THB 1EM1-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH HLATTK. NEBRASKA.
NEWS OMMEBRASKA
Items of Interest Gathered
j from Many Points
Three now buildings to cost approx
imately $50,000, arc to bo constructed
nt tho Fort Omulm balloon school.
Tho registration of. boys for tlio war
service resulted In thirty-three being
added to the rolls In Brown county.
Fred W. Anhcuscr of Omnlia lias
.purchased, tho Heaver City Sun. Tho
paper was established ubout six
months ago.
Three sorghum mills are to be estab
lished Id Seward county. It Ik ex
pected that sorghum will bo extensive
ly used as a substitute for sugar.
According to J. II. Kohler of Fre
mont, bugs curt he kept from cucumber
vines by the simple method of plant
ing nasturlums in tho , cucumber
patches.
Deputy Stale Superintendent Wood
nrd Is urging, school boards In Ne
braska to scan text books during the
summer and purge those of pro-German
leaning.
Increased freight rates will not less
en Nebraski; farmers profits on their
wheat, ns the. government price is to
bo Increased In proportion, according
to Information received by State Food
Administrator Wattles.'
The "surrender clause" of an Insur
ance policy Is void under Nebraska
Inws according to tho Nebraska su
preme court, which dismissed the suit
of n Saline county man, to recover
$072 on a matured A. 0. U. V. policy.
Soveral hundred members of the
First Methodist church at Hustings
have sighed their nnmes to a petition
asking thnt their pastor, Itov. William
Vasser, bo transferred to Homo other
pulpit because of alleged pro-German
sympathies.
Governor Neville, in reply to a peU
tlon o tho Non-partisan League- that
It bo protected In Its right to organize
and hold meetings in Nebraska, re
fused to ttccodd to tlio request am I
asked tho organization to leave the
state at least during the period of the
war. '
Thirty thousand school children of
Oniaha will start a campaign us soon
as school begins In tho fall to gather
Lotties, proceeds from which will bo
given to tho Red Cross. Citizens of
tlio metropolis aro asked to save all
old bottles for tho youngsters. Ono
city In tlio east raised .$25,000 by this
method.
According to State Engineer John
son Nebraska stands a chance of los
ing somo of tlio federal funds de
voted to good roads unless three pro
posed districts now beforo tlio de
partment of agriculture at Washing
ton received approval before tho end
of this month.
According to 0. W. Watson, head of
the Junior department of tho Univer
sity agricultural colloge, more than
C.O00 boyys and girls aro raising chick
ens and more than 1,500 boys and
girls aro raising pigs In Nebraska. They
will produce, ho estimates, 750,000
pounds of pork and the same amount
of chickens this year.
Regents of tho Stato university de
manded the resignations of Profes
sors 0. 15. Pci'slnger, G. w. Luckey
and Ervln llopt, following charges by
tho stato council of dof enso that their
attltudo toward the war was decidedly
Improper. Prof, F. M. Fling and Mrs.
Mlnnlo T. England wero branded as
trouble-makers and asked to mnke nn
adequato explanation or their .connec
tion with tho university would termi
nate. Six othor instructors accused
ef un-Amerlcanlsni wero exonerated.
A movement Is under way in Ne
braska to huve tho stato constitution
amended so that revenue from motor
vehicle licenses and tuxes will bo put
I Into a fund for tho maintenance of
I public highways. As matters now
stand the money received from tho
taxation of motor vehicles, estimated
at $2,000,000 annually, goes to tho
stato and county funds. Tho proposi
tion 1r that the money of each coun
ty will be used for the roads in that
county. Automobile clubs and own
ers and many of the commercial clubs
and ltko organizations over the statu
aro pushing tho proposition. Peti
tions for a referendum vote on tho
amendment are in circulation over the
state,
r "From returns of the assessments by
tho Platto county assessors, the per
sonal property valuation for taxation
.purposes will go about 10 per cent
over last year's figures, ,
Tho school district of Goring has
registered $30,000 bonds with the
state auditor at Lincoln, the proceeds
of which will bo used for erecting a
building,
A large number of hogs have died
in Brown county during tho pnst few
days from a peculiar ailment. An In
vestigation Is being made.
Parents of boys who hnve gone to
voir marched In a monster Red Cross
parade at David City. Homo Guards
from David City, Rising City, Sur
prise und BrnlMird. took part In tho
festivities. Tho day was a great suc
cess, over $20,000 being raised for the
Red Cross.
Emerson R. Purcell, promlneut Ne
braska newspaper man and editor of
the Ouster County Chief, published
at Broken Bow. bus entered tho
Held for tlio stato legislature, hav
ing filed on tho democratic ticket for
representatives from tester county.
Twenty wittlo wero killed by Ugh'
nlng at the 13. A. Cuuue ranch, neat
Mitchell, when n severe electrical
storm passed over tho district.
At a meeting of thrcshermrn and
fanners nt Fremont a price of seven
conts for threshing wheat and four
cents for Cats Mid barley were agreed
upon.
Fishermen hnvc caught somo un
usually large catfish in the Platte
near Fremont lately. Two fifty
pounders were captured lost week by
Leshara sportsmen.
Tho sfalo railway commission re
fused to permit tho street raltway
company 6f Lincoln to increase lt
rale from six fares for a quarter to
ilvo cents straight.
"Take the sugar bowl oft the ta
ble," Is tho order that Is being deliv
ered to tho hotel and restaurant men
of Lincoln by tho county food admin
istrator. Kearney s laying an additional 40
odd blocks of street paving this year
grading being completed on about half
of the districts and asphalt already
being laid, on soven blocks,
Despite tho dry, hot weather of the
past few days, Nebraska will have a
splendid wheat crop tills; year, accord
ing to Prof W. W. Burr of the agron
omy department of the University of
Nebraska.
The state Insuranco board has ruled
that Insurance companies doing busi
ness with the Nebrhska body must
print their policies and keep their
books and other records In the English
langunge.
Calls are , being made throughout
Nebraska for harvest hands. Any
man or boy who has had farm expe
rience will bp rendering his country
valuable service by helping In the
fields.
The Union Pacific has taken off six
teen trains oh Its branch lines In Ne
braska. Permission for discontin
uance of the service was granted by
tho state railway commission nnd is
considered n war move.
Local draft boards in Nebraska are
ordered to reclassify all registrants
given deferred classification on ac
count of marriages contracted after
May 38, 1017, placing them In class 1
unless they lfavo created "dependen
cies." !
Two Jensen boys were drowned
near Ilemtugford, as u result of
swollen streams, caused by a storm
and heavy rains. Crops suffered con
siderable damugo by the high water
anU mauy head of stock were
drowned.
A number of Gage county furmcrs
begun cutting wheat last Week. While
tho grain has been slightly damaged
by the heat It Is estimated that it will
ylpld from 10 to 25 bushels to ,the
ucre.
According to u ruling given by Dep
uty Attorney General Roe, men who
desire to become candidates for po
litical honors at the statewide pri
mary on August 20 must tile on or
before July 20.
Crops in tho vicinity of Poncu, In
tho Niobrara valleys of Boyd county
and eastern Keya Paha county have
been somcwhut damaged by grasshop
pers. Portions of Scottsbluff, Mor
rill, Garden, Keith, Lincoln, Dawson
and Buffalo counties huvo also been
iuvuded by tho pest
Members of the Lancaster county
medical association passed a resolu
tion at a meeting at Lincoln, pledging '
every member pf tho organization to
offer his services to the government in
tho medical corps and to accept a call
if It came.
In a statement explaining Us ac
tion In demanding the resignation of
Professors Hopt, Perslnger and
Luckey, tho board of regents of the
stato university said tho position and
public utterances o tho last two had
been Indiscreet, and said that Profes
sor Tlopt held conscientious scruples
against war.
As tho result of the acute shortage
of sugar people of Nebraska are call
ed upon bytho stnto food administra
tion to limit their consumption to two
pounds per person per month, Here
tofore tho nllowanco was thrco
pounds monthly for each person. Tho
sugar shortage Is caused by ship
sinkings nnd tho poor crop in Cuba.
The Superior chapter of tho Daugh
ters of the American Revolution as
sisted In the dedication of a monu.
ment on tho famous Oregon trail near
Oak. This monument is located about
ono mile from Oak on tho exact loca
tion where Nuckolls county wu first
organized and it nlso marks tho spot
of the last Indian massacre In tho
county.
Ono of tho Berustorlt endorsed
checks, representing German Red
Cross money collected In Dodge coun-
ty and sent to the German ambassa
dor who used It to spread German
propaganda in this country, has turn
ed up at a bunk in Hooper.
The Beatrice gas company plunt
which closed down because it was re
fused a 20 prr cent lucrease In rate,
resumed operation following an agree
ment between olllelals of the llrm and
city authorities. Demands ot the
company wero granted.
Prlvute car lines operating In Ne
braska will pay an additional $10,000
in tuxes over 1017, according to com
pilatlons by Secretary Bornecker ot
the stato board of equalization. The
Increase Is duo to un Increased levy
of 58 mills for state, county, town
ship, school and municipal purposes
us compared with 45 mills last year.
Secretary Bourko of the Omaha
Board of Education has received ud-
vteo from Washington that the $1,000,
000 school bond Issue voted by cit
izens of the metropolis last April, has
not been approved by the government.
1 Battleship in Vladivostok harbor from which the Japanese had Just landed a force of marine. 2
Arrival at the front In France of a train with heavy American guns, 3- Italian soldiers on a road on the side
of a mountain precipice where severe fighting has been going on.
REVIEW OF
T WEEK
Austria's Great Offensive in
North Italy Proves to Be
an Utter Failure.
STOPPED WITH HUGE LOSSES
Revolt Spreading Fast In the Dual
Klnodom Powerful German At
- tack on Reims Completely
Repulsed -Draft Age Lim
it to Be Extended.
Dy EDWARD W. PICKARD.
Austria's record of never winning
when she goes into battle unaided by
the Germans was magnificently sus
tained last week. Starting the long
heralded offensive with nearly all the
forces at his command, Field Marshal
von Borevlc made a desperate effort
to force lils way across the Plave and
;down into tho Venetian plains, with
Trevlso, Bassano and then Verona as
his objectives. Ills men wero given
postcard maps with the route ' and
schedule marked, and were urged to
do their utmost In order that they
might get the plentiful food in tho
"promised lnnd." Approximately a"
million Austrian soldiers assailed tho
,ltallan lines from Aslago to the Adri
atic, but King Victor Emmanuel's
splendid army was everywhere ready
to meet them. At the western or
mountain end the enemy made no
iprogress at all, being mowed down
lln masses that fairly blocked the road
'ways and passes. All attacks on the
Aslago plateau, which Is of great Im
portance because of' its easy ap
proaches from the Austrian side,
were beaten off by the British under
I Lord Cavan, and tho enemy's attempts
on Monte . Grappa wero no more suc
cessful. It was between these points,
;down tho Brenta and Frenzela val
leys, that the Austriaus hoped to push
the west point of a placer's mov
,nient that .should flank Trevlso and
the entire line to the coast.
The high land ut Montello was the
scene of most sanguinary fighting and
tho enemy mndo some headway there
for a day or two, but gained little save
a shocking casualty list. Further
east, nt various points, the Austrlans
were able to forco crossings ot the
Plave by means of bridges construct
ed under cover ot gas and smoke
shelling, but after getting across the
troops found themselves in traps
from which they could not escape
with their lives, for tho bntterles ot
tho allies on the higher ground had
them nt their mercy. Only near tho
extreme eastern end of the line, be
tween the Zenson ioop nnd the Adrln
atlc, did Borovlc's forces achieve any
thing that resembled success. There
they pushed far enough south of the
Plave to reach the Fossalta canal,
and Vienna claimed tills was crossed
Here the enemy was about ten miles
from Venice, but the resistance of the
Italians was so determined that no
.anxiety was felt for that city's safety.
Before tho week closed the enemy in
that region had oecn driven buck.
Most of the pontoon bridges were
Bwcpt away by the swollen Plave.
-ta
in n word, the great Austrian often
slve, up to the close of the week, wns
an ubsoluto failure and was admitted
to be such by captured olllccrs and
by somo of the Vienna newspapers.
Tho Italian army, never In better
condition than now, fought with the
utmost gallantry nnd spirit, nnd was
nbly aided by the British and French
contingents. Mention must be made,
too, ot the Americans, for nn esca
drllle ot American aviators, trained In
Italy, went to the front and gave
notable help In driving the Austrian
aviators from the ulr.
Defeat In Italy may mean absolute
disaster to tho Austro-IIuugnrinn em
ptre, for its heterogeneous peoples nl
ready aro beginning to rebel agulnst
the rule that has brought tb&ui to the
verge of starvation, lias clnlmsn tlw
lives of hundreds of thousands of
their men, nnd has given them noth-
mx nut falso promises of victory. In
many parts of the empire the dis
tressed people are rising against the
authorities, and in Vienna Itself on
Wednesday a great and hungry mob
looted shops, stoned tho residence of
the premier and even attacked the
Hofburg palace, in protest against the
reduction of the brend ration. The
food controller is helpless, admitting
that the empire's wheat Is exhausted
ind thnt the grain supplies from Rou-
manla are small and of Inferior qual
ity. In Lemburg, Budapest ana
Prague also there were serious food
riots, and all through the empire
signs were plentiful that the people
were ready to revolt If they were
not given a speedy peace and brend.
It would appear that the time Is
about ripe for the long predicted up
rising of the oppressed nationalities
of Austro-Hungary tho Bohemians,
the southern Slavs and tho Poles. Tho
Germans, expect and fear this event,
and of course would step In to sup
press it by force of arms. But even
if It were not wholly successful it
would create a diversion In the midst
of "Mittel Europn" that would do
much to hasten the final victory of
the allied nations over Germany.
Only one operation of moment ibok'
place on the western front last week.
This was a powerful assault pn the.
fi,A.t . v. . . 1 1 . Ti t . .1 rS..
ered bv the army of the crown nrlnci
About 40,000 Germans took purtfcshj
tho attack, which was procedea by
terrific Bombardment. Tho encrly
charged from the village of Vrlgny,?
southwest of Reims, and all around
tne loop to i.a rompeiie, ine ioriiueu
stronghold on the east. The struggle
was violent in the extreme, but the
Germans were everywhere repulsed
with very heavy losses. Only in the
Slllepry wood southeast of the city
did the enemy gain a foothold, and
prompt counter-attacks by the French
threw him back from that to his old
positions. A great many German
prisoners were tnken. They said they
had been ordered to take Reims at
any cost. The fact that the attack
was not renewed by the crown prince
was taken to indicate the exhaustion
ot his troops.
JS
Military experts in Franco believe
another battle will be begun soon by
the Germans, possibly on the road to
Calais, or between Montdldler nnd
Chateau Thierry across the Oise and
Alsne to tho Marnc. If they select
the latter sector the Americans will
again be In the thick of the fighting.
Those boys did not have a great deal
to do last week, though they carried
out some successful raids and re
pulsed every one made against their
lines. From the south side of the
Mume they sent several patrols across
tho river in bonts, In each Instance
killing numbers of the enemy and
bringing back prisoners. Moreover,
not a single German patrol has ever
been permitted to cross the Murne-to
the American side.
Xa
Tho war departmental!! Washington
was strongly urged last week to send
i- force of Americans . to Italy, not
only to help In the lighting but espe
cially to demonstrate to the Italian
armies that America Is ready to aid
their country to the llmltthus coun
teracting the extensive anti-American
propaganda carried on nt late in Italy.
The diplomatic representatives of
Italy here thought It would he a wise
move, and Secretary Baker Intimated
Thursday that American soldiers would
soon be fighting on the Plave front,
Appeals for an allied army In Si
beria are growing louder dally, and
conditions In what once was Russia
ape becoming steadily more fa'vorable
for such action. The bolshevik power
Is wnnlug, though the Leninites still
control the arms and supplies In most
of tho centers ot population. In west
ern Siberia the Czecho-Slovaks have
Joined forces with tho counter revolu
Uonlsts ; Tomesk and other towns have
been occupied und a government set
up. At Klov u great revolt has bro
ken out; 40,000 armed and organized
peasants aro participating mid the
movement has spread to the Poltava
and Tcheralgov districts. There Is
much street fighting, and the revolu
tlonlsts have destroyed artillery
stores.
Doctor Mnsaryk, the Bohemian lead
er, conferred with President Wilson
concortiltiL' the nlans for rcttluc out
of Siberia the 50,000 Czecho-SIovaks!
who wish to Join the allies. Most of
them are armed and organized. Wo
may yet have the chance to seo these
sturdy fighters, formerly our foes by
compulsion, passing in triumph
through tho United States on their
way to Join the other armies ot freS
dpm. The senate committee on military
affairs adopted an amendment to the
array appropriation bill authorizing the
president to ralsc a volunteer legion
of Slavic residents of the United
States for service in "any field of ac
tion." Mr. Wilson approved the
amendment.
Word was received that tlio Turks
on June 14 occupied and looted
Tabriz, the second city of Persia, took
possession of tho American nnd Brit
ish consulates there over the protests
of the Spanish consul who wns in
charge of them,, and sacked the Amer
ican hospital, over which the Spanish,
flag was flying. If the report is veri
fied, Turkey has committed an act of
war against the United States, and a
declaration of war by this country
against the Porte may be the result.
$fany senators and representatives
liave favored such action for n long
time and their position is strengthened
by the recent occurrence. The formal
inclusion of Bulgaria also among our
L enemies probably would follow imme
diately. Thus would tome to an end
o incongruous state of affairs which
as permitted tho Turkish and Bul
garian diplomats to remain in this
Country free to gather such informa
tion as they could and transmit it to
their allies and our enemies. The
well informed have given up the hope
that Turkey might be Induced to with
draw from the war, since she has
been given part of the spoils of Rus
sia.
The submarines operating in the
west Atlantic have sunk several more
neutrnl vessels, but there is reason to
believe that one or two of them have
been destroyed in encounters with
armed steamers. A Venezuelan Jour
nalist who was driven from Caracas
admits there are German U-boat
bases in Venezuela. The raids off the
American coast are declared by
American nuval headquarters in Eng
land to mean that the submarine cam
paign is a failure, the enemy's only
chance of employing the limited num
ber of his U-boats successfully being
to concentrate their operations on
the focul points of allied trade. It
was stated that today sufficient ton
nage IS available to meet allied de
mands and It is constantly growing
larger.
The British make the welcome an
nouncement thut 21 German destroy
ers and a; large number of submarines
and; other -rrnft are penned up In the
Bruges canal locks as a result of the
recent blocking operations at 55ee
bnigge. These vessels are constant
ly subjected to bombing by the naval
aviators.
The dep"artnient of Justice uncov
ered last week a gigantic conspiracy
between manufacturers and contrac
tors' agents to solicit government war
orders under agreements to pay com
missions Illegally to the agents. Hun
dreds of olllees throughout the coun
try were raided and papers seized.
The department said the commission
agents would be prosecuted, and that
nil contracts made by them or with
their "aid were subject to annulment
by the government.
--
So Insistent Is becoming the demand
for a more complete mobilization of
America's man power that extension
of the draft age limits probably will
not be postponed until the winter ses
sion of congress. Provost Marshal
General Crowder urges thut the law
be amended Immediately to take In
all between the ages of eighteen and
forty-five years, and Secretary of War
Baker says he will recommend such
an amendment if submitted by the
senate or house. General Crowder
told the military affairs committees
that the legislation Is needed ut once
if we Intend to do anything this year.
He not only wants more fighting
men, but also he desires to extend the
"work or light" order so that there
will bo virtual conscription of labor
for war industries. His plans would
assure the registration of four or five
million men qualified for ralllury
service.
MANY DIE IN WRECK
CIRCUS PEOPLE MEET DEATH IN
INDIANA 'DISASTER.
COLLISION FOLLOWED BY FIRE
Scores Burned Beyond Recognition
More Than 100 Injured. Train
Crew Arrested.
Gnry, Ind., Juno 25. Eighty-four
employees of tho llngenbcck-Wallaco
circus wero killed and 130 Injured
when n Michigan ' Central army
equipment train, running1 at high
speed, crashed Into the rear of tho
gnudlly painted circus train live miles,
west of here.
Al Sargent, engineer, nnd Emit
Klauff, fireman, who piloted tlio train,
of twenty-one empty troop cars that
cut its way through tho circus train,.
wero nrrestcd. Sargent was charged,
with manslughter.
The empty troop train, traveling;
down a straight stretch of track, to
tally demolished three of tho flimsy
circus couches and badly damaged tho
fourth. According to reports, tho cir
cus train, which carriod four sleepers,,
five stock cars, fifteen flat cars and n
caboose, pulled part way Into a switch
and stalled there. A flagman set fuses
as a warning. Tho circus trnln was
In this position when the troop train
plowed 'into the sleepers, reducing'
them to n pile of tangled steel and
timbers. Fire -engendered by the gn&
lighting systeni of the circus train
broke out nlmost immediately and
when rescuers reached the scene the
entlro wrecknge was In flames.
Clowns, bnieback riders, trapeze-
performers and ncrobats, many of
them veterans In the circus world.
perished In the first great crash. Other
victims, were suffocated and burned.
Attempts or the Gary fire depart
ment to curb the flnmes and mnke pos
sible quick access to the imprisoned'
victims were unsuccessful becnuse of
lack of water supply in that outlying
district. Survivors struggled about the
wreck screaming for relatives or
friends, nnd only force prevented twe
or three men from rushing into the
blazing wreckage. There were many
pitiful scenes at the wreck and later
In the hospitals. Tho wreck was one
of tlje worst in the history of the-
Mlchlgnn Central railroad. -
Austrlans Flee Before Italians.
Rome, June 25. On the Plave river
front from the Montello to the Adrlnt-
ilc tin defeated Austro-Hungarlans are-
recrosslng the river in disorder, says
an official Italian statement. The-
Austrlnn offensive has ended In com
plete failure. Retiring troops of the
mini monarcny are oeing narasseu oy
the Italians on all sides. Large num
bers of pontoon bridges that the Aus
trlans threw across the Plnve have-
been swept away by the now torren
tial stream. The enemy losses are es
timated at 180,000 men nnd the
chances of their escape without addi
tional heavy casualties and men made
prisoner seem remote.
Cheery News for Washington.
Washington, June 25. Definite wordt
frdm Rome of the defeat of the Aus
trian drive in Italy, coupled with tho
announcement of General March,,
chief of staff, that American troop
movements to Franco had now ex
ceeded 000,000, added to the growing:
cheerfulness that has been apparent
at the War department recently. Gen
eral March told tlio newspaper men In
his weekly conference that with the
000,000 mnrk passed, the United States
Is five months In advance of Its sched
ule for troop movements.
Cannot Raise Coal Prices.
Washington, June 25. Dealers and;
distributors are prohibited In a fuel
administration order from adding to
the price of coal they now have on
hand, because of the Increased freight
rate which became effective Monday
The advanced freight tariffs may be
Included In the price only when deal
ers actually have paid them or be
come obligated to pay.
Authority to Raise Wheat Price.
Washington, D. C, Juno 25. Blan
ket authority to Increase tho price or
wheat at primary and other markets
with the approval of Food Adminis
trator Hoover above the $2,20 a bush
el minimum price guaranteed by presi
dential proclamation last February I
given the food administration grain
corporation In New York by an ex
ecutive order of the president.
Austrian . Cabinet Quits.
Paris. June 25. After a meetlng
wlth Emperor Cbnrles of Austria-Hungary
on Friday, says a dispatch from.
Zurich, Premier von Seydler presented
the resignations of the entire Austrian
cabinet. Want Zone System Suspended.
Washington, D. C, June 2.7. Con
gress Is being urged to suspend tho
zone system of Increased second class
postngo rates which goes Into effect
July 1 for'nt least n year, ;
Pi-obe Acta of Professors,
nelenn, Mont., June 25. Chancellor
E. C. Elliott hns been directed by the
stato board of education to mnke un
immediato Investigation of the public
utterances of two or three member
of the faculty of the University of
Montana.