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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (March 9, 1920)
TlIE NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE. BelgkmSketches In Government Service By Katharine Eggleston Roberts (Copyright, 1920, Western Newtpaper Union) The striped cat sat on a broken stone In an old Flanders battlefield. She fluffed her tall and glared across her whiskers at Blbl. the pup. "Every body's nhvays talking about n 'dog's life,' as though It were the hnrtlest In the world. Huh I I wonder how they'd like to be a government cat out here In this devastated country. The rest of you animals don't have any thing to do except sit around." The gloomy dog didn't attempt to answer. Ills drooping eyes stared down the street of newly built huts. "Oh, stop It, Mlnu; you're always fussing." Slskn, the goat, wrinkled her nose In disgust. "Why do you suppose the government gives all of us animals to theso people who've come back to rebuild Dlxmude and other places If we nren't good for something?" "It's all very well for you to talk, Slskn. There's no effort In merely giving milk; and as for Bib!, all he does Is bark If he hears a stranger coming at night." Blbl got up and turned nround n few times and dropped down on another spot. lis was tired of being respon sible for everyone's safety, but he didn't feel like arguing about It. "When I was drafted," continued Minn after a pause, "my mother said: 'MIna, It's a tine thing to serve your country, but I hate to see you going to live In those awful places.' Even then she thought I'd get a little milk once In a while. Hut no! No I" Minn S.l HI ?1 mm fiiTrffiBu JL P Hill m fmm cioats Reconstruction Animals Read y for Great Task. grow oratorical. "Slska gives all her milk to the people. There's none for n poor, hard-working cat. Hard-work-Ing that's It I I'm overworked. Do they expect me to catch all tho rats and mice In Belgium? These shell holes are full of them. Talk about their underground tunnels. I don't know which has mnde the most of them, tho rats or the Germans. And tho homes they've made In those dead trees! I mean the rats. I tell you I'm Just worn out, working night and day." "Well, at least you can cat them. You don't hnve to live on what little food people can give you, as we do," Blbl finally spoke. "You're not always hungry." - "Eat them !" Mina snarled. "They are all I get to eat. I'm sick and tired of mice and such poor quality, too. Ugh! You've no Idea." "Yes, yes. I know. It's the same with what little grass I find. It's rank nud weedy. The best kind grows on the edge of the shell pits, but even a . Where He Used to Live. goat has trouble to keep from slip ping over the brink Into the water. The ground Is so loose around here. I wish they would raise some vegeta bles, but with all this Iron cluttering tho mrth, I guess lt8 Impossible. How I would love n good cabbage ! As for work you talk about working ! Don't you know Tin supposed to help clean up the place, ns well as give milk? Ilnck home I used to ho uwfully fond of shirts and shoes, Hut I simply can't make myself uwalldw those I find otft here." "Now d6n't go gottlug morbid. You always get morbid. As'If things aren't 'bud enough without taiklhgnbout them all the time. Have 'you "seen theisevv pigs that came yesterday?" Blbl be gan a new conversation. "No; how many?" "Five." "I wish they'd send more goats,'' moaned Slskn miserably. "I'm lone ly. There's no society nt nil. It's hard on a well-born gont." "Well, I like thatl" Minn's strlpoi stood but. "I'll tell you, I'm not used to nssoclatlng with goats. I hope the next obus you nibble Is loaded. Cer tnlnly " "Now, Minn, you know I didn't menn that. I'm really fond of you and Blbl ; but n goat's different, that's all. Ther are certain things peculiar to n goat " "Thank heaven, yes," Interrupted Minn. "Ob, let Slska finish what she's say ing." "Well, ns I was saying, I hnve Ideas and desires with which vou hnve no sympathy, because those things hold no Interest for you. Now another goat would tmderstnnd my attitude townrd those red flags that mark tho ammunition piles. There's an Irresisti ble fnsclnntlon In them " "I heard the captnln of the camp over there say thnt tho next time you ate one, and left the explosives un marked, ho was going to feed you a grenade," Blbl warned. "That's just It no one understands a goat. I'm homesick." Slska bowed her head. "Poor old Slska ; so am I," Blbl con fessed, the tears running down his long brown nose. "Oh, well, I guess that's why I'm grouchy. I simply can't forget my home, and be content." Mlna blinked. "I henrd Jan Str'uyf say that's why he came back here. It's where he used to live. His homo was down there where tho old tank stands." "Uh-huh, I know. He's clearing up tho place to build again. Imagine be ing homesick for this scrambled land !" Slska wagged her beard from side to side. "Still they're all alike," Blbl went on. "They work from dawn till night, and we reconstruction animals were sent here to help. I suppose wo shouldn't fuss. Wasn't It some old Greek who said, 'The world Is only my Idea.' If that's the case" "He's getting philosophical; I'm go ing to leave." MIna stretched her long, slim body. "Oh, look!" Tho Joy of living re turned to Siska's eyes. She flirted her short tail and ran. "It's a nice new red flag I" "Do you know," observed Mlna to the pup, "sometimes I think that Sls ka must be Russian." GRAVE HUNTERS STILL BUSY Gangs of Searchers Wander About In Quest of Overlooked Bodies of Fallen Heroes. Ypres Is today as she was In 1018. To the east, south and north stretches an ugly, shell-chopped lifeless terrain, where gangs of "body snatchers" (the Tommys' name for grave hunters) are still wandering. Now and then, in some out-of-the-way, grass-sfuffed crater they still find a weather-soaked uniform, grny or khaki, with a human .keleton Inside it. They gather the bones together In a sack and enrry them back to headquarters. Or, they find a forgotten grave, prob ably marked by a little rain-blackened wooden cross. The battle area Is dot ted with these crosses the only epi taph, on some being a rusty trench hel met. The "body snatchers' " job Is to dig up the bodies, put them in sacks, too, and bring them away for reburlal. "Wrecked tanks, wagons, trucks, am munition dumps, pill boxes arc scat tered Up to the horizon. Four miles down the Menln road from Ypres many British tanks He In one field, called the "tank cemetery." Shortage of American Leather. There Is much complnlnt on the pnrt of Belglun shoe manufacturers because of the recent heavy purchases from abroad. At the same time local manu facturers are greatly handicapped be cause of a shortnge of all materials, particularly of American leather. With a view of ameliorating the situation tho Syndicate of Shoe Manufacturers of Belgium has taken up with the gov ernment tho question of producing n national standard shoe at n stnndard price. It Is thought thnt In this way the homo manufacturer may be able to produce an article to sell at not more than 50 francs, thus fulfilling an urgent public demand and nt the same time stimulating and'tfrotectlng the na 'tionul industry. FEDERAL, STATE AND COUNTY AGENCIES ASSIST CATTLE GROWERS IN MARKETING Selling Surp'us Animals From a Herd o'f Purebrcds Under Favorablo Circumstances Listing Purebred Stock With County Agents Puts the Owner In Touch With Many Buyers. (Prepared by the United States Depart ment or Agriculture.) Yes, raising of purebreds Is nil right for tho fellow who has lots of them, but how are tho chaps who have only u few animals to sell going to get rid of them? Tho big fellows have rep utations, and know the big buyers per sonally, but "farmers like me who have a small surplus of purebreds for sulo are often up against It." This Is substantially what William Brown told his county agent one after noon while discussing dllllcultics he ex perienced In getting n fair price for a few of his fine Herefords. Fortunately the County agent was able to tell him of a marketing service designed to make the selling of purebred animals easier for the large and small breeders alike. Tho agent showed Brown thnt the United Stntcs department of agri culture, In co-operation with the state agricultural colleges, county agents, and local co-operative associations, hns undertaken the task of Introducing breeders buyers and sellers to each other. And the Introductions are not confined to stockmen In the snme coun ty or state. Listing Purebreds In Counties. Alrendy In a number of counties the location, age, number and breed of purebreds Is tabulated and placed on file In the olllce of the county agent. In some cases monthly reports are pre pared, showing tho number of nnlmnls tor sale and these are published by die state agents in marketing. An essential to the plan Is the co-operation of breeders within the county. Usually the farm bureau or county agent's office is the headquarters for the local co-operative association and the county ngent acts as Its secretary. Thus a working unit is formed which -an be rendily fitted Into the state and nitional system of listing all purebred mimals. Many a farmer living in u lommunity where such Information hns not been collected is unaware of persons within a comparatively short radius of his farm who are engaged '.n raising purebred stock. Tho state field agents of the bu reau of mnrkcts, co-operating with the nnlnml husbandman of the statu col lege, are n second Importnnt factor In the general plan. They aim to nsslst buyers either Inside or outside the tnte. They also aid county ngents in finding animals for club members and arrnnge trips for out-of-town buyers, ESSENTIALS LISTED FOR STOCK RAISERS Means Outlined for Bringing Down High Cost of Meat. Specialists of United States Depart ment of Agriculture Give Some of Most Essential Items in Raising Cattle. Genernl Improvement In the type and quality of beef animals the country over Is one of tho means urged by the United States department of agricul ture for bringing down the high cost of ment to the consumer nnd, at the Bnme time, Increasing the profit of the producer. Some of the most essential Items In growing beef on tho farm, specialists of the department say, are: Plenty of pasture and feed. The right kind of cows those thnt will produce good calves regularly. A good, purebred registered bull one thnt will sire good calves persist ently. A largo cnlf crop. This means that ull cows shall drop calves, and that ihe calves shall bo properly cared for ut birth. Proper care of the breeding herd and the calves. Selection of good heifer calves to replace old or Inferior cows. Prevention of dlsenso nmong the breeding herd and tho youngw stock. Shelter sufficient to protect the cat tle from both severo cold and ex tremely hot weather. A practical knowledge of fattening enttle for mnrket. Marketing to ndvnntnge. There Ib a Farmers' Bulletin, No. 1073, on growing beef on the farm imt nmv bo hud free on application to the division of publications, United States department of agriculture. that they may examine n Inrge number of Hiilninls nt the least expense. The benefit of this system Is enjoyed by breeders, lnrge and smnll, nnd will In crease as a larger number of county and community organizations ally themselves with It. A Near-By Market Overlooked. A Florida stockman desiring to pur chase some Herefords, after making what he considered nn ndoquato In quiry Indicated his desire to buy a carload of these cattle In central Mon tanii, 2,500 miles nwny! Later he found from Information supplied by the burenu of murkcts ho could secure cattle sired by an lnternntionnl grand chnmplon bull within ISO miles of his home. Purchnse of nnlmnls from the latter herd would hnve meit'it not only n great saving In freight, but acquir ing cuttle more acclimated to the South. Furthermore, the risk Involved in transportation would hnve been con siderably less. With the aid of tho dnta regarding purebreds and it is being added to continually tho burenu of markets Is able to give valuable assistance to prospective foreign, as well as do mestic buyers, of purebred animals. This branch of tho United Slates de partment of agriculture recently dem onstrated tho vnluo of Its Information by aiding a group of South Americans In locating herds in various parts of the country, and also in arranging for tho exportation of the cattle pur chased. Not the least valuable fen turo of their assistance was due to thofnet that the bureau represent!! tlvos understood the methods of South American marketing as well as those of this country. More Associations Should Help. While In many counties co-opcrntlvo breeders' associations are nlready ac tively sharing In compiling data re garding tho location of purebred an! mills, muoh remains to be done. Coun ty live stock associations are urged to keep definite, up-to-date Information on file and to Inform the state field agents In marketing and, through them, the Washington olllce of the bureau of mnrkcts, United Stntes department of agriculture, of this fact. In this way they will render a much-needed serv ice to their members, to the live stock Industry ns n whole, nnd to foreign buyers who come to this country for purebreds to Improve their herds. WEANING FALL-BORN CALVES Young Animals Should Be Taken From the Mothers After Being Placed on Pasture In Spring. Fnll-born calves should be weaned after they have been placed on pasture In the spring, and then a gradually In creasing allowance of grain should ,ho given them, with hay and silage added later In the summer, according to tho United States department of ngrlciil ture. For baby beef they should go Into dry lot for finishing at the end of the pasture season, and be ready to market In December or January. CROWS ARE SERIOUS MENACE Green Poisoned Almonds Found Be Satisfactory Bait for Ex termination of Birds. to In Klickltnt county. Wash., wheni crows have been a serious menace to the almond crop, green almonds poi soned with strychnine were found to bo n most satisfactory bnlt In exter minating tho birds, by a representu tlve of the biological survey In that section. The hog Is the most Important ani mal to raise for meat and money. Straw for hog bedding In the winter Is the best thing a man can have on the farm. Straw stneks nfford n good bedding material nnd this is a use for them far more profitable than burning. w .. . . ... i.uKiimu nays contain a high per cent of lime and protein which makes , them especially vnl'inble in the owo'm ration. 1 LVl JLvJ3 SWEET, OF THE NEW JSPSlM iQ'M IhJ? VIill tit I ' 1 done themselves great harm through There has come a time when these be permitted to form n part of n natlonnl progrnm In dealing with our ene mies. Support of this understanding is found In the nctlon of tho nssembly of tills stnto whose position n fow weeks ngo, in Joint pnrty declaration. resulted In the suspension of five nssemblymcm, members of tho Socialistic party, accused of acts as Individuals and In conjunction with their organiza tion which were felt to bo inimlcnl to the best Interests ot tho state and federal government." SURGEON GENERAL Dr. Hugh S. Gumming, (portrait herewith) succeeding Surgeon General Ilupert Blue, becomes head of the bu reau of public health service of the treasury department nnd not the sur geon genernl of wnr depnrtment, thnt position being filled by Mnj. Gen. M. W. Ireland. The act approved August 14, 1012, changed tho name of the public health and marlno hospital service to the public health service, uul consider ably increased its powers and func tions. The bureau of the service at Washington comprises seven divisions. Tho division of scientific research conducts tho scientific Investigations of tho service. Intensive studies of discuses of man, Including hookworm disease, malaria, pellagra, trachoma, typhoid fever, and tuberculosis, of school, mdntnl, nnd Industrial hygiene, of rural sanitation, of public health administration, of water supplies and sewage, and of coastal waters are carried on from special hendqnarters In tho field in co-operation with state and local health authorities. Through the division of marine hospitnls nnd relief professions caro Is tnken of sick and disabled seamen nt 22 mnrlne hospitnls nnd 123 other relief stations. Through the division of domestic (Interstnto) qunrnntlne Is enforced tho lnws relating to the prevention of the spread of contagious or infectious ills eases from one state or territory Into another.Tlils Includes the suppression of epidemics nnd the snnltntlon of lnterstnte carriers. JOHN BARTON PAYNE SUCCEEDS LANE dropping several hundred employees nnd saving thousands of dollnrs. John Burton Puyne, a native of Virginia, Is sixty-five years old, and hns been prominent In Chicago life for many years. lie was Judge of the superior court from 1803 to 1898, has been president of the board of south park com missioners since 1011. HOWZE CONSIDERS Conditions In Mexico were de scribed as Intolerable by Gen. Robert Lee Howzc, communder of the Hi Paso district, when he testified before tho senate subcommittee investigating the Mexican situation. Ho expressed opinion that affairs In that country had grown steadily worse in tho last ten years, and that, "left solely In tho control of the Mexicans," the future of that country was "hopeless." He said, among other things: "The intolerable conditions which have covered a period of nearly ten years have contlnunlly grown worse nnd I mil convinced the apex of shame fulness and horror ns viewed from the Amertcnn conception of Justice nnd decency wns reached Inst fnll, n con dition which still exists. "The Mexlcnn government during this ten years of critical time has never, ns far us I can determine, done one genuinely friendly thing toward our government. On the other hnnd. the Mexican government, or Its peo ple, has done no end of discourteous, contemptuous and offensive things ot large importance toward our government nnd our people. The result lias been nn Increased estrangement and uu Increased hatred, against the peo ple of tho United States." AB0WT YORK ASSEMBLY Thnddous O. Sweet, speaker of the New York nsscmbly and the man responsible for the suspension nnd "trial" of the five Soclnllst members, entered n long defense of his attitude nt n New York city public banquet. Mr. Sweet not only condemned tho Socialists nnd defended the nctlon of tho nssembly, but ho referred to t" ctl0 of Charles 10. Hughes In tlie cnrly stages 1,10 c,,s0 ns "l"ty 11,1(1 Ill-advised." Ho said there Was no room In this country lor "traitors and that ho could find no difference between the Socialist party nnd tho Communist party, and referred to the Socialists ns "these five undesirables." Ho also contended that tin? proceed ings at Albany had been misrepre sented to the people. Speaker Sweet in part said : "I have always held to the belief that the time to smash n riot Is at its inception. Americans hnve always their leniency. It Is a national falling. splendid qualifications can no longer HUGH S. CUMMING John Barton Payne of Chicago, Is doubly In the limelight or, In two spotlights. Ho Is to bo President Wil son's now secretary of tho interior, succeeding Franklin K. Lnne. Mr. Puyno hns served us chnlrmnn of the shipping hoard since Inst August, pre viously being genernl counsel of the rnllrond administration. Mr. Payne's appointment came as a surprise uud attracted more than usual attention because of the manner In which he has been brought Into the limelight In connection with tho sale of former German passenger ships. Mr. Payne said that he would, or course, accept tho appointment If con finned by the senate, but thnt ho had requested the president to nlloW him to remain where he was until tho Ger man ships were sold. He also de sired to complete the reorganization of the shipping board and Emergency Fleet corporation which was then. 1 MEXICO HOPELESS