to call the roll
of the fine elements that enter Into
the idolatrous worship of men for the
flaga that are the objects of their
devotion, but leave that to later time,
and to some one equal to a loftier
scholium.
A flag bespeaks a nation. If a na
tion stands for freedom. Its flag Is
the emblem of liberty. If the nation
stands for power only. Its flag becomes
the emblem of tyranny.
We Americana, proudly, and I think
with truth, honor our banner aa the
emblem of the truest and noblest peo
ple that ever sought to organize liberty
under forma of law: dwelling apart
from crowns and thrones, on this
"fairest aide of the great round earth.
as it swings In the smile of God."
Thla spirit of nationality, well aym
bollzed by frenzied loyalty to a na
tlon s flag, ts bom a lofty and a
dangeroua thing. The proud pom of
republic or empire that says: "every
thing for our people, nothing for thoi-e
beyond the border." la as wrong as It
la i angeroua.
Thla excessive spirit of nationalism
Is today the central figure In Eu
rope's awful delirium. Some of the
mad nations are more to blame than
others, but all the great powers have
been looking with hungry eyes upon
lanos not yet their own.
From Mecca to Victoria, from Ven
ice to Archangel, the nations. In the
cause of greater nationality, are feed
gin thelr aona to the mouth of the Mar
tian Minotaur.
"My country, better than yours! My
deatlny greater than yours! My cul
ture higher than yours! A place In the
sun for me. but not for you!" These
are the cries that the rifles are speak
Ing. and the cannon have thundered
them until their brutal lungs are
hoarse.
They, drowned the wall of murdered
Belgium as the roar of a storm-tossed
ocean would hush the whimper of
dying child. Some day this fever of
nationalism must eool. No Imaginary
line can make one man better than
another. The shadow of no flag should
be a sanctuary for one and a menace to
another. Yet because of this mad
spirit of nationality the earth Is drink
Ing blood with a hot thirst that no
wild reveller, no Omar crying "Wine!
Wine! Wine!" could ever match or
mock.
. e '
This is your land and mine. Its
symbol Is full of meaning. The blue
of heaven is upon it. It is striped with
the rose-red of lofty passion, and the
lilted white of peace.
The comrade stars assembled -upon
It are bound In a mighty bond of In
dissoluble brotherhood, and no star
differs from another star in glory. I'n
der Its mighty shadow, here at the
world's western gate and at the high
tide of time, we sunl and watch and
wait.
They were few who gave our flag
to the winds of freedom, but "we are
many, we who hold the grim resolve to
guard It well.
It shadows the richest and fairest
domain that man haa won from the
wilderness. No better land, no realm
more beautiful, has earth's thrilled
bottom' lifted to the pun since hJ be
gan the building of the hills. We hoe
that thn careworn, patient man. to
whom we have confided Its vast dea
tiniea. may keep our flag in the clear
iky out of the smoke and flame of a
delirious world. But. whatever fate
wills, we will stand by the land and
Ita homr. and unoer tne shadow of Us
dauntless flag wave w litre it ruay,
Gleams Through the Mist
By foesm I'eUlaa.
The Beach Nat.
When that In mid-July the showers scoot
And dry becomes the lawn's unwstered root;
And a:i the vines unbathed by any shower
Require a hose to aoaz out growth of
flower;
And little birdies make their melody
To ope your eyes each morn at half past
three:
And Zephyrua, we hall her gentls breath.
Which saves trim roasting utterly to death;
The crops within Ihs field beneath tha aun
Ars toasted brown and harvesters are run:
Then Nature stirs one up and ha engagea
A ticket good for week.end pilgrimages.
And rambles oft to seek the lovely strands
Where broad Pacific laves her ahtntnc sands.
But mostly folks from Portland, who would
spend
Week-ends at beaches, down to Seaside wend
The blest reller of briny air to seek
And do so at lea end of every week.
So. Muss, pack up my aultcase and your crip.
Pack up my harp, my collars and my
aocks;
Tack up my poet's wreath and snap t s
locks.
And let us take a Seaside, beach nut trip.
Haste, for the train Is tootlns at the station,
Ths week-end crowd most all the seats
Is taking.
And mmy mors ars toward tbs station
senile Muse, with your perambula
tion. e
Ho. there, a ticket for me and my Muse!
Please check my harp, my crip and my
!yrs.
AIM ths wreath thst 1 frequently use!
Tickets to Seaside are what 1 require
And. say, by the way. when I'm going dovi
there.
I do think the Mure should be given halt
far.
see
If seats upon the train be few. Just
stand within the aisle, or alt in some
one's lap. "Twill do the moments to
beguile. And do not growl about tha
crowd and do not grumble right out
loud: be rather thankful, glad and gay
you're on the train ar.d on your way.
s a
Who Is on ths week-end?
Who. oh. who?
On ths Friday anesk-end
To the ocean blue?
Bank clerks and millionaires;
Salesmen from the stores;
School -martna who lug their carsa
To the ocean's shores;
Waitresses and suclal buds;
Everyone In Summ.-r duds.
Ksnr'ful and r.ew;
Who la on the week-end.
On the Friday snesk-end.
Who, oh. who?
e
"Sir." said ths Courteous Office Boy.
as he hopped on the train, "let me go.
too: don t spoil my Joy nor make my
hopes In vain."
"No. boy." I cried, "you may not
go."
"Twere better that vou yield, or
I would have you for to know. I'll
spoil your pome." he squealed-
'How soT 1 queried.'
Well." aid he. -I'll lust stick hers
and plead with thee until my plead
ings growing volume has used almost
your whole blamed colyum. Thus will
your Searlde trip be vain. you wont
have room left on the page to do much
more than start youi train "
"Come, get aboard!" 1 roared In rage,
e
"Oh. Isn't Nature wonderful? Don't you
Just lovs ths sea?
I met a lovely, lovely maid, who spoke
thuswlss to rat
(Ms thought: "The maid Is passing fair!")
"Oh. yes. I said. "I like the air:
Come, let ua stroll upon the shore
And listen to tha breakers roar!
Ive Just been hers two days.' she said, aa
by my aids she strsyed.
"And I have Just seen everything!" (She
was a lovely maid.)
"I met a fellow on ths beach
Who said tee-hee I was a peach.
And O-o-o. you oughta heard ths things thst
fellow said to me
Oh. isn't Nature wonderful? rion't you Just
lovs the sea?"
(She wss a sweet and winning maid.) "Xsw
don't you think. ahs said
"Ons reslly needs ths change one flnde
where sandy seashores spread?
I never, never miss ths rhsncs
To corns down here! I Uks to dsncs.
And Isst night, honest. I stayed up and
dsnced till tis'.f psst three.
Oh. Isn't Nsturs wonderful? Don't you Just
lovs ths sea?"
"My Illy maid." 1 whispered low. "will yoa
sot steal away
With me from out ths msddenlng crowd to
wstrh th-. brcskers play.
And heir the sons ths ocean sings
As on the sands Us ranks It flings.
And watch the flecks of wild moonshine
Isnce out like ghosts scross ths brine?"
With l'.stless she looked St me.
"I'd ltks to very much." ssld she.
"Hut trulv now I ...net bs gone
I've got a bridse whtst party on."
(Ah. she wss fair to look -pon.) I sighed
regretfully:
"Oh. isn't N'sture wonderful? Pon't you
Just lovs the ea?
see
"Good morrow. good pres agent:
what are you doing?"
"A tale for the boost of thla beach I
am brewing.
"And what do you fashion?"
"I mut own my luck la rotten. At
present I'm utterly stuck and not an
fldea have I to put by to keep thla fine
beach in the popular eye."
tie clasped hla poor head and he tore
at his hair and lifted a sorrowful song
of despair.
"O-he! I will wall for the long van
ished glory that used to hang round
the old sen-serpent story! Each Summer
I told them the tale o'er and o'er of
the monster sea-serpent we saw off
the shore. But years have gone by
and there isn't one hope today to get
by with that sea-serpent dope. 1 weep
for th serpent, whose glory U o er.
"Each Summer he used to come round
to the benches and roll briny eyea
at the beautiful peaches and always
with .ease and with grace, I confess,
he'd wiEgle his sinuous way to the
press. But now he's a chance on which
one can lay no dough; extinct as the
Icthiosaur or the dodo. O-he! I will
wail for the long vanished glory thai
used to hang round the old BtJ-ffrpeat
story!"
e s
Mistress Mary, quite contrary, tell
me. I'd like to know, why do you run
to sit In the sun with pretty belles
all in a row?
"I will tell you. foolish fellow 1
There's only uit thla to It; to get a
man and a Summer's tan nd we've
only two days to dc It.
Oh. Muse, already tla Sunday eve.
I'ack up the suitcase. wee got lo leaoa.
For the tang thai roroiis on the Ires n on
Sunday
Has got to bs back on the Job on MutMiay.
I love the sea. and I'd like to play
About on the beach from day to ;
But duty Is casing to you aud nie
To beat tt back from tha briny sea.
"Farewell, farewell. O briny main!
Now run like the dickens in catch the rrfun.
And. Meee, 1 don't like to make a fusa.
Hut I do hope there'a one seat left (nr ua.
For it vms to me It would bs a yt; j
To Uav to aland all lbs way to tus city.
I
ft