Prairieland Talk . . .
Days of iConsenting’ to Run Over
By ROMAINE SAUNDERS. Retired. Former Frontier Editor
LINCOLN—Too bad there are not public of
fices sufficient to supply all who were hit this
year with the itch for office. The day is past
when candidates had to be drafted and then re
luctantly consented to “make the race.”
This thing we call the primary, where the
dear people are supposed to have the say about
naming candidates, though less
than 25 percent of the voters
showup at the polls at primary
elections, is responsible for the
army of candidates and attend
ant confusion.
Only one can get the nomi
nation for any one office. Under
the party convention system
candidates were selected with
care to be voted for at the No
vember election. Any expense
attached to these party conven
tions was met by its delegates, Romaine
whereas the primary means the Saunders
cost of an election passed on the public.
* * *
Charley Hall did it for $50 a month, what
an ornament at the bank comer now costs the
town $250. Besides, Charley kept the water
pumps going down at the “power house” so that
those who didn’t visit Bill LaViollette’s corner
could have fresh water to drink. . . Patriotism,
community pride or egotistical bombast inspired
the editor of the Plain Dealer in an issue in July,
1901, to say that Dr. P. J. Flynn of O’Neill was
locating in “Atkinson, the only town in the Elk
horn valley.”'. . The Stuart paper that same week
said Harvey Stocking of O’Neill, in the butter
shipping business, had bought 1,500 pounds of
butter at grocery stores in Stuart. Those were the
days when there was a butter maker from real
cream on about every quarter section in Stuart
precinct.
* * *
The annual bellyache over weather conditions
is in full tune. Newspapers go at it with 60-point
headlines. July has been hot on prairieland and
elsewhere. Most always is. Grass is green, harvest
is over with an average yield, com is coming on,
cows are giving milk, food markets are loaded
with grub, everybody has money in their pockets
or in the bank, the lords of creation are off on
fishing trips and prairieland women are stocking
the cellars with provisions for the coming winter.
* * *
Den Hunt, now living in retirement with his
wife, the former Nellie Cronin, on East O street in
Lincoln, in July, 1901, was appointed district dep
uty of the Royal Highlanders for all of Nebraska
north of the Platte river. Mr. and Mrs. Hunt are
both of pioneer families of the O’Neill communi
ty. . . At a gathering in O’Neill that year of the
Holt County Sunday-School association, C. A.
Moss of Amelia was elected president, Charles
Phelps of Page, vice-president; Blanche Adams
of O’Neill, secretary; E. H. Benedict of O’Neill,
treasurer; Lena Peck of Atkinson, superintendent
of primary department, and J. T. Carson of Ew
ing, superintendent of home department.
A group of scientists and educators gathered
at a medical institution in southern California
to ponder the problem of alcoholics and how to
deal with it. Believe Montana Jack Sullivan
would join this humble pilgrim in suggesting the
surest way to avoid alcoholics is to stay on the
water wagon.
* • *
There are 13,500,000 American patriots over
65 years of age. So if your auburn locks have
turned to gray you are in big company. Child
hood and youth, then full age, and down the
western slope to life’s sunset and after that the
dark. And may there be a cherished memory of
the one who then embarks.
* * *
Go west, young man! A bit of advice to an
earlier genralion offered by Horace Greeley.
Something the great editor once said is less
frequently quoted. "Fame is a vapor, popularity
is an accident, riches take wings and those who
cheer today will curse tomorrow. Only one
thing endures — character." That's something
available to all.
* * *
Lincoln has a federal “air base” ostensibly to
train flight crews to perfection. Now something
like a half million dollars of public money is to
be blown on a swimming pool, a gymnasium and
an officers’ club. Nice layout for the gents on
Uncle Sam’s payroll, but what does it add to the
security and general welfare of the country?
* * *
Idle combine men looking for work harvest
ing a wheat crop that just isn’t are reported
from some western Nebraska communities. Had
the region been left as nature made it and as Holt
county still is, there might have been a thrifty
crop of calves out there to brand at roundup
time instead of nothing.
* « *
There are now in fhe United Stales 7,500,
000 widows, ages from 40 to 65 and over. The
number is reported to be growing at the rale of
100.00G annually.
* * *
A Missouri patriot, via lawsuit, seeks to re
cover $250,000 in damages from several tobacco
firms on the basis of lung cancer he alleges is the
result of using the products of the firms involved,
they having claimed their particular brand of
smokes were harmless.
* • *
After 24 hot rainless days, accompanied by
the artillery and earth shaking thunderbolts of
the sky, a two-inch rain wet the city last night.
Lightning found one Lincoln home, two inmates
of which were taken to a hospital for treatment
for electric shock.
* * *
O’Neill reports 4.88 inches of rain for the
nonth of June. F. B. Cole, long numbered among
he dead, measured the community rainfall for a
forgotten generation and one year reported 27
nches of rain for the month of June.
Editorial . . .
Higher Death Rate for Smokers
The American Cancer society recently clear
ed up most of the confusion about health and
cigarette smoking, when it reported that deaths
among cigarette smokers from 50 to 70-years-of
age are as much as 75 percent higher than those
among non-smokers. The report was no tentative,
or qualified report.
On the contrary, it resulted from a study by
the society in nine states which covered the last
2% years and which included tests of 187,766 men
between the ages of 50 and 70.
The report contained amazing news which
is sure to have a stunning impact on the smoking
habits m this country. Originally, the American
Cancer society intended to wait another year be
fore reporting on the study, but officials of the
society report that cigarette smokers were found
to have so much higher death rates they didn’t
think they could withhold the information an
oter year. They also said they were releasing
the information because “we are thinking of sav
ing lives.”
Part of the eye-opening findings of the 2\k
year study are:
Lung cancer deaths were found to be at
least three times, and possibly nine times, as
common among cigarette smokers as among non
smokers.
Excepting lung cancer from statistics, the
death rate from other forms of cancer was also
higher among cigarette smokers. The death rate
among heavy smokers, between the ages of 50
and 64, was twice as high as that among non
smokers in the same age brackets.
It was found that there was a definite sta
tistical relationship between death rates and the
amount of cigarette smoking. It was found that
the lung cancer death rate was at least five
times, possibly even 16 times, as high among
heavy smokers as among those who never had
smoked regularly!
The death rate for cigar smokers was slightly
higher than for non-smokers, but the rate for
pipe^smokers was not appreciably different from
that for non-smokers.
This is stunning news of great significance
to the civilized world, and it cannot be ignored
or contradicted by medical authorities anywhere.
The American Cancer society certainly has no
aw to grind. It has beer, conducting this study for
years and will continue it for another 2% years.
It was originally begun as a five-year compre
hensive study to finally resolve the controversial
question whether cigarette smoking is harmful
to the body.
In our opinion, the American Cancer society’s
report removes the last vestage of doubt as to the
harm being caused by cigarette smoking, ana al
though filtered cigarettes and other devices may
reduce the damage to an unknown extent, we be
lieve the society’s report will have a tremendous
impact on the smoking habits in this country. Un
til a sure-fire cure is found for lung cancer, at
least, many Americans will think twice before
becoming chain-smokers, or heavy smokers, and
many others will probably curtail their smoking
or switch to pipes or cigars.
Tuesday morning’s shower demonstrated the
fact the sky still is capable of yielding moisture
—although one entertains certain misgivings
when the mercury lingers around the century
mark day-after-day.
Let’s Keep Uhlik in Mind
The “Crusade for Freedom” probably will
never find a better subject than Vaclav Uhlik.
The “Crusade” sponsors the Radio Free Eur
ope broadcasts, which are beamed to captive
countries in several languages. People of the sub
jugated countries trust Radio Free Europe.
If you could ask Uhlik you would find un
mistakable evidence of the power of the truth
broadcasts.
Now is our chance for we Americans to do
something more than talk about freedom. Let’s
keep Vaclav Uhlik in mind. The armored car, in
which be escaped, demonstrated graphically what
captive people can accomplish so long as their
will to freedom is sustained.
Through “Crusade for Freedom,” which backs
up Radio Free Europe, we Americans can act.
And if all of us act, history may well record suc
cess.
Checks may be addressed to either “Crusade
for Freedom” or “Radio Free Europe” and sent in
care of your postmaster.
College on Confederate Money
Leonard W. Stark says he believes he can
send two daughters through college with Confed
erate money. Contrary to what most people be
lieve, he says, Confederate States of America
currency is sometimes worth more than its face
value.
His collection of old bills, including Confed
erate money, Government of Texas currency and
Republic of Texas money is now valued at several
thousand dollars and, by the time his two young
daughters go to college, he estimates it will be
worth at least $15,000.
Stark says Confederate bills of value include
a $5-note, called the “Indian Princess bill,” which
is worth $20. The bill is dated September 2, 1861.
The July 25, 1861, $5-bill is valued at $10 and
the September 2, 1861, $5-bill is worth $5, accord
ing to Mr. Stark.
Unfortunately, however, most Confederate
bills of other dates are' not worth similar amounts,
or even their face value.
If you think things have been hot the past '
few days, keep a weather eye on the final stretch
in the primary election campaign.
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—2,335 (Mar. 31, 1954)
Watch Your Step, Congress!
‘Titanic’ Calls
The telephone rang at the
house and the voice said in rath
er broken English:
“This is ‘Titanic’ a speakin’.
Can you come down? Why not
bring your camera?”
“Okay, Vic,” I responded. “I’ll
be there.”
Vic Halva dubbed himself “Ti
tanic” for kicks because he
knew I would readily recognize
who was calling. Back in 1912
Vic fled from one of the tiny
Central European countries that
now comprises Czechoslovakia.
He assaulted a military guard in
his flight and survived the trag
edy of the Titanic to reach the
United States. Today, he ranks
as a genius in the electric motor
and generator repair field.
Vic and his wife, who is of
pure Bohemian extraction, have
raised their family and live
comfortably in their home on
East Fremont street
When the “Czech Freedom
Tank” made its dramatic punc
ture of the iron curtain about a
year ago and the eight refugees
worked their way to the United
States, O’Neill’s Vic Halva was
impressed. One of the escapees
was a Czechoslovakian girl, the
wife of a U.S. army soldier who
had been unable to get away
from the reds and rejoin her hus
band, a Sioux City meat cutter.
Vaclav Uhlik, the originator of
the “freedom tank” idea and the
builder of the bogus machine,
included the U.S. soldier’s wife
in the group of eight in their
courageous strike for freedom.
Sioux City went all-out to
welcome Mrs Cloud when she i
and her husband were reunited. !
Mrs. Cloud Contacted
Vic contacted Mrs. Cloud with
a personal visit. Furthermore, he
urged Mrs. Cloud to prevail up
on Uhlik to come to the midwest
... to O’Neill. Vic had the idea
he’d like to be able to induce
Uhlik, the master mechanic
turned-hero, to work with him in
the business of rewinding motors
and generators.
That’s what brought Uhlik to
O’Neill last Thursday, accompan
ied by his wife, Marta, and their
two children — a boy, 6, and a
girl, 4.
When I reached the Halva
household the Uhliks and Hal
vas were finishing their meal.
The strange European gibberish
was being spoken freely and I
understood not a word. Neither
did I know whom I was about to
meet or why.
Uhlik had a thatch of dark
hair, somewhat unruly. He was
smoking Pall Mall cigarettes and
I studied his features. Not a
large man. Piercing dark eyes.
Rather high cheek bones.
Mrs. Uhlik began to help Mrs.
Halva clear the table. Several
conversations in the foreign
tongue were now in progress. The
two Uhlik children bounded in
and more linguistic confusion
resulted.
Finally, in an impetuous way,
I knifed in with the suggestion
we get on with the picture. But
first I’d like to know a little
about the subject.
Who, what, when, etc. . . ?
* * »
Imagine the surprise when I
realized the kind of a story that
had been dumped at the door
step.
With the picture-taking and in
terviewing over, it was a great
pleasure to shake the hand of
the little Czech mechanic who
so hated the Russian tyranny he
successfully schemed a way to do
something about it.
Uhlik explained, through the
Halvas, who acted as interpret
•
ers, that he and his family were
in this country on temporary
visitor’s permits.
Vaclav’s suit and hat were
somewhat bedraggled, having
ridden a bus from Springfield,
Mass., to O’Neill, via Sioux City.
They traveled frugally because
it was necessary to save every
dime.
There were certain questions
Vaclav preferred not to discuss,
especially those concerning rel
atives and any references that
might jeopardize any of his
friends left behind.
—CAL STEWART
... .. mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
o
Visitors Here—
Mr. and Mrs. Clifford Oker
lund of Crosby,' Minn., were
Wednesday overnight guests of
Mr. and Mrs. Fred Appleby.
i.- - - - - , . ...
DRS. BROWN &
FRENCH
Eyes Tested—Glasses Fitted
Broken Lens Replaced in
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Other Repairs While You
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Complete X-Ray
It Happened Is NEBRASKA—
f-r“-r---—
Here on the Nebraska plains where wood was always scarce,
pioneer inventiveness developed the “hay burning stove.” Though
! a dangerous fire hazard in the home, this type stove was widely
used for some years. See how the hay was twisted into “sticks”
_ and then fed into a cylindrical fire box.
It has taken foresight, too, to develop the NEBRASKA DIVISION
Nebraska tavern industry into a well-run,
highly respected business. But today the
public esteem held for the tavern industry Foundation
is greater than ever before. .
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