THE SEMLWEEKLV TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA.
NEKraEGOHD
HER WONDERFUL SHOWING FOR
THE YEAR 1917.
RESULTS T0BE PROUD OF
Brief Review of Her Accomplishments
and Achievements During the
Twelve Months Just
Ended.
By Will M. Maupln, Department of
Publicity
Standing upon the thrcshhold of
tho Now Year, It is well that Ne
braskans pauso and rovlow tho ac
complishments of the year that has
Just disappeared Into tho Umbo of
things that were. Tho record of 1917
Is ono to which Nobraskans may
point with prldo, a record of things
accomplished, physical, spiritual and
mental.
When 1917 dawned upon tho world
this great republic was at peace with
all tho nations. Ero four months of
tho year had passed tho republic was
a part of the great world war. What
has been Nebraska's contribution to
tho great struggle bolng waged for
tho preservation of democracy? Let
us briefly review tho record:
Tho first great offort put forth was
the mobilizing of men to bear tho
brunt of tho fighting, and Nebraska
was among tho first to respond with
three regiments of National Guards
men recruited to almost full fighting
strength a brigade of Nebraska sol
diers who had volunteered to light
for their country. While this brigade
was being mobilized and whipped In
to shape, the selective conscription
machinery was at work, not only in
Nebraska but elsewhere, and in no
other state was tho draft law better
enforced nor tho machinery in
smoother running order than in Ne
braska. Under tho direction of Gov
ernor Neville the selectivo conscrip
tion worked so smoothly that Provost
Marshall General Crowder paid to
Governor Neville and through the
governor to the state, the highest
compliments for the good work per
formed. Today Nebraska has nearly
20,000 of her bravo sons in army and
navy, all prepared to go "over tho
top" In making permanent tho idea
that peoples and not autocrats shall
rulo tho world.
But It takes moro than men In arms
lo win a war. Behind tho fighting men
theromust be men and women mak
ing the utmost sacrifices to feed
Ihem and clothe them and provide
them with everything necessary to
their comfort and well being. Tho
production of foodstuffs and material
for clothing, Red Cross and Y. M. C.
A. activities and Liberty bond sub
scriptlons, ard among the greatest of
war activities, and Just as essential
to success as fighting men. How has
Nebraska measured up in these
things?
Nebraska exceeded hor quota in tho
first Liberty Bond drive by several
millions of dollars, and when the sec
ond Liberty Loan drive came on, No
branka set out and greatly exceeded
tho proud record made In tho first
drivo. Nebraska's quota for Liberty
Bonds was followed by the Y. M. G
A... drive, and Nebraska came across
with nearly double the quota assign
ed to hor. This was immediately fol
lowed by tho Knights of Columbus
drivo, work similar to that of tho Y
M. C. A., and forgetful of religious
differences again, as always, Nebras
lea proceeded to more than double the
K. C quota. From a per capita stand
poi'Ut.no other state has excelled No
bravika In investments in Liberty
Bonds or contributions to tho Y. M,
C. A., K. of C. and Red Cross activi
ties. Nor can any other stato excel
Nebraska's proud record of volun
teer enlistments and ready responses
to tho selective conscription act.
In the matter of contributions other
than men and money, what has been
Nebraska's record? Napoleon said
that "armies crawl on their bellies,"
and Sherman said "armies move no
faster than their wagon trains." In
other words, food supplies for the
soldiers are as essontial as soldiers
themselves. .It Is to this great repub
lie that our associates in this great
struggle aro lodking for their supplies
of foodstuffs, and nobly is tho repub
lic responding. It Is chiefly to tho
middle west, however, that tho allies
must look for those supplies of food
Only ton states In this American
Union produce more foodstuffs than
they consume, and of these ten only
ono produces moro of the three great
staple foodstuffs, bread, meat and
sugar, than It consumes, and that ono
is Nebraska. The five great soil prod
ucto necessary to human lifo are
bread, meat, sugar, wool and cotton
Nobraska produces three of these In
surplus, and ono other, wool, may bo
produced in Burplus. No other state
in tho union Is able to match Nebras
ka'o record In this respect.
When it was realized that tho mid
dlo west must produce tho foodstuffs
it was also realized that other states
not capablo of producing a surplus
What Constitutes Dependency
Lincoln. Draft boards have been in
structcd by Provost Marshal General
f'rowder to use "common sense and
sympathy in the facts of each Individ
ual case," In determining what would
bo adequate support for dependents of
a man registered for war service
Many boards have indicated doubt att
to what should bo done when it ap
pears that a soldier's pay and war
risk allowance will provide support
for dependents whose claims otherwise
woufd outltlo the registrant to deferred
classification.
must economlzo In consumption in
ordor that thero might bo enough to
go around. Again Nobraska came to
tho front, and no other tttao is bet
tor organized for food economy than
Nobraska. Under tho direction of
Gurdon W. Wattles, ono of Nobrns
ka's capable organlzors, Nobraska is
setting a record for food conservation.
Under tho direction of John L. Ken
nedy, another splendid typo of No
braskan, fuel economy Is being prac
ticed with gratifying results.
Thus wo havo considered Nobraska
with relation to its contribution of
mon, its contribution of dollars and
Its conservation of foodstuffs. What
about its production.
For tho first timo in history No
braska practically lost a wheat crop
in 1917. Tho crop of last year was
less than 20 por cent of tho average.
Was Nobraska discouraged? Not at
all. Tho farmers answered tho ap
peal of tho Stato Council of Defonso,
and tho destroyed wheat acroago was
sowed to oats and barley or plantod
In corn. With farms hard hit by tho
selectivo draft, tho farmers "speeded
up" to the limit, and tho result was
tho largest corn crop In tho state's
history moe than 200,000,000 of
bushols. Tho oats production was al
so a record breaker, exceeding tho
best previous yield by soveral mil
lions of bushols.
Hero Is a fact that can not bo dis
puted: Nebraska In 1917 produced a
greater surplus of foodstuffs than any
other state, measured either by pop
ulation or totals. Although tho wheat
crop was deemed a total failure, No
braska produced enough to supply
her own needs for bread and seed,
and had a tow millions of bushels to
spare to the armies in the field. No
braska raised enough sugar for her
own consumption, and had almost as
much more for her contribution to
tho allies. Three years ago not a
pound of potash was produced in No
braska, and tho United States pro
duced less than C por cent of the pot
ash it consumed, tho remaining 95
per cent coming mainly from Ger
many. Today tho United States Is pro
ducing practically every bit of potash
It Is consuming, and Nobraska Is pro
ducing 75 por cent of it. Tho potash
produced in Nebraska In 1917 was
worth moro in dollars than tho gold
mined in any one stato In tho Union.
Following is a conservative statement
of Nobraska production In 1917, based
upon tho average of prices prevailing
during the year:
Corn $325,000,000
Wheat 30,000,000
Other grains 70,000,000
Potatoes 12,000,000
Fruits 8,000,000
Potash 18,000,000
Meat stuffs 100,000,000
Butter 25,000,000
Poultry 20,000,000
Eggs 35,000,000
Garden products 10,000,000
Sugar 9,000,000
Value added In manufact
uring 30,000,000
Grand total for year.. $692,000,000
This means a wealth production
of nearly $550 per capita for tho year
a record that Nebraskr. challenges
any other stato to excel.
On December 31, 1917, Nobraskans
had moro than $400,000,000 on doposit
in the state and national banks of tho
state, or approximately $300 per cap
ita another record which challenges
comparison.
Nor Is the record of 1917 an excep
tional ono, Nebraska has been going
"over tho top" in tho matter of pro
ductivity for twenty years.
Tho Department of Publicity has
recently compiled from tho reports
of tho United States Bureau of Ag
riculture a table showing tho product
ivity of tho states covering a period
of twenty years, 1895 to 1916, In
clusive. It shows that In tho produc
tion of wheat ,oats, corn, horses, cat
tle, swine, and average farm values
and, valuo of all farm property, Ne
braska ranks third among tho states
being excelled only by Illinois and
Iowa. In the total valuo of corn,
wheat an oats produced during that
period, Nobraska ties with Illinois
for first place. In the production of
cattle and swlno Nebraska ties with
Illinois for second placo. In, average
values of all farm proporty Nebras
ka is In fourth place, and In the same
relative position In tho uverago val
ues per farm.
Measured in contributions of men
and monoy to the great war, Nobras
ka ranks alongside any of hor sisters.
Measured on contributions of food
stuffs to the great war, Nebraska
claims first placo and is ready with
the figures to substantiate her
claims.
Nor has Nobraska lagged behind In
other activities because of tho "speed
ing up" of war activities. Education
ally this great stato still holds first
place. For each child of school age
within tho state's borders thero Is
upward of $40 investod in interest
bearing securities, tho rovenuos from
which aro devoted to the support of
the public schools. Tho stato docs
not owo a dollar, either in bonded or
floating Indebtedness. It owns 'prop
erty exceeding $30,000,000 in valuo,
Its future is as sure as its past do
veloptnent has boon marvelous.
Gathering the Income Tax.
Washington. The great task oi
gathering income tax and excess
profits returns began Wednesday with
the new year. Every unmarried person
earning moro than $1,000 during tho
last year, and every married person or
head of a family who mado more than
$2,000, must file with tho internal rove
nuo collector of his district a roport
any tlmo between Wednesday and
March 1. He will be riotlflod boforo
June 1 of the tax due, and payment
will be duo by Juno 15,
TELLS 1ST CAN
BRING WAR 10 END
BRITISH PREMIER MAKES SENSA
TIONAL SPEECH IN LONDON.
SMALL NATIONS MUST BE FREE
Declares Alsace-Lorraine Must Be Re
stored to Franco Germans Sus
pend Negotiations With Rus
sian Bolshevlkl.
London, Jan. 8. Britain's answer to
Count Czcrnln's terms of pence for
tho central powers was emphatically
nnnounced to the world' by Premier
Lloyd-Gcorgo in a speech at tho Brit
ish lnborltc "man power" last Satur
day. Ho exposed tho annexation
clauso of the central powers ns a bait
held out by the mailed fist of Prussia
rendy to strike tho death blow to free
dom everywhere and gnrner In tho
spoils of war.
Onsuch "lip servlco" bnsls, ho
said, lasting, secure pcaco Is Impossi
ble.
Then lie defined with grentor di
rectness nnd nxpllcltness, every ono
of Great Britain's war and peace alms,
mentioning nil the vital disputed ter
ritories by names. Ills basic princi
ples arc thoso first enunciated by
President Wilson, to whom the pre
mier referred repeatedly.
Ho said tho three main pillars of
lasting pence must bo:
1 Sanctity of treaty.
2 Government by the consent
of the governed.
3 International limitation of
armaments.
Tho premier's speech came ns a tre
mendous surprise. Though It had
been rumored for several days that
such an utterance was forthcoming, It
had not been expected to come so
soon.
The speech 'was nddressed to tho
peoples, rather than tho government
on tho quadruple alliance. Pnrtlcu'
lnrjy did It contuin n virtual henrt to
heart talk with the people of Ger
many.
Tho premier said that Britain and
her nines are llglitlng:
Not for the destruction or dlsrup
tlon of Germany.
Not to destroy Austria-Hungary or
Turkey.
Not merely to alter or destroy tho
imperial constitution of Germany.
Not to take Turkey's lnnds that aro
predominantly Turkish from them.
But for these principles :
First Complete restoration of Bel-
glum.
Second Reparation as far nB pos
sible for devastated towns and cities
Third Neutralization nnd nationali
zation of tho Dardanelles.
Fourth "Reconsideration" of tho
"Great wrong" done to France in 1871
referring to Alsace-Lorraine.
Fifth Establishment of nn inde
pendent Poland "comprising all gen
uinely Polish elements, because this is
necessary to tho stability of western
Europe."
Sixth Arnbln, Armenia, Mesopota
mia, Syria, Palestine all entitled to
separate national conditions.
Seventh Of Russin, tho British
statesman left tho future decision
of tiie liussinn peopio tnomseives.
Eighth Inhabitants of African col
onies to be "placed under nn admlnls
tration acceptable to themselves for
tho purpose of preventing exploitation
for tho benefit of European cp'iitnllsts
nnd of European governments.
Suspend Peace Parleys.
London, .Inn. 8. Tho pence negotla
Hons between the central powers nnd
the bolshevik government In Russia
have been "temporarily suspended" by
tho Germans. From advices from
Berlin It appears the rock upon which
a continuation of the pourparlers
split was the demand of "the Russians
that the conference be resumed nt
Stockholm, Instead of at Brest-Lit ovsk
The decision of the Germans to dls-
continue- the sittings was arrived at
during a crown council held In Ber
lin Saturday, which was attended by
Field Marshal von Illndenburg and
General von Ludendorff, first quarter
master general.
The Germans' reason for the re
furnl to consider Stockholm a placo
where peace might bo advantageously
dl.eon5.od was tho fear that British
French and Amorlenn diplomats In
tho Swedish capital would by Intrigue
render nil endeavors futile.
May Take Over Mines.
Philadelphia. .Tan. R. The United
States government may take over the
meat Industry of tho country In order
to control tho throe principal neoessl
ties of wartime moat, oonl and trans
portntlon. This was plainly Indlcntod
nt Saturday's session of tho federal
trade commission here.
Food Scarce In Eurone.
Washington, January 8, The food
ltuation in tho allied countries of
Europe Is graver than It has been nt
ny tlmo since the beginning of the
ivnr and Js giving American govern
nient officials deep concern. Official
reports picture extroimt fond short-
ngos In England, Frnnce and Italy
The fact that conditions In Germany
and Austrln are far worse offers tho
only grounds for optimism In viewing
tho situation.
In England and Franco the sltua
Ion Ik described as critical.
FIRST PHOTOGRAPH OF CAPTURED AMERICANS IN GERMAN CAMP
u
This photograph shows the first American soldiers taldu prisoner In Franco bolng questioned by their captors in
a Gertuuu camp. It was published In tho German propaganda organ, "Wold lm Blld," and reached America through
British otficlal sources.
ilPERO
The kaiser paid a visit to his ally, tho sultan of Turkey, recently, and this most unusual photogrnph shows their
meeting.
WOMEN RUN VETERINARY HOSPITAL
HEADS SERBIAN MISSION
In many districts English women are taking tho plnces of tho men who
nro at war, and now a big veterinary hospital In London Is run entirely by
women. The photograph shows fho horse doctors removing tho shoos from a
patient.
ARMY TRUCKS ON THEIR WAY TO SEABOARD
v..x yr?
.MfOTTTUOH y
I
'
A military freight service has been established by the quartermaster
general to carry ammunition by army truck and relievo the railways of somo
of the congestion. Tho first truck twiln of 80 machines Btartod from Detroit
to tho Atlantic sou1)onrd, tho trucks also to be shipped to France. Two of
the machines carry supp' The photograph showa tho leading truck
on a difficult bit of road
IV Mllanko Vesnltch, Serbian min
ister to Franco, who heads tho diplo
matic and military mission to the Unit
ed States. Doctor Vesnltch represent
ed his country ut tho Interallied ccuv
ference In Paris.
Study the Vords. '
Noah Webster started with 70.00Q
wordsv That wus in 1828, when thcJ
first odltlop of his dictionary was pub-,
llshed, says tho Now York Times. In
the next edition, that of 180-1, tho list
had grown to 114,000, Nouh had died
In the meantime, but his heirs and as
signs continued his work. In 1800 n
total of 175,000 words wero listed
Since then tho number has more than
doubled. It Is now about 400,000. Of"
course, nobody could bo expected ta
lcum nil these words, nor is It neces
sary. Whenever In your rending: yoa
coiuo across a word the meaning or
which Is not entirely clear to you (lroj
your book or newspaper, as the case
muy be, and consult tho dictionary.
Don't delay, If you do probably you
will never look tho word up. It la
surprising how many words ono may
add to ono's vocnbulnry by this slmplo
method.
