mm.xmsBt& HOME AND FARM MAGAZINE SECTION A Page of Editorials for the Home and Farm Magazine TO ADVERTISERS Advertisers In this locality who wish fully to cover nil sections of Oregon and Wnshinfiton nnd a portion of Idaho will apply to local publishers for rates. General advertisers may address C. L. Hurton, Advertising Malinger Home nnd Farm Magazine Section, Orcgonian Uuildlng, Portland, Oregon, for rates and Information. TO READERS Headers are requested to send letters and articles for'publtcntion to The Edi tor, Home nnd rami Magazine Section, Orcgonian Huildlng, Portland, Oregon. Discussions on questions and prob lems that bear directly on the agricul tural, livestock and poultry interests of the Northwest and on the uplift nnd comfort of the farm home always are welcomed. No letters treating of re ligion, politics or the European war are solicited. We proclaim neutrality on these matters. Comparatively brief contributions arc preferred to long ones. Send us also photographs of your livestock and farm scenes that you think would be of general interest. We wish to make this magazine of value to you. Help us to do it. GIVING THE CHILD A CHANCE rrllE importance of the child is I gradually being recognized by organized society. The wonder of it all is that the child has been neglected for so long. The resources of the powerful United States Gov ernment have always been at the command of those seeking to stamp out an insect plague, dr those desir ing to improve the breeds of cows, hogs or chickens, but how much time has been given by Govern mental authorities to improving the breed of children ? And which is the more important to the coming gen eration, that better grades of domestic animals shall be raised or that a more virile manhood shall come into its own? The work of breeding children is to a certain extent conducted by state or private organizations. It is a work that cannot be commended too highly. Juvenile courts are aiding now m dealing with the wayward child. "Child labor" laws have been passed. Schools have been formed with the object of teaching girls how to care for babies schools in "mother craft." Widows' pension bills have been passed by 23 states. Conven tions of physicians now find an im portant subject for discussion in the welfare of the child. Leaders in educational work are considering the training of the child. Year by year, the demand has be come stronger for n square deal for the child in his right to be well bom, in his right to have good health, a strong body and proper training. ,With a fair chance for the child, the results are certain to prove of in estimable value to the country. CAN WE HOLD OUR OWN? AMERICA'S opportunity lies be fore her today as it never has lain before. The terrible war that is devastating Em-ope has opened a wide door of opportunity to us, with a world of conquest lying behind it. These conquests are the peaceful conquests of industry. Can we grasp the situation and do the work before us? There are three things necessary: 'A large population, skilled in the in dustrial arts, an abundant capital to pay them and also to stimulate business in foreign countries, and a plentiful supply of power. in the earliest ages of our indus tries water power was about all there was. Then came coal, and in spile of the discovery of oil and the inventions that apply electricity to industries, coal may still bo said to constitute the most important source of all our motive power. The production of coal in 1918 in the United States was 509,000,000 long tons, nearly twice that of Great Britain, our closest competitor. At the present rate of growth we shall soon be turning out as much coal as all the rest of the world together. We are not only able to compete with Great Britain and all the rest of the world in the quantity and price of coal for home use, but also for export. When the last century closed the total exports of coal from the United States were 7,000,000 tons. In 1913 this was increased to 21,000,000 tons. The figures answer emphatically in the affirmative the question of our ability to compete for the busi ness of the world in one respect at least, that of the great motive power. Is there any question about our ability in other respects? To coal we add fuel oil' and to these two electric power from our wonderful streams. As to capital, we are well supplied, and our production of solid money annually is very great. Then for our population, it numbers today in our continental territory 100,000, 000 of the most intelligent, quickest witted, best-fed and therefore most energetic people on the earth. WISDOM AND WAR. NINE HUNDRED years ago a dispute between Modona and Bologna over a well bucket began a war which devastated Europe. A Chinese Emperor once went to war over the breaking of a teapot. Sweden and Poland flew at each other's throats in 1654 because the King of Sweden discovered that his name in an official dispatch was followed by only two et cetcras, while the King of Poland's had three. The spilling of a glass of water over the Marquis do Torey led to war between France and England, and a small boy, by throwing a peb ble at the Due de Guise, led to the massacre of Vassy and the 30 years' war. LAZY FARMERS, DON'T READ THIS. (Ertltorlnl In Polk County Itcmlrer.) THE United States Department of Agriculture, the state boards and the experts all over the country arc urging the farmers of America to cultivate every available acre during the coming year. The war in Europe assures the sale of almost everything that can be raised. Every article that is ex ported to feed the soldiers and the citizens and the stock of Europe means that just that much less for home consumption, therefore, even with big crops of everything, the price will be high. If it is not a good crop year the farmer will at least raise enough for home use and will not have to pay the high prices that will pre vail. Utilize every availablo acre for grain, grasses and vegetables. It should not be necessary, under proper conditions, to import potatoes into any agricultural county. Put the hens and the turkeys to work and give them a square deal. Raise hogs, cattle and horses in as large numbers as the accommoda tions of your farm will justify and. any losses that any fanner, planter or rancher may have sustained last year will be more than made good. The war in Europe may last for months or years, and while it con tinues there will be an active de mand for everything we produce. Should the war end this week the nations engaged will need all our surplus products for a year at least. Take our advice, for once, and do not permit good, tillable land to lie idle in 1915. Sect IF THERE MUST BE ALLIANCES IF THERE must be European al liances though tragic events have proved them to bo danger ous we may hope though hardly expect in view of the bitterness that will follow war a new alignment when peace once more reigns over battle-ravaged Europe. Why is it not possible to have an alliance between France, Germany, England, Italy and the lesser pow ers with its sole aim the beneficent development of Europe and the peaceful curbing of the less ad vancedf nations of Europe and Asia? Not an alliance for the offensive, not for conquest, not to deprive Russia or Asia of a "place in the sun," not to limit their right .to de velopment, prosperity and enlight enmentbut to keep them in check until they have risen in culture and democracy to the level of Western Europe and to help them rise, if it is not asking loo much. It should be a league for develop ment, not for repression; for civi lization and peace, not for barbar ism and war. The bitterness between England and Germany Affects us in America like bitterness between two of our good friends and neighbors, both of whom we love and respect, nnd for both of whom there is -room and honor and glory. It is not good for England, for Germany or for the world. Such a league, formed honestly for peace and working for peace, not hypocritically for peace and working for war, would help each of its members, would help Russia, would help the Balkans, would help the world. It would spread enlightenment, intelligence, civilization and the as piration for human liberty. It would dispel the cloud of fear that kept the nations armed and on the brink of war, and that cast the shadow of coming tragedy over the fields and factories and into the homes. But will international hatred, born afresh by the war, remain to make this impossible? THE HIGH COST OF LIVING. WE HEAR a great deal these days about the high cost of living, and it certainly docs cost us a good deal more at the pres ent time than it did only a few years ago. But before we groan too much about what it costs us to live these days, we would better slop and con sider what we are getting for our money. You know we have a few things at the present time which seem to be necessities, that our fathers and grandfathers could not afford, even as luxuries, as only a few years ago they could not be had at any price. For instance, there is the tele phone. That adds quite a bit to the high cost of living, but how would you like to try to get along without the telenlimwT' nw getting your i Coiul don't von 7 l"ew'plift Then utmost any , 1 Astern, even JfttlliJ Pump on thn J?n "feJ hard cash ,"TViWi from a spring or W wholElntJL5.Hfcl are wllih.7L?i It costs quite 7 btJnct WOUlfl in .V!V?1,& gooiibuilVo&S just the samo. auT! Ammh ,..:"" 'J Ui Uwo-roomlooJ on funi sh mo- , n" teW .,.i ... Tr: "7 iane .. nve Mttcrandb privileges, and it all cosW ";"' -'uain more, k ccturcs, sco more playii "vuno uuu spena more i many things that make) llVlllOr thnn urn AiA ago, and it all add lotted vj. ji villi;. Thon Utva iB It,...!. ... . "AUWIK mid Will Irmtr IUl i an expensive luxury, yel( uiiyo uiiu uim canauordt irood mnnv lmv inum tuu lo, -and yet we go on cons nhmit (ho lilirVi i tj. it looks as if we were ptt moneys worm, and if we n lllnitl Mrltir ma(- mm.I.L . jmcuii, irujr nub (.Ullipiam &t cost of high living? That i seem more consistent, U) wuy cumiJtuiii at nil ( Why not live as well in within our income, enjoy slD vrminnnna nnrl nminlAftA. .J ...... i.. iv-. uuu (Jitiutiu in fi""-" j,v, ami ov iiu ( ford, pay the price of hijiS unjuiiwii, nisu'iiu oi TO about the high cost of M$ The farmer whomakejc living is said to be lesingt cause he is not making; a p on his investment or i wages for his time. Nerenbi man may toil away in the e in nnd day out and at the eH year find he is not anythnu of the game, yetheisireTBj of as failing to make Isn't there a little ina hero? The only sentiment in 1 famous sea song, "Rule 1 which anneals to the I is that part of the refrain runs: "And he mar-n-ade : In the bottom of Uic deep.ti We rend that a great Bid 22-carat European operas flntninedin this country c of the war. Yet this doai to affect the high cost of i Mntinir that the Bo i.mwinff ".Tnck Johnson" i.nn...A.iv v mnv infer I j3 a stiffer punch in llatk; t., i,a matter of advert seems to us that the W Germans are genu u v out of this war. Thoro. will be some da t ..!... jninriwements w ar'B.flS-'" nclles. A learned authority J l, Mm Inst War. Un4" for many thousands! yk