THE 8EMI-A EEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA.
FOREST OF BURNISHED STEEL
Row upon row of hurtitHht'tl steel bayonets flashed In tin sun when tluse British Hoops marched to the place
Tfcurc the front British Held service to mark tlio commencement of the fourth year of war was hold.
II
1
Stolid British Warmed Up and Actually Embarrassed Our Boys With
the Ardor of Their Greeting Crowds Packed Ten Deep
Along Line of March Showered Soldiers With
Flowers and "Smokes."
London. There hnvo been great
duys in England since the outbreak of
hostilities, but nono greater than the
one on which tho newspapers an
nounced that Amerlcn was In the war.
And It whb palpable soon afterward
that she was In It with both feet,
ready to assist tho allies In every
way they bad conceived. Tho speed
with which money poured Into the cof
fers of Franco nnd England from'
Uncle Sam's fat puree, tho sending
over of destroyers and tho passing of
tho conscription bill was amazing to
tho Britishers, and tho man In the
street shouted his appreciation.
When khukl-clad troops poured Into
Franco and England In spite of tho
HubmanCtt peril tho Jolly fat English
man felt HUo slinking tho hand of ev
erybody who had ever been In Ameri
ca. It was then that tho Briton lost
his phlegmatism, nnd ho hurled his
hat high In the air on tho day that
moro than Ave thousand sons of tho
United States marched through Lon
don. Never to Be Forgotten.
This again was n dny never to bo
forgotten. Thcro wcro tho Stare nnd
Stripes llontlng with tho British Union
Jack from tho Westminster buildings.
King George, the United States am
bassador nnd high ofllccra of the Brit
ish scrvlco saluted America's bravo
sons as they strbdo past Buckingham
palnco at tho end of the line, wide thor
oughfnro known us the Mall.
Hero was tho first contingent In
England of another "contemptible lit
tle army" which Is to do or die In tho
battles against barbarism and so
called kultur.
You can get nn Idea of how Inter
ested were tho Londoners concerning
tho march of tho Americans when It
la suld that on tho day before the
event conversation mostly concerned
tho sons of Undo Sam and the route
of march. Evening newspapers pub
lished tho streets where tho Ameri
cans would bo seen tho following day,
nnd Tommies nnd their odlcers wero
very keen to bo on hand to add to the
welcome.
t Tho first Amorlcnns In uniform in
the English metropolis probably were
otllcers of General rershlng's staff
when they wcro In London Just before
continuing tho Journey to tho front.
Asldo from these (and comparatively
fow Londoners saw them) England
knew little of tho American soldier's
makeup beyond the Hemlngton pic
tures of cowboys and a stray picture
In the papers. So when tho Britons
know they would have a chance to
seo American troops In London they
camo from nil over tho country to see
nnd to cheer.
Streets Lined Ten Deep.
Tho weather man turned out a fair
ly respectable day for the occasion and
the sun kept on coming and going,
while airplanes buzzed through the
clouds llko policemen of tho skies, A
half-dozen observation balloons Heat
ed gracefully along a mile high over
the English capital.
When the American troops reached
tho Ilorso Guards parado ono could
seo English girls on ch'alrs peering out
of windows In their efforts to get
glimpses of the American soldiers.
Tho throng, lined ten deep In Homo
plnccs and extending all along the
route- of march, naturally was a mixed
one. Hero wero flower girls of the
adipose, elderly, London type, pitching
precious roses nnd violets in tho path
of the Americans. Tho foreign olllce,
which faces tho admiralty, wns send
ing Us crowd of workors to wltnesx
tho sight, and tlioso who could not
leave there sought plnccs at windows
overlooking tho Horse Gunrds parade.
Not oven In tho other times of Intense
(xcltement had London seen such u
dense nnd Interested throng.
For solne time folks waited, tho mu
sic of tho Guards bunds being heard
long beforo the United Slates soldiers
actually wero In front of tho admi
ralty or foreign olllce. Finally came
tho silence, the bands having censed,
nnd then the steady tread of the men
In khaki, the warmly welcomed broth
IN OLD
LONDON
MARCHED THERE
ers in arms of tho British, French nnd
Italians.
Liked Americans' Looks.
"America forever I" shouted ono
man, believing that ho was giving a
fairly good Imitation of the way "Amer
ica" Is pronounced by Uncle Sam's
sons.
There were loud hurrahs every now
nnd. again, but when there are flvo
thousand men passing four deep these
hurrahs cannot be continuous. Be
sides, tho Englishman and tho English
woman were thinking, and fhey liked
the clean-cut physiognomies of tho sol
diers. Clgnrettcs wero thrown In the path
of the men amid cheers. Bight In
front of me stood a Scotch major at
salute. Hardly a man kept his hat on
his head. Either ho was waving It or
ho was uncovered In deference to Unit
ed States. There were tears In tho
eyes of some women as they scanned
carefully every face, some of which
because of tho vast turnout occasion
ally looked self conscious.
"Oh, please smile; we love you nil,"
snld ono girl, apparently oblivious to
the fact that sho hung on the arm of
a prepossessing young lieutenant.
Still, tho Americans went forth nB if
to tho trenches. To them perhaps tho
ordeal wns more trying, for such .fer
vor In n strango land must be appre
ciated by every soul honored. Com
pnny after company passed with lips
tightened and teeth set.
"God bless you!" exclaimed nn old
woman. An American soldier bowed
acknowledgment. Tho fixed faces
seemed to reallzo and finally tho cor
ners of mouths curved upward when
n Cockney woman yelled:
Give Us a Wink, Wot?
"You aro a bit of all right y' ure.
Glvo us a wink wot?"
One of tho Americans actually did
KING GEORGE AT FRONT
Although the "throne" of England Is
popularly believed to be the huge up
holstered chair at Buckingham palace
there Is an old legend to the effect that
"where ye king sits, there ye throne
of England stands."
If this be true the humble, battle
scarred kitchen cha!r shown In the
above photograph la particularly exalt
ed, for It not only holds his majesty
George the Fifth, but has actually en
throned him on the ruined battlements
of the Chateau Thlepval In northwest,
ern France.
England and France, fighting side
by side, have only recently wrestled
Thlepval back from the German hosts
which seized It many months ago. A
British general Is explaining the bat
tle to his majesty, who Is a close stu
dent of strategy and Is quick to re
ward n victorious leader.
his best and the Cockney female
shouted:
"Bli-me, I knowed ycr face wasn't
made o' wax. An' If e nln't got the
wltest teeth I ever saw."
Another Guard's band drowned
laughter nnd further comments and
the men tramped on through the dou
bio archways leading to Whitehall,
their shouldered rifles above thobnnks
of men and women. Presently nn au
tomobile came to a halt a dozen ynrds
from the men and women and a beau
tiful young American girl whipped out
an American flag and waved It ener
getically. Quito a number of the sol
diers saw it and only discipline for
bade their turning their heads after
they had gono by.
"Stick a feather in Ms 'at and call
him Yankee Doodle," sang a young
womnn who had no taste In sartorial
color harmony and who thought sho
was giving u fair rendition of tho
American nntlonnl anthem.
"They don't like thnt," declared a
man. "It's tho Star-Spangled Banner
yer ought to sing."
Just then tho American girl In a.
sweet voice started with "Oh, say, can
you sec " and the Englishman with
her continued tho air without knowing
the words.
In tho Horse Gunrds, that Interest-.
Ing old building, In Whitehall, there
was nn Impressive nnd unforgetnblo
sight. Tho uniforms of color, the fight
ing attire of yesteryear, those men in
red coats, white leather breeches and
tall pointed blnck boots, stood In n lino
nt attention, their swords nt salute to
tho American soldiers.
The color caught the eyes of tho
boys from Maine and Snn Frunolsco,
nnd somo of them did not know qulto
what to make of it.
Sent to Discipline Naughty Bill.
However, they realized the honor of
tho turning out of these strapping llfe
guards, now in red, white and blnck,
with brilliant brass helmets, who per
haps not so very long ago were up to
their waists in nlud in tho trenches
when wearing their fighting gear.
Most of them had been wounded nnU
thus were sent back to the Guard nt
Whitehall.
Further along the sons of Uncle Snm
marched to tho wide Whltehnll, and in
a few minutes they wcro passing the
admlrnlty, where sailors and naval of
ficers stood thrilled with Interest at
the marching .line before them.
"The Dny," shouted a sailor. "Tho
Day when Naughty Bill Is to get "Is."
"Yes," said another man, "ain't It n
shnmo to think we can't do moro than
roast tho cidef 'un."
"Tramp, tramp, tramp, tho boys nro
marching," came from u thousand
throats as tho band struck up this fa
miliar tune. They realized they wero
doing something to vanquish any
gloom.
"On through tho mouth of Whitehall
to Trafalgar squuro, where stands tho
stntuo to Lord Nelson and the Laud
seer Hons. Each lion carried Its full
quota of men and boys who shouted,
clnpp.'d and sang from tholr vantage
points.
"I guess and reckon that Amurlcn,
ain't goln' to stand no nonsense from'
them baby killers," opined an English
man who apparently thought ho hnd
a firm grip on New Yorkese. You seo
tho Englishman Is about ns strong on
the Imitation of nn American ns the
American Is on English.
It was palpable that somo of tho
men In the throng had worn their most
"American" looking clothes. They cop
led the American wny of bending down
their felt hats In front In otlter words,
It Is now fashionable to the American
in England.
Tho narrows of tho Strand wero
hanked with cheerful countennnces,
and now and again flowers nnd smokes
fell In tho roadway, Australians, New
Zenlauders and Canadians gave their
meed of upplnuso to tho American
troops.
And when It wns all over that day
you heard precious llttlo clso hut
pralso for tho American- troops nnd
comments on tholr good looks. And
they were a lire-possessing lot, too.
Until sundown tho Stars and Stripes
flew at tho staff atop tho house of
Parliament. Dor Tag was ono which
raised perhaps the German eyebrows,
for tho German otllcers have been glv
en to understand thnt Americans could
never bravo submarines so numerous
and send men for the firing line. In
fact, one of tho German olllcer pris
oners snld as much to u Yankee who
ejaculated:
"All right, old sport, and how did we
get bore?" New York 'Herald.
ROADS REDUCE LIVING COST
Make for Prosperity More Than Any
Other National Undertaking, Says
Alaskan Engineer.
"Good roads, moro than tiny other
nntlonnl undertaking, make for tho
prosperity, happiness and contentment
of tho people," declared Col. W. P.
Richardson, engineer In charge of high
ways in Alnska. "This Is particularly
evident ut this time, when In overy
largo city there Is protest ngnlnst tho
high prices of food. In my Judgment,
good rouds, more than ' any other
agency, will help to solve permanent
ly tho high cost of .living. Trn'nsportn-
tion, of course, is at the foundation
of prices. It Is truthfully said that
where there Is Inadequate transporta
tion food prices mount high. We know
that In cities prices nre greatly In ex
cess of thoso In rural districts and It
Is all n mntter of transportation nnd
distribution. If we have good roads,
wo can get our products to market. If
Good Road Over Rocky Mountains.
we haven't!, wo cannot. Products on
tho farm ure worth nothing if they
cannot find a market. I am convinced
that the most important governmental
work Is in tho improvement of tho
ronds. In this dny of motor trucks
it is much ensier to haul products to
tho cities or to railroad terminals than
It wns n few years ago, but wo must
have good roads to do it. There is not
tho slightest doubt that good ronds
many times over pay for themselves.
They are a fundamental economic ne
cessity. "Tho initial outlny in tho building of
good ronds mny seem lnrge, but It is
small in comparison with the benefits
thnt accrue. In Alaska we have ap
proximately 000 miles of improved
ronds, varying from the ordinary coun
try dirt road to the best kind of ma
cadam. In Nome there is a stretch
of road over which In the summer
time thousnnds of tons of products are
hauled."
POOR ROADS ARE EXPENSIVE
Mistaken Idea That Improved High
ways Ans Solely for Benefit of
Automobile Owners.
Poor ronds arc very qxpcnslve things
for country communities. Tho farmer
who thinks that Improved highways
aro mulnly for the benefit of thoso who
drive uutomoblles should reflect on
tho results of a recent' Investigation by
the department of agriculture, which
finds that the cost of hauling farm
produce over ordinary country ronds
Is 23 cents n ton mile, whereas over
hard-surfneed roads It Is only 18 cents.
Youth's Companion. ,
OPERATION OF, A ROAD DRAG
Use Pokiest, Laziest Kind of Team
and Let Them Have Their Own
Time Just Keep Moving.
Do not wait for nnythlng; build a
drng nud get out onto tho road.
Drlvo very slowly. Uso tho poldcst,
laziest team you own, nnd give them
their time. Just t they keep moving
thoy will bo going swiftly enough,
After you hnve used tho drng a year,
and have learned when to drive rap
idly and when to drive slowly, you enn
carry a whip or drive a mettlesomo
team.
Vetch j Cover Crop.
An expert says that winter vetch
iim.n host ns n cover Ton If n llttlo rye
Is sceddd with It Ono bushel of vetch
to one-hnlf bushed of ryo per aero is
about right.
Bad Habit cf Cow.
Onco a cow finis ut she can got
over an old fence there will bo trouble
perhaps for nil tine.
Rats Are Expensive.
Fifty rats on a farm will cost the
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Nation's Celebrities Gathered at Washington
WASHINGTON. Washington is stealing Broadway's thunder. Time was
when your country cousin went to New York nnd strolled up nnd down
Brondwny when he wanted to see the nation's celebrities. Now he line come
to Washington. Strolling through the
corridors of Washington's hotels In
the course of a day. one wonders If
there nre any celebrities left In New
York. The hero worshipers must
have to confine their worshiping to tho
movie stars and chorus girls, because
all of the literary and art hlgh-llghts
seem to be In Washington.
Newspaper men of note hnve
taken up their permanent headquar
ters In the national capital. The
fourth estnte Is represented here by
the cream of the nation's Journalists, and lunch time at the Press club appears;
like a congress of famous Journalists gathered to debate ways and means
Fnmous nrtlsts. rnnglng from "Tad," who drnws comics for thp delight of
newspaper readers throughout the country, to Henry Iteuterdnhl, whos
marine paintings are welcomed in any salon, roam the streets of Washing
ton. Th6 paragruphers have had their fling nt fun in the sennte nnd depart
ments. Don Marquis has brought his "archie" here, while "F. P. A." bus
worried the mailman with his great number of contributions which go to
make up "The Conning Tower."
The sporting men ure not altogether missing. John K. Tener, president
of the National league, hns come here, nnd scores of other men in the
spotlight of sport come and go, most of them coming here to join the avlntion
corps, which is regarded as the sporting war gnme.
All of these arc the "foreign celebrities." There nre, of course, Washing
ton's own celebrities. It is a busy day for the "hero worshiper" who comes;
to town thoso dnys, and there nre lots of sprained nnd strained necks when.
the pnssengers board the trains at the Union station.
Find Relief From Strenuous Work in Sports
AMERICA'S ndmlnistrnttvp ofllcinls have to piny. They could not stand th
strain of the onerous task of war-making if they did not. All of them hnvo
their hobby. President Wilson is n golfer of no mean nblllty. lie has never
or to Chesapeake bay nnd gathers In
the "finny tribe." Newton Baker mny be secretary of war, but he is strong
for the wnter. Coming from the Inland he Is perhaps the greatest mariner In
the cabinet. Secretary Baker finds great delight In going down the Potomnc
river In the Mayflower or the Sylph, nnd he takes a river trip whenever he
finds himself going Just n little bit s"tale.
Secretary of the Trensury McAdoo gets away from Washington when he
begins to tire. In the Pennsylvania mountains, with his family, he takes
long walks Into the country.
Of tho senntors and congressmen there nre a score or more of renl golf
enthusiasts and they enn be found almost any afternoon nt one of the
Washington country clubs. Many of the Western legislators go In for driving:
and riding.
Every ofllclnl has some form of diversion which he finds time to practice.
There need bo no fenr that the members of this administration will go stnle,
for they have recognized tho value, of recreation In times when the burden
of war Is heavy upon them.
Chemists and Scientists
HIDDEN behind n clump of trees in the outskirts of the city, Washington
has a house of mystery. It is officially recognized and officially protected.
Within the walls of this mysterious house no stranger ever peeps. It is the
United States bureau of standards.
On the edge of tho wood there has
been erected the greatest wnr labora
tory in the world the bureau of
standards. Within this building there
are scores of chemists nnd scientists
working dny and night upon Inventions
to aid America nnd tho nllles in the
conduct of tho war. Tho most eminent
of America's scientists have been gath
ered for work there.
No one Is allowed to enter tho
buildings until he has secured creden
tials from the highest official In charge. No outsider knows what goes on
within. There nre n score of great American engineers nt work there now,
Just completing nn airplane engine which will make tho American airplane
the strongest nnd swiftest that ever entered Into battle. Rumor has It that
these engineers locked themselves up for a week to design the engine. Ofll
clally no ono even knew the engineers wero at work there.
Naval nnd marine constructors nnd Inventors are qunrtered there. What
they aro doing no one knows, even though everyone believes they nre strug
gling with n device which mny stop the ravages of the German U-boats.
Munition experts work there. Perhaps some great and powerful explosive
will he tho result of their lnbors.
The bureau of standards Is situated far enough nway from the town, so
that most "people forget Its existence. It is(the most mysterious place in
Wnshlngton. What will come out of this "House of Mystery' no ono knows.
Perhnps ono duy the Instrument which will end the war may bo built behind
those walls.
Mementos of Admiral Farragut Placed in Museunn
IN TnESE stirring times when every Americnn citizen is a potentlnl national
hero, special Interest attaches to any memento of tho heroes nnd patriots
of our past wars. Some striking objects commemorative of the life nnd
services of one of the most romantic
League club, ns n token of their np
preclntlon of bis gallant services rendered in defenso of his country. New
York, April 23, 180-1." This sword was sent to him on board his ship Hart
ford about a year after he had succeeded In opening the Mississippi river to
nnvlgntlon through Its entire length for tho federal navy and supply ships.
Other objects among tho mementos of Admiral Fnrrngut received by the
museum nre three pairs of epaulets, a chnpeau, a cup, u belt, u shoulder
strap, and eight naval Insignia. Tho collection also Includes n fine portrait
of the admiral by William Swain, n number of photogrnphlc portraits of him,
and fjevcral paintings representing notable scenes In his career.
Admiral Farragut was undoubtedly among the greatest nnVnl commanders.
In tho world's history, nnd his life and patriotism are Inspirations, to ull
Americans. 1
THATtt
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played to any great extent in public,
but those who know his gnme claim it
is "corking good."
Secretary Lane golfs n little, but
he gets most of his exorcise out of
the morning setting-up exercises
which Walter Camp conducts three or
four dnys a week for high officials.
Postmaster General Burleson likes
to do some fishing. Week-ends, whoa
it Is possible, he Blips away to a
stream In the Blue Ridge mountains
Do Work in Secret
nnd Inspiring figures nmong the list ol
great American nnval heroes, Admiral;
David G. Farragut, huve recently been
received nt the Nntlonnl museum here
ns tho gift of the estnte of Loyall Far
ragut, son of Admiral Farragut, and.
plnced on public exhibition.
First In Interest among these ob
jects Is n Jeweled sword Inscribed,
"Presented to Rear Admiral David"
Farragut by members of tho Union
Xft&5 ART YOU
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owner $100 to $300 n year.