THE SUNDAY" OKEGONIAN, PORTLAND, MAT 13, 1917.
PULSE OF PUBLIC IS FELT IN COMMENT THROUGH LETTERS j
PORT
FACILITIES
5EED
Portlander Telia Why Seattle Becomes
Great Shipping; Center.
Kj'UTLAKD, May 12. (To the Ed
itor --5t rught to be frankly recor
nlzed tTv.it Seattle Is the leading ship
ping center today on the Pacific Coast
because that city has special storing;
and handling facilities, which Portland
does not have. So this is a good time
to drive home the truth of the argu
ments that better shipping facilities
and elevators for the handling of bulk
grain are desirable If we want to com
pete for the world trade again.
On a recent visit to the Puget Sound
I had occasion to go Into the public
waterside terminal facilities of Seat
tle, and finding them so well built,
modernly equipped and so busy I In
vestigated each of the six units and
Interviewed leading business men to
learn more about the port Improve
ments. It ia an interesting Irony that at the
outset I should find in the cold storage
plant of the Spokane-street unit 250,000
cases of Columbia River salmon and
In another room of this same building
250,000 pounds of Columbia River
smelt. And the dock superintendent
said the only reason the fish were in
Seattle was because Portland had no
facilities for storing Its own product.
It 13 the same with grain shipped In
bulk.
Portland Is going to vote upon a
bond Issue of $3,000,000 for the erec
tion of a bulk grain elevator and Im
proved shipping facilities on June 4.
Seattle already has these improve
ments and is enlarging them. I shall
try to show how these public' ware
houses and docks have been an Impor
tant factor in the present prosperity
of the Sound city. To quote the words
of a prominent banker of Seattle: "It
was a good thing shipping forced Itself
on us for we needed It."
Shipping could not force Itself on
Portland, because the Rose City lacked
two things harbor terminals and
ships. Seattle; had both.
It has been said that the Port of
Seattle is operating Its municipally
owned warehouses, docks and grain
elevators at a loss. The figures pre
pared by the auditor of the port show
that the total revenue for the year
1916 was $391,953,07. The expenses
were $258,496.27. Therefore, the Port
of Seattle had at the end of the year
$133,456.80 over and above the operating
expenses. These are official figures.
What makes this revenue? Is it the
product of the surrounding country or
l.i it the shipment of war supplies to
Russia? Both. And the Alaska trade
a.B well.
It was said that shippers would not
use the municipally owned docks, cold
storage plants, grain elevator and
warehouses. They didn't at first.
But when they found that goods could
be handled cheaper and at less insur
ance rates and with greater dispatch,
they soon were using every depart
ment, until now it is necessary to use
the Spokane-street wharves and the
Hanford-street dock even before they
are completed. This is the truth, for
I saw farm tractors, automobiles,
clams, brown sugar, canned goods and
apples stored in rooms where the con
tractors were still working.
At the Smith's Cove pier they were
loading ships for Russia and Japan;
at the Bell-street wharf they were
hosting railroad cars and other equip
ment on Government transports for the
Federal railroad in Alaska; at the Spokane-street
dock they were unloading
the Yubarl, of the Maru line, of Kobe,
which had 11,000,000 pounds of sugar
for Montreal, Canada. On this Spokane
street dock they handled 50,000,000
pounds of freight in one month.
What reason is there for Seattle hav
ing this immense trade? Railroads do
not have a water grade into the port.
Ships do not have a shorter route from
the Orient. The city is not nearer the
grain centers or farming communities.
'Why is it, then, that Seattle is ship
ping as fast as ships can be had, while
Portland, with more natural advan
tages, sits twiddling its thumbs?
The solution is simple improved
port facilities. The Port of Seattle has
spent $600,000 for a bulk grain eleva
tor and last week let a contract for
additional circular bins which will in
crease the capacity to 1.000,000 bushels
of grain. It has spent more than
$4,000,000 in terminal units which per
mit freight cars to run directly onto
the dock and discharge their load into
the ship or into the warehouse to await
the next vessel.
Portland has none of these vet.
A PORTLANDER.
ENGLISH" LANGUAGE NOT LIKED
Call It "United States.' Is SuKgrxtion
of P. I. Dekker.
PORTLAND. May 12. (To the Ed
itor.) A correspondent in Sunday's
Oregonian says English Is the univer
sal language. very well, let us ac
cept it as such, but in accordance with
our conclusion, let us change the name
of it. If it is composed of elements
from a great many other languages,
why not as well call it American or
United States or Oregonian or some
arbitrarily coined name? If English is
In such world-wide use, why should we
call it by the name applied to but a
lew million people on a small island in
the North Atantic?
True, there is a substratum of Anglo-
Baxon words in present-dav Entrlish.
This is the least valuable part of the
language. How could it be otherwise?
The tribes who settled Britain were
essentially marauders and pirates.
They were ignorant, howling savages
fond of fighting, feasting and getting
orunK, at a time when a complete civ
ilization existed and had existed for
many centuries in a large part of the
Mediterranean basin. Hence it is easy
to understand why Anglo-Saxon serves
no other office today than providing
names for the most elementary and pri
mary tnmgs ana relations of life. Th
Anglo-Saxons had not developed the
complexities of civilization and the
language reflected this fact..
The first influence that converted
English from an uncouth tongue into
a somewhat civilized speeech was the
coming of William the Conqueror, and
Norman-French, which was hardly
more than a Latin dialect. Since then
Anglo-Saxon has become progressively
insignincant in English, until nowa
days if we wish to describe new objects
or express the intricate things of the
mind or the nuances of feeling, we
must have recourse to Greek and Latin
derivatives. English has no genius
bucii a. inoueiu uerman nas tor coin
ing words from its own roots. There
fore the necessity of borrowing fron
other languages, except where the mos
ordinary commodities or concents are
Involved. The scientific and philo
sophical vocabulary of English writers
would be poor, indeed, if they were
dependent on Anglo-Saxon.
If English is to become really a
world language, two things must hap
pen. First, the absurd spelling must
be reformed. In place must come a
phonetic system. People who use the
language will not much longer submit
to its Tory domination by the dons of
Cambridge and Oxford. Too much time
is lost in learning thu irrational Eng
lish orthography. Some of the great
est scholars, both in this country and
Great Britain, favor the reform.
Second, the name of the language
must be changed. "English" is much
too narrow a term. Better call it the
Greco-Roman tongue though of course
that is too clumsy a compound. Why
not rename the language "United
States?" We have more inhabitants
than all the English-speaking people
of the whole British Empire. We print
more newspapers, periodicals and books
than England. We publish more dic
tionaries. We have more schools and
colleges that teach the language and
as able scholars who study its past
and help mold its future. Now we are
even going to save Great Britain from
being starved. Isn't it about time
that this country took the lead instead
of always playing the sedulous ape
to England in all things literary and
scholarly?
So, I say either give the Englsh lan
guage an entirely new name that is
really typical of it that is, its flexi
bility and mutability or call it
United States." for the future of the
language rests with this country any
way. PAUL I. DEKKER.
P. S. This name is of Dutch, not
German origin.
MEXICAN LABOR IS ADVOCATED
Many Workmen Available Before Japs
Are Admitted.
REEDSPORT. Or.. May 11. (To the
Editor.) I notice that there is consid
erable talk of letting the Chinese and
Japanese pour into our country. I fear
if such were done, it would be a great
mistake, which we would repent of at
leisure. The Eastern people do not un
derstand the problem these people are
to us on the Pacific Coast. We have
enough of them now.
Would it not be better to look about
and see what we have at home first?
We could take all the Japs and China
men doing woman's work in our towns
and city and put them out on the farms
and let women and girls take their
places in towns, which they would be
glad to get.
Then take the Indians from the res
ervations and put them on the farms.
They can do an able-bodied man's
work in the harvest field, while most
Japs and Chinamen are not much at
haying time.
Then there is lots of the work that
can be done by schoolboys, and women
and girls can be a big help In fruit and
vegetable work, and they are more
than willing to help. And last, but
not least, why could we not hire Mexi
cans to come over here and help us out?
We perhaps could get all the labor we
wanted there, and they make good.
strong workers, handy with horses.
knowing how to handle a team which
is a big advantage over a Chinaman or
Jap (they know nothing about horses).
It would be doing the Mexicans a
good turn and I believe would help to
overcome the hard feeling they may
have toward us.
We know that they are starving
d-wn there. Why not help them in this
way?
And as a last resort we could do as
France is doing, hire Chinamen under
contract and return them when
through. But do not let down the bars.
In a California fruit district a few
years ago, they hired Japs and Hindus
to pick and dry their fruit, leaving 500
Indians on a reservation remain idle.
the mills running to their full capacity
for months. The railroads are now
blocked with freight- They will have
to transport this material, amounting
to about 40,000 carloads, and in addition
thousands of cars of wheat, flour and
other necessities. Tell me, if you will,
how they could carry the material re
quired for homes that are distant from
the lumber manufacturers and at the
same time take care of the Govern
ment transportation?
The needs of the Government in war
timese automatically stop, to a great
extent, private improvements, but this
is not stagnation. The Government is
an additional customer and the de
mands of the Government for war ma
terial will require the labor of every
man that is out of employment, no
matter what his vocation. If this Ir
true, it does not mean industrial stag
nation. Tonnage capacity of railroads
and ships is going to be taken by the
Government to move the material re
quired for the Army and Navy, not
only to feed them but to carry supplies
for their requirements. After that the
railroads will Jtake care of the necessi
ties required by the public.
The Government will not permit the
shipment of asphalt and cement to
build roads with when this space is re
quired for other more necessary ma
terial. Carpenters will not build homes
because they cannot get the material,
but they will build wooden ships and
freight cars. Plasterers and brick
layers will be employed in steel ship
yards, foundries, machine shops, flour
mills, etc., with steady employment
and Increased wages. This, it seems
to me, will create activity; a change,
perhaps, in occupation for the period
of the war, but this is not stagnation.
Is the operation of sawmills, flour mills,
shipyards, box factories) machine shops
to their full capacity at increased
wages industrial stagnation or is it
Industrial activity? The East has suf
fered like this for nearly three years
but they did not call it stagnation.
S. B. COBB.
CAPITALISM
'IS
ON
TRIAL
has an edge on every one of us when
it comes to real service. He is the
man who, with little chance for glory
none for money, offers to accept cer
tain hardship and possible annihila
tion for the sake of his flag.
His absolute antithesis is the con
temptible cur who skulks out of the
city to his home on the farm on the
theory that he has less chance of being
called to war if he does so. When, in
addition, the farm in question is al
ready so unproductive that it does not'
support those already living on it with
out their supplementing the income
by "working out," he is worse than a
mere slacker he is an economic bur
den. BRYAN R. DORR.
POOR CHILDREN NEED CLOTHES
Sugrg-estlona Made to Relieve Families
In Distress.
BEND. Or., May 11. (To the Ed
itor.) While economy is being urged
in every home in America, let me sug
gest a few things in that line which
may be of some help to the poor peo
ple who cannot feed a family of chil
dren at the present prices without their
being far underfed, and -buy clothing,
even enough to keep them clean.
I think it would be a good plan if
every town would get some large
empty house or building, one in each
district, for the people to come and
get what clothing is necessary for
them. They know more what they
really need than someone else. Summer
as well as Winter. The money they
would otherwise spend for clothing
could buy Jars and fruit and vegeta
bles to can. So help those who would
help themselves by giving that old
peated the story. So did Bancroft.
The accuracy of Thornton along other
lines was sharply challenged by Mrs.
Victor, and perhaps no history of Ore
gon is fuller of inaccuracies than Ban
croft's. As far as the "divide" story
Is concerned they seem to have simply
"followed copy." We all understand
how carelessly much history is writ
ten, and the evidence of pioneers and
of "those present," given over 40 years
after the event, may well have had
its origin in Mrs. Victor's attractive
"romance."
Nothing is more common than fori
actual participants in important events
to accept, in later years, with mem
ories dimmed by the lapse of time, an
inaccurate but attractive narrative as
a substitute for what actually occurred.
Our every day experiences, our Jury
trials in the courts and our text books
on mental philosophy furnish abundant
proof of this. Any story well told and
repeatedly told becomes history.
The letter of Dr. Robert Newell
quoted by Mr. Elliott, was written in
1866. He was at the Champoeg meet
ing and his letter was a recital of what
occurred at that meeting. It chal
lenged the accuracy of Gray's account.
Dr. Newell was, as Mr. Elliott says, "a
real leader among the mountain men."
He was twice Speaker of the Legisla
ture of the Provisional Government,
and was a more considerable construc
tive factor in his day than was Meek,
even if he was not so spectacular.
Newell and Meek had been Rocky
Mountain trappers together. They came
to Oregon together. Meek driving
Newell's team. Both located in what
is now Washington County. Newell
later made his home at Champoeg, and
it was there that he wrote the letter
that is Quoted bv Mr. Elliott.
blanket. Just worn a little in the cen- In this letter he goes into detail,
ter, you discarded. It can be covered He says that Dr. Babcock. the chalr-
A few people in that district saw the I
evil of it and the next fruit season
went to the newspapers and asked them
to plead with the people to give their
work to the Indians who needed it, and
who would spend every dollar they
earned for foodstuffs and clothing, to
keep them over the Winter, while those
they hired the year before perhaps
spent a dollar or two in that town.
and when through the year's work
would send the bulk of their earnings
across the ocean.
The Indians were hired, both men
and women, they did their work well
and left their money in the stores when
ready to return to the reservation.
If you find these suggestions reason
able I thought perhaps you would
know how to get it before the proper
people and see if something could not
be accomplished in this way. F. C. S.
NR. COBB EXPLAINS POSITION
Industrial Stagnation, Not Good Roads,
Is Opposed.
PORTLAND, May 12. (To the Edi
tor.) Your editorial, "Mr. Cobb and
Stagnation," in answer to my letter of
May 5, regarding the issuance of bonds
for road building is so much in vari
ance with the facts and so likely to be
mlsconstruedfelhat I ask the use of your
columns for brief reply.
Your editorial is based not on facts.
but entirely on presumptions; not a
strong foundation, to say the least.
Using your language for replying to
this point. I presume that it afforded
the best argument that could be found
,to answer my letter. I wrote my let
ter not because I was opposed to good
roads but because I did not think it
expedient to construct roads at this
time. I have always thought that stag
nation came from inactivity, that mere
ly a change of occupation or a change
in the products manufactured would
not produce stagnation. Constant em
ployment at increased wages, larger
demands taking the capacity of indus
trial plants does not create stagna
tion. but it does make industrial
activity.
I am a lumber manufacturer and
homebuilder, and whether I am opposed
to homebuilding or not makes at this
time no difference. The number of
houses that will be built during the
war depends not on what we may say
or desire but on our National Govern
ment and the transportation companies.
None will be built if the Government
requires the output of our plants to
their capacity. We cannot take orders
for houses now because we cannot de
liver them. We have several ready for
shipment that have lain in our store
room for weeks that cannot be deliv
ered on account of the car shortage
and transportation of material, and
men for the Government.
This has not produced industrial
stagnation in our plant; neither have
we stopped the making of fruit boxes
but, "on the contrary, have doubled our
capacity to try to meet the demand.
It is evident, however, that fruitgrow
ers and packers will not get suffi
cient cases to meet their requirements
for packing fruit, neither will they get
cans or glass jars, but they will not
stop the saving of fruit on this ac
count. If they cannot can it they will
dry or evaporate It and put It into
sacks or other packages, and if re
quired by the ' Government they will
furnish the boxes from our plant, if
necessary; but orchardists will not
stop picking their fruit because of lack
of cases. There would be no stagna
tion with them on account of not re
ceiving boxes.
Every machinery house in this coun
try is months back on delivery of or
ders. New machinery cannot be pur
chased at the present time at any price
on stated delivery.' Old machinery is
and will continue to be taken and re
paired to take care of the demand on
industrial plants that are increasing
their capacity on account of the de
mand of the Government. Manufactur
ers and raw material men have antici
pated the Government requirements and
have taken their goods temporarily
from the market. The purchase of saws
a few days ago brought out the fact
that it would require at least six
months to fill the order because the
Government had asked the manufac
turer to increase his plant and make
plates for steel ships as well as saws.
But this will not produce industrial
stagnation because they added the mak
ing of plates.
Industrial stagnation comes, as I
have observed, from non-operation, and
the product manufactured is not of any
consequence so long as the industry
is active. The Government is now ask
ing for 600,000,000 feet of lumber to
provide suitable quarters for barracks,
etc., and an addition 1,500,000,000 feet
for building ships. If the West Coast
only receives one-half of this order, the
production of this material will keep
Socialisation Deemed One of Results
of World War.
PORTLAND. May 12. (To the Edi
tor. Let it not be considered treason
able, but in the order of current events
that must come, and allow a true
prophet the socialist to speak to the
people along with the many false
prophets that are now leading into this
world conflagration.
Writers, statesmen, preachers, poli
ticians, all. are alike at sea in de
fining the primary causes of this great
war. Only socialists have knowledge
of the cause and are able to give cur
rent expression to rational ideas that
will bring the war to a timely end.
Their influence is seen and felt in
every belligerent country, standing out
boldly as the umpire of the war game
with advice that will bring a peace
that will be permanent and lasting;
even the abolition of war as a medi
ator of the contentions of mankind. It
is they who know that capitalism, in
this war, is digging the grave of the
final burial that, in the end, must hide
its hideous form from the sight of civ
lzation that will arise on the ruins
of this world catastrophe.
Exceeding in magnitude any previous
catastrophes is the waste want, suf
fering, debt, destruction and misery of
this war. Coming, as It does, as the
direct fruits of exploitation, being the
effect of the cause for which the war
is being waged, profit, competition for
world markets, that are made neces
sary because labor is deprived of that
portion of its earning that goes to
make up the profits for which the
competitive game is being played by
capitalist industry. The necessary so
cialization, by each belligerent gov
ernment, of the productive and trans
porting resources, in order that the
government may be able successfully
to carry on the war. Is the lesson that
is being learned by the worker. It is
teaching him how to manage the af
fairs of government after capitalism
has spent its last shot in its own de
struction. 0
Labor will - say. after this war is
ended and its end wl come through
following.- the lead of Russia, in de
posing despots, whether they be heads
crowned with civil authority or cor
porate greed struggling for markets
we have learned how to avoid war and
how to live the life of human beings,
instead of the brute beasts you have
made of us in following your capital
ist game. We will no longer kill each
other that you may make profits from
our daily labor. Since you have so
cialized these public utilities for the
preservation of your private Inter
ests, we will continue their socializa
tion for our co-operative benefit. You
are invited to live with us for the good
of all Instead of the few. Let there be
no- more private profits and no more
wars. We defy your authority, wheth
er it be civil or financial, longer to
roo us or what we produce.
C. W. BARZEE.
SLACKER ON FARM REBUKED
Some Declared to Avoid Duty by Pre
tending to Produce Food.
DORR, Wash., May 11. (To the Edi
tor.) The most detestable coward in
the world is the hypocrite who tries to
conceal his cowardice behind a mask
of duty. I refer to the young bachelor
without dependents who leaves a city
Job to go home to the old folks on the
farm so that he can sneak off to the
cornfield or the potato patch and hide
when the census taker comes along
and will make a good quilt. It will
save cotton or wool. If it is white it
can be made into underskirts for school
girls and would be warm, too. Or it
can be made into small children's night
gowns, under waists and so on. Sheets
the same. If worn in the middle, each
end can be made into a skirt for Sum
mer. More muslin on children in Sum
mer and blankets in Winter will save
lots of little lives.
Don't throw away or burn those
nightgowns, whether cotton flannel or
muslin. You only wore them out in
part. The bottom will make a skirt
or something for some little waif. Your
gingham dresses will make a little
apron for some baby. That old street
dress, too, is good enough for some
dear boy or girl to wear to Sunday
school. He or she would be proud
of it and so would you. Or take some
poor little chap or lassie home and
make over everything you can for it
out of your old duds. Have It stay
for dinner, too, and the happier it 'gets
the happier you will be.
And dear little babies! Don't forget
the hot days and nights. One would
enjoy that old crib, little bed or car
riage. With the ends of those sheets
Its sleep would be unbroken. People
care for such In Winter to keep them
warm. Help the little ones live
through the Summer; it is more impor
tant than Winter to the tiny ones. So
save the children by proper clothing
and cleanliness this Summer out of
your scrap heap. It can be done.
MRS. CHARLES A. POTTER. I
PATRIOTIC SUPPORT IS URGED
Sailor In Manila Praises Portland's
Spirit, bat Advises Action.
U. S. S. GALVESTON. Manila. P. I..
April 8. (To the Edior.) I will start
by saying I shall never forget the
morning I sailed up the Columbia and
then the Willamette River and arrived
at Portland on board the Naval Militia
training ship U. S. S. Marblehead. We
secured at the foot of Jefferson street
and the "welcome" we received was
one not easily forgotten. During my
stay, which was only a few short
weeks, I met and made many friends,
and I enjoyed myself immensely as did
my shipmates, as there are innumer
able places of interest.
During the Rose Festival and Fourth
of July celebration we sailors seemed
to be welcome wherever we chose
to go. and above all Portland is the
most patriotic town that an American
man-o'-war ever dropped anchor at.
During those great celebrations I don't
think a person could have found a
single home or building that was not
topped by the American ensign. Old
Glory. Did it ever occur to you Just
what the Stars and Stripes mean? It
stands for the greatest thing ever, "a
self-made nation."
And now that the time has come
when this Nation must preserve her
rights, why shouldn't she receive the
help? Now is the time when the young
American can come to the front again
and prove that there is nothing greater
than "serving his country." I left the
U. S. S. Marblehead at Sitka. Alaska,
returned to San Francisco on board the
U. S. S. Oregon, and August 5 I was on
my way to the Philippine Islands.
I arrived here September 2 after
man, after twice taking an aye and
nay vote, declared he could not tell
which side was in the majority, and
that he, Babcock, then asked those
present to line up on opposite sides.
Not a word is said about Meek's ask
ing for a divide, but he says "there
was much pulling and hauling," and
that it was about half an hour before
the tellers could report the result.
It is probable that in the course of
the wrangle not only Meek, but a dozen
others, called for a divide.
Suppose we compromise on the prop
osition that everybody was for a di
vide, and let it go at that. Nobody
cares to strip Colonel Meek of any of
his laurels, but there is a protest
against exalting any one man over
hundreds of others of the early build
ers of the state who were entitled to
equal, if not greater credit, for the
really constructive work of the old
pioneer days. PIONEER.
ATTACK ON PURITY CRITICISED
Mr. Daly Taken to Task for Stand
About Opponent.
PORTLAND! May 12. (To the Edi
tor.) A writer, evidently Mr. Daly
himself or some one taking his dicta
tion, has been touting Mr. Daly's cam
paign in the Journal through numer
ous letters, and from their tenor one
can see that Mr. Daly is the Ultima
Thule of perfection, and the most de
sirable and best equipped, mentally,
morally and mathematically, of all
the candidates now before the voters
for the position of Mayor.
The fact that Mr. Daly is not pro
ficient mathematically, as evidenced
in the discrepancy between his esti
mate of the cost of the water system
he advocates and that of three expert
engineers, is overlooked; his juggling
with the truth in his statement that he
was too busy serving the city to attend
a ball game, notwithstanding his at
tendance there, is ignored, and voters
are assumed to be so obtuse thai nnrh
buncombe can mislead them. I have not
the pleasure of Mr. Daly's acquaintance
personally, but I am willinc to nut
myself on record by stating that he Is
a nine man. Physically he may weigh
a ton, yet he is little. This is shown
in his reference to one of his opponents
as "purity" Warren.
In my youth I was taught that puritv
was something to be desired. "Blessed
are the pure in heart for they shall see
juu, was one or the verbal gems that
leu irom me lips or Jesus in that mem
urauie sermon on the mountain. "Be
ye pure as your Father in heaven is
pure, ne cnarged his disciples.
nave oaDDiea sofewhat In the
filthy pool of politics; I have heard a
man's past and all the vile acts of his
immediate and remote relatives iic-ah
against him. but Mr. Daly Is the first
man to allege that the purity of a
man's character disqualifies him for
.UUiiw uuiie. tt. A. CHILDERS.
as to show the motion pictures. But
the others were worth while, and I
felt well paid for my part in the even
ing's entertainment.
But suppose some one in the audi
ence had asked Mr. Lancaster to show
something else in Oregon than beau
tiful scenery and good roads. He
would have been much embarrassed.
I mention this that you may profit by
it. I have no desire to place these
beautiful pictures in hiding. But I
would amplify them and show the
fruit trees laden with their luscious
fruitage, this by sections of the coun
try which have all contributed their
share to make Oregon great.
In short, if I were a citizen tax
payer of Oregon I would most cer
tainly object to the advertising of the
state with public, funds, only to catch
the tourist. If good roads is your
chief asset, then, of course, that Is
what should stand out where every
one could read it.
But what is now attracting me to
Oregon is. in addition to the reasons
quoted, the great producing qualities
of your Oregon soil, the spirit of
good roads building now permeating
the very atmosphere of your state,
the wonderful natural resources of
your state, the rail and water trans
portation you are so richly endowed
with, the wonderful Columbia River,
whose basin and waters form the
greatest cornucopia of human natural
resources the world has ever known.
Add to these the splendid material of
American citizenry who populate Ore
gon, and you have the most desirable
community one can wish to live with.
Yes. I am cominc to Oregon, in June
of this year, and it is my expectation
to make it my future, abiding place
while on earth. But It is not because
I think voup beautiful scenery and Co
lumbia River Highway is your chief
asset. T will ask the people or ore
gon to look at the picture of catching
the smelt as shown in The uregoman
of April 23. 1917. and selling for 1 cent
PltTlRKS
LIRE HOMES EE KER
and several groups of islands. October
8 I left Manila for Shanghai. China, and
arrived the 17th. I had many good
times there. We left Shanghai for Ma
nila January 6, arriving the 12th of the
same month. It was a rather rough trip
but it was a speedy one.
What I have Just related shows that
a'young man has the best chance ever
of seeing the world and gaining
precious experience. Now why can't a
city like Portland, Or., not only be able
to boast of her patriotic spirit but of
her patriotic action, which goes much
further. Now. as the biggest and best
naner in voup citv. The Oree-nninn
nuu hivo mamma wn ine omcer inai. , should keep on living up to Its standard
n,n" '' Orntoii on Better
Method of Advertising.
ox. xji'i55, mo.. May 1. (To the
Editor.) In The Oregonian recently,
under the caption, "Use of $45,000
Topic." Dorsey E. Smith has aomethino-
good trip, having seen Honolulu, Guam i 1 8ay concerning the expenditure of
cape the observation that the peopl
of the state of Oregon with an abut
dant harvest last year o wheat, po
tatoes and onions are now confronted
with prices for these articles so stag
gering as to cut deeply Into the income
of every householder.
The question then arises, may not
this condition Le repeated with
year's crop and the present era of sky
high prices be indefinitely maintained?
In my judgment such will be the
case unless the speculation and gam
bling m rood products as now carried
on Is stopped by law. Every day we
read in the public press as to how
much wheat has risen on the Chicago
Board of Trade, and as a consequence
how much the price of wheat and
flour will be advanced here. This news
is generally supplemented by some
flimsy reason for the cause of the ad
vance. The truth is this Board of
Trade is merely the clearing-house for
the big gamblers in wheat and other
food products. Congress should at once
and without a moment's delay make it
a crime for anyone to deal In futures
with respect to food products. This
one remedy alone would put such a
crimp in the gambling fraternity that
the price of wheat and flour would go
toward the level of legitimate prices,
in accordance wita the law of supply
and demand.
Let no one be deceived into tho be
lief that the present era of high prices
Is wholly due to this so-called, law of
supply and demand, because, added to
that, must be put "speculation," which
knows no law except the law of the
highwayman.
Within 300 miles of Portland are
millions of bushels of wheat, nearly
all of it in the hands of millers and
exporters, the great bulk of it pur
chased at one-half what Is now charged
for It, and we are complacently told
that the price of wheat is likely to go
to $4 a bushel. Of course. If It does.
a pound, and then think of our paying ,20 a barrel. Now" V";!"
25 cent, a pound for tne same sme.t tnat tne roreKolnfr phc w,n obtaili
th.k th.nt The Oregonian for " the. rogues who are in possession of
this picture, for it has only made nie Jf wheat are not restrained from put
think Just that much more of Oregon. n -It there And they will not b,
M. F. DOUD.
GETTYSBURG
FIELD
VISITED
her boy Is needed to help produce food
for the soldiers. In the hope of avoid
ing the risk of active duty at the
front.
The widespread movement to plant
every available acre of cleared land to
crop is a laudable and important one,
and the back-yard gardener will doubt
less prove an asset to the country of
very great value. But there Is al
ways danger of growing , hysterical
through undue concentration upon any
fixed idea. Some v persons are begin
ning to think that the only ones who
count in our effort to win the war are
the soldiers, the farmers, the ship
builders and the munition makers.
It Is important to bear in mind that
each person has his place In a vast
complicated system, and that the with
drawal of an excessive proportion of
workers from any one branch or de
partment of our economic life would
so disorganize the whole as to reduce
the efficiency of every branch, includ
ing the soldiers at the front and the
sailors on the sea. For every man in
uniform we must have two men on
the farm, two in the city, and one on
the railroad or steamship.
The men in the city who are ren
dering services of vital importance in
clude not only workers in munitions
and shipbuilding factories, but lawyers,
doctors, bankers, clerks, salesmen. In
surance men, commission men, munici
pal employes, plumbers, garbage men.
dog catchers, and every other man who
performs a useful service.
If we are to recruit an Army wholly
or chiefly from the cities we will run
as much risk of disaster as if we were
to recruit it wholly from the farms.
We should take one man from each
-alk of life except transportation,
shipbuilding and munitions . factories;
and the women, if necessary, may be
relied upon to see that the harvest
does not go to waste.
There is danger, also, of reducing
enlistments by placing an undue em
phasis on the importance of work at
home and on the farm. We cannot get
away from the fact that the fellow
and help Uncle Sam get his men. You
have got the spirit. Live up to it and
help the U. S. A. retain what she pos
sesses, and when this war Is over you
will know you did your share. Now I
will close this letter, begging to always
remain. Yours sincerely
GLENN D. OWEN.
U. S. S. Galveston, Manila, P. L,
Asiatic Station.
CHAMPOEG ISSUE IS DISCUSSED
Pioneer Thinks Colonel Meek Is Not
Entitled to Much Credit.
PORTLAND. May 12. (To the Edi
tor.) It is rather surprising that
anyone should become excited over the
moot question as to whether or not
Joe Meek really did say "who's for
a divide" at the famous meeting at
Champoeg on May 2. 1843. Yet this
alleged marvelous performance Is ap
parently being depended on to send his
name "thundering down the ages." It
is really a matter of little or no im
portance, but if the story is of enough
importance to tell It is of enough im
portance to dissect, and criticism is
Just as proper and legitimate as ful
some praise. It is probable that the
quiet little talk F. X. Matthieu had
with his friend. Lucler, had more to
do with the result of the vote on that
occasion than any boisterous call for
a "divide." T. C. Elliott, of Walla
Walla, doubts the "divide" story. There
is much to indicate that tt originated
with Meek himself.
People who read history want facts
and they are unwilling that they be
ignored to bolster up a romantic story.
Meek was a man of some ability and
some importance, and rendered some
jrood service, but pioneer testimony
seems to be unanimous that he was
much given to romance and to exploit
ing his own achievements.
Apparently the story first appeared
In W. H. Gray's book issued nearly a
quarter of a century after the Cham
poeg meeting. It was later elaborated
in Mrs. Victor's book for which Meek
with the knapsack Is the real hero and furnished the material. Thornton re-
an appropriation made by your Oregon
legislature, and. among other thincrn.
says: "It is far better to get friendly
with the men who sell the tickets to
me tourists man to establish an in
dependent office in some Eastern
city."
He also mentions keeping the Ber-ger-Jones.
the Lancaster and the Klser
pictures busy In the East.
Well. I have no right even to sug
gest how a single dollar of the appro
priation mentioned shall or shall not
be expended. I am only speaking of
that which will attract me and will
Judge others by myself.
I became interested in Oregon
through personal acquaintances and
personal friends. William McMurray,
of the Oregon-Washington Railroad &
Navigation Company, has done much to
attract me to Oregon, not by getting
friendly with his ticket-sellers, but by
sending me truckloads of the fine
booklets published of that country.
In which, by the liberal use of the
camera, actual results have been Il
lustrated. These booklets have been the best
investment for Oregon that you have
ever sent to the East. Another potent
thing which has interested me has
been The Oregonian. Having first had
my attention called to that state by
the beautiful booklets. I found out The
Oregonian and the great fund of In
formation contained in every Issue that
I have read has only intensified my
desire to become a resident of Oregon.
Then, again, some 20 years since ray
father's oldest brother moved to Ore
gon and became quite well to do rais
ing peaches. And a word here may be
of interest to your readers in Oregon.
One of our great railroads here was
liberal with illustrated circulars of the
peach orchards of Southeastern Mis
souri saying that these trees sold for
from $1 to $3 for the fruit nearly every
year. One of these circulars was
handed to me the day I received a let
ter from my uncle In Oregon, and I
read It to my friend. My uncle had
told his crop at $20 per tree.
Nor would I wish to belittle the
Lancaster pictures. Lancaster was
here and showed his pictures to our St.
Louis Advertising Club, and I thought
well enough of them to Invite Mr. Lan
caster to show them in our beautiful
Soldan High School auditorium. The
Hme was so short that after I had ob
tained the use of the auditorium, the
superintendent having dismissed a
night school for the purpose, on my
recommendations of the pictures as an
educational feature. I had 300 letters
gotten out at my personal expense and
mailed out. finishing the work at mid
night. The auditorium, was filled,
about 4000 being present. The time
was so limited that Mr. Lancaster did
not get a moving- picture machine so
Portland Man Recounts Beauties an
Interesting Points at Battle Scene.
PORTLAND. May 12. (To the Edi
tor.) One of the most interesting
points in this country for the tourist,
whether soldier or citizen, to visit, is
the Gettysburg National Park, where
on Julv 1. 2 and 3. 1863. was fought one
of the greatest battles of the Civil War.
Here about 91.000 Union soldiers anu
about the same number in the Confed
erate army were engaged in aeaaiy
conflict; 23.000 Union Soldiers were
killed and a larger number ot confed
erates, making In all about &0.000. ana
many thousands were wounded.
The monuments, hundreds of them.
Including magnificent statues of the
commanding General. Meade; the fine
equestrian statue of General Hancock
on Cemetery Hill and one. In the Na
tional Cemetery of General Reynolds,
and the beautiful and unique designs
marking the .locations of the various
regiments, companies, batteries, etc.,
during the engagement, are all of them
of absorbing interest. .
Culp's Hill, one of the points on
which the Union forces were stationed,
is circular in form. Here our men en
trenched themselves among and behind
the rocks, which proved good natural
fortifications, and here our soldiers
fought valiantly. At Little Round Top
and Big Round Top. where General
Warren commanded. Warren's bronze
statue occupies a conspicuous place on
a. hleh rock overlooking the pictur
esque country. The statue is placed at
the exact spot where In me ne siooo.
with field glasses in hand directing our
gallant soldiers. From this high ele
vation the wheat field, the peach or
chard and the devil's den are seen to
irood advantase. and the Blue Moun
tain range in the distance looks like a
dream, while the valleys and surrouna
insr country, the fields and the pros
perous little City of Gettysburg and its
seminary, near the place where the gal
lant General Reynolds fell, all form a
most attractive panorama.
-On the three mountains tops, where.
during this engagement so many noble
heroes fell, and where the blood flowed
freely, violets, columbines, anemones
and mandrakes bloom luxuriantly ana
the woods are laden with a wealth of
blossoms. New York State has prot
ably the largest number, and the most
unique and expensive monumental de
signs of any of the states.
Near the Warren statue on Little
Round Top Is a monumental tower of
great beauty where one may feast his
eyes for hours on the surrounding
scenery. On the summit of Culp's Hill
and Big Hound Top there are also fine
observatories, and many beautiful
monuments. One of them erected by
the state of Maryland is very unique. It
represents a soldier reclining behind
the rocks in the act of shooting his
rifle.
There is also a cluster of trees stand
Ing out alone in the valley, which from
a distance looks like a little island.,
and It has often been remarked by old
soldiers who visit the spot, that these
trees seem to remain almost unchanged
although so many years have elapsed
since that memorable hand-to-hand
contest occurred where the men on
both sides fought like tigers and where
the tide of battle turned In favor of
the Union forces. This place Is called
"High Water Mark." Here General
Pickett, the rebel general, and his
forces were repulsed with great loss.
Around this group of trees is an Iron
railing and a bronze monument Just
outside this railing on which Is a huge
book on which are Inscribed the" in
cidents of this three days' battle, which
was. prior to the war in Europe, one
of the greatest in the world s history.
This wonderful battlefield, now des
ignated as the Gettysburg National
Park, covers an area of 25 square miles.
and many days may be spent most prof
ltably in visiting the various places of
interest. Up the hillside and down the
valleys one may roam, noting here and
there- among the monuments. the
breastworks and cannons just as they
were located during the engagement
and it seems like a horrible dream to
recall, amid all this serenity, peace and
prosperity, those scenes of carnage.
We must not fail to specially men
tion "The National Cemetery," where
thousands of America's brave sons
peacefully sleep in one of the loveliest
spots, and where the Gettysburg mon
ument stands. It was at the dedication
of this cemetery that Edward Everett
gave his masterly and eloquent oration
and Lincoln spoke those Immortal
words to the large company there as
sembled.
W. L. EVERETT KNOWLES.
PRICE MANIPULATION IS FEARED
Xrrd Seen for Regulation of Food Mar
kets by Government.
TILLAMOOK, Or, May 5. (To the
tor. The rise in the price of food
stuffs in the recent past has been so
marked and Is being so keenly felt by
all classes of people as to call forth
a multitude of ideas and suggestions
as to the cause or causes and the rem
edies to be applied. Many persons
without previous knowledge or experi
ence are busily engaged In planning or
In getting ready to plant potatoes on
city lots and vacant acreage.
Active and intelligent forces are at
work throughout the state looking to
the Increase of various agricultural
crops, all of which is Llghly commend
able and should be furthered in every
possible way, and ret one cannot es-
be
For
restrained by public sentiment.
that, they care nothing.
I have no doubt that the price ot
wheat and flour would go to the figure
intimated at once if the interests
wanted it to, and I have no doubt they
would want to do it except that it
would not be good "business." It
doesn't hurt so much to cut the dog's
tall off a little at a time. It is time
that Congress passed the legislation
necessary to put an end to the manipu
lation of this gang whose trail plainly
leads from Portland, Or. tc London,
England, via Chicago and New York.
Working men. working women, work
ing children of whatever trade, calling
or occupation, has your compensation
been raised in accordance with tt.o
price of your bread? Better commence
at the other side of the problem and
ower these artificial prices than throw
any advance in wages which you might
get into the hands of food gamblers
and speculators.
The law limits streetcar fares, rail
road fares and freight and tele
phone rates. People might get
along without telephones, they might
walk instead of riding in the
streetcars, but they cannot go with
out food long. If It Is the policy of
the law to regulate and control mat
ters of this kind it is certainly vastly
more Important that It should regulate
and control the price, production and
distribution of food.
This state should have a department
of foods and market with a big. Just
and courageous man at the head of it.
clothed with sufficient authority to su
pervise the distribution of food from
the time it leaves the producers' hands
until It reaches the consumer. That
man would soon find out why one Is
obliged to pay $1 for 40 cents worth of
food, and what becomes of and who gets
the other 60? This Is, indeed, the problem
of the hour, "Who gets the 60?" Last
year 19.000 tons of food rotted in New
York City because the dealers couldn't
get what they wanted for it, while
people across the block starved. How
much is rotting In Portland? Do you
say the law of supply and demand gov
erns? Not at all. It's the law of "your
money or your life." C. E. KINDT.
ROAD
CONDITIONS
SATISFY
Writer Thinks Bond Isaae at This
Time Is Not Advisable.
PHILOMATH, Or.. May 11. (To the
Editor.) For three and a half years I
have been a resident of Oregon and
for the same length of time have been
a reader of The Oregonian. The pa
per is one of our household necessities,
but in spite of the high opinion I have
of it I cannot resist the temptation to
offer a small remonstrance to your
reply to S. B. Cobb's masterly letter
concerning the road bond issue in your
Monday's paper.
The "obvious conclusions" you draw
from Mr. Cobb's letter are anything
but obvious to me. Why do you infer
that Mr. Cobb is opposed to home build
ing? I assume he builds homes for the
purpose of sale. His traffic is reg
ulated by supply and demand just as
If the article for sale were any other
variety of merchandise, and he wiil be
governed accordingly. The user of the
home ultimately pays for it. as the
road is paid for by those who travel it.
The prospective purchaser of the
home weighs well his needs and re
sources and decides for himself whether
his necessity is sufficient to impel him
to buy at a time of maximum prices.
Is our need for these roads sufficient
to justify our paying the excessive
costs which would prevail under
present conditions? Where are the men
to construct them to come from, any
way? If the questioner new machinery for
Mr. Cobb's plant arises he will decide
it In precisely the same manner in
which he would have arrived at a de
cision before the war. but this by no
means indicates that the same conclu
sion will be reached.
The machinery will cost far more
now. Will it pay a profit on this in
creased investment? Quite possibly
not. Or if it is a replacement, cannot
the old machine be overhauled and put
in thoroughly serviceable condition at
a figure very attractive as compared
with the present high cost of the new
article? And cannot we continue to
maintain and use our existing roads
to far better advantage than to plunge
In at this time of scarcity of labor and
excessive cost of material to build
those proposed? I think we can.
ELLIS W. HONE YM AN.
CONTRACT WITH CHINA PUT UP
Suggestion la Made That Laborers Be
Sent Back After "V.
HOOD RIVER. Or.. May 11. (To the
Editor.) In The Oregonian we read
that the Stockton. Cal.. Chamber of
Commerce Is about to "ask Congress
to pass legislation to permit immigra
tion of 100,000 Asiatics to harvest Cali
fornia's crops."
Do you not think it would prove
more satisfactory to all concerned. In
cluding the labor element of our coun
try, for Congress, through the proper
channels, to contract with China or
Japan for the necessary number of
laborers for the war period, say three
to five years, at the expiration of which,
contract all laborers to be returned to
the Orient? Individuals and corpora
tions could hire those laborers of the
Government.
One of the great lessons civilization
has learned from the war in Europe is
that governments can do about all In
dividuals can. W. J. PEDDICORD.
Vv