Nebraska Newspapers

    DAKOTA COUNTY HERALD, DAKOTA CITY, NEBRASKA.
S
V
iehbiru
HER WONDERFUL SHOW'NG FOR
THE YEAR 1917.
RESULTS TOJE PROUD OF
Brief Review of Her Accomplishments
nnd Achievements During the
Twelve Months Just
Ended.
By Will M. Maupln, Department of
Publicity
Standing upon tnc thrcshhold of
tho Now Year, it is well that No
braskans pauso ana rovlow tho ac
complishments of tho year that has
Just disappeared Into tho limbo of
things that were Tho record of 1917
la ono to which Ncbrasknns may
point -"1th pride, a record of things
accomplished, physical, spiritual and
mental.
When 1917 dawned upon the world
this groat republic was at peace with
all tho nations. Ero four months of
tho year had passed tho republic was
a pai t of the great world war. What
has been Nebraska's contribution to
the great struggle being waged for
the preservation of democracy? Let
ns briofly rrviow tho record:
Tho first great effort put forth was
the mobilizing of mon to bear tho
brunt of tho fighting, and Nobraska
was among tho first to respond with
threo regiments of National Guards
men recruited to almost full fighting
strength a brlgado of Nobraska sol
diers who" had volunteered to fight
for thoir country. While this brigade
was being mobilized and whipped in
to shape, tho elective conscription
Machinery was at work, not only in
Nobraska but elsewhere, and in no
other stato was tho draft law better
enforced nor ho machinery in
.smoother running order than in Ne
braska. Under tho direction of Gov
ernor Neville the selective conscrip
tion worked so smoothly that Provost
Marshall Goucral Crowdcr paid to
Governor Neville and through tho
governor to tho stato, tho highest
compliments for the good work per
formed. Today Nebraska has nearly
20,000 of her bravo sons iu army and
navy, all preparod to go "over tho
top" in making permanent the Idea
that peoples and not autocrats shall
nilo tho world.
But It takos moro than men in arms
to win a war. Behind tho fighting men
there must bo men and women mak
ing tlio utmost sacrifices to feed
them and clotho them and provide
them with everything necessary to
their comfort and well being. Tho
producMon of foodstuffs and material
for clothing, Rod Cross and Y. M. C.
A. activities and Liberty bond sub
scriptions, aro among tho greatest of
-war activities, and Just as essential
to cuccess as fighting mon. How has
Nebraska measured up in these
thingH?
Nebraska exceeded her quota in the
first LIborty Bond drive by several
millions of dollars, and when the sec
ond Liberty Loan drive came on, Ne
braska set out and groatly exceeded
the proud record made In tho first
drivo Nebraska's quota for Liberty
Bonds was followed by tho Y. M C.
A. drive, and Nebraska camo across
with "nearly double tho quota assign
ed to hfT. This was immediately fol
lowed by tho Knights of Columbus
drive, work similar to that of the Y.
M. C. A., and forgetful of religious
differences again, as always, Nebras
ka proceeded to moro than double the
K. C. quota. From a por capita stand
point no other stato has oxcelled Ne
braska in Investments in Liberty
Bonds or contributions to the Y. M.
C. A., K. of C. and Red Cross activi
ties. Nor can any other state excel
Nebraska's proud record of volun
teer enlistments and ready responses
to tho selective conscription act.
In tho matter of contributions other
than men and money, what has been
Nebraska's record? Napoleon said
that "armies crawl on their bellies,"
and Shorman said "armies movo no
faster than their wagon trains." In
other vords, food supplies for the
soldicra are as essential an soldiers
thombolircs. It Is to this great repub
lic that our associates in this groat
struggg aro looking for their supplies
of foods tuffi, and nobly Is tho repub
lic responding. It is chiefly to tho
nilddlo Rest, howover, that tho allies
must Jrok for thoso supplies of food.
Only inn states in' this American
Union produce more foodstuffs than
they r nsumo, and of theso ten only
dig pi iducos moro of tho threo great
staj.lo foodstuffs, broad, meat and
sugar, than it consumes, and that ono
Is Nebraska. Tho five great soli prod
ucts necessary to human life aro
broad, .ueat, sugar, wool and cotton.
Nelnuka produces threo of these in
surplus, and ono other, wool, may bo
prud.iLod in surplus. No other stato
In Hit union is able to match Nebras
ka's iv -ord In this respect.
When it was realized that the mid
dle we it must produco tho foodstuffs
it wns aUo realized that other statos
not capablo of producing a surplus
What Constitutes Dependency
Lincoln. Draft boards have been in
stiuc'ed by Provost Marshal General
' C'rowdor to uso "common sense and
sympathy in tho facts of each Individ
ua.1 caso," in determining what would
be adoquato support for depondonts of
a man registered for war servico.
Many boards havo indicated doubt as
to v. hat should bo done whon it ap
pears that a soldior'a pay and war
risk allowance will provide supDoit
for depondon.n whoso claimB othor.vlse
would entitle tho registrant to deferred
-iktBPiltaatlon
muai ceonomuo m tA8umptlon le
order that there might bo enough to
go around Again Nobraska camo to
tho front, and no other ittae is bet
ter organized for food economy thai.
Nobraska. Undor tho direction of
Gurdon W Wattles, ono ot Nebras
ka's capablo organizers, Nob ra 3 tea 2s
sotting a rocord for food conservation.
Undor tho direction of John L. Kon
nody, another splendid typo of No
braskan, fuel economy is being prac
ticed with gratifying results.
Thus wo havo considered Nobraska
with relation to its contribution of
men, its contribution ot dollars and
its consorvotion of foodstuffs. Wbat
about its production.
For tho first tlmo In history No
braska practically lost a wheat crop
In 1917. Tho crop of last year was
loss than 20 por cent of tho average.
Was Nebraska dlscouragod? Not at
all. Tho farmers answered tho ap
peal of tho Stato Council ot Dctonse,
and tho destroyed wheat acreage was
sowed to oats nnd barloy or planted j
in rnrn. With fnrms linril lilt liv tho I
unlnHvn lt?iff tlin fflpmnra 'annnflnrl
.1 i, ... . !- II .. '
up to uio nam, unci me result wus
the largest corn crop In tho state's
history moo than 200,000,000 of
bushels. Tho oats production was al
so a record breaker, exceeding tho
best previous ylold by sovoral mil
lions of bushols.
Hero Is a fact that can not be dis
puted: Nobraska in 1917 produced a
greatei surplus ot foodstuffs than any
other stato, measured either by pop
ulation or totals. Although tho wheat
crop was deemed a total failure, No
braska produced enough to supply
her own needs for bread and seed,
and had a fow millions of bushels to
spare to tho armies in the field. No
braska raised enough BUgar for her
own consumption, and had almost as
much moro for her contribution to
tho allies, Threo years ago not a
pound of potnsh was produced In No
braska, and tho United States pro
duced loss than 5 por cent of the pot
ash it consumed, the remaining 95
per cent coining mainly from Ger
many. Today tho United Statos Is pro
ducing practically every bit of potash
It is consuming, and Nebraska is pro
ducing 75 per cent of it. The potash
produced in Nebraska in 1917 was
worth more In dollars than tho gold
mined In any ono stato In tho Union.
Following is a conservative statoment
of Nebraska production in 1917, based
upon the average of prices prevailing
during the year;
Corn $325,000,000
Wheat 30,000,000
Other grains 70,000,000
Potatoes 12,000,000
Fruits 8,000.000
Potash 1S.000.000
Meat stuffs 100.000,000
Butter 25,000,000
Poultry 20,000,000
Eggs 35,000,000
Garden products 10,000,000
Sugar 9,000,000
Valuo added in manufact
uring 30,000.000
jJJJ few AWLANE5 J j
1 ii &0BnffWnA jJmtSm
jOT? I
gfltffiS &:3I& CAPRON1 j I
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Grand total for year.. $692,000,000
This means a wealth production
of nearly $550 per capita for tho year
a record that Nebraska challenges
any other stato to excel.
On December 31, 1917, Nebraskans
had more than $400,000,000 on doposlt
in tho stato and national banks ot tho
state, or approximately $300 per cap
ita another record which challenges
comparison.
Nor is tho lecord of 1917 an excep
tional one, Nebraska has been going
"over tho top" in tho matter of pro
ductivity for twenty years.
Tho Department of Publicity has
recently compiled from tho reports
of the United States Bureau of Ag
riculture a tablo showing tho product
ivity of the states covering a period
of twenty years, 1895 to 191G, in
clusive It shows that in the produc
tion of wheat .oats, corn, horses, cat
tle, swine, and average farm values
and valuo of all farm property, Ne
braska rankB third among tho states
being excelled only by Illinois and
Iowa. In tho total valuo of corn,
wheat an oats produced during that,
period, Nebraska ties with Illinois
for first place. In tho production ot
cattle and swino Nebraska ties with
Illinois for second place. In average
values of all farm property Nebras
ka is in fourth place, and In tho same
relative position in the average val
ues por farm.
Measured in' contributions of men
and money to tho groat war, Nebras
ka ranks alongside any of her sisters.
Measured on contributions of food
stuffs to tho great war, Nebraska
claims first place and is ready with
the figures to substantiate nor
claims.
Nor has Nebraska lagged behind in
other activities because of tho "speed
ing up" of war activities. Education
ally this great stato s"I". holds first
place. For each child of school ago
within tho state's borders thero is
upward of $10 invested in Interest
bearing scent Hies, the rovenues from
which aro devoted to the support of
the public schools. Tho stato does
not owo a dollar, either in bonded or
floating indebtedness. It owns prop
erty exceeding $30,000,000 in valuo.
Its future is as sure as its past de
velopment has been inarvolous.
Gathering the Income Tax.
Washington. Tho great task of
gathering Income tax and excess
profits returns began Wednesday with
tho new year Every unmarried person
earning more than $1,000 during tho
la3t year, and every mairlod person or
head of a family who made moro than
$2,000, must fllo with tho Internal rovo
nue collector of his ulhtrict a roport
any time between Wednesday nnd
March 1. He will bo notified bofoni
J Juno 1 ot the tax due, and ur.yment
1 will be due hv Juno 15.
II2Y were Just airplanes two yenrs
ago, but the demnnds of war havo
stimulated the evolution of aircraft
m Intensively thnt In the Inst few
months at least threo different spe
cie of airplanes havo been devel
oped, and these arc as distinct
from each other as condors,
pigeons and swallows.
The monoplane has gone the way
of the high-wheeled bicycle; It Is
seen no more In the ulr. And In
stead of just airplane., we have
bombing machines reconnaissance machines nnd
battleplanes, each n specialized type designed for
a specific duty. Then, In a class by themselves,
tlK'ie are the hydroplanes, writes Arthur Benlng
ton In the Now York World.
Bombing machines are the heavy artillery, the
condors, the Percherons. the bulldogs of the air.
Reconnaissance machines nre the Intelligence
service, the currier pigeons, the hunters, the
pointers, of (he nlr.
Battleplanes, which combine the duties of light
cavalry and iniichlne-gun squads, nre the swnl
Ipws, the thoroughbreds, the terriers, the waspM,
of the nlr.
"You might as well ask me what kind of horse
I consider the finest," replied an Italian aviator
when usked for his opinion on the finest airplane.
"It nU depends upon what son ice you want your
plane for. For dropping bombs on cities there Is
nothing like our own Cnpronl ; the finest climbers
I norsonully have encountered were German ma
chines; the swiftest flyer up to date Is the Italian
S. V. A.; and I flilnlc the Autriaus have the most
i eliable hydroplanes."
Of course this was merely the nvlnforV personal
opinion, and It is glen here not at all because of
Its value as a judgment on the several makes of
machines, but merelj to Illustrate the diversity of
type and the wisdom of not confusing the differ
ent types in one's niiiuL
For a bombing machine the primary require
ment is ability to carry a heavy load. Then, In
order of Importance, come: Medium speed (80 to
100 miles an hour) ; climbing power (13,000 feet) ;
defensive armament nnd a radius of action from
GO to 100 miles. Load-carrying power Involves
strength of construction, great stability, and en
gines that shnll develop tremendous power nnd
yet be as light ns possible. Types of the bomb
ing mnchlne nre the Italian Cnpronl, the British
Ilandley-I'alnier. and the German Gothn G HI
and Fiiedcrlchshnfeii G. II.
The reconnaissance machine must have room
for at least two persons the pilot and the ob
server; installation for wireless apparatus and
camerns for taking both still nnd moving pictures;
fuel capacity sufficient for three or four hours of
flight; fairly high speed say from 115 to I'M
miles an hour and ability to carry a machine
gun with which lo defend Itself If attacked. The
camera Installation makes great stability neees
sarj. Types of this machine nre the Italian
I'omilln S. V. A, and Hnvola-Fomllio; the Fiench
Volsln, nnd the German Brandenburg, Albatross
C III and Avlutiks C III.
Speed and climbing power are the essentials in
a battleplane. The latest tjpes of this sort the
Italian S. V. A. and n new model of Pomlllo; the
French NIeuport and Spnd, and fhe German Al
batross D I and Albatross Bue can carry only one
man, who acts as pilot, observer and gunner.
Most of them have only ono gun, which Is not
mounted on a swivel, hut is an Integral part of
tho engine Itself, for, as It discharges its bullets
between tho blades of a propeller revolving .so
rapidly that It cannot be seen, it must bo perfect
ly synchronized with the motor, otherwise a bullet
might strike a blade of tho propeller. These
machines aro nothing but flying cannon. They
carry no pnssengcr, no cameras, no bombs, noth
ing except a single operator and the ammunition
for the gun.
The difference between reconnaissance and bat
tleplanes appenr slight when set down In figures,
but then every fraction of an Inch affecls'' the
speed and stability of an airplane.
Some idea of the differences may be obtained
from the dimensions, and these can be given only
approximately except in one or two cases. It Is,
of course, impossible to describe our own Aiueii
can planes, so the comparisons that follow are
based on foreign machines.
One of the smallest of the battleplanes Is a
new I'mnlllo which has not yet been tested In
America. Aineilcun representatives of the Ansal
do company of Genoa, which tnukes the S. V. A.
another very small one decline to make Its di
mensions public nt present, but Capt. Alessiindro
Foiulllo, designer of the machines that bear his
name, has no objection to it being stated that the
Foiulllo which Hew from Fortress Monroe to
Mlneola and which sonieil over New York on Lib
erty Loan day, has a wing spread of approximate
ly .'IS feet. This, howewr, ! n reconnaissance
Jinehlne. The one that is coining is a battleplane
and Its win;;s have a spread of only a fraction
over ;t() f.K. Both these Fonillio mac bines have
exactly the same motor, a "OO-horse-powor Isetta
Fraschlnl. but the greater sh'.o of the one already
here enables It to carry u passenger and cameras,
while the Manlier one can carry only one man.
The reconnaissance Foiulllo makes VM miles an
'.our; a scout Is said to have made on tests In
Italy 1G0 miles an hoiii.
.So far as official tests are known, the S, V. A.
holds the recoid for speed. This Is the machine
that made the sensational (light from Turin to
Rome, 300 miles. In two hours and fifty "dilutes,
averaging 1!!0.S miles an hour. The French Nleu:
port machines are unofllcially reported to have
made ns high as 175 miles an hour.
The dimensions of the German Albntross D I
nre known exactly, Inning been published by the
French military authoillles after measurement of
captured machines, lis wings have a spread of
20.7 leel; Its fuselage Is 123.(1 feet long; Its speed
Ik 121 tulles an hour and It can climb lo 18,1.10 feel.
M curries tv.u rapid-lire guns, discharging through
r ,i w -v -w.
AUDATROS 3--
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the piopellei, and 100 cut nidges for each gun
Returning now to the bombing machines, the
types best known nre the German Gothn, which
is virtually a copj of the British Ilandley-Falmer,
and the Italian Cnpronl. Tho dimensions of the
latter cannot be given, for the machines arc In
several sizes, the smaller being biplanes, tho
largest being n trlplane. Those of the Gothn G
III are known. It is a biplane with n wing spread
of 77.7 feet, and fuselage '10.38 feet long; It can go
00.8 miles nn hour, ascend ll.S.'O feet and carry a
load of 1,320 pounds of bombs besides at least two
men.
It was necessary to put three planes on tho
larger Cnpronl, in order to carry the Immense
weight at high speed. It has three fuselages,
each with Its own motor, the one In the middle
being much shorter than the others. The right
and left fuselages have propelleis In front, the
middle fuselage has a propeller behind. The mo
tors are 2-iO-horso-power Isoltn-Fraschlnl.
The Cnpronl are slow machines only about 00
miles an hour and Is capable of fighting single
handed against (he little wasps of the air. They
are unique in Hint any one of their motors suf
fices fo propel the machine; therefore, nil three
must be stopped by bullets before It Is di.siibled.
In this last respect Its only rival Is so far as
known at present writing the great German
Gothn, which has two motors, ellher of which will
propel It.
One of the most sdiklng facts about the evolu
tion of air craft since tho war began Is that the
monoplane has virtually disappeared. Quito early
lu the war the French NIeuport grew an extra
pair of wings. The principal reason why two
pairs are better than one Is thnt lifting power In
the air depends upon the area of the wings. Now
the Gotha's two pairs of wings nre 77.7 feet long
and 7..'!2(! feet wide, which gives nn area of not)
square feet for each pair, or 1.138 squnro feet as
the total wing surface. If this were nil lu u single
plane, the wing would hno to be about 153 feet
long If they hud the same breadth as now; and
the leverage of the wind on their ends would be
so great that the machine would be absolutely un
manageable. For this same reason the biggest of the Cnpronl,
which Is by far tho largest thing In tho air, has
t'jree planes Instead of two.
The Gothn Ik, however, more than a bombing
i.iichlne; It Is a verltnble nerlal battleship. Over
Ittt bow on u swivel Is a machine gun that can
Kl;not forward over a horizontal are of more than
180 degrees, and over u perpendicular arc f
about 210 degiees. On Its fuselage, behind Its
wings and behind the propellers, Is another gun
that shoots astern over a horizontal are of nearly
ISO degrees and over a perpendicular arc of about
100. Resides these two guns the Gothn has a
third, mounted on u pivot lu the body of the fusel
ugc and pointing ilownvurds, through a port hole
in dm luittnm nf (tin roselncrp. Bv mniins of till."
1mk iim It enti defend Itself from cncmv ninH
chines attacking It from below nnd behind, n poj
slllon In which all other tnnchlncs imt tno uouia
nrn viiliiernli'n.
The Germans have been most lngcnlons in del
signing their airplanes ror maximum ciivcuvcuu.i
of gun fire. Their slngle-scntcd Albatross D. J
and D III, Fokker D, Ilalberstadt Roland D, anil
Ago D have two fixed guns firing nheaU tnrougu
the revolving propeller, nnd these machines nrj
able to carry 2,000 cartridges ror cacn gun. J.nei
i wn.nl nnn rneonnalssnncG machines Albntrost
Runipler, Avlattk and L. V. O. have ono fixed foi
ward gun tiring through the propeller and a set
ond lighter gun on a swivel mounted behind th
planes and firing to the rear over on anglo of 18
degrees. Tho French have adopted tins sjsiei
for the airplanes of similar type.
The most Ingenious armament, however, Is th:
nf the new Foiulllo scout nlnno. It is not nuvi
able to betray the secret of this plane nt presen
but It Is permissible to say that the single plh
controls live guns, all snooting aneaci stummm
ously, nnd that four of these are so pcrfcctl
concealed that even a photograph does not sho
where they are situated. It Is In renllty a flv
barreled Catling gun on wings, this mnciunc
now on Its wny to America, If Indeed It hns n
iilt'ondv arrived.
Talk! g with the Italian aviators now lie!
about motors, I found them deeply intercsicu i
the now Liberty motor, but none would ventuj
to express nn opinion about it.
i ennld not Judge of Its value." said one
tt.mn. "mil It I had taken it up 5.000 or 100,0
feet In the air and watched how It behaved thci
Tho Fiat compmiy. which has heen miiKing n
tors ever since these were first Invented, need
two whole years of experlinentntlon neiorc u v.
able to turn out n satisfactory nirpiano mon
c....,.r,.i ti.nPK It thouirht It had it: several tlir
it offered a motor that performed perfectly und
itw. ninKt evnetliiir lnboiatory tests, but each Hi
u fiipd when tested In the rarefied air of 10,(
feet above the earth. After two years of tr
the Flat peoplo produced the wonderful mot
.,. mi extens velv used. Tlie isona-i rascn
,.,.,n.iv lmil a similar experience. Wo all
t,WIJIJ'iT ------ .
mire Hie perfection of mechanism of the Llbe
motor "d wo all hope that actual flight v
prove it to lie as perfect as It looks, but no
of us would venture to givo a veroici on n m
i. i.miI flown with It nt all possible altitudes.
These men, all of whom are youths who In
had thrilling experiences in actual wariare,
fond of discussing the probabilities of a till
across the Atlantic. Any ono of them would
wiiiinir to attempt t. but they dlsngrco ns to
mnchlno most likely to bo the first to make
Some say the giant Cnpronl, which would neet
least 21 hours, and probably -10, to fly from N
foundlnnd to Ireland (tho shortest route), w
,iiit-M miiv .some such mnchlno ns the S. V. A.
it emild make tho flight easily between sun
and sunset. In the ono case It would bo Ilk
giant condor relying on tho power of Its wlngf
sustain It a day and a night in night, in tnc oi
case It would bo a sea gull or a swallow ren
on terrific speed to carry It over by daylfgnt.
NAMING OF WARSHIPS.
The law requires thut all first-class battles!
"shall be named for states and shnll not be nnl
for any city, place, or person until tho nnmcl
the states have been exhausted," nnd n rel
article by Waller Scott Meriwether In tho
der points out .that Secretary Daniels' recent!
tier assigning tho names of Now Mexico, Call
ula, Tennessee, Mississippi, nnd Idaho to thel
.supcrdrcudnuughls now under construction
pletely exhausts the list of unused names.
selecting unities for the five battle cruisers
thoil.ed by the Inst congress, recourso was
to names which never should havo dlsappc
from the navy register Constitution, Const
tlon, Saratoga, Ranger, and Lexington. Tin
moon old frigates Constitution and Constclln
now preserved ns relics of tho wooden flee1
a century ago, will be known ns "Old Constltul
nnd "Old Constellntlon." Tlie present Sanj
was formerly the New York, the armored crl
which served as Admiral Sampson's ilag shll
EVERY MAN TO HIS LAST.
Because you are an excellent enrpenter
timed Somite in his famous Apologia nt At
It does not therefore follow that you art
wisest of men. Yet the tendency persisted
persists, and Alexander Crviden, a great malt
coucoi dunces, A-ns found offering his scrvlc
tlie British government, over 100 yenrs ag
"corrector of morals," Just as many rich buf
men lu England today aro offering their sei
to tlie government "under tho conviction that!
can do In one day what nn expert can II
manage In three. Christian Science Monltl
IN MONTENEGRO.
There's a j-cullni superstition in Monttl
whero tho peasants believe that the Iron
chain over tho hot ilreplnce will nut heat nt
Christmas night, as ut all other times, hut rel
cool to I ue touch. To exnlnln this thev
that a similar chain hung over the fire hi:
tho floor ot the stable at Bethlehem, nnd t
tho birth of Christ, the virgin mother grn
for siii',t. It became cool at her ton h
burn 'n julully hand.