Nebraska Newspapers

    O'NEILL FRONTIER
D. H. CRONIN _
O'NEILL, NEBRASKA
London has Just been testing a 'Tool
■roof’ railway of Australian design. Two
locomotives were placed on ths aamo
track at widely separate points and
started toward one another, the engin
•rar retaining their seats with confi
dence. Just as It began to look as
though a collision were Imminent, alarm
whistles shrilled. In both engines the
steam was shut off and the brakes ap
plied, without either engineer putting a
hand to whistle cord or lever. The en
gines came to a dead atop, with a com
fortable space between them. The new
system keeps engines In continuous
communication With signal stations. If
a tratk Is broken or displaced, or a set
of potvts wrongly directed, It brings the
train to a standstill a short distance
In front of the danger point. It pre
vents the train from taking a curve at
h speed higher than that consistent with
safety, without reference to anything
the driver might attempt to do in the
matter. How it Is accomplished Is a
oacret, but the baslo principle Is said te
be "electrical sympathy" between the
locomotive and the rails.
Prince William at Sweden, returning
from the Jungles of Africa with a reo
ord of having killed a Hon with his
naked hands, Is likely to be the most
socially sought after men of the ap
proaching Rlvlerta season. Prince Wil
liam left his main column with three
companions and went on a hunt for
antelope. He had shot one and was
hastening toward It when a lion sprang
at him from cover, Its first stroke knock*
lng his rifle from his grasp. The prlnea,
oeelng flight was Impossible, dodged tho
second spring and managed to sink his
Ungers into the animal’s eyes, blinding
It Evading the lashing of the brute’s
psws, he drew hts hunting knife and
stabbed t through the neck, reaching, a
vital spot. When his terrified assist
ants ran up the lion was dead.
A cable to the New Tork World says a
contest Is on for the possession of Prince
Charles, grandson of the ex-kalser, son
of the late Joaahlm. A Hohenzollern
family council gave the child to Prince
Bltel Frederick. The child’s mother,
however, appealed to the republican
courts on the theory that a-Hohenzol
Frltx refused to obey the mandate of the
courts o nthe yieory that a Hohenzol
lem council possessed a higher right.
But the court has ordered him to yield
Charles Francis, who Is 5 years old, to
his mother, since, having heeded the
family’s request not to divorce Joachim,
she is held to retain all her rights as a
wife.
The American mining congress was
told that this country must, look to Its
■hale oil resources Immediately or face
an Inevitable lack of fuel oil. But de
posits of shale rock from which crude
oil may be distilled are sufficient in
Kentucky alone to provide fuel for the
nation’s needs for the next 150 years,
the congress was told. The same is true
In Colorado and other states. Bhala oil
can be produced much below the pres
ent coat of producing crude oil from
wells.
If a strike descends upon the nation:
New York already has 2,600 motor
trucks mobilized for service; Chicago
packing plants will close within throe
weeks, throwing 75,000 men out of work.
•» Baltimore will establish truck lines be
tween Philadelphia and New York:
Omaha vtll seise food stores and or
ganize motor truck trains through tlit
farm country; and Pittsburgh will fol
low New York In seizing food and fuel
supplies, It Is announced In these re
spcctlva cities.
A cable to the Milwaukee Journal say*
that big business of Germany has com«
forward with a scheme for reorgantzlni
Germany. It asserts that the state li
bankrupt, and all state functions ar<
operating at a ruinous deficit, and tha<
private enterprise alone can save tht
country from complete disaster. There
fore It calls upon the state to sell U
private companies control of the rail
roads, telegraph and telephone, to re
nounce paternalism and leave every
thing to private enterprise.
According to their report, the 20 or
more Institutions and Industries, owner
and operated by Vollva us general over
seer of the Church of Zion, did a busi
ness for the fiscal year ending June 31.
1921. of 33,106,015.84. The chief of tht
Industries are a baking plant, an apron
and hankerchlef factory, a candy fac
tory, and a printing plant. Since Jul}
14 of this year the Zion realty depart
ment has s6!d 620 lots.
A correspondent writes that Ameri
cans are the favorite foreigners In Kus
sis, chiefly because of their coming to
the aid of the famine sufferers. “Amcrt
earisky correspondensky" will open most
any door, it Is said. The hated outsid
ers are the French.
Government experts say that a long
skirt fashion would bring about 350.000.000
extra dollars Into circulation, through
the scrapping of old suits, the buying of
old suits, the buying of more cloth, and
the employing of more workers. Also,
the new suits would cost more.
Because he failed, recently, In his ef
fort to sell his 3500,000 California ranch
at auction, when he offered it at a sac
rifice to use the proceeds for the bene
fit of his native land, Mr. Paderewski Is
reported to have determined to return
to the concert stage to falsa Ike money
The women who raised tl>« money to
give Mme. Curie a grain of radium ex
ceeded their goal by 360,000. Another
fund of 360,000 1s In process of collection.
These funds, combined, are to provide
her with an adequate laboratory equip
ment and a life Income wf.h which to
carry on her researches.
A Berlin cable to the Chicago Dally
News quotes a Berlin nowspaperq as
saying: "The United Rtates may ^e
dry and the rest of the world may go
dry. but Bavaria will Btay wet forever.”
More than 6,000,000 quart glasses of beer
were consumed In two weeks at the
Munich festival, It reports.
Three Buropean cities have a lower
death rate than that of New York city,
which Is 12.93 per 1,000. They are Am
sterdam, 11.07; Birmingham, 12.54, and
London, 12.65.
Chicago Is planning the biggest hotel
In the world. It will have 4,000 rooms. In
cluding 400 '•kitchenettes" for those de
alring to cook their own meals. Ths
cost Is estimated at 315,000,000
New York city's commissioner of
health has selected 60 of the city’s
fattest women wliom he hopes to reduce
300 pounds la four weeks, by diet and
exercise.
Distinguished honors and medals of
the world war were won by ISO Americas
Indians from Belgium, France and the
United States
A convention was held In London re
cently of men and women who have ab
stained from the use of Intoxicants for
more than <0 years.
A Wisconsin mathematician figures
living costs In that state have declined
M0 per cent, since the peak of 1910, but
fonts have mounted.
Several of the wives of the Japanese
delegation to the limitation conference
donned European costume In Bon
Vfcanclace tMt week for the first Uma
COUNTY ENGINEER
HELD FOR TRIAL
Indicted on Charge of Embez
zling Public Funds—He Is
Charged With Retain
ing Fees Illegally.
Lincoln, Neb., Nov. 8.—County En -
gineer J. I*'. Keif, of Richardson coun
ty, has been indicted by a grand Jury
at Falls City on a charge of embez
zling public funds, according to in
formation received at the state engi
neer's office Saturday. The specify
charge against Relf Is that he retained
$72B of teen received for making pri
vate surveys and drainage district
work. Relf has been arrested and
given bond.
A petition signed by a number of
taxpayers in Richardson county, ask
ing thut Relf be compelled to return
$1 ,080 which he and his wife are al- I
leged to have drawn over and above
his salary- of $2,400 a year, has been
filed with the county board and will
be considered by it next Tuesday.
—4—
WOULD SHOOT MAN WHOSE
TRUCK KILLED BROTHER
Fren-ifont, Neb., Nov. 8. — Oraydon
Cottrell, aged 11, was instantly killed
here when a heavy car, driven by
James Fowler, ran over him, in the
main business section of the city.
Fowler Is a son of Frank Fowler,
former president of the Nye, Schnei
der, Fowler grain corporation. Tho
lad dashed from between two cars in
a parking. Thomas Cottrell, a broth
er of the dead boy, became crazed
when told of the tragedy and secured
a gun with the intention of killing
Fowler, who had taken his victim to
a hospital. Cottrell fought off. four
policemen and Jumped into a car to
go to the hospital. He yvas finally
overpowered by an officer.
—f
THREE GIRLS INJURED
IN AUTO COLLISION
Wayne, Neb., Nov. 8 (Special).—
An automobile accident occurred here
at an Intersection in the residence dis
trict when a truck driven by William
Fox, of the Wayne Monument works,
collided with a coupe In which were
three Laurel high school girls. Grace
Larson sustained a fractured pelvis
and a broken hip and collar bone. In
ternal injuries are feard. She is at
the Wayne hospital ns Is also Joyce
Bell, who had one of her legs broken
In two places. Tho third girl Jumped
in time to avoid serious injury, but
sustained strained leg ligaments. She
was taken to her home at Laurel.
Ill LESS
South Dakota Farmers Pay
But Half That Is Required of
Neighbors on the
North.
Pierre, S. 1)., Nov. 7 (Special).—
Since the statejpent of the hail in
surance department of n week ago
was sent out, to the effect that hull
payments in 35 counties had been
made aggregating $346,000, payments
have been made aggregating $120,
259.96, or total payments to date of
$465,609. This is about one-half of
the losses to be paid to the farmers
of South Dakota by the hail Insur
ance department and this Insurance
has "been furnished to the farmers in
nearly every instance at 35 cents per
acre for $10 of protection.
In North Dakota the department
has certified to the various county
auditors that the rate for $14) of pro
tection is 63 cents per acre on till
able land in the state. The tax on
the tillable land is equivalent- to 7
cents per acre on the land actually
farmed. It Is seen that the farmers
of North Dakota are paying 70 cents
per acre for $10 protection, which Is
twice what Is charged the same pro
tection In the South Dakota fund to
the farmers east of the river where
the claims are already paid.
OLD LOG FILLING ROTS,
SURFACE OF STREET SINKS
Dcadwood, S. D.. Nov. —For a
time tits- authorities of Deadwood were
mystified as to the cause of Main .
street sinking in the vicinity of the
court house. An investigation re
vealed that the sinking was due to the
decaying of a large number of logs
whicli were unearthed at a depth of
about six feet below the street level.
It is said tltat in the early ways of
gold mining In Deadwood gulch, when
Deadwood was one of the wildest min
ing camps In the world, a crude saw
mill occupied the site where the logs
were found, ami that the decaying
logs which caused the street to sink
were remnants of the pioneer saw
mill of Deadwood gulch. The old logs
are being removed, and the s ytre oc
cupied by them will be filled with sol
id material, so there will be no fur
ther collapse of the street at that
point.
-
FAIRFAX BEATS HERRICK.
Fan-fax, S. D., Nov. 7.—Fairfax high
school defeated Herrick at Herrick
17 to 3 in a stubbornly contested
game.
RIOTS IN MILK STRIKE.
Cleveland, Ohio, Nov. 7.- One man
tvas reported seriously injured and
more than a dozen arrests were made
Sunday as a result of rioting and
minor disorders which marked efforts
of the Telling-Belle Vernon Company
to deliver milk. Delivery of milk to
baby dispensaries by the city was in
auguaruted following the continued
refusal of the company to arbitrate
working conditions witth its 800
striking milk wagon drivers. The de
liveries were made in city owned
trucks
Nebraska Man in Custody at
Ran Francisco—Is Charged
With Borrowing From
Own Institution.
Lincoln, Neb., Nov. 6—Dr. F. P.Dwig
gins, former president of the defunct
American State bank, was arrested
Thursday night at San Francisco on
a state charge of borrowing funds
from a bank while an officer of the
bank, according to a message received
by^ State Sheriff Gus Hyevs. The
telegram stated that Dr. Dwiggins
would waive extradition.
The former bank official Is charged
in the complaint filed by County At
torney Charles E. Matson with bor
rowing $1,521.35 for his own use while
an officer of the American State bank,
In alleged violation of the .state bank
ing laws.
The failure of the American State
bank of Lincoln caused a drain of
$560,000 on the state guaranty fund.
WESLEY T. EVANS, HOTEL MAN
OF O’NEILL, DIES AT 70
O'Neill, Neb., Nov. 6 (Special).—
Wesley T. Evans, proprietor of the
Hotel Golden, of O'Neill, died Thurs
day night in his apartments in the
hotel after 10 days’ illness, preceded
by several years of failing health.
He was 70 >%ars old, a veteran hotel
man of northern and western Nebras
ka and Identified with the early de
velopment of this country, fie is sur
vived by a widow, a son and a daugh
ter. The funeral will be held Tues
day morning.
SEIZE BIG LOT OF
HIGH GRADE LIQUORS
Lincoln, Neb., T$ov. 6.—More than
100 gallons of bonded and bottled li
quor, most of which is said to have
been Imported from France, was
seized In a hayloft of a barn near
Prague, Neb., Thursday night by Fed
eral Prohibition Agent Tom Carroll
and State Sheriff Gus Hycrs. Offi
cials say this is the largest stock of
liquor confiscated In a single raid in
Nebraska In several years.
A
BIG PRAIRIE FIRE,
NEAR O’NEILL, CHECKED
O’Neill, Neb., Nov. 6 (Special).—
A prairie fire, getting away from
ranch hands on the Pitch Camp ranch,
south of O’Neill, who were burning
(ire guards, destroyed a number of
stacks of hay and burned off a sec
tion and a half of hay land before
stopped by fire fighters from O'Neill
Friday afternoon.
GREB LACKS PUNCH
TO STOP WEINERT
Pittsburgher Hits Opponent
With Everything But Gets
Little Result.
BY W. S. FARNSWORTH,
Universal Service Correspondent.
New York, Nov. 4.—Charlie Wein
ert went into tho ring against Harry
Greb at Madison Square Garden to
night with just one thought and that
was to remain 15 rounds. He accom
plished what he went after, but only
because the Pittsburgher packs as
light a punch as a man of his weight,
l(i4 pounds, ever did. Weinert is 15
pounds heavier.
Greb hit the Newark Adonis with
everything but the bucket and still
he was able to floor his man only
once. In the middle of the first round
Harry caught Charlie with a swing
ing right to the jaw and the latter
went down for a count of five. From
then on, Weinert just did his utmost
to last out the schedule.
Up to tile I4th round, Weinert land
ed but three blows, in the 14th he
"hopped" himself up to exchange with
Greb and the pair stood toe to toe 30
seconds and traded blows. Neither
had a punch that could drop a ban
tamweight, however.
In the preliminaries, Young T?ob
Fitzsimmons made a punching bag of
Fay Keiser. Fay tried to be Clevel
and as a ‘result ho stopped about a
million left hands.
In the sixth round Keiser was a
very sick man as he went to his cor
ner. The judges gave Fltz the de
cision at the bell closing the eighth.
FINAL RACE OF OMAHA
AIR MEET LATE TODAY
Omaha. Nov. 5.—Commercial air
planes of various types w#re ready to
take flight here today over a 240-mile
course to compete for cash prizes of
$6,000 in the T.arsen race, principal
event of the closing flying activities
of the National Aero Congress which
will end its first annual meeting to
night.
The course was over the same route
used by participants in the Pulitzer
trophy contest last Thursday for high
speed planes, from Omaha to Love
land. la., to Calhoun. Neb., and re
turn. Light trips around tho course
were required, each entry to carry at
least 400 pounds of dead weight load.
A point score basis was used to de
termine the winner, the amount of
gasoline consumed, time made, and
load carried, entering in the deciding
factors.
NEW TURN IN PARIS ART WAR.
1’aris, Nov. 5.-—The Paris art war
took a uw turn Friday. Painter Van
Dongen, whose portrait of "Maria Ro
cettl" was refused by the salon hang
ing committee, added ridicule to his
weapons against the committee.
Van Dongen charges every member
of the committee has written him in
dividually saying: "It was not l who
voted against your picture.” He also
threatens to publish the letters.
Van Dongen Insists the picture be
hung tn a place of honor.
Bit MUM
SCHEME SURVEYED
Gothenburg, Neb., Expects to
Become Center of Big
Sugar Beet Raising In
dustry.
Gothenburg, Neb., l*7ov. 5.—With its
preliminary survey hardly started, the
Platte valley irrigation project has
already attracted outsiders. Arthur
Bray, of Denver, was in the city re
cently conferring with local business
men on the matter of establishing
beet sugar factories here. One of
Gothenburg’s greatest possibilities in
case the big project is carried out,
is the locating of a large sugar plant
here.
The project now planned will water
an area of 100 miles In length and 15
miles wide or about 600,000 acres.
This strip of land Is between North
Platte and Kearney on both sides of
the river and will boom all towns
within its limits, especially Gothen
burg and Lexington, which are logical
centers for the beet factories.
As to financing the preliminary sur
vey, which is estimated to cost *30,
000, the government guarantees *10,
000, while the remainder is to be pro
vided by the people within the terri
tory affected. Toward this remainder,
Gothenburg has raised nearly *3,000
to date.
A dam will be constructed across
the river near North Platte with
canals leading out at both sides. At
flood season the water can be taken
through these canals and stored in
reservoirs to bo constructed at regular
Intervals alon ? the valley. Surveys
are now being made for the first of
these reservoirs northwest of Gothen
I burg.
CLAIMS HUGE SUM FOR
BREACH OF CONTRACT
Beatrice, Neb., Nov. 5. — David
Schupbach, of Columbus, assignee of
the Intermountain Lumber company,
a Colorado corporation,- has filed a
claim for $150,000 against the estate
of the late S. A. Kinney, former
resident of the Liberty vicinity, who
died recently at Greeley, Colo. The
claim is based on an alleged breach
of contract for the purchase of $1,
000,000 worth of lumber. A. F. Peter
son of Lincoln and the Community
Service company being named as oth
er parties of the second part.
According to a copy of the contract
attached to the claim, Kinney, Peter
son and the Community Service com
pany were to pay $150,000 upon pur
chase of the lumber, and the balance
upon delivery within one year from
September 13, 1919. The arrange
ment it is understood, was for the
purpose of selling lumber directly to
farmers. The Kinney estate com
prises about 900 acres of Colorado
land.
Objections to the claim of Schup
bach have been filed by Mrs. Julia
Kinney} executrix of the estate, who
alleges'that Schupbach has no valid
claim against the estate, that the
claim is nbt assignable and that the
contract was secured through false
and fraudulent representations. Hear
ing on the claim will be held Decem
ber 14.
GOOD SAMARITAN IS
SLUGGED AND ROBBED
Holdrege, Neb., Nov. 5—John Peter
son, of Minden, Neb., enroute from
Holdrege to Minden, picked up a man
iln a soldier's oVercoat about one mile
east of Funk and about half mile
farther on two men stepped out from
the side of the road and held up the
car with revolvers. The man rldiing
slugged Peterson over the head. Pet
erson was thrown out of the car into
weeds and found unconscious about
an hour later. Upon recovery he told
his story over the phone to Sheriff
Apperson of this place. Three men
took the car and were seen going east
at Axtell. Peterson recovered but the
thugs still are at large with the car.
SLEIGHT-OF-HAND MAN
IS NEARLY CHOKED
Garretson, S. D., Nov. 4.—Albert
Onstat came near choking to death
as the result of swallowing a silver
diollnr while In the act of entertain
ing a party of friends with some
sleight-of-hand stunts. One of On
stat's acts Included the mysterious
disappearance of a silver dollar. The
dollar was taken into his mouth and
became lodged far down in his throat.
Efforts of members of the party to
dislodge the coin proved unsuccessful
and he was hurried to a physician
who recovered the piece of silver after
sonsiderable work, an operation on
the throat being necessary to remove
the coin.
—A—
NOMINATED FOR JUDGE
IN EIGHTH CIRCUIT
Washington, Nov. 4.—dominations
sent to the Senate Tuesday by Presi
dent Harding included Robert E. Lew
is, of Denver, to be United States
circuit Judge for the Eighth circuit,
and Leslie Jensen, of Hot Springs, S.
D., to be collector of internal revenue
for the South Dakota district.
SAN FRANCISCO, CAL.—The
largest seizure of alleged illicit beer
yet made in this section, 3,500 quarts
of home brew, was made at a soft
drink establishment Thursday. Jo
seph Kelly, owner of the place, was
arrested.
♦ TODAY IN CONGRESS. *
Senate.
Continues consideration of tax bill.
House.
Appropriations committee considers
resolution relating to unexpended bal
ances on appropriations.
Committee on interstate and for
eign commerce considers maternity
bill.
LONDON reports a transaction In
Insurance against the outbreak
of war between the United States
and Japan on or before December 31,
1922. The charges for the insurance
were at the odds of 19 to one against
the war. But the surprising fact is
that anyone should feel the need of
Insurance against such a war.
Americans should wake up to the
fact that throughout the continent,
especially in Germany and France,
with a certain clique it is taken as a
foregone conclusion that America and
Japan will fight, and fight soon.
These chauvinists are doing every
thing they can to bring about this war.
Japan and "America were the only
two participants in the world war
that came out financial winners. A
war between these two is justified
by continental militarists on the
ground that it would enable their na
tions to recoup some of their losses
in the last war, through furnishing
supplies and credit to one or both
belligerents.
China would be the bone of con
tention. America stands for the
"open door.” Japan is supposed to be
against opening the door too wide.
The latter already is establish**! firm
ly in parts of China, as are tno Brit
ish. American capital is edging in.
The Chinese hate the Japanese, and
are egged on in their resistance to
penetration by Japan by Americans
in China. According to Erich von
Salzmann, writing in the Vossiche
Zeitung, religious representatives
from America have done their propa
ganda work so thoroughly that
"America's masters of finance in New
York have only to press a button to
explode a mine to China.”
The story Herr Salzmann tells
should be an eye-opener to American
readers. If he is right, and what he
says is supported by evidence from
other quarters, missionaries concern
themselves as much with the politics
of the far east as they do witn the
souls of the "heathen.”
Herr Salzmann’ account of what is
going on in North China throws an
interesting light on the problem which
is soon to come up before the dis
armament conference. The future of
China is the knottiest question in the
agenda. It may help us to be more
tolerant if we understand that we are
not without guilt in creating ill feel
ing in China. A smug nationalism, a
"holier than thou” attltudo toward
foreign nations, breeds a patronizing
air that is most irritating. It is as
dangerous to peace as blatant jingo
ism. '
If the conference is to produce last
ing benefits, in short if war with
Japan is to be avoided, we will have
to do our part in dispersing the fog
of mutual distrust that we have
helped to create in China.
Herr Salzmann says, in part:
Tslngtau presents a most compli
cated problem—a problem involved
with the Shantung controversy, which
originated in the secret treaty be
tween England, France, and Italy on
the one side and Japan on the other.
Under the Versailles treaty Japan ac
quires all Germany’s rights in Shan
tung. Tokyo construes those rights,
both legally and economically, with a
liberality most advantageous to it
self, Baron Inouye, chief of the in
formation service at the Tokyo for
eign office, General Hikida, chief of
the Japanese general staff in Shan
tung, and Irisawa, head of the civil
administration at Tsingtau, all told
me that Japan hqd tried repeatedly to
negotiate directly with China, and had p
offered to evacuate Shantung in order,
to settle this troublesome question, i
They said that the Chinese authorl- ■
ties refused to negotiate directly with
them, insisting instead that the.whole
matter be referred to the League of
Nations.
I am not in a position to say how
far this Japanese official version con
forms with the facts. However that
may be, no progress is being made
toward a settlement.' At any mom
ent this dispute may create a crisis
that will lead to >var. America keeps
the pot boiling through the Y. M. C.
A., which exerts a powerful influence
among the Chinese students. This
organization busies itself extensively
hero with political propaganda, and
mighty little with Christianity.
So America has machinery for set
ting public opinion In China ablaze
whenever she wishes. America’s
masters of finance in New York have
only to press a button to explode a
mine in China. Every young educated
Chinaman is completely under tho in
fluence of America's teaching. Gen
| eral Hikida, a wise, cool-headed, dis
tinguished gentleman, told me that on
the ninth of May, which is observed in
China as a day of national humilia
tion, because the country was forced
by Japan to subscribe to the Twenty
one Points on that date six years ago,
American missionaries in Macim dis
tributed handbills and organized pub
lic processions, calling upon the peo
ple to drive every Japanese—and
every Englishman also—out of the
country. Responsibility for the truth
of this statement rests with Generul
Hikida; but it is typical of the sort
of thing one constantly hears in
China.
Japan is already beginning to har
vest the bitter fruits of her arbi
trary policy toward China; a policy
which it is too late to reverse; The
commercial and Industrial connec
tions which Japan has established in
Shantung will continue only so long
as they are supported by her cannon
and bayonets. The world war has"
taught us how fugitive such conquests
are. Consequently, the Japanese are
more earnestly seeking some better
method, which will let them co-operate
on a friendly footing with the Chinese.
I But though every Japanese with
I whom I have conversed eagerly
wishes a wiser policy one thing stands
in the way: the Japanese soldateska
in Shantung will tolerate no interfer
ence with its privileges.
Japanese guards are stationed ev
erywhere along the Shantung railway.
Chinese guards are posted immedi
ately outside the railway property.
Does that look like budding friend
ship? The Chinese and Japanese
have not yet come together for direct
negotiations, nor do they show any in
dication of doing so. The reassuring
reports that are Issued from time to
time are merely conventional seda
tives for public opinion, dosed out In
the hope of preventing Shantung
from becoming another Alsace-Lor
raine.
Shantung’s economic development
cannot be separated psychologically
from its military and political control.
A11 three are inseparably associated.
There is no way of escape from the
quandary thus created. A man needs
to reside in Tsingtau only a day of
two to see perfectly well that, what
ever the Japanese profess, they intend
to remafei there. They have already
invested so much money in the coun
try, and have committed themselves
to so many things there, that holding
Tsingtau is no longer a mere ques
tion of prestige, but a matter of very
concrete material importance. Were
the government to withdraw from aL
the undertakings which it has or
ganized at great expense in the Tsing
tau protectorate and in Shantung for
definite propaganda purposes, not a
single Japanese subject would be able
to make a living in this part of Chino.
The Chinese common people mean
while are comparatively apathetic
with regard to political questions.
They take Japanese money today as
readily as they took German money
formerly. Coolies and peasants with
whom I talked said to me quite na
turally, without the slightest show of
political feeling: ‘The Germans wer#
fine people. We wish they would all
come back. But the Japanese are < "
very good people, and spend lots of
money.’
And that is the truth. Since th®
Japanese took over Tsingtau, they
have spent money as lavishly as w®
did when we were making this naval
base. All this has given the Chines*
much employment. Land speculation,
which the German government wisely
kept in check by skilful system of
land control, is now running wild.
The peasants are making fortunes T"
selling their farms. Speculators are
erecting whole new suburbs. Coolies
are earning high wages in the brick
yards; masons, carpenters, pipe
fitters, street laborers, glaziers, in
short, mechanics of every kind, hav®
been employed regularly at higher
wages than they ever knew before.
That has kept the local population io '
good humor. Money has been plen
tiful, and one sees the result.
The Japanese government has been
very careful to preserve the German
-appearance of the city. The streets
are as faultle'ssly clean as they wer®
under German rule. I did not see a
single dilapidated building. Th®
wharves and harbor works are in ex
cellent condition, and have been ex
tended. There has been such an ex
traordinary amount of building that
not only are all the vacant places in
the old city occupied by new struc
tures, but a whole new Japanese man
ufacturing and residential city has
sprung up In the suburbs.
I This has been paid for with govern
ment money, and with the money of
i great war profiteers diverted in this
direction by government influence.
Consequently the whole thing is arti
ficial. There is no spontaneous pur
pose in this development. Tsingtau
is today a Japanese luxury colony,
with a tributary back country under
military occupation. Japan will nev
er win the markets and commercial
supremacy so eagerly desired by these
.methods. Economic conquests demand
poaoe, security', and confidence, which
do not now exist.
On all sides are soldiers in khaki,
with fixed bayonets. If . the mere
prevalence of armed troops every
where and on all occasions betokened
militarism, peaceful China would seem
to^ay the most militarist country in
tire world. At least 1,500,000 men in
that country wear uniforms and carry
rifles. They are evidence of the dis
orders into which the country has
been thrown by the usurping policy
of England and Japan, and the con
stant agitation of the Yankees. The
land is suffering bitterly from these
disorders. As I write, an important
Interior city has just been pillaged
and thousands of its citizens slaugh
tered. No one knows who received
the booty. But* the responsibility for
this atrocity eventuall rests upon
foreigners—particularly English and
Japanese—for they have undermined
and virtually destroyed the authority
of the native government. Those two
powers consciously sow anarchy in or
der to reap a harvest from Its crop. *
Operation of what is believed to be
the largest electrical sign in existence
has Just commenced. The sign, shaped
lilte a star, measuring a quarter of a mile
from point to point, serves as a guide
for the cross-Channel air pilots in land
ing at night. The lights are sunk in a
groove covered with heavy glass, level
with the ground, so that the planes can
I taxi right across them in landing. The
lighting is so arranged that a huge "L"
may be displayed to indicate the direc
, tkm of the w ind.
Ou/ of the BT'set potato crop this year,
‘ Georgia ramies, will realise at least
tO.OOO.l'OO.
f
Because the French army was not
equipped at the oatset of the war with
the protective devices that the Ameri
cans used, France has 2.3U0 veterans who
are totally blind. Of these, scarcely 100
i have enough to live on. The 3,000 francs
a year the government allow* them to
live on is entirely Inadequate. Blind- ra
ness is not classed as "severely wound
ed" In France.
Flans are being made by a syndicate
of capitalists to attempt the domestica
tion of deer and elk op a logged off
Island In Puget Sound for the sake of
their meat.