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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 9, 1939)
Ttotyd (fifa&OHsL ADVENTURERS' CLUB HEADLINES FROM THE LIVES OF PEOPLE LIKE YOU RS ELFI “The Madman With the Bottle” Hello everybody: You know, they say troubles come singly—which is just another way of saying that Old Lady Adventure is never content with giving you just one sock on the jaw. I don’t know how true that is, but it certainly worked out that way in the case of Hattie Rohr of Chicago. Hattie’s big bout with Old Lady Adventure came in the winter of 1917. There was trouble enough in the world then, without having the old girl with the thrill bag on your neck. The war was on and the influenza epidemic was sweeping the country. Hattie, in those days, was just an eleven-year old girl, living with her mother and dad and three sisters on a farm between Clare and Dodge City, Iowa. Her name then was Hattie McLaughlin. The flu epidemic struck the McLaughlin family in Janu ary. It brought down Hattie’s dad and her three sisters, and that left Hattie and her mother to do all the chores around that big farm. It was one of those days when everything seemed to go wrong. Mother had just come from upstairs to call the doctor. Dad and the three sick girls were worse. While they were waiting for the doctor the party-line phone rang. It was the school teacher, down with the flu herself, who wanted Hattie to go to the schoolhouse and post a notice saying there would be no school that day. Already tired from her morning’s work, Hattie struggled more than a mile through the snow to post that notice. She found two small children shivering in the cold, waiting for the school to open, and took them to her home and phoned their father to come and get them. And no sooner had he come and gone with his pair of kids than Hattie heard another knock on the door. Stranger Comes In for Tea. A strange man was out front. He said he was a telephone lineman from Clare, and wanted to know if he could come in and get warm. Hattie and her mother asked him in and gave him a cup of tea to warm him up. While he was drinking his tea and eating a piece of corn G./Zc/A'/r/m “She was out of her chair and darting across the room. Reaching out quickly she grabbed the knife!" bread, Hattie and her mother went on with their work. Nothing unusual happened until he had finished eating and drinking. Then the stranger got up and walked over to the stove. It was such an unusual movement that Hattie stopped to watch him. He backed up against the stove as if to warm himself, but Hattie saw one of his hands slide into his pocket and come out holding a tiny bottle. There was a pot of beans boiling on the stove. Slowly, shielded by his body, the stranger’s hand crept up and emptied the con tents of the bottle Into the pot of beans! Her mother hadn’d seen it, but Hattie was standing in such a position that she could see every move he made. She was startled—frightened. An older person might have said nothing, for fear of precipitating trouble. That mother and child were defenseless, with dad ill in bed up stairs. But kids of Hattie's age don’t stop to think of those things. She let out a scream and then, impulsively, she darted across the room and knocked the bottle from the man's hand. Out Comes a Long, Thin-Bladed Knife. Her mother turned to see what was the matter. At the same time, the stranger reached inside his coat, pulled out a long, thin-bladed knife, and slashed Hattie across the legs. Blood began to flow from a long deep cut. Dazed at the turn affairs had taken, Hattie backed away, staring at the man. The man stood, knife in hand, staring back at Hattie. Her mother was staring at both of them. For a minute there was a deathly silence. The man made no other move—said nothing. Hattie and her mother were too frightened to speak. They began to realize the fellow was stark mad. Hattie sat down, took off a stocking and tied it about her wound. The man stood looking, first at her, then at her mother. Hr, waited until she was finished tying up her bleeding leg, and then he walked across the room to where her mother was standing, breathless and para lyzed with fright, AND RAISED THE KNIFE. And again Hattie acted impulsively. In an instant she was out of her chair and darting across the room. Reaching out quickly, she grabbed the knife! The man gave the knife a quick pull. It came out of Hattie's hand, cutting it clear to the bone at the base of the thumb. Cry ing out in pain, she grabbed at her wrist with her other hand. The madman shoved her away, and knocked her mother down. For another moment Hattie stood dazed. The man fell on her mother, sat on her chest and began choking her. And at last, a sudden change came over Hattie. Before, she hail been frightened—trembling. Now she became furious. A red mist seemed to drop before her eyes. She grabbed up a piece of wood from the pile beside the stove, raised it over her head and brought it down, as hard as she could, on the madman's head. The man rolled over and lay still. Hattie's wrist was still bleeding and her mother tied it up tightly to stop the flow. They got ropes and tied the maniac’s hands behind his back and then well—then Hattie keeled over in a dead faint. When she came to, the doctor taad been to the house. He had sewed up Hattie's wounds and she had never known a thing about it. The doc tor also took the madman back to town and turned him over to the police. They found out later that he had escaped from an institution down in the South, where he had been put for murder. And when they analyzed that pot of beans into which he had emptied that bottle, it was found that they were poisoned! •Released by Western Newspaper Union.) Maternity Death Rate Could Be Cut in Half The lives of 6,000 mothers could be saved every year by prompt and proper medical care. Dr. Phillip R. Williams, of Philadelphia, said re cently at the first American Con gress of Obstetrics and Gynacol ogy. The maternal death rate in the United States is lower than ever be fore in history, but it is still "dis gracefully high" in view of the pres ent knowledge of medical men. Dr. Williams said. The death rate of mothers de clined from 57 out of every 10,000 during 1936 to 49 out of every 10,000 in 1937. Dr. Williams pointed out, however, that this might be cut in half if physicians made use of all available knowledge and if pros pective mothers asked for med ical attention early. In addition, the lives of about half of the babies who die in childbirth or soon after might be saved by application of medical methods which are not now generally ap plied. During 1937. the last year for which statistics are available. 119,931 babies died. NATIONAL AFFAIRS Reviewed by CARTER FIELD There is talk of Roosevelt stepping out now, and seek ing re-election later... Case of Theodore Roosevelt is recalled . . . Drouth may force TV A to use steam plants .. . Lindbergh*s atti tude on Canada is finding minority support. WASHINGTON.—Not because it is necessarily true, but because the type of stories going around at any given time is always significant, one curious yam is now being told by certain old-timers in Washington seeking to draw an analogy between what Theodore the First did and what Franklin the First may do. It is told by men who, contrary to the more general opinion, be lieve that President Roosevelt will not seek renomination by the Democratic national convention next June. But they believe just as firm ly that he does in tend to run again for President, prefera bly in 1944. They point out that the anti-third term President prejudice was im Roosevelt portant to Theodore Roosevelt—that he would not take the nomination in 1908, and that he forced the nomination of a man he hand-picked, William Howard Taft. Further, they pointed out that Theo dore did seek election as President in 1912, sought the nomination again in 1916, and would in all human probability have been nominated, had he lived, in 1920. On these points there is no doubt whatever. T. R.’s fight in 1912, as the Bull Moose nominee, his battle against Charles Evans Hughes in the 1916 convention, and his back ing of Taft for the nomination in 1908 are matters of official record. As to whether he would have been nominated in 1920 there might be an argument, but there are still liv ing Republican leaders to whom one of T. R.’s bitterest enemies in 1912 and 1916, the late Sen. Boies Pen rose of Pennsylvania, conceded, just before T. R.’s death, that he would have to support the “Colonel" for the nomination in 1920. Beveridge Explained W hy T. R. Did Not Run in 1908 The story told for the first time recently in Washington is that at a dinner party, given by the late Sen. Albert J. Beveridge of Indiana, while T. R. was in Africa, the Indi ana senator, who was very close to the former President was asked why T. R. had not run in 1908. Beveridge is alleged to have an swered that the “Colonel” had be lieved the Republicans were in for a licking, but that “this fat fellow,” meaning Taft, had surprised him by getting elected! What the tellers of the story are trying to prove here is their own conviction that Franklin Roosevelt, realizing that there is a strong prej udice against a third "continuous" term for the presidency, is figuring on stepping out for four years, after which he hopes the country will be almost unanimous in wanting him back. All this has been related because the writer believes it of interest as showing what certain well-informed people think. But as this writer sees it there are several flaws in the anal ogy. One of them is what seems a stronger probability that F. D. R. does not think there would be any important danger of defeat, third term or no third term, if he ran for re-election. Assuming that he does so think, it is well known how dear to his heart is the breaking of prece dents. Further, it is scarcely to be questioned that F. D. R. believes, conscientiously and firmly, that the country would be better off tor the four years beginning in 1941 with himself at the head of the govern ment than with any other person, whether hand-picked by him or not. Drouth May Force TVA To Employ Steam Plants The severe drouth which has af fected the entire Tennessee river valley promises to produce some very embarrassing results for TVA unless there are record-breaking rains this winter. Already TVA au thorities have cut down the amount of run-off water from Norris dam to a mere fraction of that considered vital to maintain navigation on the Tennessee river. Complaints are plenty, but are not being heeded. Water in the lake held back by Norris dam is still above the 963 foot-above-sea-level figure at which the maximum efficiency can be maintained. But it is held there, even now, only by "cheating” on the navigation requirements. And even with that it is not quite being held. It has been dropping despite the cutting down of spillway water. The joker is that unless torrent al rains fall this winter Norris and other dams in the TVA system will not be able to supply enough electric power next spring to maintain their contracts without resorting to steam plants. This is complicated by the fact that several of the steam plants taken over in the recent deal by which TVA, and local authorities purchased the Tennessee properties of the Commonwealth St Southern are not as efficient as the TVA ex perts had figured. The truth seems to be that the Commonwealth St Southern, working for the last few years with an ax over its head, had not spent any money on these plants. They had not been kept in good condition, ac cording to information here, much less brought up to date. Hence while they can be operated they are not efficient. Cost of producing power at them is very high. So to be compelled to use these plants to produce enough current to carry out the TVA contracts next spring would mean, according to ex perts, that the TVA would be selling current for less than it costs to pro duce. Impossible for Layman to Know Which Side Is Right Of course this is an old charge. It was alleged by Dr. Arthur E. Morgan during the hearings before the special congressional committee which held hearings last year. But it is so complicated that it is almost impossible for a layman to know which side is right. One little ele ment. for example, is whether in terest should be charged on the government’s investment — and whether the amount of this invest ment allocated to power—as com pared with navigation and flood con trol—is adequate. It would seem from the present performance, where the channel has been lowered below the figure agreed upon in order to preserve water for power purposes, that per haps not so much ought to be charged to navigation. Summer be fore last it seemed to some engi neers that the amount of water be ing held back by the dams was dangerously high if flood prevention insurance were properly considered. At that time the water level in the lake behind Norris dam was so high that if heavy rains had fol lowed the dam would have been useless for flood prevention pur poses. So maybe the figure allocated in the cost for flood prevention was a little high. If both these are too high it seems entirely possible that considerably more of the original cost of the project should have been charged to power. But even without making any such changes in the actual cost of cur rent which these two elements would pioduce, and taking the TVA’s own estimates, there is no doubt what ever that TVA will be selling cur rent below cost next spring unless record-breaking jains come this winter. Lindbergh's Attitude on Canada Finding Support Col. Charles A. Lindbergh’s sug gestion that the United States should dominate Canada’s foreign policy, or at least that Canada’s foreign relations should conform to Pan American standards, thus severing the Dominion’s tie with Great Brit ain, struck many hearers as merely impolitic, but for a substantial minority, it has developed, it struck a responsive chord. This minority is not clear-cut as to its objectives beyond a certain point, and is very evasive ■ about how it would Colonel reach them, but it is Lindbergh important enough to merit consideration. There is passionate agreement about the first point—that Canada should not be allowed the right to drag the United States into a world war—or any war for that matter— growing out of Canada’s connection with the British empire. Hence there is general agreement—among this minority—that Canada should with draw from the British Common wealth of Nations. The same desire to have Old world ties severed goes for Jamaica, Bermuda, the British, French and Dutch Guianas, British Honduras, Martinique, Curacaco, and all the rest of the Americas which at pres ent fly European flags. None of the minority so far dis covered by this writer consider that force would be necessary to impose this. Admit Administration Has Not Been Neutral Curiously enough, nearly every one of this minority desiring to di vorce all the Americas from Euro pean ties are New Dealers, and nearly every one of them, though agreeing with the New Deal on ev erything else, disagrees violently with President Roosevelt’s foreign policies since the outbreak of the war. They will admit, with sad ness. that the administration has not been neutral—that virtually ev ery action taken by Roosevelt or this government since the war clouds began to hover has been dis tinctly pro-British and French. The much talked about 300-mile zone around the Americas is, how ever, one of the things these “Pan Americans” do no agree about. Many of them are enthusiastic about it, though agreeing that it would be a distinct help to Britain and France, and a headache for Ger many. The “Pan Americans” admit that there is a sharp division inside the administration about the whole war policy. Some of the New Dealers, they insist, are on their side. (Bell Syndicate—WNU Service.! WHO’S NEWS THIS WEEK By LEMUEL F. PARTON NEW YORK. — This department flushes a swarm of rumors about drastic changes in our naval building plans, said to have been in d < duced by new British Disasters problems of de. Bring Check on fense against Our Naval P/an*planes and »ub* marines as dis closed by British disasters. So far as we can learn, there are Impending some possible changes in personnel, and a general check and overhauling of work on new ships to date, but nothing revolutionary. It is indicated that there will be in tensive studies and training in co ordination of ships, planes and sub marines. At the highest peak of Ameri can naval construction in peace time history, Rear Admiral Al exander Hamilton Van Keuren Is made chief of the bureau of construction and repair. That puts him right In the wheel house of the navy efficiency drive, as this is the acid-testing bureau for fighting ships, and it bears the responsibility for their being sound and fit, structurally and in design. Defects have been found, and are being reme died in several 10,000-ton cruis ers. Admiral Van Keuren, a navy tech nician for 36 years, is one of the most highly rated specialists in na val construction. He smokes a drop stem pipe, carries on easily and in formally, and marshals engineering data with a precise mastery of de tail. His previous post has been that of industrial manager at the Philadelphia navy yard. He is a dependable safeguard against pitted or pithy armor plate, such as we heard of years ago. He is a native of Michigan, graduated from Annap olis in 1903. His predecessor in the bureau, Rear Admiral W. G. Du Bose, becomes commander of the new model basin at Carderock, Md. MAJ. GEN. DANIEL VAN VOOR HIS, assigned to the supreme command in the Panama Canal Zone, is an officer up from the ranks _ _ , . _ . who has been Our Gold Guard entrusted with Now Gets Canal many critically Zone to Watch signments in the past—among them the guardian ship of the bulk of the nation’s $17, 000,000,000 gold reserve, at Fort Knox, Ky. The fact of his selection is evidence of the crucial impor tance of the canal defenses, in the eyes of the high command. . From Zanesville, Ohio, he en listed in the Tenth Pennsylvania infantry in 1898 and won a com mission as second lieutenant in the Philippine insurrection. He is the army specialist in mech anized defense and attack, and just now the canal is a concen tration of swift mechanization. In the World war, he was chief of-staff at Brest, and holds the Distinguished Service medal, the Navy Cross, the Silver Star and the Legion of Honor decora tions. IN HIS new book, “The Defense of Britain,” Capt. Liddell Hart, the British military expert, says, “Our chief risk of losing a war lies in try , . , _ ing to win the Britain’s Danger war.» His gen Is in Trying to eral finding is Win, Says Hart c" supported in the style to which it has been accustomed, and observes that "War will only be ended when the power-lusting nations recognize its futility. The growing power of modern defense is bringing that prospect in sight." In his preceding book, “Europe in Arms,” published in August, 1937, he thought there was hope of ending war in the limitations of the mili tary mind. Fat-headed generals would cling to gaudy mass attack and make war so stupid and ridicu lous that anybody surviving would just forget it. But the trouble with a war expert is that you can’t bottle him up, and other nations in the past have used him as a military consultant. In the World war, a stripling Just out of Cambridge, a captain and a war correspondent, he gave the generals a lacing to the limit of the censorship, and, al though they growled menacing ly, they took him into their counsels. He invented a lot of new trick plans, including the "indirect approach" and the “ex panding torrent” system, and his reputation was well on its way before the war ended. He has scolded many of the main panjandrums of the big war, in the post-war years, apparently with public approval, judging from the sale of his books. He was a war buddy of Lawrence of Arabia and insisted that this human cryptogram knew more about war than all the generals put together. (Consolidated Features—WNU Service.) ASK ME ANOTHER A Quiz With Answers Offering Information on Various Subjects The Questions 1. What is the difference between a contest and a tournament? 2. Why did George Eliot, the English novelist and poet, not live to be an old man? 3. How many time changes from Chicago to San Francisco? 4. What is a trade dollar? 5. For what do the following abbreviations stand: Ad lib.; e.g.; i.e.; viz.? 6. Would you call a person liv ing in Rome a Roman or an Ital ian? 7. Was the “Star Spangled Ban ner” originally entitled so? 8. How many Indians are there in Alaska? The Answers 1. A contest is any battle for supremacy; a tournament usually refers to some test of athletics or card skill. 2. George Eliot was a woman. 3. Two—one to mountain time, and one to Pacific time. 4. A U. S. coin not minted since Useless Wisdom If wisdom were offered me on condition that I should keep it close and not communicate it, I would refuse the gift.—Seneca. 1885, made for trade in the Orient. 5. Ad libitum, at pleasure; ex empli gratia, for example; id est, that is; videlicet, namely. 6. “Roman” generally implies the early Roman empire. “Italian” is used. 7. The “Star-Spangled Banner,” which became the national anthem of the United States in 1931, or 117 years after its composition by Francis Scott Key, was originally entitled “Defense of Fort McHen ry.” 8. There are about 11,000 Indi ans and 19,000 Eskimos and Aleuts in Alaska. The total population of the territory is about 60,000. CLOTHESPIN' NOSE Sensational extra help for colds—with Luden’sl These famous cough drops not only help soothe throat, but release a menthol vapor— which, with every breath, helps penetrate clogged na sal passages, helps relieve “clothespin nosel” LUDEN’S St Menthol Cough Drop* the ^ [ TOBACCO THAT } EXPERTS FOUND COOLEST IN TESTS IS THE ONE I'VE | ALWAYS ROLLED FOR MJLD,TASTy WlAKIN'S' f V SMOKES! ) In recent laboratory “smoking bowl” tests, Prince Albert burned 86 DEGREES w U> UI UI IT O UI O ? than the average of the 30 other of the largest* selling brands tested—coolest of all I ES, SIR-EE—“makin’s” smokers—there’s a big tip for you here! 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