THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA
PREVENTING BELLIGERENTS Fil
WIG HE UIILITI GIG IAS
TO FROVE MOOTED THEORY
tvN m. Jr xiv n mi f.m -. i m m ir x m i
Customs Authorities of the Port of New York Never Before Had a
Situation to Deal With Like, That Created by the European War
Efficient Bay Patrol Assisted by Swift Destroyers
Keep Constant Watch on Outgoing Vessels.
Now Yqrk. New York Is a neutral
port. "N
It In neutral despite tho prcsonco
hero of vessels of all nntlons.
These vessels arc free to come and
go as long as they obsorvo tho neutral
ity laws of tho United Slates.
Dudley Field Malone, collector of
tho port, Is charged with tho respon
sibility for tho enforcement of theuo
laws,
Mr. Malone has been without prece
dent to guldo him. No other collector
of this port over had to deal with a
situation like that created by tho war
In Europe
From tho outset ho has been de
termined, so far as IiIb district is con
corned,, to prevent any net on tho
part of any of tho belligerents which
would compromiso tho neutrality of
this country as defined In President
Wilson's proclamation, says the New
York Herald.
Tho need for prompt and vigorous
action was emphasized by tho Kron
prlnz Wllhelm episode Tho records
of tho custom house show that this
vessol cleared In a proper manner.
The authorities had no legal right to
detain It.
Becomes Commerce Destroyer.
Yet tho facility with which tho
Kronprlnz Wllhelm was transformed
from a peaceful merchant vessol to
a commerco destroyor nu soon as It
was on tho high sens caused tho gov
ernment to turn its attention to tho
activities which became manifest on
board other steamships that were In
tho harbor.
Mr. Malono immcdlntoly organize!
a neutrality bureau, consisting of
about a hundred customs ofllclals.
These men wero assigned to various
plors and stations whero vigilanco
Boomed necessary.'
Each man wns held to a strict ac
countability, but Mr Malono sot them
n splendid oxnmplo, for night after
night ho was out In tho harbor, In
wind, rain or cold, cither on a torpedo
boat destroyor or ono of tho govern
ment's fast launches which havo boon
assigned to neutrality duty.
Tho formalities attending tho clear
ance of a vessel worn mndo more
strict, a closor inspection of tho load
ing of cargoes was instituted, and to
Collector Dudley Field Malone.
guard against a vcsbcI attempting to
loavo tho harbor without clearance
papers It was arranged to havo somo of
tho speediest torpedo-bout destroyers
In the navy stationed In tho Narrows
off Quarantino and in tho sound off
Whltcstono. Cables wero laid and at
tached to a buoy, from which direct
connection could bo inado with ono
of tho destroyers on guard at clthor
station, so that It would bo posslblo
to telephone direct from tho custom
houso to tho commanding ofllcer at
nny mlnuto during tho day or night,
Prlvato tolophonos wero also placod
at each pier around tho hurbor, mnk'
ing it posslblo for the mon on guard
to get into Instant communication
with tho collector's offlco.
No Chance to Get By,
Under this arraugomont as soon as
a vcbscI has cleared at tho custom
houso notico is sent to tho torpedo
boat destroyor on guard, and no ves
bo! Is allowed to lcavo tho harbor un
til tho commandor of tho dostroyer
has rocclvod word from tho custom
houso that clearance has been granted.
Tho ofllcacy of this supervision was
testod when tho steamship Pathllnder,
ltjnorlng tho signals to Btop, steamed
rapiuiy past quarantino and was
down in tho lower buy beforo tho do
Btroyer got under headway. Tho do
parting boat was speedily overhauled,
but oven then tho captain rofusod to
stop until a solid shot was fired across
bis bows. Ho thoroupon decided to
take no chances on what might hap
pen next and returned as ordered
to tho Quarantino station, whoro ho
wob detained until a proper cloaranco
was produced, Sovcral other boats
havo boon stopped in llko manner.
Tho vigilanco of the "neutrality
squad, ns Mr. Malono b army of
husky watchors has como to bo known
among tho harbor folk, Is evidenced
by several Incidents. Two one-time
United States torpedo boats, tho Por
ter and tho Wlnslow, which had
speed of from twenty-four to twenty
olv knots, had been condemned by
tho navy department and sold. They
wero purchased by a machinist and
boiler mnkcr and stored in tho Erlo
basin, whoro they remained sovcral
years, neglected and uncared for.
Soon after tho war broko out thoy
suddenly becamo tho objects of great
activity. A number of workmen ap
peared on tho scene, tho decks wero
scraped and painted, tho engines and
machinery overhauled and tho boats
soon took on tho racy, buslnessllko
nppcaranco which had distinguished
them when thoy were on tho active
navnl list.
Sale Falls Through..
No explanation of this sudden
chango could ho obtained, so customs
guards were placed In chnrgo of tho
boats day and night, with Instructions
to forbid them leaving the pier until
tho collector had given permission for
them to do bo. Tho owner then ap
peared and stated that ho was nego
tiating tho sala of tho craft and that
thoy wera to bo taken up to tho great
lakes. It was shown to him that all
that would bo necessary to moko tho
vchhoIs effective fighting mnchines
would bo to mount a couplo of tor
pedo tubes on the decks, which Rtill
contained tho ringbolts and the bases
on which tho torpedo tubes had for-
morly been mounted.
Also It was shown to tho owner that
as thero wero two British cruisers on
guard outsido of Now York harbor,
tho possibilities In caso theso torpedo
boats should fall Into tho hands of
Irresponsible parties wero too sorious
to bo lightly disregarded, and that if
tho vessels wero sold thoy would not
bo permitted to leavo tho custody of
tho customs authorities until tho Iden
tity of tho now owner and his pur
poso of acquiring craft of this typo
wore fully investigated. Tho negotia
tions for tho snlo of tho bouts appar
ently foil through, for at tho present
tlmo they aro still in tho hands of
tho same ownor and aro still under
tho supervision of tho neutrality bu
reau, day and night.
Thogrcnt Hoot of Gorman and Aus
trian passenger and merchant ves
sels (27 of tho former and four of
tho latter) now tied up at tho docks
In tho Now York harbor has been
under the constant survoillanco of tho
'neutrality squad." Theso vessels aro
not Interned. Thoy aro merely "self
dotnlncd," and, so far as tho United
States Is concerned, aro qulto as free
to como and go as tho ships of any
other nation, if thoy so olect. All that
tho customs authorities demand Is
that any cargo takon aboard shall con
form strictly to our neutrality laws
and tho vessels clear according to tho
proper formalities.
Vast Amount of Work.
A trip around tho harbor in tho
launch Neutrality, which is always
ready to respond at a moment's notico
to an omorgoncy call from Mr. Ma
lono or any of his subordinates, gives
somo ldoa of tho vast amount of work
nud tho tremendous responsibility in
volvod In keoplng tho port of Now
York noutral.
Exorbitant freight rates and tho cor
tainty of obtaining cargoos havo
drawn ships of all descriptions from
all sections of tho globe to theso wa
tors. Tho oldest sailors say thoy havo
novor before soon such a largo and
Ill-assorted llcot of tramp ships aB
thero Is now in tho harbor. Any sort
of craft that will koop afloat is wol
corned by shippers.
Millions and millions of dollars'
worth of war supplies purchased by
tho allies aro awaiting shipment. Tho
volume of exports now going out of
Now York from week to week far ox-
coeds nny previous movomcnt of tho
kind from any port In tho world In
tho history ' of modern timos. Tho
shipyards of Europo, Amerlcu and
Asia havo boon ransacked; craft that
had been assigned to tho scrap heap
has boon resurrected and put Into
commission. Somo of theso ships
hnvo mado moro monoy for tholr own
ers on a slnglo voyage than tholr
actual worth In tho markot. Tho
sklppors nro not particular what sort
of cargo thoy carry. Dynnmlto or gun
powder, nutomouiios or mules aro
all tho Bamo to them so long as thoy
can got tho bonoflt of tho high rntuB
which this war-tlmo tralllc bears.
PosBing under tho shadows of tho
great Gorman stoamshlpB tied up at
their docks in Ilobokon after tho man
nor in which an ico company is forced
to stable Its horses In the winter tlmo
a tour of investigation soon lends to
scones of unusua activity along tho
plors nt Woohawkon. Tho hugo grain
olovators oporatod by tho West Shoro
railroad aro pouring wheat by tho
hundrodB of thousands of bushels into
the steel hulks of vessels steaming
undor tho Norwegian and Danish
flugs. A littlo furthor along tho
French atenmshlp Kungaroo 1b loading
with (otiB and toiiB of steel billets to
bo used In making firearms and am
munition.
Freight Piled High.
AcrosB tho way another big stool
frolghtor, Bclicdulod to stonm for
Vladivostok, Russia, Is taking on
cargo that Is of unlnuo charactor.
It 1b composed in part of stool rails
tno Btcci rramoE and trucks of frolght
cars and tho dismembered parts of
Fuji, tho .lapancso fostor-daughtor
of Mrs. William B. Neader Adamson
of Philadelphia, is not only a beauti
ful, healthy and loving littlo Japanc30
child, but is also tho living exponent
by which tho theory of tho inlluenco
of environment over that of heredity
is to bo proved. Tho child Is to bo
given a real American training and at
twonty-ono to bo permitted to decide
whether she wants to live in America
or Japan. Meanwhilo all her Inherent
characteristics aro to bo mado a mat
ter of record.
a couplo of powerful locomotives of
the latest pattern, and In part of mis
cellaneous freight, consisting of sup
plies for army uso.
Lighters piled high with large
crates containing motors and automo
bllo bodies of various makes aro In
ovldcnco everywhere around tho har
bor. Tho spaces between tho plera
of tho Bush Terminal docks aro con
gested with freight of this charac
ter, and the sceno Is ono of remarka
ble commercial enterprise.
Tho Noutrallty picks Its way along
cautiously until In loss crowded wa
ters, then makes a dash across tho
upper bay to tho torpedo-boat de
stroyers stationed at tho Narrows.
Tho investigating party no sooner
clambers up on the deck of ono of
them than a telophono boll rings aft.
Lieut. Gcorgo M. Lowry answers tho
call and returns with a messago for
a member of the "noutrallty squad"
from tho office of Mr. Malono. Tho
destroyers havo steam up and aro
roady to mako a dash if tho occasion
should arlso.
Beyond tho Narrows, In Gravcsend
bay, In what has boon designated by
tho harbor authorities as tho loading
ground for oxploslves, several shlpn
aro taking on dynamite, trl-nltro-
toluol or Eomo othor form of high ox
ploslvo In quantities sufllclcnt to
mako you shudder at tho moro thought
of what might happen If ono of tho
boxes carelessly swung from the light
er alongsldo should slip from tho
block and tackle and fall to tho deck.
All barges carrying explosives nro
required by tho municipal ordinnnco
to fly two largo red Hags, ono at tho
bow and one nt tho stern, and at
night to display two rod lanterns.
City In Danger From Explosives.
Most of them paid littlo heed to the
regulation. Thoy woro traveling up
and down tho harbor, each with
enough picric acid or' othor high ex
plosive to razo tho city, with no red
Hag flying or othor indication of tho
dnngorouB cargo thoy wero transport
ing. Tho attention of tho "neutrality
squad" was cullod by Mr. Malono to
this carelessness.
Tho customs guards aro also forced
to koop rigid watch to soo that no
oxploslvoB aro loaded on pnssengor
ships. It is likewise part of tholr
duty, undor tho law, to prevent ship
pers from loading goods undor a false
classification.
In enforcing noutrallty Mr. Malono
has not lost sight of tho fact that
tho motive of patriotism which Impels
all aliens in tho United States to
want to bo of utmost sorvico to their
respective countries Is perfectly un
derstandable but it has been his con
stant purposo to compel tho repre
sentatives of all nations to realize
that thoy can only servo tho causo
of tholr governments by keeping
within tho limits and prohibitions of
our noutrallty laws.
MAN BAGS 52-POUND WOLF
Young Minnesota Hunter Chases Ani
mal for Several Miles on n
Motor Cycle.
Balaton, Minn. Two boys, Evold
Bylandor and John Bollman, baggod
a 52-pound wolf recontly In rather a
novel way.
Thoy woro out hunting ono boy on
tho motor cyclo and tho othor with a
gun In tho sldo car when thoy spied
tho wolt and gave cliaso. Aftor a
wild lido of several miles, thoy mado
ii mir'!Ri-.ful long shot
IMPROVE ROADS BY DRAINAGE
One of the Most Important Matters to
Be Considered In Construction
of Public Highways.
(By E. li. GATES, Illinois.)
Whon It comes to building roads
thero aro a good many problems to
solvo and not easy ones at that. Rid
ing along in an nuto it Is easy enough
to say when you strlko a smooth
Btretch, "this Is fine," and turn on a
littlo moro gas, but when you hit a
rriudholo and ruts you may get your
foot on tho wrong pedal and the road
commission catches it.
It takes labor, tlmo, good material
and money to havo good roads. Every
ono wants tho roads, so wo will all
havo to work and spend somo of our
tlmo and money and boost for better
roads.
Ono of tho things most needed is
better drainago for tho roads as well
as for tho forms and at this timo we
will conllno this artlclo to tho subject
of drainage.
Drainago Is the most important
matter to bo considered in tho con
struction of, roads. Drainago alono
will often chango a bad road Into a
good ono whilo tho best stone road
may bo destroyed from a lack of prop
er drainago.
Thero are threo systems of drainago
that wo can uso to advantago, and
theso aro underdralnago, sldo ditches
and surfuco drainage.
Whero water stands on a road un
dordralnngo without any grading la
better than grading without under
dralnago. Underdralnago is not to re-
movo simply tho surface water but its
greatest help Is to lower tho water lev
el in the soil.
The action of the sun and wind will
finally dry tho surface of tho road but
if tho foundation is wet and soft tho
wheels will wear ruts and theso get
tilled with water during tho first rains
and tho road becomes a sticky mass.
An Tindralncd soil is a poor founda
tion upon which to build roads as' well
as anything else. When frost is leav
ing tho ground tho thawing Is quite
as much from tho bottom as from tho
top. If underdralnago is provided the
water is immediately removed.
Tho best and cheapest method to
secure underdralnago Is to lay a lino
of farm drain tllo on ono or both sides
of tho road. Tho new road law gives
tho highway commissioners power to
contract with adjoining property own
ers to lay larger tllo than is necessary
to drain tho road and to permit tho
contracting parties to drain their
lands. This helps tho roads and at
tho same tlmo Is a great benolit to
tho adjoining land.
Sldo ditches aro necessary to all
roads but no road can be maintained
with the ditch holding the water un-
Well-Drained Road In Illinois.
til It evaporates. In most cases It la
cheaper to get tho water away from
tho road than to try to :1ft tho road
out of It.
Sometimes roads on tho hillsides
nro left without sldo ditches. This is
u mistake, for if any load needs a
ditch it is tho ono on a hillside, for
whero thero are no ditches tho water
runs along tho middle of tho road and
wears gullies and as wo all know.
makes a bad road.
The roads should bo so crowned
that water can reach tho tllo or
ditches. If all ruts and mudholes are
filled, tho water will havo a better
chanco to run off. Thero nro sovcral
machines mado to keep tho roads in
shape and theso need to bo used often
and at tho right time. It Is not neces
sary to spend half a day in trying to
get hold of a road commissioner to
help open a culvert or let tho water
out of a holo in tho road. Better
spend tho tlmo in doing It yourself and
you will feel better and your neigh
bor will thank you.
Arteries of Community.
Improved public roads aro directly
related to bettor country homes and
schools, to tho reach and Inlluenco of
country churches, to tho timely mar
ket centers. They aro tho arteries ot
organized community llfo. Homo and
FIresldo.
Road Drags for Upkeep.
Tho road drag Is not an equipment
for constructing roads, but it is in
tended for upkeep. It should not move
any largo quantity of earth, but takes
a small amount of wet earth to or
away from tho centor of tho road. It
is Important to remember that tho
road drag does not build roads, but
helps to kcop them in repair.
Using Taxpayers' Money,
Thoro is no hotter way to uso tho
taxpayers' money than by draining uur
roads.
I
Congressional Directory Shows Work of Censor
WASHINGTON. Tho proclivities of now congressmen td advertise tholr
past exploits and their futuro aspirations havo boon severely dealt with
by tho censor appointed by tho Joint comraittoo on printing to edit tho
sued. Ono of them is the biography of
himself ns "Harry Lane, Democrat.'-
Senator Thompson of Kansas, who
solf In tho first directory printed after his election, has evidently changed
his view, as the new issuo contains nothing oven related to tho radiant.
Similar high personnl mention which
sentative LIttlopago of West Virginia
Harry E. Hull, Republican, of Iowa,
his campaign as tho successor of tho lato Mr. Pepper, and that ho "made a
run that was accepted by tho wholo country as proof of how tho 'farmers
would voto and of the weakness of tho Progressive cause."
Jeff McLomoro of Houston, Tex.,
newspaper man." Ho also prospected
strike." Mr. McLomoro also says that
of his aversion to teachers."
David H. Kincheloo of Madlsonvllle,
"has one girl now seven and a half months old."
Uncle Sam Now Boosting
THE bureau of fisheries is doing Its best to exploit tho commercial possi
bilities of tho goosellsh and has issued a bulletin unon this unannreclatml
fish in which it gives ton different
into a delicious and appetizing food.
So littlo is this flsh valued by the
fishermen of tho Atlantic coast that
every year they throw away about 10,-
000,000 pounds. But goosellsh is of a
higher nutritive value tlian tho famous
Now England codfish.
This angler, or monkfish, aB it is
also called, is a most unsightly mon
ster. It has a very largo head and
mouth, entirely out of proportion to
tho rest of Its body. It is abun
dant along the Atlantic coast down
to tho Carolluas, and on trawl
thero aro gathered more than 400,000,
pounus eacli, ana giving, when cut into steaks, food that In flesh-building
qualities is equal to sirloin steak. All of this splendid food is either thrown
overboard or loft on the shores to decay, and if It wero sold oven at tho low
est price it would pay tho fishermen, for they take it without extra trouble.
Tho appearance of tho flsh is against It. It averages a length of about
threo feet, with broad, depressed body,
with a doublo row of strong tooth.
Tho first spine of the dorsal fin
nnd bears a tuft, which serves as a lure
skin is covered with numerous short
arrangomont around tho edge of tho Jaws.
While Its gocd qualities are only
the cooseflsh has long been a favorito
sea and other waters of Europe, and
millions of pounds.
Though called tho "sea devil" in
there aro many ways of preparing It.
and Italy. It is also prepared for salo
boxed.
Athletic Paradise Is
rlTHIN ten years the District of
complete public amusement parks
Col. W. W. Harts, superintendent
ing 40,000. "It Is not our intention to havo a stadium with 40,000 empty
seats always gaping across tho field," said Colonel Harts. "Tho tentative
plan calls for a U-shaped grand stand with a seating capacity of 15,000. Now,
when occasion demands, tho two ends
end of tho field, and then, If moro seats
into a hugo oval-shaped stand, seating
In addition to tho big field, there
for the uso of tho public. Somo of the other features in tho tentative plan
aro: Two swimming pools, ono wading pool, two cricket fields, 28 tennis
courts, an 18-holo golf courso, four basket-ball fields and a combination roque
and croquet flold.
Spanish Becomes Popular Study at the Capital
PROMPTLY at 4:35 o'clock two afternoons of each week a scoro or more
of employees of tho bureau of foreign and domestic commerce meet in
ono of tho rooms In tho dopartmcnt of
hour lessons In tho Spanish language.
On two other afternoons at tho same
tlmo a number of employees of the
bureau gather to tako lessons In Rus
sian. Tin I languago lessons wero In
augurated by Dr. Edward Ewlng Pratt,
chief of tho bureau, as a part of tho
wolfaro work among his employees.
No employoo of tho bureau is re
quired to study Spanish or Russian
or any other foreign lnnguago. It Is
a voluntary matter, paid for in cash by
tho persons vno take tho lessons. Tho expectation Is that several of tho
mon now taking Spanish lessens will In tlmo bo promoted to field duty and
detailed to Central or South America on some phase of the bureau's varied
ccmmorclal activities. Others will havo opportunities to turn their knowl
edge of Spanish to profitable account In private employment. ' -
The growing commerco between tho United States and Latin-American
countries makes it very desirablo that somo of tho employees of tho bureau
of foreign and domestic commerce havo a working knowledge of Spanish.
Whilo keeping the practical sldo In mind, however, tho satisfaction which
comos to persons who master foreign languages also Is not being lost
sight of,
Tho Russian languago is generally believed to bo much harder to master
than Spanish, but tho growing commerco betwoen tho United States and
Russia promises to make it well worth while for tho few employees who
havo Mndcrtakeu a study of tho Russian language nt their own request.
autobiographies submitted by states
men for tho now congressional direc
tory. Ono of tho features of tho new di
rectory Is tho brevity of many of tho
biographies. Consternation reigned In
tho government printing ofllco sovoral
years ago when Representative Lind
bergh of Minnesota sent in his biog
raphy this: "Lindbergh, Charles A.,
Republican, Littlo Falls."
There aro moro than a dozen
eimilar Items in tho directory Just Is
Senator Lano of Oregon, who records
predicted a glorious futuro for hlm-
stood out In a former skotch of Repre
is missing.
says ho had only ten days to mako
assorts that ho Is "a bachelor and a
for gold in 1879, but "did not mako a
ho "had but littlo schooling because
Ky., proudly says ho is married and
the Goosefish as Food
recipes by which It may bo converted
lines and In nets with nth pr fish
weighing on an average of 25
and tho powerful Jaws aro provided
is detached and Inserted on tho snout.
for Its proy. Its loose, mottled brown
paps, which aro regular in size and
Just becoming known in this country
in Europe. It abounds in tho North
its annual consumption amo'ana to
. "
Gormany it is, highly esteemed, and
It Is equally, popular In Great Britain
by smoking, cut Into small strips and
Planned for Washington
eolumbia will have ono of tho most
In the world, If tho present plana of
of nubile buildlnrcs and urounds. aro
approved and supported financially by
congress. Colonol Harts has mapped
out a comprehensive plan for convert
ing tho 327 acres of unimproved land
southeast of Potomac park and just
across from the Seventh street
wharves into an athle'tlc"',p"arc,d(3e."
Tho plan is so broad in scope thai '
It can bo carried out only gradually.
Colonel Harts estimates that ten years
should see its completion.
Tho feature of tho plan is the
erection of a stadium capable of seat
of tho big 'U' can bo er.tonded to the
aro dsslrcd, tho 'U' can bo completed
a world series crowd."
will bo 13 smaller baseball diamonds
commerce building to study for a half
IJCOrf QUE f JCRIOO YO Etl)
1.
f I HEVER CCJLOSL
EAT SICH U?OKtN'Mfffflf
FISH A3 THAT J I I j
JK
