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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Feb. 11, 1917)
f TIIE STJXDAT OltEGONIAX, PORTLAND. FEBRUARY 11. 1917, rOKTLAXD, OBEGON. Entered at Portland (Orejon) Postofflce as eocond-cass mail matter. Subscription rates Invariably la advance: (By Mail.) Ia!ly, Sunday Included, one year. ...... .$8.00 Jaiiy. Sunday Included, six months 4.25 33ally. Sunday Included, three months... 2.25 IRily, Sunday Included, one month..... -7S Dally, without Sunday, one year 8.00 Ially, without Sunday, three months... 1.7." Xtally. without Sunday, one month 60 "Weekly, one year. .............. .... 1.50 Hunday, one year...................... 2.50 feunday and Weekly 3.50 By Carrier.) "Daily," Funday Included, one year 9.00 i)aily, Suuday Included, one month.. ... .75 How to Remit Send ' postofflce money er'Jer, express order or personal check on 3our lo-al bank. Stamps, coin or currency are at sender's risk. Oive postofflce address in full, including- county and state. Postage Kates V2 to pages, 1 cent; "1 to ilJ pagt-s. 2 cents; 34 to 48 pases, 3 rents: 50 to 00 pages, 4 cents; 62 to 76 pages, f cents; 78 to - pages, 6 cents. Foreign poHtage double rates. Eastern BonUleSM Office Verree A Conk lln. Brunswick building, .New York; Verree & Conklln, Sieger building, Chicago; San Krancisco representative, R. J. Bidwell, 742 Market street. PORTLAND, Sl.NDAY, KB, 11, 1917. DIVIDED AUTHORITY. The State Senate passed by unani mous vote the other day a bill. Intro duced by Mr. Orton, making radical changes in the methods of school ad ministration in Portland by taking out of hands of the School Board its last vestige of control over the teaching staff. The Oregonian has decided sym pathy with the desire of any com petent teacher to be secure in his or her tenure, and it reprobates any system which makes public school teachers a football of politics or the subjects of purely personal favor or disfavor. Distinctly it approves a pound civil service for teachers. It would have them well paid. It would provide a retirement fund. It would do every fair and reasonable thing it could do to make the teaching pro Jession attractive, honorable and prof itable, for It understands the value of experience and the necessity of ease into his own, owing to new avenues of consumption for mohair that have been discovered, and there is already a movement on foot, despite disturbed conditions in the British empire, to foster the raising of goats on a larger scale than ever in South Africa. De mand has been stimulated by the fact that mohair fabrics are beginning to supplant silk in many instances, and woolens manufacturers have devised new blends in which mohair plays an increasing part. The future of the goat is of especial interest to the Pa cific Northwest, the logged-off lands of which furnish almost ideal pasture, and it is believed that high prices for yarns would not only stimulate breeding but would indirectly re sult in the ultimate clearing of large areas of land. Americans have been by far the largest buyers in the world's markets recently and hair of the better grades has been most in demand. SELF-PERPETUATING. A Democratic ' contemporary , has had a series of. articles on the affairs of the Port of Portland, under the interesting repetitive title "Why Mr. Kelly?" The purpose is to discredit Mr. George Kelly as a' candidate for membership on the Commission and to insist upon retention of the present incumbent, Mr. Alfred Tucker. The latter gentleman has served accept ably as a Port commissioner fori the past year and a half, and he has been re-elected by the Board, subject to confirmation by the Legislature, act ing as it will upon the advice and recommendation of the ' Multnomah delegation. The Oregonian Is not Just now so much interested" in the question as to whether the nominee shall be Mr. Kelly or Mr. Tucker as-it Is in the strange argument advanced for the latter's candidacy. It will say. how ever, that either would be satisfactory, although it is not at all in accord with the fight made upon Mr. Kelly, an efficient, energetic and reputable citi zen of Portland. The reply to the question, "Why Mr. Kelly?" is clearly. Why not Mr. Kelly?" The Legislature is testily warned to keep its hands off, for the reason that doubt, of course, that being the fash ion nowadays; but the states that grade crime by the rising and setting of the sun will have no trouble on that score. Men in making appoint ments near the date of change, the professor adds, will need to be care ful in making those appointments to designate whether the true time or the false is meant. But it is not so very long since our English cousins were writing "O. S." after their dates, or specifically setting forth that the new calendar was meant, and think ing it no great hardship. The ques tion is whether the benefits to be gained are worth the trouble. It cannot be gainsaid that if the new plan is adopted a vast number of persons will go to work an hour earlier in Summer. They will get through an hour earlier, almost as a matter of course. And since most of our activities are centered around our work, it would seem that the re mainder of the day would take care of itself. Fear of railroad accidents. also expressed, would appear not to be well-founded. The experience of the European countries that have made the change has not been unfavorable in that regard. Experience has been that the proposed change does as a matter of fact "save daylight." The question for us to decide is only whether we want to save it. behooves us to train armies for such a contingency. and satisfaction. But it knows also that without discipline and authority the Port of Portland has spoken and me oniy possiDie ouuook ior any lt wanta Mr. Tucker to continue his outlook for school system, or any other organiza tion, is loss, recession, and demoral ization. Undoubtedly Senator Orton's mo tives are highly laudable; but let us see what his bill passed unanimous ly by the Senate, as we have said. probably as a tribute to Senator Or ton's popularity and influence pur- membership of that self-perpetuating body. Should not the majority of the Commission be respected?" Is asked. Does any legislator think a minority should be allowed to. rule the Legisla ture? .If not, then on what consist ency can any legislator conclude that the Port Commission's work as con- poses to do. It separates the teaching hv. the maioritv should be in- lody into eight classifications super- terfered wltn because Mr. Kelly wants visors, high school principals, grade Mr Tucker put out and himself put School principals, assistant supervisors. on the commisston?" heads of departments in high schools. Can you Deat it- Here is a sharp thigh school instructors, grade school beratement of the Legislature because teachers, special teachers and then a permanent board is not to be al- jiroviuea mm luut oim.ii uu lowed to name its own members a fer by the Board of any teacher or 8ystem 0f political manipulation and instructor from one branch of the control that withdraws from the peo- rservice to another carrying a lower p,e the r, ht to select its public offi- rank or lower compensation, without cers Machine politics at its worst his or her consent, except upon a hear- I rfviSB nd suttDort a ing by a special commission of three scheme of this kind, or if it did, ever appointed oy me presiding circuit coui,i make it go Judge of Multnomah County. in Next we shall hear a loud call upon other words, the power of demotion is the peopie to keep their hands off the totally taken from the hands of the Ct Commission, which desires to School Board and placed with a Dody keep tMnga -within the present City which has nothing to do with Bchools Hall famny and re-elect Mr. Daly's except to pass upon appeals vy uis- ,, Dieck's successors. And the satisfied teachers. It is to be an in vestigating body with judicial powers. Its word is final. The Board has nothing to say about a teacher once elected except for approval. . What kind of management or authority over a thousand or more teachers will a body of directors have, which must forever promote and never can de mote? No organization can survive such a scheme of things. It is strange that any teacher, am bitious to excel and succeed, should desire his or her fortunes to be sub School Board. And the County Com missioners. And the others. A fine way, indeed, to carry out the purposes of popular government! PSYCHOLOGY AND DAYLIGHT SAVING. It is not strange that discussion of the proposal to "save daylight, as they call it, by setting the clocks of the country an hour ahead should have begun to take account of the psychological factor involved. Psychol .t .....u. i j.. -i.. orv Is a oobular study nowadays. Not who may or may not be in touch with even a commercial enterprise of any magmiuue i cumpicko wn-nvw. .. - ' i " according to the noted Harvard as tronomer. Professor Edward C. Pick ering, the psychology of the movement is all against it. He says that we would begin at first with an attempt to deceive ourselves and end by .dis- cr7 What will the other do, except p"",",5 y " to reward its favorites, if it does any- allowance tor it. me good p thing? It would seem to be clear that s quite disturbed by the thought. He under the new plan, the teacher as a regards self-deception as an unhealthy rule is no better off and may be much state of mind for any individual. echool affairs. The investigating Board can do nothing but let a teacher out or keep him where he is. The regularly constituted board only can advance him or her. What can the one board do to elevate or improve the condition of the individual teach- worse off. by being made the victim of a divided authority. It is this latter feature of the new scheme which seems to The Orego nian to be its gravest fault. It is in different as to the method of election or selection of the school authorities, It would even have no objection to It is not difficult to understand his point of view as to that. As a scientist, he is against falsehood on general prin ciples, and he is probably afraid that lying is a habit that grows. Beginning by deceiving ourselves, ir the pro fessor's fears were realized, we would go on and on, and there would be their being named by the presiding no telling where we would stop. judge, provided their tenure was of -froressor ricKerms BL.u.ie.y ..i sufficient duration to give them ex- favor of saving daylight: but he would perience and confidence and that very be straightforward about it. He tenure which the teachers prize so would simply rise an hour earlier, "highly have breakfast an hour earlier, open But the two-headed system is bad. the stores an nour earner, a..u The result will be confusion and stag- AH that would De necessary wouia oe nation nnd th schools of Portland for the people to arrive at U COJJliuuii will surelv sro back. understanding. Why pretend that it - -- i . . . . . , , - i r is 7 o ciock wnen it i omy o. "uj, indeed? The experience of England, THE PARANOIAC AND THE SANE MURDERER. If The Oregonian worshiped legal technicalities and held fast to minute consistency it would probably find it necessary to condemn the verdict of the jury in the case of the insane murderer, H: H. McCall. But as the verdict recognizes the importance of the public's welfare when it is op posed by set forms and precedents, the jury's decision will go unchal lenged. Indeed, it will be commended. There is often a conflict in a juror's mind between that which he believes should be done and that which, his oath to decide in accordance with law and evidence requires him to do. It is this conflict that results in the turning loose of murderers on a flimsy plea of brainstorm or temporary in sanity on the one hand and in fasten ing formal guilt upon plainly demented creatures on the other hand. The verclict generally rests upon the opin ion of the Jury as to whether the vic tim ought to have been killed. Betrayal of family honor offers no legai reiuge tor a slayer, but it is a moral refuge in the juryroom. That it be given legal color, a specious in sanity defense is presented. That de fense does not deceive the jury, but it is a peg on which to hang the kind of verdict the jury desires to render. It is not necessary to recall instances of acquittal of murderers who acted premeditatedly, whose acquittal was ostensibly on the ground of insanity. but whose mental equilibrium was un disturbed beyond a shadow of doubt. The Oregonian does not approve ad herence to the unwritten law and the interjection of manufactured pleas of insanity to reinforce it. Conversely, if minutely consistent, it would con demn a conviction for unreasoning murder by one palpably insane. But public welfare is of higher importance than consistency. Men afflicted as is McCall should not be at large. There is no commitment that fully insures their indefinite detention except one that holds them responsible for deeds for which they are not responsible It is a legal travesty, but it is made necessary by the state's failure to pro vide some method for commitment of the criminal insane besides that which is designed only for dealing with the criminal sane. Not long ago several thoughtful in dividnals prepared a law which would have saved the counties of Oregon much trial money and provided a more orderly process of disposing of just such paranoiacs as McCall. Under its operations the state would not witness the farce of trial and conviction of a crazy man, but a commission would promptly send him to his inevitable destination for keeps the criminal ward of the hospital for the insane. The bill did not find its way Into the Legislature. It did not offer any body a fat job. It provided no planks for legislators' political fences. It was not the sort of uplift that inspires clamor in the Statehouse lobby. Con sequently its proponents became dis couraged and let it drop. So we shall go happily forward needing me insanity pleas or sane murderers and rejecting the insanity pleas of "Insane murderers. Mean while those who disapprove of th former . because it is wrong and ap prove of the latter because it is th only way to protect the public will swallow their inconsistency with as good grace as possible. A LITERATURE IN ARMENIA. It has required the horrors of 3. peculiarly atrocious war situation to bring to the attention of the world that the Armenians have a literature. although until comparatively recenr-l years there have been no epics and J little or no romantic writing. What there might have been if it had hot been that the ancient literature was mostly destroyed in the early cen turies of the Christian era there is no means of knowing, but its place was taken by a vast quantity, in the aggregate, of writing on philosophy and history, which was to have been expected from a race that was deeply religious and got its early inspiration chiefly from its monasteries. Recent ly, however, there has been translated and compiled an impressive collection of more recent poems, which are pub lished for the purpose of aiding the Armenian relief work. These might ever have gained much circulation f it had not been for the tragically distressful condition in which the Ar menians now find themselves. As showing that massacres and de portations and famine and pillage and death have left a deep impression on the character of Armenian literature the present massacres are not the first to which they have fallen victims an extract from a poem on "The Starv ing" is of particular interest because it is typical, and not in any sense ex ceptional. It Tnust be remembered that the shadow of death so hovers over the land that even in their games the little children employ the symbols of death, where the children of an other country would play with life instead. The poet in this instance is Atom Yarjanian, who' had lived in the Tnited States but has gone back to his own people in their extremity, One gets an exceedingly vivid impres sion from the following: There Is no harvest, no harvester, no aower and no earth -to nlow. Hungry oxen bellow mournfully. Vegetation is dying with the flowers. The plow in the corner of the barn awaits the new and ever-returning opnns. The cork crows no more. The dawn, it seems, like the blood or my race, nas sunk Into tbe depths of the earth. Hero this sobbing, supplication, begging. "We are hungry, we are hungry. There are those who tear their hair, there are those who shed tears like drops of lead. There are those who hope they are already dead under a pull of silence. There are taose who begin horribly to dance, arm In arm with frightful madness: And others; terriblo to tell, already approach the corpses, unburied and awaiting burial. The translator, Miss Alice Stone Blackwell. could not have depicted the situation of Armenia and the Arme nians more graphically in an appeal of any length. Not only the words. themselves, but the fact that anyone could have written them at all, are eloquent of the desperate plight of Armenia. The picture is vivid, but the mental Impression is more power ful than all. It is not . materialism to write of the woes of a starving peo ple; the poem Is not a tract, nor even an appeal for food; but it must serve the purpose not only of calling atten tion to Armenia but to every other unhappy land that is measurably in similar state of chaos. The poets of Armenia are also, for the time btang, the poets of a suffering world. r MORE CHINESE EGGS. France and some other European Although- there has been a let-up countries has shown the practical dif. in importation of Chinese eggs Into fieuitv of oersuading people to agree the United States, due in the main to to do the thing in the obvious, straight- is nonage or transportation lacinties, forward way. They take good-humor- there promises to De a revival imme- ediy. though, to the idea of being de dlately after conclusion of the war. ceivei. Barnum was right; the pub Then we shall be called on to com- ii rioes love to be humbugged, even pete not only with the Chinese pro- when lt is humbugging itself. ducer. as at present, but with organ- The professor's logic, as logic. Is ized Japanese capital as well. I unanswerable, and few will care to Consul Peck, at Tsingtau, tells about take issue with him upon the issue it in a prosaic report to the Depart- tnat it is better to be truthful than ment 01 commerce. ne says mat to live a falsehood, but there are wealthy Japanese investors, among practlcal considerations that will not wnom are some 01 ine most promi- be sunoressed. Most of us are Tamil rent business men of Japan, have or ganized a company with large cap ital for the manufacture of egg prod ucts in China. Two factories which formerly turned out these products have been standing idle since the out break of war. These factories are to be enlarged to a capacity of 800,000 pounds of dried yolk and 341,000 iar with the trick of setting the alarm clock ahead on the mornings when we wanted to make an especially early start, and then rolling over and taking an extra snooze when we remembered about it in the morning; but the ques tion is whether we would not have assented to our self-deception if the time of ringing the alarm had been pounds of albumen a year. The new soimnlv fixed bv law. With our fond- buildings are to be under construe- Vness for doing so many things by legis- tion by next month and the machiriery ation, would not the majesty of the Installed by May. Once started, the statutes have a nowerful Influence? Japanese are not letting any grass And certainly if our bread and butter prow unoer tneir ieet. . . - - depended on getting to work on time, The most significant statement of we would be unlikelv to carry the the Consul, however, is the following: habit to the extreme. It is worth "The originators .01 tne enterprise something to obtain concert of action hope to sell mainly to the American I It is not easy to persuade everybody market, although they will attempt to advance the round of the day s develop the Japanese ana European duties an hour, and it is comparative markets as well." i osv to "lesrislate." The manufacture of egg products! second ground of the professor's for the worst, the British people are to stay home. He told them that of plowing up or turning into pasture for I the many who. had abandoned tneir cattle their flower gardens and public I homes to "fight Indians," not one in parks and noblemen's parks and I a thousand reached a point west of shooting preserves. . Even were every I the Missouri Kiver. and that cfcances available acre applied to food pro- I were that that one was washing dishes duction, the United Kingdom would I In a restaurant or doing other prosaic still be far from self-supporting. It duties in the hope of earning enough is even more deDendent on imports money to take him back home, t or of raw material for munitions. Much I the benefit of these he pictured the of the iron ore comes from Spain life of the scout in its true colors. and other foreign countries, nearly all laying stress on its hardships, and he copper and lead are imported, as are added frankly that mostly the men all rubber and petroleum. Admiral I who were following the lives of scouts Jellicoe has expressed confidence in I were doing it. "not for the love of ad- success of the measures taken to com- I venture, but for the big silver dollars bat, the submarine, but its toll of ships they received for their services." Per- sunk continues to increase. Unless haps the fact 'that he stuck closely the protective means prove effective I to the truth had something to do with soon. British physique may show the his popularity. deterioration as has German, Gleams Through the Mist. By Dna Colllnav same and the munition supply may be so re duced that the allies will lose the su periority in that regard on which they rely. The next few months may decide the result. If the Germans hold their j ground while they rapidly reduce the allies' resources of food and muni tions, the latter may become power less to win. If the new measures of which vague hints have been given should prove as destructive to the new fleet of U-boaW as the earlier were to the first fleet in 1915, the odds on points of endurance will be favorable to the allies. So far, the new subma rine campaign has only begun and no basis for an opinion exists. NEW YORK CITY GROWS HEALTHIER. Signal testimony to the triumphs of modern medical and sanitary science is borne by the report of the Health Department of New York City that the death rate of that city in 1916 was only 13.89 per thousand, the low est on record, although in that year epidemics of grippe and infantile paralysis each caused 2000 deaths. this is a decrease from 20.57 per thousand in 1900, though in the in terval the population has increased one-third and has therefore become much denser. Fifty years ago the death rate was 36 per thousand. If the same rate had prevailed last year there would have been 100.000 more deaths and, it being estimated that THE POET SCOUT. there are ten cases of serious illness News that Captain Jack Crawford, I for each death, there would have been the poet scout," Is dying in his Long I 1,000.000 more such cases. Island home recalls a picturesque fig- Apart from the prevention of grief ure of the frontier days immediately I and pain which has resulted from following the Civil War and including modern medical discoveries and from the Indian campaigns of the '70s in I stricter observance of medical' and the Sioux country. In these campaigns I sanitary laws, there is a great eco- Crawford was second in command of I nomic gain from this decrease of ill- General Crook's civilian scouts, Colo- I n ess and death. Every man's . con- ABRAHAM LIXCOUf. Abraham Lincoln, fightin" man; Tender and gentle, but firm to do The task, that was given unto you; Patient to follow the Intricate plan Through sorrow and pain and death clouds black. But never to waver and never loolc back; Abraham Lincoln, fightin' man. Abraham Lincoln, fightin man; Heart like the heart of a little child. Lips that were tremulous while they smiled, ' Eyes where readily tear-drops ran; Big. hard hands that could strike a blow And bind up the wounds of the stricken foe; Abraham Lincoln, fightin' man. Abraham Lincoln, fightin man; Humble of heart andr praying peace. But ready to war and not to cease Till the land was purged from the an cient ban; Ready to die, if need should be. For the sake of a land where all are free): Abraham Lincoln, fightin' man. Abraham Lincoln, fightin' marl; Our warlike heroes perhaps are few Compared to what other countries knew We still are young but I'm glad we can Point, when a stranger would be told Of the type of heroes we had of old. To Abraham Lincoln, fightin' man. Sir." said the Courteous Office Boy, entering with a basketful of dandelion. nel Cpdy being their chief. Craw-1 tribution to the National wealth and I greens. ford's name was romantically asso- to the general welfare is increased by dated with the West when the West! the lengthening of his life and by In- was being fashioned out of crude ma- I crease of his number of working days. terial, and there was a time," In the I Premature death Is waste of much of 80s, and even later, when as a writer the time and money spent in rearing and entertainer he was much the and educating a child, and illness is waste through loss of wages and through expense for doctors, nurses vogue. His splendid record in the service of his country, his undoubted personal bravery and a magic per sonality lent glamor to his name. His verses had little literary quality, but I Department, it has been justified by depended for their popularity rather prevention of economic waste. on the fact that, like those of Will You here," I cried joyously, for the C. O. B. has been taking a vacation while the recent B. D. legislation () was ripening. (Note: B. D. refers to the subject which we have been treating in this I colyum for the past few weeks, but were obliged to cease mentioning at and medicine. Great as has been the I midnight, Thursdays increase of expenditure on the Health Carleton and others, they BtrucK a popular chord. - They were unpolished but wholesome, and the quantity of them was amazing. A not inconsider- Acting on the notion that poverty is a handicap to literary genius, which is not as a matter of fact, borne out by history. Count llya Tolstoy, son able proportion consisted of verses of Qj the ,ate Count Leo Tolstoy, "is said to have given up a portion of his father's estate in Russia as a sort of subsidy for indigent writers. He has not explained how he intends to dif ferentiate between the budding au thors who are poor because their stuff is not worth buying and those who wnnM rtr-rifii-A thft real thin? if onlv formed; there was scarcely a man or tt w.r, rplivel from thf necessity I've guessed at last", It is woman in the Western country who wnri. fnr . lMnr Rvon THE SPRTNCJ. did not have loved ones in a far-away I -i. .1.4 1 11., Place. Crawford liked to sing of the for the support of those who ;'" P-P s' nonest neart mat oeat oeneatu think they could write if conditions rough and unpromising exterior, of d t d f them, and if occasion, for Captain Jack was in demand at campfires. anniversaries and other especial events. It was the era of home-and-mother verse in which CrawforVi wrote, and he played often upon this string. The country had not wholWy emerged from the wilderness; ties were being newly Yep." said the C. O. B. "I have. come back? and have nrung a spring pome wh me." I steeled myself to meet the shock. "Sooner or later it had to come." I muttered. "Head on before I sever dip lomatic relations with you." And the C. O. B. read: Sprtnjc Pome. The wheels withiiv my dollar watch Go round as lively as hop-scotch; My eara I prick And hear it tick A merry "Click-te-click-te-cllck !" What makes it do this sort of thing? will not. meanwhile, interfere with the usual shipment of Oriental eggs for direct consumption. This was just beginning to be established when the war broke out. When commerce has leen measurably restored to the seas, it is to be expected that Chinese egg imports will be resumed on a larger ecale than ever. ' British authorities seem to agree that the . angora goat is just coming objection, that there would be great difficulty - in enforcing laws for the lighting of automobiles, and contracts for the illumination of cities, and that innumerable other legal complications would arise, such as the difference be tween burglary apd simple larceny and the time for the payment of notes, seems less worth considering. If it is going to make a difference of a year or so in prison to the housebreaker, we can give him the benefit of the A CONTRAST. What a contrast between the situa tion of the United States and that the small nations of Europe is pre sented by the view which Holland takes of the new German submarine campaign. That little country has been as grievously wronged by ruth less torpedoing and mining as has the United States, but it is practically powerless to strike back. Wedged in between Germany and conquered Bel gium, it realizes that a hostile move would bring upon it the fate which has befallen its neighbor and the other small nations which have dared to lift their hands against the invader. lacking iron, steel, coal and other essential materials for modern war, it would be' in the position of men armed with flintlock muskets advan cing against machine guns, if it were to defy Germany. This is the nation which for sixty years defied, and finally extorted ac knowledgment of its independence from, Spain when that country do mi nated Europe. It is the same nation which contested with England the naval supremacy of the world. The spirit which then nerved the arms of the Dutch still lives, but the changes which have come over methods of warfare, have deprived them of the physical " power to strike effective blows. Battles are now fought with machinery, and Holland is helpless be cause it lacks the materials and the factories wherewith to make war's machines. The same lack has caused other small nations to be crushed. ' This contrast throws into strong re lief the strong position of -this coun try. We have in our own territory or in contiguous countries all the es sential raw materials which Holland lacks, and manufacture of them Into Implements of war is far advanced. Not having command of the sea. Ger many is powerless to invade our ter ritory. If we can develop means of combating the submarine, we can at our leisure raise, train and equip ar mies and send them to Europe for land operations against Germany. In this respect alone are we seriously de ficient, for our man-power, though great, is undeveloped. In spite of our present -security, against, invasion, -it A CONTEST Ol' ENDURANCE. After having been subjected for two years to an ever-tightening blockade by Its enemies, who are thus en deavoring to reduce its power of re sistance to their armies, Germany has now thrown off all restraint in apply ing the same treatment to' the entente nations. The weakening effect of tho blockade has gone far with Germany, but is only beginning with the allies. Yet the chief of the latter Great Britain is so dependent on imports for the necessaries of both life and war that, if the German blockade should succeed, the effects would be far more rapidly felt. The war has reached its third stage, when victory will go to 'the side having the great- est powers of endurance. In an article in the Fortnightly Re view. John B. C. Kershaw turns to a report of the German Statistical Of fice for 1912 for proof that Germany cannot hold out. He quotes a state ment that with increasing wealth and population the empire's agricultural production has been stationary and its 1 imports of food were three-quarters of a billion dollars, an increase of 37 per cent over the average for 1906 to 1910. He also quotes imports of raw materials to show Germany's weak ness in materials for clothing, trans portation and war munitions. He says that the deficiency produced by the blockade cannot be made up by Ger many's allies and that even the sup plies drawn from occupied territory would leave a deficiency of $500,000. 000. Experience has proved such cal culations to be deceptive. Early In the war a great authority on copper made elaborate calculations to show that Germany would soon collapse for lack of that metal, but the empire has continued the war for two years. Probably Germany's imports in 1912 included so many luxuries using the commodities mentioned that a reduc tion of $500,000,000 could be made without impairing military power. Doubtless the stock of copper and zinc has run low, but much has been smuggled in from Scandinavia and Holland, and access has been gained to copper mines in Serbia, undevel oped copper fields in Asia Minor and lead and zinc mines in Russian Po land, which the Germans may have developed in great haste. Of more value in forming an opin ion on Germany's powers of endur ance than any such statistics as Mr. Kershaw quotes are facts learned by those- who have recently been in Ger, marfy in regard to the effect of re stricted food supply on the people's physique. A young Dutchman ob tained employment at a salary beyond his hopes in a German factory, but found the diet was fast reducing his weight and strength and returned home to smaller wages but more nourishing food. Correspondents at the front report that German prison ers always seem underfed, though larger and better rations are given to soldiers than to civilians. All ac counts agree that there Is a, serious deficiency of meat, eggs, fat and milk and that the people look underfed. If this condition be general, weak ening of the people's physique cannot fail to reduce their power of endur ance. Not only that, it may weaken their mqrale. which is the source of the "will to fight." That, however, is contingent upon the temper of the people. History abounds in examples of prodigies of endurance and valor by besieged people who were reduced to the verge of starvation. The possibility of reducing the Brit ish people to the same condition hangs on the degree of success attained by the submarine blockade. Preparing the prospector lying on his lonely hill side, dreaming of the dear ones far, far away, and of the endearing ties of comradeship amid the perils of a hostile land. He put universal thoughts into commonplace words, He reached an audience that seldom read the major poets, and probably would not have understood them if it had read more, but his influence was altogether good. . The poet scout was unfailingly good- natured, and the world, after alu loves an optimist. Even his experi ence fighting Indians left him with no real bitterness, which was in sharp contrast to the prevailing sentiment of the day that "the only good Indian was a dead Indian. This is illus trated by his "Little Kevilee. once a popular recitation at school entertain ments in the West, in which he said: Injun, It Is proposed to establish an authors' poor house there is danger that -it would be filled to overflowing before the real geniuses of the profession had a chance to get within hailing dis tance of the front gate. At any rate. the experiment will be watched with interest, and some longing, by the writing world. It is less than nineteen years since the United States and Spain were at war. yet they are now so friendly that Spain not only takes the care of bel ligerent interests off our hands but takes charge of our interests in Ger many and backs our policy in regard to submarines. National quarrels do not last long, especially when mutual interest draws the nations concerned together. It gaily tosses me aloft. T jump and bounce, T gaily jounce. With flumpty-f lounee. And f lumpty-flounce. What makes my cushion do this thing? Why, can't you guess? Tt is THI3 SPRING. It sometimes almost makes me cringe. To see the door swing on Its hinge. With mighty slam Against the jamb. And lusty "Bam-te-bam-tebam! What makes the door so freely swing? I know. I know! It is THE SPRING. It would seem that Under-Secretary I hain't murh love for ar An- for many a year on 'this wild frontier von Stumul has been laboring under I've been their bitterest foe; An I reckon as you "uns know me. H Aim'S SPRING TWITTER. Since the C. O. B. has reminded u of lt, we might as well face the facts without flinchlnsr. It's the Spring pome season. We do not believe in an unbridled and unregulated Spring pome cam- An' I ain't much g-lven to boast. But listen to me I wouldn't be Unjuat to an Injun's ghost. Aa 4 r rout nf thA nrmni it rlnfifl not matter. It is a story of an Indian authority. who did a good deed, and the scout proposed to see that he got credit, for it, even among white men to whom all redskins were anathema, to be shot or herded on reservations and subjected to the tender mercies of a delusion as to the wav the United Palgn. and we are prepared to do every States treats dismissed Ambassadors, thing in our power to mitigate its but it would be cruel to suppose that nmnuuiu. he got the idea by thinking what he Therefore we Invite hards who feel would have done in a position of high that they MUST do Spring versification to perch on this little ooucn ana twit ter. We give them ample assurance lirnl.n. m,Wr. arc r.rr.arr1 to al noooay will lK a snot at mem. turn out 175 machines a day for the "." -v Government in the event of war. Half around too miscellaneously. agents who undoubtedly did not un- a day's output would have made a big difference in the outcome of the chase for Villa a few months ago. derstand them and contractors who exploited Them for private gain. Craw ford recited "Little Revllee" in the The only other rule that obtains in the SPRING TWITTER is as follows: .Make 'em short! The shorter .the better! I.V TUB G.lRDKN. When the seeking breezes pass. The I. W. W. accused at Everett have obtained a change of venue to ramus of the Black Hills while the Seattle, but if they hope to find a Indian fighting was still fresh' in I community anywhere that is not sick Like a nugget In the grass, memory, and. in the vernacular which of I. W. W.-lsiu they have another Such a gleaming, gallant one, he himself might have employed, he guess coming. Like a fragment of the sun, "got away with it." I I (For the sun Is made from gold Among plainsmen and prospectors, I With a falling off in the numoer or I So the ancient legends told.) he was one of few to whom Words- ships sunk in the war zone, the ques. worth's primrose allusion did not ap- I tion naturally arises whether the num ply. In 1876 a band of hostile Sioux ber of vessels taking the chance has drove off fourteen head of the scout- I not also been diminished somewhat. ing party's horses and the whites gave cTinso. recaininar half of them after I .Tudsrine from the National bank a hard ride, although, as Crawford statement, showing that country banks Snowflakes lightly veined with blu? Where the seeking breezes pass. Lies a snow-flake in the grass. Light and white, it seems to float With a sunbeam in its throat. But who ever saw did you are getting the greater part of the coin, it is getting near the closed sea son for jokes about hayseeds. naively remarks, "owing to the fact that the Indians had a change of horses, we failed to get any scalps." It was after this hard ride, with his disappointing, failure to scalp the! The governments of Holland and enemy, that this thought occurred to Sweden evidently had their ears close him: daisy! The first I had seen In the Spring, Was peeping from under tne soa ; The air was so chilly, the wind was so cold, That I feared that the daisy bad made rather bold To ascend from the earth's1 warmer elod. Just then a fair skylark, flew heavenward to sing Sweet anthems In praise of hla God. to the ground when they made their decisions as to neutrality in the pres ent submarine situation. The House committee has been a long time finding out that members of Congress sometimes take a flyer in Wall Street, but. of course, for strictly "investment purposes." One overlooks the incongruities in a kind of wonderment that the scout should have been an efficient Indian fighter and the kind of man who found time to notice daisies and sky larks while preoccupied with the sterner duties of the chase. Even the mining "experts" of the early day stirred the scout only to a sort' of mild sarcasm, which is found running through his verse. Like all prospectors, he was strong in the faith. At one time he pinned his all on the future of the Cariboo country, and when a geologist declared that the region was not fit for quartz min ing and that there were no ledges there, he expressed himself in these Dog Tray. words: Oh. where In God's creation I Secretary Daniels' past record as a Can we poor people go Hiiildor of warshins will hardlv satisfv Illinois has a pleasing idea, the set ting apart of a week for the singing of National songs, but it is to be hoped the singing will not be confined to the week in question. Making it a capital crime to kill a man by running nim aown witn a "borrowed"automobile ought to have tendency to discourage joy riding for a while. In his lonely cell. Detective Crowley will have plenty of time to reflect upon the similar misfortunes of Old To find a belter prospect Than these outcropplngs snow? And tell me. oh. ye experts. Whence these millions cam.. Rolled down in the sluices Since Barker got. Its nam. the country at the present stage of the game Onions are now $7 a sack. Per fumes of the synthetic variety are also scarce and dear. The night school in military train I l ... Via oKmit V. a Intact tiling Crawford never drew the long bow " 0 , " , 0 111 W 1 ILiUg U""' ......,,--. - -- - .... fighting career, he was modest al ways. He had a good deal to say, one time and another, to discourage those who were coming West with a false Men T-r mirht have been called an antl-dlme novelist. He resisted temp- Crocuses are in bloom and soon the tation to make money by permitting almonds will be out. It Is good to his name to be used as the ostensible ,n Oregon author of vellow-backed literature. He advised boys to take a serious view The hoosiers, too, have put the of the poribUitles of the West, or skids under the saloon. Where the seeking breezes pass. Lies a gem upon the grass. Such a glorious amethyst Devotee hath never kissed. Never hath a gem so grand Shone upon a bishop's hand. Where the seeking breezes pass. Spring smiles upward through me grass. Gold and white and amethyst. In the frost and early mlet. Gallantly their colors fling Crocuses are blossoming. Torpedo Nets for hlpa PO RT LAN D. Feb. 9. (To the Ed itor.) What is the manner of con struction, what kind of material used and what is the mode of attachment to ships of torpedo nets? . , CHARLES BARNETT. They are constructed of heavy wire, after the form of chicken wire fences, and are attached to booms jutting from the side of the vessel. These booms may be swung back in line with the deck when not in use. Nets are used only when the ship is at anchor. These nets are not taut, as their pur pose is to stop torpedoes without caus ing their explosion. The force of water disturbed violently by high explosives is sometimes sufficient to crush a ship's hull. The effectiveness of tor pedo nets is said to have been partly overcome by attachment of revolving knives to torpedoes, which cut through the net. Warships at their rendezvous now in time of war commonly lie be hind labyrinths of stationary wire net. No Sondar Bine Law. HOOD RIVER. Or.. Feb. 8. (To the Editor.) What is the present status of the Sunday blue law and how does It affect moving picture theaters? Has the Supreme Court of Oregon passed on this law? F. G. C. It was repealed by vote of the people in the last election.