STEDFORT) MATL TRIBUNE. MEDFORT). ORECJOX, MONDAY.- SEPTEMBER 24. 1917
PAGE TTTREE
pENTY BILLIONS AMERICANS ON
T0BESPENI1LY BATTLEFIELD ARE
I HALF WAR COST KEEN FOR FIGHT
i
Just a Fifth of Nation's Income and
l It Won t Break us Large Part is
J Loan to Allies, Another Part Is for
; Merchant Ships and Another Block
S W Airships Much of It Returns.
a -
i Bv BASIL M. MANLY
! . WASHINGTON, Sept. 24. Appro
bations by congress' the present
year will total more tliiiu twenty bil
' . lion dollars. This stupendous sum is
j more than n third of the aiijrregate
income of all the people of the United
i: States.
I Is all this wealth to be consumed in
h the fire and smoke of battle, ns many
! pro-Qcrinan propagandists are trying
JKtp make the people believe t
yr , Are we simply throwing more than
a third ot what the American people
will produce this year into the lap of
. the war god with no hope of return?
Or is a large part of these thou
sands of millions simply an invest -V
ment, from which we shall reap com
mensurate returns?
Where Money. Goes;
.Suppose we analyze for ourselves.
46k down the column for the largest
:e item "loans to allies"
$t 000,000,000. Here arc seven bil
ls riLrlit at the start tor wuicn
responsibility of interest and cap
I payments rests not on us, but
Our allies.
iiid here's another big item
JO,000,000 in round figure for
uippiiig uuinu. I, Here is mm
ney going f Why, into ships the
t investment in the world for
is after the wur. Some of these
ps are sure to be sent to the bot
1, biit ns a whole they are not only
og to pay for themselves, but,
naged with judgment and effie
3y, will pay into the federal treas-
an amount equal to their initial
t every year they are operated,
n if ocean freight rates drop to
Lfniivl tlipir iirpsenf level.
fhen there is $150,000,000 for the
administration. This will be
a (to purchase foodstuffs for re
Tlie federal government will
fefore always have in the form of
key or food the full value of every
nr. It is an investment and not
expense.
j War Risk Insurance,
limilarly with $"r,000,000 apprp
itcd for war risk insurance, used
ply as a capital fund. Under
sent rates and losses this capital
(return to the treasury a consid
ble profit.
'ten there arc items of $25,000,-
On Historic Ground, Vanguard of
Pershing's Army Is Working With
in Reach of German Guns, But
Forbidden to Go "Over the Top"
Sneak Into British Trenches.
3
:S.
1
N00 for the Danish West Indies, $20,
0,000 for a nitrate plant which can
oduoe fertilizer in times of peace,
d $3,000,000 for the Alaska rail
ly, all simply investments, to say
thing of various amounts estimat
jroughly at $100,000,000 expended
enlarging the government's nrsen-
t and other plants in no sense
rrent expenditures, but renlly ad
dons to the nation's capital.
Now we come to another kind of
m $050,000,000 for aviation
,iveou ever thought what the sit-
tion would have been if the war
3 ended with America's aviation as
was until this appropriation was
idef. Let mo tell you.
When peace returns the nir is go
f to' be the great new highway of
' Jlhierco for passengers, letters and
hi pnekages. During the war the
intion progress has been at least
i great as during ten years of peace
id it has all been made by Euro
lan 'countries with Uncle Sam
deep at the switch, except for a
!W private concerns.
Arintion Program's Effect,
(If we had not had a big aviation
rogram forced on us by war, we
fould have come into this great new
ield of commerce at least ten years
ehind France, England, Italy .and
tcrmany. With the big sums the
Jnited States is now investing in
iirplane development, we arc going
o enter the nl'tcr-the-war airplane
lompetitmn on something like equal
erms. So this airplane nppropna
ion ought to be counted ns an invest
neat. '
i Then there are about a billion and
I half dollars for the ordinary gov
irnment departments, which must be
lupported in peace or war.
Deducting these various items, wc
find while wc mint raise about twen
ly billion dollars during the present
year at least half ought to be count
ed as investment.
Ten billion as actual war cxpendi
ture is an enormous sum; but if we
consider that it is onlY about a fifth
of our Dationnl income, it become
apparent that we are not going broke.
and that the burden is not nearly n
heavy an or pro-German friend
would have us believe.
H
TTO
WAR PROF TEERS
IS
NOW
URGED
Government Compelled to Use Strong
Hand in Squeezing Out Extortion
Coal Forced Down, Steel Com
mandeered,' Oil Requisitioned and
Policy Adopted Cost Plus Profit.
SOMEWHERE ALONG THE
BRITISH FRONT, IN FRANCE.
Sept. 24- (By(the Associated Press)
On a historic battlefield which
merges Into the fighting lines are
encamped many American troops, far
removed from the rest of their com
patriots, who form the vanguard of
Uncle Sam's expeditionary force In
France.
For military reasons, it is Impos
sible to tell the world just where
these men are, who they are. or what
they are doing to further the inter
ests of the entente allied cause, but
It may be said on authority to
credit to the stars and strfpes which
for the first time In history fly over
a camp of American soldiers in this
part of the war wrecked world.
Under German Guns.
Some of them have been working
continually In a zone covered by Ger
man guns and already two of their
number have been wounded, a fact
whereof they are exceedingly proud.
The Associated Uress heard these
men were here and sought them out
The visit involved a long motor trip,
but the sight ot their bronzed faces
and the sound of their cheerful, de
termined voices more than repaid for
the long journey. They are a fine
healthy looking lot, and nearly two
months of hard work In the open un
der Teal campaigning conditions has
put them in shape and they are ready
for anything.
Forbidden Exposure.
Especially are they prepared and
anxious to try honors with the Ger
mans. In fact, their only grievance
is that for the present they are
not permitted, except where necessity
demands, to expose themselves to
the enemy's big guns. They want to
feel the thrill that one experiences
when explosives are going up all
about and when shells herald their
approach across No Man's Land with
a i wicked whine that gives notice
that in a fraction of a minute deadly
bits of ragged steel will be flying in
all directions. American officers have
hard times keeping their men out of
the British front line trenches. It
is said that more than one American
soldier has crept away when off duty
and after making friends with the
"Tommies" has taken his place be
side them for a few glorious minutes
while a minor battle was progressing.
Americans to I'lglit.
It would have been unwise, per
haps, for the correspondent to Inquire
too closely when any of the American
officers "had done their bit" In thli
manner. Nevertheless the corespond
ent had grave suspicions that some
of them had been 'over the top" with
their allies in early days before or
ders forbade It. However, they are
good disciplinarians and nobody is
disregarding the edicts which have
been issued by the higher command
The correspondent visited two dif
ferent camps and in each of them
there were the same scenes of meth
odical activity characteristic of Amer
ican methods. Things were moving
smoothly and no false motions were
being made. Efficiency was the
watchword everywhere.
Iloston linked Ilcans.
It was noon when the second camp
was reached and the officers and men
were preparing for mess. Several
clean-cut young officers came out to
greet the correspondent and it was
a cheery welcome with a firm hand
grip and a hearty "I'm mighty glad
to see you." One would have known
he was In an American camp had he
been blindfolded. An Invitation was
extended to mess and it was accepted.
"I'm afraid we can't offer you
very much to cat," said one of the
officers. "You see our cook Is 111
and just at this moment we are got
ting along as best we can. But we
can give you plenty of beans and
well, plenty more beans," ho ended
with an apologetic laugh.
So Boston baked beans were served,
the first the correspondent had seen
in two years of knocking about which
had taken him from revolution-torn
Dublin to the Mohamed revolt on the
northwest frontier of India. And
they were the best beans ever canned
or that ever will be canned.
By GILSON GARDNER.
WASHINGTON, D. C, Sept. 24.
The government is making a hard
but winniiig fight to curb "wur prof
iteering." The president has found
business is only partly patriotic and
a strong hand is required to squeeze
out extortionate profits even in war's
necessities.
The first experience in this line
was that of Secretary Daniels with
the coal operators. The best price
the operators had to offer was $2.95.
The sccretnry used his war power
to fix a tentative mine price of $2.35,
since reduced by the president to $2.
As the navy uses about 2,000,000
tons a year, the illegitimate profit
squeezed out is $2,000,000 if meas
ured by the operators' patriotic
price," or $3,000,000 if measured by
the current market price.
"Patriotic Prices."
A "putriotic price" was also made
on steel. April 0, in response to Sec
retary Daniels' request the steel op
erators offered to sell 310,000 ton
to the government at $58 a ton for
ship plates anil $50 a ton for "bars
and shapes." The market price was
between .$80 and 85. This repre
sented a saving of $7,500,000.
But it soon uppearcd this was
merely a beginning of what the gov
ernment needed. The steel and cop
per people were accordingly asked
for a rock-bottom price. They de
clined to make a price the same to
allies and the general public, us well
as to the government, so Daniels an
nounced the government wou'd com
mandeer steel. Producers wen told
to furnish what the government need
ed at "cost plus a reasonable profit."
Steel costs are now being worked
out by tho federal trade commission.
Iluylng Fuel Oil.
The same tro"ble was encountered
I COWARDICE
GERMAN REPLY
ON POPE'S PEACE
LONDON, Sept. 24. The Man
chester Guurdian considers that the
German reply is- not strictly an ans
wer to the pope's appeal for peace.
Tho Guardian says:
"We 'arc sorry to say it, but we
find a good deal of moral and polit
ical cowardice in the note. There
was only one way by which Germany
could convince the world of the sin
cerity of her return to the human
ities, mid that was by explnininj
why she deserted them and what
atonement she meant to offer. That
would have been the brave thing to
do. but Germany, husn't done it."
The Guardian considers that tho
note shows how far tho cducution of
the German rulers has progressed in
the hard school of facts, if not the
principles, and the language of the
note indicates that tho rulers have
been forced to puy marked deference
to tho views of the reichstng. The
Guardian draws the conclusion that
Germany's rulprs desire peace with a
passionate intensity, declaring "we
must help tho German people so far
as is possible for us in their 'strug
gle with their government'' and con
cludes: "But wo must beware of rallying
the forces of tho enemy by langunge
that will help the government to iden
tify itself with the interests of Ger
many and her people which they so
shamefully mismanaged."
ASKED TO TESTIFY
in buying fuel oil. The trust wanted
$1.50 a barrel at San Francisco. The
secretary fixed a tentative price at
$1.08, which will be scaled down to a
"cost plus" basis. On the amount
of oil used by the navy in three
months this saved $250,000.
To get the oil trailsportcd the gov
ernment had to requisition six tank
ships with an aggregate capacity of
58,239 tons, at $1.75 a ton a month,
instead of $2.50 a ton demanded.
This saved $7,163,397 a year.
With these beginnings it has be
come the settled government policy to
fix a price on basic materials and
allow '-'cost plus n reasonable profit."
Much depends on what figures are
to be taken in estimating "cost." That
battle is being fought desperately.
The profiteers are striving to protect
their enormous war profits. Hut ev
ery day sees the anti-profiteering;
press squeezing harder on the grist.
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 24. Tes
timony that she was Invited by the
defendant to become a witness in "an
Important case," which is declared
by the prosecution to have been tho
trial of Thomas J. Mooney for mur
der as the result of a bomb explos
ion here, was offered by Mrs. Hen
rietta Rlgall of Grayvllle, Ills., in the
trial here today ot Frank C. Oxmau,
of Durkee, Ore., for attempted sub
ornation of perjory. Oxman Is ac
cused of endeavoring to secure F. E.
Rlgdall, Mrs. Rlgdall's son, as a false
witness against Mooney.
"Mr. Oxman wrote to me telling
me he would send transportation and
that I would have a chance to see
California," Mrs. Rigdall testified.
"He Bald I would have a chance to
be a witness in an important case.
"I replied asking him why he did
not send the transportation the same
time he sent It to my son, Frank,
when he desired him to be a witness
In the case. He never replied to my
lottor."
Mrs. Rlgall testified that she had
always known Oxman as "Cliff Ox
man until she was told otherwise by
her son.
TO
WASHINGTON, Sept. 24 Treas
ury officials carrying out the gov
ernment's policy governing the con
servation of gold, have virtually de
cided upon a policy prohibiting the
export of gold to Spain. No gold
bus been licensed for export to Spain
since the" president's proclamation
became effective, except several
small shipments nlready loaded
aboard steamers.
Exportation of gold to Spain had
been growing steadily up to the time
of the president s proclamation. Be
twecn January 1 and September 1 of
this year the' voliimo approximated
$88,000,000, the largest recorded in
any similar period of time. It was
adverse to the trade balance, which
was in favor of the United States
.September 1 to the extent of $50,
(!0,000.
CHICHESTER S PILLS
Ltf Tina U Ut4 r.'i Void BirUlllAVv
-rZ3 t,tr, ii-f nh pin V
Vs J Trk Mtor. B oftMif ,
i D1A IO..B II RAN I) i'.UA b t
SCLD Br DRUGGISTS VUMHIjiE
Lifetime Shaves
for 548 Metkusalehs
only $1,000,000
We doubt if Methusaleh ever
shaved at all. But he did live
to be 1000 years old, they say.
And for $1,000,000 he and 548
Brother Methusalehs could have
lathered up every single morn
ing of the whole 1000 years.
All of which, smokers, goes to
show how big is the reserve be
hind the fragrance of your OWL
Cigar.
We mean the $1,000,000 or
more of selected leaf which is
constantly curing towards the
"ready" point of Owl mellow
ness and Owl fragrance.
When you buy your next OWL
Cigars remember that right now
$1,000,000 or more in reserve
leaf is insuring the fragrance of
the Owl Cigars you'll smoke in
1918.
If you remember this you'll
know the "fragrance-reason"
behind OWL'S mellowness.
If we could be there when
the cigar-man hands out the
Owl box we'd say Thank
you!
THE
MILLION
DOLLAR (sTWAroHjj
CIGAR XZZlJ
r
r
ft7 ZfAA-A 74 It'll II Iaff If fr i i , JirtVlJttimM
Showing exact aize of
the iragiant, mellow
Branded for
your protection
Ma
EL
M. A. il'XST ItlMVCH
, ;i;Kiti, t if j it co.
He's telling her that nothing he
received from home brought more
joy, longer-tasting Pleasure, greater
relief from thirst and fatigue, than
THE FLAVOR LASTS
She slipped a stick in every letter
and mailed him a box now and then.
Naturally he loves her. she loves
him. and they both love vVRIGLEVS.
CHEW IT AFTER EUERY MEAL
Three of a kind
fieep them In mind
Oregon's Greatest Exposition
The Fifty-Sixth Annual
OREGON STATE FAIR
Salem, September 24-29
Sunday afternoon on September 23, an Ameri
can Scandinavian Patrotic Festival, and the
Fourth Centennial Anniversary will be held on the
grounds. Mine. Alma "Webster Powell, world fa
mous prima donna, will lead the musical program,
and men of national renown will speak.
Splendi dexhibits, daily lectures and demonstra
tions on food production, a superb racing card,
high class amusements, ideal camping grounds and
best of accommidations for exhibitors and visitors.
Excursion rates on all railroad lines.
A. H. Lea, Secretary, Salem
OREGON
STATE FAIR
SALEM
SEPTEMBER 24-29
Afrrirtilturnl K.xliibils, Grnncl I.ivo Stock
l'nrnilo, IlnriK'SH nml Snddlo Homes,
liiinniiiK mid Trotting Knees, Hogs, Cat
tle mid Poultry, l''nrm Mnnhincry Kx
liibilH, Portland Day, Salem Day,
Scandinavian Hay, Reformation Day
and many otlier npacial events. Soma
IliiiiR of interest ovcry minute.
LOW ROUND TRIP FARES
, i
on wile September 201h to 2!)tli, from
nil points in Oregon. Final return limit
October .'lnl.
All Trains Direct to Fair Grounds.
Ask loral nk'cnt for fintlicr parllc ilium.
John M. Scott, C.i'iieml 1'iuixcnKcr Affcnt, Portland.
SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES