THE 8EMI.WEEKLV TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRA8KA.
NATION'S
PWEQ SUPPLY
oepews on
SAVING fORCS
Robert H.flouftbrv
Oar policy of wilful waste
in the past is bringing about
a condition of woeful want
:: Alaska 's great resources
l HIS people of the United States
I a ro the most Inveterate nnd
I wasteful readers of newspapers
I In the world. Not only do wo
JL I Imvo the largest papers for tho
least money, but we demand an
extra edition almost every hour,
In tho bigger cities of the eoun
try. Like griddle cakes, wo like
them only when they're hot, and
the wonderful pictorials for which the world lias
been scanned by tho editors, are thrown aside
after n cursory examination.
Did you over stop to think of the time when this
Incessant demand for tho print paper may not he
met? Already we hear of the rapid lncrensc In tho
prico of pulp, which is reaching a stage where
many of tho smaller publications of tho country
will have to go out of business. Even tho bigger
ones aro feeling tho pinch, nnd some nre raising
their prices, others reducing tho number of pages,
and still others are making tho advertiser pny.
The newspapers have not been tho only ones to
suffer by pulp Bhortage, for book publishers, too,
have had their worries. In fact, all users of paper,
flown to tho schoolboy with his tablet, have had to
boy more for an Inferior quality of paper than was
the case a year or two ago.
In 1014, wo used about 5,000 tons of nowsprlnt
every day. Our present use has reached 0,000
iom a day, nnd tho demand Is increasing nt tho
rato of nbout 10 per cent a year, which Is greatly
In execes of tho rate of Increase in population.
To supply our presses with newsprint requires
annually nbout 8,000,000 cords of pulp wood. To
Beet our requirements for magazines and book
Eapcrs, stationery and business papers of all
Inds, 4,000,000 cords moro of pulp wood aro con
sumed annually. Production barely keeps up this
consumption, for whllo It Is estimated tho news
papers will need, nbout 888,000 tons for the first
six months of this year, tho estimated supply Is
fixed at 090,000 tons.
But n few years ago this country wns ablo to '
upply all of Us own needs and In addition fur
nish paper to foreign countries, but thnt tlmo has
passed. Now we must depend upon Oannda for
lit least a third of our domestic supply, and this
percentago is rapidly increasing.
Our forefathers, and oven our fathers, looked
about them, and saw apparently endless nnd ln
cxhnustlblo supplies of forest trees. Tho wood
man was not told to "spnro that tree," and they
wcro ruthlessly, sometimes wantonly, destroyed.
Where ono tree was utilized for commercial pur
poses, two trees wcro allowed to remain ns they
fell, only to rot away or bo burned in tho first
forest flro that swept over tho dovastntcd nrca.
Today thlj policy lias resulted In our privately
owned supply of pulp woods being bo exhausted
that not moro thon IB years' supply remains.
Serious as tho situation appears to bo, there is
bo cause for alarm, if wo wako up to our duty
to conserve our remaining supply. Thero Is
enough pulp wood In our national forest to meet
the future needs of this country, nnd if wo pur
euo a systematic courso In avoiding -waste In our
wood-manufacturing plants and encourogo tho
reforestation of our cut-over lands (of which
there ore 70,000,000 acres In tho northern stntos
alono) wo could easily supply tho world,
by following tho correct practices of forestry,
and by conserving our Supply, tho publicly owned
timber In tho United States will last Indefinitely.
Tho forest service hns estimated that thero
are la tho national forests at least 800,000,000,000
feet of pulp wood. This is equivalent to 000,000,
000 cords, and for nil kinds of paper wo uso but
7,000,000 cords n year. This esflmato does not
include tho pulp wood available on privately
.owned lands of tho West.
Practically all of our pulp Is r.t present mado
from northern woods, whoro ntuflipago costs run
from $2.50 to $5 per cord, standing In tho forest.
In tho West timber suitable for the manufacture
of pulp ranges In price from 2ft cents to $1.25
per cord. Tho fact that theso vast supplies in
the West have not yet been dovtrtoped is duo to
Boveral cnusps. Lack of transportation has been
n big handicap and then tho largo Investments
tied up In the paper mills preclude their move
ment while It Is possible to securo timber nearer
at hand, oven nt vastly higher prices.
From tho standpoint of geographical location
and transportation to tho majority of tho pnper
users In tho central nnd eastern stntcs. Tho
Western pnper woods fall Into two broad heltsi
Tho first Is avallablo to tidewater shipments from
tho Pacific coast, lying principally on the west
slope of the Cascndc mountains in Oregon nnd
Washington, Including vnst nreos tributary to
Puget sound and running up along the seoboard
In southeasterly Alaska. Thero aro 70,000,000,
000 feot of spruce and hemlock In the natlonnl
forests of Alaska alone. In many respects tho
conditions found in Alaska duplicate those of
Norway, tho lending country of tho world In tho
paper Industry. It Is said by those who have
studied tho country that tho forest of Alaska will
produco moro wealth for tho United States than
vcn her gold or her coal, vast and valuable as
re thoso commodities.
The second timber belt of Western paper woods
extends through tho northern Kocky mountains,
from tho Canndlan lino into Colorado and VM.
This belt, shut off from water transportation in
hardly bo considered n practical source of supply
of paper for tho eastern states, but Is n logics
storehouse of rnw materials for tho paper n
qulremonts of tho Mississippi valley, The It icliy
mountains contain u number of excellow paper
woods, und with proper development should sup
ply both tho pnper required for local cons'imp
Ho and that necessary to replace tho diminish-
t .
. - - - . . i
iWMatf WSMoUH!QdhyWl ITT ' fY'-r"' If'Tr -r 111 "II III 1 1 II faWrTTTITTTTT't t nirTTTTlOTT ' raw - ii ii r mil i I I
. OttT 3Qiy?CT OPrAPZZ SUPPLY
ing supplies of the lake stutes for the needs of
tho mlddlo West.
( In addition to tho principal pulp-supplying
woods, spruce nnd hemlock, it has been found
from tests mndo by the government that at least
12 other species are sultablo for the manufacture'
of pulp. Somo of theso new species arc Engle
mnnn spruce, lodgcpqlc pine, white fir and other
Cheap and plentiful coniferous woods of tho West.
At lenst ten of these woods were found to be
good enough for newsprint, und paper made from
somo of them was actually used in editions of
Bovornl metropolitan newspupers.
In looking to tho West for our future supply of
wood pulp it is gratifying to note that two other
elements that will make for the ready develop
ment of the wood-pulp Industry nro found In
proximity to the forests. These two elements
nro watcrpowcr and coal. Throughout tho moun
tainous stntcs of the West are hundreds of
streams, the power from which, if conserved and
harnessed, would operate with the minimum of
expense, tho greatest pulp plnnts In tho world.
The same Is true of our undeveloped coal fields
In AlnBka and other states.
In cnrrylng out tho government policy of util
izing the natural resources of tho country with
out injuring them, tho forest service last year
made sales of public timber amounting to $1,705,
000. Theso sales were mado to a great number
of widely scattered interests, Including lumber
companies, railroads, mining companies nnd ono
Western paper mlil. To encourage the establish
ment of now mills and pulp plants In tho West,
the government hns announced that It will enter
into long-term contracts for tho supplying of tim
ber nt moderate prices, and under bucIi conditions
as aro Just, both to the purchaser and tho public.
HxpertK report that it is entirely practlcul to
manufacture newsprint in Alaska and deliver It,
through the Panama canal, to New York, nt a
cost of not more thnn $35 per ton. When It is
considered that current prices for similar paper
range from $00 a ton .upward, it is evident that
a new industry could be built up in Alnska that
would bo an exceedingly profitable one.
While no definite plans have been made to that
end, it is possible that before long Uncle Sam
may find it profitable to erect his own mill In
Alaska to produce print paper. Such a mill would
cost about $2,500,000, and it would pay for Itself
within a fow years. The present attitude of the
government ofllcluls is that if private manufac
turers of paper can be Induced to meet the de
mands of the country it would bo unwise for the
government to enter the field, but If our present
threatened shortage of paper materializes, such
a plant will doubtless be constructed in Alnska.
Another phase of tho wood-pulp industry that
Is being considered by tho government experts,
Is to more fully utilize the vast quantities of
wood wasted annunlly by the sawmills of tho
country. This waste aggregates something over
00,000,000 cords a year, a large part of which
might bo saved.
If we are to make our paper industry a penna
ent one, It Is necessary for us not only to con
servo our present supply but to plnnt cut-over
lands, to insure a supply in the years to come.
Denuded lands can be planted with 1,000 young
trees per acre at a cost of about $10 per acre.
Some of tho largo paper companies are now do
ing this, nnd their efforts nro being encouraged
by the government. In nddltion, the forest serv
ice is carrying out n definite policy of reforesta
tion in various parts of the country.
BOYS IN KHAKI AND SOME WHO ARE NOT
QUICK TO LEARN THE FRENCH LANGUAGE
Men have taken to the study of French with
only a llttlo less assiduity than womcu to knit
ting. They aro n trifle moro shy about It, to be
sure. Ono does not hear them "parleying" to any
great extent in public places, but they aro sccrotly
much pleased with their achievement of a fow
phrases, and, make no doubt nbout it, they will
soon bo able to make love to tho French girls nnd
keep up their end of tho conversation with tbo
pollus.
Of course, It bognn with tho soldiers nnd sailors,
tills eagerness to learn French. They had good
reason, and, besides, thero wero Invitations dis
played everywhere for them to enroll themselves
in French classes and bo taught this delightful
language without charge. ( Thero aren't so many
things offered free, even to young men in uniform,
that thoy can afford to slight anything bearing
the gratis tog.
Then thero nro n great many attractive young
women who pucker their mouths up quite bewltch
lngly In teaching the novlco how to pronounce tho
French "u." A pretty American girl as n teacher
of French Is a temptation to thoso who would not
pursue learning for Its own sake. Of course, thero
aro oil kinds of teachers and somo are stern
Just tenchers. But most of them seem to hnvo a
pretty good Idea that tho young men in uniform
nro not wanting to read Oorncillo or Mollero at
present, but Just to know tho wordH that may help
them to find their way around In Franco when
they nro off duty and ask for something to eat or
a fow things Ilka that, and if thoy go n llttlo fur
ther will help them nt lenst to start n conversation
witli tho French of both sexes.
"Easy French" nnd other llttlo books with sim
ilarly alluring titles aro to bo found In many a
khaki pocket and are pulled out for study on tho
train or elsewhere. One young man with a single
bar on his shoulder covered tho English part of
the menu with his hnnd In a restaurant and read
aloud every artlclo on the French sldo to his own
great satisfaction. The only snd moment was
when he gave his order In his best French nnd
tho wnlter said, "Beg pardon, 8lr."
Young men who nro not In uniform are tnklng
up French, too. Of course, they never know when
thoy may be called.
Also, after tho war every ono will want to go
to France and won't want to leave all tho talking
to tho military chnps, who will bo puffed up
enough, any way. French Is going to bo such u
popular languago and tho Freuch such flno people
thnt It would bo bad form for an American to bo
out of it altogether.
Two young men wero having n discussion us to
which It would bo moro advantageous to study,
French or Spanish, If nn American wanted n sec
ond languago at his command, "Spanish will be
the language of tho most profitable business for
us, that of South America," one asserted.
"There will be some business to bo dono with
tho French," replied the other.
"No, French will bo all right as an accomplish
ment and for social purposes, but I'll bet there will
be more dollars for the man who speaks Spanish."
"Spnln's a foreign country to me, but Franco is
my kin. Mo for tho French language."
Aside from the American volunteers who have
learned enough French at homo or abroad to feel
qualified to pass It on there are many French per
sons who nre exceedingly glad to exchange tho
knowledge of their mother tongue for the useful
American dollar.
To the tnunt thnt Americans could never really
tnlk French a mnn, conning a book on French
idioms, retorted, "Well, I bet wo can beat the
Tommies out."
One Man Considered Enlistment Good as a Raise
of Wages Isidore Kantor'a Mistake.
Some nmuslng stories nro coming out of the
draft exemption boards. In Chicago one of thoso
called for examination claimed exemption on the
ground of supporting his mother.
"I snve $0 n week out of my pay and give it to
my mother," ho said.
"Well, do you know you enn save $8 out of your
army pay and give It to her?"
"Is that so? Sure, you can take me, then. It's
Just ns good ns getting a raise."
Of a different nature is an Incident thnt oc
curred In New York. They wero testing the eyes
of Isidore Knntor, who claimed his sight was very
poor. After placing him n little closer to the eyo
chart one of the examiners asked:
"Now can you see?"
"I see," said Isidore, "nothing but a blur."
Then they took him closer yet.
"How now?"
"Everyt'lng," said Isidore, "Is like n fog In front
of me."
Far across the room on asslstnnt examiner held
ntoft nn oblong bit of yellowish paper.
"Whoever tplls mo what thin is can hnvo it," he
yelled.
Isidore turned and took ono short look.
"T got It!" ho nnnounced. "It's a ten tollers!"
That particular $10 was held back, but the ex
emptors promised Isidore that his Undo Snm will
give him threo llko It every mojith until tho war
Is over.
MOTHER'S OVERSIGHT.
Olive was teasing to hnvo n party on her birth
day, which came In the winter, so she could Invito
tho little girls whoso parties sho had attended tho
previous summer. But as tho weather was severe
at that Umo sho was told sho would have to glvo
It up, as none of hor llttlo friends would bo able
to come on account of tho cold. She fretted con
siderably over this, and finally exclaimed: "Moth
er, wtiy didn't you ask God to send mo in tho
summer time?"
STATE MONEY RETS V
HIGHER INTEREST
TREASURER HALL REPORTS BIDS
OF 5 PER CENT
RIO OCTOBER BU8INE80
NEWS FROM STATE CAPITAL
Item of Varied Interest Gathered
from Reliable Sources
at the State
House
State Treasurer George E. Hall has
complied a report of tho results of the
now method of giving state funds to
banks that offer tho highest rato of in
terest. Tho last legislature passed a
bill authorizing the state funds to bo
given to tho highest bidder. Governor
Neville votoed this act but with tho
understanding that tho state treasurer
had authority to auction state funds in
that way under an oxisting statute
which says the treasurer may make
rules undor which state funds can be
deposited In depository banks.
Undor tho law which gives tho stato
treasurer power to fix tho rate of inter
est on state funds, anywhere above 2
per cent depository banks have paid
tho uniform rate of interest for stato
funds, namely 3 per cent. State Treas
urer Hall has a total of $453,413 of
state funds in depository banks. Most
of this, or $230,000 is drawing 4 per
cent, and $102,000 is drawing 6 per
cent. Banks in tho western and north
ern part of the stato aro paying the
stato 5 per cent.
Treasurer Hall says in his roport to
tho governor and members of the leg
islature that the new plan will bring
to tho Btato $25,000 in two years moro
in intorest than was derived undor tho
3 per cent rate. Not all df thlB is de
rived from the increase in Interest
rate, but somo of it being on account
of an increase in tho amount of Btato
funds constantly on deposit.
Part of Pay to be Set Aside
How tho United States Government
Intends to provide for the support of
families and other denendants of sol-
diers serving In Its army and navy is
Bet forth in a telecram which Gover
nor Noyllle has received from tho war
dopartment and which ho in turn is
transmitting to the local exemntlon
boards in Nebraska.
This data will enable the exemption
boards to decide more Intelligently in
each case where exemption is claimed
on tho ground of dependency.
Besides tho stipulated monthly al
lowance to deoendents. as fixed hv tho
act of congress, it is provided that
part or the pay duo each enlisted man
shall bo set aside monthly for his
dependents at home.
Dairy Judging Team Returns
J. It. Shepherd, L. F. Lundgren, J.
D. McKelvey and Ell Duncombo, com
posing the Nebraska dairy Judging
team, have returned from the annual
dairy Judging contost hold at Colum
bus ,0., in connection with tho national
dairy show. The Nebraska toara thi3
year stood first in the Judging of Hoi
stelns and won the Holstein-Frloslan
silver trophy for the best work in this
breed. J. It. Shepherd also has tho
distinction of having tho highest
standing of any student participating
in the contest in the Judging of Hoi
steins, and received the $400 scholar
ship awarded by tho Holsteln-Frieslan
association. J. D. McKelvey, '18, la
th highest ranking man on tho Ne
braska team.
Urges Students Back to Farm
Chancellor Avory makes the follow
ing announcement:
"All students of tho university who
can render a service to tho country
and to tho farmers of tho state by
helping to gather tho corn crop aro
urgently requosted to secure a leave
of absence for this purpose. On
your return to the university special
coaches will bo assigned to you with
out cost and every opportunity af
forded for making up back work. Thin
Is a patriotic duty at a time when
thero should bo no selfishness on tho
part of any of our people."
Mayor J. E. Miller of Lincoln han
been named by State Fuel Administra
tor Kennedy as a member of the ad
isory committee to tho lattor, ropre
senting nil parts of the state. Mr. Mil
lor's appointment is for tho First con
gressional district.
Will Send Gift Bags to Soldiers
Sixty gift bags will bo filled and for
warded from the Nebraska state cap
itol to American soldiers in Franco to
bo distributed at Christmas tlmo. Tho
food commission nnd the stato on
glnoor's ofilco are each taking caro of
ten or a dozon, and other departments
aro doing their part.
Many applicants from experienced
farm hands wanting work aro being
received dally at tho labor commis
sioner's office. Nearly all applicants
havo boon placed so far.
State Donates $9,500 for Libraries
Secrotary Charlotte Tompleton of
tho stato library commission has ro
celvod about $9,500 in cash contribu
tions from different communities in
Nebraska for tho purpose of buying
reading matter to supply Amorican
soldiers in their camps. Tho money
has been forwardod to tho war
librarios council nt Washington. ,v
number of places havo not yet fin
Ishod their canvasses for funds, and
a fow havo not yot started. Secretary
Tompleton believes tint nt least 812.
000 will b raised in tho stato '
Cash Receipts for the Month Totaled
Tho volume of business transacted in
the ofilco of tho secrotary of stato was
greater in tho month Just closod than
in any preceding Octobor in the his
tory of tho stato. Tho cash receipts
for tho month totalod $9,425,00 , an in
creaso of $4,316.95 over tho month of
October in 1916. Tho fees wero do
rlvod from tho following sources:
1916. 1917
Corporation per
mits $2,890.00 $4,240.00
Corporation penal
ties 252.00 616.00
Filing ai'lclos of
Incorporation .
Appointment rosl
dent agents
Notary commis
sions 56.00
Brands 139.50
Certificates and
transcripts 48.25 232.15
Sale of statutes . . . 67.00 48.00
Other sources .... 7.50 .70
1,648.20 3,014.05
350.00
66.00
858.00
Total $5,108.45 $9,425.40
Increase over 1916 $4,316.95.
Northwestern Nebraska Potatoes
Northwestern Nobraska has attract
ed rather moro atttention than usual
this year by its enormous crops of po
tatoes. Tho largest tubors in that
section aro grown under irrigation,
but the bulk of tho crop, and tho best
quality potatoes aro grown on the
upland without irrigation.
Lloyd C. Thomas of Alliance sont
his father, Deputy Land Commis
sioner John W. Thomas, a box of Box
Butte county spuds that combined
both quality and good. alzo. Thirty
eight potatoes from which thoso wero
taken weighed sixty pounds.
The legislative district which is rep
resented by tho younger Mr. Thomas,
composed of Box Butte and Sheridan
counties, grows more potatoes than
any other like district in tho stato, and
these spuds are famous far and near
for thoir splendid quality.
Offers to Sell Ashland Bridge
Owners of tho toll bridge over tho
Platte river at Ashland havo made a
proposition to tho state board of irri
gation, highways and drainage to sell
it to the stato and Saunders county for
$15,000, or $5,000 less than tho valua
tion fixed by engineers for tho railway
commission, if tho state will pay
$10,000 and tho county $5,000 right
away and then pormit tho company to
operate the bridge and rotaln tho rev
enues for another ten months.
Alex Laverty of Ashland, who sub
mitted the offer, estimates that tho
earnings for ten months will amount
to $7,500, which added to Uie $15,000
which the state and county would pay,
will make tho $22,500 which the own
ers ask.
To Inspect New Seventh Regiment
Major C. F. Soverson of the regular
army, now stationed at Fort Crook,
has been detailed by tho war depart
ment to inspect the new Seventh regi
ment, Nebraska national gnard, pre
liminary to its recognition and accep
tance for federal servi Governor
Neville, as colonel of tho regiment,
has been notified of Major Soverson's
assignment nnd tho latter requests
him to prepare an itinerary. This will
bo mado up at onco by Adjutant
General Clapp undor tho governor's
direction. As soon as it is completed,
the inspector says ho can start with
in twenty-four hours. Each town
where a company of tho regiment is
located will be visited.
But One Bank Represented
No state banks in Nebraska have
Joined tho federal reserve system in
response to tho recommendation of tho
governing board of regional banks
that all institutions oporating under
state laws become members. Secre
tary Tooley of tho stato banking board
has received a fow inquiries from Ne
braska banks but none of the institu
tions has taken tho necessary steps.
Tho Bank of Lewellen, with $25,000
capital, doing business in Garden
county, is tho only stato bank which
has Joined tho regional system.
After reconsidering its former ac
tion in designating tho Central Na
tional bank of Lincoln as tho doposi
tory for fedoral aid road funds sent
to Nobraska, tho state board of irriga
tion, highways and drainage "has adopt
ed a new motion providing that such
funds shall bo hold by tho stato treas
urer and paid out by him. This was
dono in order to remove any suspicion
that the board intended to play fa
vorites among tho banks of tho stato.
Coach B. J. StowarTof tho, Univer
sity foofball squad announces' that ho
has signed a threo-year contract with
Syracuso for Thanksgiving gamos in
LJncoln, with an option to oxtond the
agreement an additional two years.
When arrangements for tho Thanks
giving day battle wero comploted last
yoar, it was understood tho two uni
versities would enter Into a five-year
contract for games in Lincoln on that
date. Tho Syracuso arrangement in
sures Nobraska a big Thanksgiving
day game. Tho Huskor managomont
gives Syracuso a $5,000 guaranteo.
Confirms Valadlty of Leases
Attorney Gonoral Heed has received
word that Judge Westovor of tho dis
trict court has glvon a decision In
favor of the validity of mineral loason
which tho state board of educational
lands nnd funds has not boon Issuing
the post Bix months. Tho looaos in
question wero potnsh lakes on statu
land and Involve tho rlrht of tho stato
board to'lmio such lenea In tho nb
aonco or n statuto grantlm? tho board
such authority and In tho face of tho
fact that prior lorsns to tho same
tracts nro In existence.
