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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (Dec. 9, 1917)
TITE STUfDAT OREGOXIAX. rORTLAJTO, DECEMBER " 9, 1917. GERMAN EVASIONS ANGER DIPLOMATS Messages Finally Accepted for Dispatch Out of Brus sels by Teutons. MINISTER SPEAKS MIND Spanish Government's Representa tive Tells Hun That Communi cation AVitli Outside Is De manded, in Plain Words. BT HUGH GIBSON. 6eeretary of the American Legation in Brus sels at the outbreak of the war. Copy right. 1117. Uoubleday, Pase & Co., by Otis F. Wood. (CONTINUED.) About 10 o'clock I was starting to go down to the telegraph office, to send the messages, when the Spanish Minis ter drove up in his big green car with the Spanish flap- flying at the fore. We told him our story, whereupon he an nounced that he also had telegrams to send and that he would go with us. We drove in state to the telegraph ; office, and found that the entrance which had been indicated to us was the alley through which the mail wagons drive in the good days when there are any. "Sentry Bars Way. Before an admiring crowd we de scended and made our way among Prussian troopers through the noisome alley to a small side door, where we . were stopped by a sentry who stuck cl bayonet in our general direction and . said we could go no further. I was immediately thrust into the foreground as the brilliant German scholar; and, limbering up my heavy . German artillery, I attacked him. The . sentry blanched, but stood his ground An officer came up as reinforcements. but was also limited to the German . tongue; so I had to keep it up, with two full-grown .Ministers behind me thinking up Impossible things to be . translated Into the hopeless tongue. Officer Is Obdurate. The- officer, who was a genial soul announced, as though there were no use ever again to appear at that par ticular place, that the instruments had all been removed, and that there was absolutely no way of sending any me sages no matter from whom they came. We told him that we had come at the special request of the General himself. He replied that that made no differ ence whatever; that if there were no wires and no instruments, there was - no possible way of sending the mes cages. After three or four repetitions, the Minister and I began to understand that there was no use haggling about It: but the Spanish Minister was not so lightly to be turned aside and took up the cudgels, himself bursting Into the Oerman language. He stood his ground valiantly in the face of a. volley of long words, but he did not get any forrader. Americans Se Humorous Side. Prince- Ernst de Ligne "came in with a. permit from the General to send his messages, and joined forces with the Spanish Minister; but the poor officer could only shrug his shoulders and , smile and repeat what he had already said a score of times. Mr. Whltlock and I began to lauerh and had a hard time to control our selves. Finally we prevailed upon them to return to the Hotel de Ville. The Minister was beginning . to get even madder than he was yesterday, when I got back with my story of the way I had spent the afternoon, going from one wild goose chase to another. We got the Burgomaster in his pri vate office and placed our troubles be fore him. He understood the impor tance of the matter and sent for the General. General Appears on Scene. He appeared in short order, clicked his heels, and Inquired whether we had come in regard to the matter of tele grams. The old fox knew perfectly well that we had, and was ready for us. We had come to the conclusion which I had reached yesterday afternoon and held all by myself that the old man was jockeying. He listened to what we had to say. and then said that there was no means of communication with the outside worm; mat ne naa just learned It a lew minutes before. It is hardly neces sary to say that he had been fully posted from the minute he set foot in the town. The Spanish Minister was rather sar castic about his opinion of a General who would venture to occupy a capital without being in possession of means or telegraphic communication. Spaniard "Roasts" General. The old soldier was in no mood for argument on abstract Questions, and was playing for too big stakes to stop ana aicKer. so he passed this over light ly and suggested that we go back and discuss with the Director-General of ' Telegraphs the possibilities of re-es tablishing communications. Then the Spanish Minister let loose on him. and announced that it was not consistent with the dignity of repre sentatives of world powers to spend their time standing in back alleys dis puting with soldiers who barred the way and refused to honor the Instruc tions of their General. He threw in Hot shot until the effect told. He said plainly that the General was full of fair words and promises and agreed to anything that was asked of mm. but that when we went to do the things he Had authorized, we were baf fled hy subordinates that took It upon tnemseives to disregard these orders the intimation being cleverly conveyed that their action might not be uncon nected with instructions from above. Orders Written at Last. The old man then dropped his bluff, and asked what we wanted. We asked that he send for the Director-General, and give him. in our presence, the in structions and authorization necessary to enable him to re-establish commu nication with the outside world, and Instruct him. to receive and send all official messages for. the legations of neutral powers.. - ; There was no way out. short of flatly refusing to give uiv our right to com municate with our governments, so the Director-General was sent for and the Burgomaster wrote -out, at our dicta tion, the most general and comprehen sive orders to meet our wishes in fcll matters of official business. The Gen eral signed the order and instructed the Director-General to go ahead. The Director-Genera was a poor soul who could see nothing but technical difficulties in everything that was pro posed. He reluctantly agreed to every thing that he was told to do, and there is no telling when our stories will tret off. Wires Are Cut With Saber. He told us that when the Germans ."' had occupied the telegraph bureau, in stead of simply disconnecting the in struments and placing a man there to "OREGON FIRST IS THEME OF THE OREGONIAN ANNUAL. Oregon's attitude towards the Government's appeals for aid in. the present world crisis is one of which every resident of the state should be proud. From the minute that the first request for men, supplies, ships and money was made the people of Oregon set heroically to work to perform their patriotic du ties. They have brought honor and glory to their state, for: Oregon -was first in supplying volunteers for the National Army. Oregon was first in complying with the . selective draft. Oregon was first in meeting its quotas of liberty loans. ' Oregon was first in building ships for war needs. Oregon was first in furnish ing spruce for airplanes. Oregon was first in subscrib ing its allotment of the Red Cross Fund. Oregon was first in . raising its Soldiers Library Fund. Oregon was" first in raising its Army Y. M. C. A. Fund, Oregon was first in comply ing with the appeals for food conservation and food produc tion. In many other ways was Ore gon to the fore in supporting the National Government in the needs of the hour. These are among the impor tant facts that will be empha sized in the annual edition of The Oregonian. In addition, a complete review of the progress of the state for 1917 will be presented. The number will contain four special sections, all profusely illustrated. It will be issued on January 1, 1918. BURLESON TO ASK CHANGE IN SYSTEM Present Method of Conducting Rural Free Delivery Serv ice Held Expensive. NEW LEGISLATION SOUGHT see that communication was not re established, the officer In command had battered down the door leading to the roof and had slashed all the wires with his saber. As there were three or four hundred wires leading out of the office, it will be a. tremendous Job to get them all together again. We also took occasion to arrange for the issuance of sauf conduits for all the members of the legations and for such members of the foreign colonies under our protection as we care to vouch for. (To be continued tomorrow.) War-Tlnie Simplicity Marks Dance. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON", Eugene, Dec. S. (Special.) War-time simplic ity and informality marked the first of the university class dances of the year, the sophomore ball in the men's gymnasium this evening. More than BOO students and members of the fac ulty attended. The list of patrons and patronesses Included Governor and Mrs. Wlthycombe, President and Mrs. Campbell, Dean and Mrs. John Straub, Professor and Mrs. W. K. G. Thacher, Dean Elizabeth Fox. Dr. and Mrs. F. G. O. Schmidt. Dr. and Mrs. O. F. Staf ford, Professor and-Mrs. A. R. Sweet ser. Miss" Julia, Burgess, Professor Harthan De Fell, , W'illiam . Hayward and C. T3. Jeremiah. Phone your want ads to The Orego nian. Main 7070, A 6095. Postmaster-General Has Plan by AVhicli Government May Save Thousands of Dollars Annually In Delivering Nation's Mail. OREGONIAN XEWS BUREAU, Wash ington, Dec. t. Maintaining that the present method of operating the rural free delivery service is extravagant and wasteful: that carriers are paid 33 per cent more than the service is worth and estimating that he can save not less 'than $20,000,000 a year, the Postmaster-General in his annual report urges that the rural service be placed on the contract basis. Mr. Burleson finds that the cost of travel by star route contractors is $.1024 per mile; the cost of rural serv ice averages $.1510. a difference of nearly 5 cents. Rural carriers cover 1.112,580 miles daily, and if rural serv ice could be operated at the present average cost of star route service the Government could save $54,071 per day, or nearly, he says, $20,000,000 a year. Bla; Savins; Heist Possible. The actual saving on this Item alone would be practically $17,000,000, to which he adds another $2,000,000 that would result from curtailing the al lowance for substitutes. The Postmaster-General says fur ther that star route service, as a rule, is performed over rough and moun tainous country, while rural service Is maintained over good roads. He thinks rural service, on a contract basis, could be performed for even less than star route service. There can be no resignation or decli nation, to perform service, as so fre quently occurs In the rural delivery service. "The records of the department Indi cate that service is as well performed by contractors as by postal employ es," adds Mr. Burleson. Contract Basis Sought. If Congress will not place the rural service on a contract basis the Postmaster-General urges that It be placed upon a per diem basis. Now rural car riers are paid by the year. By chang ing to a per diem basis he thinks a great saving can be brought about. No carrier who performs only from two to five hours of service a day should be given annual pay without leave, he says. "Contractors do not get leave of absence with pay. If this leave were abolished it would pro duce an economy of operation of ap proximately $1,000,000 per annum. "The rural service has suffered ma terially because carriers have resigned to enter the military service, or to seek better employment In munitions factories and in other war Industries and It is difficult to find new car riers," continues Mr. Burleson. Continuing, Mr. Burleson says: "The salaries of carriers should be based on the amount of work performed by them, and the determining factors in fixing the compensation should be the length of the route served, number of lis -'jfllMNttL' MY ATM is to please my customers. Whenever you want your money back, I give It cheerfully, without evasions. Fashion in Overcoats Third Floor HERE are models that have a differ ent style from the many; new ideas in ulsters, belt styles, double-breasted styles, great coats, trench coats. English, Scotch, Irish, American weaves in new textures and colorings; perfect examples of fine overcoat making. I offer you an opportunity to serve your own interests, for the prices are modest. S15 -$18 S20 $25 S30 $35 $40 $45 S50 S60 Women's Tailored Coats $15 to $35 IDeriB ellix UMorrisori Street at Fourth 3 pieces and the weight of the mail de livered and collected, and the hours of service rendered in each day. It is recommended also that legislation be enacted to provide that when, because of unusual conditions, it is Impossible to obtain a rural carrier at the maxi mum rate of pay, advertisements be Is sued calling for proposals for the per formance of the service, or that the department be authorized to employ such other means as may be necessary for the purpose of extending the serv ice or continuing service already established." reach Tacoma. He has telegraphed he probably will not be able to spend over eight days at home before returning to Washington, D. C. to resume his work there. Xewberg Teachers Form Chapter. NEWBERG. Or.. Dec 8. (Special.) The teachers of the public schools of this city have organized as a unit of the Newberg branch chapter of Red Cross and elected Miss Harritt. of the high school, captain. They met Thurs day evening and received their first work from the military relief work committee. Albert Johnson to Make Tour. ABERDEEN, Wash., Dec . 8. (Spe cial.) Albert Johnson has been drafted for a speaking tour of Eastern cities in behalf of the Red Cross Christmas membership drive, which is soon to be launched. This will delay his arrival in his Congressional district until Aberdeen to " Adopt" Soldiers. ABERDEEN, Wash., Dec. 8. (Spe cial.) Soldiers in France who are friendless will be "adopted" by the British-American Association of this city as its special wards, and they will be supplied with tobacco and other soldier necessities and wi'.l be written to frequently by members of the as sociation. The society Is to abandon its policy of sending money collected here to Europe for Britis.iers and will use it in helping make life cheery for these friendless soldiers. Aberdeen boys in France will be called upon to send the names of members of their companies who apparently have no one interested In, them. Albany Yet Hopes for Cannery. ALBANY, Or., Dee. 8. (Special.) Prospects for a cannery in Albany next year are good. W. R. Scott, whe Is here representing W. H. Paulhamus, of Puyallup, Wash.. Is meeting with suc cess in signing up the necessary acre age of fruits and vegetables, and if a sufficient quantity of products Is as sured the cannery will be built. If it is erected it will be built in time to Christmas day, when he expects to handle next season's crop. Doctor Tells How to Strengthen Eyesight 50 per cent In One Week's Time in Many Instances A Frff Prescription Van Can Have Killed and ITae at Home. Philadelphia. Pa. Do you wear glasses? Are you a victim of eye strain or other eye weaknesses? If so, you will be glad to know that, accord ing to Dr. Lewis, there is real hope for you. Many whose eyes were failing say they have had their eyes restored through the principle of this wonder ful free prescription. One man says, after trying it: "I was almost blind: could not see to read at all. Now I can read everything without any glasses and my eyes do not water any more. At night they would pain dread fully; now thev feel fine all the time. It was like a miracle to me." A lady who used It pays: "The atmosphere seemed hazy with or without glasses, but after using this prescription for 15 days everything seems clear. 1 can even read fine print without glasses." It Is believed that thousands who wear glasses can now discard them In a rea sonable time and multitudes more will he able to strengthen their eyes so as to be spared trouble and expense of ever getting glasses. Eye troubles of many descriptions may be wonderfully benefited by following the sample rules. Here Is the prescription: Go to any active drug store and get a bottle of Bon-Opto tablets. Drop one Bon-Opto tablet in a fourth of a glass of water and allow to dissolve. With this liquid bathe the eye two to four times daily. You should notice your eyes clear ud perceptibly right from the start and inflammation will quickly disappear. If your eyes are bothering you. even a little, take steps to save them now be fore it Is too late. Many hopelessly blind might have been saved if they had cared for their eyes in time. Note: Another prominent Physician to whom the above article was submitted, said: 'Bon-Opto is a very remarkable remedy. I:s constituent ingredients are well known to eminent eye specialists and widely pre scribed by them. The manufacturers guar antee it to strengthen eyesight . per cent In one week's time In many instances or re fund the money. It can be obtained from any good druggist and Is one-of the very few preparations I feel should be kept on hand for regular use in almost everv fam ily." It is sold in this city by the leading druggists. Adv. Another practice . opportunity is that high-class here afforded to economy and in telligent saving which these times demand 4 Model A845 i in Jr. N:Sk a 845 Black calf vamp gray cloth top welt sole, military heel reduced from $9 DO. A845 Black calf vamp gray nu buck top leather lace stay welt sole, military heel reduced from $850. B845 Same, with gray cloth top reduced from $8X)0. NOW SPECIALLY PRICED, $g.85 1 i ! I l . v . I . i.- h.'.-1 - - -X ' 'S till VlJ ILj M84dSl A C. H. Baker Merchandise Order should by all means solve the gift problem this Christmas - issued in any sum desired. Eleven Busy Stores- Portland San Francisco Los Angeles 380 WASHINGTON STREET 308 WASHINGTON STREET 270 WASHINGTON STREET 270 MORRISON STREET Largest Retailer of Shoes West of Chicago Two More Exceptional Offers W657 High lace boot in a soft black kid vamp light gray cloth upper leather LX V heel; $650 4A O C reduced to... P4X-J 652 High lace boot, cham pagne color kid dainty wood-covered heel . Reg. $UJ00, reduced jjg gg t G:l 106.2
