Page EigEf
EDITORIAL PAGE OF THE REGISTER-GUARD
June
AN INDEPENDENT NEWSPAPER
(Published every evening: and Sunday)
EDITOR AND PUBLISHER - - Alton IT. Baker
MANAGING EDITOR - - - - William XI. Tugman
NEWS SERVICE, Associated Press, United Press
MEMBER Audit Bureau of Circulation
The Begister-Guard'i policy i the complete aud
Impartial publication in it news pages of all nows
and statements on news. On this page, the editors of
The Register-Guard offer their opinions on events of
the day and matters of importance to the commun
ity endeavoring to be candid but fair, and. helpful in
the development of constructive community policy.
A NEWSPAPER IS A CITIZEN OF ITS
COMMUNITY
POLITICS AND THE HOME
TTT7HAT are the political aspects of the situation
" that has arisen with regard to placing the
Northwest National Soldiers' Home? This !e a
question which a good many alert news writers In
the state are asking, and it Is a legitimate question,
although, In our opinion, not nearly so Important
as It might aeem.
Congressman Hawley and Senator McNary,
both close friends of President Hoover, were largely
instrumental in getting an appropriation for a home
in the Northwest. It was unquestionably a tribute
to Congressman Hawley when the veterans' hoard
voted to put the home "somewhere in Oregon,
south of Portland and west of the Cascades," in
Hawley's district to he perfectly plain.
But then it develops that a good many members
of the veterans' board are reluctant to place the
home In Roseburg. despite the fact that both
Hawley and McNary are firmly pledged to that
town. Eugene Is brought Into consideration. Com
plications are foreseen. Eugene has friends. Rose
burg has friends. The problem of satisfying the
veterans of eleven states who may some day live
In the home becomes an overshadowing issue.
There Is talk that unless all Oregon can agree
on the particular town for the home, the board
may move the whole thing up Into the state of
Washington, penalize Hawley, defy Hoover by
jeopardizing one of his staunchest friends. This Is
all poppycock. This board, composed of high rank
ing officers of the army and navy. Isn't Interested
in. politics and it isn't Interested in doling out
political punishment to anybody.
They have voted to locate the home somewhere
In Oregon, mainly because Oregon has a good cli
mate and because It has a central location. That
much is decided and the rest depends entirely on'
what they think best for the men they will Bend
to spend their declining years In the home.
In the pressure of the moment. Congressman
Hawley made the statement that if Eugene would
only withdraw Its offer of a site, the state could
be united for Roseburg and that would end the
whole thing. Would that end it? Ws do not believe
the board would reverse its decision to locate In
Oregon, hut would there be anything so likely to
drive the board to another state as for the whole
state of Oregon to Insist on one site and one site
only, regardlens of Its desirability for the veterans?
Is It not the wlBe thing for the state of Oregon
to take the position that the hoard should be free
to hunt but the best location in Oregon for Us
men? Roseburg has made a courageous fight. The
state Including Eugene will applaud if she wins.
But it Isn't what Roseburg wants or Eugene wants
or what our congressmen want, but what the vet
erans need that must decide the thing.
Eugene Is not asking Congressman Hawley or
Senator McNary to recede one Inch from their
committments to their Roseburg friends. Political
consequences? Rubbish! We respect their stand.
As all the details of the problem come to light
the one thing that stands out Is that this will not
he Oregon's home, nor Eugene's home, nor Rose
burg's home, nor a congressman's home, hut a
home for veterans. The men responsible to the
veterans are entitled to a free hand.
THE BOARD'S PROBLEM
TJAVING decided at Its last meeting on the
xi allocation of major functions at the University
of Oregon and Oregon State College, the board of
higher education meets at Portland Monday to
thrash out the still difficult problem of allocating
funds for the various Institutions. How to take the
equivalent of Jl.181.000 (the amount held up by
the referendum petitions) out of the schools In IS
months without shattering their morale and ef
ficiency Is a real problem.
Tentatively the hoard has required the schools
to draw up two budget plans. One plan Is based
on a cut of $1,181,000 divided between the Univer
sity and the College on a four-ninths and five
ninths basis. This would imply practlcnlly no cut
at the normal schools. The other plan calls for
dividing a $1,000,000 cut on the same basis, and
presumes the elimination of one normal school,
presumably the one at La Grande.
The ratio of four-ninths cut for the University
($449,000) and five-ninths for the College ($560,0001
represents the old ratio for dividing funds outside
of those used to match oulRlde money for special
work. It Is to be hoped that the board will NOT
perpetuate this purely abrltrnry method of dividing
funds which has always put the University at a
tremendous disadvantage despite the fart that It
carries iut as heavy enrollment as the College.
In the present crisis, especially, it Is imperative
that funds be divided scientifically In proportion
to actual enrollment and actual cost of major
course work. It Is eminently unfair to the tax
payers who send their children to the University
to divide funds on any other basis.
In fart, when you look at the actual figures,
you get a clearer Idea of the necessity for such
division. There will be only 2.20n.327 of state
tar monies to be divided between the schools In
1931 as compared with $3,010,601 In 19.10. The
medical school appropriation and the research ap
propriations which were Included In the $1,181,000
extra appropriation have been wiped out. The
money available for all schools Is lower than In
any year since 1925.
There Is really only one safe plan. Finance
major courses In the various schools first. Finance
service courses and "luxury courses" out of what
Is left. If there Isn't anything left cut them out.
This would mean that Oregon State's major work
in agriculture and engineering and domestic science
would "be well taken care of. It would moan that
the University's major work In business and law
and medicine and the liberal arts would ha taken
care of. Both schools would lose only the "trim
mings." That would do the least hurt.
' But the board Is going to have another job
when this Is done. It's the big Job of setting edu
cation straight with the public. Higher education
has been the "goat." Get these figures on the
causes of tax increases In Oregon since 1921.
Elementary schools and high schools have Increased
the tax load 42 per cent; towns and cities, 25 per
cent; roads and highways, 19.4 per cent; ports,
7.1 per cent. Higher education has added only 5.7
per cent to the tax load since 1921. And the Uni
versity of Oregon has added less than any other
unit despite the tact that it nearly doubled its
enrollment.
The University was getting $897,539 state money
In 1921; it was getting only $986,062 in 1930. Its
increase since 1921 was ONLY SEVEN-TENTHS
OF ONE PER CENT.
.
ONLY 563 VOTED
Can It Make the Grade?
fKLY 563 people voted In Eugene's school election
last Monday, a possible six per cent of the
eligible voters in the school district. There are
several ways of looking at the thing. You can say
complacently that the lack of interest shows gen
eral satisfaction with the way school affairs are
being run. We believe this to be quite true. People
generally have great confidence In the hoard and
In Superintendent Goold. 'But then, why shouldn't
they all show it by voting?
Of course the apathy In school elections here
and elsewhere Is only a little more pronounced
than the apathy in all elections. Even in a presi
dential election a 50 per cent vote is considered
pretty good. What's wrong with the American
people that they don't take more Interest In their
government? Are we so prosperous that we can
be expected to turn out and vote only when we
get really scared or hungry? You'd think most
everybody was that way now to hear the com
plaint of taxes and expenses.
Do we have too many elections In this country?
Is the average busy citizen bored with the duty
of trying to elect all kinds of officials from presi
dent to dogcatcher and with trying to decide all
kinds of legislative Issues from dog taxes to- pro
hibition? Would we save money and get a more ex
pressive result if we crowded all elections Into the
same election day, and if we spaced all elective
offices so that we had to vote only at an Interval
of years? It isn't so long since the reformers
Induced us to separate national elections from local
elections so that Issues would not be confused.
Is the county better oft with the voting- in the
hands of the few people who can scare up enough
pep to go to the polls? Would It be wise to limit
the voting privileges to those who could pass
certain Intelligence tests or property tests? Is our
government so good that we can't he bothered
worrying about it, or is It so rotten that most of
us have decided that it's useless to worry about it?
What will be the result If we ever bang up against
a crisis that will bring out all the voters who
haven't expressed' themselves for years?
We leave It to our able correspondents to write
something specific on the question. Now that the
rain has stopped It looks like the fish might be
biting on the McKenzle. We hope nobody calls
an election till we return.
BETTER HOMES MOVEMENT
SOME of the biggest lumber mills In the Wil
lamette valley are facing indefinite shutdowns
after July 1, pending a pickup In the price of lum
ber, and that Is tough news, but it may not be as
tough as It looks. As the big Boulder Dam Job. over
In Navada progresses we are bound to get some
of the benefits. The new lumber rates to California
are bound to have a restorative effect.
But the thing which the lumber industry needs
more than anything else Is a genuine, nation-wide
better homes movement. There are symptoms that
such a movement Is In the offing. It is history
that money tied up In savings accounts at low
interost usually finds its way into home building.
Never was home building as cheap.
President Hoover In his Indianapolis speech
last week turned thought in the direction of home
building by calling attention to the fact that
better housing Is" Just one of the many necessities
in his proposed 20-year program of national develop
ment. It would shock those who think we are a
civilized nation to know how many millions in
the Industrial centers don't know what a home
looks like.
What can we do to accelerate such a movement
and to stimulate the use of lumber In It? Why
not call for some building and rebuilding right
here in the Northwest, and use lumber when we
do it? Why not get cranky about such matters as
trying to sell us strawberries and raspberries in
paper composition baskets? What has become of
developing more lumber byproducts, furnishings
and fixtures? What about the plans to establish
permanent wood products exhibits on the highway
near the city's gates?
Lumber is through, mourn the pessimists. Bosh!
Iron Isn't through because aluminum has replaced
It for cooking pots. Lumbering may be dis
organized, demoralized, despondent. It Is paying
dearly for a lot of its youthful sins, but we might
begin to give it a helping hand by inquiring what
we've done to it in tax rates. Lumber Is basic,
and human beings will be needing it as long as
we can raise a stick.
DAD'S DAY! YES!
QL'NDAY, we are Informed, Is Dad's Day, of
flelnlly, which means that If Dad has the price
lo advance the money he niny get a new necklie
or a pair of sorks. Dear Old Dad! It's nice to be
a dnd, but as Mi'Giirk says, why emphasize the
fact? Our suggestion for Pad's Day Is that the
old man get a section of white meat Instead of
just the wing or neck. And Dad will probably be
quite content If the folks will Just kindly tell him
"where he put his hat," and If Maw remembers
to sharpen the carving knife, and If Brother will
hang the hammer In the tool chest Instead of on
the back fence. If Sis wants to do something, she
can darn the golf socks.
Well, even though the weather in Oregon
hasn't been entirely what we would have ordered,
we can look upon the reports of the annual heat
wave In the Middle West and shake hands all
around.
There Is considerable talk of a moratorium on
all war debts to help various nations out of the
depression. There have been a good many Individ
ual moratoriums but the bankruptcy courts not be
ing operated by diplomats have never learned to
ute the more dlgulfied name.
WHAT SOME THINKERS THINK
Compiled by CLAY E. PALMER
Pastor of First Congregational Church
JIRBY PAGE, editor of "The World
Tomorrow," sent out a question
aire to all the ministers in the lead
injr Protestant denominations and re
ceived replies from 1H.37-. as fol
lows: 6(i per cent favored America
enterinjr the League of Nations im
mediately; S3 per cent are anoint
military traininK in our public hijrh
schools, colleges and universities; SO
per cent favor a substantial reduction
in armaments even if the V. S. is
compelled to take the initiative and
make a proportionately greater re
duction than other nations; 62 per
cent do not favor our government in
tervening in a military way to pro
tect the lives and property of Amer
ican citizens in other lands but pro
tective efforts should bo confined to
pacific means; 62 per cent believe
that the churches of America should
now go on record as refusing to sanc
tion or support any future war; 54
per cent said they were personally
prepared to state that it was their
present purpose not to sanction any
future war.
Dr. Harry Emerson Fosdlok, Amer
ica's greatest liberal preacher: "My
deep conviction is that the greatest
single rival Christianity has on earth
today is a narrow, militaristic na
tionalism. ... For if this dogma of
militaristic nationalism wins the field,
the consequence is inevitable that
ever and again this nation will con
script its Christians, nnd that nation
will conscript its Christians, and the
two nations will hurl their Christians
at. each others throats, und those
Christians will sink each others ships,
starve each others children, slaughter
each other's women, poison each other
with gas, and slny each other with
pestilence. Can any man suppose
that there is any such thing as ac
commodation or compromise between
the dogma of nationalistic militarism
and the spirit of Christ?"
A. Maude Royden. greatest woman
preacher in Anglo-Saxon world, an
English woman: "I think from what
I have seen of the work of the church
es in America that they COULD stop
war. J am not certain that they
WOULD. I do not think they realize
how difficult it is to stand firm when
all the rest of the world is going mad.
It. is so difficult that is almost im
possible. One begins to think with
Pascal that 'madness is so common
with mankind that not to be mad is
a kind of madness.' It takes a tre
mendous spiritual disciple to keep
one untouched by the psychological
condition of the great mass of the
people."
Bruce Barton, author and publicist:
"In all the earlier ages war was a
natural and comparatively harmless
outlet for the adventurous energies
of youth. The Thirty Year war was
carried on in Europe for a whole gen
eration, yet not many people knew
about it. . . . Washington marched and
shot at the British for seven years.
But he never had in the army at any
one time as many young men as you
will find at a World Series baseball
game. . . . Another war would wipe
out more people in a day than the
Revolution killed in seven years. It
wnnlri devnstntft whole nations and
probably wreck civilization. It would
be a moral crime.
Lloyd George, ex-premier of Eng
land: "The churches were to blame
for the last war not monarch, rul
ers militarists, but the churches. Had
nil the churches cried 'halt,' the nw
f nl murder could not have gone on."
Field Marshall Hnlfl, probahly Eng
land's best known soldier: "The gos
pel of Christ is the world's only
social hope and the sole promise of
world peace." 0 0
Clay E. Palmer: "What an awful
dilemma confronts the modern Chris
tian? If his first loyalty is to Christ,
then he is called an enemy of his
country. If his first loyalty is to
the stnte then he is held responsible
for war, which is group murder, and
will destroy civilization.'
ADVENTURES WITH BOOKS
By ROY LESLIE SMITH
By ROY LESLIE SMITH
THE CRAFT OF THE CRITIC, by
S. Stephenson Smith. Thomas Y.
trowel. o.. . l. ,.i.
IT is the distinction of a member of
the faculty of the University of
Oregon to produce a work which is a
refreshing oasis in the wilderness of
modern books. Its modest title does
not give a prophecy of its riches.
It discusses in a luminous way the
technique of reviewing. An amntpur
in that art is not unaware- of the
humor of tho situation when he nt
tpmpts.a review of the book on re
viewing by a master of the subject,
One must however express his grat
itude Tor this valuable work, written
in a pleasant sparkling style. Every
one who loves books is or should bo
a literary critic. Professor Smith
pives the necessary back c round for
the criticism and enjoyment of litera
ture. He has provided a "Hedeker for
contemporary literature nnd the gayer
arts.' There is also a remarkable
survey-and appraisement of many
authors and phases of ancient as well
as modern literature. Certainly one
appreciates a guide in this "realm of
cold" so sure, sincere and genial as
the author.
An excellent example of bis critic
inn is a chapter dealing with the new
biography under the striking title.
"The Art of Framing Lies," He sums
up the complaint, that, the intimate
biocraphy of the day suffers from n
decay of reticence: it. shows not the
man himself but the man as seen
through the biographer's tempera
ment; H indulges in too much infer
ence; it tli rows into undue emphasis
the unusual, the bizarre and the pic
turesque in a man's life. Yet it. has
performed two great services. It, has
done away with Victorian false del
icacy and has destroyed the credit of
the two volume lives whioh no one
will ever read again. The author does
not plead for suppression of lapses
and weaknesses in a man's life, only
let them be presented in proper perspective.
Une exclaims with delight at the ;
happy trenchent phrases which greet j
one from almost every page, such as j
"ghouIi?h writers.' "macaroni com-
pound." "splenetic enw." In a cr- j
tain work The unwary reader ab
sorbs great learning by nrraosis.
"The champion muddle-mind," "The
divine Tightness of touch when heart
senses aud mind are suddenlv fused
bv the imaginative reason." "Arcur
ary is the morality of the intellect,"
"The swelling cadences of Deep River
come from deeper springs of life
than the tawdry stucco words of the
Rosary."
Our justification fnr passing on
these gm is th fohnc th-.v ni a un
people rend book review s w ho mm
never purchase the book and should
be rewarded by something worthwhile
from the author himself.
.
WHAT I OWE MY FATHER. Sidney
Strong, editor. Heury Holt & Co.,
N. Y. $1.50.
Three women and eleven men, all
of them leaders in American affairs,
make an accounting of their debts to
their fathers. Not biological and fin
ancial debts, to he sure, but those less
tangible debts growing out of associa
tion aud example.
Certainly nothing is more Impor
tant than the family. These fourteen
characters pay their debt of gratitude
lo thrir homes and especially to their
fathers. Much light is thrown not
only on their fathers but on them
selves. Thendnre Roosevelt, great in many
ways, shone as a father. His son.
Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.. portrays
him as a great "pal" of his children.
No pressing duties of the presidency
were allow ed to stand between him
and his time and association given
his children.
We can better understand Harry
Emerson Fosdick, Rabbi S, S. Wise,
when their fathers are portrayed.
The" reader of these tributes will be
led to do some evaluating of his own
relation to his father or, it may be.
to bis children, American boys will
be curious to know what the boys of
yesterday thought of their fathers.
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Roger W. Babson's advice to boys is
to go to their fathers for advice on
every opportunity.
Tracy Strong, editor of "The
World's Youth" while in Switzerland,
was cabled for fifty word message of
the kind of the fathers the boys of
the world were demanding. His an
swer is a triumph. "Universal re
quirements, food, shelter, counsel.
National racial demands vary: Japan,
authority and courtesy; India, pas
sion for spiritual ideals; China, to be
worthy of worship; British, fair play;
Russian, willingness to try untried
things; Slavic, patient idealism: Latin,
culture: African, humor, pathos;
North American, democratic comrade
ship; the.ie combined characteristics
approach perfection. Christ reveals
the brotherhood of suffering love."
MAIL BAG
WHO IS WHO?
CUGENE, Ore. tTo the Editor)
Mnho favors laws prohibiting bauk
robbery? Not buk robbers of course,
but tho bankers.
Who are in favor of the law pro
hibiting train robbery? The railroad
companies, to be Bure, for what train
robber is not opposed to such a law?
Who is in favor of the law pro
hibiting the sale of tainted meat? The
law abiding people who are buying
meat for their families. Not the men
who have tainted meat to sell.
Who are opposed to the sale of
cigarettes to children? Not the cigar
ette salesmen, but the parents who
love their children.
Who are in favor of the law pro
hibiting the sale of intoxicating liq
uors as a beverage? We all kpow that
it is the lawabidtng sober upright
men nnd women of our nil ion who
have the welfare of our boys and girls
at heart.
So now let us examine ounelws
and see why and where we stand.
By request of REV. N. WOOD.
THANKS THOMPSON
PUGENE, Ore. (To the Editor)
Please convey to Mr. Thompson
via the mail bag a few flowers of
congratulations, on his able answer to
Mr. Simon relative to the futility of
expecting an indulgent deity to nullify
the law of cause and effect in order
to satisfy the petitioner. Quoting
from Mr. Bryan's well known ser
mon on immortality: "If the divine
father who gives to the rose whose
withered blossoms scent the autumn
air the sweet assurance of another
springtime would he deny that right
to the soul of man when the frost of
winter comes."
Perhaps not but for the deity to
set aside his laws to satisfy certain
folk regardless of the balance would
mean chaos in a world that has a
reputation for cosmic law and order.
There are certain ecclesiastical digni
taries it is true that are presumed to
have special influence and Biblical
history gives us the well known case
of the sun, moon, and stars being held
up while a lot of innocent women and
children were being slaughtered but
there are a lot of people that are
like the Scotchman, they 'hae their
doots."
Truly yours for truth
W. H. LEE.
NO PRIZES!
CAN FRANCISCO, CaL (To the
Editor) We are advised by our
clients, Liggett & Myers Tobacco
company, that a rumor has become
prevalent throughout the country to
the effect that certain numbers found
on packages of various brands of cig
arettes, including their own CHES
TERFIELD Cigarettes, entitles the
finders to prizes ranging all the way
from nominal sums to automobiles,
and checks for several thousand dol
lars. Our clients are greatly disturb
ed at the thought of having their
customers misled and imposed upon
by the circulation of such rumors, and
at the. idea of their ultimate disap
pointment in finding them untrue
after having collected packages in
search of winning numbers.
Of course, to a thinking person,
the idea is ridiculous. To begin with
such a scheme would constitute a lot
tery and consequently be illegal.
Such numbers, or letters as do appenr
on cigarette packages are put there
merely for the manufacturers' iden
tification purposes. Communication
with any of the large cigarette man
ufacturers wDl readily verify this
fact.
But when Barnum commented upon
the gullibility of the American peo
ple, he evidently knew only the half
of it or else our susceptibility to ho-
21,1931.
cum and bunk hai .,
many fold since h"C!d "
of people old und'youSj Pwtwl
female, imbecile and i.??,1'
rushing to cigar stores, bSW"i
tltieS Of F Flt.. . ' , U1 ixa
tearing them to piece, jn il'm
m.sii; Bj-mooi. Dealers iiv1
and manufacturers are b"5iUi'.
letters, 'phone calls, and teJEJ
some seeking a eki. . .i'fnv.
word, some inquiring the a?"
of the prize, and other, cS?1"
have dug their way to g'lde Tt"" h
in the bottom of a cigar,? :, J H'
and demanding their ni 'l'
good business for the teleS.1' "
names and the telegraph
it may also be good fo -afl
business while it lasts-but th nt,M
math of . disillusioned pub&
be- so good. c ""f H
At any rate our clients f.,i ,
in some manner the mihli
should be set at rest, and nirt.
activity diverted from "at 5 J"'-"1
prospect holes in cigarette i.?"
to pursuits more gainful Th
tion of the public mind be L
function of the newspaper Zl
that you will be glad to corrt
hallucination through your "e S1
umns. and bring to an enfl n. i
hysteria which has EiS'i?.1"
ulace. If we might suggest tf.1?
nation affords an oppnrtutfhr
only of performing a service , 5
public and to the manufacture?. J
cigarettes, but of concoction i I.
amusing satire on American credS
Whatever you can do to t S
Hie nimnr will t, il? ss
-. uiMueL-iatea Br onr.
selves and our cl ems '
Very truly vours
NEWF.U,.rrarTT m.,.-
RPPITAI Dl .,.,-
cial). Wilda and Bo'bbv Hik-s iS
and daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Hich
will be presented in a piano rwiui
Saturday evening. June 20. at Mdlot
ran and Washburne auditorium w
Reuben Charlyle Gnffreierre. Tb.il
program will be entirelv f,
ory.
MAK KEXSHAW
roruien.v hi ice .none! tieauty gfc
is now at Bob-s Beauty Shop. Ph. sjj
Garden Seeds
Second planting of many vegetables
should be made now, following the
rain. We have a complete list for your
selection.
EARWIG BAIT
Ant-Tox : Fly-Tox : Snayl-Tox
Eid your home of these pests.
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T"N.iTHE PARPEN STORE
' PHONE 1950 J
2o
facilities we provide
, , , this is the second of a series of
statements explaining the services of our
various departments.
O TRUST
DEPARTMENT
Acts as Administrator of Estates.
Accepts Will for Filing- without Ch&rg.
Acts as Executor Under Wills.
Acts as Trustee Under Will or Deei.
Handles Escrows.
Acts as Guardian of Property of Minors
Acts ss Guardian of Property of In
competents.
, Acts as Depository for Property Placed
in Escrow.
, Acts as Trustee Under Mortgage or
Indenture Securing Issue of Bonds.
. Furnishes Information without pbligi-tlon.
THE
UNITED STATES NATIONAL BANR
OF EUGENE
EUGENE LOAM A SAVINGS BANK
v.