iiirj nr;n: wai.mia, h ri.n."M.i .i.nt ii i:.. THE OMAHA DAILY BEE FOUNDED BY EDWARD R03KWATER. VICTOR ROSKWATER, EDITOR. The Bee Publishing Company. Proprietor. iKG BriLDlNO. FARNAM AND SEVENTEENTH. Altered at Omiht postofflce a second-class matter. TERMS OF SLDSCRirTtON. B rsrrler Wall per month. per yr. tmlty an nnfliiT fie is s Psily without flunday....' 4To 40 FJvenlng et1 Pundav c no Kvenlng without Sunday o..... 4.00 Sunday Fee only ic I W Send notice of change of address or complaints of Irregularity la delivery to Omaha Bw, Circulation Department- REMITTANCE. Remit by draft. epresa or poeisl order. Only two cent stamps received In payment of small ae counts Vereonal cheeks, except on Omaha and easier exchange, not accepted. OFFICES. Omaha Tha Pea Thillrllng. South Omsha ii N street. Counrll Bluffs 14 North Main street. I tncoln- Little Building. Chicago 901 Hearst Hulldlng New Tors Room lln. Fifth avanua. fit. 't4nileMS New Punk of Commerce. Washington 73 Fourteenth St.. N. W. CORRESPONDENT!1). AMreee communications relating to news and edi torial matter to Omaha Be. Tutorial Department. , JAAUAHY CIItCXIiATIOX. 53,714 lata of Nebraska, County of Douglas, se. Dwlghi Williams, circulation manngsr of The Bea Publishing company, being duly sworn, aay that tha average circulation for tha month of January, 1915, waa ia. 741, DWIflHT WILLIAM.. Circulation Manager. - Snbecrlhed In my presence and sworn to befora ma, thta 2d dav of February, 1915. ROBERT HUNTER, Motary Public, Subscribers leaving the city temporarily should have Tlie Ilee mailed to them. Ad drees will be changed aa often aa reqoosted. , Starch S: Thought for the Day 5ecfef by IngUmtta Wart Thtr$ is no itanding itiiltven as J pavte Tkt tUtp path thtfu, and I$lip back apart. Movement vai tajely; by the journty'$ late Xo help it given, no tajt abiding place, Xo idUng in tht pathway hard and slots, J mutt go forward or mnst backward go. Anon The March lion is evidently holding back for a more pressing invitation. What's the law commanding lobbyists to reg ister between friends, anyway? Bread la the itaff of life required by one and all to no shortening weight there. In a word, the decision of. the school board is that It will play ball only on the home grounds. "No axtra session of congress" is word from Washington. A growing national deficit, though voiceless, threatens to disturb. Again the Auditorium. The Auditorium is with us "at&tn or yet" In the form, this time, of Soother proposal for the rlty to take it over and maintain it as a public convention hall and meeting ptaee. The prcoont offer contemplates conveyance to the City for actual outstanding indebtedness with complete annulment of the stockholders' In terests. If this offer had been incorporated into the original proposition submitted to a vote, it would undoubtedly have been accepted, although to transform the stock subscriptions into compulsory donations is no more fair to them now than it would have been then. As a business proposition, however, the present new offer Is Just $60,000, or 23 per cent, better for the city. The Bee believes that Omaha needs the Auditorium, and that the city should acquire it or provide the necessary gufranty for its maintenance on some equitable basis. Report on the Colorado Strike. The report of the house committee appointed to inqulro Into the causes and progress of the rtrlke of the coal miners in Colorado comes tather late, as the strike has been settled, but is still of interest because of its statements, criti cisms and recommendations. For the most part, the criticism of the committee Is directed against the militia of Colorado for its conduct when called into the field. Instead of seeking to establish and preserve law and order, the committee reports, the militia became an active agent of the coal mining companies. It Is pointed out that the organized forces of the state should bo iispd to protect all citizens alike, which was not done in Colorado. The committee finds that Colorado's mining laws are good, but not obeyed by the mining companies. Employment of private guards, and posting of notices that turn incorporated towns into private preserves, is condemned by the re port as certain to provoke trouble. The absen tee owners of these mines cannot evade moral responsibility for what is done In their name by managers on the ground. In conclusion, regardless of the sanctity of state's rights, so dear to the democratic heart, the committee recommends: It should be the duty of the government to assist any states In settling a dispute that la ratlon-wldo In its scop; and If any federal law can be enacted that will help not only Colorado, but any other atata that may bo similarly altuated. It Is tha duty of con gress to speedily put t:pon the statute books the neces sary laws so that such Industrial disturbances may forever ceasa. Hitherto Mr. Breitung's Dacla led the con versation la plain United States. Now she must vocalize In French or hire an interpreter. One thing Is fairly certain. The nonulatlon oa the European battlefronts Insures a busy spring season for hospitals and cemeteries. Still, it Is no part of the short ballot pro gram to extend by legislative enactment the terms of present office Incumbents afraid to chance a popular election. Remember LanlganT Noble champion of free speech, who pats the constitution with one hand and mur.Kles psrty opponents with the other. Be the powers, he's a peach! Reg-ulatlnff the "Jitney." Recognition of the "Jitney bus" as a factor in the problem of urban transportation brings with It the necessity of fixing the responsibility of the machine in its dealings with the public. Much of its success is due to the fact that the Jitney is not restricted In Us operations by con ditions that bind the trolley companies, such as fixed routes, for example. Its ability to operate Independently gives the Jitney a decided advan tage in the competition for nickels. . Los Angeles, where the Jitney had Its birth. is taking steps for its control, by requiring that operators under license bind themselves to fol low established routes, to pay a proper license fee, and to otherwise come under regulations that rightly apply to the control of common car riers. These steps are taken, not for the pur pose of limiting the service the Jitney may per form for the public, but to assure the public that that service will be performed under safe con ditions as far as possible, In Omaha the service of the Jitney, while plainly appreciated by the public, has not yet reached the stage where It can be considered a serious factor In city life. Yet the possibility of development suggests that we must look ahead to its proper regulation. It will be easier to apply necessary rules now, and will be better for both operatora and public. With the entry fee so low, and the stajtes-men-out-of-a-job so hungry, the three-yearsago record of eighty-six city commlssionershlp can didates ought to be easily broken. It should be remembered that these ex changes of diplomatic notes dp not foreshadow an agreement Usually tbey are merely feelers for a basts for further negotiations. Several eastern cities are trying to devise ways and means to fire-proof themselves against fire losses. We in Omaha could also do something In this direction with advantage to ourselves. Colorado politicians are a queer lot. Tbey hate reformers so cordially that they threaten to legislate Judge Llndsey out of a Job and hand him a crown of martyrdom. Martyrdom Is the judge's specialty. Hon. Rachel Berry, the lane woman member of the Arizona legislature, hag been overthrown and routed by the smoking majority. Her asso ciate abstained during sessions for eight weary weeks. They survived by the expedient of a dry smoke. But a dry smoke in a dry state proved too great a strain on Arizona gallantry and Mrs. Berry waa beaten 10 to 1. Zeppelin and His Airship T. K. Moltaekaa ia varraedy's. ' (Ul I The spring camraifcn Is foreshadowed by tha sprout ing of numerous candidates for city office. A petition is tln circulated requesting lion. James tt. Dovd to atand tor mayor, and In event of his refusal tha vatlilonera will urge Hon. John A. MrKliana to run. Mr. Vf. Ik Gibbon and Charles B. Rustln ara alar. mentioned by democrats. On tha republican aid there. ara four poMlbllltk-s: A. U Htrans. Clark Woodman, W. V. Morse and tha preaent mayor, P. F. Murphy, Tor tha other office tha same has not yet focused. Tha city council transacted merely routine business. but Is contemplating a division of tha Fourth and BixLb wards. Tha market basket column gives three prices for , tUa twtail market: "White fish, trout. bas and perch. U eenta a pound; fresh pickerel. IS oantai oysters 45 to M cents a quart; best cuts of sirloin. II rents; rib reeat. UH oanta; vea! scars and hla-h. front 1 to zo cnt; sweetbreads, tt centa a pair; mutton, LTV4 to U casta; turkeys, dry picked. 1! to IS cents; large, U to IS cents; lemons. SO to 40 cents a dosen; Florida rangua, 40 to M cents." D. C. I'hllttps of Grand Rapids, Mich., ia tha guet or jura t.. m. uray. Among mscoiiwi to Omaha are Misses Falll and utile Alien, wuo ar ner (ruin Nebraska City, Tha bricklayers' union In session decided to contn diet tba abatement that they proposed to strike for li a oay.7 The Commercial. Club's Referendum. A straw ballot, or referendum of members of the Commercial club is to be taken for an expression of sentiment on the electrlo light bill pending in the legislature. The club has a resi dent, membership of over 1,500 representative business and professional men who It is hoped will all respond. The unfortunate part of a referendum of this kind is that it requires those voting to take the measure just as it is drafted. and gives no chance to say whether they would prefer to have it first amended. We have no doubt, for example, that if a straw ballot could be had on divorcing the proposed municipal lighting plant from politics, it would be practically unanimous, with no one against it except the politicians who hope to turn it to their advantage. The same holds true, we be lieve, for a requirement fixing a maximum price schedule proportioned to meter readings instead of what we have termed the "Chinese puzzle" computation of "the step system" now em ployed. It the sponsors of the lighting bill would perfect it before its enactment, opposi tion would be materially lessened, if not alto gether eliminated. Partisan Politics at Lincoln. The democrats now assembled at Lincoln seem to have eyes fixed on something that lies beyond the immediate business that concerns them aa legislators. Instead of giving their at tention to the framing of statutory laws for Nebraska, they are busy with the politics of the future and more intent on the campaign. of 1918 than on the bill calendar of 1915. On no other grounds is it possible to ac count for the suddenly manifested determina tion to settle the controversies along party lines, without regard to the merita of the questions involved. Refusal to permit proper discussion of the Lanigan resolution in the bouse iudlcates a purpose to mske political capital If possible out of the disagreement between the Railway commission and the attorney general. This in itself, is but a tempest in a tea-pot, but Is being magnified into a veritable tornado of partisan fury by the democrats. The best Interests of the people of Nebraska call for co-operation of all their officers, and are sot served by the purblind partisan zeal now being exhibited at the capital. Pree speech Is a glorious institution, tha cornerstone of the temple of liberty. It is the caloric darling of democracy, and every live democrat will sacrifice in Us defense the last puff in his lungs. On one condition, however, that party opponents are excluded from the conversation. A noe1 rr ef the Family. The steadfast and obstinacy of north German blood blended In Count 3pre11n with French dash' and thimiasm. Mia name, ondlnir In in, Ilka Kuestln and Ilerlln, belona to the northern part of the empire. ?PPflln. a vlllane In Met klentrtirg. waa founded In 14t by Hugo do Zepi.elln. and nearby are the rulnS of a castle where the ancient COtinta von 7ppe'ln held sway. His nobl- anceMry. by the way, has ben no Inconsiderable asset to Count Zefpeltn.- In Ger many, none but n man of birth would hava dared watte the fight ho made aralnxt public opinion. HIS natural bent for engineering probably deecended from hla mother, the granddaughter of it French llugwnot of rank and scientific, attainment, who ram to tha city of Constance from C'tncva, when Joseph of Austria offered crown grsnta to Swiss manufacturers. He re ceived the whole "Inland" of the Dominican monks, a peninsula separated irom tha city by a canal, and he turned its disused convent Into a. combination homo and cotton factory. It waa here, on July 8. IMS. that the future "air count," Ferdinand Von Zeppelin, was born. Zeppelin In Amerlrs. In 1SS.1 Zepnelin entered the war school at Ludwlgs burg, and later the army, with a short Interval at tha University of Tubingen and two years as ambassador from Wurttemherg to Rerlln. Than tha restless, hlgh splrlted young French-Ocrman decided to try for ad venture In America. Intending to Investigate military conditions In th civil war. he obtained leave to serve aa a second lieutenant undT several Vnlon generals. Ha had Gen eral Grant's permit to move freely within the federal lines; but that was not enough. Out of pure romance and venturesomcness he fought confederates, exposing himself recklessly, ot course, he iaaiendcd In a cap tive balloon with "Professor" Lowe, tho army's aero naut, and after the war, he started out, with two Rus sian offioera and Indian guides, on an expedition to discover the source of the Mississippi. Tha party al most starved. , Now follows a series of exploits which the count regards as mere fool hardiness. But tha same wild daring that made him risk life needlessly was. to find expression later In his airship ventures. Ho swam the Niagara rapids simply to get a mora Idealistic view of the falls. He had observed that tha river current always drifted logs to a certain rock on the other aide, and decided that It must Inevitably drift him to tho same refuge, which It did. Ha was taken off that rock by ropes. Ilia Famous Cavalry Itald Next ha found himself on tha "southern aide" In the conflict between tha north and south Oerman states. While scouting near Aechaffenburg ha was suddenly cut off from the southern shore of the swollen Main river. Instead of finding a ford, which he could easily have done, he swam his horse through the torrent and waa almost drowned. But ha got Immediate Information of the enemy to his com mander. Now an Incident even more characteristic: During tha army maneuvers preparatory to the Franco-German war, Zeppelin waa riding with a kinsman from Mecklenburg, when they were halted by a wide dltclt of mire. In splta of protests, tha count, out ot sheer deviltry, jumped tha bog, missed tha bank, and might hava perished. It ha had not vaulted over the horse's head, dragging tha reins In hla hand. Then ha got a firm foothold and held up the horse by tha bridle until aid arrive,!. When the war actually broke out, Zeppelin per formed a feat that made hla name famous with every German schoolboy. General von Obemlts picked the young daredevil to command a desperate scouting rlde to get vital news of tha French mobilisation dur ing the slow massing ot the Indeppandant Oerman states. With a handful of officers and men, young Zeppelin Invaded the heart of Alsace. Two regiments of French caraJry a troop for every man In Zeppelin's command went afber him, and surprised bis patrol In a lonely, fortress at the edge of a dense forest. Tha count alone escaped. His two of ficers and men were lost In the hopeless defense, but the count stole out at the rear, and. snatching a French officers horse from the bands of an old woman, he rode full tilt Into the forest. Ha concealed the animal In a thicket and, climb ing a tree, tild there while the PrencTi pursuit waa on He waa tracked for days through tha forest. A French officer accidentally surprised him, and Zeppelin fought with him and killed him. Then, the pursuit not find ing him, he made his way, enduring many hardships, back to the frontier, with' Invaluable Information for his general. Birth of Ills Balloon Idea. At tha alege of Paris, as he lay in the tranches, the count's imagination waa quickened by tha sight of .French mall ba loons leaving tha beleaguered city and passing aafely over the Oerman lines. Rlgrht then his mind began working on tho possibilities ot aerial navi gation. By 190 his Inventions were well planned. But In this year, tha count now a major-general was abruptly dismissed by tha government. Ha had paid too much attention to the closet study of aeronautics. What had airships to do with a major-general of cavalry? Zeppelin was greatly chagrined, but he new de voted hla entire time to study of the airship. And Ula brother, Kberhard, became aa much part of the count'a dram and work aa Wilbur Wright was of his brother, Orvlllc.'s. At S3 years. In the faca of gen eral astonishment that a general of cavalry should take up work so apart from military humdifm, Count Zeppelin embarked on his Inventive career aa boldly as he had undertaken his great cavalry ride. Zeppelin built a long, thin, light aluminum sheath, as rbild aa steel, that could be driven against alr-cur rents Instead of tin unruly balloon that sags and bulges when it is driven at anything like high speed against a gusty wind. But. nevertheless, be used the balloon to lift and Support blin he stowed many In flated balloons Inside his aerial "submarine," where they ara arranged Ilka peaa In a pod. There they dis placed auffloient of the air to outweigh completely tha shlp'a akin and cargo, and each bag Is maintained in dependent of the others. Ilka a vessel s water-tight compartments. If one compartment bursts, or If It is perforated by a war missile, the others prevent a su1 den descant until ballast can be tlirown overboard to restore the craft's buoyancy. Hidden away In tha hull, safe from sun, cold and wind, theso bags tff chambers retain gas for long ptrlods. thus Insuring the craft's endurance for great distances. Makes a Flytaa Manater.. All of the airship's other features followed so naturally that today It sema Incredible that any In telligent engineer should hava overlooked them. On the aldea of the hull, all propellers, rudders and fins ara rigidly attached. They point the hull to go up or down. guide It to right or left. Two gondolas, each equipped with a motor, ara suspended under tha skeleton, so placed as to balance the weight. All these arrange ments give a wonderfully steady airship. Yet this practical ahlp was, to moat en fnosrs and other sensible people, Ilka the red flag to a bull. They might have listened It the count had offered a small craft a type now proven entirely Impracticable, tint his conception this colossus, suggestive ot tha half flying, half -swimming monsters of a prehistoric age waa so entirely outside ot the conventional that en gineering societies rose and railed tha schema Insan. A private commission aasambled In Berlin and ridiculed the monstrous contrivance. Then for three years more Zeppelin worked without a ray of enoour agvment. begging various societies for aid In demon atrattng hla project. At last the German goveriiraeut was persuaded to appoint a commission to examine Zeppelin's plans. Engineers who hava since inspected these drawings and data say that they are won der'ully clear and simple. Yet tha commission only partly approved, and refuaed to recommend aid by tha state. At this crisis, after Insistent pleading, tha Oerman Society of Engineer finally endorsed the schema. Tha count waa enabled to form a atock com pany, with resources of A0.'U, he himself eontrlbut Ing one-half. So the first airship waa built In a flailng bousa on Lake Constance. Ttw craft rested on a pontoon floor that could be towed out of the house, thus pre venting collision with Its walls. This first Zeppelin Was cruda and weak, its motors and Its steering device quite experimental. Naturally enough It was smashed And after the makeshift rudders had been repaired, its' gas-cells leaked away all tha costly buoyancy, which had bceu transported to tha lake In steal bottles. Yet at the last minutethe airship had risen and bean steered perfectly! Count Zeppelln'a sclentlfie prlactpla waa vindicated. LI Here a a Ten Pointer. OTSBON, Keb , March l.-To the Editor of The Dee: I see In The Bee ' American I-egion t be Organised." I heartily ap prove f thla more and would suggest that alt convicts In our penitentiaries be drilled la the manual of arms and In case of urgent need that they be sent to the front, giving them a chance to redeem themselves on the field of battle. There Is a vast army ot good flghtcra held pris oners who would be glad of thla oppor tunity to make good. W. L. RANDALL. The President's Perallar Ideas. YORK. Neb., March J.-To the Editor of The Bee: Can you tell me where th president got hla Information that caused him to say, "The republican party had not had a new Idea In thirty years." What does ha mean by new Idea? Ho can not say there has not been much good, wholesome legislation paMC1. fr the records prove It, nor can he mean they put good Ideas Into law without first having the Idea. That would be unthink able. So it must be w differ on the meaning of the word "new." Then he says that tha business ot tha country hss been checked for the last twenty years. Wa ara led to wonder where he got that notion. The records In every line of business refutes It That Is, If wa can agree on what the word check means. But we will be frank to admit that there are lots of differences. that is only an honest difference of opinion. Yet there are rases In which there is more than difference of opinion In them. Wa do not wish to be under stood as raising any questions of veracity. Ills own statements msda during his campaign were taken by the reporter and then compiled in book form by him and named "The New Freedom." The heading of tha first chapter Is. "The Old Order Changoth." In hla description of tho old order he does not say that there ara signs or results that gives one grounds for fear or for suspicion, but ssys boldly, "We know that aomethlng Intervenes between the people of the United States and the control of their own affairs at Washington. Our govern ment has been for tho last few years nder the control of heads of great atlied corporations with special Interests." Seems ha Is more of a prophet than historian. In giving his remedy he said that "publicity was the cure, for the legislation lr. favor of special Interests wag the result of caucuses behind closed doors," ond that "It is In the committee' rooms that legislation desired by the Interests Is framed and brought forth." Wa hava a right to take these cam paign atatementa aa promises, for he was denouncing what he ssld was the old order and was promising a new freedom should he be given control. What has been done with those professions? The three most important bills before con gress for tho last eighteen months has been taken to caucus again and again by his party and because a few of hla nartw differed from the majority on one bill or both the wisdom (or lack of It) and the caucua rule they were using to put it over, they were held up to acorn and rebuked by tneir own party, but the few republicans who saw the bill aa the majority did were lauded as men of conviction because they wore, not bound by party rule. Funny. Isn't It? Then sea what tha president says In hla Jackson da speech tea given in tha February Commoner): Democrats who will not nlav on the team should get off the team." No party whip In that. About thirteen yaara ago a western aper, In a vl y bitter editorial on the president and congress, said that the west neede'l the canal worst of all In order to keep freight rates down; then said, "but the canal will never ba built while the old republican party was In power, as It was owned by the rsllroads. which would not stand for that sure competition." The records show that tha republicans did build It. The reoorda also show that the democrats repealed the law that gave tha competition tha country wanted and did It by the caucus route, ana lr the visible signs In 1912 would warrant his statements h.t could be said of the present? Then after giving away our chance for ship ping in peace and Bafety, he tries to force through congress a bill for tha govern ment to subscribe Si per cent of the capital for a shipping coraortiftn k- government to make good tha losses with no limit placed on that part of It Now J am aralnat tha far too r,rr,v.i.n? custom of flings and unfounded aecusa tlona aaalnst publlo men. but I have .mp.y quotea nts own words and cited facta of record. But why h a d the democrats blame the rennhii,..,,.. .. using tha caucus, which they have not dona for years, while the democrats sre making an Increased use of It to further l",,r own na- Having failed to f in 1 their new ideas, I retire. FRANKLIN POPE. Iiil and . prisons reiilie l'to.vO.O.O tubus. . , . To meet this situation taxes were raised from I to M per cent How would the taxpsyers In Nebraska like an In crease of taxation which would neces sarily follow prohibition? Now, since Ilussia's industries aro almost entirely paralyred, the Increase of JO per cent In taxation yields scarcely any additional revenue, compelling tbe government to mrtke fresh lonns, r.utlthstandlng the fact that the Russian paper ruble ha already declined 14 per cent, being worth only M kopecs In gold (1 ruble. 1) ko pecs), sunly an Indication of the inie'er able financial condition of the Russian government. These are facts, and yet the prohibition correspondent, the Rus sian minister of finance and the Lincoln Journal would have us believe that Russia by the adoption of prohibition strengthened its finances. And as to the patriotism of the dry soldiers, they seem to show a particular willingness to be takan prisoners, so as to go where things are not entirely dry. That the prisons In Russia aro emptj Is not d ie to a moral Improvement, but simply to the fact that the prisoners have nearly all been put Into tha army, and the reason why there are lees fires is that fact that all Incendiaries hava gone the same ey, which would also explain the whole sale destructions by fire of property In EaBt Prussia, which the Russians In vaded for awhile. No. gentlemen of the water wagon, prohibition has neither improved Russia financially nor morally, no mora than It Improves Maine, Kansas or other flowers of the prohibition Wee. "By their fruits ye shall know them:" DR. II. GERHARD. CHEERY CHAFF. Patience I see a doctor has come out and stated that the tango produces in sanity. Patrice Well, I know a lot of girls who are crasy about It Yonkcrs States man "Here's Jack taking Maude out for automobile rides, and Will always in viting her to supper, and she accepts the attentions ot both, hvdoc-n t sha (b-clsie for one or the other. ...,., 1 believe she claims she IS rnair.t..in Ina a strict neutrality." -Baltlmoi e American. "I alwavs ray aa 1 go." remarked the careful Individual ., Lots of fellows do that who don t save enough to pay their way baca. added the mere man. Judge. Customer (looking at auto) What! the lamps not Included In the advertlse.1 price of the machine. But the lamps are shown In the illustration. Salesmnn-My dear sir. SO Is a ver benutiful women, but were not giving a lady with each car. Boston Transcript. Mrs. Racon It has been decided that KanFRS, women need not tell ages when registering to vote. Mr. Bacon Wall, who on earth ever supposed that they would? Yonkers ?tH teaman. Msry pert Thank goodness. 1 have a perfect complexion! . , Klttv Katt But you carry a haresfoot Just for luck? Judge. CLOUDS. I had a friend when I was down, And evervthing seemed rotten. And all the blexslngs I had known, Had long since been forgotten:, When crops were tad and eggs were scarce, And pigs got In the clover, Who came and leaned against my fence And cheerfully looked over, And with a smup smile full of Rice, And whistle agRnvatlng. RegsJed me with the maxim terse. In tone exsaperating: "Remember that behind the clouds The sun is ulwavs shining. And clouds of lire as well aa sky Have each thetr silver lining." Oh. then I had a fierce desire To selie upon a mlsalle, And end his exhortation With the stopping of hla whistle, But with a sickly smile I said, All platitude eschewing, "That all depends upon the point From which you do your viewing. And also it depends upon The way the cloud'a inclining. "Tin doubtless true, niv clouds to you May have a silver lining, But silver linings do not show To tTiose directly under, . They may be there: I do not know, To me they look like thunder." Omaha. DAVID Rassia mn Prohibition. OMAHA, March 5. To the Editor of The Bee: The Lincoln Journal a tew days ago published an eulogy on pro hibition in Russia, dwelling upon its now splendid financial condition, and that It should serve aa an example In all other civilised nations, urging them to also get on tha "wrater wagon." The Journal. however. Is not quite sure that it can entirely rely upon the density of Its readers, and therefore takes the precau tion to add for the benefit of the more sophisticated: "If only half of the etprtes we read aa coming from Russia are true," and furthermore refera to the corres pondent of the Saturday Evening Post, Who has been sent specially to Petroerrad to Investlgsta Russia's financial condi tion under prohibition. Then after thus cunningly leaving a loophole tor retreat, It goea on to say that Russia's minister of finance ia reported as having said laughtru'y, "Oh, pshaw! a whole milliard of rubles In revenue lias been abandoned; no other people would hava dared to adopt prohibition during such a serious wsr. but we find all tba money wa need, (mainly borrowed from Franca an Eng land), and In tha coal districts, although 90 per cent of the men ara serving in .the army, we produce 30 pr cent mora cdVl. because all of the remaining are sober; fires have been reduced SO per tent; ar rests S3 per cent, etc." Not having seen any contradiction of tlitsa statements, I will endeavor to point out briefly what Russia's finances really are; that t'aey have been In a deplorable condition Is pretty generally known,' Tho revenues of tha Russian govern ment ruse between 1S and 191S Sg per cent, amounting to J.4lT,000.O0o ruhlea (not quite SO cents). Upon the revenue tha na tional budget was based, but collapsed already at tha beginning of the war, be cause the greater pert of this revenue was derived from tha alcohol monopoly (9M.u),uii) and from tha state railway ' S7O,0uO.fl00. which revenues were elimin ated through prohibition and the trans port of .he army. At the present time ST. per cert o' the entire income of the government la being used for the army; 1TH per cent for Interest ea loans, while mm Tonight, for Instance J Right alter dinner you may be in shape to tackle a big, strong cigar. 3 But following that, you should .. . elight your smoker's taste with ' ' ' the genial flavors of a milder cigar a 'modulated' Havana the Tom Moore. Men who have learned the trick of temperate Lilth Tom it "all fW even As afoes coif only nickel. . smoking alwayt for come Moore. ck Tom Moore cigar io Littls Tom 5 1 j i liiliMMl&ii- nwm mm Beet & Russell Cigar Co., 013 8. 10th St., Omaha, Distributor ff' You can have your choice of either a Boy's or Girl's Wheel it is a famous WORLD MOTOR BIKE It has a 20-inch Frame with Coaster Brake. Motor Bike Handle Bars, Eagle Diamond Saddle, Motor Bike Pedals, Motor Bike Grip, Luggage - Carrier Holder, Folding Stand, Front and Rear "Wheel Guards, Truss Frame and Front Fork. This picture of the bicycle will be In Tbe Dee every day. Cut them all out and ask your friends to save the pic tures In their paper for you, too. See how many pictures you can get and bring them to The lice office, Saturday, March 8th. The bicycle will be given Free to the boy or girl that send us the moat pictures be fore 4 p. m., Saturday, March Ctb. Subscribers can help the children in the contest by asking for picture certifi cates when they pay their subscription. We give a cer tificate good for 100 pictur.es for every dollar paid. , Payments should be made to our authorized carrier or agent, or sent direct to us by mail. Some little boy or girl will be happy next week riding this Bicycle. Are you the lucky one? You have until 4 p. m., March 6 to try for it. a V