Prairieland Talk . . .
\
Harbor Concern for Future
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS. Retired, Former Frontier Editor
LINCOLN—Old Virginia is one of 13 states j
that have been listed for federal aid because of
a near nationwide drought. Nevada, New Mexico
and some of our neighboring states make up the
13.
The sun rose this morning on prairieland
shaded for a moment by clouds that have since
taken flight and the shining orb
of day takes over the march
across the blue above. Most ev
eryone harbors a look of concern
for the future while; at the same
time reveling in the delights of
bright autumn days. Maybe we
should face the possibility of a
rainless, hot wind season coming
down the highway of time when
fall and winter have folded their
tents like the Arabs and silently
6tolen away.
I stopped yesterday for a Romaine
talk with a patriarch who still Saunders
rides a bicycle and speculates some in real estate.
Maybe such perceive things hidden from other
eyes. He said it was time we were getting a jolt
through the medium of a famine year to bring
us back to sanity. But we have since heard the
rumble of thunder and been refreshed by a
shower.
* * *
A drizzle all day October 15 and the rain for
the week amounted to 1.45. But that was the
weather report for O’Neill in 1931. . . It was that
year a part of northern Holt county was included
with five counties as “relief territory” because
of a tough summer. Gov. Charles Bryan didn’t
ask Washington for a handout but called upon the
favored sections of the state to come forward with
supplies and funds; and the response was gen
erous. . . A couple of guys went to a friend’s
• home in southeast Holt one evening and after a
drinking party thought the evening was not quite
complete, so found their way to a pasture,
caught, killed and dressed a calf, took the result
back to their friend’s home and topped off the
night’s hilarity with a feed of roast veal. Next
they were in the clutches of the law at the coun
yseat. . '. In that year there were three newspa
per pages taken up with the delinquent tax list.
* * *
While we pass as a people of law and order,
there are loo many loopholes through which
. desperate criminals crawl. After a young vil
lain has admitted his guilt, why talk of court
. procedure, change from one court to another to
assure a “fair trial," get a jury together. Some
time ago I read of an individual in another
land being convicted of a crime at 4 p.m., and
at 6 p.m. he was hung.
♦ * *
A successful Thayer county farmer tells me
his corn will probably yield not more than 15
bushels to the acre. The usual yield is 60 bushels.
His wheat fields are looking well so far but some
fields in his community are showing yellow spots.
This he attributes to putting in the crop without
adequate soil preparation. The farmers, who after
plowing. the fields went over them but once with
the harrow, now have a poor showing for a crop,
while those who thoroughly worked the soil to
conserve moisture see the result in what promises
a fair crop if conditions are at all favorable. These
are the sort of farmers that need not the preach
ments of the conservation busybodies.
* * *
For printing his name Dixon the late Judge
Dickson would have held The Frontier in con
tempt of court. Most people are a little fussy
about the family name though of course can do
nothing about it if they are taken advantage of
after they are six feet underground.
Another generation is on the screen in the
peaceful village of Lynch since that night 53 years
ago when a young woman asleep in a room at the
Walters hotel was awakened to find a guy known
as Fred Brailey in bed with her. Brailey had
pulled the screen from the bedroom window, op
ened it and crawled in. The lady screamed for
help and the false impersonator of Lochinvar
threatened her with a knife. The frightened girl
redoubled her cries ’til help came when the hotel
people were aroused. Brailey made his escape but
was caught and the community just missed an
other necktie party along the Niobrara.
* * *
“We are not a law enforcement agency,” said
the superintendent of city schools in extenuation
of failure to report a criminal act on the part of
a teacher to the law enforcement agencies of the
community. That may not be the standard of
thinking in all educational circles but there is
something remarkable about such a statement
that leads one to wonder if that school man has
a warped conception of his duty not only as a
school official but as a citizen. It got to the au
thorities through the channel of the parents of
a little girl who was the victim of a depraved
supply teacher from the university.
* * *
An old boy informed me today that a
Townsend club still functions in the capital city,
holding weekly meetings. The original Town
send plan proposed a pension for all of $200 a
month with the provision that it be put in cir
culation by spending it all each month. We un
derstand club functions now involve getting to
gether each Wednesday evening to enjoy a
bowl of soup and perpetuate the program of
wishful thinking.
* * *
A soldier appeared on television the day this
was written and told the story of life’s strange
buffetings. Thirty-one years ago when he was a
9-months-old baby he was left by an unknown
individual on the steps of an orphanage in an
eastern state. His childhood was spent being shift
ed from one foster home to another until he had
known 10 of them. “I have spent 10 years in army
service. Have I any relatives in this world?” he
concluded. If he doesn’t, he should have a lot of
friends.
* * *
With about a newspaper column each week
listing the names of sick and injured, oldtimers
wonder if this generation is a bunch of weak
lings or just want to loaf for a few days in one
or more of the hospitals that have sprung up at
about every crossroad. An earlier generation
took it on the chin and went about their affairs
just the same.
* * *
The experts conclude it is not speed that
reaps a harvest of death on streets and high
ways. Somehow a car parked at the curb is
harmless.
* * *
Sound, fury, says Ike of the rumblings and
mutterings coming from that democratic conclave
in Chicago, 111. It was the expected assault of the
outs upon the ins. The soft flutter of greenbacks
at $100 a plate could be distinguished above the
noise and the partisan bigwigs probably will say
they got their money’s worth.
* » *
The critics of the agriculture department
program gloat over the victory at the polls of
the democrat in a Wisconsin congressional district
election. Where I was a kid in Wisconsin a re
publican stood about as much chance of being
elected to office as he does down there in Platte
county.
Editorial . . .
Best Guess: Benson Will Stay
Granted that Secretary of Agriculture Ezra1
,T. Benson has been on the hot seat for some time,
our best guess is he will stay in the Eisenhower
cabinet.
Benson is absorbing a lot of blame for condi
tions not necessarily belonging to him. As a mat
ter of fact, in the few short months he has been
agriculture secretary, the policies are pretty much
„ the same as those that date back to the Roosevelt
era.' Stop and analyze the situation and, we think,
you will agree.
Benson is a substantial fellow with consid
° erable good background and success, and we
question if the administration will sell him down
the river because of certain turns in the economic
picture.
There has been lots of recent speculation
that he was being asked to resign. Even last v/eek,
Nebraska’s Fourth District' Congressman A. L.
Miller sounded off with a suggestion that Benson
should quit. It has been widely rumored that
dissatisfaction with the department of agriculture
° policies is creeping into high circles in the repub
lican administration.
The president recently quashed the rumor
that Mr. Benson was resigning with a statement
that Benson retained the confidence of the ad
ministration. Mr. Benson acted to soothe farmers
and ranchers fcr* announcing that his department
would not let them suffer undue hardship.
Secretary Benson is squarely on the spot now
and he knows that if his proposed policies are
adopted by congress next year, and fail to bring
some relief to farmers and ranchers, his position
will be untenable. Not only is he faced with the
financial plight of agriculture, he is in line for a
major battle in congress in his efforts to reorgan
ize the government’s farm program.
• A congressional agriculture subcommittee
took a whirl through the midlands last week and
is returning to Washington with the unanimous
word that “props” should stay on farm commodi
ties. This is a good vote-getting approach, anyway.
But how often around these parts we hear that
government “props” and controls should go! Un
fortunately, the fall of 1953 finds Mr. Benson in
the middle of a long-in-the-making conflict that
will have to be worked out.
It might also be said that Mr. Benson is
caught in an economic trap sprung several years
late. After all, besides killing 30 thousand of our
finest young men, the dismal and empty Korean
war buoyed the economy for several years, and
it’s possible the day of economic reckoning final
ly has arrived.
Mr. Eisenhower wasn’t our GOP choice for
the presidency and therefore Mr. Benson doesn’t
have to be defended in these quarters. But we’ll
string along with him. We believe Mr. Benson to
be an intelligent, honest, conscientous fellow try
ing to do a job.
Ammo Fire Has Repercussions
• , Nebraska’s weekly press picked up the hue
snd cry against motor ammunition carriers fol
lowing the Boys Town accident, fire and ex
plosion in which three persons died.
The Wahoo Newspaper promptly reported
that the Saunders county board of supervisors
ordered Watson Bros. Transportation Co., and the
•..— . - —
Buckingham Transportation Co., to stop parking
loaded ammo trailers in areas near schools.
The Dakota County Star (South Sioux City)
carried a story on the top half of its front page
relating that State Sen. Hal Bridenbaugh of Da
kota City warned the legislature that just such
a disaster would occur.
“What if the holocaust had occurred on South
Sioux’s narrow Dakota avenue?” the Star asked
in an editorial. “It almost certainly would have
destroyed two city blocks of business buildings
and endangered many lives.”
The Blair Pilot-Tribune said Blair’s Mayor
Raymond C. Hanson stated he “saw nothing wrong
with lots of ammunition trucks passing right
through town (Blair) without police escort.”
“There are reports, however, that many Blair
citizens disagree with this viewpoint and think
such trucks should be banned from going through
Blair,” the Pilot-Tribune added.
New High Living Cost
The bureau of labor statistics reported in the
last days of September that living costs had risen
three-tenths of one percent since mich-August and
nowr were at a new high. The index figure for
July was 114.7 and for August 115.
The base figure is 100 a~id represents the
average of prices in the period of 1947-’49. The
rise represents the third straight monthly in
crease in living costs.
As a result of the higher price index, 1,300,
000 railroad workers will get wage increases of
three cents an hour. This follows a rise for an
other million workers granted about six weeks
ago. Both employee groups have contracts which
tie their wages to living costs allowing periodical
adjustments depending on whether living costs
are going up or down.
Two good things happened in Lincoln Satur
day. It rained, snapping a six weeks drought, and
those Nebraska Cornhuskers earned a hard won
football victory over Miami U., giving Husker
partisans a new outlook.
CARROLL W. STEWART, Editor and Publisher
Editorial & Business Offices: 122 South Fourth St.
Address correspondence: Box 330, O’Neill, Nebr
Established in 1880—Published Each Thursday
Entered at the postoffice in O’Neill, Holt
county, Nebraska, as second-class mail matter
under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. This
newspaper is a member of the Nebraska Press
Association, National Editorial Association and
the Audit Bureau of Circulations.
Terms of Subscription: In Nebraska, $2.50 per
year; elsewhere in the United States, $3 per
year; rates abroad, provided on request. All sub
scriptions are paid-in-advance.
Audited (ABC) Circulation—2^00 (Mar. 31, 1353).
Calves Suffer
from Pneumonia
16 III on Smith Farm
Near Celia
CELIA—Sixteen calves on the
Merrill Smith farm and at least
one calf on the Alex Forsythe
place have been ill this week
with pneumonia.
Dust on grass and general dry
conditions are blamed. These are
baby calves just being weaned
from their mothers.
Other Celia News
Nineteen members of the Celia
Independent Telephone company
held a regular annual meeting at
the Alex Forsythe home Monday
evening, October 13. Three di
rectors were elected. They are
Ed Bausch, Jim Lauridsen and
Alex Forsythe. Other directors
are Ray Pease, Stanley Johnson,
O. A. Hammerberg and Milton
McKathnie.
Mr. and Mrs. Hans Lauridsen
and sons attended the reception
for Mr. and Mrs. Harold Gold fuss
at the Chet Anderson home at 2
p.m., Sunday, October 11. Mrs.
Goldfuss is the former Betty
| Anderson. The couple was mar
ried September 28.
Mrs. Emil Colfack and pupils
attended a reading demonstration
at the Pioneer school, Gene Claus
son, teacher, from 2:30 to 4 p.m.,
last Thursday afternoon.
Reverend Phipps worked with
wood at the Joe Hendricks farm
the past week.
Mrs. Charles Dobias and sons,
Roger and Rodney, were Sunday
dinner guests at the D. F. Scott
home.
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Schlotfeld
and family were Sunday after
noon visitors at the Hans Laurid
sen home.
Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Hammer
berg were Friday evening visit
ors at the P. W. Kilmurry home.
Saturday, October 10, Mr. and
Mrs. Hans Lauridsen and sons
took her aunt, Mrs. Esther Meyers
of Columbus, who had been visit
ing the Hans and Louie Lauridsen
families, to O’Neill to go by bus
to Columbus.
Sunday dinner guests at the
Joe Hendricks home were Mr.
and Mrs. Jesse Hupp and Mr. and
Mrs. Bob Reiser and children of
Butte.
Buddy and Billie Focken spent
Sunday afternoon at the Rever
end Phipps home in Atkinson.
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Smith
and family were O’Neill visitors
last Thursday. Mrs. Smith also
visited Mrs. George Beck, who
was a patient in the O’Neill hos
pital.
Mrs. D. F. Scott was a Satur
day afternoon visitor at the
Frank Kilmurry and O. A. Ham
merberg homes.
Mr. and Mrs. Louis Lauridsen
and family and Carl Damero were
dinner guests Friday at the Hans
Lauridsen home.
Mr. and Mrs. P. W. Kilmurry
helped their granddaughter, Mary
Catherine, celebrate her ninth
birthday anniversary at the
Frank Kilmurry home Sunday.
Mrs. Ray Pease’s aunt, Mrs.
Rufus Snepp of Lebanon, Ind.,
Mr. and Mrs. Bergman of Gary,
Ind., Miss Fern Spann and Mr.
and Mrs. William Spann spent
last Thursday evening with Mr.
and Mrs. Ray Pease.
Mr. and Mrs. D. F. Scott were
Saturday morning visitors at the
H. O. Stevens home.
Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Hammer
berg were Tuesday, October 13,
O’Neill visitors. Mrs. Hammerberg
also visited Mrs. George Beck,
who was a patient in SJ. An
thony’s hospital, O’Neill.
Mrs. D. F. Scott returned home
from Worthington, Minn., Tues
day morning, October 13, where
she had gone to attend the funer
al of her sister, Mrs. J. P. Ludlow
of Mitchell, S.D.
Mr. and Mrs. Hans Lauridsen
were Wednesday evening, Octo
ber 14, visitors at the Milton Mc
Kathnie home.
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Schlotfeld
and family were Friday evening
visitors at the Emil Colfack
home.
Paul Payas spent from October
9 to 13 at the Clarence Focken
home while his parents were
visiting in Iowa.
Emil Colfack was a Monday
I
II
I
DR. H. D. GILDERSLEEVE
OPTOMETRIST
Northeast Corner
of 4th & Douglas
O’NEILL, NEBR.
Phone 167
Eyes Examined _ Glasses Kitted
Office Hours: 9.5 Mon. thru Sat.
Stop Taking
Harsh Drugs for
Constipation
Avoid Intestinal Upset! Get Relief This
Gentle Vegetable Laxative Way!
For constipation, never take harsh drugs.
They cause brutal cramps and griping,
disrupt normal bowel action, make re
peated doses seem needed.
Get sure but gentle relief when you
are temporarily constipated. Take Dr.
Caldwell’s Senna Laxative contained in
Syrup Pepsin. No salts, no harsh drugs.
Dr. Caldwell’s contains an extract of
Senna, one of the finest natural vegetable
laxatives known to medicine.
Dr. Caldwell’s Senna Laxative tastes
good, gives gentle, comfortable, satis
fying relief for every member of the
family. Helps you get “on schedule”
without repeated doses. Even relieves
stomach sourness that constipation
often brings.
Buy Dr. Caldwell's 30* size today.
Money back if not satisfied. Mail boede
t» Bo* 280, New York 18. N. Y.. ~
dinner guest at the Frank Kil
murry home.
Alex Forsythe, Hans and Jim :
Lauridsen and Clarence Focken
attended the Presbyterian men’s
council meeting in the Presby
terian church in Atkinson Friday
evening.
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Skrdla
visited the Hans Lauridsen family
Sunday evening, October 11.
Mr. and Mrs. Sewell Johnson
and daughter were Sunday guests
at the Connie Frickel home. Mr.
and Mrs. Frickel and Mr. and
Mrs. Johnson visited the Ray
Pease family in the afternoon.
Mr. and Mrs. Omer Poynts were
Friday evening supper guests at
the Mark Hendricks home.
Emil Colfack, Duane Beck and
Frank Kilmurry attended the
Bassett livestock sale Wednesday,
October 14.
Mr. and Mrs. Duane Beck and
Mr. and Mrs. Emil Colfack visit
ed Mrs. George Beck in the O’
Neill hospital Wednesday eve
ning, October 14.
Mr. and Mrs. Emil Colfack and
son, Dennis, were O’Neill visitors
Saturday.
Mr. and Mrs. O. A. Hammer
berg were Sunday evening visit
ors at the Milton McKathme
home.
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Hendricks
and family, Mr. and Mrs. Omer
Poynts and Mr. and Mrs. Robert
Hendricks and daughter went to
Pickstown and Randall dam,
S.D., Sunday.
David Phipps spent Sunday
with Robert Hendricks and fam
ily
Several of the young people of
the community attended the At
kinson Wesleyan young people’s
society party at the Mark Hend
ricks home Tuesday evening, Oc
tober 13. Twenty young people
were present.
Mr. and Mrs. Emil Colfack and
family were Sundav evening vis
itors at the Frank Kilmurry home*
Deloit News
The Clearwater Creek club met
Wednesday, October 1, at the Ted
Twiss home. A lesson on “Suds”
was given by the leaders.
Donna Day attended a teach
ers’ meeting at the Redtop school
last Thursday evening.
A number of friends and rela
tives from Norfolk and Omaha
attended the Thramer funeral on
Saturday. The Christian Mothers
served dinner for the relatives.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Reimer
and Elayne were supper guests
Saturday evening at the Ralph
Tomjack home.
Mr. and Mrs. Bill Sehi and Mr.
and Mrs. Rudy Juracek spent
Tuesday, October 20, on a fish
ing trip.
Mr. and Mrs. Henry Reimer
and daughter were Sunday din
ner guests at the Lynn Carnes
home near Neligh.
Mr. Elam of Falls City spent
last week at the home of his
daughter, Mrs. Stanley Huffman,
and family. On Friday evening a
birthday dinner was enjoyed in
bis honor.
Mrs. Fred Harpster spent last
5 "
week at the home of her mother,
Mrs. Reimer, in Ewing.
Deloit had a little shower of
rain Friday morning, more would
be welcome.
TO GET HEARING
The state pardon poard has
listed nine penitentiary inmates
for hearing on November 10, in
cluding Francis DeWesse, 27, of
O'Neill, who is serving a term for
burglary and grand larceny in
Holt county, three to seven
years, and also a one to two years
term for escape from Lancaster
county.
Real Estate, Insurance {
and Bonds
GEO. C. ROBERTSON
O’Neill, Nebr.
Office Phone 534
--
- •» 0
"Bigger pies,
not smaller slices"
• «
We ran across a new word the other day. .“demographer.
That’s a research man who studies statistics on births,
deaths, populations.
Well, it seems the United States will have 20 million
more people aboard by I960, or thereabouts. Logical
enough. We gained 20 million people in the forties.
Bigger pies are the order of the day. In the electrical
industry, for instance, men with sharp pencils have figured
that demand for electric power will have doubled during
the decade ending in 1960. More power equipment is there
fore needed. More electrical machinery for industry.
And better pies. Americans insist on better products,
year by year. Somebody has to pioneer things. Looking
ahead for five, ten, fifteen years—creating new and better
products and improving old ones—that is the business of
General Electric. For seventy-five years progress has been
our most important product.
The babies who come into the world today won’t want
smaller slices of the world’s goods and opportunities. Or
even the same slice. They’ll want more. Wait and see.
Nothing less is worth planning for by the people who must
organize for the future. It’s no job for pessimists.
*
* .
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*
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