7 SPOTLIGHT OF PUBLIC THOUGHT IS CAST ON MANY LIVE ISSUES Forum Brings Together Various Views and Conflicting Ideas on Questions of Importance to Portland and the Nation at Large Teachers' Tenure Views Given. THE SUNDAY OREGONIAN, PORTLAND, JANUARY 9, 1921 50 YEARS AGO RECALLED Early Settler Tells of Dreams and Experiences of Distant Days. TILLAMOOK, Or., Jan. 7. (To. the Editor.) A reader of The Oregonian based on .this philosophy. They will put to the test the sincerity of the three nations indicated concerning the declarations of their governments' peaceful declarations. The resolutions appear to have been conceived and composed with calmness and fore thought. No one, I dare say, compre- for more than SO years offers I , , . . , h k- kw I ,.ik,.,i.. .m an i " ........ ...... - r ' . following article in The Oregonian December 5U. old ocnooimaies w .-.. 1 must instill hone in the soul of every ' in innpr - hors" the record under title "i PLEA IS MADE FOR HEALTH Correspondent Would Teach Disease Prevention In Schools. PORTLAND, Jan. 7. (To the Edi tor.) In The pregonian, December 26, Dr. A. E. Rockey offers a very cred itable article In defense of Increased hospital facilities and thinks we should be grateful to providence that standable nature of the resolutions ,"T' wim.s oiu hi an era. ul uv ut-x c t. g .-oh i- tion. I also read in the next issue your -. . . . r , t JU'Cr ui urate iu inc iiativu. --v -- Davs-Hfty Years Ago, which If you what ,. b the politics of Sena think worth publishing, may 'nt" tor Borah, all people must see in this your u- ;". "", ' proposal of his the first common sense suggestion for universal peace He seeks to substitute for platitudes those of "Auld Lang Syne." The writer 50 years ago, was a member of a surveying party in and e aDstracti0Ila a showing of charge of John Hurlburt, long since nands a contact of mlnd, tn6 real dead.- civil engineer, father of the cltanre for covenanU openly ar- present sheriff of Multnomah county, rlyed at. - which was engaged in making a pre liminary survey for Ben Holladay for a railroad to start at Astoria, and through the Nehalem valley to Port land. At some point in the Nehalem val ley, myself and one other of the crew deserted, for the reason that the That Senator Borah will find op position to his plans for peace goes without saying. Secretary Daniels has already started the attack. Others will follow. Had the step been taken by a less powerful advocate than Senator Borah its ultimate failure would cause no surprise. By this time, ook persisted in washing his feet in noweVer, the nation has learned that the only pan In camp, and lie one , the tenacity, tht stnighlforwirdiiess, used by him for a bread pan. vvnen the energy and tne statesmanship of cud t . 4i ..... ..... Baici cook to explain, he with arms akimbo, looking at us with disgust remarked: "Well, what does these young chaps think this cook camp is, Delmonico's?" and returned to his work deeply In sulted at our "kicking, up a row" at o small a matter. We then "hiked" over the trail for Astoria, which took us two days in rain and mud. Before leaving the Nehalem valley we each "located" a homestead claim, and after putting up our notices on a tree marked for the purpose, left our roll of blankets and camD outfit, including letters Borah are at all times and in all cir cumstances to be reckoned with. It is to be hoped that not alone the people at large, but the press generally, will in some practical way manifest their approval of these Borah peace reso lutions. BARTLETT SINCLAIR. GREEKS STILL FOR VENIZELOS Pro-German Sentiment Not Strong in Spile of Constantine. UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, Eu gene, Jan. S. (To the Editor.) I from our best girls, at the foot of the I read with pleasure In The Oregonian notice trees. We never returned and the editorial entitled "The Story of Constantlne's Treachery." I was In terested to see that and I thank you for the information regarding the political situation in Greece, my na tive land. You are stating clearly the treachery of King "Tino" and his tools; you are enumerating the blun ders of France and England toward Greece during the first three years of the great war; you are speaking of the hypocrisy of imperialistic Italy and. of the greed of Russia; you are speaking of the cowardice of the courts of Europe in regard to little Greece and in a way you are con demning all that. Your criticism is Just; it is praiseworthy. The allies. France included, did not accept the unconditional offer of the Greek army made by the Great Cretan In the fall of 1914. They would rather have Greece remain neutral when they knew that the Greek court and the whoever found our outfit, no doubt syere amused In reading said letters. At Astoria we received our time ehecks, to be paid In Portland, with transportation by boat to that city, but no money. Neither of us had a dollar. The boat landed us in the mid dle of winter at about 3 A. M., ragged, yp worn out without sleep for 3t hours and covered with crusted mua. Mere my companion and I separated and have not seen him since. I had a room In the home of Mr. Burrage. then city engineer of Port land, where that good "mother in Israel," Mrs. Burrage. at the request of an old friend of our family, Dr. T. L. Eliot, had taken me into heart nd home on my arrival from the east alone and without funds. I shall never forget them. Their home was at the corner of Fifth and College streets. arrived in Portland August 4, 1870, an the old steamer Orinamme seven i Keneral staff werfi either - ermang or lavs and six nights out from "Frisco. It may be interesting to know that on that day the St. Charles hotel was opened for the first time. 1 was slay Ing at the Occidental and that even ing, sitting on the porch of the sec ond story of said hotel. I listened to a political speech by George II. Williams, standing In the end of a cart opposite the entrance to the St. Charles hotel. Mr. Williams was afterwards mayor tf Portland, and is long since dead. But to "return to our muttons." 1 was too dirty to go to a hotel and had no money. Neither could I think of disturbing the Burrags at that un holy hour of the night. So I passed several hours wanting the streets oi Portland from end to end. That was not so far then, as Portland had about 8000 Inhabitants. This trip I made aeveral times and, utterly worn out and dead for want of sleep, I finally sat down on the steps of the old Harrison school building and Instantly was sound asleep. Now for the Incident "dehors the record." While asleep I dreamed I was In the Nehalem valley and that a big bear was standing in front of me anointing my head with his saliva preparatory to swallowing me whole, a la ana conda. This dream was repeated over and over again. Finally, just as dawn was breaking. 1 awoke and saw, or tnougnt I saw, a large dark object standing by me, my mind on tne Doraer lana between the known and the unknown. and only partially conscious, I seemed to sav to myself "I am too tired to care, so swallow away old bear, and ,be done with it"; and off to sound sleep again. The same dream was re peated over and over again as be fore. At last I awoke and this time wide awake and there standing in front of me, it being good day light now, was a full grown buck deer, licking my face, evidently for the salt with which it was incrusted. I moved, and h. with a snort, threw up his bead and bounded for the canyon to the south, which then was all trees and brush and I have never again seen kirn, either. JOHN LELAND HENDERSON. BORAH OX WAR IS UPHELD Resolutions Are Expected to Meet Op position, However. MEDFORD. Or., Dec. 21. (To the Editor.) Whatever doubt there may exist concerning any other political subject, the detestation of war Is one about which the American people are In perfect accord. This status is not the outcome alone of the war of na tions, now happily .ended, but Is a natural outgrowth, the seed sown by the fathers of the country and re ferred to by Washington in his fare well address. Our people are ready and anxious for any practicable move that will make future wars impossi ble. This is the one temperament of our people that cannot be misunder stood nor gainsaid. It Is recognised by our statesmen, our writers, our teachers, our diplomats and the press throughout the country. Now is the time such a move is apt to meet with popular favor. Never In our history has the season been more opportune for the entire abolition of the causes of war and the construction of bar riers against future hostile outbreaks amongst civilised nations. This fact is a mllepost of our civilization. It constitutes the strongest argument against the pessimism of those who Incline to despair of the sisterhood Of nations and brotherhood of man. These remarks have been suggest ed by a reading and study of the res olutions recently introduced in the United States senate by Mr. Borah of Idaho and printed In The Oregonian. The resolutions are of such far reaching Importance that they have been printed at length in all the great Journals of the country. Their Introduction in the senate was prompted by something more than a rumor that England and Japan were desirous of entering into a tripartite agreement with the United States for a reduction of naval armament. These three nations are the only ones In a position to precipitate another great war. They realise that without a g flee would dare engage in a protracted warfare All nations unite in the be lief that the strongest incentive to hostilities is the means to make war affectively. Take from the seas the great array of fighting, death-dealing craft, and nations of the universe will at once seek the peaceful meth ods of diplomacy to compose and set tle international controversies. Senator Borah's resolutions are pro-Germans ready to betray them to the kaiser. Later on when they needed the assistance of the sons of Leonidaa Miltiades and Themistocles," Instead of treating them in a manner befitting the Greek national pride, they offered Lireek territories to cowardlv Bu garia. leaving poor Venizelos alone to combat a pro-German court, an In sincere opposition and the drastic German propaganda spreading rap idly all over the land. But in spite of all these obstacles the liberal party, of which Venizelos was the trusted leader, returned victorious in the elections of May. 1915 Having elected Venizelos the Greek people expressed clearly their desire and their Intention to fulfill their na tional obligations and to fight for right against might. Unfortunately tne allies, even in the eleventh hour tortured the poor Venizelos by insist ing on Greece's ceding territories to Bulgaria that Infamous nation that would offer itself to the highest bid der regardless of its honor and its reputation in the eyes of the civilized world. Deserted by their friends and deprived of their national leader, the Hellenic people became the prey of the Infamous Baron Schenk and his German propagandists In Greece. The minds of the people were poisoned and their consolence perverted hv the German intrigues. The morale of the army was broken down by the lies of tne sold-to-Germany general staff and the Gounaris party. And despite all these calumnies the Greek peorle remained faithful to their obligations. They finally came in. fought and won with the allies. Their national leader acquired for them more benefts than they ever expected. He made real ties out of dreams which were thought impossible ten years ago. He built up a nation sought In vain by the most optimistic Greeks of all ages. Unfortunately the vote of Novem ber 14 was cast against Venizelos. It wasontrary to all expectations. You are accusing the "fickle Greeks." therefore, as being ungrateful to Venixelos and to the allies. I hope you will excuse me If I say that It's a mistake. The Greek people love Ve nizelos and are very grateful to the allies, but what could they do to the raging German propaganda directed by "Tino" and his accomplices? What could they do to the notorious Mrs. Inez Leeds, who would spend all her "millions" to win a title? What could they do to such an unprincipled group of men as Gounaris, Sratos and Rallis who in the absence of Venize los and his principal colleagues used every trick to break down the popu larity of the national martyr? The Greek people were tired of - lltlcal intrigues and they have tried to bring about reconciliation . .... the opposing factions. They thought that the best way to rid themselves of the constant troubles was to bring uniiv me waiiurous i ino wno may have changed during his trying days in Switzerland, and by persuading . vu.ii - lo remain in pontics. If they have failed in this, they will soon correct their mistake. They do not know tho real state of affairs. The German propaganda has pene trated eo far In their minds that the allied support to Greek rights and in terests has been unable to root it out. As soon as they find out the truth however, they will punish the guilty and among them, unfortunately-, will be an American woman, the notorious Mrs. Leeds the "dollar prjncess" Anaskasia who killed democracy at Us very foundation. W.J RUSSIS very moderate reply, from the view point of the taxpayer's burden, which I am quite certain the taxpaytag public, will duly appreciate. While both the Rockey communi cation and reply were Interesting reading, I do not believe, however, the last word has been said. Dr. Hockey's present idea and the scope of his vision reaching at least 1000, to say nothing of 2000 years forward, is decidedly pessimistic If evolution is true and progression is indelibly stamped upon the face of all nature, the future should be blessed with lens equipment for caring for the sick and there should be less sick to care for, instead of a great concrete structure in 1000, not to mention 2000 years, hence being a credit to the intelli gence and maganimous spirit of these times. I opine these now ciwditable hospitals would more than likely have just the opposite effect and furnish tangible and concrete evidence of a semi-primitive age in which it gives cure of disease by drugs and the knife and first in the mind of those who stand high in the healing art, in stead of methods and means to pre vent disease and accidents. I truly believe that accidents and sickness could be very noticeably re duced in our generation if one-half of the funds was devoted to the dis semination of practical instruction by the printed page and oral counciL If prevention of disease was made a part of the curriculum in the common schools, as well as in the higher in stitutions of learning, 50 per cent less disease and as much reduction in ex pense could be realized in the near future. There is an old saw which says a man is cither his own physi cian or a fool, at 40. Forty Is al together too late to become one's own doctor. As a matter of fact, no pupils education is finished when he or she leaves school if they are not well in formed and in every way competent to fake proper care of their health. This is not a world of chance, but a world of law and order. Nothing just happens. Cause and effeot is a maxim in natural philosophy. It is the part of good sense to remove the cause rather than wait for an oppor tunity to cut out the effects. The regular's big dose and the homeopath lst small dose and the electic doses of all sizes and all kinds have signally failed. All treatment is a mere make shift that does not, however, argue' against the use of the makeshift until such times as the people, or at least a part of the people, should so live that the mistakes of man will be con spicuous by their absence. God did not make sick men. Men have made themselves sick, and it is up to man to find a way to forestall the ills from which he suffers learn the truth "and the truth shall make you free." That's it learn the truth. Ignorance makes slaves of us all Know ledge is man's savior ignorance his greatest enemy. If Ingersoll had written the mistakes of men instead of the mistakes of Moses, he would have rendered a greater service to mankind. Shall we go on and on in search of a material cure for a mental mistake, or shall we take our cue from the command of the Master and preach the gospel first and do the healing later, if indeed there is any healing to do after the good effects of the gospel has soaked in? Everyone should become more self- reliant. Man has forgotten that God helps them who help themselves. Franklin said, "If you want anything half done, send someone to do it, but if you want It done right, do It your self." Fred Douglass said he wished every day and prayed every night for freedom, but the only prayer that was ever answered was when he took his foot in bis hand and made a line for the north star. That's the correct Idea don't ask God to do for you what it Is your plain duty to do for yourself. When you pray, pray with the axe and hoe and the dlshpan and the broom, and by so doing make your prayer a howling success. WILLIAM FRANKLIN PRUDEN. ified and irresponsible teachers. We don't require a new law or an amended one either to get rid of those 500 and by so doing we would un doubtedly expel 95 per cent of this much discussed inefficiency. Issuing permits so lavishly to unqualified teachers has a degenerating effect on the profession And lessens the respect MOTHERHOOD SACRED DUTY Complaints of Women Held Moral and Spiritual Bankruptcy. PORTLAND, Jan. 8. (To Ahe Edi tor.) A complaint is voiced by a cor- unfashionable is viewed with alarm as dangerous or immoral. Anger is a short madness. The wcrd mad Is almost synonymous with crazy and madness with insanity. Therefore Ill-temper, profane or in temperate language and all violent passions and emotions are phases of respondent against the hardships and , Insanity. This is recognixed in law. due it which in turn keeps many of sufferings imposed upon women by j where temporary insanity is offered th best people away from it. Nearly all of those permit teachers are com pelled to teach for the smallest sal ary and many of them are frozen in to do the janitor work of the school besides for the minimum wage. I was going to say the majority but'I will say a large number of the coun try school districts search for cheap ness rather than efficiency, some of the directorates being composed of uneducated and illiterate people op posed to modern methods. I deny that school teachers can In variably get a square deal from either the school boards or their superior officers. I have positive knowledge where at times they have preferred to cater to the vote instead of the best interests of the schools. School teachers don't have the support from tho people that Is due them. Next to home and parents, school teachers have more to do with shaping; the destinies of our children and conse quently that of the nation than any other source. Who else but them dur ing war times didn't take advantage of the situation to boost their salaries and create other conditions favorable to themselves? Why didn't they do so? Their Inherent love of country and their philantbrophy, naturally a part of people who adopt schsol teaching as' an employment, re strained them. I think the same qual ities can be trusted stllL GEORGE COCHRANE, DUTY IS HELD OVERWORKED motherhood. This is an age-old griev- as an excuse for crime ance which now and again finds ex- This reasoning can be extended to ireeslon. To find it voiced so fre- all the affairs of life. To forget to quently and so bitterly as nowadays . mall a letter, to neglect to pay the Is not a wholesome sign. It suggests I grocer may be considered evidences RAIL SPEEDOMETERS are irged Engineer Should Know Rate He Is Traveling, Suys Correspondent. ALBANY. Or, Dec. 24. (To the Editor.) For the safety of the trav eling public and in fairness to the railroad engineers of the United States, laws should be enacted re quiring speedometers to be placed on every locomotive in plain view of the engineer Such speedometers would enable an engineer at all times to readily see if he was complying with required speed limits in passing through cities and towns and In obeying rules imposed on conductors and engineers In making required schedules by railroad officials. The sist on such legislation on the grounds of saving human life and the elimina tion of railroad wrecks. It would not be amiss to Include all automobiles and airplanes in this proposed legislation. I trust that the members of the next legislature may be wise enough to pass a law at least requiring speedometers on all railroad engines. GEORGE WILLIAM WRIGHT. TENURE CHANGE OPPOSED Present System Declared Adequate Enough for Time Being. PORTLAND, Jan. 8. (To the Edi tor.) I am not going to enter into a discussion of the merits or demerits of the teachers' tenure law or of the Drooosed amendment thereto, but I have an idea or two which I wish to express. I think, to say the least, the proposal Is premature and inoppor tune in the face of existing condi tions. The teachers seem to be satis fled with the law as It Is and the peo ple can ill afford at this time further to incur their dissatisfaction as i view it, the desired ends can be ac complished, or nearly so. as It now stands. Some people seem to forget that the common laws of the land can reach school teachers as easily as any other class. Besides, we would not and could not afford at present to use any more stringent laws in this rela tion if we had them; so why spend time and money creating them? In the Journal a few evenings ago I read an authoritative statement to the ef fect that there is an actual shortage in this state of 500 teachers besides other 500 unqualified ones now teach ing in the schools of Oregon. Why such a disgraceful state of af fairs as that? Go to any successful Man's Judgment Not Always Safe Guide, Says Correspondent, OREGON CITY, Dec. 24. (To the Editor.) Recently on the front page of The Oregonian was a headline "Duty, Not Glory, Harding's Vision." On the eighth page was a headline "Let Us Dare to Do Our Duty." I feel that many people overwork the word "duty," giving it a talismanic power to keep them in proper relation to God and man. The Romans all but deified the word and many moderns are falling into the same error. Among the Jews'what we mean by duty seems to have been unknown. The translators found it possible to use the word but three times, in Ecc. xii:13, Luke xvii:10 and in Romans xv:27. In the first the word is mis used; in the second the word is again misused and In the third it Is an un pardonable mistranslation. The revised version does not use it. Paul had In mind gratitude and not duty. Duty signifies that a man must act in a given way regardless of his wish to do otherwise; while gratitude is a feeling expressing it self in many naive ways. Our Ideas of duty are the conclusions of our discursive judgment, and as judgment is liable to err. doing one's duty may not mean doing wisely or for the best tor all concerned. History has many illustrations of men who faithfully walked in the path of duty as they saw it, but whose course was the extreme injustice as we see it Duty is the whip our con science uses to drive us to follow the conclusions of ou? discursive judg ment. Caiphas dared to do his duty, as he saw it, when he contended for the death of Jesus. Paul dared to do his duty, as he saw it, when he caused the death of Stephen. Calvin dared to do his duty, as he saw it, when he condemned Servetus to the stake. Queen Elizabeth dared to do her duty, as she saw it, when she persecuted the Puritans. The Puritans dared to do their duty, as they saw it, when they w-hipped the Quakers, imprisoned the Catholics and banished tho Baptists to the swamps of Rhode Island. Roosevelt dared to do his duty, as he saw it, when he split the republican party and gave us a president who is an uncompromising devotee of the god of duty, as he sees it. Duty can not be an infallible guide for human conduct. Perhaps there Is no infallible guide for erring man to follow In the serv ice of his fellow man. I am persuaded that duty cannot be, as its path becomes known to us through our dis cursive judgment. Let me suggest that If we start with the idea that God is love, then we can understand" that love is God in us; and to the ex tent that we demonstrate that love, to that extent Is God manifest in the flesh. If love Is the author of our thoughts and acts we can walk with assurance that we are in the right. If there be a monitor that can keep a man in the strait and narrow way, in his -conduct with his fellow men. it is love for his fellow men; for love is God manifest in the flesh. F. W. PARKER. a moral and spiritual bankruptcy In truth, it is not men who are re sponsible for the sufferings of ma ternity. It is the order of nature that it should be so. For religious per sons and others of intelligence, there is a world of profound meaning In the third chapter, sixth verse of Genesis, which says: "I will greatly multiply thy sorrows and thy conceptions; in aprrow thou shalt bring forth chil dren; thou shalt be under thy hus band's power and he shall have do minion over thee." I believe in doing everything to minimize the hazards and pains of child-bearing. But after human power has done all it can, there still re mains an Irreducible amount of suf fering and hardship that must be bravely faced and endured if human life is to go on. That seems to be the will of God, the design of Pro vidence, the invincible and unchange able order of nature. Call it what you will the phrase makes little dif ference. The thing Is to recognize that pain and suffering, in varying amounts, are inseparable parts of life. Some persons, it must be admitted, are more fortunate. They seem to be able to escape all but a little pain. But mankind taken in the mass as must be done to maintain present economic and social values must reconcile itself to a great deal of hardship and pain, because these are necessary parts of the universe To deny pain, to seek always to escape it, to be unable to endure it, is to deny life itself. That Is a lesson which many thousands of the half educated or zniseducated among us still have to learn. It is a funda mental lesson that is not 'emphasized or even alluded to in our superfieis' public school instruction. No race which is really vital and wholesome trembles before the cer tainty of enduring pain. Society will decay, the human race will die ut terly, when men and women become so soft-fibred and morbid as to fear to face pain for a higher good. There is a mystery in pain that must be accepted as belonging to the higher order of being. Suffering trings with it a test of faith in that higher order. If the soul can stand that test, it is cleansed of error and of dross. If the men and women of the white race cannot meet this trial, it is cer tain some other race with hardier men, with stronger and braver women, will grasp the scepter of power and world dominion and become the lords of life. ROBERT PIERSON. that the brain does not function properly. A brainstorm is a violent disturbance of function, but in for petfulness, ignorance, stupidity, etc.'. there is a lack or deficiency of function. Sane means sound. There Is a def inite relation between sound and sense. A bell that is sound gives out a pure, clear tone, but if it is cracked the sound is harsh and discordant. A machine that is properly constructed and firmly put together does not rat tie nor clatter. When a machine Is worn so that the parts do not fit snugly then it is said to be crazy. No mortal human being Is per fectly sound or sane, for the state of mortality is itself a state of evi dent imperfection, subject to all kinds of lapses and failures. Then why should the spirit of mor tal be proud? J. L. JONES. ENGLISH SIMPLICITY DENIED Student Says Italian Is Easier for Foreigner to Master. EDGE GIVEN PAINTED WOMEN Reply to Widower Is That - Others Make Them Cut Capers. HOOD RIVER, Or., Dec. 21. (To the Editor.) In answer to "Widower" I have this to say: We women who have spent our lives in faithfulness and servitude and have thereby lost our bloom well know what we get from yotrand your kind, so why pub lish it to the world. We know with out your going to all that trouble. We get but a sneer at best, but Just let the dame who has been through the divorce mill so many times she can't tell her name and who wears a drug-store complex'on and curls made to order loom on his vision and see that "come-thou-hlth- ARMENIAN BELIEF INDORSED America Should See That Succor Reaches Suffering People PORTLAND, Dec. 2-4. (To the Edi tor.) The story of Armenian mas sacres by the bloody Turk, and then the call for millions to save the starv ing of that unhappy land, are being revived this winter and ought to ap peal to every true American. In our abundance let us not forget the poor In other lands. And then, too, inas much as America w.ill respond, it be comes the duty of the government to see that what is given reaches the Armenian; not one particle of the amount should be allowed to fall Into the hands of the thieving and mur derous Turk. Mr. Hoover should have the millions he asks for and besides he should have several American war ships and 60,000 American soldiers to accompany the gifts and see that the recipients are allowed to enjoy them in peace. The foulest blot on the civilized world, America included, is that we have forsaken the Armenians and allowed the Turk to continue his massacres. Shame on us! We talk of a new day that has dawned since the world war, of a league of nations that will prevent war and yet this murder of a defenseless people, continues and will continue as long as we toler ate it. We think this country wisely re fused to enter the present league of nations, but there is nothing to pre vent us as a nation from co-operating with the league in this matter; in fact, to be true to our past history, we cannot hear the cry of distress and refuse to help. We went to the relief of Cuba and abolished the Spanish bull pen. We heard the call of Europe in the world war. although it took the blowing up of the Maine in the former and the smile illumine his bovish coun- business man and he will tell you , tenance, and if said dame should need that we are trying to make progress , a eat. see hew quickly he will va- by working the horse behind the wagon. He will tell us to go to work and make the school teaching profes sion in different ways more attract ive as an inducement to more of the most capable and desirable people to take It up a9 an employment; he would tell us that we will have to in crease our bid for educators 25 to 50 per cent to get them In sufficient numbers. Then when all that has; day and age. Also you've got been accomplished to bring on your , 5Crap to keep your self-respect. cate his own. One would think his old joints as nimble as Charlie Chaplin or at least equipped with the latest in ball bear ings. I'm the mother of seven grown-up sons and daughters. I'm a working woman and I'm a scrapper, also. As Widow says, you must scrap to live with two-thirds of the men of this to I sinking of the Lusitania in the latter case to move us. What better use could we put our army and navy to than to let them act as Santa Claus to the starving Ar menians. The Armenians, left alone soon will be self-supporting. Let us hope that the present congress will get in touch with the league of na tions and manifest our willingness to co-operate, both with men and means, in this worthy cause. No need to send our soldiers and sailors; there are thousands who will volunteer to go on a mission of that kind. JS. McMURTRY. WORLD BLAZES CRAZY TRAIL Who Is Looney and Who Is Not, Is Debatable Question. ESTACADA, Or., Dec. 24. (To the Editor.) Fromime immemorial the j ,j ii, i i exDressive. but, my "u" . ' j .j ' Hoadley, it ia not as simple as you think it is. DOMINIC SALANDRA. PORTLAND, Jan. 8. (To- the Edi tor.) A letter appeared In The Ore gonian December 31 in which Rev. Mr. Hoadley praised the English tongue for its "simplicity." To prove his statement Rev. Mr. Hoadley com pared the English to two other lan guages the German and the Italian. To say that tho English is simpler than Italian is to admit that one is ignorant of tho Italian language He declared that the German and the Italian tongues are not as simple as the English because the "moun tains or trees and the names of other objects" are "either masculine or feminine." For a foreigner learning Italian, this would not be a diffi culty, because in Italian the word ending denotes whether a noun is feminine or masculine. One does not have to think of gender at all when he speaks Italian If he only knows the words he is going to use. Moreover, Rev. Mr. Hoadley thinks that it is an advantage to speak about a "writer" and not to bo able to tell whether the "writer" repre sents a man or a voman. To my no tion this Is rather a sad disadvantage in the English language because in order to make it clear that the writer is either a man or a woman you imply have to use more words or -else leave the sex unexplained. Today, when the woman is playing such a big part in our social affairs and organizations, I honestly believe that the Italian tongue is better suited to our modern needs, for it gives the woman credit for the noble part she is playing in our social life especially here in America. Maestro in Italian is the name for a "man teacher." "Maestri" is the name for a "woman teacher." Herein is shown the simplicity of the Italian idiom Br simply changing one character l the word you have the sex explained thus being fair to both man and woman. That the English verb has very few changes of form is true, but how about the complex spelling of the English language? Rev. Mr. Hoadley leaves this point untouched. The Italians use no spelling books. They write their language as it sounds So do the Germans. The English language has at least 15 different vowel sounds. The Italian has only five. The English alphabet has 26 characters. The Italian has only 21 The Italian language contains very few foreign words. The English has a multitude of words borrowed from a multitude of languages which are iard to spell and hard to pronounce In the face of all these tacts now can a man send a letter to a news paper editor and speak of the sim plicity of the English language; A Reeri college instructor of foreign languages has told me that, or an the European languages the English is the hardest to learn. From my own personal experience in teaching English to foreigners 1 nave iounu that statement to be true in actual practice. "All people who come to our shores from other lands get very discouraged and often disgusted at the comolexity of the l-jngusn tongue. Rev. Mr. Hoadley reminds me of a gentleman of this city who made the statement one day that the English spelling is not any more complex than the Italian spelling is. When 1 askea him how he knew he replied that he could tell that from reading Italian names which he sees on the checks he handles in the county treasurer's office. If a statement like the above does not show very poor and super ficial judgment it shows, at least abject and barren ignorance. I reallv doubt whether Rev. Mr Hoadley knows the meaning of the werrt "simplicity." At any rate he has given me the opportunity to sug gest to him that he learn something about the German and Italian lan guages before he talks about "sim plicity as a merit of tongue." He will never learn Italian and German by simply studying the English Bible. I came from Italy in 1910 and 1 know what it means to learn English. I love the English language even better than the average Americans do and as a proof of this I will say that English is my major subject at Reed college and that I intend to teach this beautiful language when I ze-t out of college. The English tongue is beautiful, powerful, rich, oar itev. air. WHAT'S WRONG WITH THE BOY 5 7 Lark of Good Home Training Sus pected by Girl's Guardian. DALLAS, Or.. Dec. 24 (To the Ed itor.) As I am often lonely I have carefulljt. read the letters on this subject. Only a few years ago It was thought any man could run a farm without training and a man who took a farm paper was laughed at. Girla did not think of learning to cook except as taught by a mother. Motherhood needed no mental preparation. It was expected people would lose about half their children in childhood and raise two or three cripples, through ig norance. We have progressed along many lines, but have we touched all of the worthwhile subjects? I have in my care a bright, pretty Christian girl. She Is deprived of many things which most girls enjoy, but is attending high school prepar ing herself to become a useful wom an. She comes home with a new light in ner eyear a schoolmate she Has al ways heard well spoken of is paying her special attention. The friendship continues, but he keeps suggesting the expenditure of money while she always declines. Finally she ac cepts an Invitation, but no sooner has she accepted than he talka be fore her of the Immense sum he will expend if he attends said function. At my suggestion she declines, but he continues even more attentive than before. She cannot go down street but he is waiting conspicu ously for her or running to over take her. He talks to his boy friends in a loud ton of his girl and is Jealous if she visits with boy friends. Another look comes into her eyes she is older, she has spurned his attentions. After a few weeks he Jeers at her from a distance. Does this boy, who lacks a few months of being ready for college,, show the marks of good home training? Should boys, whose parents are able, be al lowed to spend a penny on a girl friend and at the same time be taught how to conduct themselves properly, or Is it best that there should be a large mortality of little loves? Was this your boy? I am sorry for him, are you? Take it from an old woman, girls think more than they did 100 years ago. To try out , this girl I said: "Don't you think you made a mis take? His people are well fixed and he is the only son. Would you not enjoy a farm home with electric lights, where all you did was press a button?" And the answer came back l'ke a shock to me: "And when I pressed the button the light would not shine on a fine, noble, honest man. but on one whose word I could not trust. What good would elec tric lights do in a home where there war, no light of the Lord?" A MOTHER. ladies were walking right in the path of the car, and we were right on them before we could possibly t them. And my husband turned quick ly around them. Had we been going fast they would certainly have been killed. They never stepped to one side or gave any sign of knowing how very near they came to being knocked down and perhaps killed. We did not go very far until we saw two more walking leisurely along, carrying an umbrella, and never made any at tempt to leave the road. They wero walking In the same direction wo were going. It Is easy to go around people if you can see them and do not happen to pass anyone at that time, but it certainly makes a very dangerous situation If two earn bus and dim their lights and people walk ing In the path of the automoblla. MRS. E. L. SCOBEE. tenure law discussions if you want to. jove Bll things beautifuL Good books. Eliminate as near as is practically I good music, flowers, the sunsets, the Possible all politicians or would-bes glorious mountains. I'm a fairly good from school and educational affairs. housekeeper, a good cook, can do all une correspondent says it is up to kinds of fancy-work, milk the cows, the people to express themselves, drive a team when necessary and, in What does he suppose they are do- short, make such men as Widower Ing now when they deliberately no- take a back seat, yet I can't compete ploy 600 unqualified and Inefficient with the dame who wears a made-to teachers and let 500 schools go with-j order complexion, though mine is not out them if not asserting themselves , bad by any means My hair is not and it is being done contrary to stringy, my face is not weary, neither school law besides. who composes1 is my heart, and I can smile no mat- this bunch of unqualified teachers anyway? While a country school di rector an instance came under my ob servation of one who procured a per mit to teach and when it came time she took the examinations and failed to pass them but nevertheless got an other permit to teacjl. Any respecta ble teacher probably beats none and under stress of war conditions was justifiable but now It Is not. The practice is being abused of issuing permits so promiscuously to unqual- ter how rough the road. Yes, I'm scrapper and my verse in the holy book reads: "She layeth her hands to the spindle and her hands bold the distaff." Now, Widower, take this advice: Stand before your mirror and pee the wrinkles In your own face. Then search your heart and see why the sneer is there for the woman of your own age. It won't take much effort on your part to tell why yon are a widower. MERELY JANE. us that this is a mad world and old fashioned folk, for the most part, have accepted the statement; indeed, many of them go further and com fort themselves with the cheerful re flection that it i getting crazier every day. On the other hand, there always has been a popular belief that the Opoets themselves are mad, or at least they are erratic or eccentric, which is a milder way of putting f.. There is much historical evidence that the popular belief Is well founded. Indeed, poets always are flighty, for poetry itself is a flight of fancy. n Poetic frenzy Is a state of mind closely akin to religious rapture, or ecstasy. The masses do not go into raptures about religion or poetry. Their enthusiasm is reserved for prizefights or moving picture shows. Prophets always are crazy when they tell the truth. Profiteer are sane and safe. "Wherefore came this mad fellow to thee?" was asked of Jehu when the prophet anointed him king of Israel. How is it that the worshipers of ephemeral political deities escape be ing called maniacs? They are indeed, called so by their opponents, but the whole prop osition may be reduced to its least form in the statement that whatever Is popular is safe and sane and moral, while the unpopular or tee ANOTHER WIDOW WRITES ' IN Afternoon of Life to Be Accepted Cheerfully. CARLISLE. Wash.. Dec. 24. To the Editor.) I can imagine "Touthful Widow" emerging from the water after a mile swim, her superb body clothed in a bathing suit (from the cast), her feet planted about 18 Inches apart, a cigarette between her pearly teeth, her uncontrollable eyes flash ing as she throws her hat in the ring. Methlnks I can ses "Widower" Just wither down like a cabbage leaf after a "warm frost" al! caused by her fearful "poo-pooing" him, and it would havebeen much worse if she did it in Spanish or French. I, too. am a widow, can swim, dive and shoot cannot hit anything. I am good looking, glad of it, too. I have perfect control of my eyes at all times. I find life full of inter esting things after Tve reached the 50th milestone The property I own I helped a mighty good man to earn it. If I am to go down the afternoon of life alone I'll not whine, but go cheer fully. A NOT TOO YOUTHFUL WIDOW. FAIR PLAY FOR TEACHERS Portland Citizens Also Demand Best Service for Children. PORTLAND, Jan. 8. (To the Edi tor.) Widespread investigation shows that Portland citizens wish to do the fair thing by their teachers. The public as a whole realizes the value of the teachers work, and the inade quate reward. They wish, above all, to do the right thing by the children, and to that end are' interested in tenure. The following quotations are typi cal statements by intelligent, well infermed parents: "Tenure holds experienced teachers in the schools and that is what we need." A leading lawyer of the city said: "The proposed amendments are a poor substitute for the present ade quate law and would throw the schools into confusion and litigation." Another prominent in public life said: "Teachers should have the right of appeal. Civil service provides it. for all municipal and federal employes and our schools need protection from political manipulation more than does any other department." Under the present tenure the effi cient teacher is protected in the per formance of her duty. The ineffi cient or unfit teacher may be dis missed or demoted by the board, and the vast majority of dismissals are so made without appeal by tne teacher. Multnomah legislators should In vestigate the school situation for themselves and not be unduly influ enced by a few board members who are anxious to deprive the teachers of any right to appeal from their de cision," however unjust or biased it might be. My two daughters have been in structed by no teachers except those under the tenure law, and I am more than pleased not only with the sub stantial education they are receiving, but also with the advantages along special lines. A PATRON. SONG REFLECTS JOY OF LIVIM) Working Girl and Lark Give Pleas ure to One Woman. PORTLAND, Dec. 24. (To the Ed itor.) I was out on the court of a certain apartment house feeling somewhat lonely. It was dark, but the theater lights were shlnlnR brightly. In a room near me I heard the notes of a piano. Several instru mental selections were played. Then a very sweet voice sang several pieces. I was thrilled with pleasure. I knew of her as a girl who worked evtry day over In the city, but Laid was Sunday evening her time of rest. 1 had never seen her nor spoken to her. I felt like going in and thanking her. Unconsciously she had gladdened the hearts of all who Could hear her. A few days later I was walking down a street in a suburb and heard the cheerful song of a lark. Although In December, this bird could express his "joy of living," and all who heard him was reminded that some day spring would be here, and we would forget the chilly days of December. This little creature was not dread ing the possible days of stormy weather which could chill him to the marrow; no, be was happy in the present and enjoyed giving out Ms sweet notes of music to anyone who would hear him. If we love anything good we can puss it along to others. We lose noihlng and someone may gain by It. They may find a "Joy In living." MATTIE B. ROSS. DEFENSE VOICED FOR MARKET MANY HELD OVEREDCCATED Youth Spends Too Much Time in School, Says Correspondent. Why Doen Public Bay and Cnrryt Asks t'orreapondent. PORTLAND, Dec. 24. (To the Ed itor.) Why a public market? Ac cording to Mr. Bigelow's statement it is maintained "for the benefit of the public and for the outlet of farm produce direct to the consumer. It should benefit both the vendor and the customer." That is what this market has been. If the customers were not satisfied why such crowds? Prices do average much cheaper on Yamhill otherwise men and women w.ould not buy and carry home. Housewives would not make spe cial trips with their baskets if prices were not better than elsewhere, vege tables and poultry fresher and quali ties higher. Competition regulates prices o nthis market, for the stall with the best produce at lowest prices gets the trade. The buyer has a chance to com pare prices by walking a few blocks and noticing tags, at the grocery store one can't do that. If prices at the public market heed to be con trolled, why not at other retail places? I am surprised at The Oregonian, sanctioning that cartoon. The pic ture clearly shows a stand on a street corner witn a typical uago sales man who sells apples for 5 cents each. The two profiteersmen fat and sassy flirting diamonds and bags of gold should be labeled wholesaler snd commission man with the insert "We must stop this soon or we will gef no chance to beat the farmer. Let Cartoonist Perry go to the mar ket also to the farmer and sketch real conditions. EUNICE M. BOTHWELL. PORTLAND, Jan. 8. (To the Edi tor.) Dr. Cllne's article in The Ore gonlan certainly carries a lot of facts for our educators to reflect on. I have been under the Impression that 50 per cent of the young manhood and womanhood of the United Mates of America are overeducated: trtnat Is to say, they spend too much of their lives gettiag their education. usually young people stay in scnooi till they reach the age of 18 and sometimes 20 years. This in a meas ure spoils them for the practical bat tie of life. All except those who have the brains and Intelligence to be come literary or scientific should commence to learn the work of carry out their life endeavors at 15 or IS years of age. A young man with a good eauca- lon but without any practical In- elligence and will to make an honest living is to be pitied, no matter how ich or poor his parents are. our penitentiaries and county farms hold sad evidences of this fact. Work is the moral solution of both sexes. It is a true saying that "Satan finds some mischief still for idle hands to I fear our school and college fraternities which teach social caste in lieu of hard work are a great detriment to the real advance of our youth. THOMAS WITHYCOMBE. AUTOMOBILE! LIGHTS PROTESTED Motorist Has. Narrow Escapes on Highway. HOOD RIVER. Or.. Dec. 24. (To the Editor.) I would like, through Th a Ore-ronian. to sound a note of warning to people walking along the highway after dark. Recently we left Portland at 5:30 P M It was dark and raining. Go ing between Portland and Troutdale we met just one car after another going into the city. Our lights were dimmed most of the time. The driver of one car we passed dimmed his lights, but had two very bright spot lights. It was raining quite hard and dark. The windshield was wet, and just as we left the glare of the two spot llshta and brightened our own, two CHUnCII CENSURE RESENTED Dciioiniuationalism Declared Cause of Low Pay for Pastors. NAHCOTTA, Wash., Dec. 24. (To ple censure the church because preachers' salaries in many cases re main low? The many fine church buildings, hospitals and theological schools built by the church, to say nothing of the great sums of money con tributed to various kinds of mis sionary work, surely Is evidence that the church is reasonably willing to support the cause. The Cleveland Judge who told a preacher to cease preaching for a pittance surely believes that "'he who does not provide for his own house hath denied the faith and is worse than an infldeL" Denominationallsm Is the cause of the low salaries complained stout, but it seems that even starvation it self will be Insufficient to enable some preachers to locate the trouble. Why should church unity be con sidered a big problem? Or why should preachers consume time and money going about with such a message. Preachers of any given community Portland for example- should rise up In the beauty of holiness and unite their churches at once, if it is true "that a divided church means an un believing world." Why In the name of reason should this matter be de ferred "two years." or forever. Now Is the accepted time as always, to rid one's self of sin. We are worrying about our dally bread The Lord will provide tf we plow the corn. A. B. M. Qneatlona urn to Manancrlpts. PORTLAND," Jan. 7. (To the Edi tor.) 1. In mailing manuscripts to magazines Is It customary to nave them registered at the postofflce to Insure their safe delivery? Or would this be considered too painstakingly careful on the part of an uninitiated author? 2. When a pseudonym Is used. Is It necessary to give also your real name? How do magazines generally rav for stories received? By check? And if so, how much trouble would one encounter In cashing it at a bank. If pseudonym were used? FEMININE SUBSCRIBER. 1. Probably no one would have any thoughts on the subject. 2. You are worrying over a trifle. Give your true name to the publisher. Red Croaa Work Grows. Exchange. Red Cross courses in hygiene, nurs ing, and dietetics are being given to school girls, factory women, and col ored servants In various parts of the United States. A California chapter reports that business men who tried a hand at nursinr during the influ enza epidemic are eager to share this popular education. i