THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PIATTB, NEBRASKA.
BELGIANS FORCED
TO AID GERMANS
Kaiser's Officers Showed Open
Disregard of Interna
tional Law.
WORKMEN SEIZED AS SLAVES
Cardinal Mercler Moved to Bitter Con
demnatlon of Acts of German Au
thorities Which Aroused Detes
tatlon of Christendom.
Contrary to rules laid down hj
the Hague convention, and all prin
ciples of civilized warfare, German
authorities forced Belgians to aid
ihcm in the prosecution of the war.
The committee on public informa
tion gives the fads concerning
these atrocious deeds in a pamphlet
recently made public, from which we
take the following:
October 12, 1015, tho Gormnn author
ities took a long Btep In tho develop
ment of their policy of forcing the Bel
frlans to old them In prosecuting tho
nr. Tho decrco of thnt date reveals
the' matter and openly discloses a con
tempt for International law.
"Article 1. Whoever, without reason,
refuses to undertake or to continue
work suitable to his occupation, and In
Uio execution of which the military
administration Is Interested, such work
being ordered by one or more of tho
military commanders, will bo liable to
Imprisonment not exceeding ono year,
po may also bo transported to Ger
many. "In voktng Belgian lawB or even In
ternational conventions to the con
trary, can, In no caso, justify tho re
fusal to work.
"Article 2. Any person who by force,
threats, persuasion, or other means
attempts to Influence unother to refuse
Work as pointed out In Article 1, Is
Uablo to the punishment of Imprison
ment not exceeding llvo years.
"Artlclo 0. Whoever knowingly by
means of aid given or In any other way
beta n punishable refusal to work,
Will bo Uablo to n maximum fino of
10,000 'marks, and In addition may bo
condemned to a year's Imprisonment.
"If communes or associations havo
rendored themselves guilty of bucIi an
offense the heads of tho communes will
be punished.
"Article 4. In addition to the penal
ties stated in Articles 1 and 3, tho Gcr-
Gan authorities nmy, In caso of need,
iposo on communes, where without
teason, work has been refused, a flue
pr othor coercive pollco meusurcs.
"This present dcreo comes Into
force immediately.
"Der Etappelnspckteur,
"VON UNGER,
"Gcneralleutnant
"Ghent, Octobor 12, 1015."
"Slavery," Bald Cardinal Mercler.
Cardinal Morclcr's brief comment Is
fts follows: "Tho lnjustlco and arbi
trariness of this decreo excocd all that
could be imagined. Forced labor, col
lective penalties and arbitrary punish
dents, all nro there. It Is slavery, nol
tticr more nor loss."
Cardinal Mercler wus In error, for
the German authorities were ablo to
imuglno a much more terrible measure.
In October, 1010, when tho need for
an additional labor tiupply In Germany
had become urgent, tho German gov
ernment established the system of
forced labor and deportation which'
has aroused tho detestation of Chris
tendom, The reader will not bo misled
by the clumBy effort of tho Gorman au
thorities to musk tho real purpose of
tho decree.
"I. People able to. work may be
compelled to work even outsldo the
place whero they live, In caso they
havo to apply to tho charity of others
forHhe support of themselves or their
dependents on account of gambling,
drunkenness, lonllng, unemployment or
Idleness.
"II. Every Inhabitant of the country
Is bound to render nnslstonco in ensa
f accident or general danger, and u!bo
to give help in case of public calami
ties as far as he can, even outside the
place when he lives; In caso of refu
sal he may be compelled by force.
"IIL Anyone called upon to work,
tinder Articles I or II, who shall re
(use tho work, or to continue at the
work assigned him, will Incur the pen
alty of Imprisonment up to three years
and of a fine up to 10,000 marks, or
one or other of these penalties, unless
a severer penalty is provided for by
the laws in force.
"If the refusal to work bus bocn
teade In concert or in agreement with
several personB, each nccompllce will
he sentenced, as if ho were a ring
leader, to at; least a week's imprison
pi eat.
"IV. The German military author!
ties and military courts will enforco
tine proper execution of this decree,
THE QUAItTERMASTER GEN
REAL, SAUUEUZWEIG.
"Great Headquarters, Sd Octobor,
1016."
Military Rulers Responsible.
The responsibility for this atrocious
'jpresram rests upon the military rulers
'f Germany, who had labored so zeal
Mtr to infect tho army and tho
Wple with the principles of ruthless
mm. It la significant that the decroe
ef October 8, 1010, followed hard upon
ithe elevatloB of Hlndenburg to tho su
jpreme command with Ludendorf us his
chief of staff, la his long report of
Jaauary 16, 1817, Minister Whltlock
says: (On file In state depnrtmcnt.)
"Then, In August, Von Hlndenburg
was appointed to tho Kuprcmo com
mand. Ho is Hnld to have criticized
Von Blsslng's policy as too mild; there
was a quarrel ; Von Blsslng went to
Berlin to protost, threatened to resign,
but did not. lie returned, and a Ger
man official here said that Belgium
would now be subjected to a more ter
rible regime would learn what war
was. Tho prophecy has been vindicat
ed. Recently I wns told that the dras
tic measures are really of Ludcndorf's
Inspiration ; I do not know. Many Ger
man officers nay so."
If Von Blsslng had opposed tho pol
icy of deportation when his own Judg
ment was overruled, lio consented to
become the "devil's advocate" and de
fended the system In public. Espe
cially Instructive Is the following con
versation reported by Mr. F. C. Wul
cott: "I went to Belgium to Investigate
conditions, and while thcro I had op
portunity ... to talk ono day with
Governor General Von Blsslng, who
died three or four weeks ago, a man
seventy-two or seventy-three years
old, a man steeped In tho 'system,'
born and bred to tho hardening of tho
heart which that philosophy develops.
There ought to be some new word
coined for tho process that a man's
heart undergoes when It becomes
steeped In that system.
"I said to him, 'Governor, what are
you going to do If England ond France
stop giving these people money to pur
chase food?'
Von Blsslng Relied on Starvation.
"Ho said, 'Wo havo got that nil
worked out and have had it worked
out for weeks, because we have ex
pected this system to break down at
any time.'
"lie went on to say, 'Starvation will
grip theso peoplo In thirty to sixty
days. Starvation is n compelling force,
and we would use that force to compel
tho Belglnn worklngmen, muny of
them very skilled, to go to Germany
to rcplaco tho Germans, so that they
could go to the front nnd fight against
tho English and tho French.'
"'As fast us our railway transpor
tation could carry them, wo would
trnnsport thousands of others that
would bo fit for agricultural work,
ncross Europe down Into southeastern
Europe, Into Mesopotamia, whero wo
have huge, splendid Irrigation works.
All that land needs Is water ond It
will blossom like the rose.
"'Tho weak remaining, tho old and
tho young, we would conccntrato oppo
slto .tho llrlng line, nnd put Orlng
squads buck of them, and force them
through that line, so that tho English
nnd French could take caro of their
own people.'
"It was a perfectly simple, direct,
frank reasoning. It meant thnt tho
German government would use any
forco In the destruction of any peoplo
not Its own to further Its own ends."
Frederick C. Walcott, In National Geo
ffraphlcal Magazine, Muy, 1017.
A brief general view of tho character
of tho deportations can perhaps be
gained best from tho report of Minis
ter Whltlock.
"Tho deportations began In October
In the Etapo, at Ghent, and at Bruges,
as my brief telegremB indicated. The
policy spread; tho rich industrial dls-
trlctn of Hnlnnult, tho mines and steel
works about Charlerol wero next at
tacked; now they are seizing men In
Brabant, oven In Brussels, desplto
some Indications and even predictions
of tho civil authorities that the policy
was about to bo ubandoncd.
The etapea wero tho parts of Bel
glum under martial law, nnd Included
tho province of western Flanders, part
of eastern Flanders, and tho region
of Tournal. Tho remainder of tho oc
cunlcd nart of Belgium was under
civil government,
Pitiable and Distressing Scene.
"During the lost fortnight men have
been Impressed hero In Brussels, but
their seizures hero aro made evidently
with much greuter care than In tho
provinces, with more regard for tho
appearances. Theru was no public an
nounccment of tho Intention to deport,
but suddenly about ten days ago cer
tain men In towns whoso uames are
on tho list of chomcurs received sum
mons notifying them to report at ono
of tho railway stations on a given day ;
penalties wero fixed for failure to re
npond to the summons and thcro wns
printed on the card an offer of employ
raent by the German government, el
ther In Germany or Belgium. On the
first day out of about 1,500 men or
dered to present themselves nt tho
Qaro du Midi about 750 responded.
Theso were examined by Gcrmun phy
sicians and 800 were taken. Thcro
was no disorder, n large forco of
mounted Uhluns keeping back the
crowds and barring access to tho sta
tlon to all but thoso who had been
summoned to appear. Tho coramls
Bion for relief In Belgium had Becured
permission to giro to each deported
man a loaf of bread, and uome of tho
communes provided warm clothing for
thoso who had none and In addition a
small financial allowance. Aa by one
of tho Ironies of llfo tho winter has
been more excessively cold than Bel
glum has ever known It, und while
many of thoso who presented thorn
selves wero adequately protected
against tho cold, many of them were
without overcoats. Tho men shlv
orlng from cold and fear, the parting
from weeping wives and children, tho
barriers of brutal Uhlans, nil this
mailo tho scene a pitiable and dls
tresslng one.
"It was understood that the seizures
would continue hero In Brussels, but
on Thursday last, a bitter cold day,
thoso that had been convoked wero
sent home without examination, It Is
supposed that the severe weather has
moved the Germans to postpone the
deportation.
WILSON OUTLINES
RAILROAD POLICY
Tells Congress Taking Over of
Lines Was Necessary
to Safety.
WILL CONSERVE INTEREST
Proper Returns to the Roads Will Be
Guaranteed Urges Prompt Action
and "Dealing With Great Matter
In a Great Way."
Washington, .Tan. 5. President Wll-
Ron yesterday laid before congress, ns
sernbled In Joint session, his recom
mendations' for carrying out govern
ment operation of railroads, mils to
carry out the president's ldcns already
had been prepared under the supervi
sion of tho department of Justice nnd
wero Immediately Introduced, with
plans for prompt consideration, In both
house and senate.
The president spoke as follows:
"Gentlemen of the Congress: I have
asked the privilege of addressing you
In order to report thnt on (he 28th of
December last, during tho recess of
congress, acting through tho secretary
of war and under the authority con
ferred upon mo by the act of congress
npproved August 20, 1010, I took pos
session and assumed control of the
rnllwny lines of the country and the
systems of water transportation under
their control. This step seemed to bo
Imperatively necessary In the Interest
of the public welfare, In the presence
of the great tasks of war with which
wo are now dealing.
"As our experience develops difficul
ties nnd makes It clear what they are,
I havo deemed It my duty to remove
those difficulties wherever I havo the
legal power to do so. To assume con
trol of tho vast railway systems of tho
country Is, I realize, n wry heavy re
sponsibility, but to fall to do so In the
existing clrcumstnneoH would hnvo
been a much greater. I assumed tho
lesser responsibility rather than tho
weightier.
Complete Mobilization Needed.
"I am sure that I am speaking the
mind of till thoughtful Americans when
I say that It Is our duty ns tho repre
sentatives of the nation to do every
thing that It Is necessary to do to se
cure tho complete mobilization of the
whole resources of America by ns rap
id and effective n means as can bo
found. Transportation supplies all the
urterles of mobilization. Unless It bo
under n single and unified direction
tho whole process of the nntlon's ac
tion Is embarrassed.
"It wns In the true spirit of America
and It was right, that wo should first
try to effect tho necessary unification
under tho voluntary action of those
who wero In charge of tho great rail
way properties; and wo did try It. The
directors of tho railways responded to
tho need promptly nnd generously.
Praises Railway Executives.
"Tho group of railway executives
who were charged with tho task of
actual cd-ordlnatlon nnd general direc
tion with pntrlotlc zeal and mnrked
nblllty, as was to have been expected,
and did, I believe, everything that It
wns posslblo for them to do In tho cir
cumstances. If I havo taken the task
out of their hands it has not been be
cause of any dereliction or failure on
their pnrt, hut only because there were
Bomo things which tho government can
uo and present management cannot.
We shall continue to vnluo most highly
the advice and,nsslstanco of Qicso gen
tlemen, and I am sure wo shall not find
them withholding It.
Government Control Needed.
"It had become unmistakably nlnln
that only under government ndmlnls-
trutlcm can the gnllre equipment of
tho several systems of transportation
be fully and undreservedly thrown Into
a common service without Injuri
ous discrimination against particular
properties. Only under government
administration can an absolutely un
restricted and unembarrassed common
use ho made of all tracks, terminals.
terminal facilities and equipment of
every Kind. Only under that authorltv
can new terminals ho constructed and
developed without regard to tho re
quirements or limitations of particular
roads, nut tinder government admin
istratlon all these things will bo pos-
Bime not instantly, but, as fast as
practical difficulties which cannot be
merely conjured away give way before
tno now management,
Little Disturbance as Possible
Tho common administration will he
carried out with-as little disturbance
of tho prosont operating organizations
and personnel of the railways ns nos-
slble. Nothing will be altered or dis
turbed which It Is not necessary to dls
turb. We are serving the public Inter
est and safeguarding the nubile xntotv
but wo are also regardful of the inter
est of thoso by whom theso great prop
ertlcs aro owned and glnd to avnll our
selves of tho experience and trained
nblllty of those who havo been man
aging tliem. It Is necessary that the
transportation of troops and of war
materials, of food mid of fuel, alid of
everything that Is necessary for the
full mobilization 0r ti10 energies and
resources of the country, should be
first considered, but It Is clearly In the
pumic interest also thut the ordlnnry
activities aud tho normal Industrial
nnu commercial llfo of tho country
miuuiti oo imericrcd with nnd dls
turbed as little ns possible, and tho
public nmy rest assured that tho Inter
est and convenience of the private
shipper will ho ns carefully served and
safeguarded as Jt Is posslblo to servo
and safeguard It In the present ex
traordinary circumstances.
To Keep Lines In Good Repair.
"While the present authority of tho
executive suffices for nil purposes of
administration and while, of course, nil
private interests must for the present'
glvo way to the public necessity, it is,
I am sure you will agree with me, right
and necessnry that the owners and
creditors of the rnllways, tho holders
of their stocks and bonds, should re
ceive from the government an unqual
ified guaranty that their properties will
bo maintained throughout the period of
federal control in as good repair and
ns complete equipment ns nt present,
undo that the several roads will receive
under federal munagement such com
pensation ns is equitable and Just allied
to their owners and to tho gencrnl
public.
"I would suggest the average not
railway operating Income of tho three
years ending June 30, 1017. I earnest
ly recommend thnt these guarantees
be given by appropriate legislation and
given as promptly ns circumstances
permit."
"Deal Justly With Securities."
"I need not point out the essential Jus
tlco of such guarantees nnd their grent
Inllucnco nnd significance as elements
In the present llnnncial and Industrial
sltuntlon of the country. Indeed, one of
the strong arguments for assuming con
trol of the railroads nt this time Is tho
financial argument. It is nccessnry
that the values of railway securities
should bo Justly and fairly paid and
that the large financial operations ev
ery year necessary In connection with
the maintenance, operation nnd devel
opment of the roads should, during tho
period of tho war, be wisely relnted to
the flnnnclnl operations of tho govern
ment. ' '
"Our first duty Is, of course, to con
scrvo the common Interest nnd the
common safety nnd to mako ccrtnln
that nothing stands in the way of tho
successful prosecution of the great war
for liberty and Justice, but It is an
obligation of public consclcnco and of
public honor that tho private Interests
we disturb should bo kept safe from
unjust Injury, nnd it Is of tho utmost
conscquenco to the government Itself
that all great financial operations
should bo stabilized and co-ordinated
with the financial operations of tho
government. N'o borrowing should run
athwart the borrowings of the federal
treasury and. no fundamental Indus
trial values should anywhere bo un
necessarily Impnlred. In the hands of
many small Investors In the country, ns
well as In nntlonnl banks, In Insurance
companies, In savings banks, In trust
companies, In flnnnclnl agencies of ev
ery kind, railway securities, tho sum
total of which runs up to some S10,
000,000,000 or $11,000,000,000, consti
tute u vltnl part of the structure of
credit, and the unquestioned solidity
of that structuro must be maintained.
"The secretary of war and I easily
agreed that, In view of the many com
plex Interests which must bo safe
guarded nnd harmonized, ns well as
because of his exceptional experlenco
and nblllty In this new field of govern
mental action, Hon. Wllllnm G. Mc-
Adoo wns the right man to ns-
sume direct administrative control of
this now executive task. At our re
quest he consented to nssume the nu-'
thorlty nnd duties of organizer nnd di
rector general of tho now railway ad
ministration, no hns assumed thoso
duties nnd his work Is In active prog
ress.
May Need Treasury Grants.
"It Is probably too much to expect
that even under tho unified railway ad
ministration which will now bo pos
slble sufficient economies can be ef
fected In the operation of tho rail
wnys to moke It posslblo to add to
their equipment nnd extend their op
"orntlvo facilities as much as the pros
ent extraordinary demands upon their
use will render desirable without re
sorting to the national treasury for
the funds. If It Is not possible, it will,
of course, bo necessary to resort to
tho congress for grants of money for
that purpose. The secretary of the
treasury will advlso with your commit
tee with regard to this very practical
aspect of the matter. For tho pros
ent I suggest only the guaranties .
hnvo indicated and such upproprln
tions as' nro necessary at tho outset
of this task. I take the liberty of ex
pressing the hopo that tho congress
may grant these promptly nnd un
grudgingly. We nro denllng with great
matterB and will, I nm sure, denl with
them grently."
WAGE BOARD AGREED UPON
Railway Director McAdoo and Broth
erhood Chiefs Come to An Under
standing on Plan.
Washington, Jan. 5. Hallway Dl
rector McAdoo and tho brotherhood
chiefs agreed upon the crentlon of a
wage board to hnvo Jurisdiction over
tho wages of railroad employees while
they nro under control of the govern
ment. The board also will adjust dls
putes that mny arise, and will be np
pointed aud nt work within 30 days,
according to the plan.
BANDITS ARE DRIVEN BACK
It. S. Troops and Texas Rangers Chase
Mexicans Across the Border
Two Robbers Killed.
Murfu, Tex., Jan. 5. Mexican ban
dlts who raided the Drlte ranch near
Cmulelnrla. have been driven back
across tho border by United Stotts
troops and Texas rangers, according to
reports here. Neither the rangers nor
the troops crossed the border. Two cf
the bandits. It Is reported, were killed.
II
MR COIF LIE
ARMY OFFICERS AND CABINET
MEMBERS ARE COMING
TO LINCOLN
NEWS FROM STATE CAPITAL
Items of Varied Interest Gathered
from Reliable Sources
at the State
House
A two-dnv Nebraska war conforonco
In Lincoln Friday and Saturday, Jan
uary 18 and 10, to bo addressed by
fedora! officials from Washlntrton and
by nrmy officers Just returned from
somowhoro In Franco." will bo neiu
under tho auspices of tho Nebraska
atato council of defenso with wl'lcli
will co-operato tho national coun
cil of dofenso and tho speakers divi
sion of tho United States commtlteo
on public information.
This state-wido Gathering, whlcn
tho government hopes will "bo an
event of tho first macnitudo in its
community and In tho state," is nn-
nntinecil through a bulletin to tno
chairmen of tho county councils of do
fenso sent out by Prof. M. M. logs,
director of tho council's recently
established bureau of speakers and
publicity.
A convention of tho Nebraska four-
minute men has also been called by
Professor Fore, stnto head of tho
four-minute men, division of the com
mittee on nubile information. There
aro over 1,000 "four-mlnuto" men now
enlisted in 53 cities and towns.
Will Take Steps to Secure Armories
Lack of armory accommodations in
their homo towns for sovon of the
companies is tho principal obstacle
now standing in tho way of recog
nltlon for tho Seventh regiment, Ne
braska national guard, by tho war de
partment. Tho Information is con
tained in an official letter from the
chief of tho militia affairs bureau to
Adjutant General Clapp of Nebraska
Stops will bo takon at onco to se
euro armories for tho organizations
that do not havo thorn now, Governor
Npvlllo announces. Ample funds for
tills purpose aro available, as the last
legislature appropriated $40,000 for
nrmorf rental, only a small part of
which has boon used. Tho calling of
tho first three regiments of the na
tional guard into fedoral service light
oned tho demands upon this fund, nnd
thoro will doubtloss bo a considerable
surplhs left in It at tho does of tho
blennlum, after tho Seventh Ib fully
provided for.
Asldo from the matter of armory
rental, no serious drawbacks havo do
voloped to prevent tho recognition of
tho Seventh.
Classification Work Progressing
Work of classification under tho
draft in Nebraska is proceeding rapid
ly and should soon bo comploto with
the exception of cases appealed to
district boards, according to Captain
Walter Anderson of tho governor's of
fice, who was named by tho war do
partmont to assist Governor Novlllo
Captain Anderson Is swamped with
letters from local exemption boards
roquestlng information relative to an
swors of questions which each regis
trant must give.
Despite tho fact that many millions
of dollars havo been subscribed by
Nebraska peoplo for liberty bonds
war savings certificates, tho Red Cross
and V. M. C. A, work, and othor ac
tivities incident to tho war, tho stato
banks of Nebraska mako a remark
able showing In their last reports
for tho year 1917 to tho stato banking
department.
Doposlts havo declined $1,396,903
ninco August 21, tho tlmo of the last
previous reports, which is duo in largo
part to tho fact that corn has been
hackward nnd this condition, together
with tho railroad car shortage, has
prevented any considerable amount of
It moving to tuarkot us early as usual.
Inqutrlos havu been coming in to
the -state council of dofonso ns to
whether men enlisting In the homo
guardB' organization who aro of draft
ago may order and wear tho regula
tion army khaki uniform boforo thoy
aro called Into service. Tho council
has takon the mnttor up with Gover
nor Noville and is authorized to say
that such uniforms may bo worn with
a strip of bluo on tho coat sleevo to
show that tho man is not yet in sorv
ico. but is likely to be called.
The niero fnct that a man Is married
and has n wife and child dependent
upon him for support does not ox
cuso him from mllltnry service, says
Captain Anderson of tho governor's
office In nn official bulletin to tho
local exemption boards of Nebraska.
Captain Anderson, who has been es
pecially commissioned by tho war de
partment to superviso tho operation
of tho draft In Nebraskn, bo's that
unless a mnn is engaged In aprod'ic-
tlvo work, dopondoncy does not moan
ho should be placed in class A of
division four.
Is no Legal Obstacle
No legal obstaelo to tho sale of
horse meat oxlatn in Nebraska, ac
cording to opinions Jointly handed
down by tho food commission and tho
legal dopurtmcnt. The project of a
Grand Island mnt to kill horses and
boII their meat will receive no Inter
ference from tho state, providing that
It Is dono in t Hanltnry mannor undor
tho same conditions cattlo aro
slaughtered, and no deception is prac
ticed on tho purchaser of tho moat.
PREPARING FOR WAR SERVICE
Special Vocational Courses Being
MapDed Out for Drafted Men
To aid tho govornmont in securing
79,000 skilled workmon needed at onco
for Bervico In tho nrmy, tho state
board of vocallc-iinl education nnd Uni
versity of Nebraska authorities aro
already laying out tho special coursos
to bo established at tho University for
tho training of men who nro likely to
bo called Boon undor tho soloctlvo
draft law.
Chancellor Avery Is preparing a
lottcr which will bo mailed out to men
on tho draft registration lists, tolling
them about theso courses and Invit
ing them to attend nnd qualify them
selves for some form of skilled work.
It is expected that tho classes will
be organized Immediately after tho
first of tho year so that tho mon can.
bo trained as soon ns possible.
Director Fulmer of tho vocational
education bureau f"r Nebraska la co
operating with the university and stnto
farm authorities and with tho stnto
superintendent's offico In forwarding
tho project. Tho following details
havo boon agreed upon:
Drafted men applying for Instruc
tion In a given courso must pass an
ontranco examination, unless recent
ly examined.
Anyone found unable to perform
tho work must bo promptly notified
of tho fact, so thut his tlmo and that
of tho instructors will not be wasted
In trying to fit him for something
wholly out of his line.
All instruction to bo free and no
fees to bo collected.
Classos may bo conducted In tho
day tlmo or evening, as Is most con
venient all around.
Courses to bo laid out covering
definite periods In weeks or months
in all tho principal lines of mechanical
and Industrial training.
Men taking a courso and qualifying
to bo given certificates signed by the
dean, tho chancellor and tho stato
superintendent.
Records of tho work dono by all
men to be filed with stato appeal
boards passing upon occupational
claims of drafted men.
Besides getting tho vocational train
ing work along such lines started
without delay, as tho United Stntes
government has requosted. Director
Fulmer and tho stato board of voca
tional education will collect statistics
of tho various trades in Nebraska, to
find out how many men this .stato
now has in tho following classes:
1 Carpenters from IS to -10 years
of ago.
2 Blacksmiths from IS to 40 years.
3 Masons from 18 to 40 years.
4 Plumbers from 18 to 40 years.
15 Electricians from 18 to 40 years.
C Telephone operators from 18 to
40 years.
7 Telegraphers from 18 to 40 years.
8 Auto mon from 18 to 40 years.
9 Machinists from IS to 40 years,
10 Foundry men from 18 to 40
years.
To Co-operate in Garden Survsy
Two hundred Nebraska towns have
agreed to co-operato with the agri
cultural extension service of tho stato
university in conducting a garden sur
vey this fall and winter, looking for
ward to n renewal of tho war garden
activities next summer. According to
C. W. Watson, loader of tho Junior
division of tho extension service, tho
present survey will include tho acqui
sition of all necessary information.
Tho work will bo dono entirely by
boys and girls working in co-opora-tlon
with tho school authorities. In
each town owners of back yards and
vacant Pots will be asked to toll
whether they will garden or rent tho
property next year. Tho students will
also ascertain the- kind of soil. ta
available supply of fertilizer in tho
town and similar Information. Tho
location of each garden spot will bo
recorded on a card with tho details
concorning it. It is bolloved that
sovoral thousand acres of land will
thus become available for gardening
in Nebraska next spring.
To facilitate tho taking of tho na
tional Inventory of foods In Nebraska,
tho bureau of markets of the United
States department of agriculture,
which has tho war emergonc'y food
survey In charge, has placed an
agoncy of tho survey with Its loca'
office at. tho University Farm, Lincoln,
Nebraska. H. C. Fllloy, In charge of
tho local office, has received a supply
of the schedules and will distribute
them In response to personal or mall
request after January 2. Coplos of
tho schedule hnvo been mailed from
Washington to most dealers In food
materials In Nebraska.
A Great Economic Saving.
That fedoral possession and opera
tion of tho railroads will work for
much greater efficiency in NobraHku.
is the opinion of Victor Wilson and
II. G. Taylor, members of the stato
railway commission.
They understand that tho now. or
der is not to intorfcro with the au
thority of tho Nobraoka commission
In regulation of purely local matters.
Mr. Wilson and-Mr. Taylor point
ou that the Nobraska commission
has co-operated with the fedoral au
thorities In every railroad matter
Governor Novlllo has authorized tho
use of, the regulation govornmont
army khaki uniforms for uso by Uio
homo guards, but n strip of blue mint
bo worn on tho coat aleuvo to sho.v
that tho wearer Is not yet In actual
service.
Ono of the first, things locnl exomp.
tlon hoards will do when they start
classifying registered men will be to
look for all tho bilc-klayors In their di
visions. NobraBba has been nBkod to
provldo thirty-five bricklayers as boob
as possible.