6
THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, SEPTEMBER 16, 1917. f
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PORTLAND, SINDAY, SEPT. 16, 1917.
GREAT DATS. -
Russia is fighting for life fighting
to bo saved from the Hun without
and from the revolutionary and anar
chist within. There in Russia is being
staged a drama incomparably thrilling
and vitally interesting to the spec
tators who comprise all the rest of
the world.
Kerensky is the chief actor; and
, Korniloff is, or was, his great rival.
The plot would appear to call for a
description of Kerensky as the hero
and Korniloff as the villain. If Kor
niloff has lost, doubtless he may be
made, in the judgment of history, to
accept that role; if Kerensky shall
lose, he may take the martyr's part;
If he shall win, he will be the savior
of his country. ,
But we see nothing diabolical or vil
lainous or underhanded about the
plans of Korniloff. He boldly took
his stand and as boldly told why. He
saw Russia going from bad to worse,
and he would have rescued it from
final demoralization and 'complete
ruin. He, a soldier, was impatient
with the dreams of idealists, the im
possible demands, of radicalists, the
harmful meddlings of civilians with
the army, and the disastrous intrigues
of Germans. He saw an empire
bankrupt and helpless and an army
honeycombed by dissension and re
bellion. He saw authority despised
and leadership overthrown. He lost
faith in Kerensky and those around
him and demanded a dictator's pow
ers, that discipline might be restoVed
in the army, the forces of treason
crushed and Russia put on her feet.
Kerensky, a Socialist, now a states
man, later perhaps a martyr, saw in
the Korniloff revolt a reaction to au
tocracy. Probably he believed that
it was inspired from Germany. He
seeks to - found a real democracy on
the ruins of the empire, and he is but
a recent convert to the principle that
in a war some men must order and
' other men must obey or die. He
has had all his life an exalted belief
In the dignity of labor and the right
of the laborer to be paid what he
earns and all of it; but he has found
that a working democracy is not a
creation of a day, but an evolution of
time, opportunity and patience; and
he has had old friends to combat and
new friends to make. With a horror
of war, he has had himself to take
the sword. Because he hesitated to
drive it in to the hilt against the
enemies of Russia and all of them,
Korniloff acted.
The great power of Kerensky lies
in the nobility of his aims, and the
energy of his decisions, and the cour
age of his actions. He has not only
to oppose an enemy abroad, but he
is hampered and all but overwhelmed
by revolutionaries at home. He can
not depend for an hour on the loy
alty of his army and navy, nor the
confidence and support of his asso
ciates. Seeking the good of his peo
ple, they make upon him foolish and
impossible demands; and striving to
beat off the invader of Russian soil,
they scatter and flee and deny his
right to rule. In the midst of incon
ceivable difficulties and threatened by
dangers which may crush, him at any
moment, he goes resolutely forward,
with the fate of a nation in his hands
and without thought of himself, but
only of the service he may render.
It seems unlikely that Kerensky can
restore -Russia to efficiency and duty;
but he is doing all he can, and more
probably than any other could have
done. It is Russia's hour of trial and
peril, and it is the world's time of
anxiety for itself and for Russia. It
Is a satisfaction merely to have viewed
the mighty spectacle and to have
learned that the day of heroes is not
gone.
r DITT OF THE OBCHAKDI8T.
Prohibition of the making of strong
liquor has been protested by Ken
tucky apple growers oh the ground
that it has destroyed a market for their
inferior fruit. Thousands of bushels
of apples not sound enough to be sold
for direct consumption are rotting on
the ground in Kentucky because they
cannot be sold to distillers, to be con
verted into an alcoholic beverage.
Meanwhile, the Louisville Courier
Journal complains that Kentuckians
buy Oregon apples on the local fruit
stands. It appeals-to the farmers to
clean up their orchards and produce
better fruit and go after the home
markets.
This advice may well be indorsed
by the Oregon apple grower. Only
the most superficial will assume that
the market we derive from the neglect
of other orchards is a permanent
benefit to us. We stand to gain far
more in the end by the education of
the people to the advantages of a
first-class product- We want more
people in all parts of the world to
form the apple-eating habit, and to
demand good apples. So far as our
own product is concerned, we are con
fident that it will stand the test of
competition, which is in very fact the
life of trade in this instance. With
good marketing organization and ship
ping facilities, we probably would sell
more Oregon apples in Kentucky than
we do now if every Kentucky orchar
dist kept his orchard in the highest
possible state of efficiency.
It is, of course, the duty of North
west apple men to maintain their
high standard. It has been a mistake
to stop spraying because of the higher
cost of chemicals, as has been done in
fuue instances But the Oregon ap
ple business will be in its hey-day
when growers all over the country are
alive to the importance of growing
only good fruit and the people are de
manding lt,.,and consumption is multi
plied many-fold. The market will
not reach the condition of saturation
for years to come.
WHAT JUNKERDOM WITUMOtDS. .
Dr. Kuno Francke, who is honorary
curator of the Germanic museum,
Harvard University, has an article on
the political future of Germany in the
September number of Harper's Maga
zine. We suppose that Dr. Francke
may be regarded as the sole survivor
of that valiant band of German pro
fessors that has done yeoman serv
ice for Germany in America. How
ever, we have no idea of impeaching"
the allegiance of a Harvard professor
who frankly describes himself as a!
German-American. His chief purpose
seems to be to defend the empire and
to show that it is impossible that
Germany may become a republic.
The future will of course tell how
good a prophet Dr. Francke is. Per
haps he is mistaken. The world quite
generally believes so, and the demo
cratic movement within Germany has
reached such proportions that it is
taken most seriously by all Junker
do m.
It Is quite interesting to note that
the concrete demands for which the
German Socialists have stood for forty
years are as follows:
Ministerial responsibility.
Suffrage reform in- Prussia,
Redistribution of electoral districts
for the Reichstag.
Disestablishment of the church.
Introduction of the principle of
free public instruction for all.
Tax reform based upon the prin
ciple of direct taxation only.
Labor reform based on co-operation
of the state and the labor unions.
Eventual nationalization of large
industries.
What the Socialists ask in Germany
is for the most part in accord with
what every citizen of a free republic
has. Except for the two items last
mentioned, the Socialist programme
might be regarded as the vital and
fundamental features of any democ
racy. How long would the American
republic stand if it denied to its citi
zens what Prussianism withholds?
How long, too, would the average
American permit these so-called So
cialist principles to remain the pe
culiar property of that parry?
AIRPLAXES TO SOLVE MYSTERIES.
The world will be much richer for
the invention of the airplane as soon
as we have time to apply it to the pur
suits of peace. This is pointed out by
Donald B. McMillan, who recently re
turned to the United States after four
years' leadership of the Crockerland
Expedition. . The fact that McMillan
did not know that in his absence the
airplane had been improved to a stage
where it can travel more than 100
miles an hour and that it is now a
relatively safe means of transporta
tion is an impressive reminder to all
of us of the rapid progress we are
making.
"That is the answer to Polar work,"
as McMillan says. It is the answer
to a good deal more than that. No
corner of the world need go unmapped
any longer than it takes to send an
organized expedition over it by air.
There need be no more Rivers of
Doubt, or Lost Islands, or Death Val
leys. The tribes of the hills and
Jungles will be hunted out of their
fastnesses. The deserts will be robbed
of their terrors. The earth will be
forced to yield all of its treasures and
all of its resources to the enrichment
of men.
The avant courier of civilization will
ride in an airplane in the future. He
will spy out every recess and tell about
its possibilities, and indicate to his
brethren. on foot and horseback the
best way to get there. There will be
no more exploration such as there was
in the time of Marco Polo, when each
day's horizon was the curtain of a
potential mystery. The remotest cor
ner of the world will be ours when
ever we take the trouble to go to it.
BEATEN AT THEIR OWN GAME.
President Wilson combats the Ger
man campaign of intrigue with a
campaign of exposure for the ma
chinery of that intrigue, and he has
scored three great' successes. The
first was the publication of the Zim
mermann note to Minister von Eck
hardt in Mexico. The second was
that of the dispatches ' from Count
Luxburg. German Minister to Argen
tina, which Baron Lowen,. the Swed
ish Minister, obligingly forwarded to
Berlin. Now has come that of the
note from Von Eckhardt to the Ber
lin Foreign Office, recommending the
secret decoration of Folke Cronholm,
Swedish charge in Mexico, as a re
ward for his undisguised "sympathy
for Germany," and for his acting as
an "intermediary for official diplo
matic intercourse," even to the extent
of going "personally to the telegraph
office, not seldom quite at night, in
order to hand in the telegrams," Just
like a messenger boy.
By unearthing the secret wires of
German intrigue, plot and propa
ganda the President has done more
than destroy their usefulness and de
feat the purposes to which they were
applied; he has put Germany to con
fusion before the world and has made
her ridiculous. He has also struck
terror into Germany's tools among
pseudo-neutral nations. He may well
have paralyzed the entire intricate
and costly machine, for evidently his
agents have intercepted wireless dis
patches and have discovered the Ger
man secret code.
It is intimated at Washington that
disclosures will continue. Germany
is kept in suspense as. to where the
next blow will be struck. Berlin offi
cials cannot guess which secret agent
may next be exposed, what damning
truth may next be revealed. In such
situation secret codes have lost their
value, all agents are under suspicion
and the heads of the spy system and
of the Foreign Office may well fear
to communicate with officials abroad.
A new code may be adopted, but
there are serious difficulties in the
way of transmitting it. much delay
must ensue, and there is danger that
dispatches explaining it may also be
captured.
Espionage and intrigue are a form
of warfare which Germany has been
credited with having elaborated and
brought to higher perfection and
made more world-embracing than has
ever been done, but the secret serv
ice of the United States has beaten
her at her own game. Germans have
mined, but Americans have counter
mined and have brought the moles
to the surface. It is legitimate war
of a peculiar kind, and it may ex
tend to other countries besides those
of Latin America. Switzerland, Hol
land and the Scandinavian countries
are nests of German spies, but they
may well tremble in terror lest others
spy on them. It is a fascinating game,
and the story of it will make thrilling
reading when peace releases its se
crets. The President shows no disposition
to call to account the plotters in other
countries whom h'e exposes.-. He
leaves the nations concerned to do
that, and Argentina has done it .with
Count Luxburg, while Sweden is dis
missing the guilty officials, and all
suffer the ignominy of exposure. . But
he doubtless has another object be
sides revelation and defeat of Ger
man intrigue. Sweden is having par
liamentary elections, and the showing
up which he has given its present
pro-German government may bring
about victory for the pro-ally opposi
tion. That outcome is much to be
preferred to putting the screws on
Sweden with a food embargo, which
would mean hunger for the innocent
poor, while the guilty politicians
would take care that their own
stomachs were full.
MONEY, NOT BOOKS, WANTED.
Unless the movement to provide
libraries for the soldiers and sailors of
the United States is to fail, there must
be gifts of money to the fund. The
Library War Council has called atten
tion to the present greatest need of
buildings at the thirty-two canton
ments throughout the country. Plans
for these have already been approved.
Each building will be 40 by 120 feet in
size, one story high, and will have ac
commodation for eight or ten thousand
books, magazines and newspapers, be
sides living quarters for the staff.
The supply of books is regarded as
a relatively simple matter. There
would be no difficulty in securing a
million volumes, for there are few
owners of books who would not ran
sack their shelves for such volumes as
they could spare in a truly patriotic
cause. But money is first required,
for it is as important to provide for
the circulation of the books as to ob
tain them in the first instance. '.
The American Library Association
has undertaken to provide for each of
the buildings a trained librarian, with
out whose services a mere stock of
books would be relatively useless. It
is estimated that necessary expenses
can be met if each city will contribute
one-twentieth as many dollars as it has
inhabitants. The money ought to be
forthcoming, because it will all be ex
pended in a good cause. The library
is a definite part of the general plan
to improve the condition, mental,
moral and physical, of the men we are
sending to war.
THE BRITISH "TANKS."
Undoubtedly the most striking in
novation the present war In Europe
has produced has been the British
land ship, nicknamed "tank," which
war; employed for the first time nearly
a year ago on the western front. That
It was the result of evolution and
not the spontaneous production of in
ventive genius does not detract from
its importance as a factor in war, or
its quality of novelty, J.t has proved,
indeed, the only factor of prime im
portance in determining strategy that
has been brought out since the war
began. Historically, it represents an
age-old quest for a movable land fort;
practically, it is the first instrument
of its kind that has proved of sub
stantial value. It is the opinion of
military experts that the "tank" has
come to stay. No prediction is made
as to the ultimate stage of perfection
to which it will attain, but it is defi
nitely recognized as an answer to the
machine-gun "nest" on a fortified
line and as a mighty force for ;the
protection of infantry in direct as
sault. Only recently has the veil of se
crecy that enveloped the operation of
the tanks been lifted. Colonel E. D.
Swinton, of . the British Royal Engi
neers, who has been credited by high
British authority with having been
chiefly instrumental in their develop
ment, describes in the World's Work
their genesis, their purpose and the
material results they have already ac
complished. Primarily, the incentive
to building Hhem was the high state
of perfection reached by the machine
gun in German hands. The Prussian
war machine, studying the Russo
Japanese War, had early realized the
importance of the machine gun, espe
cially in defensive tactics, and hod
secretly provided itself with thou
sands of these destructive weap
ons and had trained large bodies of
picked men to man them. Their worth
was soon proved. They proved a rev
elation to the enemy.
Prussian thoroughness in war was
illustrated by the elaboration of plans
to employ the murderous power of
the machine gun to its fullest possible
extent. In the face of dominating ar
tillery fire of the allies, they were
provided with shelters from which
they emerged in the period between
preparation and assault and mowed
down the attacking infantry. The
allies' artillery could level defenses,
but could not dispose of the machine
guns, and out of this situation the
tank was evolved. Colonel Swinton
remarks significantly that the tank
was the logical sequence of the ma
chine gun, invented by Maxim, an
American, and that it was itself in
spired by the invention of a com
patriot, Benjamin Holt. The Amer
ican tractor furnished the model upon
which the tank was fashioned.
Many details of mechanism are still
unrevealed, for obvious military rea
sons, but many facts also are made
known to the public for the first
time. It is interesting, for example,
to learn that tanks are divided into
"males" and "females," and that they
hunt in pairs. The "male" is the machine-gun
destroyer: the "female,"
who in accordance with tradition is
deadlier than the male, has the spe
cial function of hunting down the
enemy personnel. The former carries
guns capable of firing shell; the latter
nothing but machine guns, intended
to keep down hostile rifle fire, rushes
of infantry and counter-attacks. Both,
however, are deadly in their execution
and act as protectors of the infantry
which they support. Frederick Pal
mer has estimated that in the latter
stages of the battle of the Somme
alone they saved some 20,000 British
lives a- highly important factor in a
war in which man power is a con
trolling element.
The first accomplishment of the
"tank," therefore, has been to save
lives, bnt Colonel Swinton notes that
its psychological influence has also
been noteworthy. Its very grotesque
nes; has been in reality a great moral
asset. This supplied a touch of comic
relief, and excited the mirth of the
British soldier, always blessed with a
sense of the ridiculous. It counter
acted the effect of the "frightfulness"
of the Germans, and furnished a foil
to the weariness, the hunger and
thirst and the squalor of war. In the
beginning, too, it had all Uje. advan
tage of being' a complete surprise to
the Germans, inspiring terror by the
apparently irresistible nature of its
advance.
The name "tank" probably is a
permanent attachment. Other names
may be more descriptive, but are un
likely to ..supplant it. The British
called their new engine a "land ship"
at first, but in constructing it, were
confronted with the necessity for con
cealment of the purpose of the plates
which were being fashioned in rolling
mills to which spies probably had ac
cess. These from their appearance
might well have been intended for the
construction of vessels to hold water,
petrol or oiL So "tanks" they be
came, and have remained. The de
ception was so complete that various
rumors that did become current in
enemy circles fitted nicely with the
British intention. One rumor was
that they were intended to carry wa
ter across the deserts of Mesopotamia
and another that they were snow
plows for the Russian front. No spe
cial trouble was taken to contradict
the rumors. Until the day of the first
attack, the Germans had no inkling
of what was In store for them.
The limitation of the tanks, is still
recognized, but it is not believed that
they have reached the end of their
development. Yet their makers will
profit by the mistakes of the past.
But Colonel Swinton is so well
persuaded that they are an estab
lished arm of the service that he con
cludes his description of them with a
word of counsel to Americans, not
only to come equipped in every other
way for fighting but to bring their
tanks with them.
SILLY SONGS FOB SOLDIER'S.
There is no doubt that the songs
chosen by soldiers on the march are
not such as would pass muster with
the musical and literary critics. With
the world of music from which to
choose, the ' fighting man never se
lects a classic to break the tedium or
relieve the strain. "Tlpperary" Is a
fair example of what is preferred to
songs of a better class. The "Hot
Time" of our own Spanish war Is
another. Neither would have the
slightest chance in a competition in
which' musicians and authors were
the judges.
The Musical Courier thinks it has
discovered - the reason a "psycho
logical" one, of course. It reminds
civilians that they must not judge the
position of the soldier by their own
standards. The soldier has at least ti
consciousness of possible death. His
chance of being killed may be only
one In 500 -but it is, nevertheless, a
chance. To partake of the feeling, he
suggests that the people of a city be
put together in a big restaurant, with
the same knowledge that one of them
in BOO presently would die. Would
they sit in gloomy silence, or reason
it out that -their 499 chances of life
Justified them in going- about their
lives as if nothing vere about to
happen?
Chances are that they would not
be able to banish the serious alterna
tive from their minds, but not being
willing to give it too much room
would seek to banish it with every
sort of distraction. And the light
song even the silly one seems to
answer the purpose. It does not re
quire too much concentration, and,
with the aid of the crowd spirit, it
does distract and help to pass the
time.
There is, also, ' a strain upon' the
folks at home. They are also think
ing of that one chance in 500, and
filled with the same desire to banish
the thought. So the outlook for re
vival of serious music while the war
lasts is not bright. This view is con
firmed by the producers. At least
500 songs of no enduring value are
being written to every one that has
real merit and the music-houses are
busy turning them out. It looks as if
the composer who takes himself seri
ously had nothing to do but await
his turn.
UNNECESSARY SURGERY.
Added importance is given to a
recent movement for the standardiza
tion of the hospitals of the United
States, in which Cardinal Gibbons has
indicated that the co-operation of the
Catholic Hospital Association with
the American College of Surgeons can
be counted on, by the fact that one
of the chief purposes of such stan
dardization is elimination of unneces
sary surgical operations. It is ad
mitted by progressive members of the
medical profession that this Is a
serious problem, and that it has grown
more pressing in the past few years.
It is perhaps the direct outgrowth of
the fact that surgery has been in
creasing in popularity to so great an
extent that even the patient himself
is now often inclined to insist upon
an "operation" when a few years ago
he would have consented to one only
as a last resort.
Cardinal Gibbons says that it is im
portant that every effort should be
made to reach the highest state of
efficiency in the hospitals of the
United States, and in this not only
the medical profession but the public
will agree with him, because it is
often quite impossible for the layman
to distinguish between the sheep and
the goats of surgery. The hospital,
occupying a prominent and a quasi
public place in the community, would
quite naturally be expected to aid him
in reaching a conclusion. But this aid
would not be of much value unless the
hospitals were first put through an
ordeal of selective examination, which
it is now proposed to do. It is not a
mere coincidence that hospitals that
tolerate fee-splitting will fail to pass
the test. It is coming to be recognized
that fee-splitting is one of the chief
temptations to both unnecessary and
Incompetently performed operations
now in existence.
While the - American College of
Surgeons is giving attention to the
question, the American Medical Asso
ciation, a much larger body, has been
urged to take it up with renewed
vigor. Dr. Arthur D. Bevan. of Chi
cago, a former Portland surgeon, says
In the Journal of the American Medi
cal Association that the profession
should meet the- issue frankly. He
asks what shall be done about the
unnecessary and unwarranted surgical
operations performed as a result
of ignorance in unattached and
uncontrolled hospitals by poorly
trained men and about other
operations done by this honest
man. for a fee, and concludes
that the remedy lies with the
profession itself. He offers what
will seem to the layman to be .a
practical remedy. . He would attack
the surgical problem not as a sepa
rate one, but as a piece of Joint study
and from the point of view of several
specialists. He takes for an example
a hypothetical case of so-called In
testinal stasis and its surgical treat
ment. This he says should be a joint
study by the internist the neurologist,
the physiologist, the pathologist, the .
roentgenologist and the surgeon. When
this is done by a competent group,
there will be little danger of "going
off at a tangent." Unwarranted I
surgery will be reduced to a minimum.
To the patient, at , first thought,
this assembling in the sickroom of so
many of the "stars" of the various
branches of the science of healing will
bring visions of bills heaped upon bills,
when under present conditions it must
be admitted that the lot of the suf
ferer in moderate financial circum
stances is quite hard enough. But one
reform quite often and naturally
leads to another. It is still the dream
of altruists that the whole system of
compensation for medical and surgical
treatment will some day be revised.
Doctors now give freely of their time
and talent to help the ve,ry poor, and
the rich can take care of themselves,
but the great class that lies between
the extremes is feeling a constantly
increasing pressure. For these it will
be good news that the profession is
getting together with a view of solving
a great question within its own ranks.
For it is highly possible that fee
division under co-operation would be
as good as fee-splitting is bad, and
that the number of operations that
would be forestalled by better diag
nosis would save the great body of
patients a good deal of money in the
long run.
It has been pointed out before that
the medical profession is one of the
few that is engaged in work calculated
to reduce its own profits, as it does
through its efforts to stamp out the
causes of disease. -This spirit will be
relied on with confidence in the future.
The tendency of the profession as a
whole is toward increasing observance
of the humanities and people will
need to rely on the profession as a
whole to eradicate the abuses prac
ticed by individual members, who are
greatly in the minority.
WIDENING THE GERMAN BREACH.
The tone of comment in the gov
ernment - controlled newspapers of
Germany on President Wilson's reply
to the Pope indicates an effort to
rally popular support to Kaiserisni
and war to the finish by representing
llrtat the enemies of Germany hav
undertaken to dictate her form of
government. Evidently to this end
the German government has permit
ted publication of the full text of Mr.
Wilson's note. This has been fol
lowed by a chorus of indignation
from the entire government-inspired
press. The President's statement that
the German people are oppressed by
the same autocratic power which has
attacked the liberty of other nations
Is denounced by the Be.rlin Lokal
Anzeiger as "absolute mendacity,"
while the Cologne Gazette terms it
the climax of grotesque nonsense,"
and says that "the entire German peo
ple stands firm for the Emperor and
the' empire."
Although the fury of these invec
tives suggests . fear of the growing
peace propaganda among the Social
ists and Catholics, Americans should
not delude themselves into hope of
early success in causing an uprising
of the German people against their
despotic rulers and the war. For
generations the people of Prussia
have been drilled into docile obe
dience to their military rulers, while
their minds have been filled with
Chauvinist belief in the greatness of
Germany in her destiny for world
empire, and with the opinion that
other nations have combined to de
stroy her. Since the formation of
the empire these sentiments have ex
tended to the other German states.
Though the Socialists have ap
peared to combat these ideas, they
have been infected with the desire
for commercial expansion and have
not been averse to military conquest
as a means to that end. Not until
the sufferings of war became unbear
able and the realization of their
dreams became obviously impossible
did they generally adopt the slogan
of "Peace without annexations and
without indemnities."
The full truth about German de
feats has been concealed and German
successes have been exaggerated, and
only by leakage has the truth reached
them. Not until allied troops appear
on German soil, bringing conviction
of defeat and the truth about the
allies' aims will the web of deception
bebroken.
But light is beginning to break in
on them. This is apparent from the
comments of the Socialist Vorwaerts
and other radical papers. Just be
fore Dr. von Bethmann-Hollweg re
signed the Vienna Zeit frankly set
forth Mr. Wilson's distinction be
tween the German government and
the German people, showed that the
war had disproved the pretended su
periority of Germany's autocratic sys
tem to her "enemies' practice of re
sponsible and popular government,"
and said that the democratic peoples
concentrated their attack against
Prussianism upon autocracy as Ger
many's chief weakness. It continued:
Today in Germany the democratic idea
has as many friends as peace, though the
great leaderless mass of the middle and
working classes have so far proved their
lack of political sense. .The friends of de
mocracy and peace are - in majority, alike
in the country and in the Reichstag, and
they do not shrink from quoting Lloyd
George. Ribot and Wilson to prove that a
speedy and lasting peace depends upon the
democratization of Germany.
The spirit of revolt against autoc
racy and disbelief in the militarist
plea that Germany was "ruthlessly
attacked" is spread by such pam
phlets as the open letter which has
been addressed to the German people
by Dr. Herman Roesemeier, who re
signed as political editor of the Berlin
Morgenspost in September, 1914, be
cause he opposed its pro-war policy.
He paints a vivid word-picture of the
suffering, the loss and the burden of
debt which the war has imposed on
the working class, while "the land
owners are coining money," civil ser
vants who have gone into the army
get double pay, and "the rabble of
army contractors and army specula
tors wax fat on the misfortunes of
the people." He tells one example of
a man who received 200,000 marks
for 10.000 knapsacks, for which the
War Office paid 480.000 marks, the
difference being divided among the
middlemen. He recites the official
version of the causes of the war with
deep sarcasm and calls it a "fairy
tale." He then gives "the true causes
of the war" in much the same terms
as they have . been stated by the
allies. He says of junker rule:
Now Germany Is ruled by Prussia, and
Prussia Is ruled by the junker. The Hohen
zollerns are more powerful than any Indi
vidual Junker, but all tlse Junkers taken to.
gether are much more powerful than the
Hohenzollerns,
The junkers had the majority in the
Reichstag until the last election, and
they used it "in order to free them
selves of as many burdens as possible
and to put them on the shoulders of
the masses." But in 1912 the Social
ists won, 110 seats, giving the opposi
tion a majority. Growing army and
navy expenditures caused taxes to be
imposed on property and income, and
"the Junkers began to feel uncom
fortable, for they saw that the end
of their glory was approaching." Says
Dr. Roesemeier:
One thing only could save them: "A
lively, merry war," to use their own wan
tonly wicked words.
They were joined by the industrial
magnates and mining lords, "who
were thirsting after the French mines
at Briey, the coal mines of Charleroi
in Belgium, and the mineral wealth
of Morocco"; by other capitalists who
"coveted overseas conquests," by army
officers, by professors, teachers and
journalists, "who had been bred up
on a diet of national and racial arro
gance"; by all sorts and conditions
of hustlers and bustlers; "men with
criminal tendencies" and others. At
the head of them was the Crown
Prince, "an ignorant youth with no
fixity of purrJose and without charac
ter, who had simply grown tired of
playing tennis, shooting defenseless
animals or inventing buttons with
two shanks."
He finds "very many signs that , it
had long ago been decided to . bring
matters to a head towards the close
of the Summer of 1914," and that
"the German war party, and' with
them the German and Austrian gov
ernments, whether of their own free
will or not,- contrived that the world
war should come about as an after
math of the Serajevo murder."
He says:
People who afterwards allowed no one
to outdo them In uproarious advocacy oi tne
war then admitted to the writer In so
many words that the war was brought about
by Germany with the object of securing
predominating position in Europe.
The plea of the German war party
that the allies are" fighting to destroy
Germany and that, therefore, the em
pire is fighting for its existence, is
flatly denied by this writer, and he
quotes the leading statesmen of the
allies in support of his opinion. He
practically indorses the position of
President Wilson by saying:
T I- I - i nA, fh. hii.lfi... nf -Rita
sian, French or English ministers to liberate
Insofar as it oppresses the Prussians and
the German peoples. unoouDleaiy concerns
Germany alone; but her armies being in
Flanders,' Poland, Courland and Serbia, it
concerns all Europe: and the ministers of
the entente would be guilty' of gross derelic
tion of duty - were they not to exert them
selves to the utmost to free not only their
own countries Dut Europe . oi tnis mgui
The deluded German peopls Is fighting
not for its existence, and not for its proper
place in tne council oi naiions. " its'"
ing for the phantom of the foremost po-
The hard-won liberties of the German
people are In danger of having to be won
' -m nAnnlo whan will Vflll awake
from your sleep? Io you not realize that
it Is for your deadliest enemies tnai you
are fighting? You are fighting that the
rule of the Prussian junker may be strength
ened anew. in brief, you are fighting for
the perpetuation oi your own amvqij.
This pamphlet was translated by
Tniinn Grande, of Berne. Switzerland
who savs that there is no publication
which the German authorities have
shown themselves more anxious to
prevent from entering Germany," but
that Hesnite all their vigilance, a
considerable number of copies have
i-nnr-hnri not onlv the liermans in
Germany, but the German soldiers in
the trenches." Such writings will
surely aid the writings and speeches
of President Wilson in widening the
breach between the German govern
ment and the German people until
the world is delivered from war by
the liberation of Germany from Prus
sianism.
" The six months allowed by Germany
for the starvation of Great Britain
have already expired, but the expira
tion of that period found the tight
little island with 16,000.000 more
bushels of wheat on hand than at that
time last year and with home produc
tion of food so increased that next
year the country promises to be self
sustaining. Premier Lloyd George
considers the submarine to have been
of positive benefit, for it has forced
the people to practice intensive farm
ing and to bring idle land under cul
tivation. Salmon is salmon, of whatever hue.
With a Vancouver Judge ruling that
vegetables may be paid in on an ali
mony account, - divorce is going to
usurp the nature of the old-fashioned
donation party.
There is only enough whisky in the
country to last five years, it is said,
and it is a question whether it
wouldn't do less' harm if everybody
would get busy and drink it up, so as
to.be rid of it.
There are still a few things that
can be planted in the vacant rows in
the home garden turnips, for exam
ple, which will help eke out the bill
of fare and are warranted not to cause
indigestion.
Members of Congress have been in
vited to visit the war front, where
they may learn a lot about camou
flage, but nothing much that they
do not know already about the art of
filibuster.
' That Colorado farm hand who didn't
know there was a war but thought it
was only an election we were regis
tering for could have told by the com
parative quiet that It was no political
campaign.
Judging by the recent account from
London, there are about as many ways
of bagging a German submarine as
there aFe different kinds of insects in
a home vegetable garden.
The price of hides is declining, but
shoes will show the same reluctance
as was manifested by the loaf of bread
about following the price of wheat in
its downward course.
There is small doubt of the fate of
the man and woman in the rowboat
off Tillamook shore. The trip was an
error in judgment and they paid the
penalty.
A week has passed since the distil
leries were closed, and the world has
not come to an end, as some of the
"wets" seemed to believe it would.
There is a splendid opening for the
inventor wb,o can extract flour at $4
a barrel from wheat that brings the
farmer 1 2 a bushel.
Germany is ir lant over our
"theft" of the secret of her duplicity.
Of course no German would do such
a thing.
People in Berlin are said to be eat
ing crow, but at Potsdam this course
is being reserved for dessert.
As the Austrians read it, "From
beyond the Alps som.es. Italy,"- ,
With the Oregon Poets.
THE BINDING OF THE BEAST.
He plotted in the den of his lordship
He wrought his grim array and he hun
gered for the day.
Then -the loosing-word was spoken.
then the seal of hell was broken;
Then its princes were assembled for
the feast:
But agafnst the vandal night rose the
star of freedom's light.
And a world was called together for
the binding of the beast.
They have seen It for their star; they
nave come from near and far:
From the forges of the North go the
men and vounr men forth.
Having found the holier duty, found
tne true, the final beautv.
As their brothers of the South and of
the. mast.
In the forests of the West they are giv
ing oi tneir best.
With strong hands and patient for the
binding of the beast.
For his treason unto man in the war
that he began.
For the rapine and the flame, for the
hissing of his name.
Have the hosts gone up against him
and with swords of judgment
fenced him.
With his coward clutch on woman and
on priest.
For the children he has maimed, for
the maidens he has shamed.
The nations gird their harness for the
binding of the beast.
Now frothing In his rage, a scourge to
youth and age.
Caked with blood he stands at bay.
with his feet upon his prey.
Ringed with surf of guns resounding,
raw and fetid from the hounding.
Smites, he still In baffled f ui y and the
roar of hate releast;
But the huntsmen of the ranks, with
their steel at breast and flanks.
Give no truce nor sign of respite at the
binding of the beast.
He is cunning, he is strong, and the war
shall yet be Ions,
Where the seven thunders wake and
the walls of heaven shake.
He is cruel, blind and ruthless; he is
bitter, sly and truthless:
By his will the powers of darkness are
increast;
But the shackle and the chain shall
avenge the hurt and slain.
Who have broken bread with heroes at
the binding of the beast.
For his pact with death and hell, let us
bind the monster well.
That the menaced world be freed from
his arrogance and greed!
By the fact he dared to sever, make we
treaty with him never.
Till the murder-venom in his blood has
ceast!
By his trust in force and war, end we
those forevermore.
As the nations sit in council for the
binding of the beast.
GEORGE STERLING.
THE EXTENSION WORKER.
He must hie him to the statldh
If a call comes for his "talk,"
Whether morning, noon or eve, it
Makes no dif
He must cheerfully make ready,
To the home folks say goodby.
For in his work there must never
Come an "if."
When the trains are wrecked or tardy
He must motor, walk or fly;
His appointments he must never
Fail to make.
For the farmers may be waiting
For advice on vital things.
So if necessary he must
Swim a lake. ,'
If he's called to judgre exhibits
He must be both wise and just.
Whether -passing on' embroideries '
Hogs or hay.
He must simply reek with knowledgr"
Knowgthe weather signs and such.
And tell sportsmen whether flsh'U
Bite today.
But with all the. rush and hurry
There's an hour or two between
That's occasionally sandwiched
In for rest
When he fails to make connections
,Or the train's a few hours late, -And
he then of some flag station
Makes the best. t
He may spend New Tear's in Fossil
Or spend Christmas on the road
And Thanksgiving in the good old
Dead Ox Flat;
He must never be dejected.
Disappointed, grim or sad
But must have respect for each man's
Hab-i-tat.
For he's found that men of vision
Brawn and character and brain
Are cheerfully pursuing.
On the farm.
Work that helps to feed the nation.
So his part must ever be
To assist in keeping U. S.
A. from harm.
So, here's a toast and wishes
To the travelers on the way
May they prosperous, glad and ever
Faithful be:
May their days know no declining
And their efforts no defeat
The enthusiastic tramps of
O. A. C.
ANNA B. FITTS, Wife of One.
THAT VACATION.
By T. T Geer.
If you've had a month's vacation
From your usual occupation, -
And have settled down to work again
at home.
Of course you feel just like to devil
(So confess it, on the level).
And everything you see is on the
bum.
If you're dabbling at the law
Every tiny harmless flaw
In the statutes of the state you run
across
Proceeds to quadruple in size
Right before your very eyes.
And everything you touch entails a
loss.
Suppose you're just a dentist chap,
You'll be poking 'round the map
Of the luckless individual in your
chair,
And you'll gouge among his gums
With your fingers and your thumbs,
While your mind is wandering 'round
some other where.
And if you've been a city clerk
You may again have gone to work.
But your mind is so upset you can
not tell
. hether 2 and 3 are 7,
Or 3 times 6 are 11,
And your boss will want to know if
you are well.
If she teaches In the schools
She will have a set of rules
That the Board expects her strictly
to enforce;
But she finds each kid a Kaiser
And she cannot make him wiser.
While her mind is in a dreamy state,
of course.
Nothing else will get your goat
Wltl. such a sharp, discordant note
As an aimless recreation while you
roam;
And you're In a constant whirr
To get back to where you were
When you quit your regular habits
here at home.
Forced Courtesy In m Car.
Cornell Widow.
I rose with great alacrity
To offer her my seat.
Twas a question whether she or I--