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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 4, 1919)
THE SEMI.WEEKLY TRIBUNE, NORTH PLATTE, NEBRASKA. IE S THE LEGISLATURE BILLS TO CURE EVERY ILL ARE BEING OFFERED CAPITOL BILL NEARING GOAL Many Other Bills Are Introduced Members of Both Houses of State Legislature By Lincoln. Several bill introduced In Iho legislature will precipitate blttor fight If they ever roach the floor, Ilepreeentatlve Mattrer, author of several hills to regulate parochial schools, introduced hoime roll 202, whldh prohibits "Involuntary servi tude and forcible detention in houses of the kwhI shepherd or like privately owned institutions," and provided for inspection of all such institutions by the sheriff, grand Jury, Judge o- per sons designated by a Judgo. House roll 214, by Morrison, pro hlblba court reporters from doing any work outsldo of their court dutlo. Anothor bill by MorrUon forbids any alien from acquiring tltlo to real estato in Nebraska. Tho prosont law appllo only to non-resident aliens. Representative Durney proposes to extend tho tonus of county commis sioners, county assessors and district court clerks to 1922 and elect their successors In that year and every fourth year thereafter. Tho purpoio Is to completo the removal of county oloctloiiH from nresldcntlal election years. THEO. M. OSTERMAN Mr. Osterman li member of the lower house, and conies from Merrick County. He was the choice of the minority for speaker of the house, and Is father of the state hall Insurance law. He is now servlna his third term. Hopes of some legislators to be members of the state capltol comnils fllon were dashed when tho house flnnnco committee reported Repro sentativo Monro' now capltol bill for passage with an amendment excluding legislators from appointment on the commission, Tho bill provides for an annual levy of VA mills for six yonrs, expected to raiso $5,000,000. The capitol is to be built under direction of u commission composed of tho governor, tho stato enginoor and threo others appointed by tho gov ernor. Thus tho capital bill is to be brought out as the first big appro prlatlon moasuro to come before tho houso nt this session, Tho ununl mous actiou of tho committee In favor of a new stato house shows that the tlmo has at last arrived when tho people of NebraHku and thoir representatives aro determined to get rid of tho old ntructuro that has stood for decades as a monumental disgrace to the commonwealth Senator Chnppolls' bill which gives towns nnd counties tho right to erect memorials for soldiers who fell on tho Held of battle, was tho subject of a lengthy debate. Senator Hoagland stated that ho believed it fannoro fltt ing to erect a new capitol and dedi cute It to tho departed soldiers than to have small monumeuts scattered all over tho state, which would endure for perhaps only a few years. Tho bill was ordered engrossed for third road nig Tho Judiciary committer) considered briefly tho Konagy bill that makes 25 per cent of tho wages of a workor with u family open to garnishment in stead of 10 per cent. Mr, Portor ob Jected on tho ground that it would mean a lot of additions to deserted families. Representative McLeod is the author of a bill to permit school boards in tho state to levy us high as D5 mills instead of 45, as at present, this is made nocessary by the increase in cost of operation of schools. Tho Farmers' Union is preparing to Hupport a legislative bill for tho es tabllshment of co operative banks. Do tails of tho bill are not yet worked out, but it will permit tho organization of co-operative hanks for a Konoral banking business, the profits to "bo distributed not to shareholders, but to patrons in proportion to tho amount of business each does with tho bank. One of the most Important bills In troduced so far in the legislative ses sion was proposed by Representative Fults, It provides that Insurance pol icies having a cash surrender value shall be taxed at Buch value. REV EW OF Representative Ostormnn of Mor rick county, author of the stato hall luaurunco law passed In 11)17. has a bill tills yoar to extend Its scopo and offer further inducement to thb farmers to take advnntago of the law. Tho principal chango will ho a provision to relieve tho crop owner of tho necessity of paying tho premium In advancn to tho assessor, nnd al lowing It to bo added to his porsonal taxes, payable In tho fall aftor he hns harvested and sold his grain. An other chango mado by tho bill is an incronso of tho mnxlmum loss per acre from ?10 to $15, but in order to got tho higher amount tho crop owner mast ugreo to pay CO per cent extra premium. lie can Insure for $10 an aero at the old rates If ho prefers. Last week Representative John Lar son of Douglag oounty Introduced a couple of bills affecting working men nnd women. Ono, House Roll No. 13!). provides for tho establishment of a state minimum wngo commission, mod eled somewhat after the Massachu setts law. Tho commission would in elude the stnte labor commissioner and two members appointed by tho governor, ono a man and ono a wo man. The commission woum uo em powered to Investigate conditions in any Industry and to establish a mini mum wage In that industry for women and minors, tho minimum being lim ited, at its discretion, to eortnln sec tions of tho state or extended to all districts. Representative Larson also In- troduoed Houso Roll No. 142, es tablishing an eight-hour day on all public work, whethor dono by gov ernmental subdivisions direct or by contractors. Ho furthor proposed an amendment to tho stato mediation board law, requiring tho board to act whon requested to do so by either parly to a labor dispute. Instead of awaiting the call of tho governor. A bill establishing n 5,000-mllo sys torn of concrete state highways will bo Introduced Into the lower houso of tho stato legislature. The bill has been prepared nnd discussed by a committee from each houso and tho state engineer. The completo high ways will cost In the neighborhood of $70,000,000, tho cost and mulntenancc of which will be mot by the board of Irrigation, hlghwnys and dralnugo, the stato autoinobllo fund and the federal government, which co-operates with all states making highways Improve ments, nnd it Is also probable that a small tax levy will be Imposed upon tho property owners living along tho various lines. "That good roads hill Is one of tho most constructive pieces of legisla tion over to come before the No- braskn general assembly," said Clurko O, Powell, secretary of the Omaha Automobile Trade association, and ono of tho stato's leading good roads enthusiasts. "If tho legislature passed this bill and then adjourned, It will have dono a good yenrs' work. It is tho most comprehensive good roads plan over considered. In tho past nil development has been more or less local by communities or counties." Tho bill Introduced by Senator Heed of York, providing that no decreo of divorce shall becomo filial or oporativo until two years after tho decreo Is granted, was almost killed in tho son- ato whon Senators Cooper and Hoag- land declared that to their knowledgo such a luw would Increase immorali ty instead of decreasing it, and that tho best thing for young peoplo who had been mlsnitttcd would not bo to keep them from finding tho proper mates. Senator Cordcal was of tho opinion (lint tho tiniu might bo longer, nnd cltod sevornl states which had still sovorer laws to that effect. Tho bill was ilnnlly ordered engrossed for third reading. Representative IJyrum, Franklin, proposed that tho legislature deela.ro Its belief in tho continuance of tho No braskn Nntlonal Guard along tho lines followed boforo tho war and that it favor tho giving of preference in tho reorganization to former members of tho Fourth and Fifth Nebraska rcgl menta who havo served abroad. Tho resolution was defeated. Representatives Foster and Borka, both of Omaha, proposed to muko tho terms of Omaha municipal Judges four Instead of two years and to extend tho present Judgo' terms to 1923. Governor MoKolvlo has appointed Lloutoimnt Colonel Joseph A. Storch of Fullerton to serve as adjutant gen oral until tho return of Colonel Paul from Frunco, Tho Mothodist ministers of Doug- Ins county and tho W. C. T. U. of Omaha have sent votes of thanks to the senate for tho ratification of the prohibitory amondmout Senator Taylor proposed u return or tne opon primary" election, when a votor would bo privileged to tako tho ballots of all partlos Into tho booth and voto which ever ticket he preferred. This would bo substantial ly tho law as It prevailed In 1010. Stato houso stenographers, who havo boon drawing $70 per month will bo advanced to $75 per month. Somo members of tho Iioubo finance commltteu favored greutur in crease, but the majority voted for that llgurr. SeiKcant-at-ariUB J. O. Mooro of the houso is expected to bo a very busy uran during tho rest of tho legislative session. In addition to his other duties, ho was delegated by tho house to sco that all lobbyists, whether paid or unpaid, malo or fomalo, are ox eluded from tho floor of tho chamber nt ull times when it Is In session. Aftor much discussion tho lower leg islatlvo Iioubo recommendod passago of a bill appropriating $2,800 for tho purchase of thirteen ucres adjoining tho Grand Island Soldiers home, for ubo a8 a cemetery. A similar bill was defoated two years ago, 1- American nrni.v trucks on the of the American army of occupation crowing the Rhine at Cohlcnz, one of the gateways to Germany. It Gar den house of the governor - mansion at Archangel, Russia, used by (he American Red Cross as part of Its head-quarters.. NEWS REVIEW OF- CURRENT EVENTS Russian Factions Are Invited to Confer With Commission From the Alfies. ON SEA OF MARMORA ISLAND Must First Cease Military Operations Majority Socialists Victors In German Elections British Plan for League of Nations Presented Irish Par liament Meets. By EDWARD W. PICKARD. Realizing that they cannot establish peace In the world while Itussla Is nt war with herself and her neighbors, tin; supremo council of the peace con gress has Invited nil Russian factions to send representatives to the Princes Islands In the sea of Marmora, that they may there confer with representa tives of the associated powers with a view to bringing about an understand ing by which Russia may work out her own purposes In peaceful ways. It was stipulated that the Russian factions must first cease all military action, and the Invitation made plain that the allied powers had no Intention or desire of interfering with the right of tho Russians to settle their differ ences In their own way. February 15 was set as the date of tlte opening of tho conference. This solution of the Jtusslan prob lem was presented to the supreme council by President Wilson and In the innln is on the lines of the action pro posed by Premier Lloyd George. At first the French, who admittedly are afraid of the spread of bolshevlsm In their own country, were opposed to treating In any way with the Russian bolshevlsts, but they yielded to the opinion of tho majority. It whs be lieved that the contending factions would accept the Invitation, since their resources arc nearly exhausted. The bolshevlkl were severely defeated very recently in northern Russia, and there are numerous and extensive peasant risings against their rule In the terri tory they have controlled. It Is understood that the allied com missioners who will meet the Russians will state these four conditions ns br ing Indispensable In bringing about an adjustment: First Pence at all points. Second Removal of all economic barriers which restrain the tree circu lation or exchange of food and com mudltles between Iho factional zones and the outside world. Third General elections on u rcptv sentatlve basis. Fourth Some ndequuto arrange ment for the payment of debts. The plan of the supreme council was very badly received by the anil bolshevik Russian leaders now in Paris. Their comments were hitter In the extreme and Serglus SazauotT, rep. resentatlve of the governments of F.kuterlnoditr and Omsk, declared he would not sit In conference with tin traitors who had betrayed bis count rv. Decision was reached by the mi picine council iiimi wcck on auotller very troublesome mutter the Poli-i question. It was determined to semi ut once to study this problem n ml sion composed or a military and a civil delegate from the United States, (iren ltrltuln, France nnd Italy. Probably u tne liussian noisnevlkl remain recal citrant, the Polish stnte will be set up us a strong bnrrier between then nnd western Kurope. Js The Temps of Paris suld last week that tho peace congress Is likely to create two commissions, one on the league of nations nnd ono on the com pensntion uernmny must pay. it added that the American delegates also proposed commissions on lerrl torlal questions, on overseas tcrrltor lea and on responsibilities. It Is mu In Paris that the American 'delegates ure not yet satisfied ns to the res i nihility of the former kaiser and l,.H ciiieis for tne war. In this maiter ih.y are iimi in ntui inemseivis opposed road between ("oblenz and Bonn on the to the firm, even passionate, opinion of the British, French and Italians, to say nothing of the Helglans and Serbians. Prince Llchnowsky, whose record en titles him to respectful hearing, urges a peace that will not grind the Ger mans In the dust. Hut It Is only dis gusting to read the plea of Rethmann Hollweg, who was imperial chancellor at the outbreak of the war. He begs for a peace of Justice based on Presi dent Wilson's program, and says Jus tice will veil her head If the victor exploits the distressed conditions of the conquered. This would sound bet ter If It did not come from one who Is held largely to blame for tho crime of the centuries. Such men as Bethmnnn Hollweg and Bernstorflf will help their countrymen more by keeping silent. tt Despite many riotous demonstrations by the Spnrtaenns and Independent Socialists, the German elections for the constltutent assembly were held and resulted in a substantial victory for tho Ebert faction. The Majority Socialists elected more representatives than any other group. The former Lib erals, now called tho German Demo crats, were second, and the Spartacans and Independents were snowed under, winning only In Frnnkfort-ion-lho-Mnln and Brunswick. It was estimated the Majority Soclallots would hold 03 per cent of the seats. .The national assem bly Is to meet on February 0 In Wei mar, capital of the grand duchy of Saxe-Welmnr-Elsenneh, In deference to tho demand of the south Germnn states, which wished to have the con vention as far as possible removed from the Influence of Prussia. Kurt Eisner, the Bavarian premier, failed of election to the convention. Tho most radical elements In Ger many aro making capital out of the brutal murder of Llebknecht and Rosa Luxemburg, the Spnrtacan leaders, and In many places general strikes were stinted In protest, Bremen was re ported to be In the builds of the work- inginen. who had seized the barracks, the banks and public buildings and dis armed the garrison. At Remseheld nil work was stopped. There were serious riots In Lelpsle and other cities, but In Berlin the disturbers were scat tered by the firm measures ndopted by Gustav Noske, bend of the government police. l- One of the worst heatings the bol shevlki of Russia have received was after the capture of Narva by the Esthonlnns, and the victors declare It amounted to a complete rout. Tho lOstboulun army at once moved on Petrograd, taking many prisoners nnd guns. London hoard that Trotzky or tiered the governor of Petrograd to surrender the city without a struggle. In the Archangel region the bolshevlkl kept up a vigorous attack on the ad vanced positions of the Americans and loyal. Russians nnd were boasting that in the Katllsb vicinity they would driv tlte allies into the White sea In March They seem to be well supplied with artillery and shells, but are gaining no material advantages. In addition to settling the dispute between the Italians and the Jugo Slavs concerning Dalmalla and Flume the peace congress hns another con lllct of claims to adjudicate. The secret treaty between the entente al lies gave to France tho control of Syria and Armenia and now comes the king of the lledJtiK, represented at Paris by his son, Prince Felsul, asking com plete Independence and autonomy for the Arabian state of the Hedjas to consist of Syria, upper ami lower Mesopotamia, Yemen anil Nejd. The conference Is asked to send a commis sion to learn the desires of the peoples Involved. The king of the Hedjas and his troops gave the British very con slderuble aid In the conquest of Pales tine. lot The British draft of a league of na tions was submitted to the pence 'dele gates last week by Lord Robert Cecil, who said It was his opinion Hint an In ternational tribunal with absolutely binding powers Is not practical at tho present time. The llrltlsh plan follows the Ideas of General Smuts, the South African leader, and contemplates a league relying largely on public opln ion nnd having tho power to Impose delay on disputants before resort to anus. The French plan for a league left bank of the Rhine. 2 Vancuard was the next scheduled for presenta tion. It was said President Wilson would not submit his scheme until nil others hnd been heard, not only out of deference to tho European nations but In the belief that when the others have been discussed, his plan may serve to reconcile the differences that will linve developed. That these differences will not bo great Is the belief of Lord Cecil, who says he found In conversations with the delegates that there was In very large measure an agreement on the principles he outlined. The opening of the Sinn Fein par liament In Dublin, with Its formal proc lamation of the Independence of Ire land, was perilously near to being a comedy, but may well develop Into tragedy later. Only 25 members were present, the others being in jail. They elected Charles Burgess speaker and ippolnted Count Plunkett, Arthur Grif fiths and- Prof. Edward De Valcra a committee to present to the pence con ference nt Paris the claims of Irelnnd to self-dclerinlnnllon. The last two named are In English prisons. The proceedings of tho "parliament" were conducted so far us possible in the Irish Celtic language, with lapses into English when the former failed. Tho government took absolutely no notice of the meeting of the "Dall Elreann," as the Irish call their as sembly, although It was In the Man sion house, under the very shadow of Dublin castle. Loyal citizens hung out an unusual number of union jacks nnd some returned soldiers growled a bit, but there was no disorder. The Brit ish government apparently Intends to ignore the Sinn Fein republic until It undertakes to enforce laws that nre In conflict with those estbllshed by the British; then the trouble Is likely to begin. In the opinion of the loyal Irish press, the purpose of the "par liament" Is to attract the attention of the world, especially the peace- confer ence, to the case of tho Sinn Felners, and' the latter expected and hoped tho assembly would be suppressed by the police. In this the British fooled them, not desiring to create any more Irish martyrs than necessity compels. If Count Plunkett takes the Sinn Fein declaration to the peace conference It l,s likely to be quietly pigeon-holed. One result of the Irish matter was tho killing of two policemen who were guarding a quantity of explosives in Tipperary and the theft of the explos ives. Tlpperary was at once placed under the crimes act, which menns Its Inhabitants are under much the same restraint as the people In the occupied parts of Germany. The murder mny be the beginning of a new period of terrorism and assassinations. im While new republics are springing up overnight in Europe, the reaction aries of Portugal have broken out and proclaimed the restoration of the mon archy. The movement Is especially strong In the northern pnrt of the country- The revolutionists have of fered the throne to the former king, Mnnuel, and though he Is absolved of ficially of any connection with the up rising, It Is reported he Is on a vessel oft' Oporto awaiting development. Ills lord in waiting at London said Manuel would return to his country if it wished him to do so. There Is a re port that, In case Manuel does not ac cept the Invitation of the royalists, they will offer the throne to Dom Mig uel of Braganza, who married Anita Stewurt of New Jersey. IB3J It may be the "Yellow Peril" alarm- lMs In America will be somewhat si lenced by the statement of Viscount Uchida, minister for foreign nffalrs, nt the opening of the Japanese parlia ment. He declared that Japan bad "no aspiration but to seek the consum mation of a free nnd unfettered devel opment of her national life along the. highway of Justice and peace," and that she was "determined to pursue a fair and clean policy In ull Internation al relations." lie especially emphasized his country's friendship for China and Russia and denied that It would be Japan's policy to take advantage of the domestic troubles of Russia to pro mote selfish alms of territorial or eco nomic aggression. The Japanese for eign olllce also Issued denials of "mU chlevous reports" of Japanese ncthl ties In China, particularly in regard tv the granting of loans. T PEACE CONGRESS UNANIMOUSLY APPROVES PROJECT. WILSON CHAIHAN OF BODY Association of Nations to Guard World to Be Part of Peace Treaty. Little Nations Protest. Pnrls, Jan. 2S. The ponce confer ence on Saturday weathered Its first storm, and under the Inspiration of u speech by President Wilson and skill fully guided by M. Clomenceati, the chairman, unanimously ndopted reso lutions declaring for a league of na tions. The conference also went on record n favor of Incorporating tint league as an integral part of the gen. oral treaty of peace and admitting to the league "every civHlzlHl nation which can be relied on to promote it objects," Belgium, Serbia, Roumanln, Port ugal, Brazil, Slam, China and Czocho Slovakia protested against the vnrlou committees being largely restricted to the groat powers, and nsked for pro portionate representation privileges, particularly on bodies dealing with the league of nations, lnbor nnd repa ration for war dunmges. Although this was a cloud no big ger than a man's hand, it threatened at one time to grow Into a general alignment of the small powers against the live great powers. This, however, was averted by M. Clemenceati's good tempered and skillful direction. Although It had been expected that Lloyd George woultl open the discus sion on the leag'tte of nntlons, Presi dent Wllsnn has this honor. The presi dent was followed by Mr. Lloyd George In a brief address and the re solution favoring the league was adopted without dissent after the pro posal had been seconded by Premier Orlando for. Italy, Paul Ilyinnns for Belgium nnd Mr. Lti for China. President Wilson and Colonel House will represent the United States on tho leaguo of nations com mittee, the president being made chairman. Another committee will fix upon "the amount of reparation the enemy countries ought to pay; what they are capable of paying, and tho method, form and time within which payment should be made." ' Tho Congress nxo appointed com mlttees to determine the degree of re sponsibility for the wnr and Its con duct. Robert Lansing, seeretury or stnte, will be one of the American members of this committee. Other committees were authorised to tako up international labor legisla tion and consider details of Interna tionalization of certain transportation facilities. s. Tho committee to Investigate re sponsibility for the war will Include two representatives each of tho Unit ed States. Great Britain, France. Italy and Japan, and five representatives of the other allied powers. The belief Is expressed In French official circles that the preliminaries for peace will be finished and rondj for submission to the French Vhain her between March 1." antl March .'11. Extra Session of Congress Certain. Washington, D. C, Jan. 28. An ex tra session of congress next spring now seems certain In tho opinion of democratic antl republican leaders. With but five weeks of tin present session remaining, appropriation bills n ro to lie rushed. Only six of the six teen regular supply bills havo been passed by the house and none by the senate. Besides the regulnr appropria tion measures several special money bills, including the new deficiency measure and Iho S7r0,000,000 request of the railroad administration await action. Much general legislation also is on iho calendars with the railroads, tin etnplo.Miient, naval program an other questions being pressed for solution." Suffrage for Nebraska Women. Lincoln, Xeb., Jan. US. Fraud, for gery and false certification, so extens ive as to invalidate more than -i.tlOn signatures on the n nil. suffrage refereii dnni, were found by District Judge Flanshurg In his written ' opinion hnmled down Saturday, which formal ly gave Nebraska women the rigid to vote. Judge Flan-burg hold the ref 4'ronduni petition, wus, because ot these Ira tuls, Invalid and perpetutill.v enjoined the secretary of stnte from Mihmittlng the partial suiTrago bill t the voters. The effect of the decision Is lo make house roll No. 222, passed In the 1017 legislative session, opet' nrive until such tlmo as the Nebraska supremo court will pass upon the ap peal to be fnken by the aiitl-sufTrug, forces. Judge Flanshurg's deelsion gives the attorneys for the antis Un customary forty days In which to flic their hill of exception. Soldiers Can Stay In Army. -Washington. Jan. 28. To solve tli problom of unemployed discharged soldiers, the War department bus or tiered that no man be discharged from the army against his desire until such time us ho can obtain employment In civil life. Those orders have been sent to nil department and division coin manders, nt Secretary Baker's direc tion. All men who doslro to remain temporarily in the service aro to In retained without prejudice to theii subsequent discharge to take empto ment. OOP LEAGUE I: