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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (May 18, 1917)
THE 8EMLWEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. POOD REGULATION URGENT NECESSITY GOVERNMENT MUST TAKE AC TION SOON, SAYS VROOMAN. ROOSEVELT TO LEAD DIVISION House Restores Amendment for Ex President to Raise Army. Wilson Says People Don't Realize What War Means. Washington. Sharp Increases In July and September grain prices on tho Chicago exchange during the past few days drew from the agricultural department a statement denouncing "food gamblers" and "economic para sites." Carl Vrooman, the assistant secretary declared the time had come for the government to take decisive action to check the upward trend Tlirk tknn.il. ...Ill It '..! .. .,..,...., tho activities of these economic para sites, these disloyal food gamblers who are fattening and battennlg In every city In this land on tho food necessities of the poor. J. no Issue as to food control Is clear. It Is an Issue between food control by tho government on tho one hand and food control by the specula tors. "Some ono said a few years ago that Russia was a despotism temper ed by nssasslnntlon. So wo might say today that we are suffering from food control tempered by Indictment. The energetic activities of the department of Justice have somewhat checked the operations of food gnmblers and .monopolies but hnve failed to control -them. "Tho only government control pos sible is control based upon such laws as those now before congress author izing the agriculture department and tho president to establish maximum prices and otherwise to act vigorous ly in tho interest of botli producer and consumer. Every European na tion has found It necessary during the present wnr to confer upon Its gov ernment food control powers greater than those proposed by the adminis tration for our government In tho present emergency." The present high level of wheat Trlccs, many government ofllclnls be lieve, will be maintained even If tho Chicago exchange discontinues all fu ture trading because of the great for eign demand, unless the government fixes prices. The allies' demands for the coining year arc far more than jVmeijca can supply even If the spring wheat acreage produces a bumper .yield. Tho country has on hnnd now about 25,000,000 or 30,000,000 bushels of vis ible wheat. Probably more than thnt Is stored on farms and In country mills ns an Invisible supply. Tho In visible supply will run the country un til tho July hnrvest, leaving the 30,- 000,000 bushels for export. It Is be lieved the allies hold contracts In this country for much more wheat than that Shipments to the nllles will be stop ped only when In the Judgment of tho government It Is necessary to retain all available wheat for American uses. Tho department Is looking forward to a big acreage of spring wheat and an enormous yield If the weather Is favorable. This will give some wheat for export. Corn stocks are lower than normal, 1ut there still Is a vast store In the United States. Reports to the agricul ture department, on. March 1, showed there was on the farms' at that tlino 780.000,000 bushels. The department Is urging a wider use of corn and, In the bills pending In congress, seeks to authorize the mixture of corn with wheat In milling. Roosevelt to Lead Army. With party lines brushed complete ly aside, the house of representatives, liy a vote of 215 to 178, Instructed Its members of the army bill conference committee to restore the sennto amendment authorizing the president to permit the raising of such a divi sion. This overrides the conference report and sends the bill back to con ference. The colonel's name during tho de bate was received with tumultuous cheers by tho galleries, while tho members themselves Joined In the ap plause. Congressman Anthony, republican, of Knnsas led tho fight for Roosevelt. Democrats stood for Roosevelt or against him. Republicans voiced their enthusias tic acclaim of the colonel or openly opposed permitting him to head an Expert AvIator.Ordered to Omaha. Washington Major Frank I'. Lahm of the army flying corps, now at tho aviation school, San Diego, Cal., has been ordered to Fort Omnha, Neb., to command the new balloon school. Can Last Until Harvest. Amsterdam. Despite unfavorable crops In Turkey, Bulgaria and Hun gnry, It Is certain Germnny will be nble to manage to Inst- until the new hnrvest. Food Dictator Bntockl de enred In a speech Just recenty In the relchstag. army to France. Nearly twenty mem bers debated tho Roosevelt proposal. Forty-five democrats ami four Inde pendents voted for tho amendment and thirty republicans against It. Move Toward National Prohibition. A long step toward making the na tion dry throughout the war period was taken by the Semite when that body, by a vote of 38 to 32, adopted the Cummins amendment to tin espionage bill prohibiting the use of grains cereals, sugar or syrup In the manufacture of alcoholic beverages. After a bitter fight tho amendment was accepetd to modify It. Heforo It becomes a law, however, tho concur rence of the house will bo necessary. Warns People of What Is to Come. President Wilson In a speech at the dedication of the new SSOO.000 home for the Ited Cross In Washing ton declared that the American peo pie do not realize the sacrifices and suffering that arc before them. II warned' the nation of the grim blood sncrlflces that must come before democracy Is a world triumph. "In comparison with the struggle Into which we hnve entered the civil wnr seems Insignificant In Its oxpen dlture of trensure and of blood." he said. "This Is no war for amateurs, This wnr means business on every side," the president asserted. "And it is tho mere counsel of prudenco in our flchtlng work, we should act through the Instrumentalities already at hand and already experienced In the tnsks which are going to be as signed in them. I do nor believe that It will be necessarv for the lied cross , nppcnl to )P Ani0rIeon people for fn(K t,pcnn.0 the heart of this coun try Is In tho wnr." lie said the people of the nntlon should see that the American Red Cross Is equipped for the things thai llo before It. ' Separate Peace Talk Heard. London M. Skobeleff, n member of the executive committee of the Coun cil of Workmen's and Soldiers' Dnlc gates, according to a Renter's (lis natch from Petrograd, assorted in hU speech May 12 thnt while the com mittee, of which he Is a member, Is opposed to a separate pence It was of the opinion the wnr might be ended by an agreement between the Gorman niid Russian democracies. For this reason, be snld. It proposed to enter Into negotiations with the representa tives of Oermnn democracies at the International soclnllst conferonco. Russian Soldiers Inactive. There sill! Is no Indlentlon of the approach of any fighting of moment hniwimn flio Austro-Germnns nnd Rus sians on the eastern front from tlie Raltlc sen to Roumanln. Along this entire line the operations consist merely of small skirmishes and recon nnlssances. Men Named For Russian Mleslon. AVnsblngton The State department announced the personnel of the Amer ican commission to Russia as follows! Ellhu Root of New York, chairman. Charles R. Crane of Illinois, Chlca co manufacturer and business mnn. John R. Mott of Now York, general secretary International committee of Young Men's Christian association. Cyrus McCormtek, president of the International Harvester company. Samuel R. Bertron, banker of New York-. James Duncan, vice president Amer ican Federation of Labor. Chnrles Edward Russell of New York, author and socialist. Major General Hugh L. Scott, chief of stnff, U. S. A. Rear Admiral James II. Glcnnon U. S. N. Food Control Will Avert Famine. New York. Herbert C. TToovcr, who recently came from Europe to ndvlsc the government on food con ditions In Europe, soys that without control wo may see Hour a't .$20 a barrel before the year Is over, but that with control "the present price of Hour can be reduced -10 to 50 pet cent and at the same time tho pro dtifor be treated In a liberal manner Mr. Hoover, In commenting on the situation told newspaper men thnt there Is absolutely no occasion for food panic In this country nor nny Justification for outrageous prices un less the opposition of special Inter ests defeats the president In obtnln lag the necessnry powers to control Die nation's food adequately. no snld that America's problem Is not ono of fnmlne, for this country hns now nnd will have next year n large surplus. Mr. Hoover asserted that tho great problem of tho United States Is. after the people of this country nro properly fed and protect ed. to clve to the nllles tho last ounce of surplus of which Amerlcn Is capable. Ice-Bound Crew Starving. Marquette. Mich. Members of tho crew of the freighter Munlslng stranded In an Ice floe In Lake Sit nerlnr. seven miles off shore, nro starving. Efforts to reach them fall Paper Shortage Growing In Germany, Copenhagen. The Berlin newspn per publishers have Informed tho gov ornment that they nre In pressing danger of being forced to suspend publication owing to paper shortage, Socialists to Talk Peace. London Tho executive conimlttco of tho Russian workmen's and sol dlers' delegates has icsolvod to con vene In a neutral country an Interna tlonnl soclnllst conference to discus pence, a Routers telegram from Pc trograd says. 1 Tho 11)18 class of France, young men born In 1S03, Just called to tho colors, marshaled In front of tho Gnre Montpnrnasse, Paris, to be taken to training garrisons. 2 Gen. Clarence R. Edwards, new commander of tho department of tho Northeast, nnd his aide, Lieut. N. S. Slmpklns, In headquarters at Boston. 3 British officer lending a raiding party amidst the bursting of German shells. 4 Princess Mamie of Fife, who Is to marry her cousin, the Prince of Wales. 5 Lieut. Coin. D. C. Blngbnm, licet gunnery officer on stntT of commander of Atlan tic fleet. NEWS REVIEW OF THE PAST WEEK War Revenue Measure to Raise $1,800,000,000 Introduced in the House. MAKES ENTIRE NATION HELP Compromise Reached on Army Con- ocrlptlon Bill Nine Regiments of Engineers Going to Europe Soon Desperate Fighting In Northern France and Macedonia. By EDWARD W. PICKARD. The house of representatives re ceived from tho ways and means com mittee on Wednesday the completed war revenue bill designed to raise $1,- 800,000,000, which Is addltlonul to the normal revenue of $1,500,000,000. The measure Is so drafted that every home, every Individual, will share In the bur den. Under Its provisions the Ameri can people will be paying direct taxes of $33 per capita for the year 1017. The people of tho British Isles now puy per capita taxes of $G0. The principal features of tho levy uro the Increases In Income and profits taxes, In Internal revenue rates and In customs duties, but tho householder nnd Indeed everyone Is hit, for light, heat, and telephone bills, admission tickets to amusements, fire and life In surance, railway tickets, automobiles, nutomoblle tires nnd tubes, soft drinks, postngo rates, golf clubs and baseball bats, club dues, and a host of other everyday necessities or luxuries come under the taxation. At the last min ute the commltteo added n paragraph placing a tax of 2 cents a pound on tea and 1 cent a pound on coffee,- and nn additional tax wns plnccd on sugnr. Tho bill proposes n normal tax of 2 per cent on Individuals having Incomes between $1,000 and $3,000, If single, and $2,000 nnd $1,000, If murrlcd or the bend of a family. An nddltlonal nor mal tnx of 2 per cent would bo ndded in the case of lnrger Incomes. At $5, 000 an additional surtax, graduated until at $500,000 and over It reaches 33 per cent, would be Imposed. AH articles of Import now on the free list will bo taxed 10 per cent, and an ndditlonnl 10 per cent tax Is placed on nil articles now on tho dutiable list. The tax on excess profits is 10 per cent on profits over 8 per cent and $5,000. Heavy taxes are placed on beer, spirits, whisky and tobacco and its manufactures. Tho first-class mall rato goes up to 3 cents nnd tho second class rnto Is Increased according to the zonq system. Army Bill Compromise. Spurred to action by the president, the senate anil house conferees com promised the differences over the army conscription bill. Tho amend ment authorizing the Roosevelt expe ditionary force of volunteers was elim inated. Tho ago limit for the draft was Bet at twenty-one to thirty years Inclusive. Liquor Is barred from the training camps and Immoral resorts from their vicinity. Tho pny of en listed men Is raised $10 a month to $25, nnd that of other grades proportion ately. The machinery for draft ex emption Is provided. It Is estimated that under tho bill more than 10,000,000 men nro llnblo for war service. From these will be taken the first 500,000 recruits for the conscription army, tho second 500,000 wbon the president decides to call for them, and tho men necessary to bring tho regular army and National Guard up to maximum war strength if volun teers do not come forward In sufficient numbers. Reports during tho week concerning the submnrlno warfare were conflict ing nnd confusing. Germany claimed Its campaign was still successful be yond Its expectations, whllo Orcat Britain Issued flgures showing a con siderable decrenso In tho number of U-bont victims. Great Britain reported the sinking of two more hospital ships by tho Ger- j mans. Tho news also came of tho tor pedoing of the British steamship City of Paris In the Mediterranean early In April. Tho vessel carried 200 pas sengers and n largo crew and only 23 were saved. Amerlcnn Inventors by tho thousand nre seeking means of combating the submarine, and Chnlrman Saunders of tho nnval consulting board made a statement which, though deprecated by navy olllclals, gnvo nssuranco that some of the devices submitted would solve tho problem In the near future. The war department announced on Monday that nine regiments of engi neers, made up largely of railroad men, would bo sent to France as soon as possible. These men and doctors nnd nurses will be the first to reach the war zone. Members of the French war commis sion, after their trip through tho cen tral West, were received enthusiasti cally In Philadelphia and New i'ork; some of tho British commissioners ad dressed congress, nnd all of them pre pared to return home, confident that the arrangements made with America ensured the prosecution of tho war to a victorious conclusion. The finance committee of tho French chamber of deputies, In report ing on a bill, asserted that France must hnve a "peace that pnys;" In re storation of Alsace-Lorraine, compen sation In kind for thefts and damages In the Invaded region, rebuilding of the ruined towns and villages by Ger man hands, ships to replace those sunk, and guaranties for annual pay ments. It was stated authoritatively In Washington Thursday that President Wilson had Informed Mr. Balfour that tho United States will make war and peace In common with tho allies. Ferment In Germany. Of tho greatest Interest nnd Im portance were tho events of tho week in Germany. Chnncellor von Both-mnnn-IIollweg, finding himself between two fires, maintained silence concern ing Germany's alms In the wnr. On tho ono hand, tho pcnce-wlthout-annex- atlon socialists attacked him nnd the government fiercely, virtually demand i iR that he step down and out. On the other "nd, tho conservatives and Pan- Germans assailed him for apparently yielding to tho other faction, nnd also boldly blamed his hesitant policy for the long duration of tho war. Sweep Ing Internal reforms. In the empire are demanded by the radicals, and some of them but not enough yet venture to urge the wiping out of Prussia's bule ful predominance and oven the deposl tlon of the reigning dynasty. A logical result of these agitations was tho reported attempt of nn nssos sin to shoot the kaiser in Berlin. Had his aim been truer his bullet would have removed not alone Wllhelm, but tho whole houso of Ilnhenzollern. Closely related to events In Germnny were tho developments In Russln. Tho provisional heads of tho new republic were forced to agree to form n coali tion government with the dele gates of the soldiers' and work men's councils. This quieted the tils turbnnccs for the time being, but tho German socialist emissaries continued to spread their propaganda. Borgjerg, Danish soclnllst, who Is In Petrograd, mnde known the peace terms proposed by the German socialist democratic pnrty, the mnjorlty faction. They In elude recognition of tho right of nn tlons to freedom of development, tho Introduction of compulsory Interna tlonnl arbitration, the restitution by Germany of all conquered territories, n plebiscite In Russian Poland, with freedom to choose between Independ ence or nnnexntlon by Russia or Ger many; tho restoration of Independence to Belgium, Serbia, and Roumanlti ; tho restoration to Bulgnrln of tho Bulgnrl nn districts of Macedonia, and the granting to Serbia of a free port on the Adriatic. Tho radical socialists of Petrograd at onco declared that their party should have nothing to do with Borg jerg and his propositions, which they asserted were wholly pro-German. Stand of American Socialists. Lending American socialists gave out a statement denouncing the Interna tional socialist conferonco called for Stockholm early In Juno ns "tho most dangerous of nil tho kaiser's plots for cashlng Jn his military victories," nnd chnracterlzlng the Amerlcnn soclnllst delegates, Morris Illllqult nnd Alger- non Lee, as radically pro-German. In Greece matters moved rapidly to- ward a climax. The king Is losing supporters dally In large numbers, and on Sunday -10,000 persons assembled In Salonlkl and with great enthusiasm adopted a resolution proclaiming tho deposition of King Constantino and his II ) IIIISl J , Germany Is attempting to start In Italy the same campaign of dlslntegra tlon she Is carrying on In Russln, Baron Sonnlno Is tho object of attack by radical Journals In the southern country, as Is Mllyoukov In Petrograd. A war mission from Italy Is now on Its way to America. It Is headed by the prince of Udlne, and Marconi Is one of the members. The Italians nro coming to discuss especially tho prob lems of transporting food and muni tlons from America nnd the nurchnso of conl nnd railway rolling stock. Tha submarine wnrfaro has caused a grlev ous shortage of coal In Itnly. The Food Problem. Herbert O. Hoover, chairman of the food committee of the Council of Na tional Defense, strongly ndvocated tho government measures that give the president and tho department of agri culture direct control of the country's food resources. Ho also urged a more limited uso or wheat in this country, nnd his tall; on that topic was followed Immediately by a government report showing that tho winter wheat crop will be only about 300,000,000 bushels, the smnllest since 11)0-1. Tho ncreago abandoned Is .the largest nn record In Great Britain tho "mentless day" was abandoned because Baron Devon port, food controller, found a dlmlnu tlon In the consumption of brendstuffs was of more importance, Food riots took plnco In mnny cities nnd towns of Sweden, nnd according to an official statement, tho vast ma Jorlty of Germnns nro underfed. Sweden's predlcnment, however, wns lessened greutly on Wednesday when Englnnd ngreed to release the Swedish ships laden with food nnd other ncccs sltles thnt hud been dctnlncd In Brit Ish hurbors. In return Sweden agreed to release 1)00,000 tons of allied ship plng thnt had been tied up In the gulf of Bothnia since tho beginning of tho wnr. Desperate Struggle In France. The desperate battle for possession of the coal fields of Lens In northern France continued unabated through the week. Crown Prince Ruprccht of Bavaria brought up great masses of reservo troops ami every available gun to check the unceasing British attack, and on Tuesday he succeeded In re taking Frcsnoy village and wood. But that night and the next day the British returned to the assault and again took possession of most of tho lost ground. There was heavy fighting at other points along the Drocourt-Qucnnt line; which evidently Is regarded by tho Germans as of vital Importance. Bad weather lessened the severity of tho lighting along the French front. The expected general offenslvo by the allies on the Macedonian front be gan after several days of Intense artil lery activity and according to London advices It was fairly successful. Be tween Lnko Ochrlda and Lako Dolran there was fierce fighting, tho British capturing Bulgarian trenches for a stretch of two miles. In tho Cernn river bend tho Russians took several enemy trenches, and In tho upper Mog- lenlcn river valley tho Serblnns, fight ing to regain their own land, hit the Teutonic allies hard blows. As usual, Berlin claimed that all theso nttackH by tho entente allies wen; rcnulseil An Interesting development of tho week was tho announcement thnt Jn pun had been asked to sunnlv shins for tho transportation of American troops nnd supplies to Europe, nnd tho resulting discovery that Japan Itself to 7.000 feet, and Its variety, tho .Tef wns planning to send a larao number frey pine, Is found nt 0,000 feet, tho of soldiers to the Russian front this summer. President Wilson on Thursday cro- nted a war council of the Red Cross and Henry P. Davison of J. P. Morgan & Co. wns plnced at Its head. In ac cepting thnt post Mr. Davison snld all the vast facilities of tho Morgan firm would stand behind tho Red Cross for tho duration of tho wnr. NEBRASKA TO BE PUT OK IB BASIS GOVERNOR ISSUES CALL FOR CONSERVATION CONGRESS. HELD IN OMAHA MAY 22-25 Every City and Town In State Urged to Send Representatives. Will Adopt Important Measures. First to Take Action. Lincoln. Nebraska will hold tho first general conservation congress of any stato In the union, at Omaha from Tuesday evening, May 22, to Friday evening, May 25. Govornor Neville has Issued n cnll to leaders la all branches of Industry, officers of all statewldo organizations, represen tatives from every town nnd hamlet, and thousands of tho lay public to participate In tho congress. In order thnt tho quasl-lcglslatlve function of tho congress will have tho broadest posslblo foundation, nn exo- cutlvo committee of sixteen men nnd women of wldo reputation nnd repre- sentlng nil of tho branches concerned In consorvntton, has been picked to mnnago tho congress. Appeals to Every Mayor. Govornor Nevlllo urges upon every mayor In Nebraska to send represen tatives from his community to sit la tho congress nnd hnvo a pnrt In tho fonmiInton of tho plans of conserve tlon. Decisions to Be Law. Tho decisions of theso representa tives and tho leaders will constitute a wnr-tlmo "law or conservation" for all Industry In Nebraska. Whntover methods of conservation tho congress chooses will be executed by tho civil olllclnls, ns well as tho patrloUc or ganizations In tho state. In order that tho educational func tion will bo complete, conservation ex- Ports whoso Idens hnvo tho snnctton of tho administration at Washington, as well ns locnl experts In conserva tion, will lecturo nnd demonstrate oa their subjects. Auditorium to House Meetings. Tho meetings will bo hold In tho Municipal Auditorium and will bo di vided Into four main clnsscs, tho Conservation of Llvo Stock resources; tho Conservation of Grain; Conservn- tlon of Poultry and Eggs, and Garden- nR nd Household conservation. Actlvo co-opcratlon will como from tho University of Ncbrnskn. Tho Homo Economics Department will glvo dnlly demonstrations of canning, food comblnntlons nnd substitutions. Without doubt tho meeting will be tho biggest ever held In tho stato. Gov. Neville's call Is ns follows: "Believing thnt lmmedlnto steps phould bo tnken to conserve Nebras ka's food supply nnd to lncrcaso pro duction for national purposes, nnd In lino with tho duties of tho Conserva tion nnd Public Welfnro Commission, ns defined by tho statutes of tho stnte, we, tho officers of the commis sion, do hereby urge nnd Invite tho citizens of Nebraska to select from their various orgnnlzntlons, agricul tural, educatlonnl, social, religions aand Industrial representatlvo dele gates to meet In tho city of Omnhn, Mny 22 n 2r' to discuss tho conser vation ami increnso oi ioous, ami ir- mulnto a practical policy to put Into effect throughout tho state. "We urge tho co-operation In this conference of all citizens of tho stnte as Individuals or representing some nssoclntlon or orgnnlzntlon in tho fields of ngrlculturc, lnbor,. com merce, educntlon, nnd soclnl nnd re ligious ncllvlty." KEITn NEVILLE, Governor of Nebraska. GEORGE E. CONDRA, Executlvo Secretnry. Editors Sanction Movement. Tho Nebraska Tress Assoclntlon, through Its executlvo committee in session In Omnhn May 5, approves this meeting nnd commends Its ob jects nnd purposes. Every newspnper mnn In Ncbrnskn Is urged by tho association to uso every honorable menns to mnko this meeting successful by responding to Gov. Neville's request nnd nlso to glvo It tho widest publicity. Found In All Parts. The nlghtsbnde fnmlly. Rolnnncne. Is n species, distributed over nil pnrts of tho enrth nnd of first rank nmnng plnnts In Its vnlue to mnn. The panic grasses, or genlns panlcum. nro by far the most numerous, having 300 to 400 Bnec,pfl Yellow Pine In California. The yellow plno In California ranges from 100 feet nbovo sen level most remarkable rnngo of nny species of plno In tho world. Long on Words. "Why, Fred, thnt Is Professor Brnney. I nover heard anyono use so mnny long words." "Yes; tho trouhlo with him Is he uses twln-slx words to express ono-cyllnder Idens." Life,
