TIIE SUNDAY OREGONIAX, PORTXANT), FEBRUARY 4, 1017.
13
MILITARY TRAINING, MUSIC AND OTHER TOPICS DISCUSSED
PORTLAND, Feb. 8. (To the Edi
tor.) A lengthy and able edi
torial favoring military training:
appeared in a recent Issue of The Ore
KonlBJj. but the editor Is fortified en
tirely by quoting- a neurologist, who
affirms that muscular activity, prop
erly directed, has much to do with de
velopment of the brain. This is un
deniably true. but The Oregonian
wanders far afield when It affirms
that military training Is the proper di-1
rccting of muscular activity; In quot
ing one lone nerve specialist It looks as
though The Oregonian were clutching
at a straw In a desperate effort to en
list physicists In Its behalf.
I have some literature of the Ameri
can Union against militarism, wherein
pnysical training experts from Har
vard University down, condemn military
training because of the harm It In
flicts physically. Quoting Physical
Director Dr C. E. Ehinger, "That mil
itary training does not give the best
physical training is evidenced by the
act that for years our military schools
at Wi st Point and Annapolis have em
ployed instructors in physical train
ing to overcome the disastrous results
of the practice of the manual of arms
and Cher military drills."
Agreeing with this are IT college
, and university presidents, with 80 rec
ognized leaders in education, child wel
fare, social welfare and child study
unreservedly condemning military
training because of its destructive
psychology. To quote Dr. Aked: "Make
a man a master of an art and he thinks
of his art. is proud of his art. wants
to exercise his art: the capable sur
geon, the successful writer, ought to
exercise their art; but teach trie boy
the use of weapons, and he will wait
for the day to come when he can use
weapons, as he thinks, legitimately.
Military training for beys means mil
itary desires for men and military poli
cies for nations, and war for the
world."
And Dr. Fisher, of the T. M. C. A.,
and military tr.Uning commissioner of
New York, says: "In the camps cf
Eng'vnd it takes a year to get tl e
men in condition. England's experi
ence indlcatea that the big problem is
not training in military tactics or drill
but conditioning the men."
Well-conditioned men cannot gradu
ate from half-paid toil in factories,
due to bad nutriment, and consequent
ly cannot develop their full mentality.
Militarism, like all vice, can be checked
by substituting a moral equivalent.
The problem being one of social wel
fare, poverty must be eliminated
through a co-operative commonwealth,
and once the capable people now urg
ing militarism urge co-Operation, mil
itarism will vanish for lack of sup
porters, for this is the moral substi
tute for this form of civic vice.
louis honstkin.
whiter to visit priseville
Klve Acres of Tillable Laai Koough
for Any Family, lie Says.
LA GRANDE, Or.. Feb. 2. To the
Editor.) In reply to Albert Ramble's
letter of January 27 I will visit Prine
vllle myself this year to see if It is
possible to be surrounded by land
where no one can do well on the land
except the sheepraiser and the mer
chant who sells them their supplies. I
believe I will find the wolf in the
cheep's clothing, who never saw what
they do in Europe nor much of the
United States. All that is worrying
Mr. Ramble is 'he large sheepraiser
on Uncle Sam's domain at the publio
expense, and some of them may not
even be United States citizens.
Now, the minimum price of the pub
lic domain is $1.25 an acre, and Uncle
Earn gives that free as a homestead
once to each citizen, even at his own
selection. That is Uncle Sam's mini
mum value of a United States citizen.
This Inducement makes many a good
citizen who will stand up for the
United States, because he has some
thing at stake which no European
government has offered him. The
homesteaders are soon to pay taxes.
Improve the roads and most of them
raise a family, and usually a credit
and a benefit to any community, and
to uphold and defend the country, and
any able-bodied man of good char
acter who right then declares his in
tention to become a citizen should be
admitted. The time may come when
we will want them, the same as "a
tltch in time prevents nine."
Uncle Sara offers to loan any farm
er 5 per cent of the value of his farm.
Any one who is industrious and raised
on a farm can make a success of it.
I know that Europeans can, for a good
industrious common laborer or farm
hand is Independent, because ft is
steady work all the year round and
all gain is his own. Besides the best
place to feed and raise a family Is on
the farm, as It keeps them out of mis
chief and away from bad company.
where there is plenty of healthy air
and exercise. Uncle Sam has seen al
ready how many sheepraisers have
ent their boys and few herders to en
list last year.
Uncle Sam wants foreigners to he-
come United States citizens and this
is a grand inducement, even for the
American workingman.
The fact is, five acres of good till
able land Is enough for any family,
and Uncle Sam gives you from 40 to
640 acres at your choice.
I know land In Mischberg, Bavaria,
which is not over six inches deep, of
almost nothing except small rocks not
over one-third soil. At the same time
they raise first-class barley crops, but
they cultivate these lands, dry farming.
I have seen in localities where they
have cut steps in the mountains and
carry manure up the mountain on their
backs and have raised good crops.
There Is no comparison between the
rich United States free soil and that
in Europe, where there is no land to
ret. Here we just come to it, take up
the land and stay with It.
J. L. MARS.
titled to defend them, if they need de
fense. This land of the almighty dollar is
not much concerned with "truth"
what we want is "trade" the world's
trade, ne plus ultra, except the grave.
We, being a very rich nation (in
spots), expect to contravene any mere
natural or spiritual law that gets In
our way, either by bribery or outright
purchase. We expect confidently to
sow the wind and reap not the whirl
wind, but soft, fragrant zephyrs. We
shall soon have the necessary Army
and Navy to cope with these matters.
How diabolically stupid it all Is! Still.
I suppose we can only hope on.
In glancing over Hawthorne's splen
did allegory, 'The Great Stone Face."
it would seem that we Americans are
Just now being jollied and foozled by
the advent of Mr. Gathergold and the
church people "bend the pregnant
hinges of the knee" -as obsequiously as
any. Mr. Gathergold will make way
some time for his successors until
finally "Ernest" will arrive Ernest,
typifying truth, service and humanity
"sans millionaires and Magdalene a."
H. J. SPENCER.
MINISTER'S
VIEWS
OPPOSED
Writer Takes Isane Wltta Rev. R, XI.
Sawyer's Recent Address.
PORTLAND, Feb. 3. (To the Edi
tor.) In The Sunday Oregonian I read
with much interest the oration of the
Rev. R. H. Sawyer, delivered in Chris
tian Church in this city. '
It indeed possessed fine, flowery lan
guage and high aspirations, but on the
whole I. as well as many others,
thought It sounded more like an ora
tion delivered in a public ball In the
city of London to a congregation of ex
clusive Britishers than In the city of
Portland, Or., to a mixed crowd of sym
pathizers to both sides of the great Eu
ropean conflict.
The reverend gentleman seems to
forget that he Is a minister of the gos
pel and Instead of Imitating, by words
if not by deeds, the divine savior whom
he Is supposed to follow, he flings him
self into the role of a partisan Brit
isher. He translates the prophecies accord
ing to his own inclinations and thereby
pictures the British nation as destined
to bring the erring nations out of dark
ness and bondage. He gives no credit
whatever to the great achievements
of the great Teutonic race. He speak
eth not of their great achievements in
the high arts, such as music, their great
conservatories of art, which have been
famed the world over; the benefits of
which have been sought by students all
over the globe. He credits them not
for their many achievements In which
they excelled every nation in the world.
He apparently wishes to disarm cer
tain nations and render them helpless
to defend themselves against the world
famed navy of England. He calls Eng
land a helper and not a destroyer of
nations, stating that whenever the
British made war against a weaker na
tion it was for the purpose of better
ing the condition and enlightening that
nation and not for the glory of con
quest. The reverend gentleman failed to Il
lustrate his point here. He did not tell
us in what way the East Indies were
enlightened, or of the helpless Boers,
What about Ireland or in fact any of
the countries in which England had a
hand in governing?
We are all subject to error, but we
think the Rev. Mr. Sawyer took, a poor
place for the nature of the oration he
delivered. Very truly yours.
JAMES ASOEKSOX
VICE
PROBLEM
IS
DISCUSSED
Paterson. Washington, Resident Ex
presses Ills Views.
PATERSON, Wash.. Feb. 2. (To the
F.dltor.) May I have a little space at
this time of trust prices for print
paper to express a thought concerning
a certain "divine adventure" some
times called "humanity"?
The Oregonian informs- us that "Bar
bary Coast" has been to church in San
Francisco not the Chamber of Com
merce. on top, but the chamber of vice
commerce, at the bottom of our soci
ety. The two chambers, however, are
connected by devious ties. A Magda
lene, a branded woman (branded by
whom?), has stood up bravely In a so-
called house of God and said so; 500 or
them said they were driven to the life
by economic conditions, most of the
women have children and this is in
the United States and 'Frisco is said
to be the most "American" city we
have.
The evangelist. Mr. Smith, said it was
the saddest moment of his life. There
are reasons why Mr. Smith will not
make it also the greatest moment.
Jesus, confronted by one Magdalene
gave mankind the "law"; Mr. Smith
confronted by 500, will Ignore the law,
the cause, and putter with the effects
yet his chance to serve humanity Is
perhaps 500 times as great as In the
case 20 centuries old.
Early in the present war Charles W.
Eliot, of Harvard, saldr "Christianity
is impotent in the face of the interna
tional struggle now going on in Eu
rope, because for generations It has al
lied Itself with the powers that make
war." So-called Christianity is inex
tricably interwoven with the powers
that make Magdalenes and million
aires. No preacher has the right to
accuse these women1 few would be en-
LABOR
PRESENTS
ITS
VIEWS
prove it. We have the facts and figures
to show that the wage scale has con
siderable to do with it. They would
also have the publio believe that we are
a dangerous lot and are asking for un
necessary laws. We know of one gen
tleman who claims he has run a woolen
mill for many years and claims he has
never had any trouble with his em
ployes, and we learn that there is sel
dom a month goes by but what he has
an unorganized strike on his hands in
fact, he now has a small strike on.
To show how fair he really is, we
find that these men are capable men,
men who . can repair machinery and
electrical appliances, and he is paying
them the princely wage of 25 cents an
hour for a lfr-hour day. We find that
many of the worst strikes that have oc
curred In. this country are unorgan
ized workers. In localities where men
are organized very few strikes occur.
We find very few strikes on the rail
roads and most of them treat with or
ganized labor.
The men of Portland want as good
conditions as are enjoyedt at other
places. They do not want to be at the
mercy of any employer. Give us the
same right the locomotive engineer en
Joys the right to confer with the em
ployer, the right to have something to
say abou the rules of the shop, the
right collectively to say how much w
are worth, and if this Is done we will
guarantee not to cause any strikes.
Any employer who will sit down with
a committee of his employes or their
representatives and talk over the mat
ter will get along all right, provided
he Is willing to consider that they have
a right to a voice In the affairs of the
shop. They are Just as necessary in
fact the most necessary factor in the
business. The employer claims he has
a right to run his business to suit him
self. We consider that the men who do
the work are considerable of the busi
ness, and they consider the business is
their business as well as the employer's
business, and that they should have
something to say.
The locomotive engineer has some
thing to say as to the conditions and
pay, and the engineer that does not
belong to the Brotherhood has nothing
to say. We want a square deal and we
are going to have it. -When you wish to
start something, always remember we
are part of the business and want some
thing to say about It. E. H. MISNER,
General Organizer for the International
Association of Machinists.
APPROPRIATION
STATUS
TOPIC
the construction work, then started 1
from Celilo to Wallula Junction. When
that stretch of grading for the railroad
was done he went back to California
to bring his family to Oregon. After
his return with them he bought a home
for them west of Beaver Creek. In the
Spring of 1881 he resumed work on the
Oregon Railroad & Navigation, work
ing until Fall, when he was transferred
to the Northern Pacific.
He worked for that road during Its
construction period both In Montana
and in the Cascades, and later was em
ployed at the lskiyou tunnels by the
Oregon & California Railroad. There
after he was steel sharpener on the
Celilo Canal works.
He Is now blacksmithlng in his 61st
year at the trade and is nearing his
75th birthday. He Is at the quarries,
whence the rock Is taken to the jetty
at the entrance to the Siuslaw River.
He has reared a family of nine chil
dren, all living. The youngest Is 82
years old and the oldest 50. He has 20
grandchildren and six creat-grandchil-dren
scattered from Alaska to Michi
gan, but most of them are In Oregon
and Washington. Such has been his
portion so far toward the development
and population of Oregon during the
37 years that his home h-a been in the
state.
If they will not let tho old men work
what are they going to do with them?
A WORKER.
Writer Discusses That Concerning
Agricultural College.
PORTLAND, Feb. 3. (To the Ed
tor.) Permit me to draw your atten
tion to the fact that the statement you
received from the ways and means
committee regarding the so-called con
tinuing appropriations "which appeared
in last Sunday's Oregonian" Is some
what misleading. Since this subject
will receive the early attention of the
Legislature, it may be well to get at
the actual status of these appropria
tions, at least those concerning the Ag
ricultural College.
This college received for the last bl
ennium. aside from the millage tax.
From the state For experiment sta
tions, $56,000; for extension work, $80,
000: for other purposes, $29,000.
From the Federal Government For
experimental purposes, 1889, Hatch act.
$30,000; 1907. Adams act. $30,000; dry
farming and Umatilla project, $13,000,
or a total of $76,000. with this differ
ence: That the first $30,000 does not
need to.be covered by the state, while
the last two, of $43,000, have to receive
at least an equal amount from the state
In order to receive this amount from
the United States.
The Federal appropriation for exten
sion work is of such recent date that
the provisions of same should be of
general Interest. On May 14. 1914, Con
gress passed the so-called Smith-Lever
act. which provided for the first year
an appropriation of $480,000. or $10,000
for each state of the Union. The second
year $600,000 was to be added and for
seven years thereafter $500,000. until a
total of $4,900,000 was reached. These
appropriations are to be distributed
proportionately to every state of the
Union for extension work, which means
the dissemination of agricultural Infor
mation and instruction to the farmers
and their children going directly to
their homes through co-operative ex
tension work. For the biennium 1917
18 this state will receive from the
United States approximately $45,000, or
$20,000 more than for the last, thus it
will be seen that the last state appro
priation of $80,000 can be easily cut
down to $60,000 without interfering
with the efficiency of the service. Thus
the Legislature is In a position to save
the taxpayers $20,000.
State institutions and extravagance
seem to be synonymous as a rule. The
Agricultural College apparently Is no
exception. The tremendous and grow
ing demands of this institution make
it a. problem for the state and taxpay
ers. If the directing board seeks to
emulate the example of agricultural
colleges of such rich and populous
states as New York and Michigan it is
time to curtail such ambition. The col
lege Is primarily for the education of
the people of this state and not for
the world at large. We have barely
800,000 Inhabitants. The growth of
the college should keep pace with the
growth of our population. It should
devote Itself to the interest of the state.
It should be creative In practical work
and suggestions as to the best develop
ment of its possibilities. Flax culture
now being developed by the peniten
tiary and commercial bodies of the
state, should have long ago passed the
experimental stage, considering the
fact that the college has $130,000 at its
disposal for experimental work. The
same refers to the loganberry, the
broccoli and other articles. The col-
legs should march at the front of
practical progress, not rn the rear.
FRED TOPKEN.
RECORD OB" LOXO AND BUST LIFE
Blacksmith Wow Working; In His Sixty-
first Tear at His Trade.
POINT TERRACE. Or.. Feb. 2. (To
the Editor.) This Is a story of an old
man who la still at work. He is a nat
uralized citizen of the United States.
He first made his appearance In this
world in Denbighshire, in North Wales,
on April 10, 1842, where he thrived
without hygienic regulations except
those dictated by the maternal nature
of a loving and healthy mother. At the
age of 16 he started to learn the black
smith trade.
He came to this country in 1869,
landed at New York, went on to Wis
consin and made his first stand at
Randolph Center, In Columbia County.
His assets were a wife and two babies.
He stayed there three years and was
away from his anvil only three work
ing days In the three years.
He moved to Minnesota, and was the
first blacksmith to work for the North
ern Pacific Railroad Company at Brai
nerd, where the company built its main
shops. He was put out of work there
by the panic of 1873. His next place
was Central City, Colo., where he
worked until the big fire burned Cen
tral City almost clean on May 21, 1874
That fire started him again on the
road toward Oregon. He landed in
Portland from the steamer J-. L. Stevens
In July, 1874. and went to work in
blacksmith and wagon shop at the cor
ner of Front and Jefferson streets.
While working there a convenient
place to board was the then famous
Thomson House, at the t,jer of First
and Jefferson. Old man Ihomson used
to invite his patrons to come and have
the wrinkles taken out of their bellies
by a good square meal.
His stay was not long In Oregon at
that time. He went to California, and
Just enough for my own use. Naturally
flour went up and the size of the loaf
decreased. Men spent all they could
earn to capture the tiny loaf. They had
to have It, so ran In debt and then their
families went hungry. In their despair
men turned to other foods and found
that they too had beep forced up in
price by the scarcity of grain. Meat
and eggs were beyond ordinary reach.
Yet who dares to say that I have done
wrong (according "to my friend's
theory) by selling outside of the county
the things my own people need bo
badly? Are these conditions I pic
ture distorted? If so. what Is forcing
people to the extreme of boycotting?
So are my friend's cases anything
like the embargo some people want
placed on grain, etc? I would say that
they are absolutely opposite cases. Be
cause we United States folks are living
under one flag, in one county as It
were. Common sense pledges us to the
support of America first. We are not
asking for an embargo that any fa
vored portion of our land shall benefit
thereby, but that the foodstuffs we
boast of being able to produce, shall not
be used to answer an outside demand
first, and naturally force the price of
what remains on our soli up and be
yond the wallet of the wage earner.
Let us remember that this embargo
Is not for the purpose of spite or re
talliation, but a matter of self-preservation.
Can we blame the men who are
gathering in the gold paid for export
grain? It is Just business with them,
and of course they are well supplied
with tendencies human. So they sell
abroad and the folks at home must do
nate to pay for their prosperity. Did
you ever consider that every ship load
of aid given any belligerent., whether
it is grain, or guns, or gold, proves the
lie of our neutrality?
Are we not more than any nation on
the face of the globe helping prolong
the war by feeding the fighting flames?
No wonder the world laughed at the
idea of America sending one peace ship
to overcome the work of all of our
ships laden with grain.
Does anyone dare to say that we
must not cut off England's food sup
plies? Then we must admit that we are
aiding a favored belligerent. Would
we aid both sides if we could? Then
the more shame to us, for It shows a
spirit of greed ten thousand times
worse than an honest favoritism. Could
any nation object if we treated them all
alike? Aren t some entitled to objec
tions for our present attitude? Let us
bear In mind that as a neutral nation
we have no right to help any belliger
ent. Of course to feed is to help.
Les) us not be satisfied with the state
ment that our "other embargo" was a
failure and let that "prevent us from
learning something about that em
bargo. Was it protective, or was It to
punish England and France for mis
treatment of our marine? When you
have satisfied yourself that the purpose
of the embargo was entirely different
from what we seem to need now, and
that our first embargo kept every
American vessel in port, one can easily
read its failure. All that we ask now
is that enough food be kept at home
to prevent manipulation and conse
quent prosperity prices.
B. BUELL.
Some Statements on Employment Situa
tion Are Contradicted.
PORTLAND. Feb. 3. (To the Editor.)
Charles F. Swlgert. In his address be
fore the Civic Club several days ago.
made some statements that are mislead
ing. We have waited for some time,
hoping that sone one would answer
some of his statements, but we find It
has not been done, so we will have to do
It. In his talk on the open shop he
said!: "The Brotherhood of Locomotive
Engineers always worked, under the
open shop."
This statement is incorrect and mis
leading, and we feel we can prove to the
entire satisfaction of anyone that the
engineers do not operate under the open
shop. With but few exceptions, the
Locomotive Engineers of North America
have agreements with all railroad com
panies. The rate of pay and the hours
worked are regulated by this organiza
tion and no non-member has anything
to say in regard to his pay. The
brotherhood sets the rate of pay and all
of the rules, so the non-member, of
whom there are very few, must be gov
erned by the rules of the Brotherhood.
The open shop, so-called, has no hor
rors for any union man, but the open
shop as operated by most shops means
that the non-union men are always in
the majority and the employes have
nothing to say as to how many hours
they shall work per tte-y or for how
much they shall work. He has nothing
to say about the rules of the shop, and
must submit to any rule set down or
quit.
Much has been said aDout the rates
of pay In Portland and other unorgan
ized places. One person said that the
unorganized men were receiving a
higher rate of pay than the organized.
This is not true, and it is not necessary
to go outsidie of Portland to prove It.
Taking the machine shops of Portland,
we find that very few get as much as Is
being paid In union shops. It has been
the policy to pay a few necessary good
mechanics a high rate of pay and fill up
the shop with semi-skilled men who
aret whatever the employer chooses to
pay them, which ranges from 25 cents
an hour up to 45 cents an hour. Many
of these men are skilled, and the em
ployer, in figuring on a contract or
making an estimate, counts these men
in as skilled men and makes a big profit
out of their work.
It Is absolutely necessary to have a
few hlgh-skllledi men In all shops, but
the tendency among Portland employers
is to fill the shops up with cheap men.
We know what we are talking about
and can prove our statements. There
has been a system of blackmailing
going on in the shops of Portland for
years in fact, it exists in nearly every
locality. The United Metal Trades As
sociation has a record of every man who
works in any shop affiliated with this
association, and no marr can work in
any these shops If this association does
not want him.
No man goes to work In any of these
shops and works very long before his
record Is placed before the employer,
and if the man happens to be one that
has any Independence he is Immediately
dismissed. There are several shops In
Portland which will not employ a me
chanic if they know he comes from a
union shop. Many goodi mechanics have
been driven out of Portland by these
methods. The blacklist maintained by
these people Is so covered up that It Is
almost Impossible to prove that it ex
ists. However., all mechanics of Port
land know that this is true.
The system adopted by many of our
railroads is only a modified) form of the
blacklist. Many of the railroads re
quire a record of from two to ten years
from any man who wishes to work.
After these records are sent out for
verification It Is very easy for a former
employer to give an unsatisfactory re
port of the man, and he is immediately
sent on his way. We know that men
are compelled to lie, and in many cases
change their names, in order to get
work. '
That condition has prevailed for years
in Portland. The Chamber of Commerce
and shopowners would have the people
of' Portland believe that the onlv differ
ence between the shopowner and the I returned to Oregon in 1880 and went to
men Is the question of open and closed t work for the Oregon Railroad & Navl
shop. This is not true, and we can ) galioaCuiupany sharpening steel on
CHAMPOEG SHELTER IS INDORSED
Pioneer Suggests That Provision Should
Be Made for Visitors.
PORTLAND, Feb. 3. (To the Editor.)
The suggestion made recently by a
correspondent of The Oregonian rela
tive to providing a shelter for the ac
commodation of those attending the an
niversary exercises at Champoeg com
memorating a very Important event
which occurred at that place May 2,
1843. meets the approval of all pa
triotic citizens.
At Champoeg, on the date given
above, occurred a 'momentous event In
our National history, approaching, if not
rivaling in importance, the Louisiana
purchase, i. e.. the saving of the Oregon
country, comprising the area lying be
tween the 42d and 49th degrees of
latitude and between the Rocky Moun
tains and the Pacific Ocean to the
United States and the organization of
the first American civil government
west of the Rocky Mountains: 'also, as a
sequence, a quarter of a century later
tne acquisition of Alaska, that vast
storehouse of diversified wealth. It was
an event that eminently Justifies annual
commemoration.
The annual celebration of this histo
ric event occurs the first Saturday
after the first day of May. The weather
In Oregon is usually fine at that season
of the year, but not always. In the
event of the weather being unsettled
and showery on such occasions those
in attendance are subjected to unpleas
ant experiences, and the literary exer
cises are conducted, if conducted at
all. under disagreeable conditions, as
also are the social features which en
liven such occasions.
A structure that would serve the
purpose, temporarily at least, could be
provided at small cost. The structure
need be only a shelter, somewhat 6im
ilar to an unenclosed tabernacle, the
expense of sldeboarding being avoid
ed. There would be no expense for
procuring ground for the structure, for
the state owns about eight acres there,
upon which stands the memorial mon
ument containing the names of those
who voted In favor of the provisional
government, and It would occupy a por
tion of that tract.
In the fulness of time a more sub
stantial and attractive building for the
accommodation of those who make an
nual pilgrimages to this patriotic shrine
may be provided, for appreciation of
the importance of the events it com
memorates will increase with the pass
ing years. PIONEER.
PLEA FOR INDIAN WAR VETERANS
Legislature Asked to Urge Congress to
Take Prompt Action.
PORTLAND. Feb. 3. (To the Editor.)
Time has thinned the ranks of the
old Indian fighters until now but a
few remain of thoee heroic characters
who hurried to the defense of our fron
tier settlements in times when help
was needed and appreciated, even
though they went without much "uni
forming" or organized preparation, and
they have long been entitled to a more
grateful recognition at the hands of
our Government in the way of a living
pension than heretofore has been given
them.
I can well recollect some of those
stirring pioneer days of Indian upris
ings those days when -Portland was
thought for a while to be in danger of
Indian attack, when George C. Sears ' ring to the present location: The old
drilled his volunteers nightly on the j residence on these grounds, remodeled
eron. The birds I know will forgive
me, for I love them. too.
Nature has made the cats and dogs
and birds and there are good points in
each and I believe It would work a
real hardship on the cats to make them
stay home constantly. Of course, if we
could get the dogs to chat lovingly
with the cats and the cats to smile less
maliciously at the birds It would be
very ideal, but everywhere in nature
we find parasitical conditions and one
thing attacking another. "Great fleas
have little fleas upon their backs to
bite 'em; and little fleas have lesser
fleas, and so ad infinitum."
we must not overlook the fact tnat
cats also kill rats, mice and other un
pleasant and unhealthy vermin. I often
think the working classes of cats, down
on the river front, are really quite
necessary to us. as they devour many
mlcrobed rats, no doubt, which come
Into our ports. Must these, too. have
chaperons, I wonder, or shall we allow
them to keep their offensive Job? It
must be a real hardship to eat a rat
with several billion bacilli In it, so per
haps they would be glad to stop.
Then what shall we do with the small
boys who so love to kill anything and
everything in sight, including cats and
birds? Shall they, too. be accompanied
on their little .pleasure-killing Jaunts
In the woods? I am willing to wager
that small boys kill far more birds than
oats do. Then we must not forget that
the birds kill the poor little worms
and winged Insects, who also love to
live and do no harm, and also eat the
fruits and berries.
Is not a lot of the present condition
of things de to our own negligence
and carelessness and could we not to
some extent obviate It if each would
keeping step only to the harmonies of
unselfish motive and civio will, shun
ning Jealousies, personal ambitions,
avoiding bickerings of unionism and
open shop, and trusting to the musicians
themselves to see to It that love of good
music shall level all obstacles.
The subject is one that should Inter
est the taxpayers who are building the
city's Auditorium and hoping It may bo
self-supporting. It was mainly for
great musical entertainments and con
ventions that this expensive monument
to a city's generosity was conceived.
and unless we here In Portland build
up such an organization as the Port
land Opera Association our great Audi
torium is destined , to become a lone
some place for about eight months of
the year. C M. HYSKELL.
KINDERGARTEN GETS PRAISE
Authorities Are Quoted In Regard to
Training of Child.
PORTLAND. Feb. 3. (To the Edi
tor.) Since the kindergarten measure
has been passed by the Legislature the
following from the United States Com
missioner of Education, dated June
26. 1915, might be of Interest to the
people. ,
"There are now In the United States
9000 kindergartens in which more than
400,000 children, mostly between the
ages of 4 and 6. are taught."
From Luella Palmer, Assistant Di
rector of Kindergartens. Publio Schools,
New York City. I quote verbatim the
following extracts:
"After years of trial and through al
ternate opposition and encouragement,
the kindergarten has arrived at a point
where it is considered an integral part
complete school system.
do hi. share In theay of thoughtful- b; T'necesry Vradual step "in a
child's development as he goes from
MEDICAL CENTER IS ADVOCATED
Objections to Proposed Location of
County Hospital Answered.
PORTLAND, Feb. 3. (To the Edi
tor.) Not for argumentation, but to
answer simply and concisely objections
made to location of the proposed
County Hospital on the heights near
Terwilllger Drive. la the writer's
object. Two oDjections have been
raised, viz:
First There will be exploitation of
the county's poor.
Second There are no street railways
to the property. Accessible only by
automobile.
These objections are of but little
consequence. The county's poor will
certainly not be exploited any more
in the new location than In the old.
The hospital, in any event, will be In
charge of the county's regularly em
ployed physicians.
There being no street railways im
mediately contiguous to the site Is a
feature greatly in Its favor. Because
the sick, .as many of us know from
actual hospital experience, do not wish
to be annoyed by unnecessary street
noises the rumble of wheels and
ringing of car gongs being one of
these.
We wish to remind
terprising citizens of
well-known facts, viz:
Dr. E. P. Geary, who was Multnomah
County's physician for 13 years, stated
in his last annual report that, refer
ness and care to our feathered and
furry friends? I live where there are
lots of birds and have a cat and a
dog who get along niceiy together, be
cause I brought them up that way. The
birds feed on my porches all Winter
without molestation because I watch
them all the time, so they will be able
to do so. In Springtime, when the
pretty harmless little garter snakes,
all newly polished, come happily out of
their retreats to enjoy the sunshine. I
marvel how the children and grown
ups go out of their way, anxious to mu
tilate and destroy them and seem so
happy after torturing them to leave
them half dead. They seem to take
real Joy In doing this, as much as a
cat after a bird. Last Summer a tiny
girl was happily beating a snake up
while her mother stood by, warmly ap
proving and urging her to kill the
"baddy snake."
Parents do not seem to begin in
childhood to teach consideration and
thought of all animals, but rather to
encourage cruelty, or at least thought
lessness, which is nearly as bad. If
each child were taught to protect and
think of the birds and animals might
it not materially help conditions? The
farmer Is keen in his well-planned re
venge on the poor coyote which, driven
by hunger, attacks his lambs, yet sees
nothing In fattening lambs for the
market price of a few dollars; or sells
the elderly cow, who has given long
service, to the nearby butcher because
she has gone dry. And so it goes.
There Is so much for us to correct
In ourselves that it seems too bad to
have It In for the poor cat, often driven
to Its attacks by real hunger caused
through neglect. How many people go
to the beach In Summer and leave their
cats to starve or hunt? How many men
go out to shoot and kill the deer, the
partridge, ducks and pheasants and
any little animal that conies along, for
the Joy of killing, yet claim It Is wrong
for the animals to live as nature made
them? KATHERINE IRVINE.
Portland's en
the following
South Park blocks; when I, in common
with other schoolboys of old-time Port
land, filed by the casket of beloved
General Canby as his body lay In state
at the old-time Willamette Engine
Company on Morrison street, the victim
of that dire tragedy of the Modoo lava
beds.
These veteran volunteers are pretty
aged now. It Is not my purpose to say
what Indian wars or "frontier skir
mishes" they participated In, but I do
and enlarged, became what was In
tended to be the temporary home of
Multnomah Hospital."
Portland is fast becoming a great
commercial, financial and medical
center.
When a village casts off Its swad
dling clothes and becomes a city. Its
citizens, through. Its representatives,
must plan for larger things.
At a special election held on Novem
ber 2. 1912 (in Portland), there was
know the bill pensioning these rough- J passed an ordinance by the people
and-ready boys of those early-time
days of not so long ago Include service
to extent of 30 days or more, and comes
down to and' includes affecting our
immediate Northwestern Indian affairs
the Chief Joseph uprising and Ban
nock wars, somewhere in the 70s, I
think.
Representative Slnnott recently wrote
me concerning this measure as fol
lows: . . . The Indian war veterans'
pension bill Is no
providing that the City Council In
making public improvements shall
take into consideration the Greater
Portland plans prepared by E. H. Ben
nett and approving and adopting said
plans as the official city plans.
There were 16.202 votes for and only
7996 votes against the measure.
The late Daniel H. Burnham, famous
architect of cities, said:
"Make no little plans: they have no
also In Conference mo trt ntlr man's hlnnl n nA nrnhohln
and I am told has good prospect of get- I themselves will not be realized. Make
ting favorable report. It provides $20 brg plans: alm high In hope and work,
a month. 30 days or more of actual n,.mh.rlrl that . nhl ino-ir.i
Service. I I trr-a m nncA rofnrH A rl will n v H 4 a
Up to this date nothing further has i . . K J
been reported on the bill. Through your ltvtng thing, asserting Itself with ever
columns may I call the attention of growing insistency. Remember that
the Legislature to this National bill ur Bon8 and sra.nd808 are golng to
and to its Importance to quite a few of . d things that will stagger us. Let
our. early settlers or the r sons and of r watchword be 'Order' and your
the necessity of action in getting the ! Deflcon -Beauty." "
Hill r.r.rtrrfl nnnlc frftm rftn for An a ! . .
-- 00 j . - There remains upon Portland's
It will dile: and then, too, a short
memorial touching It quickly passed
and quickly forwarded to the Capitol
will doubtless bring the bill out and
Into law before the present session of
Congress expires.
GEORGE L. CURRY.
statute books a most forcible sugges
tion, coming direct from the people,
that uniformity be adhered to when
developing civic or municipal centers.
It may be true that the Bennett
plan or scheme cannot be carried out,
but a large majority of Portland's
voters have declared a preference for
1 a definite plan to De applied in all
. future public construction work.
t Tirtiltnrtmah rnlintv whlfh fa rm
B. Boell Wonld Keep Enough Food In of Portland. Is about to pass another
Country to Stop High Prices. mile post In its civic development.
(Shall tne county, wunoui expense to
tne tnlf. unrmlt Its represents tfvaa tnl
WRITER SPEAKS FOR EMBARGO.
PORTLAND. Feb. 3. (To
VALUE OF OPERA POINTED OUT
Praise Given Association for Its Effort
to Popularise Mnslc.
PORTLAND. Feb. 3. (To the Editor.)
With reference to a recent successful
production of "Mignon" by the Port
land Opera Association I have been
asked to write something of the mean
ing of this new movement from the
viewpoint of a non-professional, plain
lover of good music and to suggest. If
I may, a few of its possibilities for
great benefit to the city of Portland.
While I may only revive and empha
size views that often have been ex
pressed by others in recent years. I
shall address myself to the lay citizen,
who perhaps would not be able to state
the difference between a solfeggio and
a Chinese schottlsche. but Just "loves
music," meaning the harmonious com
binations of sound from trained voices
and musical instruments and It is from
this class of citizens that any large
support of opera in Portland must
come.
Music Is a big subject. It has de
veloped the material prosperity and
established the fame of some great
cities in the Old World. It has done
for little Italy what nothing else could
have done; for Italian masters, from the
maker of violins to the teacher of voice,
have conquered the nations of the
earth. Who could estimate the amount
of money that has been paid for Italian
violins, harps and strings?
As an industry, music is by no means
unimportant to Portland.- It gives
steady employment to a vast number
in its various ramifications, and thero
Is no expenditure of money that gives a
mora ceneroua return of pleasure than
does the money spent for good music
Especially- is this true to those who un
derstand.
What our public needs, and knows It
needs, is a better understanding of the
music we hear, for then the pleasure
will multiply tenfold. The way to an
understanding of music Is through the
development of the philharmonic or
symphony organisation idea by which a
big. permanent musical organization Is
built up and is engaged to produce cred
itably the better class Of musical com
positions on a grand scale at prices of
admission so low that this form of en
tertainment may in time compete even
with the "movies
The Portland Opera Association is a
new angle of an old idea. It Is, per
haps, the most utterly unselfish galaxy
of persons that has strayed Into the
environs of local limelight. Its motto
is submersion of personality all for "a
cause." These cheerful ana earnest
the home Into the institution which
acquaints him with the larger social
group.
"If the aim of the school. Including
the kindergarten, is In accordance with
the best educational ideals, the kinder
garten will definitely prepare for tpe
first grade, because It will help to de
velop the child to the fullest at his
Dresent stAee anri thf next s-rada will
continue to aid this developing indi
vidual." Superintendents, principals and pri
mary teachers throughout the country
rep-t that:
"The child trained In the kindergar
ten shows an advantage over the non
kindergarten child in the following
characteristics:
"1. Formation of good school and life
habits, such as regularity, punctuality,
orderliness, cleanliness, politeness.
"2. Power of expression. Involving
fluency in language and also a -fund
of Ideas, as well as dramatic expres
sion. "'3. Power of observation, concentra
tion and attention.
"4. Perseverance or the energy to
finish a task when once begun.
"6. Control of the hand for manual
work.
"6. Self-reliance, Initiative, adapta
bility, ability to cope with situations
without direction.
"7. Ability to work with others, wil
lingness to wait one s turn, to co
operate, to share responsibility.
8. Responsiveness, willing obedi
ence and compliance with suggestion.
"9. Knowledge acquired through ac
tual experiences with the kindergar
ten. "10. Ability to imitate, to follow
technical suggestions.
"11. Interest in taking up any form
of school work.
'12. Control over muscular co-ordination.
"13. Musical ability and rhythmical
control.
"14. Initial entrance to school made
easy and attractive.
"15. Ability to read and write more
quickly."
Compared with these advantages the
disadvantages mentioned in Miss Pal
mer's book are few and unessential.
One member of the School Board
argued that there is "too great a ten
dency for the parents of today to shift
the reKponsibility of the early training
and education of the child on the Gov
ernment." This Is but one phase cf
the mighty change brought about by
the Industrial revolution. Became
mat y parents today are obliged to shift
the responsibility of training their chil
dren to the state is one of the strong
est arguments In favor of the kinder
garten. Just as our social life has undergone
a thorough and radical change due to
the Industrial revolution so also our
educational world is passing throngn
on equally complete transformation.
We ftand upon the threshold of i new
era the sge of the child, and in the
words of Dr. John Dewey, of Columbia
University, "What the best and wisest
parent wants for his own child that
must the community want for all of
its children.
Ia every profession men look to their
leaders for inspiration and advice. Co
lumbia University, the Deacon ligdt of
all lesser institutions Js a place wnere
new theories are tested. In connection
with Teachers' College Model School is
an Ideal kindergarten where scores ef
young women are trained for the serv
ice of the ever widening field of kind
ergarten work. Hundreds of skilled
graduate students leave this Institu
tion each year trained by master minds
ready for service wherever they are
called.
Information upon any question relat
ing to kindergartens may be obtained
free upon application to the Commis
sioner of Education, Washington. D. C
ALMA THELANDER.
Glenhaven School.
effort have sought neither glory nor
profit. All they have asKea is success
for the cause of good music.
To the credit of Portland they have
conspicuously won three "bouts." the
first being the "Romeo and Juliet" pro
duction: the second. "Fra Diavolo," and
third. "Mignon." A few more successes
like these and the Portland business
public, as well as the music lover, will
H.oin f . lum-i results. The draw-
- ; . - . noeii, permit its representatives to - . ,
tor.) A few days ago I was asked by override the expressed wish of its power of this s ort of entertainment
will surety io icn. i.-o -- -
cific Northwest.
It is said to be the ambition of the
Portland ODera Association to give
and artistic manner. Krand opera productions at Prices not
t professional advice exceeding 50 cents for all seats There
r world travelers, familiar with Euro
pean productions, who heard "Mignon"
sung by the Portland Opera Associa
tion January 24 and who calmly stated
It as their opinion that the production
equalled any of the popular-priced Eu
ropean operas they had heard.
It is well for Portland people to take
this matter seriously to their hearts.
When Portland can produce opera like
that, with 60 to 100 trained voices in
the chorus and a symphony orchestra
In the pit, at maximum seat prices of
50 cents, and keep it going Trom year
to vear, this city will have taken and
held the musical leadership of the west
ern half of a continent.
No city on the Pacific Coast today Is
in so good a position as Portland to
accomplish this result. We have the
artists, the voices, the orchestra, the
leadership. Now let'a move forward.
a friend Just what I would do If I were voters by ruthlessly setting aside a
selling wheat and a man in the next pIan to beautify the city, carried by
county offered me double the money a majority vote of over two to one?
mat any man in my county couia ar- Shall a medical center, developed In
iora to oner; jl course oeing aencient a jnogt sanitary
in mat Drancn or entnusiasm which under the highes
supports nome inaustry, x saia x would De rejected?
sell my grain in tne next county. Point , The people have already plainly
one for the opposition. , Bpoken. Will Its representatives carry
"Suppose, now," said my friend. "It out the peoples' wishes?
was a horse you had to sell instead of All civic organizations should take
a bushel of wheat. Wouldn't you feel action in this important matter, for
pretty bad if the sheriff notified you getting self and keeping ever before
tnat you couw not boh tnat norae out- them a Greater Portland.
ROBERT H. BLOSSOM.
side of your own county?" Indeed I
would. I
On the face of It. ray friend's reason- TOLERANCB FOR ANIMAL KINGDOM
ins w txo iiijc, ui iuv n n a wvcreu
Writer Defends Right of Cats, Garter
Snakes and Coyotes to Live.
PORTLAND. Feb. 2. (To the Edl
with talcum over freckles. Let us go
back over his picture and paint in a
few of the trimmings that are served
with our National affair.
Let us suppose that I owned most of tor.) I hasten to take my typewriter
the wheat in my county and took ad- in my hand and rush to the defense of
vantage of the high prices in the next the cats, seeing by the paper that a
county and ordered a car from the Mr. Wright wishes to wrong them by
Southern Pacific and shipped my grain restricting their freedom so they can
across the county line. I would keep only go out if accompanied by a cbas-
COLD WINTERS ARE. RECALLED
Correspondent Seeka to Refreshen
Memory of ex-Governor Geer.
PORTLAND. Feb. 8. (To the Ed
itor.) Governor Geer"s memory la short
on dates concerning years "when cold
killed wheat." In a recent issue he
says, after debating the facts occurring
February. 1883. "It is well to recall
that that Is the only Instance since the
first settlement of the Willamette Val
lay. more than 70 years ago. when
there was a universal killing of Fall
sown grain."
When the Governor was a wee boy.
In linnorr ISKfi all thA Fftil-iavil
givers of time, money and intelligent I wh.at ln tne Willamette Valley north
of Linn County was Winter Klllea.
South of Linn there was a light fall
of snow that protected the crop.
As to cold Winters. I beg to state
that during the month of December,
1852, the deepest fall of snow since
1850 occurred, but not the heaviest. It
was very cold, but there were no ther
mometers that I know to register the
degree. The Winter of 1855-56 was
very cold, but there was a light fall
of snow; 1861-62 was the phenomenally
hard Winter and longest cold; 1868-69
was the coldest Winter In the 66 years
of my residence in Oregon.
Since 1870 the Weather Bureau has
kept the records, giving the Winter
of 1888 as the coldest on record. I
have no thermometer . ecord to verify
the statement, but rumor, somewhat
after the Administration "leak" at
Washington, gave the degree of cold
at 12 below zero. I know the Willam
ette River was frozen over and the Ice
furnished safe passage for travel.
W. H. ODELL.
An Appropriate Hymn
London Globe.
A correspondent of the Yorkshire
Post writes: "Even a night Ze-jpelin
may have its humor. On a recei Sun
day evening air raid alarm signals
were given Just a the vicar entered
the pulpit of a Yorkshire church and
gave out the hymn. ' By an extraordi
nary coincidence the congregation
found Itself Slngtng to Welcome the
Pilgrims of the JSight.' "