The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, February 13, 1916, SECTION THREE, Image 40

The Sunday Oregonian., February 13, 1916, SECTION THREE, Page 6, Image 40

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Newspaper Page TextT THE STT' DKEOONTAX, PORTLAND, FEBRUARY 13, 1916. Hje (Dmnnmro msirukND. tr.o. Irt!an4 luriMI fwatotnc aa w... -.!-. I m ma:t1 u Kat Invariably lm ad'sace !::. jtnt!ar 'nri.ul. oaa ,aer-. 1 I 1 ' . r i a, an- J an Vt r ri.,. ia.. i m-mtns in ! n ln--ti.ia. Iiraa mnmM. .,.) m. ! ! I. oaa mn ta. .. . t.--jt 5i.&tj?. ana r ' .,i,t i.niy. aim m-erne ... i-t in:tf, lr-re m rtas.. tirvcut Min-iajr. eae mi in. s 1 T' 1 M 2 -a.',, o - ,.er..... !' . 'ln!l rv-..j.!".l. aaa er J" ijb,:ai In-ni.l-rf. ara tti-'Bta M rm ta IimpK p. ffv mnr t-r .(r.a ':-r e '' " .- ?tmp, c.m or cirrwaT ara at a-i l-r ft. It B.r,'?l- aUJrasea to It.:. Ic.-lu-l'na rain' n4 etat r ae Halea U l M ra. eaet: l t . V . -. i lta. it ! pa'. Jrt . ... ,... rnt J J . T to J pea. easts. rfla poet as. J-iu. ra'v. ... Raaiaaaa Of fW rw Osk- Hi. !r..r.ai. U. .tir-. S t. a t .,.,. r -r i..iaut. Chi-asa. r'-r-.i-a -r-aacaLiaw 1- J HiUa.U J nKTLAU. St t.,. tXBKl T l. lU TtKMr. BtrkWAin. ra:bty the perfectly pt:n defects In mry of th Presidential primary U wi:t be currj In llm tr lpUoo cf unif .rm Ur u't4 by fhairnuB lti!I. put movmanU for .r.r)rinjr f tat U In ohr pr ti. 'j! ir fc h4 nphtlt trl nd. it i ontv a f rrlrnr n -'ptlun. ha . r.-r.j !'jihr.l enthir. T :r.ruUr f iiir of tn arl-t)r In th l"rraJn I it trSnurr Uw t prrnt U that thy ara h.!lr party totnmnl t )ar. th .ima cornpl'Slty men in tha ari Ji of tha country proJuceJ t atlnal part connt!on u ?nar of rlf. Tha National part onn:trn l Urt'lr tha outrowtS o -w)lvM4l fata nornlnafloo for Trral e!rt whl n ihrtnt l to nu!!!fy prty lotrrtcnrnL tro tha Irtorl col !? tt. dall.rk. n l put tha tl.in of a I-raaMrnt lnrtab!y Into the Itouaa of llTrrtatlaa. Soma ef th nwjrti Jan tlal prt- Btrf lava apparently ara drafted tha theory that tha nomination c FrMrntLal camjt'iatea la mora cf tit'a party fun.-tlon than a National party preriigmtlra. Indiana delne must un.ler tha law of that atate ml tvr tha atata party cholca. "a Ion Ms nama hU ba be-fora tha ton TaBtlon." hlo oe forther. Tha party thera itm both flrl an4 aeconj rholca candl'iataa for ITeaMent- Th tetecntM from Ohio mut ota for th flrrt cholra can lMata nnttl ha t nom tnat4 or withdraw. If ha lthJra they mui! yota for tha aecona choir eyen thouth th aacond choice can!I ):' earn may not then ba btfora tha conrentlon. Wlaronxln and Mtnnaoota mast aend f-!.trit-t'1 delecatlon. C!tfom!a re jLlrre her delecnte to aupport tha tata party" chok-a to th bert of thel Ja.lcment an.t ability. Oreiton may n1 lomi deleimte who ara definitely Inatrnrt ! and aom who ara not. A fear mora rach lava and tha Na tlonal ponyentlon win bexroma aa Irre condlaMa accremtlon cf Inepandent unl'j. Tha country will haya tha equiv alent of tarate atata nomlnatlona for tia Prea'denry the Identical thine; the National conyentloa u created to avoid. la the form In which aoma atatea Thae alopted It tha PreolJentlal. pri mary I aa Incongruity. It la a eort of lecxl Interference with an extra-leral boly. Acceptanca of a National en Tintlon'i nomtttmtlor!"for Prealdent I hut a common laar of political partlea. The conentlon mlcht overthrow all Pre! ien'lM prlmarlea by refualnc to at delecatea e'e"ted by that method Put that th convention I never llfcety to do. nnleaa the primary eystem ttcvetopa that the life and the purpuae ef the convention Itaelf are threatened Tha party convention method of Ttomir.atlne; Presidential candidate orlx'nated to 1S3S. In the flmt three . t!.r und-r the Constitution the lTl.ntI! etctor were real officer! itr dl.-rettonary powem, a emed to be the Intention of the from era of th Constitution. Put In the Con- ereal:ral caucu ayvtem waa devtaed Party membr In Conrre met. f! rat In e-rt. and later openly, and eelected can li :tra. A Cor.cretwlonal corre- xiejrnrt committee waa appointed to or: upon alate rumM. which-were grnrrt.lt hrl.l. the advlaabtllty of ac- rtrtirt tft crcommendatloa of th Omtrrnniona! caucu Th Concrea !.ra! rampalvn committee of today la It '! larrlior of thla it'tfra. It la tha outcmth, of the old caucoa cor- Tean-inllrj; committee. The Concrraxlonal caucu nominal rc atem rrmiitif.1 In existence until 1tJ. aIthoun In that year It Influ enca waa rlL In Mil a lrlltl caucu In Near Tor had bolted lladu on" romlnatlon. aa made by the Con -eaa!-nl caucu. and had Indorsed Oir.ton. Oppoa:tlon to the Ttem had a.'i artaen which brd been partly met thy caucus rtutiona to th effect that tla memher acte-l only In their Indi vidual capacity. Varlou atat Lectsla- tnrr on assumed th function of norrlRatln: bodlea and Instructed their Itapreaentattve and Senator not to attend th Ccnrreeaional caucu. The last CorcreaslonaJ caucus held In I III occurred at a pr1o-l when party tine had ken practl'-alty eliminated. Only '.xty-etfht of tha Zi member were rraeent and the nomine waa William H. Crawford. The ensulna; election de veloped Into a personal contest amor Joe a Viulncy Adam. Henry Clay, Aa drew Jackson and Crawford. The elec toral cotlece failed to make a choice and the election waa thrown Into the House of Repreaentatlv. where Ad am waa elected. Thu did state Independence wreck the caucu ?tem. In IS33 the Albany recency. o-ca!t!. alarmed by the In dividual nomination which a'.V.l con tinued In th state, called for a re vival of the caucu. Th convention I la which was arowlnc was consid er! by many a doubtful enclne of politics. Hut the caucu system had hcen o thoroughly discredited that the convention system took firm root, and pun wholly displaced atat nomlna. tiora. Now. Indirectly and unintentionally, 'he convention I subjected to the same pe, e of rival authority thai wrecked .he cauiu fm. Whatever the out om It clearly must be one which recc.cn Ue the Impossibility of forty- -isht tate actin; Independently to perform a function which la that or all a well a each. In a manner sattafac- ory to all. It U possible that the vr'ou state will jrradually work ground to a reasonable uniformity ahlch reconUe the propriety of de- '.er:ttlon and compromise In the Na- iorai Convention. There Is the more -emote possRItlty that the convention i:l be discarded for a National direct - rlmary cheme almllar to that em- lovrl in numerous state In noml atir s'ate ofricer. Put a the mat r stands today th tendency la to rver In the name of progress all he procre that hi been accom- ,UaicvI La en &utiJ6l jeaxa lowaju orderly work and organization of poll Ileal parties. Th primary system I th new principle employed to create an old condition of confusion and In dlclstve contest. It I of course prac ticable to utilize the primary principle In a sensible way. That will have to be done If It l to acquire the virtue of permanence. THKi.e mr.Min;NTS. The forced parallel between Wash ington and Wilson and Lincoln and Wilson popular Just now In certain quarters which are for Wilson first, last, and all the time, and were never fr Lincoln till a half century after he died are Interesting but not con vincing. We hear that Waahlnirton defied Congress in order to keep the peace with Great PMtaln. and Lincoln Ig nored hi advisers In the Mason and Seidell affair, and thus wisely kept ua out of conflict with Kngland. Now It Is said that Wilson has. like Lincoln and Washington, refused to heed the clamor of the Jingoes, and has been able to steer the ship of state peace fully through the troubled waters of the Kuropean war and has served hu manity also by declining to Intervene In Mexico. There has seldom been a more vio lent twt of the plain facts of history. Can anyone by the moat extreme stretch of the Imagination put Wilson In Washington's clace a soldier, a foe or tyranny, a revolutionary leader, an unrelenting and undismayed fighter, resourceful and resolute General, great strategist, a man of deed and not of word, a President of a united and grateful people who had received largely through hi personal courage and his military proacss the Inestlma ble gift of freedom? Lincoln waa the great central figure la an Irrepressible conflict, t'pon hi shoulder rested the fate of the I'nlon cause. In his fare were reflected th hope and purpoees of million of peo ple fighting not talking for a great cause. II abhorred war. but h did not run from It. He put hi hand to th plow, and there was no turning II dedicated hi llf and his soul to th execution of a great trust through the Issue of bloody war. He struck the shackle from th limbs of million o stave. He wrot no note to the se ceding states, made no futile appeal.. evaded no duty, shrunk from no crista Under the successor of Llncotn. an American army marched to the Meg lean bonier, and Maximilian Mas de throned. There waa no question about tha purpose of the I'ntted Bute. PUty year later there was a differ ent Intervention In Mexico, a meddling futile and d4aastroua Intervention Mexico Is still prostrate from Its ef feet, liul America Is happy oh. very happy In Ita succeaa In remaining at peace with the world. Put la It at peace with Its conscience over Mexico? on local Issues. Naturally, the Con gressman represents his district, re flects Its mental state. It Is not too much to say that America Is represented with wonder ful fidelity by Its Congress. The sins of Congress are visited upon Congress by the people. What the people are. Congress Is. Local interest makes pork and will continue to keep Con gress at the pork barrel so long as a Congressman's acceptability to his constituents Is made to depend upon the quantity of bacon he brings home with him. We should not blame Con gress so much as we would blame our selves. And If we would reform Con gress we first must reform the Na tional mind, of which Congress Is the mere reflection. When the average Amerlcnn community can learn to sa "America first" to Ita Congressmen then Congress will be washed of Its Ins and shortcomings. Not until then. Mori roxrrMox. About all to be had out of the third letter of Mr. McKercher on the ocean rate question Is more confusion about the real Issue confusion created by the quotation of certain selected rail road rates which have little or no bear ing on the real Issue which I as to whether Portland shall surrender It lone straggle to be a great seaport. He admits Ingenuously that under the proposed parity between the Lower Co lumbia and Puget Sound the Port of Astoria wilt -ultimately- get a large part of the grain and flour export trade of both Portland and Puget Sound. That It will get any substan tial part of the exports of Puget Sound The Oregon Inn regards as Impossible that It could take away Portland's trade Is probable, without any com mensurate return to Portland of any kind. If It be true that It Is of small lm portanre whether the trade Is done at Portland or at Astoria. It may be Just as well not to disturb the status quo. Put the shipping Interests of Portland think, nevertheless, that It la to them a matter of real moment. On a related phase of the question th establishment by Portland of sub port at the mouth of the Columbia let as quote from the history of "The Port of Hamburg" a paragraph hav Ing a singular pertinence to our sltua Hon. from the chapter on The Channel lo the Sea: Tsa Mal la fe the ehanaet ta ba r- laal al veala a!n II raa so sp nt nr ai lew eatar. Tria ati Doetrititv le Data ina canal d -t lhat al low a -1 T aoM at the al'p raa go ap. whi:e llse r? Iarcef wall for higher ataa-a or atr Tna trurq tMiaaibmtv la lo cite up et Savin iha larcat aiarnara raaca tha port. aa-t. In !- f ihla. rfaallas t e tNant a sus-port atarer tea mom a af a rtar. TM( laf can ra ta a vary aarlaos waff at Oraaa rataa ara aa tr la tha fi'X lhaa la lre main port Mchar Bp. hlt the raltaav raf- Inland. Mrh so ty mlla aa. ara roRa-1rbv hihr fr tha nvre dlrartl eva-fort. V r r. urtla-a the (i ar-htta ef l N- mr hr port ara ba 4pUetr4 doaaatraam. ait aa: tllerhartr g aarvhotiaa ar ie at tha aqh- p ri aoit sand ihpn v licht-r of ra-1 I era'.ooea cpatrwam. Lce-ton baa laaa IVa rminM Tl'tunr d-M-h a-a aae-aorf; wanrhAtae w,a mmlni. f-e Inataaai tha AllaRtl Trar;p..rl Line the raaiRu.Tir act crl-ial are tiMri (r rH-1 ta le ar-hoaa In t-.tmltf. T'.ibrjrv afae batne avml tnry. fl.a fnlte baloar le brM llram.n has h ai ta paraaa tha aama eoura aen rmaernerf la flremerhavaa. raar tha maqtn f tha Waaar. a djp:i-ata ef Ita hm-t.r al tlremee, eartttR f-r aaraheoaaai In eM-r ac?r-tffi0le'e tha rth A nf!- nu af Oe tiaemaa t.lr 1. Tha Meal of having a rhannal up whir at anlp ea!4 ia at a'! trree la -t atia(ni aitnae fcv Ifaratv-e e lis evtratatltrtra In Narthara ttntpA- ftraraaa. A an. R t-rvl a m Aataaep. I'eara. la1aa anj LfearpooL Tat there are -shipping experts" In Portland all In some other business who are unable to see why Hamburg a a port has made enormous gains on London. me nrxe or the r xrnrtt. Senator Ashurst. of Arizona, has de livered himself somewhat frankly and ucclnctly In a current publication of the subject of Congressional, pork. Its why and wherefores. He directs attention to the fact that the Con gressman's district looks to him to bring home the bacon, so to speak. Local Intereets must be taken care of. He gets little or no credit for those ndert-tklngs mhlch may have a pure. ly National Importance. This Is not a new idea, but It ta one that will bear frequent repetition. It Is rare that a Congressman speaks so frankly of th pork barrel aijd why he delves In It. And. even after hear ing this full confession, we mutt bear In mind that Congressmen are human nd not blame them too severely. They are elected from districts which their Interests lie. Their retention In office depends upon he whims of the electorate In that Istrlct- If they do rot bring home he new postofflce or the particular thing that are desired by the com munity, they are certain to remain at home, no matter how conspicuous their ervlce may have been to the country ss a whole. Of the various soft spots in our Government this Is one of the softest. Is the community first and the Nation fterwards If at alL Where a man stands on. say. preparedne- does not mailer lo&i as bis vleaa art suund fTILIZINO CITIZEN aOLDIEtM. There Is rather a touching note In the story of Secretary Garrison's burn Ing the midnight oil nightly In pur suit of military lore. It Is recorded that he directed his splendid abilities as a corporation lawyer into tnese new channels of thought with diligence and persistence, familiarizing himself 1th the military history of the United States, aa well as the details of tactics, orranlzatlon. strategy and military policy. No doubt he studied military science In much the same manner tha he had studied Isw and he went about the solution of National defense prob lems In he same manner that he would have proceeded with the con duct of some vast lawsuit. That his efforts met with failure, that his solution was set down as lm practicable, must be ascribed to the fact that he persisted in reaching his own conclusions, and In formulating a programme for strengthening Amerl can land defenses which he refused to alter or modify under criticism. In his own department Mr. Garrison had the expert advice of many well quail fled officers. That he had the benefit of their experience and advice In formulating his continents! plan can not be doubled. But these officers who favored the continental army were, so far as their names havw been revealed, members of hi own official family In the War Department, who, being human, might be affected to a considerable degree by their chiefs own Idess and Ideals. So far as the War College was con cerned It Ignored the Garrlaon plan entirely while the various United States service Journals were more or less open In their opposition to the proposed Garrison force. General Leonard Wood, former Chief of Staff of the Army and now commander of an Kastern department, was among the most outspoken Army officer In criti cising the continental army before Congressional committees. It waa the National Guard, however, which of fered the most formidable opposition even after being warned that Mr. Gar rison would oppose National Guard legislation if the citizen soldiers pro ceeded against his pet scheme. The plan to which Mr. Garrison so thoroughly committed called for raising a force of 400.000 citizen soldiers In annual Installments of 133. 000. He divided the country Into mill tnry district each of which was to be placed under an Army officer of suit able rank who would be provided with a staff of Junior officers. They would enlist, equip and organize the new army for two months each year during three years. After three years the so. culled continentals were to be fur toughed for three years subject to war duty only. This plan was designed to cure all the defects of the militia sys tem, such a state control, political In fluence In the appointment of officers and possible refusal by Governors to respond to Federal standards. Splendid plan on paper; but where were the men coming from? This was the question raised In the National Guard after the plan had been di gested. And when It was considered hat the Guardsmen themselves were the ones most keenly Interested In raising the standards of service and bringing about a greater measure of Federal control the query was taken seriously. The militiamen pointed to their own difficulty In raising and maintaining forces under conditions far more, favorable than those pro posed by Mr. Garrison. They suc- eeded In fairly riddling the conti nental army with -technical shortcom- ngs which could not be explained saay. A detail which has not yet been worked out. was Mr. Garrison's characteristic response when some serious flaw In his plan was designated. Word cojnes now that Congress Is leaning heavily toward a development of the National Guard or organized militia as the solution of a citizen army for defense. Mr. Garrison's res ignation appears to have completed the continental army's rout and ended any further serious consideration of the fantastic scheme. In view of the progress made by the militia within he pnst twenty years It would seem hat the new hope Is a dependable one Kven the critics of the militia have .nld that It has a splendid personnel. hough cursed by a hopeless system Certslnly the militia has found Its greatest drawbacks In state abuses and its greatest aid In Federal supervision Hence if this force Is to be made the main reliance of the Nation In war Its tirther development must take the rtn of greater federalization. Total divorce from the atate may not be necessary If a system of co-operation can be worked out. and it la upon this problem that Congress Is now center ing Its Interest. In the first place, both state and Federal Government may contribute sustaining Influences The state by extension of aid and the stimulation of local pride: the Gov rnment by assuming responsibility for organization, discipline, super vision and direction of the reorganized force. Hut how ran the two be brought to mork In harmony? How can the states, particularly the Southern states, be brought to accept the controlling hand of the War lepartment? In Federal experiments with the mllltla many per. piexlr.g problems and embarrassing situations have already been revealed. Governors have hurled defiance at the Secretary of War and Ignored Federal military requirements. In one or two states the Government has been com pelled to withdraw Its helping hand at least until new and more reasonable Governors might be elected. A case In point Is that of South Carolina, where Cole Blease refused to meet the War Department standards In the South Carolina mllltla. Federal sup port was withdrawn and the state's forces completely demoralized until the advent of a new Governor. While such executives as Cole Blease are rare the mere 'possibility of their elec tion la a const int menace. More Federal control is therefore a necessary part of the bargain. The mllltla must be nationalized and the Presided vasled with full power to order the citizen soldiers out for any duty within or without the continental limits of the United States, The War Department must be given authority to Indicate what troops shall be or ganized, how they shall be trained, how the officers shall be trained and what standards of proficiency shall be preserved. This authority must be final and absolute. Such an end, it has been contended, may be effected by offering Federal co-operation, but fixing the requirements and com pelling the states to accept the bargain or lose the Federal support of their troops. In such states as fail to re spond the Government may undertake the organization of Its own forces, or the offending state's allotment of money and men be distributed among adjoining states. From the statements made by vari ous members of the Congressional mil itary committees in preparing the bills for a citizen army the trend of official thought appears to lie In this direc tion. It Is another step In the evolu tion of the National Guard. Of course the plan is one that falls far short of the protection that would be afforded the country under a system of uni versal service. But It Is widely con tended that the National mind Is not yet ready to accept compulsory ser vice. This being the case and the trend now being toward a reorganiza tion of the militia, the certainty may be felt that some results are to follow. The mllltla Is a concrete force com posed of men who have had some training and who may be expected to respond to an encouragement which has been withheld In the past. The system Is one which cannot fall utter ly. Or If It does the argument for compulsory service will be far more convincing than If Mr. Garrison's plan had been tried and found wanting. TBI COLOMBIA TREATY. The treaty with Colombia, having been favorably reported by a majority of the Senate committee on foreign re lations, will soon be before the Senate In executive session for ratification. A two-thirds majority being necessary. the treaty requires slxy-flve favorable votes of the entire Senate to ratify. There being fifty-six Democratic and forty Republican Senators, the treaty cannot be ratified unless all the Demo crats and nine Republicans support It or unless It receives the support of a larger number of Republicans to off set any Democratic opponents. As all the Republicans present at the com mittee meet.ng voted against the treaty and were Joined by one Demo crat, It is probable that in the Senate the Republicans will be united and the Democrats divided. The majority of the committee has endeavored to meet criticism of the treaty by making the expressions of regret at the dispute with Colombia mutual Instead of from the United States alone and by reducing from 1:5.000,000 to IIS. 000. 000 the indem nity to be paid by the United States. These changes do not, however, dis pose of the contention that no indem nity whatever is due to Colombia and that the other concessions made to Colombia on the Panama Canal con travene the treaties between the United States on the one side and Great Britain and Panama on the other: in fact, they place Colombia in a better position than even the United States. i The most forcible objection to the treaty, however. Is that It Is a prae discern a very good poem from a very bad one w-ho yet may be thrilled by the romantic tale of a farmer boy turned poet. Or of a bartender putting aside the production of Jags for the production of epics. Oddly enough these tales are not fiction. It is re corded that Masefield did "tend bar in New York, did work on a Connecticut farm, did sail the bounding main and again did toil In a New England carpet factory. All of which goes to show that there is no telling where poets are to be found or what conditions of ex istence may serve to bring out their latent powers. Perplexity grows when one scans Masefield's latest book of verse and when he makes his own appearance before the Authors' Club In New York. Taking those events up in the sequence of their occurrence. Masefield, bartender-poet, sailor-poet and farmer poet, has lately written "Good Friday and Other Poems", in which no trace of former associations may be dis cerned. These verses smell of the li brary If we may view them for a mo ment as to their technique and liter ary qualities. "Good Friday" is pre sented in the form of rhymed couplets and comprises a poetic drama In which all the proprieties are duly observed. It Is written with artistry, 'dramatic force and dignity. The sequence sonnets which follow Is written in the true Shakespearian combination of three quatrains and a couplet, a form which the most gifted of modern writers have not felt the courage employ. Nor does he seek to present deepest philosophy of life, any higher purpose or any solution of profound riddles. He Is neither obscure, flighty, nor flowery, his muse leading him 1 search of poetic beauty wherever may be found, whether in Oriental fatalism or Christian idealism. A disillusionment, indeed, for those who looked for plcturesqueness an romance In the author rather than for beauty in his works. The disillusion waa made more complete when he ap peared publicly in New York, for is recorded by the press chroniclers that he Is now a quiet, tranquil man o studious mien and no affectations. is surprising that he failed to seize a opportunity which no literary char latnn might have overlooked that rolling saltlly into the room and de llvering himself of barroom slang. Is apparent that his economic strug gles had little If anything to do wit his muse. He worked at those od Jobs, no doubt, to avoid starvatlo while biding Ms time. The fact that he declines now to profit by thel showy press-agency possibilities and persists In displaying his talents In a serious vein augurs well for. his future poetic estate. it It It MAR IN THE CLASSROOM, The observations of Dr. Lowell president of Harvard, are interesting and profitable, if not vital. Dr Lowell It need not be said. Is far from being a militarist. He is a plain, if profound, American citizen, attached to the ways and pursuits of peace, yet he does not permit the ideal to blind him to the fact and he expresses freely, frankly and courageously the need of preparedness in a recent repbrt, It is characteristic that Dr. Lowell should confine his remarks to the re lationship of military training to th schools. Contrary to the practices of a majority of those who take up the subject of preparedness, he leaves the Army, Navy and Marine Corps to per tlcal confession by the present Admin- sons versed in such matters, Assum lstratlon of "wrongdoing "by a former Administration. It was inspired by partisan motives, not by motives of patriotism or by a desire for Justice. Had any wrong actually been done to Colombia, there should be no heslta tion about giving redress at any cost. But no wrong was done, except In the opinion of men biased by par tisanship. The treaty thus constitutes notice to any nation which has a dis pute with an American Administration that it need only wait until the other party gains power in order to obtain Its demands Foreign nations are thus given- a direct Interest In interfering n our internal political controversies. Such a situation would be intolerable. JOHX MASF.F1EI.D-9 Ml'SE. Seemingly, modern life has ceased to produce great actors. Many explana tions are offered and the blame Is fixed in many places, but the principal charge is that the competitive stock company having passed, there remains no medium for molding the soul of histrionic genius Into heroic form. Poets, however, continue to recur In the face of a similar state of non-com. petition. Poetry la In relatively small demand these prosnlc days and It la next to Impossible to find sale for a book of poems even If of real value. Yet It Is a rare generation that falls o yield Its poet and .our attention la called from time to time to the work of some new lyTiat or rhymstcr whose performance gives promise of future greatness. Immortals may be rare, but It was ever thus; yet the modern poets are mbre than meteorites In the literary heavens and they shed a radi ance which should persist far beyond their time. Beyond the time. In fact, when any but the greatest genius of the stage Is forgotten. John Masefield Is one of these lately arisen singer who has fairly forced a busy world to pause and listen to his fine-toned harp. The world has taken a lot of Interest In this young English man of letters, much of this Interest being explained, no doubt, by the fact that the world thought he was not a young English man of letters. A lot of glamor and rough romance has been thrown about John Masefield, sailor-poet, bartender-poet, farmer poet and many other romantic varie ties of poet. He caught the popular fancy by his first carefree songs of the salt breezes. Salt Water Ballads. There was an irresistible spirit in these little verses which was recognized at once by discerning readers. And as soon as It became noised about that he was a ruddy sea-dog poet, a wandering vagabond of the deep who dashed off his couplets when not busy reefing sail or standing watch, interest in his verse fairly soared. It was Mr. Masefield s second series of poems that brought him fame, how ever. In rne t.veria8iing oiercy ana The Widow in the Bye Street he spoiled the illusion that he was an old tar. for these poems dealt with land locked peasant life and revealed an In timate understanding of the primitive mind. In the midst of the discussion over these works fresh reports came that John Masefield was a reformed New York bartender. There were those who testified to the quality of cocktails mixed by the new star. An other story gained wide circulation. He was a simple farmhand from the Con necticut hinterland whose hand had been released from the plowshare by the intervention of genius. Another tale had him the proud product of a New England carpet factory. These tales, to be sure, enhanced his fame. There ara thus wlio cannot ing that a country' w-hich has no form of universal service and must depend on hastily raised volunteers will be most sadly in need of officers, Dr. Lowell suggests that no better place can be found for, developing these of ficers than in the colleges. Nor any better time. In no other period of adult life, he suggests, does a man who is not a drone expect to spend between three and four months In recreation. What more valuable to the student or of greater service to the community than that tho student should spend his vacation in one o the student camps studying the pro fession of arms? So far as military training in schools is concerned. Dr. Lowell takes a most sensible view. tivilian col leges should leave military drill severe ly alone. In the first place, drills on an ordinary campus are tedious and tiresome. These drills constitute very small part of the necessary mili tary training. "Therefore, the doc tor concludes, "it had better be taught under military conditions like those in a camp or in the militia." His d clsion in this respect Is identical with that reached by the Portland School Board which encouraged high-school bovs to enlist in the National Guard rather than form cadet companies. He would however. Include military instruction in the curriculum, al though In the colleges during the school year he would have the In struction consist of elements of mili tary science, such, for example, as military history. Including the changes in tactics caused by the Increased range and precision of weapons; the functions of infantry, cavalry, artil lery and aircraft In modern war! the taking advantage of terrain In war. and the use .of topographical maps the construction of field defenses and the methods of attacking them; the mechanism of moving large bodies of troops, and mobilization, with the col lection and distribution of supplies. "All these things." says he. "can be taught like other college subjects by- lectures, reading, discussion ana labo ratory work, the last Including prob lems with maps and, as In the case of geology, field work In the neighboring country. Dr. Lowell's remarks deserve the se rious attention of those who are con cerned with this problem. It need not be said that he Is painstaking In gathering his facta and cautious, broad and thorough in reaching his con clusions, no matter what the subject His conclusions In this case have the ring of depth and wisdom. RELATIVE KORCES IN THE WAJU Writers on the waj" continue to base their prognostications of the result upon the number of men which each party can put in the field. They cal culate the number which each of the rival alliances had available at the start, the number lost and the number remaining. They thus arrive at a great numerical superiority for the en tente allies and then draw the conclu sion that these nations must win. Mere numbers are misleading, for they leave out of consideration the quality and equipment of troops and the rapidity with which they can be moved to each field of operation. The Teuton powers may now have actually in the field as many trained and tried men as their enemies have. They fall short In the number of reserves to draw upon. Britain, Russia and probably Italy 'can add millions to their forces In the course of this year and thus gain superiority in numbers, though their advantage wlll not begin to tell until their green men have been seasoned in actual warfare. These greater numbers may, how ever. bevoffset by an advantage In number and power of artillery and other weapons. The Russians in Gallcla last April may have been as numerous as the opposing Austro German forces, but they were so mis erably inferior in artillery and air craft that they were driven back hun dreds of miles. The allies predict that next Spring they will be superior In artillery and ammunition; if this should prove true, that fact, combined with growing numbers, may enable them to win. But their greater numbers are off set to a large extent by the necessity of moving troops on exterior lines while the Teutons move on interior lines. How great is this handicap was shown by the last campaign In Serbia. When the Teutons began the invasion, the allies began to send froops to Sa lonika but the former finished their Job before the latter had enough men on the ground to withstand them. The short distance over which Teutons must be transported from one front to another, compared with the long distance allied troops must travel and with the practical impossibility of transferring allied troops from France to Russia or vice versa, may easily render two Austrians or Germans equal to three men of the allies In ef fective value. If the allies should succeed in over powering Turkey, effecting a Junction of the western with the Russian armies and closing in on the Teutons, the ef fective value of their men would be much enhanced as compared with that of the Teutons. If they should drive the latter back, however, the Teuton Interior lines would be shortened and the effective value of each man In the Teuton armies correspondingly in creased. The task before the allies is to dispose of the Turks and Bulgarians in order to close in on the central em pires. That before the Germans Is to keep the entente armies spread over a wide field in the Balkans, at Suez and in Mesopotamia and thus to prevent such concentration. Gleams Through the Mist By Dean Collins. However, we opine that our George Is too sagacious to accept the War portfolio, even were It tendered him An unexpired term of five years as Senator is more acceptable than on year as War Secretary; and one year will be the limit for the new official. at Now that a Japanese firm has bought a big American merchantman Richard Pearson Hobson is due to ad vise us that the vessel Is wanted as transport for an American invasion. Teddy has gone south in search pleasure. We suspect that there will be little of it hereabouts for him dur ing the next few months, so it is well that he look abroad. Prohibition lost hands down in th Kentucky Legislature. No doubt som of the Kentucky Senators regarded it a studied insult to offer such a bill. Evidently Mr. Garrison could not stand it when the President deserted the continental army, leaving the Sec retary "holding the sack." i The debate between the United States and Germany has now turned to the question: "When Is an armed ship not a warship?" Congress wants to take In Lower California. We've got more territory already than we are able to take care of In a pinch. President Wilson went to sea to con sider a successor to Secretary Garrl son. And avoid the rush of applicants, doubtless. But while there were ptomaines in the prelates' soup it does not appear that there were any flies in the oint ment An Increase in church membership Is shown by the annual records. Who said the world was going to the Devil? That Doctor Lyman appears to be a sort of "master mind" crook. It will take a Sherlock Holmes to get him. The Russians are assuming the of fensive. But they never succeed in making themselves very offensive. Secretary Lansing has decided not to humiliate Germany. Now isn't he the nice, kind man! A sick park monkey became well after drinking wine. Made a monkey of him, so to speak. The death rate among American In dians Is increasing. Another bounty of civilization. Oregonffhould get at least a brigade out of the proposed citizen force of 400.000. Anyway this promises to be the long est February we have had in several ears. Japanese soldiers may be sent to aid Russia In the Caucasus. Banzai! By the way, what has become of the campaign to capture Villa? Remember, girls, leap year comes but once in four years. The color scheme is green once more n Portland. Baseball will be on shortly. the Job very Why not Bryan for Secretary of War? The roses will be out in a few days. Bryan to Garrfson: "Hello, brother!" Now if Daniels would only resign! Begins to feel like Spring already. Oregon is- herself again. Flsrnres Regarding the War. CORVALLIS. Or.. Feb. 11. (To the Editor.) I wish to know the number of men Germany has lost and the war's cost to her: also Japan's national debt and the interest she pays on it. GLENN E. iJfcAULUS. Total German losses are estimated at 3,700,000. The wounded are only a temporary loss. Only about 5 per cent of French wounded die or are perma nently disabled. Germany probably does as well. No figures are available as to the cost of the war to Germany. The national debt of Japan at the end of 191. was 11.267,445.000 and the rate of Interest ganged from 4 to' S per cent. " A Valentine. 1 I have sent my soul a-hawklng through th greenwoods of the earth; I havp counted all the trophies as but things of little worth. For 'twas but in Idle play That I tore the Jes away. And I launched my falcon flying at th birds of plumage say; For his flight la swift as breath. And his stoop is sure as death. And how easy to my. hand tha tattered, brilliant quarry lay. I have sent my heart a-hawklng, and I cared not for the prizes. For the blr.s of brilliant plumage plumaga they are easy to his claw. But, wheeling through the sunshine lo, what wonder-bird arises? It dumbs me with its beauty, and I star at It in awe; It is you, It is you. Whirling upward in my view; I lo; se the falcon cf my heart and on your track I fling. Wild wonder-bird, mine eyes Have beheld at last, a prize That Is worthy of my hawk and that Is , ' worthy of his wing. His night Is swift as breath. And liis stoop is sure as death; But swifter, stronger, surer is the quarry he pursues. Wheeling up and upward still. Beating up and upward, till The glory of the dazzling chasa la dizzy nights I lose. I have sent my heart a-hawking; I hav torn the Jesses free. And although the flight be dizzy, and my falcon's wings be tired. He shall follow, follow on your track and brlnf you back to me The one prize in all the world my spirit has desired. His filEht Is swift as breath. And his stoop Is sure as aeath. And his pinions strong and tireless in th fury of tha chase; I have sent my heart a-hawklng; let his die In that mad race. Or unto tha furthest bounds to which your shining wings may flee. Must he follow you and seize you and must bring vou Sack to me The wonder-bird that in my breast must find its resting place. I was floating down the old Spoon River In a dugout with the Courteous Office Boy; And we were fishing for Cosmic Grouches, And finding a good many of them For they multiply like guinea pigs. Or grippe bacilli. In the culture medium of vers libra. And I leaned oer the boat's gunwale. Gazing dep Into the depths of Spoon River Albeit 'tis a turgid stream for the most part Aid I beheld a procession of mermaids and mermen Swimming along, with tails like fishes. For being products of free verse, they had 1.0 need of feet. It was Just occurring to me that there must be somethln?. Some Intangible something, to be exact. Deeply tnbollcally about all this; And X was just treparing to roll up my eyes and go into the Silences. Preparing to doping It out When the C. O B. put another squirming Cosmic Urge on his hook. And reminded me that 1 had promised Judge Stevenson Tj finish the translation of Gray's Elegy Into American. So" I laid aside my fish pole. And picked up my string of Cosmic Grouches And beat It back to the office to fill my promise. And protably I shall never again get around To dope out the symbolic significance of tha mermaids. . And the mermen On that memorable day -when the C. O. B. and 1 Wont fishing down the old Spoon Rlvsr, For Cosmic Grounches Aid caught several. N Translations from English Classics. (Editor's note: G. Pythagoras BlmeUck published the first ten stanzas of UrayJ Elegy, translated from English Into Amei-- lean, two weeks ago In this colyum. bo great was its a;peal to the American pub lic that he has been asked to complete tha translation, which he has done, beginning in this installment at the stanza: "Nor you, ye Proud, impute to these the fault, it Memory o er tneir lomo no irvpmes rtaa. etc. ) Tou stuck-up guys. Just let the crabbing pass. Cause Memory ain't signed up to boost their game With swell memorial windows In stained glass And anthems that make booster songs sound tame. Can swell ash-can rr fancy plaster cast Set busted bellows pumping back the alrT Can Honor Jolt a chip from one who s passed T Does a btiff buy when be is oalled a 1-earf Perhaps In this poor tank-town morgue is ditched . Some heart geared up and oiled for going some; Hands that the dope on Wall street might have switched. Or made the pianola fairly hum. But Knowledge never spread her dope sheet out Where these poor fish could get tbelr lamps on It;... The lack of kale beyond the slightest doubt. So chilled their fee; they couldn't make a lilt. There's many a Kohlnoor that a soakea away Down in the briny where the lobsters hatch. And many a first-class posy. 1. might say is blooming in some Texas cactus patch. Some tank-town Hampden who possesses the face Some straw boss from his field to giva the run. Somj bush-league ailiton, may be in ais place. Some Cromwell who had never packed a gun. To swing the Solon's bracketed applause. To snort when some guy sala tney a get In wrong. To father l-il's for all those sorts of laws That with the voters keep a fellow strong. They had no chance In politics to shine. But also they could put no rough sturr by. They had no chance to go right down, the Una And gouge the general public In the eye. They had no chance to He and dodge tha fine; To see a problem play and not feel mean, No chance to write, at fifty cents a line. Sex poems fir a modern magazine. tr from the mix-up of the rough-neck mob. Their rube Amblsh, It never got a hint Of gay white ways; they Kept rignt on tae job And never tried to Jimmy Into print. Yet even these poor old stiffs to give a show. Above the caches where their bones are soaked. Are band-made tombstones standing In a Calllrfg attention to the fact they've croaked. Some hick that never spent much time at school Has doped out for each rube his pedigree And on the stores you'll find it Is the rule Some sad stuff from the Sunday school to see. , For was there e'er a gay went up the spout Who didn't have a half hunch, Just the same. That bn his headstone, nicely whittled out. They'd still leave some few lines to boost his game. Nobofly ever crnaked who aian t nope Someone besides the undertaker d buck . Around to see his final breath elope, . Even if he was nothing but a hick. (To be continued.)