The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current, December 17, 1916, SECTION THREE, Page 6, Image 46

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THE SUNDAY OREGOMAN. PORTLAND, DECEMBER 17, 191 G.
PORTLAND. ORECOS. .
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Eastern Business Office Verro & Conk
1 In. Brunswick building. New York; Verree
& Conklin, Stenger building. Chicago. San
Kranclsco representative, K. J. Bldwell, 74
Market street.
PORTLAND, SfSUAY. DEC. 17, 1916.
SUNDAY CENSORSHIP.
With all their censorship troubles,
the movingr-picture theaters of Port
land are not in such straits as the
same interests fincj themselves in New
York. There they have encountered
a more rigid censorship affecting:, it
is estimated, 25 per cent of their in
come. This censorship is the venerable
Sunday blue law of the state. Sunday
movies have been declared illegal by
a lower court and the managers have
hastened to appeal.
New York's blue law is considerably
older than the one recently repealed
In Oregon. It is more sweeping in
its inhibitions. In Oregon there was
an exception in favor of theaters, but,
after all, that was not important, as
the statute was not enforced in any
particular. But in New York pro
fessional Sunday baseball is unknown.
Theaters, it appears, may open for
business only if the offering is on the
order of the sacred concert. Presum
ably a film theater might present the
Passion play, but could not lawfully
offer Oliver Twist, while attempt to
put on a Chaplin comedy would bring
out the police reserves.
Sunday customs in New York have
their own tinge of comedy. The century-old
law has been consistently
upheld by the courts, though reasons
for sustaining the law have changed
since the earlier opinions were ren
dered. New York decisions once pro
nounced the sanctity, solemnity and
holiness of the day and declared the
right of the state to establish a re
ligious Sabbath.
But invalidity of laws to enforce
idleness on purely religious grounds
is now no longer questioned. For a
time need to preserve in peace and
riuiet the right to worship seemed to
impress the courts; but later the Sun
day law has been upheld as expression
of a proper authority to safeguard so
cial welfare.
Courts thus ostentatiously depart
from religious grounds in upholding
the law. yet custom or law, we know
not which, permits solemn or "sacred"
diversions but prohibits secular amuse
ments. The Metropolitan Opera
House, for example, may present, with
due legality, a so-called sacred con
cert. "Sacred ness" is maintained -by
the appearance of soloists and chorus
in everyday clothes, and in the ren
dition of classical or intricate selec
tions. It is quite lawful on Sunday
to sing from the stage, before an audr
ience which has paid admission, the
chorus from Die Meistersinger, the
only one of Wagner's operas or music
dramas which contains a touch of
comedy, but it would be unlawful
to render in or out of costume the
entire production. The law, be it re
membered, is not now sustained on
religious grounds. It simply is the
understanding that unless Sunday di
versions are solemn or inspiring the
people's social, economic or physical
welfare has been impaired.
To the ordinary mind it will ap
pear unreasonable that physical or
economic influences are any different
in the Metropolitan when European
artists sing than in the Winter Gar
den when a bare-legged chorus en
livens. Many will discern a moraj
distinction, but it must be remembered
that the validity of blue laws no longer
rests on moral grounds. Deeds in
hibited on Sunday are presumably
moral on week days, because on those
days they have legal sanction.
There is no less of hyprocrisy in
Sunday observance than in prohibition.
The opinion of one fraction of the
population that that which it enjoys
may not harm it but that which the
other factions enjoy is thoroughly
deleterious and must be prohibited
comes plainly to the fore. Quite like
ly the Tiian who demands the right to
store his cellar with intoxicants, to
be drawn upon whenever the spirit
moves, but denies the masses oppor
tunity to patronize a public depot in
similar way, upholds Sunday grand
' opera for the highbrows and condemns
Sunday comedy for the lowbrows.
There ought to be a middle ground
on which those consumed with bigotry
and those desirous of license could
be made to compose their differences.
, There is virtue in one day of rest in
seven. Those who desire to spend
the day in worship have a right to
freedom from the interference of
boisterous conduct. But a theater is
not a disturber of its neighborhood
Just as many employes are required to
present the film of a Bible story as
one depicting a modern comedy.
Physical health produces a clean mind
and a clean mind, we fancy, will or
dinarily find the narrow road to
heaven without legal admonition.
Wholesome recreations that do not
interfere with others' rights or liber
ties or tax the physical capacity of
those whose service is required to pro
vide them deserve no statutory in
fliction -on the Sabbath.
MADISON SQUARE OARDEX SAVED.
Madison Square Garden is saved!
New York City is not to lose one of
the objects of its pride. The property
has been bought In by the insurance
company which held a first mortgage,
and the new oiVners will .improve it
and continue to lease it for great
assemblages. Until the sale was held,
it was feared that the building might
fall into the hands of some capitalist
who would tear it down. New York
is now relieved.
"The Garden" has been for many
years the scene of great assemblages
and great shows. Vast meetings were
held to hear political speeches or re
ligious revivalists or the champion of
some new cult or cause. All manner
of shows were' held there, from the
horse show, which affords fashion
able beauties an opportunity to display
themselves and their costumes, to six
day bicycle races. Expositions of
various kinds have been housed in
it, particularly those of special pur-
pose. One week there may be a display-
of safety devices, another week
one of electric appliances and a third
week a demonstration of everything
connected, with tuberculosis. A great
city like New York needs such - an
institution, and its destruction would
have been a' public misfortune.
The building has not been a paying
investment, for it is difficult to make
such a property pay. Interest runs
on whether it is in use or not, and
many other expenses are continuous.
A nightly rental that is high enough
to make the owner safe might com
pel the lessee to make admission
charges so high that he could not fill
the building. So large a building can
only attract the crowds needed to fill
it if the admission fee be moderate
and the attraction strong. It is no
easy task to square these requisites
with the necessity of paying interest
on a mortgage. The property was
assessed at $2,850,000 and was under
a first mortgage of $2,300,000, while
the late J. P. Morgan held a second
mortgage for $650,000. The first
mortgagee bought it for $2,000,000,
wiping out the second mortgage and
all other claims. It must now be
made to pay if the purchaser is to get
his money out. That insurance com
pany needs a man with the genius of
Barnum.
the mayor's rowmts.
At this time, when there is a gen
eral inclination by all citizens to pay
renewed attention to our novel form
of municipal government, it -may be
well to bring to public attention the
powers of the Mayor under our latest
charter. It is all quite clearly set
forth in article 3, section 54.
The executive and administrative powers,
authority and cruties, not otherwise provided
for herein, shall be distributed among the
departments as follows:
(a) Department of Public Affairs.
(b) Department of Finance.
(c) Department of Public Safetv.
(d) Department of Public Utilities.
(e) Department of Public Improvements.
The llttrlhutlon of work among them shall
be made and may be changed from time to
time by tlie Mayor by order which shall be
filed and preserved as an ordinance. The
names of the departments may be changed
in like manner.
The following section (55) confers
on the Mayor authority to assign his
associates to departments, and to
"transfer commissioners from one de
partment to-' another . . . when
ever it appears that the public serv
ice will be benefited thereby."
It appears quite likely that His
Honor, the Mayor, has, in the midst
of his onerous and multifarious duties,
not lately found time for examination
of our most interesting charter. It
will bear rcperusal by him.
FOR TIFE riTBLIC GOOD.
The little city of Rochester, Minn.,
has achieved Nation-wide, even world
wide, fame through the Mayo brothers,
physicians and surgeons. They have
established there a great hospital with
a skilled staff of operators and an
army of competent assistants, which
attracts the lame, the halt and the
blind from all quarters of the globe.
An almost endless procession of sick,
diseased and helpless pour in upon
the Mayos, and are treated; and pov
erty is not their commonest attribute.
Indeed, it is a fact that the reputation
of the Mayos is so high that the mil
lionaire who is ill, or fancies that
he is, and has great trepidation about
what, will happen to him, goes with
due haste to Rochestert yet no one
in need of medical or surgical help is
turned away merely because he is
poor. .
The Mayos have been frequently
solicited to go to a metropolis; but
they have wisely refused. Let the
man or woman who desires their serv
ices go to them; they will not seek
him.
Obviously, a high-class' hospital, or
medical and surgical center, may be
established in a - comparatively small
community. Portland has just such
an opportunity. Already, through lo
cation here of "the medical department
of the University of Oregon, and of
sundry sanitariums and hospitals.
public and private, it is easily first
in that line of science and benevolence
in the Northwest.
Now it is proposed to establish for
all time Portland's pre-eminence,
through the location of the medical
school and the County Hospital, and
sundry associate institutions, on a 25-
acre site, in South Portland. The j
state has appropriated $o0,000 for the
purpose, conditioned on certain pri
vate donations. The sum of $25,000
is needed before December 31, 19t6;
arid all but of a few thousand of that
amount has been raised.
This is not a matter alone for the
physicians and surgeons of the city
and state, but for all citizens. They
should see that the plans of the un
selfish and highly competent men
who are promoting the enterprise do
not fail.
NOT ENOUGH FOOD PRODUCERS.
A very simple explanation of the
higher cost of living may be found
In the changed ratio of producers to
consumers of food. This is roughly
indicated by the census reports on
proportion of rural to urban popula
tion, though towns of less than 2500
people are regarded as rural. On this
basis there were in the year 1900
forty-four producers of food for every
thirty-one non-producers, but in 1910
there were forty-nine producers to
every forty-two non-producers. An
other way of stating it is that, while
consumers have increased 34.8 per
cent in number, producers haye in
creased 11.2 per cent.
If the ratio of food production per
capita of rural population has re
mained the same, less food is pro
duced in this country to feed a much
larger number of non-producers; that
is. workers in the cities. We did not
feel the effect on prices very markedly
until short crops the world over
synchronized with abnormal foreign
demand and with more liberal con
sumption in the cities enjoying war
prosperity. While the ratio of pro
duction per capita of rural popula
tion may have increased, it evidently
has not increased sufficiently to over
come these influences.
There is a possibility of an increase
to such an extent, however. If every
farmer mixed science with practical
knowledge, so that he farmed inten
sively and with proper crop rotation;
if he had modern machinery to op
erate his farm and a proper organiza
tion to market his crops; if he had
rapid autotrucks to haul his crops to
market and paved roads to run them
over, the same number of people
might produce a vastly increased sup
ply of food. There might be enough
to supply the urban population in
old-style abundance and yet to leave
an increased surplus for export. The
price received by the producer might
be fcaised, while at the same time that
paid by the ultimate consumer might
be lowered. The improvements sug
gested might make the farming busi
ness and country life so attractive as
to draw many people to argiculture
until a proper balance between urban
and rural population would be re
stored. That is the Utopia toward which we
are striving, but it is still a long way
off.
SLOW PROGRESS.
The official announcement that
West Virginia cast its electoral vote
for Mr. Hughes in the late election by
the narrow margin of 2721 carries no
novelty; but the additional news that
woman suffrage was defeated by a
vote of two and one-half to one (161.
607 nays, 63,540 yeas) shows con
vincingly that the sovereign male vot
ers of West Virginia do not propose
to surrender any of their privileges to
mere women.
The cause of woman suffrage has
not greatly prospered in the past two
years, and it may be feared that the
results of the recent election have
been to weaken rather than to
strengthen the caue. West Virginia,
Iowa and South Dakota have just
voted against extension of the fran
chise; and in 1915 Massachusetts, New
Jersey, .New York and Pennsylvania
refused to heed- the appeals of the
women.
Last June both great parties adopted
substantially similar declarations on
suffrage, designed to convince the
women that they were to be favored.
But it may be feared that there was
no intent of a definite committal.
Now the Republican party sees that
all but two suffrage states, nearly all
of them Republican, went for Wilson
and elected him. The Southern Demo
cratic states see in suffrage a menace
to their continued control. Where
are the women to turn? To the Wom
an's Party?
LITERATURE AND THE WAR.
There seems to be a peculiar war
mentality that does not make for the
best in . either letters or art, or, for
the matter of that, ' in statesmanship
or constructiveness in any form. So
far as the pot-borers are concerned,
the war has neither helped nor hin
dered them, and it would not have
mattered if it had done either one.
Merely putting a. war background to
a mediocre tale has been a matter of
no mechanical difficulty, nor has it
been of any moment. The world has
the high price of print paper to thank
for the fact that the output of this
class of books, at least, has been cur
tailed. As for literary work of con
sequence, there has been of it less
than usual in the year now drawing to
a close. Many writers are in the
trenches; others, like Conan Doyle,
Arnold Bennett and Sir Gilbert Parker,
are engaged in publicity work for their
governments; some, like John Gals
worthy, are giving their whole thought
to the help of the maimed and the
blind. And from those who have had
the heart to write, little has come that
is at all likely to endure.
Quite naturally, the great conflict
has been the subject of a large pro
portion of the books that have been
written recently. These books divide
themselves into three great classes,
the histories or near-histories
which are being turned out to meet
a real or fancied "popular demand";
works of philosophy inspired by the
war, which include discussions of the
motives underlying war and of plans
for the preservation of peace a?ter the
world shall have become sane; and
romances, with or without their
"problem" accessories, with a war
background. - - The historians are
clearly ahead of their time. The
name of Hilaire Belloc will carry
great weight and insure a hearing to
his "The Great War." in which he
has only reached the battle of the
Marne, but it is conceivable that after
the war is over and its perspectives
are somewhat clearer he will wish
for the opportunity to unsay some of
the things he has said. The records
are hardly available as yet even the
records of any one belligerent, and
the historian must have his records if
he is not merely to give further Justi
fication to the cynicism that "history
is fiction agreed upon."
When one considers that after more
than half a century the "great his
tory" of our own Civil War still awaits
the author, the futility of attempting
a comprehensive review of the vaster
Kuropean conflict will be clear. The
"White Books," and "Blue Books,"
and books of all the other colors is
sued by the Various governments, do
not answer the purpose, even of a
groundwork for discussion as to who
is to blame for it all. The years to
come will be rich with revelations, all
bearing upon the truth or falsity of
the arguments of statesmen, and only
time will bring them out.
There is. happily, an abatement of
the flood of observations by men and
women who were caught abroad when
the war broke out and whose impa
tience to write could not be restrained.
It is noteworthy and this may give
a key to the settlement some day
that every writer, almost without ex
ception, is a partisan of the country in
which he or she happened to be dwell
ing at the time. It. shows that all
sides have their favorable points, if
only they could be understood. There
is another line of books by writers
who have ventured into the war zone
to make studies of special ' phases,
but these are for the most part incon
clusive. In .our country the war naturally
has aroused interest in the twin sub
jects of prevention and preparedness,
and, so far as the informative essays
on these topics may be called litera
ture, there have been some not dis
creditable contributions. Of this type
are "A Citizens' Army," by Julian
Grande, with an introduction by the
military critic of the Journal de
Geneve, which explains the Swiss sys
tem and discusses its adaptability to
the United States; "Trained Citizen
Soldiery." by Major John H. Parker,
U. S. A., in which the author sets
forth the views of a regular Army
officer on the subject without taking
much account of the fact that the
body of the people eventually must
approve any plan that succeeds; and
"Universal Military Education," in
which the author. Dr. Lucien Howe,
takes the position that universal peace
is only a dream and that America
should be prepared for any eventual
ity. There are many others in this
class, some thoughtful, nearly all sin
cere and all more or less informative.
And, quite naturally, also, there are
many books dealing with the way to
permanent peace, for there are many
who persist in believing that this
Utopia is not impossible.
Two books stand out at this date
among the products of the year, one
by a German, the other by an English
man. Dr. Naumann's "Mitteleuropa"
is not precisely a war book; it is a
dream of empire from the German
point of view, not, however, in the
strictly military sense, but voicing
ambition for the organization of the
people and the resources of Germany,
Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and Tur
key, under a competent and far-seeing
directing head, which Dr. Naumann,
as a patriotic German, naturally be
lieves ought to be in Berlin. On the
English side, by far the greatest book
of the year, is Mr. Wells' "Mr. Britling
Sees It Through." The character of
Mr. Britling is a mastecpice of literary
craftsmanship. It depicts a man who
is utterly set at naught by the vast
ness and the suddenness of it all. His
lack of logic while he is lamenting the
absence of logic in others, and his
failure to be rational while criticising
his government for not managing
things rationally, constitute a strong
summarizing of what must have been
the feelings of many' men; while his
letter to the father of his dead son's
German tutor would have redeemed
the book if the latter had been other
wise short of the mark.
The fact that on the whole the out
put of books in 1916 has been rather
under that of recent years does not,
however, mean that less reading is
being, done. Libraries report greater
demands than ever, and the books
that are being printed are receiving
more attention. Curtailment of physi
cal output is not without its compen
sations, on the whole.
EXPLOITING THE SARGASSO SEA.
In the search for more potash' with
which to fertilize our lands, or may
hap to make explosives with which
we may kill one another, the veil is to
be torn from the Sargasso Sea. Ac
cording to the plans of a Florida
skipper, this vast deposit of floating
seaweed is to be exploited commer
cially. The world will be richer in
dustrially, but its stock of fiction will
sniffer if the scheme succeeds. It
would seem that there is to be no
shortage of potash, in any event. To
be sure, the Cuban deposits did not
ihaterialize, but we still have exten
sive prospects on the Pacific Coast,
and the country has not given up hope
of discovering something worth while
in the form of mineral deposits in
workable form. Still, anything that
promises to add to the world's supply
of this important substance is bound
to create interest.
it has been widely accepted as a
fact that the Sargasso Sea was a place
from which no traveler ever returned
once he became involved in its ten
tacles. The legend accepted by mil
lions is that it is' practically floored
with wrecks, which have been unable
to get out of its circular currents and
have been weighted d.own with ac
cumulations of seaweed until at last
they sank. Many an entertaining book
has been written about it. The place
was discovered by Columbus, who was
involved in it for about two weeks
on one of his voyages to America, but
the fact that he escaped seems to
have been overlooked by those who
have given the place its -sinister name.
It is situated in the vicinity of 30 de
grees north latitude and between 40
and 60 degrees of west longitude. The
seaweed originates in the Caribbean
Sea and the Gulf of Mexico, but after
reaching this locality is held there by
coincidences of wind and current.
Curiously enough, the fact that the
Sargasso Sea could he navigated safely
was not shown .conclusively until 1910,
when a scientific expedition was sent
out on board the steamer Michael Sars
under the patronage of the Norwegian
government for the purpose. From
the report of this expedition, the Flor
ida skipper has taken courage. He
proposes to build a floating potash
reduction works, capable of making
200 tons of ash a day, and with ca
pacity for storing a two-weeks' sup
ply. So far as raw material is con
cerned, there ought to be plenty, for
it has not been disturbed in all the
ages. And there are, too, other less
known Sargasso Seas one north of
the Hawaiian Islands, one off New
Zealand and others south of the Falk
land Islands and south of Africa. We
are assured of potash, but much ro
mance will be sacrificed in the mak
ing of it.
AKTKR 1X)RTV-HVE.
The practical worth of a man past
4 5 years old has been too lightly con
sidered in the midst of the hurly
burly life we have been leading while
building up a new country. The In
dians had a saying "Old men for
council, young men for war." which
gave the elders a rather decent place
in the world, but our trouble has been,
partly, that we have not had much
use for counsel. There is a strong
feeling in each man's consciousness
that he knows a good deal about it
whatever it may be himself, and
he is not taking advice from anyone.
So one of the chief "wares that a man
who "is getting along in life" has to
offer has not been much in demand.
But perhaps we are becoming more
sedate: perhaps more humane; per
haps the demand for labor has made
us look around. At any rate,, promise
was given at a conference in Chicago
the other day that work will be found
for men between 45 and 60 if they
want It, and it was strongly asserted
that a man remains in his "prime"
until he Is the latter age. Some are
good for more years than that.
With the policy that proposes to
shelve the veteran employe or to re
fuse to employ the new one because
he has reached a certain "deadline'
people of progressive tendencies will
have little patience, but candor "on
the subject of why some' men past 4 5
find themselves in the discard will
not do them any harm. These have
lost their value because they have
wasted too much of the precious time
of youth, because they drifted when
they should have pushed ahead, and
because they some of them blamed
"conditions" for everything that was
not to their liking instead of cultivat
ing the valuable habit of moderate in
trospection.
The country is full of men who
spent their youthful days settling the
money question on street corners and
lambasting John D. Rockefeller when
they ought to have been learning the
rudiments of a trade. Thesa men are
of no great value after 4 5 or 50 be
cause it is true that in middle life
muscular habits have been formed
and it is hard to acquire new manual
dexterity. The man who has nothing
but the labor of a pair of hands to
offer in middle age is out of luck
There are, unfortunately for them,
not enough jobs as watchmen to go
around.
As for the man who is old only in
judgment and understanding, as Fal
staff says, it is another matter. As
suming that he has not wasted his
youth, that he has not tried to put
all his own shortcomings on either the
National administration or the social
system and that he has maintained a
lively interest in his own future, he
has not lost any essential part of his
real value; that is, if he has kept
alive. He may have lost some of his
taste for wild adventure, but be is all
the better on that account; and if his
hand does not move faster he makes
up for it by economy of motion that
only experience can bring; while there
are a thousand niches that he can fill
better than a youngster of 25 or so.
It is good to know that men of 45
and upward we shall not call them
"old" men are receiving recognition
at the hands of the Chicago commit
tee or any other committee, and it is
to be hoped that good will come of
it. But we fancy that there are not
quite so many middle-aged men. in
mil possession of their faculties, who
have made a sincere effort to do their
share in the world, who are the vic
tims of a conspiracy to keep them
from working as some would have us
believe; and it will be a good thing
for some of the overconfident young
sters of the present, who think that
pleasure is everything and that there
is nothing for them to learn, if they
can be made to realize that by their
neglect now they are steering a
straight course for a brink that does
undoubtedly yawn for some men
past. 45.
OUR NATIONAL MAIN STREET.
In proportion to population, the
states of the West have done much
more toward making the Lincoln
Highway the "Main street of the Na
tion" than have their sister states in
the East. An impressive reminder that
the road movement is gaining impetus
everywhere is contained in the recent
report of the Lincoln Highway Asso
ciation, but the fact that stands out is
that the sparsely populated regions are
the most enthusiastic of all. Road
building in the plain and mountain
states has received a tremendous
stimulus.
From coast to coast, the highway is
routed through ninety-eight counties
in eleven states. More than seventy
five of these counties and a large num
ber of cities and towns have united in
efforts for road betterment. Indiana
has done sufficient work to justify
calling the highway an "all-weather
road" in that state, having expended
$706,000 in construction in the past
year, but large as that amount is, it
does not compare with Wyoming's
$60,650, when inhabitants and re
sources of the states are considered.
Were the entire per capita expenditure
along the route equal to that of Wyo
ming, it is pointed out that the great
ocean-to-ocean highway could be com
pleted in a single year.
There are interesting possibilities in
connection with the future. Work in
Utah and Nevada will involve several
new engineering problems, especially
over the long desert wastes. It is not
to be expected that this will be com
pleted immediately, since" the resources
of the thinly populated counties are
wholly inadequate, but the beginning
has been made years in advance of the
time it would have been made if it
had not been for the enthusiasm stim
ulated by the general road movement.
It is interesting to note that out of
the 24 6 miles of highway'in Ohio, there
will be only twenty-two miles of dirt
road by the time the tourist season of
1917 opens. Illinois will by that time
have only thirty-three miles of dirt
road along the route of the highway.
Iowa has no permanently surfaced
roads, outside the cities, except those
improved with gravel, but has ex
pended in the past year nearly a mil
lion dollars for grading.and dragging.
from this point West, the road prob
lem becomes more and -more complex,
but it is being met in a spirit of enthu
siasm such as would not have been be
lieved possible a decade ago. The de
mand for good roads is one of the truly
remarkable phases of development in
all parts of the United States in the
past few years.
HANS RICIITKR.
There died in Baireuth the other
day a gifted musician who curiously
linked the present with the past- He
was Hans Kichter. who Just half a
century before had attached himself
to Richard Wagner as famulus, and
who, because of the profound knowl
edge be acquired of the spirit of that
muster's works, through association
that had so modest a beginning, be
came one of the most famous con
ductors in the world. That genius is
international is shown by the fact that
although Richter was a Hungarian by
birth and had much of his early train
ing in Munich and Lucerne and
Vienna, he lijed thirty years in Eng
land because it was there he seemed
to find greatest appreciation of his
work. But like Paolo Tostl, who also
died the other day, and who. though
a genius of a different mold, also
found the atmosphere of England
more hospitable than that of home,
he, too. returned to the continent
when his life had nearly run Its
course. Applause and appreciation
were worth seeking among strangers,
but home was the place to die.
Richter was a product of the age
when thoroughness was the watch
word ip eerything. In music as In
the crafts. This is illustrated by a
statement of a biographer that he won
an important post as conductor at
the Vienna Opera in 1869 because, be
ing engaged to conduct the ftrst per
formance of "Das Rheingold" and
finding at the last moment that his
Munich orchestra was. as he believed,
not fully prepared, he postponed the
performance at the" cost of his posi
tion. Only the truly devout in music
will understand the almost world-wide
furore that was created and the
triumph with which the conductor
subsequently moved into "a field of
larger glory to which, by his cour
ageous act, he had opened the way.
There ensued presently a period
that still further illustrates the inter
nationalism of art. through which
those who are inclined to point a
moral can draw their own conclusions
as to the future of a now troubled
world. It was in 1879 and many
momentous events have happened
since then that he was called to suc
ceed Sir Charles Halle as conductor
of the Halle orchestra at Manchester,
and settled in England. In the same
year he took Ixndon by storm. He
retained some of his connections in
Vienna, and he never was detached
from Baireuth. but his attachment for
England continued to grow. Perhaps
it is because musicians are vain, as
some say they are. but people are
prett much alike in the respect that
most of them do their best work un
der friendly skies. It was written of
him in Ixndon later that "England
has at last an ' eminent conductor
whom it can fairly call its very own."
This was said of a man who, what
ever his genius for taking pains in
other respects, never succeeded in
mastering the English speech. But It
could almost have been said of him
that he taught England to enjoy con
tinental music, especially that of Wag
ner and Beethoven and Mozart. It is
still another curious fact about him
that he was most at home in the
smoky city of Manchester. from
whence he went on his various mu
sical missions but to which for thirty
years he always returned.
Conductors are rarer nowadays who
regard it as a necessary part of a com
plete musical education to master
practically every instrument In a mod
em orchestra. Richter was almost a
virtuoso on the orgin. and" he was
proud of his skill with the kettle
drums. Strings and reeds and brass
he comprehended with equal facility.
It Is said that this was because he was
a conductor "bred in the orchestra
and not in the conservatory." At any
rate, his technical skill was in part
at least the foundation of his fame.
Most recently he had lived in the
town made famous by Wagner, where
for four or five years he had been
In retirement. The breaking out of
the war served to give opportunity
for display of the passing bitterness
that grows out of wars. When after
thirty years in England he had for
mally "retired" and announced his
Intention of ending his days on the
continent, he was the recipient of al
most countless "tributes" and honors
such as are bestowed upon those who
have achieved fame in a chosen art.
On the outbreak of hostilities he es
poused the cause of his mother coun
try and resigned rather obstreperously
the degrees and honors 4hat had been
conferred on him. Chauvinism of this
particular kind was commoner at a
certain stage of the war than, perhaps.
It would be even now, and he was
caught In the flood of It. His former
English admirers responded in kind,
and they who had been most extrava
gant in praise, were loudest in their
censure. He did not live to see this
mutual bitterness softened by the
posslng of time.
If the people of Chicago want to
enjoy the luxury of having their
library books delivered at their doors,
as at present are their milk and gro
ceries and pretty much everything else
they use. they will have opportunity
to say so by voting "yes" on a pro
posed bond issue of $500,000. The
present plan is to construct three
regional branch libraries and a dozen
or so auxiliaries at the start. Increas
ing the number of auxiliaries to an ul
timate seventy. In each of the five
regional branches there will be a permanent-library
of 50,000 volumes and
the central library would serve as the
source of supply for all books not in
the permanent collections. In. the
auxiliary libraries, collections of a
few thousand volumes would be main
tained. The advocates of the plan
declare it is "based on the city's
needs," which reminds one of the fact
that the luxuries "of today are the
necessities of tomorrow.
The latest proffered solution of the
high cost of living problem is the post-
office refrigerator, in which will be
stored such mail as will not keep
without ice while on its way "direct
from producer to consumer." The
Pennsylvania State Grange has taken
a stand for the refrigerator system,
as well as for cheaper parcel-post
rates on farm products, and also
makes the proposal that there shall
be a school for instructing farmers
how to pack their products to better
advantage, to save loss in breakage
and spoilage. Open hampers are now
being employed In some parts of the
East for the mailing of vegetables and
fruit and have been found to be bet
ter than the cartons formerly used.
The Pennsylvania Grange represents
65,000 farmers who know the value
of organization and are determined
not to lose anything by not going
after It.
Richard Mansfield, son of thn rrpjit
actor, is determined to follow his
father's profession. He has just run
away from school for the second time
to go on the stage, but his mother has
brought him back. Richard Mansfield
II may yet play "Richard III."
The allies are going to give Count
Tarnowski a safe conduct strictly in
consideration for the representations
made by the American Government.
There have been times when our rep
resentations were not so well re
ceived. Ten acres may be enough, or too
many, entirely according to the in
dividual who works them, but the high
cost of food question will not be per
manently settled in any other way
than by raising more food.
Count Tolstoi's creed of non-resistance
is held by his son. Count Eli, but
another son and three grandsons are
fighting for Russia. Few In Russia
consider Tolstoylsm practical politics
these days.
With Montana. Idaho and Wash
ington , working together for good
roads. It is only a question of time
when every place worth going to will
be within easy reach of Oregon.
French saloonkeepers predict ruin
for the nation as the result of re
strictions on drinking. For real Me
thusalchtlike vitality, that little cry
seems to have all cries beaten.
The new aeroplane stabilizer In
vented by Orville Wright promises to
make the aircraft as safe a? the
ground but there might be an earth
quake, even then.
Peace Is in the air. Villa wants it.
But it will be noted that what Pancho
most wants is a chance to go after
Carranza's scalp in real earnest.
The Duma seems to have remem
bered that Russia has not yet taken
possession of Constantinople and the
Dardanelles.
The long-looked-for female burglar
is making an appearance, and wives
would better stay home for the holi
days. The Red Cross seal on letter or par
cel ornaments it and reflects just that
much more of Christmas cheer.
An unsolvable problem is why men
in prosperous lines want legislative
jobs that pay small.
The jitneys run the gamut of the
zones, from frigid to torrid, and little
of the temperate.
When anything extraordinary hap
pens at Los Angeles it is charged to
a bomb explosion.
The grasping magnates would take
all the joy out of life by abolishing
the bleachers.
Again it is demonstrated that only
wealthy men are sued for alienation.
The six-million bonus to Bell Tele
phone employes will spread thin.
Wonder what name given to a shark
steak would make it edible.
It takes a real estate man to see
brightness In the future.
Rather than listen to peace, Russia
has not begun to fight.
A $2 bonus for Army recruits is a
cheap proposition.
Winter is having a hard time break
lug lu.
Gleams Through the Mist.
II y Ormm Col Una.
THE MISTLETOE BOl'GII,
The mistletoe hung in the florist's
rhop,
And a man and his wife, they chanced
to stop
To look at the Christmas posies red:
And the fellow's wife looked up and
said:
"Oh. the mistletoe bough! Oh, the
mistletoe bough!"
So he came inside of the florist's store.
And he stood and he looked it o'er
and o'er.
And he slipped two bones to the man
and said:
"Just send "er around." And he nodded
his bead:
"Oh, the mistletoe bough! Oh. the
mistletoe bough!"
The messenger boy on his errand
went.
Hunting the home of the 'foresaid gent.
And whistled low to the setting sun.
As he looked at the house numbers one
by one:
"Oh, the mistletoe bough! Oh. the
mistletoe bough!"
Hours passed, as they will, to our
great annoy.
While we wait for the fleeting messen
ger boy;
And the man emitted a joyful yell
As he heard the messenger ring the
bell:
"Oh, the mistletoe bough! Oh, the
mistletoe bough!"
He leaped to the door with a glad
some spring.
And seized on the box and cut the
string
And one little sprig lay withering
there.
With nary a white berry anywhere.
Oh. the mistletoe bough! Oh. the
mistletoe bough!
MORAL.
'TIs strange, indeed, though the "Win
ter woods
Of Oregon teem with Christmas goods.
When they get to the. florisfs and
hang in view.
The high cost of living hits them, too!
Oh. the mistletoe bough! Oh, the
mistletoe bough!
"Sir," said the Courteous Office Boy.
tying an olive branch on the chande
lier, where the mistletoe ought to
have been, "would you like to hear
an old. o!d romance?'
"Aye. that I would, right gladly," I
cried.
"Well." said the C. O. B., "once upon
a time, a long time ago "
"Yes, yes. go on." I twittered.
"Once upon a time." continued the
C. O. B., "there was a fellow started
to Europe with the motto: 'Out of
the trenches by Christmas!' "
THREE SCRAMBLED EGGS.
(Pathetic High Cost of Living Ballad.)
"Give me three scrambled eggs, mother.
Only three scrambled eggs.
It will restore my strength, mother.
And keep me on my pegs.
The cost of living's In the high.
But still my spirit begs:
Give me three scrambled eggs, mother.
Only three scrambled eggs."
The mother took her sealskin coat.
And eke her diamond rings.
Her uncle went upon her note.
And mortgaged all his things;
From store to store she wandered.
On feeble, tottering legs.
And all her fortune squandered
For only three scrambled eggs.
(Poloroso. )
Then home. acain she hurried.
To where her poor boy lay.
And she was somewhat worried
To find he'd passed away.
How sad she felt to see his belt
Cinched up at least five pegs.
And on bis face a look which said:
"Only three scrambled eggs!"
(Note While we were still sniffling
over the foregoing sad lines, someone
touched off a mine under one of the
entrenchments of the high cost of liv
ing ejd when they ceased to crumble,
we to ad ourself obliged to write an
other stanza.)
She started in a boycott
Against the egg once more.
The grocer's grin of joy cut
Down to a smile no more.
And quickly he skedaddled.
On nimble, hasty legs.
Before his stock was addled
To cut the price on eggs.
Speaking of "out of the trenches be-
fore Christmas." the crusade that the
muiiiers ii i ucuiiiu ana eatixe are
starting in behalf of the troops along
the Mexican border looks like, a good,
opportunity for Henry to get out his
banner and Jump into the ring again.
And he might get 'em out this time, if
his luck was good.
THE BOMS-OHY S A KMil'R r'KST.
Orr O. Smith, with his big bass bar
leycorn bassoon, comes back again
and wants to carol once more in the
arils' Bone-Dry Saengerfest. But this
is the day when the champions of dry
ness have their fling and their sing,
so we are obliged to pigeonhole Orr
for the time being, and while threo
otKer Jeremiahs tune their fiddles for
lamentation and wait in the chiropo
dist's parlor for their turn to sing, we
bid the herald blow thrice for the dry
heroes to come forth.
Whereat William Trull unslings his
lute and plucks out the melody to the
following:
ComradflN.
Barleycorn and Jack were comrades
Comrades many years ago
But they wandered in the valley
Where the trouble breezes blow.
They were very warm companions.
And they hit the trail together;
But penury was their lot (tra-Ia!)
And stormy was the weather.
Now old Barleycorn is sleeping
Sleeping in the frigid clay.
And the cool, temp-er-ence" breezes
Have blown all Jack's woes away.
Note The "tra-la" Is supplied by
us. arratis. to fill out the line in a place
that William seemed to have over
looked. Kd.
Note also You've gotta accent it
on that second syllable or we won't
let you sing.it. Kd.
Then comes a burst of wild melody,
and "W. M. G." conies piping thus:
A d iru. Drraoi.
The Demon Rum. the Demon Rum,
Has went away, no more to come;
And Industry begins to hum.
And gloom no more makes women
glum.
Whose husbands cease, to booze and
bum.
Ah. happiness, how great thy sum
In states where Barleycorn la mum.
And man has water for a chum.
Or soft grape, juice or chewing gum!
No more the foe cries: "Fl, fo. fura!"
His victim's free; his voice is dumb.
So beat the drum: "Tur-r-rumpty-tum."
He s went, he's went, no more to come.
The Dcrc.on Hum, the Demon Hum.
A