THE SPMI-WEEKLY TRIOUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA
SOLONS MAY CONVENE
Oov. May Call Legislators Together
to Provide Means for Taking
Vote of Soldiers.
Governor Neville announced that he
Is considering the calling of a spe
cial session of the legislature to enact
laws to provide means whereby Ne
braska soldiers, not members of tin'
regular nrmy, may vote during their
terms of service. The announcement
was made following n decision by
Judge Day In the district court at
Omaha that soldiers In any arm of the
service, enlisted after the outbreak of
the war, are entitled to the right of
franchise while serving In the nrmy.
The purpose of the legislation sought
Is to provide the machinery for the
soldier vote. A suit has been filed In
the supreme court to test the validity
of the law passed by the last session
of the legislature which permits sol
diers to vote.
An nttuck on the referendum peti
tion against the suffrngo law ennctcd
by the last legislature, was made In
Lincoln when attorneys representing
the Equal Suffrage association, filed
n suit In the Lancaster district court
asking a restraining order preventing
Secretary of State Pool from submit
ting the referendum petition to a vote
of -the people. The suit attacks the
legality of 14,000 out of the S2.08Q
signers of the referendum petition
and charges of forgery and fraud are
made.
Mrs. Ida Hermann of Lincoln,
mother of, Fred W. Hermann, victim
of the Tuscanla, whose body was bur
led In Scotland, with 1(53 other bodies,
lias asked tho War department to
send the body to Lincoln.
I. C. Pcrrymnn of Ord was elected
president of the Nebraska Retail
Clothiers' association at tho closing
session of the convention at Omaha.
Tho convention will be held In Omaha
again next year.
The War department at Washing
ton announced that Nebraska will fur
nish 1,W0 men of tho first draft to be
sent to Camp Fnnston for training
March 4. This will bo tho last Incre
ment of the first call.
A conference of county food ad
ministrator's Is to bo held February
2fi and 20. On those dnys county ad
ministrators north of tho Platte river
will meet "at Omaha and thoso south
of the Plntte will meet at Lincoln.
.Marshall Davison, Gugo county far
mer, has obtained a test of 100 per
cent from his seed corn, llo planted
B0 .kernels and every ono of them ger
minated, the stalks now being about
(lve Inches In height.
. German text books were stolen from
tho Fairmont blgh school the other
night. Tho school board had been
nsked to discontinue German in the
schools, but bad been negligent In
granting the request, It was elnlined,
A petition hns been presented to
the city council of Wymoro asking
that a welghmaster for that place be
appointed. An ordinance providing
for the appointment of such officer Is
being prepared.
Randolph high school reports that
In a recent thrift stamp drive cverv
scholar from the first grade to the
12th subscribed, and the total amount
will run close to $2,000.
Announcement has been made that
the Nebraska quota for the llrst draft
Is tilled and no men will be sent from
this state In response to the call for
tho last IB per cent.
For the purpose of conserving the
egg supply the federal food adminis
tration has ordered that no lums be
slaughtered between February 2!J and
May 1.
Omaha Is making a concerted ef
fort to bring the national swine show
to tho elty again for 1018, St. Louis
nnd Peoria, III,, are after the show.
An ordinance Is before the city
commissioners of Omaha to permit
Jitneys to opernte In the elty under a
small license.
Every county In Northwest Nebras
ka was represented at tho dedication
of tho east wing of the Stato Normal
School at Chudron.
The total actual cash war saving
stump sale for Nebraska up to Feb
ruary 8. 1018, was $4,020,001, accord
ing to official figures.
Twenty-six thousand dollnrs worth
of thrift stamps were sold at a big
patriotic rally at Madison.
County Agent lllsf who has been
making a thorough canvass of the
seed corn situation and wlntor wheat
condition In Gage county, reports that
In 1R0 tests of seed corn conducted,
the test showed an average of 01 per
' cent germinating.
Fire Commissioner Hedgall's annual
report shows that 07 persons were
burned to death In Nebraska last year
and thnt lire destroyed $2,805,035
worth of property In the state. A to
tal of 1,010 fires occurred In the whole
state during the year.
Tho Classical association of the
middle west will hold Its fourteenth
annual meeting In Omaha April I, o
nnd 0. Thirty states will bb repre
sented and ubout .'100 delegates an
expected to attend.
A movement Is under way at Kear
ney to utilize every vacant lot In the
city for garden purposes this similiter
It Is planned to have school children
lo most of tho work. ,
Reports from Washington are to the
effect that work will be vigorously
jmimIu'iI on Ash'nnd's new pnstolllee
tl.K pring.
Tho Norfolk Laiidwohr Vurelu, at
organization composed of former
German soldiers, has a new title. It
Is now known as the Columbia Club
of Norfolk. Charges preferred
against the club by the county coun
oil of defense resulted In the change
of tho name. Tin; German Hag own
ed by the club was torn to pieces by
Its ofllcers.
According to State Auditor Smith,
taxes due for state administration
from 1017 assessments amount to
$4.471, (147.1)1, based on an assessed
valuation of $.r27,200,C0fl. On this
basis, the actual tlix valuation of Ne
braska Is $2.030.0 18,:i30 five time's
the assessed valuation.
Governor Neville has appointed
Commissioner Maylleld of the bo;ird
of control as Nebraska's representa
tive on the war prison labor board,
which Is being organized for the pur
pose of utilizing the labor of all pris
oners In county Jails and state pris
ons nnd reformatories.
Nebraska' taxpayers will contribute
$30,000,000 In taxes for the current
fiscal year, according to an estimate
of Secretary Borneckcr of the stnte
board of equalization. The average
tax levy for, the state will be !57.riO
mills, but In Omabo nnd Lincoln It Is
double thnt amount.
James W. Tanner, well known Ne
braska newspaper man, and founder
of tho Fullcrton Post, died Just re
cently at Filer, Idaho. At the time
of his death he was editing the Filer
.Tournnl. He was a brother of State
Senator John M. 'Knnner of Omabn.
Following reports that n great
spring wheat seed shortage existed In
Mndlson county an Investigation
brought to light that farmers In the
county ore holding large quantities of
seed wheat for higher prices.
The proposed plan to have a county
farm agent appointed In Buffalo coun
ty is meeting with considerable op
position. It Is stated an organized
effort Is under foot to defeat the
agent plnn.
The Rig Chief Oil & Gas company's
well near Red Cloud has reached a
depth of 1,82." feet. The drill Is going
through a stratum of blue shale and
experienced oil men state that the
prospoct for finding nil Is excellent.
The State Ranking Board has been
notified that the Third State Bank of
Wood Lnke has gone Into voluntary
liquidation. Wood Lake has a popu
lation of about 300. and has three
banks.
The tornedolnir of the transport
Tuscanla. loaded with United Stntes
troops, has proven a great, stlmulnnt
for nrmy recruiting In Omaha. Fol
lowing the llrst reports 70 men enlist
ed In the army.
According to present plans there arc
seven labor candidates, seven social
ist candidates and scores of Individual
candidates who will aspire for city
commissioner nt Omaha at the pri
maries April 0.
Judge Good, In the district court at
Aurora, ruled thnt hog breeders who
use the word "Immune" In their ad
vertisements must warrant absolute
Immunity from cholera.
Henry J. Buss, farmer near Ster
ling, picked an ear of corn from his
field that contained 20 rows, with
1,448 kernels. He thinks lie hns
liea ten the record.
Gage county millers hnve signed nn
agreement not. to exchange Hour for
wheat unless the owner of the wheat
Is willing to take nn equnl amount of
wheat substitute.
Two hundred thousand bushels of
Nebraska potatoes have gone to ruin
In Box Butte county, alone, because
of lack- of market facilities, according
to reports.
Schools of Valley will hold Satur
day sessions for the remainder of the
year In order thnt the larger bovs
may be released early for farm work.
Pawnee County Food Administrator
A. E. Henry Is considering the ndvls
ability of Issuing In the near future
Hour and sugar cards.
Webster county farmers will hold
a blrf mass mooting al Red Ofhud next
Saturday to consider employing a
county agent.
Twenty Nebraska chnpters of tho
Natlonnl League for Women's Serv
ice will attend the stnte convention nt
Omaha February 28.
Tho Lincoln school board has nbol
I shed spring vacations, to release
12.000 punlls two weeks earlier for
farm work.
Recruiting for the army and navy
hns been exceedingly brisk over the
stnte since tho torpedoing of tho Tns
canln. Tho council of defense of Cumins
county has decided to adopt the card
Index system of enrollment for each
person In tho county. This will cover
nil property possessed, donations made
for war purposes and much other vab
liable Information.
A carload of Red Cross supplies,
fyudo by organizations In Nebraska,
was loaded and shipped to an Atlantic
port from Omaha a few days ago.
Governor Neville hns called upon
all Nebraska children to enlist ns
Junior members of the Red Cross.
O. M. Gruenther of Piatt o Center,
executive secretary of war savings fot
Platte county, has reported that coun
ty chairmen of war savings from all
over Nebraska have been Inquiring of
him us to how tho Platte county win
savings drive, which more than pledg
ed the quota of the county In one day
wiih accomplished.
Stockmen Hvlng tributary to the
Onmlui mtirkot are being warned to
Imlil back tholr stock for a few day
until the railroad situation el en is im-1
!.-iH r are able to gel their product
i) ill eastern market,
i Aim i Kitn troops, just urriveu i i trance, nut-u u get uieir .-.uup. uno or me ne. feiiu -..jui.. air
planes, with three cars, that was brought down by French gunfire neur Soissons. 3 Friedrlch von Payer, Ger
man vice chancellor and leader of the progressive party, who played nn Important role l.i suppressing the great
strikes in the empire.
NEWS REVIEW OF
THE PAST WEEK
President Wilson More Hopeful of
Austrian Peace Than Is
Lloyd George.
AGAIN SETS FORTH DEMANDS
Bolshevlkl Perplex the Germans by
Abandoning the War Without Sign
Ing Treaty Ukraine Makes Sepa
rate Peace All Ready for West
Front Offensive.
By EDWARD W. PICKARD.
President Wilson believes Count
Czernln mennt what ho seemed to say
In his recent speech on pence, and
still hopes Austria-Hungary may he
separated from Germany nnd thnt the
wnr mny bo brought to an end with
out a great deal more of fighting.
Premier Lloyd-George believes that
In Its real substance the Czernln ad
dress was as uncompromising nsjlint
of Chancellor von Hertllng nnd that
the allied wnr council nt Versailles
was right when It declared peace must
bo won by force of nrms.
In his' address to congress on Mon
day Mr. Wilson enunciated the four
cardinal principles to which he snld
the enemy must agree before general
peace pourparlers can ho begun. Brief
ly, these are:
Each part of the final settlement
must be based on essentlnl Justice to
Insure permanent peace.
No peoples shall, be bartered for tho
gain of any sovereignty or to retain
the now discredited "balance of pow
er." Territorial settlements must be for
the benefit of the people nnd not of
neighboring states.
All well defined natlonnl nsplrntlons
must be satisfied.
Until n pence bused upon these prin
ciples Is secured, the president assert
ed, America hns no choice but to go
on, and will continue Its moblllzntlon
of Its resources until the whole
strength of the nation hns been put In
to this war of emancipation. He de
nounced the stand of tho Imperial
chancellor, but seemed to Invite Count
Czernln to lead Austria away from Its
nutocratlc ally.
a
Though balled as a sign of weaken
ing by most of tho Teutonic press, the
president's speech Is not so regnrded
by his fellow countrymen. Many of
them mny believe he Is ovcroptlmlstlc
concerning Austvlu, ns does Lloyd
George, but they accept at Its face
value his statement of the nation's de
termination not to stop fighting until
the results he demands have been
achieved. They feel no harm can re
sult from leaving open the door to pos
sible mjgottntlons with any one of the
central powers, provided there Is no
letup In our wur preparations becnuse
of the bare chance that they may not
be needed.
Premier Lloyd-George's stand In sup
porting the Versailles council and
maintaining secrecy concerning the
plans decided on by It wns Indorsed
by parliament, which gave him a vote
of confidence by an overwhelming ma
jority. The German press warns Mr. Wilson
again that bis efforts to separate Ger
many nnd Austrln-Hungary will be fu
tile and calls bis references to Ameri
can mobilization mero bluff.
The kaiser, It may be noted, nlso de
livered u speech, In which he said any
peace must bf preceded by an admis
sion of German victory.
Kb
The outsldo, world Is not permitted
to know much of wbnt Is going on In
Austria, but such Information ns does
escape the censor really indicates that
President Wilson may not be far
astray In his hopes. It is said Austria
shows Increasing reluctance to sending
her troops to fight against tho British
nnd Americans In Frnnce. The Ber
liner Tngeblntt admits that the Inter
unl situation In Austria Is serious and
thnt government "Is no longer possible,
since the Czechs, Jugo-Slnvs and Poles
form an Important majority, against
which the German parties are power
less.'" tea
According to nn American correspon
dent In Frnnce, the peace program of
Hlndenburg, Ludendorff and the crown
prince, forced on Von Kuehlmann and
the emperor, Includes the extending of
the East Prussian frontier, making an
uutonomous protectorate of the Baltic
provinces, dismembering Bc'glum and
nnnexlng or otherwise controlling the
Brley-Longwy Industrial region of
northern France. The question of
Poland apparently Is left to Austria.
tai
Meanwhile Trolzky nnd his bolshe
vik comrades hnv6 handed Germany a
hard nut to crack. Flatly refusing to
sign a pence treaty, they declared the
war with the central powers, so far as
Russia is concerned, has ended. They
decline to light longer against the
workers and peasants of Germany and
Austrln. Simultaneously, the complete
demobilization of the Russian armies
wns ordered, although It was reported
that this order was Immediately coun
termanded nnd that the reorganization
of the Red guard was begun. At first
the people of Germany and Austrln
balled this greut "victory" with extrav
agant Joy, but In a few hours they nnd
their governments began to wonder
what It would avail them. They cannot
obtain treaty recognition for their In
tended annexations on the east front,
and they nre far from sure that It will
be safe to move to the west all or near
ly all their troops. As the bolshevik
lenders long ago admitted, the Teutons
can easily push a long way Into Rus
sia, but what ultimate good will that
do them?
The bolshevlkl always have main
tained that they ure operating, not for
the benefit of Russia or any other nu
tlon, but for the workers and peasants
of all nations, and they are persistently
continuing the spreading of their prop
aganda all over the world. Whatever
may he the real motives of Lenlne,
Trotzky et ul, they uppear to have the
Prusslun uutocruts up In the air Just
now.
Pa
Ukraine, one of the Independent gov
ernments Into which Russia has split,
has presented a complication that may
be more serious for the allied cause
than the quitting of the bolshevlkl. It
has signed a separate peace treaty with
the central powers which opens to then)
the possibility of obtaining Immense
stores of food from that rich grain
country. However, as pointed out In
these columns some time ugo, the trans
portation system of that part of Rus
sla Is so utterly inadequate that sup
plies can be got out only extremely
slowly, and besides, the crops have
been sadly neglected ever since the war
began. The trenty gave Ukraine quite
a slice of Poland, which aroused the
Poles to bitter opposition.
to
Germany during the week attempted
to put the screws on Rouniaula. de
manding that It accept peace terms
within 24 hours or suffer the conse
quences. But the Roumanians defied
the kaiser, declaring they still had un
shaken confidence In their allies and
would continue to tight to the finish.
Their armies now occupy all of Bessa
rabia, where they have repeatedly de
feated the bolshevlkl troops. , It Is be
lieved they were nerved to take this
determined stand by prospects ul' an
allied offensive In the Balkans which
they might aid' by attacking the Bul
garians and Austrlans from the north.
There are Increasing evidences thnt
such a drive, to cut off Turkey and re
duce Bulgaria, Is contemplated, A new
Roumanian cabinet Is beaded l Gen
eral Avarescu.
Ra
in southern Finland, where the Red
guards are still holding out against the
government, horrible conditions pre
vail. Murders and all other crimes are
committed openly uud thr- bolshevlkl
are running amuck. Sweden still fears
to violate neutrality and send help to
the government. Recent reports from
Stockholm said certain Red gunrd lead
ers had asked General Mannerhelm to
consider peace negotiations.
tea
There Is little to say of tho Italian
front except thnt the lighting there wns
mnlnly by the artillery and aviators
nnd that neither side had any marked
advantage.
tea
Seemingly the stage Is set for Ger
many's supremo military effort on the
west front, und Field Marshsl von
Woyrseh. the Invader of Poland In
rhoto by
cilern Newppr Union
101C, Is said to have been selected to
lend It. Allied aviators report that the
kaiser has gathered about 2,100,000
men there and that elaborate rehear
sals are fcolng on behind the lines.
Where the blow will fall has not been
revenlcd, but the commanders of the
allied armies evince no fear that It
cannot bo repulsed. They have made
every preparation that their skill and
resources permit und are sitting tight.
All feellng-out movements by the ene
my huve been checked and the French,
In their turn, have been making some
strong raids that carried them far In
to the German lines. In every way
possible the Germans have been seek
ing to test the strength of the Ameri
can forces, and there are Indications
thnt Pershing's men will be In the
thick of the lighting when Hlndenburg
orders the forward movement.
It Is believed In London and hoped
by naval men, thnt Germany plans to
combine u nnval drive with her spring
offensive. The kaiser Is supposed to
have a number of "supersubniarlnes"
which have not yet been In operation
nnd which mny then be put to work.
Switzerland is growing very nerv
ous with fear that the kaiser will de
termine to tear up another scrap of
paper and invade her territory In or
der to attempt to turn the right flank
of tfte French armies. Therd have
been large concentrations of German
troops nenr" the Swiss frontier, and
Teutons In Zurich have openly boast
ed that the conquest of the little re
public would be a matter of but a
few days. It wan said skeleton govern
ments for the cantons already had
been prepared by the authorities in
Berlin.
Just in case ills spring drive doesn't
succeed, as the allies are determined it
shall not, Wllhelm hits been construct
ing most elaborate and expensive sys
tems of defensive works back of his
present lines all the way from the
North sea to the Swiss frontier.
Vice Admiral Sims went to Rome
last week, presumably to ' confer re
garding plans to clear the Mediterra
nean of U-boats, which have worked
havoc there with allied shipping for a
long time.
tea
Efforts of the government to recruit
a great army of shipyard workers are
meeting with considerable success, but
the work of building our marine was
threatened by a prospective strike of
50,000 members of the marine wood
workers' union. They demanded $0.40
a dsy instead of the $4.80 allowed by
the shipping board, and the govern
ment got busy at once to try to settle
the dispute.
Chairman Hurley of the shipping
board sent a telegram to the union
bends wnrnlng them that the fathers
who have sent their sons to war will
not long permit continued Interference
with the shipping program and urging
that the workmen continue their labors
and trust to the fairness of the wnge
adjustment board.
(Charges of gross mismanagement
and reckless spending of money In
connection with the new government
shipyard at Hog Island, Pa., having
been made, the president ordered an
Investigation to determine whether
there had been any criminal misuse of
funds. Rear Admiral Bowles, general
manager of the Emergency Fleet cor
poration, said he win confident all ex
penditures ordered by the board would
be vindicated.
Ra
Reorganization In the war depart
ment reached the general staff last
week. It has been restored to Its for
mer power and under General March
as acting chief of staff are. now five
new members Generals Pierce. Jer
vey and Graves, and Colonel Ketchan.
Owing to good work by Director
General MeAdoo and hlS assistants and
milder weather, traffic conditions have
greatly Improved, and Fuel Con
troller Garfield felt warranted In re
scinding the order for hentlcss Mon
days. The railroads are now giving
much attention to the transportation
of corn and wheat, for the former
must be marketed and the distribution
of wheat and flour still Is very faulty.
to
Bolo Pasha, the Levantine financier
who conspired to break down the
French morale and to bring about a
dishonorable peace and who was
financed by Germany, was found guilty
of high treason nnd sentenced to death.
"They order those things better In
France," as I'nc'e ioby u'-cd to ssj
TROUBLE
POLAND
GERMANY FACES MAZE OF DIFFI
CULTIES IN EA8T.
POLES IN STATE OF REVOLT
Austria Refuses to War On Russia
)
Berlin Authorities Fear Reds May
Harm German Prisoners.
Loudon, Fell. 10. Germany has sud
denly found herself Involved In n maze
of difficulties on the eastern front and
Is In danger of losing all tho largo,
benefits she was calmly preparing to
realize from her peace with the
Ukraine and the bolshevik withdrawal
of Russia from the war.
Poland, that land, which so fre
quently In the course of history has
proved a thorn In the side of mili
tary conquerors, Is threatening te
constitute herself the rock on which,
the German hope of peace and gain
ful expansion in the east may be
Bhattcred. Embittered by the tearing off of a.
strip of their territory to be given
to the Ukraine for breaking nwny
from thp bolshevlkl nnd signing n
pence with the central powers, the
Poles nre In whut appears to be vir
tually a state of revolt.
Austria Won't Aid In Rugs War.
Amsterdam, Feb. 10. German forccs
nre nlrondy being concentrated In the
Ukralne to attack the bolshevlkl ac
cording to a Berlin dispatch to the
Tljd. The Gormnn authorities nre
nnxiously regarding the fnto of Gcr
mnn prisoners In north Russia, whom
the bolshevlkl are holding as hos
tages and who Berlin dispatches say.
may be killed if the bolshevlkl nre
driven to desperation. Count Czernln,
the Austro-Hungnrlan foreign minis
ter, has notified Berlin thnt Austrlnn
troops must not be used against Rus
sln to support any policy which Aus
tria lias not approved, but only for
purposes of self-defense against ma
rauding bands.
Berlin, Feb. 10. The armistice be-,
tween the Russian nnd German forces
which hns been In existence for sev
eral weeks on the Russlnn front hns
expired, nccordlng to nn official state
ment Issued nt the Germnn nrmy henT
quartery In conformity therewith,
the official statement snys, the Ger
man government reserves n free hand
in every dlrectlpn.
Wilson Scores Strikers.
Washington, Feb. IS. President
Wilson issued a sharp rebuke to Wil
liam L. Hutchesoii, president of tho
Brotherhood oi' ( 'arpentcrs and Join
ers, who after refusing to send strik
ing eastern ship carpenters back to
work pending action by tho shipbuild
ing labor adjustment board, had asked
for a personal conference to put 'th
situation before the president. In ef
fect the president declared that if
liutcheson did not want to give aid
and comfort to the enemy ho would
send the men to work and leave n set
tlement of difference to the adjust
ment board, and declined to see hlin.
until he had done so.
British Chief of Staff Quits.
London. Feb. IS. General Sir Wil
liam Itboertson, chief of the British
imperial stuff, lias resinned, it was of
ficially announced. General Wilson
sub-chief of stall', takes the vacant
place. General Robertson was unable,
the statement says, to accept a posi
tion ns military representative on the
supreme war council at Versailles or
to continue ns chief of tho imperial
staff Willi limited power. The an
nouncement apparently Indicates that
something npproachlng an allied gen
ernl staff was created by the supremo
war council In Its recent session at
Versailles.
No Sign of "Great" Offensive.
With the American Army In France,
Feb. 18. American troops now are
In bnttlo on three sectors on their
own line east of St. Mlhlel nnd with
the French In Chnmpngno nnd on one
of the most famous bnttlo fronts In
the world, where ruined villages and
the devastated country generally tell
the tale of bard fought battles when
the Germans pushed forwnrd their
lino and ultimately were driven back
by the French. There still Is no Indi
cation if the rear npproach of the ex
pected big line In France and Belgium.
Ruse Action Threatens Far East.
New York. Feb. 18. Dr. T. Iyenaga,
n prominent .Tnnnnese publicist nnd
director of the East nnd West news
bureau, a Japanese organization,
speaking nt n luncheon here, said that
chaos In Rtissla Is threatening peaco
In the east, nnd suggested the pos
sibility of Jnpnnese Intervention In
restoring order In Russln.
May Make Texas Dry.
Austin, Tex., Feb. 10. Measures to
prohibit the sale of Intoxicating liq
uor within ten miles of any army
camp In Texas, and making violation
of such measures a felony, will be
submitted to a speclul session of the
Texas legislature called to convene
Tuesday, February 20, by Governor
W. P. Hobby, In n proclamation Just
Issued. Tho governor's rccommendn-
tlons, If passed by the legislature
would practically make Texas a "il "
state.
