Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Aug. 24, 1917)
THE SEMLWEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA. THE 1317 STATE LEVY $4,500,000 TO PROVIDE FOR THE NEXT FISCAL YEAR. Many (terns of Interest Gathered from Reliable Sources at the State House. 'WtsUrn Newspaper Union News Service Nebraska's state tax rato for tho year 1917 was fixed by tho state board of assessment at 8,48 mills, after for mally approving all valuations as re ported by county assossors and over ruling tho protest from Douglas county asking to have merchandise and otnor items reduced. The total levy is an Increase of 2.3S mills ovor 191G, but of this amount only .4 of a mill has boon added by tho state board, tho remaining 1.98 mills of increase boing duo to special levies which tho legislature provided for by statute. Tho gonoral fund levy was" raised from 3.4 to 3.8 mills, is order to tako caro of tho heavy appro priations which the legislature made to come out of it. Tho total state tax lovy of 8.48 mills, as fixed by tho. board, Is estimated to produco in thq neighborhood of $4, 600,000 of revenue. Based on a total valuation of $529,139,000, it would yield $4,487,099 if all the taxes woyo col lected. As- a small percentage of taxes each year is not collected and becomes delinquent, there will bo a slight reduction on that account. On tho other hand, delinquent taxes and interest, paid in for former years, will como in. It has also been found from past experience tlfat the actual taxes paid in by most counties exceed ad vance estimates, as more property is added to tho tax listsafter the returns are made to the state board Are Buying No German Books. Christian A. Sommer, member of tho state library commission, says no Ger man books have been bought by the commission since ho became a mem ber of the commission. This state ment ho made as a result of Inquiry as to tho kind of lltoraturo tho commis sion is sending out over the state. Tho commission has charge of' the state traveling lilirary, an institution sup ported by legislative appropriations. Mr. Sommer was appointed on the commission by Governor Morehead. He succeeded F. L. Haller of Omaha as a member. Tho other members of the commission are Chancellor Avery, Librarian M. C. Wyer of the university and H. C. Lindsay, state Hbararian. Tho commission has 18,000 books sub ject to circulation among tho people of Nebraska. More than one hundred of tho books aro printed in tho German language. Some of those were pur chased at tlio request of Mr. Haller Mu3t Prepare for Car Shortage. Lincoln. The national association of manufacturers is sending out warn ings to Nebraska manufacturers that they must prepare for a car shortage that wl' come along in thirty days when the railroads begin the move ment of troops and supplies to the cantonments. In tho east, according to advices, big shippers are collecting funds with which to provide space for storage of .government materials at shipment destinations in order to release thou sands of cars which would otherwise bo taken out of circulation. A year ago during the first rush of export business to Europo hundreds of thou sands of cars wore lying in terminal yajds oh tho Atlantic seaboard and a nationwide shortage resulted. It Ir. planned now to prevent a simi lar tloup as a result of tho contonmcnt business by providing warehouses and keeping cars moving. Shipments will be in all directions and there will bo little hauling of empty cars. Honor System Pictures at Lincoln. Pictures of the honor system for in mates of the penitentiary wore showed at Lancaster last week by courtesy of the Pox Film corporation. Warden W. T. Fenton of tho Nobraska pent tentiary says ho believes those pic tures should bo shown wherever possl bio, as thoy handle tho problems of interest to ovoryono concerned in prison welfare. He declared tho pic tures were handled in an excellent mannor, and that Uioy show up the advantages of tho honor system In their true light. May Adopt New Rules. A new rule requiring all municipali ties and private corporations oporating waterworks or sewerage systems in Nobraska to fllo with the stato health department plans for extensions or now plans, which must be approved by it before work begins thereon, will bo submitted to the tsato board of health, comprising Govornor Novlllo, Attorney Gonoral Reed, and Stato Superintend ent Clemmons for Its adoption. Tho proposal Is made by H. P. Lotton, sanl tary engineer for tho rqorganized health department. County Agent Medium of Defenso Under the provisions of admin istration's food control bill tho sum of $11D,000 has becif set nsldo fdr county agent work In Nebraska, This will bo sufficient to put a coun ty agent in . every county in ttho state, and provldo a food emergen cy agent for each district whore regular county agents aro not em ployed. County agents and food emergency agents will bo put to work organizing and mobilizing agri cultural Nebraska for maximum pro. ductlon. REGISTRATION DAY FOR WOMEN Nebraska Women Urged to Sign Up for War Service. Soptombor 12, has boon olllclally designated as registration day for tho women of Nobraska, in a proclamation Issued Saturday by Governor Novlllo directing nttontion to tho many nvo nues of work which tho sex has takon, up throughout tho country assisting in tho conduct of tho war. Tho governor says: "Wo are engaged in tho grcntost war of all tlmo. Tho outcomo virtually depends upon tho effectiveness of tho participation of our country, and upon the effectiveness of that participation rests our future as a nation. "It will not sufllce that wo merely sond an army to ilgho sldo by side with tho armlos of our alllos. Wo must mobillzo tho millions of pcoplo who romaln behind for such scrvlco as thoy can best render. Nobraska haa set an onvlablo example -in effective co-oporation with tho federal govern ment in all things calculated, to further our country's lnterost in tho great struggle, and no class of peoplo is sacrificing more unselfishly than tho noble women of tho state. "In a brief period of timo thousands of tho flnost and most stalwart young men to be found in nny nation will reprosent Nebraska in tho army of our country. Nothing must he left undono that comfort or conserve their livos and energies. "In order that this end may bo ac complished and tho efforts of tho thou sands of women, many of them tho mothors and sisters of our soldiers, be effectively co-ordinated, I, Keith Neville, governor of Nobraska, at tho colicitatlon of tho patriotic womon of Nebraska, deslgnato Wednosday, Sep tember 12, as registration day for womon, upon which day and date thoy may register for such servico as thoy aro willing and able to render through out tho prosont emergency." Corn Crop a Record Breaker. Nebraska's corn crop for 1917 will approximate 228,000,000 bushels, ex ceeding tho production of last year by 35.G00.000 bushols, according to tho government crop report for August 1, This increase in corn makes up in some degree for tho loss of winter wheat. Tho crop of tho latter grata for this year Is estimated at 10,900,000 bushels, as compared with G4.000.000 last year. A good increase in total production 'of oats is also noted in tho forecast. This year's production ls'estlmatod at 97,300,000; last year's was 70.S7C.000 Spring wheat will make a bettor showing than last year, tho forecast being C,270,000, while tho production last year was 3,750,000. Barley shows a slight gain, from 3,G20,000 bushels this year to 3,080,000 last year. Rye production is less, tho crop of thh year, 2,700,000, falling undor last year's yield of 3,072,000. A big Increase Is noted in both potatoos and apples, in Nebraska. The Apgust forecast for spuds is 12,500.000 bushols, when last year the crop was 7.GG5.000. Of apples a crop of 812,000 barrels of three bushels Is expected whllo last year tho production was 507,000 barrels. Hay production was about at a stand still, the ylold of all kinds this ycai boing 7,130,000 tons and last year, 7,200,000 tons. Verdon Citizens File Protest. A big delegation from Verdon called on Governor Novlllo to file a protest against tho plans of State Engineer Johnson and tho county board of Rich ardson county for laylug tho state nld road In that county. Govornor Novilla was in Omaha and tho visitors did not got to file their complaint. Tho'pres ont plan of officials is to lay the road from Falls City to Stella. Tho pro posed road runs two mllos east of Verdon and residents of that town want it to bo recognized by tho high way. Tho Washington highway and Kansas City & Omaha road run through Verdon and rosldents of that town bollovo tho stato road should adopt the same routo. Engineer John son has been ovor tho territory and believes the proposed road for tho state highwty is better and that it would cost several thousand dollars more to build up tho road through Vordon. Tho road two miles oast has practically no culverts or bridges. If tho county board changes Its plans tho stato engineer said ho would consent Are Looking for Irregularities. No Employes of Draft Age. Federal District Attornoy Allen has boen appointed by tho United Statos attorney gonoral to act as "official" In tho district of Nobraska in approv ing or disapproving aflldavlts filed for draft exemption by employes in tho department of Justice. Included in this department aro omployos of the district attorney's office, marshals, and secret service agents in tho stato, No employes in theso departments in Lincoln aro In the draft-age. Recruiting for tho Nebraska national guard has again been started. Major Holdt, U. S. A. mustering officer, re ceived notlco from headquarters that enlistments for the national guard can now bo accepted and that 'nn offorl will bo mado to recruit tho guard to maximum war strength. Colonel Hall of tho Sixth regiment has announced that another big drivo will bo mado to recruit the Sixth regiment up to war strength. Several of tho companies are alroady filled but a majority ol tho units lack fifteen or twenty men to complcto thoirtwar strength. 1 Secretary of War Baker giving commissions to 1.S0O new officers from American troops undergoing morning Inspection In their camp In Franco. 3 at Athens. 4 Cnrdlnnl GasparrI, papal secretary, who helped Pope Honedlct NEWS REVIEW OF THE PAST WEEK m British and French Give Enemy Another Smashing Blow in West Flanders. CANADIANS STORM HILL 70 Peace Proposals From the Pope Are Coldly Received by the Allies Hoover Takes Control of American Wheat Train Ing Camp Men Get Commissions. By EDWARD W. PICKARD. Another smashing blow at the Ger mans In Flanders was given last week by the British ami French. General Huig first sent his hard-fighting Cnnu- dlan troops after the defenses of Lens and In nn Irrestlble charge tljoy quickly captured IIIU 70, the eminence that dominates that center of the coal reg'in and tho Loos salient and which the nllled forces hud been aiming at for two years. The men from the Do minion pushed on Into Lens Itself, but as this Is written the Gernmns are still clinging desperately to the center of the city, though every movement of the troops there Is1 covered by the guns of the British. As usual, the Germans at once begun a series of counter-nt-tucks on, Hill 70., but these were re pulsed in every Instance by the Cana dians, with severe losses to Princo Ruprecht's forces. Meanwhile Hnlg directed another great attack on a nlne-mlic front enst and north of Ypres, with the efficient co-operation of the French on their left. The lntter occupied Drclgraehten and shoved their positions forward to the edge of the'flooded nren, and then forced the crossing of the Steenbeke and took German positions to an -extreme depth of 1.01)0 yards. The "Brit ish took the village of Lnngctmirck and occupied much territory there and about St. Julleu. Increasing resistance by the Rus sians and hard fighting by the Rounin nlnns slowed up somewhnt the prog ress of tho Teutonic forces through Moldavia toward southern Russia, but the advance of the enemy continued, nevertheless. Von Mackensen's most Important victory of the week was the capture of Pnnciu, a big railway Junc tion. Unless there should be another collapse, the further east tho Germnns go, the harder they will find the going. Fearing that enemies of the new re public would attempt to liberate the ex-cznr, the government had Nicholas and his family removed secretly and swiftly from Tsarkoe-Selo and sent them to Tobolsk, u Siberian town that isn't even on a railroad. Peace Proposals From the Pope. Pope Benedict last week submitted to the wur-lng nations n definite pro posal for peace. In all the cupltals It was received with the serious consid eration due It beentise of its luiprcs slveness nnd Its distinguished source, but the generuj trend of opinion among diplomats was that It would result In nothing., 'Despite the evident sincerity of the popes' plan, the peaco ho pro poses Is too much of n "Germun peace" to suit Great Britain, France and Italy, und It Is not conceivable that Presi dent Wilson and the United States would accept It as stated. Germany nnd her allies doubtless would be only too pleased to end the war on the terms suggested ; Indeed, the pope's ap peal at tills time Is considered by many to have been Inspired by Austria. Brietly, his holiness would have all conquered territories restored, Includ ing Germany's colonics, nnd the peace ful settlement of tho questions of Alsace-Lorraine and Italia Irrldenta left to the future; he thinks there -must be no reparation for losses sustained, und no continuation of the war by an eco nomic struggle thereafter; and for the avoidance of future wars he In dorses President Wilson's plan of In ternational agreement to reduce urmu ments, enforce peace und obtain rec ognition of the national aspirations of the smaller peoples. Do Not Seem Reasonable. Unless the utterances of their Lead ers do not represent fairly the senti ment of the Americans, the British, the French and tho Italians, those peo ples firmly believe the defeat of the central powers Is certain and will not be sntlslled with tho restoration of tho "status quo ante," leaving Germany unpennllzed for the tremendous losses and suffering she lias Inflicted. One other thing, which may sound more un important than It really Is the Brit ish have sworn thnt justice shall bo ad ministered to those Individuals who were responsible for the murder of' the I.usltanla victims, Nurse Cnvcll, Cap tain Fryntt, the women nnd children slaughtered In the nlr raids on Eng land, and the others in the long list of those nonpombntunts slain In cold blood by the Teutons. The English are not n revengeful people, but their cry Is "lest wo forget," and they are not going to forget. The pope's peaco proposals have ninny good points, but they seem Im possible. Not so Impossible, however, as the plan presented by Senator La Follette in n resolution submitted to congress Hint the American govern ment should declare that all the na tions at war should "chip In" and pay for all the damage done by the con flict. This,, of course, Implies that' all the belligerents arc equally guilty, which Is going rather fur even for the pro-German Ln Follette. Hoover Gets Busy. Herbert ."C. Hoover Is 'wasting no time .In taking up his dutk's as food administrator. Most of his plans were made In advance und are now being put into action as rapidly as possible. Some of them nre proving very painful to the speculators In foodstuffs, but they aro reassuring for the consumer. Among tho first things Mr. Hoover did was to form n corporation to take over tho control of the country's grnln sup ply. The same dny a committee was appointed to negotlnte the"" voluntary regulation of tho milling Industry. On September 1 the food administration will undertake tho purchase of wheat for the government at Interior termi nals, nnd nt the request of Mr. Hoover tho grain excminges ordered the dis continuance of all ulure trading ln wheat after August 25, In order not to Interfere with tho government's efforts to stabilize prices. On Thursday Mr. Hoover announced thnt all processes In the production of distilled spirits for beverage purposes musj: cense nt 11 o'clqck p. m Septem ber 8. Guardsmen Going to Francl. The next American expeditionary force to lie sent to Frnnce will be' the "Rainbow division"- officially the For-ty-second and will include National Guard troops from 25 states und the District of Columbia. Tho war de partment pluns to assemble these men very soon and ship them across for In tensive training. Somo of the troops nlready overseas were marched through London the other day, In response to the demands of the English, and were greeted with wild enthuslnsm. The cabinet ad journed to watch them pnss by, nnd nt Buckingham palace they wore reviewed ny King George and Ambassador Page. Meanwhile the boys ln France 'are con tinuing their closeup training and now and then oven getting a shot at the enemy. Tho snfo arrival of tho en glneer regiment of railway men was announced, giving tho lie to another of the many pro-German rumors of dlsnster. Thousands of young Americans last week received the commissions thoy have earned In the officers' reserve training camps and nre ready now to help make the national army out of tho drafted men In tho cantonment camps, The first 200,000 of the latter will he mobilized ln a few days, and the work of examining the others will be con tinned. In the main this great task Is proceeding smoothly, though In New York nt least one hoard was accused of corruption. Chjna at War With Teutono. China formnlly declared war on Ger many and Austria-Hungary on Tues day, making 17 nations now actively ugalnst the central powers. In return for her action, It Is understood, tho en tente powers will grant a suspension of payment of the Boxer Indemnities and will help China In her preparations to make her participation In tho war of full value. Duties on Chlneso liw ports aro t ho raised about 5 per cent. Japan's mission to tho United States, headed by Viscount K. Ishll, lunded safely ln America, and its members tho training camp nt Fort Myer. 2 Greek battery guarding tho Acropolis formuluto his peace proposals. lost no time In assuring Americans that their country Is firm in Its deter mination to stand, by Its allies until Germany Is brouglit to Its knees. Tho conference of these commissioners With the ofilcinl8 of the United "States In Washington Is recouulzcd as being of tho utmost Importance, both hi re gard to the war and in regnrd to the relntlons between America nnd Japan. That Stockholm Conference. The Socialist conferenco at Stock holm is causing troublo out of pro portion to the probnblc Importance of Its deliberations and conclusions. In the different countries tho Socialists themselves are split over the advisa bility of attending It, and the govern ments of the entente allies and qf the United States, recognizing that It is pro-German ln Its inception, have re fused passports to would-be delegates. Tho English Lnbor party decided to send representatives, whereup&n Ar thur Henderson, Lnbor member of the war cnblnot, was accused by Premier Lloyd-George of double dealing und resigned. Ills place was promptly filled by George Nlcoll Barnes, minis ter of pensions, nnd the crisis wns pussed, at least for the -time, although a general election mnjf be called If the Labirltes Insist on sending delcgntes to Stockholm. Marked reduction In the number of vessels sunk by German submarines Is shown In the British admiralty's week ly,statemcnt, while the number of ves sels unsuccessfully attacked increased, A story from Copenhagen says the big conumirclnl submarine DeutSchland has been converted Into a war U boat and may soon be oporating 1:1 the Pacific against ships from Sun Fran cisco. The same dispatch says the Germans have lost about 20 subma rines and now have nearly 300, these, however, Including many snrttll onoi built for passage through the Belgian canal. The newest and largest curry six-ltich guns. Premier Lloyd Georgo made twa speeches lust week -that hcurtcned uy the British people Immensely. Deeltir lng that the high point of. Germany'! strength had pussejl, ho suld the dllll cultles of ,the ullles'frtnn now on wontii grow less and their power lncreas steadily, and that with .patience,' cour age and endurance the foOs of tlu great military despotism could not aL' to win. Ho called attention to tlu waning efficiency of tho submarine campaign, that though the U-boat loss es ln April were 500,000 tons, ln Julj nnd August the nverago was only 175,- 000 tons a month. So far from being reduced to starvation, he said, Great Britain Is now in better position so fai as food Is. concerned than for yean past. The premier admitted that tlu Russian collapse upset some of the plans of the allies for this yeur, hu called attention to tho fact that Ger ninny, even with one of her most, pow erful opponents paralyzed by Internal troubles, Is fnlllug to hold her own on the west front. Tired of Spies and Traitors. Throughout the country tho demund Is becoming Insistent that the author ities put nn end to the almost unburn pered activities of the pro-Germim propagandists, the traitorous 1. W. W, leaders and pacifists .and the cowardlj draft-dodgers who are making the con; duct of the war . us hard ns possible. The demand wns voiced' by Ellhu Root In an address at the Union Lengue club in Js'ew York. The. spies and traitors, he said, should be shot down without mercy, and ho Included among them, as worthy of death, the editors of certain papers. In some states tho councils of defense aro on gaulzlng campaigns of education so that the people may. leurn .what the war means' tous and wjiy we uro in It and must win It; but this Is not eunuch the snakes uiust he crushed The Jiufusjtrlu! Workers of thq World, It tfeeuis, are about to bo made to renllzo that Uncle Sam Is awake. They mado several broad demands In the West und Northwest and declared that they would bring on a general strike If these were not granted. Such a Ktrlko would seriously retard the hnrvestlng of crops nnd tho production of the spruce lumber ncccssury in the building of airplanes, and whllo the I W. W. lenders cannot ho prosecuted merely for strike activities, they can bo dealt with swiftly nndoverely for iutcrf'ting with the goveriltnent'H pros ecutli. of tho war. That, according to udvlces from Washington, Is Just what Is going to happen to 'those disreputa ble nnd disloyal agltutors. URGED TO BE LOYAL LABOR SHOULD PAY ITS PART IN THE WAR. ADMINISTER FOOD CONTROL Selection of Men Meets Approval ol President WllsonWIII -Learn War Gamo In France. Western Newspnpor Union Nows Sorvlco. Indianapolis, Ind. A call to labor ing moti to "play our part in tho war manfully," with "unstinted loyalty to tho United Statos," has boon issued horo by John P. White, international proshlont of tho United Mine Work ers of Amorica. "Thovgovornment is domnndlnir co- oporntlon organizod effort between employer and omployo to moot tho country's war requirements." Mr. hlto said. "Tho oyos of the world aro focusod to Beo how quickly ami ef ficiently tho government's .demands will bo mot. In tho anthraclto coal flolds, whoro recognition of tho union wns gainod In 1910, and tho eight-hour day was. substituted for tho nlno, with shortngo Of upward of 20,000 minors ho havo gono to the-munition ulants. fn ntlliwnv iifftfl, In Mn.. V..l- n..1 I. - " " "j vt,v 11 ,,un iuiai uuu uiii OrS onllcd to tho. colors, coal produc tion Incronsod G.000,000 tons for tho first sovon months of the year. In tho rganlzcd bituminous coal radons nnd ln all other woll-orgnnlzcd Industries whoro omployor nnd employe aro pos sessed of onch other's confidence, llko iucrensos havo resulted. "This olllcloncv result is a comnloto answer to thoso who would destroy without reason tho ideal conditions and working agroomonts of labor" Will Learn War Game In France. Washington. From tho 27,000 of ficers takon from tho training camps Just closed a considerable number aro boing selected to begin immediately in tonslvo training in Franco umlor di rection of Major Gonoral Tor'shlng. Tho plan provides for establishing an ofilcors school ln tho American army, whoro they will bo given intensive in struction similar to that now given to tho rogular army contingent alroady on tho .ground. - In addition somo of tho young ofilcors may bo sent to French and British ofilcors.' schools, ns both governments havo expressed their willingness to undortnko post-graduato work of that nature in ordor to nld in tho taskot oxpandlng tho American army. Somo of tho young officers also will ho attached to tho, regular roglmo.its now in Franco. When thoy havo ro coivod sufllclont training thoy may re placo regular ofilcors now in charge of tho American units and 1 whoso ox- perlonco wov'd bo of valuo in tho train ing pt tho now armies at home..' It Is proposed also that many of tho now ofilcors will bo sent homo as instruc tors as soon as they have cohiplctcd a training course in Franco. TO ADMINISTER FOOD CONTROL Selection of Twenty-eight Men Meets Approval. . Washington. Appointment o f twonty-olght men as federal food com missioners in as many states has boen approved by President Wilson. Com missioners for tho other statos will be soloctod by tho food administra tion within a fow days. Tho stato commissioners will administef tho food control bill insofar as it applies to stato matters nnd will co-ordinate stato food activities with thoso of tho food administration. All of the men will servo without pay, Among tho commissioners announced "aro: Arizona Timothy A.lUordan, 'Flag staff. ' "-.: '- . California Ralph P. Morrltt, San Francisco. , Iowa J. F. Dooms, Burlington. Montana Prof. Alfred. Atkinson, Bozoman. , Nobraska Gurdon W. Wattles, Onv aha. ' " ' ' Nevada Henry M. Hoyt, Reno. Now Mexico Ralph C. Ely, Santa Fc. Oregon W b. Ayor, Portland. Utah W. W. Armstrong, Salt Lake City, ' Washington Charles Hobbord, Spo kane. Wyoming Thcodoro C. Dlors, Sheri dan. Sees a Long War Ahead Chicago. Tho war will lust from four to ilvo years, in tho opinion of. Dr. J. M. Noff, former associate of tho lato Fir, John H. Murphy, who Is Jiack In Chlcngo after two years at a British baso hospital near Boulogne. It will, bo won on economic rathor.than mill taryHnos, ho ad'dod. Kansas City. Four carloads of hogs sqld at $18.00 on tho local market here, 40 to CO cents nbovo tho hlghost formor top prlco. Sheep also wont up GO conts to $10.50 per hundred. London Greets Sammies. London. Enthusiasm aroused by the appoaranco of Amorlcan troops march ing thru tho stroots, blew tho lid oft London Wednesday, Ambassador Pago rovlowod the saramlos as thoy swung past tho embassy, King George re viewed them from Buckingham palace. Tho Amorcans mnrchod thru tho prin cipal streots of London, which vero thronged with enthusiastic, cheering, thousands. Not Blnco tho return of British troops from South Africa has such ontbisIuBin been djsplayod by London, crowds,