Nebraska Newspapers

    THE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIDUNE, NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA.
PARISH SCHOOL IS
Si I ISSUE
U
MOST DEBATED SUBJECT
FORE THE LAWMAKERS
BE-
U I HLK LLUIciLAl IVL UUllNUci
A Brief Digest of Other Important
Lealslatlon Being Considered by
the Nebraska Legislature
Lincoln. The futuro of parochial
and private schools In Nobraska was
discussed for three hours before a
Joint sosslon of the committees on
education of the two houses of the
legislature. Nearly 400 people at
tended tho hearing, and there Were
thirty speakers. Friends and oppo
nentH of the Burnoy bill, with oppo
nents creatly In the majority, had
arowdod into the hall at tho invitation
of tho commltteo to hoar of tho rola
tlon of the parochial, tho prlvato and
tho denominational school to home
life, to religious life, to offlcloncy nnd
to Americanism. There were mon and
women of many different nationalities
and roliglous faith present. The
sponkors In general were nccordod re
spectful attention by tho crowd which
apparently was pro-parochial oven
though tho sontimonts were against
tho parochial system.
Tho Uurney bill amends tho compul
Bory school nttendanco law by elimi
nating portions permitting chlldron to
nttond private or parochial schools in
lieu of public schools. Tho majority
of tho parochial schools represents
UvcB asked freedom from legislation
In Just ono respect. Religious instnio-
tion. Thoro wore Quotations from tho
Ulblo and from tho constitution Intro-
duced in attempt to provo that it is
not tho right of the state to interfere
with religious teaching, Every spcaK-
or urged a stronger Americanization
bUt urged also against discrimination.
i-or mo legislature io auemputo in-
torforo With tho cholco as between
the public and parochial school, would
mean uiu sanction oi ioi.Kiuu l'urne-
cution in a land of democracy, accord
ing to somo of tho speakers.
J. W. HAMMOND.
Mr. Hammond has been ellitor of the
Cambridge Clarion fifteen year. He It
now serving his second term In the State
Annate, uihnrfi hi, la thn rhnlrmnn nf thM
Committee on Miscellaneous Sublectst
Fees nhnd,r8a1Srl. 'Pu'"! ve?y much In!
terested In farming and live stock
Tho Bonato Judiciary commltteo
found it could not favor a law which
proposes to rcqulro Individual employ
ers to glvo tho preference to soldiers
when mon apply for Jobs. Tho bill is
a, f. by, uy nun ot iiutior. it pro
vidos that returned soldlors shall bo
given tho proferenco on public works
and also in private employment. Tho
commltteo decided to recommend that
it bo Indefinitely postponed. The
. committee will hnvo to do tho same
with Sonator Sturm's bill which pro
vides that tho property of soldiers
ahall bo exempt from taxation. Under
tho constitution thin cannot bo done
Tho constitution provides what prop-
erty shall bo exempted from taxation,
and property of soldiers is not iu tho
list.
Slato Engineer Johnson's group of
road bills, threo In number, carrying
out tho plan ondorsod by federal high
way officials and tho natlonnl high
ways association, was introduced in
tho house by tho commltto on roads
and bridges, of which Mr. Mclaughlin
is chalrmnn. Ono Important change
has been made in tho measure creat
ing tho system of state roads. Instead
of tho state doing nil tho work upon
them and also maintaining thorn aft
erward, Independently of county con-
trol, tho maintenance will bo looked
after by county officials, subject, to
tho general supervision and direction
or tho stato highways department,
in executive Heislon tho state son
ato considered the nppolntmont' of A. deal passos, tho stato railway com
B. Allyn of Hastings for member of mission will bu granted Increased now-
tho stnto board of control. Senator
Hraustroet or Jlnll wus one of soveral
who said ho was not prepared to voto
on confirmation of the governor's up
pdintnient. He, llko Bovornl other, bo empowered to Institute and prose
did not know Mr. Allyn. He said ho cuty in t ov?n ntuuo nil civil actions,
n..u uk.uu.k uKu.um nun, uui nu
Simply did llOt knOW tllO UppoIlltOO
and had nover seen him. He desired
to iee tlu man for whom ho was
a8nB iu i up uiu. a commiuuu
with Hppolrtod to report on the ap
... . .
''"""'
Finally nnd with hut one dissenting
vote, tho Nobruska houso of rcprc
sentntrves approved, In committee of
tho whole, tho Tracewoll-Mears hill for
a new stato capitoi. tho uui pro
vides for ti lovy of VA mills for six
years, designed to raise $5,000,000. Tho
fund Is to ho handled by a commis
sion consisting of tho governor, tho
stato cnglnoor nnd three citizens ap
pointed by tho governor, who nro au
thorized to secure and select plans,
lt nntt-uctt nnd ennnrvlaa tho work..
The bulldlnB is to bo orccted uncfti the
present caplto! site In Lincoln.
Tho only amendment approved,
nthr Minn amendments recommended
by tho llnanco cominlttco, was ono
offered by Representative Anderson
of Butler county. It provitios mat a
memorial tablet shall ho plnced In an
appropriate placo In tho building In
honor of Nobraska boys who died in
the country's service during tho re
cent war. Their names are to ap
pear on the tablet.
An amendment offorod during the
afternoon by Jacobs of Custer, and
which introducers favored, wub Incor
porated In tho bill. This provides
that no contract for purchase of ma-
(erlftl for construction of tho caplto;
shall ho ontored Into by members oi
tho commission until ono year nftei
tho passage of the bill. This was of
fored ns a safety valvo. Introducers
agreed thnt It will take fully this long
a timo before plans nro secured and
monoy is available. Pureed. MHIei
and others favored tho amendment
becauso of tho expected decline lr
cost of materials. ;
Tho houso rejected n proposal bj
Representative McLellnn of Hah
county to submit tho question of lo
cation to a refcrpndum tho voto on
this ainendtnout boing 78 to 18.
As the commltteo of three to iu
vestlgato tho railway commission's
enforcement of tho bluo sky law, the
results of such enforcement and the
cost to tho stnte, Messrs. Purdy
Frantz and Rodman woro appointed
by Speakor Dalboy, in accordnnco with
tho Purdy resolution adopted tho pro
ceding dny. Mr. Purdy is tho flrsl
minority mcmbor to bo recognized
wUh a chairmanship. Ho presented
tho resolution, and according to un-1
WI.1M(.. nnrllnmnntnrv law It was lit
to tll0 8caUor (o nam0 Um as tha
..,.,, ("nniniltWii -linnil.
C. A. Somnior of tho state librarj
commission nslted tho finance oom
mlttco to recommend increased sal
nrles for commission employes. Ho
pointed out that tho governor had not
Included this department in his reo
ommendntlons, Ho presented figures
f I om other states showing that No
brnska is far behind In salaries.
Tho senate Judiciary commltteo by
a voto of hIx to three decided to rcc
ommend tho Indollnlto postponement
of S. F. 62, a bill by Cooper, known
as tho boxing and wrestling bill. It
Is a measure similar to ono in tho
house, but tho houso bill docs not
include tho subject of wroatllng. No
action 1ms been taken In 'tho houso
on the boxing bill introduced in that
body
A change in tho primary law design-
od to prevent filing by "freak" candl
dates, Is proposed in a bill introduced
in tho lower legislative houso by Rep
Besentntivo J. Reld Oroon. It would
rcqulro candidates who fllo for a prl
mnry nomination to pay a filing feo
oqunl to fi per cent of the annual sal
nry of tho oflke which they seek. If
tho eandlndto should recelvo I!0 per
cent of tho party voto in tho primary,
this feo will bo rofundod.
Tho sonato, sitting ns a committoe
of the whole, recommended for third
rending Senato Fllo No. 411, by Senator
. Woavcrllnir of Dodiro countv. contln
ulnK tno "Pfemu c0Ult commission of
three members to clear tho dockots of
tho court. Favorablo action by tho
senators followed tho explanation that
the supremo court docket should bo
clonred as nearly as possible boforo
thu calling of tho constitutional con
vention.
Tho uniform right-of-way bill, seek-
ing to restore to land owners along tho
Union Puclllo railroad a 100-foot strip
which they claim to bo Justly tholrs,
but which tho courts have awarded
to tho company, was passed by the
lower legislative house 9G to 0. This
matter has been tho center of bitter
legislative contests In the past sob-
clons and panned tho house In 1915
only to fall in tho senate. Reproson-
tatlves from counties nlong tho Union
Pacific are backing It.
Tho judiciary committee decided to
recommend S. F. 3G, by Soars, for tho
general fllo with a slight amend
ment. Tho bill inakos it unlawful for
anyono oxcopt guardians, parents or
someone employed by them to impart
sex Information or Information relat
ing to venereal dlseasos to porsons
undor sixteen years of ago. Tho com.
mlttoo changed tho word "employed"
to "authorized." Peterson of Lancas
ter endeavored to insert nn aniond
mont to oxcopt pastors and teachers.
Mr. Mathewson proposes to bring
undor tho anti-lobby law nil legisla
tive agents, whothor they nro paid or
not. At present, none but paid agents
ura required to register in tho secro-
tary of stato's office
- If a bill Introduced bv Senator Cor-
crs In enforcing tho bluo sky law In
stltutod by Sonator Cordoal In tho tain
legislature. Tho railway cnmmlKulnn
Undor tho proposed Cordoal law will
Uotu legal ami equitable, In any court
mandamus r nun wnrmnli. ,.r,..,,l.
,I)gH am, nrn authorized to hire any
..MuiunPn ,i,v n irvin,,.i
- - ' v
thu uttornoy Ken0rul and tho county
llUorneys of tho state wore charged
I with I hn (nf(lr ntiwnl nt lUn In,..
1 iinl Evimpu f the way In which tin retiring Germans wilfully destroyed the conl mine workings in
-m-thorn France. '2 Itattery F, Seventh Held artillery, of the American nrmy of occupation having a boat ride
on the Ithlne. ! The Mansion house. Dublin, where the Sinn Fein "Irish parliament" meets.
NEWS REVIEW OF
CURRENT EVENTS
Captured German Colonies Are to
Be Placed Under Interna
tional Control.
WILSON'S PLAN IS ADOPTED
British Dominions Protest in Vain
Mandatories of League of Na
tions Will Rule the Territories
Little Progress With
Russian Problem.
By EDWARD W. PICKARD.
Germany's lost colonies occupied
much of the time and attention of the
peace delegates last week, nnd the
result of their deliberations apparently
wus that those colonies, nnd probnbly
some of tho territories that are to be
lopped off the Turkish empire, are to
bo internationalized by being Intrusted
to governments designated as "manda
tories" by the league of nations. These
mandatories presumably will hnve a
certain liberty of action In executing
their control of the colonies, and the
league, It Is supposed, will enforce, by
safeguards, a system very similar In
effect to the British colonial admlnls-.
t ration.
.This disposition (If the former Ger
man possessions, If it is finally ac
cepted by the pence conference, wHl
prove another triumph lor rrcsnient
Wilson, for while he has yielded some
what In compromise, it Is mainly his
Idea. The British Imperial cabinet ac
cepted his theory, despite tho strenu
ous objections of the representatives
of the British dominions, and the ad
hesion of Franco also was announced.
Japan was not very well pleased, and
neither was Italy.
In another way this decision, If
made, vindicates Mr. Wilson's IdeaH,
for it Is admitted that the creation and
maintenance of the league of nations
is necessary to carry out the colonial
plan, nnd the president asserts that,
Inasmuch as the league was ununl
mously agreed to, It Is necessary to
turn the coloules over to tho league un
der tho protectorate of the nations best
fitted to hold them.
The question of the German colonics
developed the most serious diplomatic
contest the conference has engaged In,
nnd at the time of writing the end of
the light was not In sight. Those colo-
nlcs were Germany's greatest as-et,
ami some of the allied nations hud
counted on thew to make up In part
their Immense financial expenditures
In the war. Secret agreements had
been entered Into giving Australia and
New Zealand the German possesions
south of the equator and giving Japan
the Caroline and Marshall Islands. Iv
splte the action of the BrltlMi Imperial
war cabinet In London, the British )!
egates to the conference were dis
posed to stand by these agreements.
The representatives of Australlo and
New Zealand wtro especially Insist, at
on their claims, nd were supported iiy
the Japanese, who expected In return
the support of (ront Britain for pu-l
(ions In the Shnntung peninsula mid
Manchuria. The South African repre
sentatives, also, wero displeased, be
lieving the plau would encourage the
rebellious elements there that are still
agitating for an Independent South u
rlca.
Assuming that the lnternallonili.a
tlon plau Is adopted, It Is likely Hie
control of the lands In question wmih
be about as follows: German West .f.
rlca to l'Tance; the Kuinerun to
French Congo; German Southwest Af
rica to the South African I'ni.m
German East Africa mainly to Grea
Britain, a small part going to BHj-lun
Congo; the Carolines and Marshal!
Island to Japan; New Guinea to Aus
tralia; Samoa to New Zealand. Japan
expresses willingness to give Kiao
Chan back to China, under conditions
that hnve not jet developed. Tlu-se
are in the main the claim that wi-r
made by the allied nations; but Pies
. i i it.ti ......
nuni uiimhi nun in? American eo
leagues made It clear they would w
agree to the plan hy which nliMiiu;
pusM'sslcii of the Girmiui colonies
would be granted ns a menus of re
couping war losses. The dividing up
of the spoils of victory, they held,
would be In absolute violation of the
promises that tho rights of communi
ties and small nations shall be protect
ed. It was understood that If Italy
agreed to the Internationalization plan
she would surrender her claim to Fl
ume and the Dalmatian coast us abso
lute possessions, perhaps being given
control of the latter until the territory
Is ready to assert the principle of self-determination.
The supremo war council tentatively
decided that the spread of lawlessness
In Turkey made It necessary that allied
troops should be sent there, anil the
military representatives were directed
to prepare a report on the most equit
able distribution of this military bur
den among the nllles. The occupation
of Turkey will continue until the pence
conference has determined on the fu
ture government of the Turkish terri
tories. It Is understood that Palestine,
Armenia, Syria and Mesopotamia will
come within the scorje of the plan of
dealing with colonies by the manda
tory system.
Tb,c Inbor question bulks big in the
doings of the peacemakers at Purls,
and their International commission on
labor regulation Is now considering an
elaborate scheme for the International
regulation of conditions of employ
ment drafted by Mr. Barnes, British
minister without portfolio, In confer-'
ence with British trade unionists nnd
representatives of India and the do
minions. The Polish commission of the su
preme council, Inade up of representa
tives of America, Great Britain,
France nnd Italy, prepared to depart
for Warsaw. It would seem that this
commission has a big job before Jt, for
while the Poles themselves are work
ing fairly harmoniously under tho
leadership of Puderewskl, they are be
set by enemies on three sides nnd nre
engaged In continual warfare. The
Russian bolshevlkl and the Ukrainians
nre unremitting In their attacks, and
now the Czechs are assailing the Poles
nlong their southern border. The for
mer have captured u number of towns
which they claim are properly within
the boundaries of Czecho-Slovakla, and
they also have seized the mining re
gions of Karvln, upon which the Polish
state relies largely for its mineral sui-
plles.
This lighting, of course. Is In direct
disobedience of the recent order of the
great powers that all hostilities must
cease everywhere, but the Polish rep
resentatives In Pnrls say their country
cannot stop lighting when it Is under
constant military attack.
Diplomatically, Russian mutters
were at a standstill, awaiting replies
to the Invitation to a conference of all
factions on the Princes' Islands iu tlu
Sen of Marmora. The bolshevlkl or
tins rather resented thnt plan, for
they asserted the bolshevlkl wen;
gaining victories In the field that en
tilled them to more recognition. Tin
representatives In Paris of the other
factions continued in their attitude of
passive opposition to the conference,
and General Miller, head of the north
Russia government In the absence of
President Tsehalkovsky, stated that It
Is not only Inadvisable to bold any par
ley with the bolshevlkl, but It would hi
physically impossible for the represen
tatives of north Russia to reach the
Princes' Islands by February 1.1 with
out passing through bolshevik terri
tory, which he considered Impossible.
The Omsk government insisted that
the campaign against the hoMtclkl
must be pushed vigorously.
The claims of the bolshevlkl to vic
tory in the field were not without
foundation. In the Archangel region
they have forced the American nnd al
lied troops to withdraw quite a dis
tance from their advanced positions,
and they have driven General Dutoff
out of the Important city of Orenburg
on the Ural river. On tho other hand,
they lost Sarnnpol, province of To
bolsk, to the Siberians and are report
ed to have been overthrown In Tash
kent. capital of Russian Turkestan. In
the Ukraine the soviet forces Inflicted
a severe defeat on the army of Gen
end Petluru and occupied Kkaterlno
slav. There Is little to choose between
the contenders there.
Just why the allied forces are In
north Russia and what they are ox
pecfed to do there is still much of n
mystery nnd It engngotl the attention
of the American senate last week when
Senator Johnson of California vigor
ously attacked tho policy, or lack ol
policy, of the administration in this
matter. The course that Is being pur
sued Is equally displeasing to many
Britishers, and the French never did
approve of It.
One Importnnt point concerning pay
ment by Germnny Is reported to havo
been settled by the peace conference.
It was decided that while Germany
must mnkc full reparation for unjusti
fiable damage done, she nnd her asso
ciates will not be cnlled on to pay
heavy Indemnities to reimburse the vie
torlous nations for their war expenses.
Jor will Germany be compelled to re
llnqulsh the Indemnity 'she took from
France In 1871. Belgium's reparation
claims will have first consideration
and perhaps those of Serbia will come
next.
On tho eve of the assembling of the
German national convention In Wei
mar, tho Ehcrt government seemed
(Irmly seated in tho place of power,
though there was a possibility of com
binations that would dominate it. The
Spartacans were In a hopeless minor
ity, however, nnd there was every rea
son to believe the "revolution" would
run the course laid out for It by. the.
old-time leaders, who ucver have relin
quished control actually. That the
change of form of government has not
wrought a miraculous chnngc of tho
German heart or the German Intention
to rule Is the opinion of Genernl Gou;
rand, the French commander, ns It Is
oi ninny less wen iniormeo persons,
less well Informed
This view Is borne out by the Increas
ingly Insolent attitude of the con
quered Huns, and by their naive sur
prise and indignation when they rea
llzed that they might not be admitted
to membership In the league of nations
Immediately and on an equality with
the nations that saved civilization
from their criminal assault.
French expert has summarized the
policies of the present German govern
ment ns follows:
Interior 1. Complete unity. 2. Redl-
vision of the nation for administrative
purposes Into a number of departments
approximately of equal size without
taking account of the present divi
sions. '
Exterior 1. The annexation of Ger
man Austria. 2. Opposition to the for
mation of a strong Poland.
riii; annexation of German Austria
may be balked by the formation of tho
proposed Danube confederation of all
tin states along the Danube, Including
German Austria and Bulgaria, for It
Is figured that If Germany is permitted
to annex (he part of Austria she covets
she would be stronger than ever In ter
ritory and population.
A good deal of excitement and .some
resentment were stirred up In Amor-
lea by the announcement of a British
embargo on many imports, effective
March 1. Among the commodities
named are numerous American prod
ucts, and those who seek to arouse
antngoniHm between the United States
and Great Britain were quick to accuse
the British of starting a trade war
Mere reasonable persons recognize
that the embargo Is an emergency
measure to help England in the re
habilitation of her industries and that
It Is undoubtedly only temporary. At the
same time, American business men
were aroused by It to the necessity of
looking after our own place In world
tifide.
Great Britain Is having a serious
lime with the labor problem. Several
thousand workers In England, Wales
and Ireland hnvo quit, either for more
pay or for shorter hours without re
duction of wages. Belfast seems to be
In the worst predicament, for business
and transportation are virtually stis
pended, riots nre frequent, shops are
being looted every night and the illy
Is Iu darkness.
In the United States unprepnredhoss
for pence Is at the bottom of a grea'
deal of unrest concerning the unem
ployment of returning soldiers. State
and communities nro getting busy
however, nnd It Is hoped-that sou'
there will be positions for nr., nt leas'
as good us those 'hej left to sen
their country.
HUM EIBMIGO OFF
WAR TRADE BOARD REMOVES
EXPORT RESTRICTIONS.
HOPE TO STABILIZE PRICES
Wheat and Its Products Not Touched
By Sweeping Order. Licenses
Are to Be Granted.
Washington, D. C, Feb. 4. The
most sweeping removal of rout riot ions
upon the exportation of foodstuffs
made since the signing of the armis
tice jius Just been announced by tho
wur trade lHUird.
Commodities removed from the ex
port conservation list were, hurley,
corn and rye, Including Hour and ni"iil
mndo from these grain, oats nnd out'
product", brewers' grains, bran and
middlings, beans, dried and upllt peas,
sugar and hydrogonated cotlon-eed
oil.
Those articles constituted n niajor
Ity of the food items -on tho restrict
ed list and their removal is effective
Im tned iutoly.
Licenses to export them will be
granted freely to all destinations, In
cluding Great Britain, Fni'nce,. Italy
and Belgium. Heretofore such ex
ports to these allied countries were
made exclusively by the food admin
istration's grain corporation and the
wheat export company.
Attention was culled to the fact
that wheat and Hour renin In on the
restricted list. There was no indica
tion when the embargo on these com
modities would be removed, but it
was said that It probably would re
main In force until the government's
agreement with the farmers for a
maximum price on the 1!)1!) wheal
crop had expired.
Removal of the embargo on the
other grains was expected by some of'
licials to stabilize prices and relieve
what wus described ns a congested
mnrker. An advance in tho ju'lee of
corn was looked for by renwni of the
fact that prices fell sharply several
weeks ago, when removal of the em
bargo against the Importation f Ar
gentine corn was announced.
It was said thnt there was a heavy
demnnd in foreign countries for some
of the grain now placed on tho free
list and particularly for rye;
Removal of the restrictions on bar
leys opens tho way for the disposal of
ho -100.0(H) Oms surplus of barley
now held by California, growers.
Gas Regiments Suffered Heavily.
New York, Fob. -I.--The White Star
liner Celtic, which . arrived Sunday
brought 4,114 American ollicers and
men from overseas. On board the C'el-
tie was the entire personnel of tit
i ir.si. l-ms n-giiuciii
the' only offt-tish"-
gas troops employed by thu American
expeditionary forces. The remainder
of the passenger list was made up of
casuals from all parts of (ho country.
Major John B. Gnrlock o("SnnFran-
clsco, commander of the gas regimenr.
declared that the regiment fought suc
cessively on every Ameriean front, suf
fered casualties of half Its enlisted
strength of l..r00 men and returned
with eight of its members wearing the
Croix do Guerre, twenty wearing tlw
distinguished service cross and twehe
of its ollicers recommended for dis
tinguished service medals.
Allies In Russia Face Peril.
Washington, 1. C.. Feb. 4. The sit
uation In the Archunged district is re
garded by military otllcers. in northern
Russia a exxtreinely critical. Reports
that the bolshevlkl forces' were uslnv.
gas shells was taken hero by .some of
ficers to mean that this equipment had
.been supplied through German sourcov
i.otwlthstnndlng the terms of the nr
niNtlce, and if this we established as
a fact it uis Intimated that drastic ac
tion ngnlnst the Germans would l
token by Marshal Foch.
Available figures obtained by a-
department officials show that the
British force In the region of tin
north Is approximately d.000; Amor,
can, i..0(l; French, 1.500; loyal Rus
sians, under British ollicers, l.'JOO. nnd
there are 1,000 other soldiers of one o
the smaller allied countries.
U. S. Labor Head Won't Meet Enemy.
Purls. Feb. I. The American Feder-
atloii of Labor delegation, headed by
Siiinu'jl Campers, supported the Bel
plan socialists and trade unionKi
who refused to meet the Germans m
either the socialist or trade union run-
.resses tit Berne.
Many Killed In Petrograd.
Stockholm, Feb. I. Petrograd has
been bombarded by Kronstndt arlil
lory and many people hnvo been
killed, according to travelers who an
quoted to tills effect by tho Finnish
papers.
Food to Belgians By Airplane.
London, Feb. -I.- The government
litis ulloted n squadron of military ait
planes to convey foodstuirs to Bel
glum for the relief of the population.
Retaliatory Measures Unlikely.
Washington, D. ('.. Feb. 4. The war
trado board will not take retaliatory
measures on account of Import re
strictions promulgated by the British
government. This statement was au
thorized by a nii-mbcr of Hie bnaril.