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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (June 11, 1922)
THE SITXD AT OEEGONIAX, PORTLAND, JUNE 11, 1922 ! 0 MRS. ASQUITH FINDS AVERAGE AMERICAN IS CHIVALROUS BUT LACKING IN CULTURE Divine Fire Exists in Spots, With Energy and Idealism Ruling Generally, but Quest for Money Makes Husbands Slaves to Business and Responsible for Domestic Infelicity. Ther do not, mrrrly endure aotat they adore lt Screaming; elevated trains,! clang-ina; tram, jan gling; telephone bella (a the midst of bedlairi that never eeasea In a working day and chances only , in key, not In volume, at night, they feverishly leap from task to task, issuing orders or carrying them out as though the safety of the world depended on them." BY M ARGOT ASQUITH, Wife of the ex-Prime Minister of Great Britain. I HAVE dwelt in previous articles rather disparagingly on some aspects of things American. The crass commercialism which disfig ures with hideous billboards the beauties bestowed by a bounteous nature and the horrors of railroad travel in the United States and Can ada are detects obvious to the vis itor. One does not need time nor ability to observe and analyze, nor courage to see them and point them out. Before me now, however, is a sub ject that for proper treatment re quires more time, more power of observation and to discuss without an introductory apology, more courage than I have. Having made the apology, let me plead In speak ing of "the average American" a complete lack of malice and a desire to be frank without 'flattery. It has been my good fortune since my girlhood to have met many gift ed Americans. If It had been my fate never to 'have met any others than those and the Americans and Canadians who made my recent travels interesting, I should have put down the whole face of the new world not only as chivalrous, en ergetic and Idealistic, but as a race having the divine fire the thirst for truth and beauty that is truly Inspiring. There l In the American naive desire to have the good points of his country appreciated. -He is likely to call attention to some par ticular phase of progress in which he la interested and ask expectantly , that you comment on It. In admitting faults he apologizes for them and in the same breath promises, prophesies or announces steps to amend them. The naivete is much more agreeable than the gross national egotism of which Dickons and other earlier visitors to America so bitterly complained. There are no harsher critics of American modes and manners now than Americans themselves. They are keenlr sensitive of their cul tural defects In the presence of the vialtor, but tnough it must be ad mitted that the average American is not "cultured," and does not care, many Americans in public life are. - Among the interesting personages I met on this tour was Henry J. Allen, governor of the state of Kan sas. He Is a man of authority, not only Intelligent but intellectual a rare combination. It needs no witch to predict a great future for him. He wan a fellow guest at luncheon at the home of Mrs. Shields in Kan sas City and arrived long before the luncheon hour. He remained at Mrs. Shield's lovely house in Cherry street from 11:30 till 6 in the eve ning, in spite o having an appoint ment at 4, by which I Inferred he oould do what he liked. Kansas recently has established an Industrial court in which mat ters that might lead to strikes are to be settled Governor Allen is " deeply interested in the subject and wrote me as following concerning it: State of -Kansas, Office of the Gover nor My Dear Mrs. Asquith: 1 am taking the liberty of sending you a copy of my book on the Industrial question. I hope you will torsive- me for Intruding It upon you. I have bo many delightful recol lections of the keen and instructive things you said at Mrs. Shields' house that I now find myself full of regret that the conversation costlnually drifted into gen eral discussions which robbed us all of an opportunity to hear more of your own conclusions. Tour generous comment upon Kansas City and the west has made us all happy and as a cltlsen 1 want to express my heartv appreciation of your compliments to this growing section of the country. I do not wonder that you drew from mv remarks the conclusion that I am 'yTliberal." 1 was stupid not t.o realize that your definition of the word "liberal" is different from that which characterises it out here Just now. In ether words, "liberal" is an honor able word. Over here it haa come, through misuse, to denote a peculiar class whose reaction is anti-government. The anarchist, the socialist, the communist and the bolshevlst are all put down in one class, . and the word "liberal" Is thundered at them by orators and edi tors. It isn't fair to the word. If vou have time, J'd be awfully- g'ad if you would look over "The Party of the Third Part," because It relates to a programme of Industrial peace and jus- , Ike whicn me president naa recently In dorsed in a message to congress and which New York is now trying to write Into her state Ugistion. Doubtless If the law is held to be con stitutional by the supreme court of the United States, several statss in the forth coming legislative sessions will adopt the principle of Impartial adjudication of labor quarrera when those quarrels occur in tne essential inaustries ot rooa, luel, clothing and transportation. I am sincerely glad you came to the middle west and 1 am grateful to Mrs. Shields for. the delightful privilege ot meeting yoo. lours sincerely, HENRY J. ALLEN. Governor Allen la typical of the leaders of progressive thought In America practical, energetic, cap able of putting his ideals into effect. In New Tork, among other well- known men, I met Arthur Brisbane the famous Journalist and friend of my daughter. Elizabeth Bibesco. I at between him and Norman Hap food and had an excellent conver sation such as two great observers and gifted writers can make. Ttyey both spoke in high praise of "I Have Only Myself to Blame," my daughter's book. Their comments' were typical, too, of what the in tellectual American sees In a book of the sort. Regarding this book, ' Clarence Day Jr., reviewing it in "The New Republic," quoted from it: In a way I don't see why you should ever want to kiss me again. Do you understand what X mean that I feel so merged, so eternally in your arms that I can lhardly believe in the process of being taken into them again and again? Oh, my dear, do you notice how one never can use superlatives when they really would mean something? They seem to slink away ashamed of their loose Uvea After all, we ean't "make love" to one another. Wo both do it too well. This ia not an Incident, a game, an art; burs is not a love affair, it is life. In answer to a letter, of thanks from Elizabeth, Mr. Day wrote: It made'me so sad to read some of the reviews of your book. I knew, of course, how few people appreciated fine writing but now I know how few people have ever been In love. I mention these incidents to show that there is among Americans a real appreciation for finer things, whether it be the betterment of the people's .lives, such as is George V. Allen's Ideal, or of better things in literature, as exemplified in the attitude of Messrs. Brisbane and Day. s ' It Is, perhaps, presumptuous in me to comment on the "average Amer ican men' from the brief weeks I spent in America. I should not at tempt to pass judgment upon them except that the "specimens" (if I may call them so, in all seriousness) appeared roughly to be made inthe same pattern. It is characteristic of the average American that to him leisure is wasted time. He must forever be feverishly at work; talk ing over the day's business at lunch eon; planning his pleasures to at tain some point in his business, eo that his enjoyment at what he terms a 'show" is modified by the impres sion his entertainment and his "proposition" made on his guest, a prospective customer. Even his golf, which alone threat ens to rival his work in Interest, if often taken up with a view to the associations it brings. The American should realize that leisure is not laziness. And, as a corollary, he should learn that busi ness, even, if itself a pleasure to him, is not inspiring. Nor is the mere ac cumulation of money, pictures, books or anything else inspiring in itself. It makes egoists out of us. . Knowing little of culture, he as sumes, or really possesses, a scorn for it, leaving its pursuit to his wife. If she attains eminence in what he terms a high-brow pursuit he is Inordinately proud of .her, al though he affects a patronizing tol erance. He constantly declines, therefore, to cultivate his own intellect or to take pleasure in others'. He gets his mental stimulus from the strug gle of the business world and mis takes the intelligence he develops there for intellect. Americans are not truly a nervous race, although hurried and hectic They do not merely endure noise; they adore It. Screaming elevated trains, clanging frame, jangling tele phone bells In .the midst of bedlam that neVer ceases in a working day, and changes only in key, not in volume, at night, they feverishly leap from task to task, issuing or ders on carrying them out as though the safety of the world depended on them. Ths noiee, smoke and confusion is often pointed to as something to be proud of. The American business man regards it as a symbol of. his Industry and prosperity. To him the hustle and bustle is represents are a goal, not merely the means to -an end. Their . amusements are likely to be as strenuous as their work or to be the opposite. To some Ameri cans, barbaric jazz brings recrea tion; others find rest from the cares that beset the day In painting their fences. I hope I have not been too severe in this criticism. Hospitable, tact ful and tolerant, his innate chivalry has done much to put the American on a pedestal where many Euro peans, however "polished" and gal lant, would do well to study hirh. His faults- are as well knows, probably to himself as to anyone else. But one which he does not seem appreciate, or to try to eliminate. is one I wrote ot in a previous ar ticle; it is his refusal to allow his "women folks" to share in his buM ness. And business is the lexicon of t' j average American man's life. - To this fact I am inolined to at tribute, as I sad before, much of the disasters which befall the married lives of Americans. And while the American wife Is partly to blame be cause aha does not insist on sharing her husband's life and does not, as a matter of fact, actually qualify herself to share it, the larger part of tlto blame .for the alarming amount of domestic Infelicity in the United States is due fundamentally to the husband. I have charged him with a desire to keep his wife out of his business, out of his life. He treats her with a respect and admiration.th-at makes her the envy of women of the old world. But he forces her to look on him merely as one who worships her with -the practical sort of wor ship that provides her with every material comfort. He forces her to find her Intellec tual pleasures elsewhere than in his life or his company. Sometimes it appears that he would use her as a sort of show window in which to hang the symbols of his success. Success, indeed, is the god of the Yankee and the word, among an Intellectual portion of the Ameri cans, Is synonymous with the proven capacity for making money. Thus, one Is told, as a measure of his success, how much such a writer made last year, how much a olav Wright's royalties from the cine matograph added to his liabilities ror income tax and how much this or that artist spent in building the ornate country house you pass. Thus the standard is monAv in literature, In the drama and in the Krap-mc arts. Naturally this is but one side of the picture and unfortunately it is the side- that makes a great display in proportion to its importance. There are'countless men in America devoted to "art for art's sake" (to use the time-worn phrase); count less men who edit newspapers at paltry recompense that they may be .true to certain principles, unnum bered Americans who devote them selves to public service, not only with no -reasonable chance of suc cess as told in terms of dollars, but with every possibility that they will be unrecognized by the hurrying American public entirely. It is the American public, without a doubt, that has established! the pecuniary standard for success , I read in the , papers one day a short item wHich" I saved as a typi cal example of what I meant. FIret, have what people want. Then let them know It. Through advertising Is the secret of success. The old iy,ii to let the people find it out gradually and slowly, In time for your grandson to get rich. The modern way ia to have it today, and make everybody know It "tomorrow, or if possible, this afternoon." -I have met in my time many dis- Radiotrolas complete, including aerial, type R3 magnavox, 2-step amplifier, 80 amp. hr. Firefly battery. West inghouse battery charger. The Radiotrola will bring In broadcasting loud enough to be enjoyed .by many in a large room. Immediate delivery on above sets and installed if desired. Portland Radiotrofo Factory, S3 ALBIXA AVE. NEAR RUSSELL, ST. EAST 0589 Beautiful finish panels. Black, brown and mahog anite. Best insulation ' for radio, resists, warping. Standard Dials J in. and i in., knobs, sockets, bases, etc r Dealers write GOODYEAR RUBBER CO, Pacific Coattt Agents Portland - . 1 Fourth St. American Hard Rubber Co. We are manufacturers of the Best - Crystals. Mounted and Unmounted Positively Sensitive. Sold with Guarantee. Insist an U. 8. Crystals. Everything in Radio Supplies, V. 8. RADIO CO. OF PEXNA., Inc. Ferry and Diamond St., Ftttsbnrf. Fa. tinguished . Americans whose lives! give the lie to the foregoing crabbed comment. Were' It never my fate to have' met and studied at first hand. even if rapidly, the "average Amer ican, I should have been Induced by my earlier acquaintances. (Copyright by the Bell Syndicate, Inc.) (Copyright in Great Britain by Thornton Butterworth. Ltd.) American -iUiberaliam and violence- amazed Mrs. Asquith, she Bays in her next article. "American " Freedom.'-'. "You Have Only to Watch the Work ings of the Prohibition Act to See the Dangers of Representative Legislation." "Had Christ Come Down Among the Civilian Population at the Time of the war. His Compassion would. Have Earned lor Him the Title of Pro-German." Next Sunday In The Oregonian. War Widow Studies and Cares for Child.. Ontario Woman Continues Educa tion Smiles Way to Success. OREGON AGRICULTURAL COL LEGE, CorVallis, June 10. (Special.) One young woman whose husband was killed in the battle of Argdnne forest Ahd who was left with a small child to care for, has found a way to solve hen problem of reconstruction. She has gath ered the scattered strands of her life together, picked out a real object. set herself Courageously to her task and has come out smiling." Mrs. .Florence Ruby Johnson of Ontario is the woman. Her solution or tne pro Diem was to go back to echool to continue her education. Accordingly she went to the Ore gon Agricultural college, where she enrolled as a vocational student in the school of home economics. "I had always been disappointed that I didn't complete my school work." said Mrs. Johnson, "so last summer I made up my mind to come to O. A. C. You see, I did not get to finish high school and that makes my work here harder than It would otherwise be. I'm certainly glad I came and I aim to stick to it. 'I thought when I came that I might be able to get the baby Into the iracuce house." continued Mrs. Johnson, "but I found she was a little too old. We have rooms out In the suburbs and I do our own housework. The landlady takes care ot Marjorie while I am away at classes. It really is hard to' care for the little girl and all the house work, washing, mending and sewing and try to attend college at the same time, but I'll manage all right," she iinisneu with a smile. "Totty," as the little girl is called, has b,ig brown eyes, lovely brown hair and a most captivating smila. She has the reputation of being the prettiest child in town. Her father saw her last When she was but six weeks old. Mrs. Johnson- has bright, smiling blue eyes, red cheeks and light brown wavy hair. She is exceed ingly strong. On her "gymnasium" days she can be seen on the lower campus playing baseball or tennis right along with the rest of the girls. She Is jolly and always ready to laugh. "I hope to teach when I get through school," said Mrs. Johnson, when questioned concerning her plans, "and that gives me something to think about and work toward. It keeps me from worrying about other things. one Parts and Complete Sets Single phones, 1000 -ohms S3.00 23-plate condensers S3. 30 43-plate condensers S5.00 SOOO-ohm phones.. 8.00 Variometers $4.00 Radiophone Sales and Ser. Co. . 435 Stark St. : Broadway 605 Chown Hardware Co. . 147 Fourth Street Lectro Crystal Detectors Most 'efficient, easily adjusted detector on market glass enclosed. Price $2 each. Ask your dealer. TRADE MARX RIO Lectro Mfg. & Sales Co. 331 Oak St Portland, Or. - Manufacturers and Jobbers' Radio Supplies - Barrett's, Inc. 154 FOURTH ST, Just North of Morrison St. . 'Phone Main 5131 ' COMPLETE STOCK OF EQUIPMENT The Public Invited to hear our set at the Ayro CAMP GROUNDS Ot'R EXPERT SERVICE DEPARTMENT rill install sets for FARMS ASD IXSTITCTIOXS and guarantee satisfactory re sults or you pay us nothing. Ont-ttf-Town Bncines. ( Given. Special Attention. Radio Service . Bureau Portland, Or. -10 Gases Bldg. Main 453S Kadioph Complete : 'y Line (Sj - Mail Orders Filled BOY FINDS OLD-FASHIONED DEVICE WILL BRING MUSIC Auto Detector, No Longer Used, Is Constricted by Lad to Get His . ' : Concerts From The Oregonian. EVER hear of tho '"Auto" detec tor, radio fans? Perhaps some of the old-time radio operators who were "hams"or experimenters during the early days of the wire less telegraph will recall several of the devices which were used 'at the time for -the detection of radio oscil lations. One of the forerunners of the "Crystal" typo was known as the "Auto" detector. It consisted of two carbon pencils across the top of which rested an ordinary steel needle. Around the carbons was con nected a single dry cell battery. Working on the principle of the mi crophone, this detector was rather a no'sy affair. It picked up, besides the telegraph signals, all the noise around the block. The least vibration was amplified and brought into the telephone receivers. . - The "auto" detector was discarded when the crystal type made its ap pearance and it js not in uo in any form of radio communication 'today. Not very long ago, William Tay lor, a young radio fan living in the f Beaumont district, who is a member of the Portland Central Library Radio club, found a description of the "auto" detector in an old rad'o book and constructed one jus for the fun of the thing. Instead of carbons he used two ordinary pencil leads, Jeach extend ing out from a binding post Across tho pencil leads he laid a--needle. Around the binding posts 'he con nected a telephone receiver and a single dry battery. To. one of the posts was hcoked his aerial, and to the other, the ground wire. Without tny tuning coii or con densers cr anything else, this sim ple outfit brought into youns Tav lor's hearing a radio concert being broadcast Jrom. The Oregonian abj'it four miles avay. The little simple outfit is now on exhioi-'on at the Central lmbl'c library. While this apparatus Is not as sensitive as the e'-ystal set it w;ll be .wrl? .,Jf' P ? RADIO SETS are revolutionizing Life in -the Wilderness. Picture for yourself the camping group around the campfire at night listening in on a concert in town of get ting the latest news of the day. Never before has the camper been able to get such rare amusement. 1 w Doeciaiitaaio for Outdoors 10 Years in the Radio Business ELECTRIC 75 SIXTH PORTLAND, Ship Owners Radio Service Broadway 1931. J. B. WEED, Manager. 310 Oak Street. RADIO Complete stock of Radio Supplies and Head Phones.. Immediate delivery on Aiidion Tube Sets with , MAGNAVOX Complete installation if desired. Call us for demonstration. E. L. Knight & Co. 449 AVahInffton St. Broadway 145. Rniffht Makes pay th Electric Way." Radio Parts Variocouplers " J Latest Variometers .j Grid Condensers ' Aluminum Sockets $1 SPECIAL parts Brnr FOR ANY SET H. M. H. Electric Co. 31 North First Street Broadway 1045 . Portland, Or. "Auto" detector receiving- set used by . young. Portland amateur to bring In The Oregonian radio con- certs. worth- the trouble of making one l'ke it as an interesting experiment. The cost of making sucn a set is practically nil. A description and hook-up is given above. Indian Totem Poles ' of Alaska Beautiful. Smithsonian Institution Sends a Representative to Study His tory. KETCHIKAN, Alaska, June 10 Indian totem poles of Alaska are as beautiful and as. interesting um the Parthenon of old Greece, ac cording to Dr. P. T. Waterman, who j is in Alaska studying the totem. poles for the Smithsonian Insti tute. Along the ' Alaska coasts the totem poles are disappearing and Dr. -Waterman was sent north by the institute, at the requst of the Now in Stock Operating K Q Y STREET OREGON Stock Situation IMPROVED! We can make imme diate delivery on practically all radio equipment. Complete Iimtallatloa if Desired. (Installer of ' Oregonian Radiophone) HALOWAT- RADIO APP., ETC. 1 Now in Stock ; Federal Junior 25.00 DeForest "Everyman" $25.00 Complete ahort ranjre aeta of advanced design. HALLQCK & WATSON RADIO SERVICE 192 Park Street Portland, Or. y WE HAVE RADIO SUPPLIES ' ALSO A FEW - HEAD SETS BETTER COME EARLY SMITH-McCOY 7 ELECTRIC CO. 264 ALDER ST-MAIN 8011 "Buy Electrical Goods From People Who Know" u6t CO United States government, to make a study of them and record their history before -they are all gone. In the native village of Kassan, near Ketchikan, he found a large group of poles. - Dr. Waterman says he has found that totems were used not only for memorial shafts but also were used by the early Indians as receptacles for the bodies of their dead. "The first totem poles were beau tifully carved by professional carv ers who used flat colors, mads from local minerals. Dark red. deep blue and black were used in ' coloring and not the gaudy yellow, bright red and blue which were found on later poles. Each totem had its own name and the naming of the pole was the occasion among the Indians for a potlach and the giving of pres ents. "Moving Up Higher" was the name of one pole belonging to the Raven tribe and "Bear Kneading" waa the name of another, getting its name from the way in which a bear walks, a movement similar to that of a woman kneading bread. -In one village Dr. Waterman round a pole on which was carved the figure of Alexander II, who was czar of Russia when Alaska was sold to the United States. Alexan der was pictured as wearing a frock Si.4, ePau'ets and pocket flaps. u'3' Dr- Waterman believes, was to show the contempt of the -Indians lor a czar who "could not hold." Dr. Waterman expects to spend another month In southeastern Alaska studying totem poles before returning to Washington. D. C He has devoted the past twelve years to Indian research work. The best oriental rugs represent prolonged labor. On each square toot of surface a weaver works about 23 days. A rug 12x12 feet, therefore, represents the labor of one man about ten years. oEAWO ! for all the family Do you understand tuning ? Can you bring in distant broad casting stations? Is your set 100 efficient? The Oregon Institute of Technology will conduct a practical Radio lec turing course in the Y. M. C. A. Auditorium, beginning June 15th. The lectures will be given by Walter Haynes, Radio Engineer, a recognized authority on the subject, Tuesdays and Thursdays. The same lecture will be given three times each of these days in order that all may have the oppor tunity to attend. (12:15 to 1:00 P. M., 5:15 to 6:00 P. M., 8:00 to 9:00 P. M.) ".'.. Here 'is an opportunity for you to learn practical Radio through questions and answers and by actual demonstration. The cost of the entire course is but $5.00; a special rate is made to two members of the same family who attend. A Special Free lecture will be given Tuesday, June 13th, at the hours mentioned above. Call 4th floor Y. M. C A. or phone Main 8700 for reservations. OREGON of TECHNOLOGY U Y. M. C. A. Bldg, The Real Test , RECENT TESTS WITH THE R-C WESTINGHOUSE RECEIVER HAVE PROYEN ITS EFFICIENCY! FOR LONG DISTANCE WORK. Stations which we have heard distinctly from Portland and other points in the state of Oregon are Vancouver, B. C, Great Falls, Montana, Los Angeles, Los Altos, Seattle, Belling ham and Yakima. - v ' M. J. Walsh Electric Company WESTINGHOUSE DEALERS. 106 Fourth Street. Portland, Oregon. Protect Your Home and Receiving Set Just As Your Telephone Line Is Protected J,- J. s. w. n Permit Inside TTn National trnderwrlters lave ruled that automatic safety features of the Ja sobos permit Inside ln rtallation the way the protector on your tele phone line is installed. $2.00 From All Good Dealers APEX ELECTRICAL SPECIALTY CO., INC. 57 Orange 8C Newark, N. J. FOR BETTER INSULATION USE HOPEWELL Radio Insulators Antenna Insulators Lead-In Insulators Mounting Insulators For Sale by Radio Dealers Ex-Crook Lectures Before Class at University. Berkeley Chief of Police Per auadea Reformed Criminal to Appear, BERKELEY Cai. June 10. Per sonal experiences tn safe-cracking and pickpocketing were related by "Frisco Tommy," x -crook, to some 300. members of the criminol ogy class of Dr. Jau Don Ball at the University of California here re cently. "Frisco Tommy," whose real name was concealed because he is now living an upright life, had been persuaded to apipear by Chief of Po lice Vollmer of Berkeley. The lecturer has a police) record In almost every largo city In America. He first became a pickpocket follow ing the death of both his 'parents when only a child. After that he entered tho more advanced career ot safe-breaking, and, during prohi bition, became a boxe runner." Coming at last Into oontaot with honest people, he studied their methods as he had studied those of " thieves before. It was not long, he said, before he was convinced that "to go straight is to be happy." Pet Cat Makes Big Jump. NIAGARA FALLS, N. Y. Nig, a pet oat, that makes its home at the American end of the steel arch bridge over Niagara gorge, Jumped 150 feet into tho gorge the other day when chased by a dog. Nobody ever expected to see Nig again but the next day, a little ruffled as to fur. Nig came back but no one can say how many of his nine lives be has left. D INSTITUTE " Sixth and Taylor ., From the INSIDE Use a JACOBUS VACUUM Aerial Protector Xo Ground Switch Gavies ff all static icd Hg-htningr aufomatic illy without damagre to it elf or Interference with jrour set. Protection everv mfnute of the day and Dlg-fiC Underwriters ap prove the dacobua to re place . around switch. Use i Jacobus, the best form ot lightning protection. '