THE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORT L.AND, APRIL 2, 1916. " H
PUBLIC PULSE ON NEWS OF TODAY. REVEALED BY COMMENT
PORTLAND. April 1. (To tho Ed
itor.) Would you permit a grand
mother to say a few words on the
tnuch-discussed topic of birth control?
It seems to mo that since there is a
division of opinion among Christian
ministers, those to whom wo look for
guidance, we should have recourse to
reason and common sense.
Some ministers Kpeak and write at
length on the benefits to accrue to the
family and the Nation, when we shall
have stemmed the brutal tide of babies,
which are the cause of so much poverty
and suffering; while others assert the
practice of birth control is destined to
bring about the extinction of the
American people, the old Puritan stock,
because the women of this class repu
diate motherhood.
One speaker warned his audience
that they had good reason for their
fear that Roman Catholics would one
day control this country, for they are
In a fair way to do it. Not through
the Machiavelianism of the Pope, nor
the machinations of their bishops and
priests, but through the Catholic
women, who alone are willing to bear
children.
W hen people marry they must ex
pect children. They are the Natural
consequence and whatever is natural is
light.
Any means employed to circumvent
this law of nature. I believe to be In
hibitory alike, to the physical and
moral well-being of both man and
V Oman.
The additional cost of a few children
to the family is very slight. The
blessed babies bring with them a good
ly supply of food, but, of course, the
pottle is more popular today.
Asaln, children are an incentive to
(work and economy. They take the
selfishness out of the hearts of both
parents.
If there were fewer childless homes,
tfoere would be fewer divorces, for the
strongest links in the hymenial
chain are forged by baby hands.
S. E. W.
Hops: is declared with t. r.
Jlr. Hashes Not In Touch With Com
, mon Folk. Says Writer.
OAK POINT, Wash.. March 31. (To
the Editor.) A constant reader of The
Oregonlan, I have read many letters
therein In regard to Mr. Hughes and
Mr. Roosevelt as candidates for Presi
dent In the coming election, and I
Judge by the tone of these letters
and the general expressed opinion of
the press that either Mr. Roosevelt or
Mr. Hughes will be nominated.
Now, if that be so. Mr. Roosevelt
"will be the nominee of the Progressive
and Republican parties. Why? Be
cause Mr. Hughes will not accept the
nomination so long as there is the least
possible chance for Mr. Roosevelt. Say
you gratitude cuts no figure in the
game when the pawn is the greatest
office la the gift of the people? Take
It from rne that Charles E. Hughes will
never double cross the man who has
never failed to help him when he
needed help, no matter how much pres
sure is brought to bear on him.
The authors of some letters say that
If the Republicans nominate Roosevelt
they will knife the Republican party
fcy voting for Wilson. Have they for
gotten that about 4,000,000 of us left
the old party in 1912 because we were
free born, thinking American citizens
who refused to let any political ma
chine cram a man down our throats
whom we did not want? Have you
ever stopped to think how these 4,000,
000 people are going to vote if the
party leaders refuse to try and right
the wrong done us in 1912 by nomi
nating Mr. Roosevelt in 1916?
Some say that if the Republicans
nominate Roosevelt he will surely be
defeated and Wilson will be elected.
We do not think so. But we believe
that if hey nominate Roosevelt it will
unite the old party, and we are sure it
ran be done In no other way. We are
equally sure that if they refuse to
nominate Roosevelt, WooUrow Wilson
will surely be our next President and
the two wings of the Republican party
will be farther apart than ever.
Now I am an old man a lifelong
Republican and very anxious to see the
old party united. I have nothing to
do with the personal quarrels of poli
ticians. I believe the rank and file of
the Progressive and Republican parties
are much alike. One is Just as good as
the other if not a little better. It is
conceded by all thinking men and
women that if Roosevelt had been
nominated in 1912 he would have been
elected with a whoop., And it is a fact
that with nearly all the big newspapers
doing their level best to down him, he
received nearly two-thirds of all the
Republican votes cast. I will venture
to say that if the big newspapers had
been on his side and against Taft that
William Howard Taft would not have
received enough votes to make a de
cent showing at a school meeting in a
sparsely settled mountain district.
Taft never got in touch with the
common people, of which I am one.
Neither will Hughes. Common people,
everyday people, are something they do
not understand. C. S. HILL.
SOLDIERS' ALLOWANCES ARE CUT
" 1 cisiuar nnjj sergeant uave
Wrong Impression.
VANCOUVER. Wash., March 31. (To
trie couor.) in regard to an article
Jn The Oregonlan, written by a re
tired Quartermaster Sergeant, I wish
to state that If you took the trouble
to verify the amounts that you would
ind his figures far from correct.
In the first place, the United States
government allows for clothinar. for
Jour years, a total of $144.93, whereas
the Sergeant's article states that a
man receives a total of $270 for three
years. some difference.
A man's allowance per month Is
$3,025; but his first year's allowance
Is $69.21, so he really has $2.10 a month
for clothing during the rest of his en
listment, A man might save a little
or his allowance while in the garri
son. Notice. I say might. But never
In the field. The men on the border
have to dig into their pay to buy
clothes.
If a man on his first enlistment
saves on his allowance, you will gen
erally find that he has been buying
clothing from a soldier being dis
charged, or having them made by a
tailor. For which he pays out of his
$15 per month, thereby saving on his
allowance, because he won't have to
draw if he has the clothing on hand.
Mostly he is from $1 to $6 in debt
when the six months' settlement comes
around. You see, the Government
checks up every six months. If a man
has drawn over the amount allowed
for that period, he has to pay it back
to Uncle Sam out of his $15 pay on
the pay day following.
The Government allows 24 3-10 cents
per day for ration money, which we
will call 23 cents, and a month 30 days;
therefore, one man's allowance is $7.50
per month.
Now then, the soldier costs Uncle
Sam, on his first enlistment, $15 cash
pay; $3f02 for clothing; $7.50 for ra
tions, which amounts to a total of
$25.52 for one month, where your ar
ticle states $62. Some difference again.
Now, after a man completes his en
listment, he is given transportation
back to the place of enlistment at the
rate of 2 cents per mile, if he takes
cash, and no allowance for expenses.
Do you think you could travel on 2
cents a mile and have money enough
left to eat on?
If he takes the ticket, which the Gov
ernment allows him, he has to take a
certain route. He is allowed $1.50 for
rations per day.
We used to be allowed 4 cents per
mile, which, gave about the right al
lowance to travel on, but this was cut
down to 2 cents in 1912. -
The reason, I would like to see you
print a corrected statement of the
amounts In the Sergeant's article is
this: The general public reading the
article would get a very wrong idea in
regard to the actual allowance' the
Government makes to the enlisted man.
Also our Congressmen have been In
the habit of taking a crack at the en
listed men's allowances every time
they try to figure out some way to
lower expenses. ' They lowered the
clothing allowance at the same time
the transportation was cut down.
There is an article in a recent issue
of the Army and Navy Journal stating
that the Government is considering
doing away with the cash clothing al
lowance and will issue clothing to men
when needed, because the allowance is
too small for men in the field.
A. SOLDIER.
TOO MUCH CENSORING FEARED
American Idea of Humor Is Desrener
a tine Thinks Writer.
PORTLAND, April 1. (To the Ed
itor.) How much and how far Is the
censorship idea, prevalent In educa
tional and legislative circles today to
extend into the body politic?
The National censorship on reading
matter has recently culminated in a
suit, that of Margaret Sanger for writ
ing on birth control, in a manner that
has aroused the people to the possi
bility of further curtailing of the rights
of free speech. The suit is admittedly
unpopular even In Government circles.
Now comes the House committee on
legislation with a bill for ' National
censorship of moving pictures. It is
barely possible that in our anxiety to
shield children from too much actual
knowledge of the world there is a
tendency toward Government dictation
of our amusements.
Pew film producers or film fans will
object to a censorship that merely elim
inates the obscene and depraved. The
critics of moving pictures, however,
are going much further. They wish to
eliminate scenes of poverty and suffer
ing from the pictured drama. It is true
that the motion drama has quickened
the Impulses of the younger genera
tion. It is thrusting viewpoints upon
them that make them men and women
before their time. It is thrusting de
sires and hopes upon them that should
not come normally . until several years
later in life.
The issue, however, in case the hill
passes Congress, will be in a word,
whether the state is to handle the ap
palling Job of restricting the children
to certain amusements or whether the
parents of the children shall exercise
this function.
We should not compel the moving
picture producers to eliminate scenes
which we would tolerate on the spoken
stage. Would it not be just as wise to
throw on the screen the morbid as well
as the joyous, the failure in life as
well as the success?
Our critics have devoted most of
their film clipping to the feature film.
Doubtless, there are fully as objec
tionable scenes in the slap-stick-comedies
and the American public through
these is acquiring a perverted sense
of humor implying that a comical
situation necessitates that someone
shall be clubbed or kicked in the face.
At least we cannot make a very seri
ous mistake in permitting considerable
laxity for the scenario writers and the
producers, for it is fatal for them to
give the American people other than
what they want,
' J. B. COTTINGHAM.
395 Glisan.
DR. LOVELAND IS ANSWERED
Views Voiced on Birth Control Are
Criticised by Mr, Barxee.
PORTLAND, April 1. (To the Edi
tor.) Presj reports of Dr. Loveland's
...It. . 1 1 , . . . . : -a. , ,'l .. V. J
iiiiiv liciuib nits dimucaa ivxcii a viuu
on birth control leaves . us in doubt,
unless we attribute to him gross igno
rance of economics, of what "birth con
trol" he was talking about, that is,
whether birth control, of ideas or of
human beings.
We fail to understand how limiting
the number of human births will more
than proportionately reduce the num
ber of unemployed when it is these
unemployed poor and rich who must
consume the surplus created by those
who are unemployed, in order that their
employment may continue; since the
surplus of production of the things we
need "and use comes of improved ma
chinery and not of the "crime laid to
fathers" who give na these beings that
are doing the useful work of the world.
If one man, woman or child can, by the
use of improved machinery, create
enough to supply the needs of ten, how
will the elimination of human beings,
through birth control, change this pro
portion as long as one of the ten con
tinues to operate the machine?
Now, if Dr. Loveland was talking
about birth control of ideas that give
us improved machinery and wishes to
take the ancient Chinese mode of
eliminating them by killing those who
invent and make labor-saving ma
chines, we are not left in doubt with
regard to his plan for relieving unem
ployment through "birth control" of
ideas. This, however, would not agree
with his statement that we should
"give to the child the right to live,"
which implies that each should have
the right to produce and get what he
produces. His talk on this point is
badly mixed.
I am thinking, while having no bou
quet for one of these gentlemen over
the other, that Father O'Hare, with his
knowledge of labor conditions, unem
ployment and economics in general,
will be able to straighten out the kinks
that appear In Dr. Loveland's talk;
and if he really means birth control of
human beings, to i somewhat sterilize
his mind with regard to economics and
the unemployment problem.
C. W. BARZEE.
WAGE BIRTH COXTROL FACTOR
Doctor Explains Benefits From Lim
itation, of Offspring.
PORTLAND. April 1. (To the Edi
tor.) Much has been written recently
in the local and general press both
pro and con, by the clergy and laity,
regarding the limitation of offspring,
or birth control.
The hinging point, or the essence of
these discussions as the writer views
it Is, Is it right or wrong to limit the
offspring, or rather Is it right or wrong
to place at the command of the laity,
such means as will limit their off
springy and what effect will these
means of limitation have upon the
morals of our people.
Positively better than 90 per cent
disregard all divine and civil law dis
regard, ignorantly or otherwise the
consequence of whether it is right or
wrong, are practicing some means of
birth control.
This status of affairs has not come
upon us just during this last decade;
it is no new fad; it has been grow
ing for the last 50 years, and what the
ultimate outgrowth will be remains to
be seen. Now, why are the people of
this country, as well as some other
civilized countries facing apparent de
population? Probably the most im
portant, among many other reasons
that enter into the equation. Is one of
finance, and to the poor and middle
class this matter of finance is quite
Impossible to reverse, and with no ap
parent future solution.
A compilation of financial statistics,
however discouraging they may ap
pear, are nevertheless true, has this;
information to impart that in these
United States 66 out of every 100 peot.
pie that die- leave - no -estate what
ever; that out pi the. remaining
only nine leave estates larger than
$5000, and that the average of the
balance of 25 is a little less than
$1300; that at the age of 65 97 out of
every 100 in America are partly or
wholly dependent upon relatives,
friends or the public for their daily
bread, fcr their clothing and a roof
under which to sleep; that, according
to Government statistics, 98 per cent
of the American people are living from
day to day on their wages, and that
a loss of employment would mean
pauperism for all but 2 per cent of
us. Do these statistics signify any
thing? Have they any direct bearing
on birth control?
Question the fathers and mothers of
middle life, why they have not a large
family, and await their response.
Non possimus for the ordinary wage
oarner to rear a large family and pro
vide them with the necessary requisites
that our every day competition de
mands. Much, Indeed, Is demanded of the
mothers nowadays, and in too numer
ous instances she is not accorded the
same consideration and treatment that
the animals of lower type receive; not
only must she become a mother every
18 months to two years, but she must
be cook, housekeeper, maid, teacher,
seamstress and laundress, and all
other requirements that go to mould
character of her offspring. Contrast
her with any of the females of our
domesticated animals (whose worries
are nil) and it will readilyxbe seen
that the breeders of the latter are
scrupulously careful in - the selection
of their material when the very best
results are obtained, with only an oc
casional pregnancy. Granting this to
be true of the lower animals, why also
is it not true of the human?
It would seem from reviewing the
above that placing in the hands of the
laity some harmless means of limiting
the number of their offspring would
at least be a boon to the wife. If not
a blessing from on high to birth.
The general practitioner of medicine,
above all other living mortals, appre
ciates most fully the grave Importance
In some families the necessity of birth
control or, better still, absolute steril
ity. It is agreed almost unanimously that
children well born and properly reared
are the factors conducive of wresting
from our selfish natures the best that
is in us. However, all that may be
said, both pro and con, on this vital
subject, the fact still remains that the
slogan of today is: Few children, better
bred, better born, better fed, better
clothed, better housed, better trained,
better educated, better prepared when
maturity arrives, that they may better
cope with the struggle and battle of
existence. It is more true today than
in Darwin's time, as this is truly an
age of the "survival of the fittest."
G. W. TAMIESIE, M. D.
SWISS MILITARY PLAN LIKED
Correspondent Declares for Adequote
Amount of Preparedness.
PORTLAND, April 1. (To the Edi
tor.) I wish to thank you for The
Oregonian's attitude on preparedness.
This is a time when all citizens
should let their sentiments be known
on this vital question. A trained citi
zen soldiery and plenty of munitions is
the bulwark of a republic A well-nigh
perfect guarantee of freedom from in
sult or invasion.
An old Swiss told how they were
trained, and as he entered into detail
regarding the method in vogue when
he was in Switzerland (he had been
an American citizen more than 30
years). I understood as never before
why Switzerland had maintained her
independence and been free from ag
gression, although hemmed in by mon
archies. Every able-bodied man was a
trained soldier ready, at a moment's
notice, to report In uniform, with three
days' supply of ammunition and ra
tions, at his company's post.
Outside of the protection afforded
their country, should danger threaten,
what a splendid training for loyal and
efficient citizens!
I have waited and scanned your
pages, hoping someone would bring to
your notice the action taken by the
ladies of the Grand Army of the Re
public assembled In National conven
tion In the city of Washington, Sep
tember 27,- 1915, In indorsing the fol
lowing: "I pledge myself to think, talk and
work for patriotism, Americanism and
sufficient National defenses to keep the
horrors of war far from America's
homes and shores forever.
"In these days of world strife and
peril I will strive to do my share to
awaken our Nation and our lawmakers
to the dangers of our present unde
fended condition, so that we may con
tinue to dwell in peace and prosperity
and may not have to mourn states des-
oiaieu oy war wnnin our own Dorders.
"Insofar as I am able. I will make
my home a center of American ideals
and patriotism, and endeavor to teach
the children in my care to cherish and
revere our country and its history, and
to uphold its honor and fair repute in
their generation."
ARDEL K. LAWRENCE.
PIONEER EDUCATOR HONORED.
Early Activity of Dr. George II. Atkin
son Is Recalled.
PORTLAND, April 1. (To the Kdi
itor. ) Atkinson School, erected on the
block bounded by North Tenth and
Eleventh and Couch and Davis streets,
at a cost of $10,500, Goodnough & Clark,
contractors, was first occupied in Sep
tember, 1868, and known as Public
School No. 3." This designation con
tinued until 1871. From that year un
til 1890 It was called the "North
School." That year, at the suggestion
of Dr. Thomas L, Eliot, of the First
Unitarian Church, it was called the
"Atkinson School," the name it bears
to this day. The present day reader
of the press naturally will inquire the
reason. It Is as follows:
Dr. George II. Atkinson, after whom
the school .was named, arrived at Ore
gon City, June 21, 1848, from Boston,
and brought with him the first school
books known in the territory, aside
from a few that were brought across
the plains by families.
Upon the arrival of General Joseph
Lane, the first Governor of Oregon Ter
ritory, March 2, 1849, Dr. Atkinson laid
before him the importance of the early
adoption of a definite school system,
and as a result of this interview he
was invited to prepare that portion of
his Inaugural message relating to ed
ucation which was delivered to the
first session of the Legislature on July
16. 1849. In addition to this he was
requested to draft a school law to be
submitted to the Legislature for con
sideration. This law Is among the
statutes of Oregon to the present day,
save and excepting such amendments
as have become necessary to meet the
needs of an increasing population.
Dr. Atkinson was the first School
Superintendent of Clackamas County
in 1850, the area of which was bounded
as follows at that time: South, "by the
northern line of Marion (then Cham
pooick County) extended to the sum
mit of the "Rocky or Oregon Moun
tains," as shown on a map issued in
1838 by a Philadelphia firm, and "com
piled by the best authorities"; east, by
the mountain range just alluded to;
north, the Columbia River from the
confluence of the Willamette to tho
point where it Is crossed by the 46th
parallel, and thence to the Rockies;
west, to the Willamette River. That
part of Multnomah County east of the
river was in Clackamas County up to
January, 1855.
Dr. Atkinson removed to Portland
from Oregon City in June, 1S63, and
at the election a year later he was
chosen ' Superintendent of Schools for
Multnomah County, Early in the '70s
he suggested to the School Board of
Portland that it would be wise to add
manual training to the public school
curriculum, and at his own expense in
vestigated this plan where it had been
tried in another city and shown to be
an excellent thing. The School Board,
however, did not agree with him at
that time, and it was not until 1912
that the School of Trades was estab
lished, and tbe experience of four years
has demonstrated its practical value in
training young people in the use of
tools. And now it seems eminently
fitting that the building which has for
more than a quarter of a century borne
his name should be known as tne "At
kinson School of Trades."
From the date of his arrival in Ore
gon in 1848 to the close of a useful life
February 25, 1889, Dr. Atkinson was
always a man of great influence in
educational circles, including private
as well as public schools; indeed, his
career in general is most fittingly ex
pressed in the words of the late Harvey
VV. Scott, editor of The Oregonian for
4a years, whose acquaintance with the
subject of this sketch began in 1S59.
In a tribute to the memory of Dr. At
kinson Mr. Scott said, among other
things:
la all the industries of life Dr. Atkinson
saw forces that contributed to the growth of
the kingdom of uod. He recognized it as
a demand of this, our mortal life, that
human energy should exert itself in every
direction to promote the growth of mind and
soul, and part of his large idea was to re
fino, to spiritualize and to exalt the mul
tiplying activities and efforts called forth
In the endless differentiation of modern
life. ... lie- worked for material ob
jects In order that he and others mlnUt
turn them to spiritual account in the growth
and development of man. All things with
him wert means to ends, and, though he
was one of the- most spiritually minded of
men. he never forgot that he lived in a
world of affairs.
Therefore, throughout all his ceaseless
work for education, for morals, for religion,
for tha kingdom of God in tho soul, this
many-sided man was among the most
earnest and active to press of those who
press) the advantages of developing the
natural resources of the Northwest, of
planting industries, of establishing com
merce, of extending and improving agri
culture, of turning to account the great
natural wealth of the country in timber,
minerals, soil and water power. He never
wearied of showing, through private talks,
publio addresses and articles contributed
to the press, what could be done here in
these innumerable lines of industry and
effort, and how to do it. He was not
satisfied to keep pace with the natural de
velopment of the country. His mind out
ran -It, and upon its great future he held
forth with the voice of a prophet. Nor
was this the case merely during these later
years, since tbe frrowth began that is Bfon
by every one; it was the habit of his life.
He raw the possibilities of the Northwest
from the day of his residence in It, 40 years
ago, and he spoke and wrote of Its com
ing greatness during all these years of the
country's Isolation and remoteness, when
such voices were few. He was a student
of the operations of nature, as well as of
the affairs of men. He was among the first
to note the peculiarity of our cltmato and
other physical conditions, and to draw rlrht
conclusions therefrom. Long before the
great region contained within the basin of
the Upper Columbia began to be settled
and while it was still regarded mainly as
a desert, he pointed out, through articles
widely published, how the conditions of
climate and soil would surely be chanpert
by tree planting, by the plow and by the
harvest that would gradually Increase as
the country was settled with an industrial
population. . . . The elaborate articles
published by him on this subject many
years ago, read now In their fulfillment,
would be a record of prescience and fore
cast every way remarkable, and certainly
without a parallel here.
All this work, as all -the work of his
life, was done without ostentation, without
any kind of study to produce startling ef
fects. The effort ho put forth was never
to display. He was a plain, simple and
practical man, who harbored no visionary
Ideas, from whom no Indiscreet utterance
escaped, whose speech and action har
monized always with a quiet, yet firm, de
meanor. He feared God and he regarded
man.
GEORGE H. HIME3.
MAX SAYS WAR IS GOD'S WILL
Even Human Body Lives by Strife,
Declares Writer.
PORTLAND, April 1. (To the Edl
Itor.) While the whole civilized world
talks of and yearns for peace, it Is
worthy of note that from time immemo
rial the human race has never ceased
from war. According to the Book of
Books, war began in heaven.
We are told that "Michael and his
angels fought against the devil and
his angels," and won a victory as far
as the devil's status in the celestial
sphere was concerned. The scene of
conflict, however, was merely shifted
to the world where, as churchmen
know, it is still raging.
Everyone admitted into the fellow
ships of the church is enlisted as a
soldier. He promises to fight under
Christ's banner and "to continue
Christ's faithful soldier and servant
unto his life's end." While this life
long warfare on the Christian's part
is, of course, essentially a spiritual one,
it Is to be noted that from the earliest
times it has been the "casus belli" of
many of the most sangtfinary wars in
the world's history.
While the founder of Christianity
bequeathed peace to' his followers
("Peace I leave with you; my peace I
give tinto you"), he, at the same time
predicted that his religion would be in
iteelf a cause of war. A multitude of
passages in the Bible refer to God as
the lord of hosts, "the lord is a man of
war," etc.
So the question arises: 13 not the
warlike spirit engendered in the
human race by the divine will? The
biologists tell us that the essence of
our very existence, our health and
wellbeing Is built upon the warfare
that is being waged in the blood
corpuscles of every human being, of
every animal, in fact. 1
Nay, even in the Inanimate world a
struggle against the elements that
make for decay and corruption goes on
unceasingly. In our euphemistic way
we speak of "the battle of life," and
everyone knows that It Is indeed a
fierce straggle In which millions, as
the Teutons so often tell us, "are
easily repulsed."
Who shall say that it Is not the will
of God that man shall be a soldier,
always either fighting or getting pre
pared? We know that this tendency
to fight has always prevailed on this
continent.
Twenty thousand years ago. accord
ing to an eminent archaeologist, a ter
rible battle was fought on the banks
of the Arkansas River, in what is now
the Indian Territory, between the
Mound Builders and the Mayas, in
which over 75,000 warriors bit the dust.
The scientist. Professor Walters,
reached this remarkable conclusion on
account of his investigations of a pre
historic burying-ground in the Choc
taw Indian country, over 20 years ago,
if my memory Is not at fault, which
he found to contain 75,000 skeletons.
His attention was first called to this
great battle-ground by the men who
built what was then known as the
Kansas City. Pittsburg & Gulf Rail
way. Their grading brought to light
tons of human bones and am immense
number of implements of savage war
fare. "The skulls were pierced with darts
or arrowheads, one specimen contain
ing 13 moss-agate arrdw-points."
Of course these poor benighted crea
tures hadn't learned about poisonous
gases or liquid fire and had to do the
best, or worst they could with toma
hawks, clubs, arrows and darts. So
the conclusion was Inevitable that they
had all died in battle.
And what a battle that was! Tho
bloodiest battles of the great Euro
pean war cannot rival this record of
75,000 dead in one field. It was per
haps the last of a long series of san
guinary conflicts between these won
derful old Mound Builders and the
Mayas who came from Central Amer
ica and sought to gain possession of
North1. America.
And . it was 2P..Q00 year &sot go It
has ever been, a fight for the land.
The 14 nations of Europe are at it for
the same old cause today. It is God's
will. He permits it. He encourages it.
The royal psalmist says: "He teach
eth my fingers to fight, mine arms
shall break evena bow of steel."
Perhaps the peace that mankind
yearns for is the peace that follows
conquest. It is well expressed in a
verse translated from the Russian na
tional hymn:
God the all-terrible King, who ordalnest
Great winds thy clarions, ths lightnings
thy sword,
Show forth thy pity on high where thou
reign est.
Give to us peace In our time, O Lord.
So shall thy children. In thankful devotion,
I.aud him who saved them from peril and
sword.
Singing In chorus from ocean to ocean,
Fcaoe to the nations and praise to the
fiord.
( JAMES IRVING "CRABBE.
COST IS QUESTIONED
Correspondent Criticises City Engineer
for Aetlon on Greeley Extension Plan.
PORTLAND, April 1. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Oregonlan March 22 you
publish a set of. questions from the
North Portland Commercial Club, with
answers by the City Engineer, in re
gard to - the cost of the so-called
Greeley-street extension. Which seem
to me to either evade "the questions
or misrepresent the cost of the exten
sion. For instance, I quote question
No. 2: "What will be the entire cost
of right of way therefor?"
"Answer: Tbe estimated cost is
$113,766."
"Question No. 4 "What is the es
timated amount of yardage and what is
the probable cost of excavation?'
"Answer (omitting details): Excava
tion, $121,113.90; embankments, $31.
112.04." "Question What Is the probable cost
per lot for the whole, including pave
ment?" ,
"Answer (omitting preliminary de
tails, he says: 'For your information,
however, I will say that if each lot
(assuming that there are 17,834 lots)
was assessed equally the assessment
for street extension proceedings would
be $6.34 per lot, provided the proposed
vacation of the St. "Johns road was
not considered . . . this reduction
would make an average assessment of
$4.11 per lot, instead of $6.34.'"
Figures Are Cited.
Now, take their own figures, right of
way $113,766 plus paving cost at their
average cost $65,175 plus grading and
filling, $152,225.94 (and this does not
include right of way or grading for
slopes or easements, which would cost
possibly as much more), would make
a total of $331,166.94. and with their
figures of 17,934 lots would make very
close to $18.50 per lot. instead of $6.34.
and this allows nothing for engineer
ing expenses, which, notwithstanding
tho fact that we pay taxes to pay
their salary, they always charge a high
price for anything we want them to do.
It looks as If the engineering de
partment were bound to carry this
through, in spite of protest by a large
number of Jot owners.
An "improvement" which is of ab
solutely no value to any one on the
Peninsula unless they own or drive
an auto. As a scenic drive in con
nection with Willamette boulevard,
which, by the way was put through
for the benefit of the auto owners or
Auto Club, it would undoubtedly make
a fine addition to our system of-drive-ways,
but as far as any financial or
any other benefit to 90 per cent of
tne people below Greeley street there
is absolutely nothing to It. And why
the city engineering department should
find it necessary- to resort to misrep
resentation in order to force it through
is more than I can understand. Why
not try a new method and let the peo
ple know that this improvement will
cost anywhere from $25 to $30 per
ioLi tneir own figures show It.
C. H. BEARD.
STATE
AID
FARMERS'
HOPE
Political Influence at Salem Conven
tion Suspected by Writer.
VALE, Or., March 80. (To the Ed
itor.) The convention called by the
Irrigation Congress and held at Salem
March 9 to frame constitutional
amendments for state guarantee of
bonds for Irrigation and drainage and
a system of rural credits seems to have
fallen under the influence of politicians
and by separation of the subjects all
three are likely to be killed.
It is true that political questions are
sometimes economic; that economio
questions are political, but under our
freak methods and the primary method
of selecting candidates, personal poli
tics are projected into important eco
nomic questions, which is a different
matter. Not only is it a different mat
ter, but gravely unfortunate.
It is difficult for us of the older gen
eration to realize that a new era has
dawned on the United States, an era
of far more serious import than appears
on its face. For 100 years, when civ
ilized rules and aociety's burdens
pressed hard on numbers of Individuals
the boundless West stretched for 8000
miles, offering rich land, mines, timber
and thousands of square miles of graz
ing. The vast domain has been turned
into wealthy and populous states, which
condition might have continued per
haps for another generation, but the
Lord, for some unknown reason in
scrutable but unavoidable, gave us Pin
chot. Now he gives us Ferris and his
ilk, while Oregon has an army of al
leged statesmen desirous of perpetuat
ing their strangle hold on our magnif
icent state.
With no other known outlet Canada
having proved a frost (this Is no pun)
Mexico In the throes of war and de
struction, while protection to Ameri
cans is denied and refused; those who
have been unable to keep up with mod
ern methods, who are unable to meet
the high and rising cost of all com
mercial necessities, unable to contrib
ute their quota to the gold-demanding
water in railroad stocks, unable to put
their farms in condition which con
tinued use renders necessary (these
conditions being as old as humanity as
to irrigation and drainage, having no
place to move where boundless nature
supplies civilization's necessities; those
people must have the same assistance,
equal opportunity, legalized financial
encouragement given to every other
industry except farming or they will
become a burden on society and the
country must drift into a semi-mon-archial
or complete socialistic condi
tion, peopled with whatls called a peas
ant class in Europe, moujika in Rus
sia and peons in Mexico.
Every attempt to enter this condition
is fought by two classes: Those opposed
from interested financial reasons,
among whom may be found mortgage
companies and bankers who cannot see
beyond the present. The other class is
made up of politicians who are able
to show that any indebtedness, or ap
parent indebedness, taxes the poor, and
by misrepresentation hope, and gener
ally do, ride into some office.
Such help is sometimes offered by
their friends, or alleged friends, that
fails for reasons carried in the affirm
ative argument. Thus the argument
put forth by F. S. Myers as reported
in The Oregonian, indicated that the
farmer must not have money for less
than 6 per cent because to do so would
interfere with some state school fund.
This reasoning makes the farmer a
contributor to the state, offers a loan
and charges a state commission in ex
cess of probable cost of making the
loan.
Again, Mr. Myers proposed to borrow
10.900,000 at 1 per cent, lend it to the
farmer at 6 per cent, pay expenses and
the surplus to go to the school fund;
meanwhile increase the $19,000,000 to
$38,000,000 In 23 years, and a profit of
$41,000,000 in 35 years. As the differ
ence between what he proposes to pay
and what he proposes to get is only 2
per cent less the cost of transacting
the business, even a farmer might
wonder by what financial legerdemain
this could be accomplished. Secretary
McAdoo in his palmiest nights of sur
plus increasing fails to reach this alti
tude of finance, and law might have
made Orleans financial ruler of the
world as well as King of France with
such a financial mind.
The necessity for drainage is evident
in the Willamette Valley as well as in
every irrigation project in the world.
The white land of the magnificent
valley, well drained, will produce grain
in quantities rivaling the best of the
country.
Portland is backing the Strahorn sys
tem ' of railroads in Eastern Oregon.
That great and wonderful empire ca
pable of feeding millions of people will
continue a bleak and sagebrush desert
for ages longer without irrigation on
the one hand and drainage on the other.
This bleak and sagebrush desert has
more plant food waiting the advent of
men with brains to develop and farm
ing strength and knowledge to culti
vate than -any equal territory in the
world. v
The day when poor men can take a
piece of land and begin raising crops
which will support his family has
passed. Stump land must be cleared,
arid land must be irrigated, wet land
must be drained, and neither of the
three will support humanity without
either time for development or money
to hurry development. Of one the
farmer has none and dally needs pre
vent his taking the time.
The real question is: Will the state
and the Government give them proper
aid or will they choose to have their
state half desert and the remainder
peopled with serfs? JOHN RIGBY.
WOMAN SCORES BIRTH CONTROL,
Self-Control Is Right Way to Prevent
Large Families, Is View.
EUGENE, Or., March 31. (To the Ed
itor.) In the condemnation of birth
control we have dealt with but an
abstract principle of evil, and no one
person or persons have been aimed at
through the columns of The Oregonian.
no one has been condemned or meddled
with, except as he has been struck
with the truth of what has been said by
his own conscience.
"Moral responsibility for coition, and
self-repression for the standard" has
been the slogan.
Christianity teaches us that we do
not belong to ourselves individually,
but that we form but a small part of
what should be a harmonious unit; a
link, as it were, in an eternal chain.
To be this we must first of all adjust
ourselves to the natural forces or laws,
that is, God. It 13 not the intent of
nature to pervert the will of man, but
man possesses the ability, through will,
to pervert the intent of nature. Ho
has free will, that is, he is capable of
doing either right or wrong.
An individual who does not recognize
his moral responsibility knows not the
difference of right from wrong, and we
call such an individual mentally defi
cient. If, on the other hand, he dis
claims such moral responsibility as an
individual right on the part of whom
soever sees fit to do so, such person
is fundamentally and legally a moral
degenerate, a conscious force of evil,
with evil intent and knowledge, and
does wrong with malice aforethought.
No opponent of birth control advo
cates large families to those who do
not desire it, but we say that the only
moral right any individual has to limit
his offspring is through self-control.
Of course, if this were the only prin
ciple of control that man used the re
sult would probably be many children
where there are now none, but the
theory would not be at fault. However
society does have a right to ask the
individual who believes in, and uses
mechanical devices, - that he, for the
sake of decency retrain from flauntin
his viciousness in public and espouse
intrinsic immorality as a modern pana
cea. How can a moral evil right civil
wrongs? In time of conflagration we
do not start back-firing until all other
means of control have been exhausted
So let us right what is wrong from
some different angle, on a fundamen
tally moral basis, otherwise we will
only make what is already bad worse.
MRS. M. A. ALBIN.
NON-VOTERS RECREAXT IN DUTY
Ballot Is Sovereign Weapon Entrusted
to Citizen by His State.
PORTLAND, April 1. (To the Ed-
tor.) In the intensity of the struggle
to accumulate wealth and amass for
tunes constantly going on in the United
States, almost two-fifths of our legal
voters give little or no attention to
our politics or our laws except insofar
as they may directly affect their own
personal business or comfort. It is
estimated by political economists that
only three out of five persons who vote
at our elections give either the per
sonal qualifications of the candidates
or the merits of the respective meas
ures for which they vote more than
momentary or passing consideration
and this just immediately prior to the
time he or she casts his or her ballot
Many eligible voters do not vote at
all. This is a situation which should
excite alarm and cause ejeh and every
patriotio American citizen to put forth
his or her best effort to quicken the
pulse of the indifferent, to combat the
general apathy and to rouse the voters
of the Nation and this state to in
terest and activity, for the inevitable
consequences of ignorance or laxity
in political matters on the part of the
people in a free country are anarcny
followed by lawlessness and mob rule
and finally, the man on horseback
with the iron hand of despotism.
I think that the people of Oregon
are not as v guilty of laches In regard
to political matters as the people of
many other states in the Union have
been, but even the interest manifested
by the people of this progressive and
energetic commonwealth is not beyond
criticism or reproach. Indeed, there
are several Instances where the in
difference of the voters may be sub
ject to severe censure. I shall not
undertake to review all of these, but
shall content myself by calling your
attention to a single case. At the last
general election, a certain gentleman
was -elected to the House of Kepre
sentatives, although his candidacy was
repudiated and opposed by every news
paper in his district, irrespective of
political affiliation or belief, because
of his general and notorious unfitness
for the position for which he was a
candidate.
Many persons look upon voting as
a right Instead of a duty. Each re
gards his or her vote as a personal
matter to. do with as he or she chooses
without public responsibility, but this
notion in respect to voting Is unpatri
otic. A man's vote is not his own
it is his country's the sovereign
weapon entrusted to him to be wielded
in the defense of his country's welfare,
and the man or woman who does not
use it in a state where he or she Is
given the opportunity to vote is re
creant to his or her trust and falling
in public duty.
Rights cannot be maintained in a
country where duties are neglected.
It is indispensable that the people
should have a high regard fi'r their
duties before the citizens can have
a true conception of their private and
international rights or the courage or
conviction to enforce and uphold them.
Rights and duties are co-ordinate, they
x dependent, upon each other, and
in a free country, under a republican ,
form of government, it is important
that stress be placed upon the citizen's
duties lather than upon his rights.
In Oregon the people have the great
est political rights and accordingly
bear the greatest political responsi
bilities. Under the initiative and ref
erendum system adopted and enforced
in this state, the people of Oregon are
virtually their own lawmakers, and
this means that they are therefore the
controllers of their progress and pros
perity. Without good laws, there can
be no progress, and consequently no
prosperity. People will not invest
their money In a state where poor laws
are in force and without the Invest
ment of foreign capital there can be "
no employment of labor. The only
way. therefore, that we can assure the
passage of good laws in Oregon is to
prepare the people against bad ones,
and this. I take it, should be as much
the object of a political organization
as the success of its party candidates.
The surest and simplest method of
preparing the people of Oregon against
the passage of bad laws In this state
is to encourage registration, for as the
number of votes in the state multiply
r ecuriiy against tne passage of bad
laws commensurately Increases. In this
respect our Government has been
likened to the erection of a building
the safest when resting upon the
broadest foundation, and I think that
this simile is well applied in the case
of the Oregon system. What we need
most in the way of preparedness at
present In Oregon is a vote from everv
eligible voter in the state on important
matters submitted to the consideration
of the people at each succeeding elec
tion, and when we attain this we need,
have no fear for the future prosperity
of our great commonwealth. Not onlr
will, our safety concerning our own
Government be assured, but we will
also dispel the popular illusion that
now prevails throughout the country
that this is merely the experimental
ground for popular and fanatical leg
islation. We will establish a reputa
tion for saneness and conservatism
that will become Nation-wide and
countless numbers of investors will
therefore seek investments In Oregon.
FRANKLIN F. KORELL.
CARLIXH ON GREELEY STREET
Peninsula Would Be Put 15 Minutes
Nearer City by It, Says Writer.
PORTLAND. March 31. (To the Ed
itor.) In The Oregonlan March 29 an
article on the Greeley-street extension
by a certain Peninsula Advisory League
purported to say that it was not the
intention to have a carline on this
street, that if a carline was put there
it would not shorten the distance three
minutes, and finally that it would not
enhance the value of real estate.
There must be a carline on it; it is
too valuable an artery to be kept from
general use. In fact the plans call for
an improved street with the driveway
on ono side end car tracks on the other.
Should the car company refuse to lay
tracks, which is scarcely possible, then
the Council under Section 156 of the
city charter can compel the company
to extend over it.
This street, if extended, will shorten
the distance over the present route via
Williams avenue one and one-quarter
miles. Mareover, there can be no stops
south of Alberta street to delay, while
there are forty intersections with the
usual stops over the old route. l"et
though a shorter route by over a mile
and without stops, this advisory league
advises that it would shorten the dis
tance but three minutes. J t is u poor
League to have advisory capacity.
This same league advises to macad
amize "the streets as that would en
hance the value of real estate 10.000 '
times more than would this improve
ment. Why not macadamize tho streets
if the league would profit? However,
values of real estate in Portland seem
in general to be based on its proximity
to the center of the city. If the Penin
sula district is brought nearer to the
center of the city by one and one
quarter miles and over a route with
few stops for the cars, effecting a sav
ing of 15 minutes a ride, realty values
affected by this improvement 6hould
rise enormously.
The Advisory League seems to go
on the theory that the longest way
around Is the shortest way home. It is
Ill-reasoned advice.
O. V. T. JONSON.
Sec. Peninsula Associated Imp. Clubs.
ROOSEVELT NOT FAVORED.
Republican Fears "T. It.-' Wonld Hare
Embroiled Us In European War.
VERBOORT,. Or., March 31. (To tho
Editor.) Will you please allow me a
little space to give my opinion of T.
Roosevelt for President? We had four
years under Roosevelt, for which ho
was elected and the balance of McKIn
ley's term, and what did he do that
should give us confidence to elect him
again? There are many reasons why a
good many of ua will not vote for him
again.
It seems strange to me that people
will cling to a man who has made so
many promises and fulfilled none. Will
any man show us where Roosevelt ever
broke up any big trusts, or ever gained
one point for the benefit of the poor?
No, it was worse than that; he used his
"big stick" to make believe with, whil
he was heart and hand with them.
Ye?, all yon Roosevelt boosters, how
would you like to be in tho Army in
war with Germany, or with the Rllles?
If he were President there is wher
some of us would be. If he did as he
preaches would any of you boosters)
go? I have my doubts.
We may have plenty to do fn Mex1c
before we get through down there.
While I don't believe in backing out
and being the coward, I don't bellevei
In provoking a scrap, either.
While I did not vote for Wilson, X
feel that it is a good thing we hava
him to guide us instead of Roosevelt.
I have voted the Republican ticket
always, for President. But sincerely
hope I will not have to look at Roose-
velt's name on the ballot in November,
for I will be compelled to- do some
thing unbecoming a good Republican,
if I have to decide between him ana
Wilson. J. H.
SOUTHERN SUBURB IS BOOSTED
Writer Asks Why Property Owner Da
Not Get Busy.
PORTLAND. April 1. (To the Edi
tor.) As I have watched Portland
grow from a small village when the oU
Failing School taught us our leseona
and the old horsecar stopped at First
and Sheridan streets, in South Portland,
I feel I can make a few remarks for
its welfare.
When Portland was first laid out tha
worst mistake made was narrow
streets. As it grew larger, the same
thing continued. Now, is there no law,
no way to remedy this thing? Now,
even, when some real estate tirm opena
a new district they first give it a name
and then a team is p'ut in and the grass
or a stump or two scraped off Then
some 2x13 boards are strung along and
called sidewalks. They are advertised
as graded streets and sidewalks in and
paid for. What a shame! Is this fair
to the prospective sucker?
Wouldn't he buy Just as quickly If
told tho truth? There are hundreds of
acres of line homesites Just 15 min
utes' ride south and southwest of thei
city lying idle. On the East Side noth
ing lies idle, no matter how far out;
it Is always being advertised and
boosted. What's the cause of ail this?
Where are the eyes of the owners of
these line tracts? If I'm wrong in my
argument, I would like to hear some
one elbo explain their view on the mat.
ter. A SOUTH END BOOSTER.
S