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About The frontier. (O'Neill City, Holt County, Neb.) 1880-1965 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 2, 1954)
Prairieland Talk ... Marion Prefers Eastern Time By ROMAiATE SAUNDERS, Retired, Former Editor The Frontier MARION, IND.—Starting November 28, Mar lon set its clocks ahead one hour to conform to eastern standard time, following the trend in this state. It is not being accomplished without protest. There are many citizens who think their state belongs to the midwest group rather than to the east. Building ] and construction workers get on the job at 7 in the morning. The tim<» change put them to work at what formerly was 6 o’clock and the work day now ends at 3 o’clock central time, which means 4 o’clock eastern time. Many of the prefab houses have been built in what is known as Kiverview addition and still more are being erected. The building program is promoted ^iunder, by an organization rather than individual undertakings and the houses are taken over as homes by those financially able to meet • the payments. * * • Neither sun, moon nor stars have been visible for many cloud-marred days that have brought a drizzle. Why not a howling blizzard and have done with it, as prairieland performs when clouds gather? We grope in cloud shadows spread across the land by a divine hand. Out beyond the shad ows in that vast unknown the sun and stars are forever stayed. So along the highway of time we step into the shadows and the heart throbs with deep emotion, everything seems to overwhelm, when again the light and joy of life glows upon our highway. Last night we drove down a dark some glen where flows a river. Emerging from toe gloom we came to a stretch along the river road where homes and buildings and street were lighted up and arrows of light cast a glow tha danced and quivered upon the crystal waters of the river. So down the highway of time—for every cloud a burst of sunshine, for every tear a flood of song. * • * Met up with another native yesterday. And thereby saw my first professional S^tower, or one who had been until some restless Yankee put bottle making into the machine age. And Iken this native patriot went from °iie another and now is on the industrial shelf after * discovering that no guy is as important as thought he was. * * * The Indiana toll road commission bou&ht lO acres from the Notre Dame university *200.000. Ten thousand was once the high mark shot at in personal injury suits, while now'with 10-eeut dolors nothing less than a couple hundred thou sand is considered worth going after . . sylvania couple, still in their 20’s and the Parents of five children, face charges of murder — the mother accused of giving rat poison to her little daughter, and the father of scalding the baby. . ■ a proposition is up in the Indiana legislature to put the question of statewide adoption of eastern time to a vote of the citizens. . . The election of Jimmy Roosevelt to congress in a southern Cal ifornia district has been attributed by some writ ers to a feeling on the part of husbands that they wanted him sent to Washington. * » * When a guy is arrested and taken before an ftiHian* court, if he is broke and can’t hire a lawyer the court appoints what is known here as a pauper attorney, who defends the accused »nd the state pays the defense attorney as well as the lawyer who prosecutes. * * * The custom of sending several hundred Christ mas cards to friends and neighbors one sees every day degenerates into a chore, plus worry about sending them to those sending to you. * * * The secret of enjoyable food usually lies in the amount of labor used to prepare it. One ambitious newspaper publisher is said to have a string of 23 eastern dailies, the latest to be added to his collection being the Niagara Falls Gazette. No liquor advertisements are accepted in any of his papers. . . The great Methodist church speaks out in opposition to universal military training, pointing out that such a program did not save the German nation. American armies have been maintained largely by volunteers and have yet to meet with defeat. . . Two Hoosiers got into an argument on a recent Sunday and decided to settle it, one with a shotgun, the other with a pistol. One of them headed the procession to the graveyard, the other lies on a hospital cot. Who won the argument’ . . The American Bible soci ety sold and gave away last year 15 million copies of the Scriptures or portions of them. * * • Christmas decorations were hung above a clutter of moving automobiles on city streets in mid-November and groups of vocally gifted began early to warble the tunes of the songbirds for the great events of the yuletide. Merchants are stock ed with gay gift packages to gather the harvest of sheckles that the holiday season puts into cir culation. It is announced that Montgomery Ward, the concern that introduced catalog buying to Americas nearly a century ago, will celebrate Christmas by closing 14 of the 580 retail stores across the country. Merry Christmas! • • « Abe Lincoln grew to manhood in southern Indiana, but Springfield, HI., claims him as its own. Gen. Lew Wallace, author of Ben Hur,” an American classic, was a Hoosier but Santa . Fe, N.M., wants it understood that he belonged to them. Yes, he was territorial governor. James Whitcomb Riley is all Indianian, and I don’t know that the Riley ranch in southwest Holt county ever claimed him as a cowpuncher. * * * That self-confessed “world’s greatest news paper”—and a lot of patriots think it is—the Chi cago Tribune, wonders why an old army mule skinner raised to the rank of general now has so tender a hide. Senator Joe peeled a little from the back of an army man involved in the McCarthy controversy who had taken refuge in the Fifth amendment. The Tribue concludes that those who join in the attack on McCarthy “are making themselves tools of the red whether they know it or not—and some of them do.” * * * The state supreme court has ruled that under Indiana law the court has authority to appoint an other circuit judge—we call them district judge in Nebraska—where a circuit judge is unable by illness or physical inability to hold court, it being explained the ruling of the court is in “the inter est of justice.” The action of the supreme court came about because the man elected as circuit judge in an Indiana district was unable to take over after his election to the office by reason of serious illness. * * * What is this we see from prairieland easy chair farmers about “redemption of agriculture”? Since some centuries before the Roman Legions plundered the onion patches of neighboring lands they overran, agriculture has been the backbone of the human race and just now from what is it to be “redeemed”? Anyway, the 10 to 15 thousand dollars the prairieland farmer has been getting annually for his corn and wheat seems to look good to a Future Farmer of America. * * * A man named Moses gave us an understand able record of an act of creation. A scholarly gen tleman of the windy city says he doesn’t believe it. That’s his privilege, but what he believes or doesn’t believe is not important. As Moses lived something like four thousand years nearer the be ginning of human history than we moderns, his story is easily acceptable rather than vague pro nouncements about human embryo springing from a mud puddle. Editorial . . . Generals and Foreign Policy During the last few years, when the United States was steering a controversial course through troubled waters, the principle of civilian policy making in the U.S. government has sometimes been obscured. Whether or not civilian leadership at times in this period was not up to desired standards is not the point. The principle on which this country’s govern ment was founded is that of civilian authority over the military. When the majority of Americans forget this safeguard, it will be an ominous turn in the history of these United States. President Eisenhower is generally thought to be a military man without the impetuousness or war-mindedness of some military leaders. In deed, in this editorial treatment, we are not refer ring to, nor reflecting upon, the president of the United States. It is, however, becoming increas ingly popular for military generals to appraise world events in public utterances, and recom mend foreign policies to the people of the United States. While they have a perfect right to do so as do other Americans, the military leaders are not charged with the responsibility, under the constitution, for promulgating United States for eign policy. Nor is it likely that military leaders, trained for a lifetime in military tactics and strategy, will be ideally suited to conduct the country’s foreign relations. Because the forefathers of this country realized as much, they made it mandatory that civilians hold the highest positions in each of the three services, thereby precluding the possibility of a division between military and civilian ele ments of the new government. The joint chiefs of staff have been created since that time and, today, the country is witnessing the gradual emergence into a position of preemptory power of the chair man of the joint chiefs of staff. We think it wise to call attention, at this stage, to the fact that generals who are ordered to con duct operations in any theater need not be experts on the political or diplomatic aspects concerned. Even after they have carried out their field op erations, they are often ill-equipped to formulate foreign policy for the government. While they have a right to their own pinions, and to express thorn they should use discretion in dividing the people of the country, or in turning them against the administration in power. The voter, likewise, should remember that a general or an admiral, is proficient primarily in the art of conducting war and that, if he happens to know how to conduct the country’s foreign policy, it is through coinicidence and an above- I average diversity of talent which the military officer need not necessarily have. A Day Worth Observing Wednesday, December 15, will be national safe driving day. The purpose of all these days, weeks, and months during which Americans are asked to give special attention to some cause or product is ob vious: By concentration to make the observance stand out like a mountain peak above the lesser hills and valleys of day-by-day doings. It is an idea the very success of which could be self-defeating. And it has almost reached that point. All tne more reason for helping a few of these special celebrations—a few of large signifi cance—to carry their messages above the rising din. Such a one is safe driving day. Its justification can be read in two sets of figures: One recording the appalling casualty toll on American roads; the other the steadily rising number of cars on the highways. Money—despite immature thought to the con trary — does not always bring happiness or con tentment. We can’t understand how that “unbeatable” football team was defeated the other day. 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 coun ty, Nebraska, as second-class mail matter under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879. This news paper is a member of the Nebraska Press Associa tion, 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 subscriptions are paid-in-advance. Audited (ABC) Circulation—2,335 (Mar. 31, 1954) When Yon and I Were Young.,. Bank Officers Go; Don’t Say Goodbye Examiner Finds Dime in Vault 50 Years Ago The Hagerty bank is closed. The president and cashier have left town without saying good bye. On deposit in the vault the bank examiner from Lincoln found 10 cents. . . A. L. Shan non and R. P. Hart lost 100 tons of hay in a prairie fire that start ed near the red bridge southwest of Ewing. Other losers were Dwight Smith and U. C. Gunter. . . . William Krotter wheeled in to Stuart from Boyd county in a horseless carriage. He is the owner of an automobile and he can now defy trains, stage coach es, horses and mules. . . Ed Kil murry received word that the patent on his washing machine has been passed upon and allow ed. This brings Ed into the man ufacturing class and is therefore one of the “trusts” we read so much about. 20 Years Ago Sixty neighbors and friends gathered at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur Burge to honor the couple on their 25th wedding an niversary. . . The Irish Players composed of well-known local dramatic artists will present a play under the auspices of the American Legion post. This is the first of a series of plays to be given during the winter months. . . . Thirteen bids were submit ted to the government as possible sites for the new federal building in this city. . . Miss Louise O’ Connell had three front teeth knocked out when the car in which she was riding was hit head on by a truck near Neligh. 10 Years Ago Jerry Schmidt, son of Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Schmidt, was run over by a car near St. Mary’s academy, but was very lucky and came out of the ordeal with out injuries. . . Holt county will be credited with $20,000 in war bonds by the Chicago & North Western Railroad company as the result of its purchase Of $20,000 in the Sixth war loan drive. . . The distinguished flying cross was awarded to an O’Neill boy. The award was made to Lt. Rob ert J. Earley, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Earley of O’Neill, who is with the India-Burma China air transport command. .. The weather registered 3-degrees below zero Thanksgiving morn ing and remained so most of the day. One Year Ago Turkey day is Saturday in O’ Neill. Tickets will be scattered at approximately 4:30 p.m., as trucks move out in four direc tions from the heart of the busi ness district. Lucky ticket hold ers may redeem them for tur keys or other fowl at the Spelts Ray Lumber company yards. . . Elvin White of Stuart suffered serious fractures of one leg and one arm when h$ was caught in the power takeoff of a tractor he was operating. .'.A new firm has joined the O’Neill business directory. Paul Shierk has an nounced the establishment of the Shierk Motor company. . . Walt er Haake of Chambers had his 1953 Plymouth sedan stolen while he was attending a movie at the Royal theater in O’Neill. It was located and recovered by Patrolman Robert Gude after a 90-mph chase through the city and south of town—the Plymouth landed in a plum thicket and a w-recker had to be called to pull the Haake car out. “c/o Postmaster” Dropped from APO Addresses— The department of defense has requested that hereafter the phrase “c/o postmaster” not be used on mail addressed for de livery through overseas APO’s. The address on mail intended for members of the armed forces or civilians receiving mail through overseas APO’s should be confined to three lines, if pos sible, the last line to show the APO number followed by the name of the postoffice as for ex ample: Pvt. W. J. Doe, RA 12378967 APO 801, New York, N.Y. ‘Digest’ of Pen Report to Be Made Public— Gov. Robert Crosby sought to reveal evidence on which a cit izens’ committee said it based findings of poor administration at the state penitentiary, yet he wanted to keep from revealing names of those guards and pris oners who gave the committee information. So he asked the committee to prepare a “digest” of the evidence it found, giving facts but not names. The “digest” will be made public, the govern or said. Students estimate that as many as 12% million of the 41 million immigrants to the United States since the nation was founded subsequently left the country. State Capitol News . . . Ress, Commission in Policy Clash LINCOLN — The battle over just what powers the state high way department had was in an other, more crucial round this week. The round started when the state advisory highway commis sion for the first time in its 14 month career turned down a recommendation by the state highway department on a high way relocation. The highway department for 18 months has proposed to relo cate state highway 35 between Wayne and Wakefield about two miles south of where it now is. Some citizens in the area bitter ly fought the move. The commission at its latest meeting voted in favor of keep ing the highway where it now is. State Engineer L. N. Ress said this meant months of surveys and plans down the drain. He asked the commission to decide on its policies on relocations. Furthermore, Ress pointed out that the department has at least 28 relocations to make in the next few months. Would the commission want to get all of these? To his surprise, Ress learned that the commission very well would like that. The commission hopped right on the proposition, asked Ress to furnish members with data on every proposed re location. Commission members said that each of the seven mem bers would decide on the relo cations in his own district. Ress intimated he wouldn’t take this overriding without pro testing to the governor. Besides, the commission has only advisory powers and there is some ques tion of how far it can go in giv ing orders to the state highway department. * * * Why the Fuss?— Behind the squabble lay cer tain fundamental philosophies that clash. For one thing in these days of motor transportation roads are absolutely vital to a town. On the other hand, the depart ment ever since it began build ing motor roads has been faced with the relocation problem. Al most every highway at first fol lowed section line roads. If the department had not been allow ed to relocate there would not be fine diagonal highways in Ne braska. And the main highways would go through every small town on the way. But every time there is a re location it takes a highway away from somebody’s front door or away from their town. It is only natural they will fight it. The matter comes down often to the question, “Where does the interest of the state as a whole override the interest of private persons or towns?” Almost as important is the question, “Who shall make the all-important decisions?” In Nebraska the state engineer has made these—at least in the ory. But frequently in the past it was the governor who made decisions and often it was on the basis of political pressure from the areas involved. This led many to clamor for a state highway commission. The 1953 legislature set up an advisory board when it found tnere was a conflicting constitu tional provision. The advisory commission’s re cent action brought into focus the whole problem again — de cisions by an engineer or by a commission. Presumably the en gineer would think in terms of the state as a whole, the com mission in terms of interests of only their areas. The final an swer was not in sight. * * * Record Year— Meanwhile it looks like a rec ord highway building year for Nebraska. With two big lettings in December, chances are $22.5 million in new contracts will have been let this year. This is considerably above the 1953 fig ure of $9.5 million. The reason is the sixth cent added to the state gasoline tax by the 1953 legislature. This will expire May 10, 1955, if the next legislature doesn’t renew it. But in the meantime the state high way department is doing its best to prove that if the people of Ne braska will give the money, it will build the roads. The highest previous building year was in 1950, with $17 mil lion. Significantly that was also when there was a sixth cent of gas tax before the voters in the 1950 referendum repealed the law. In 1952 new construction slumped to $8 million. * * * Gas Tax Suit— But the story might suddenly become different for Nebraska’s counties. State Treasurer Frank Heintze, embroiled in two suits over alleged misallocation of state gasoline tax funds to the counties, staged a counterattack by bringing a suit which could tie up future tax allocations. A Lincoln newspaper a year ago uncovered the fact that Heintze was still distributing gasoline tax funds to the counties on the basis of the 1940 census and 1949 motor vehicle registra tion figures although the law calls for using the latest figures in each case. Lancaster (Lincoln) and Douglas (Omaha) counties brought suits against the com panies which have bonded Heintze, seeking to recover around $450,000 they claim should have come to them if the newest figures had been used. The suits were against Heint ze’s bonds and would not have affected the money distributed to other counties. But Heintze brought a case in volving all the counties, stating he wants the statutes interpret ed. In the meantime he asked that gas tax distribution be held up. • • * University Budget— At a hearing on budget re quests for the University of Ne braska, Chancellor Clifford Hardin said that to have a great university, Nebraska must pay higher salaries to some of its “key faculty members.” The uni versity is asking an increase of $3.8 million in tax funds above the $15 million appropriation for the current two-year biennium. About $1.2 million of this in crease will go to merited salary increases for key persons on the university faculty and staff, Hardin explained. Another $1,350,000 would go for development programs in the ! medical, agriculture and arts and o science colleges. Hardin said rapid improvements are being made at the college of medicine at Omaha and that it should soon 0 take its place as "one of the really good medical centers of the nation.” In the field of agriculture the ag college wants to add "short courses” for young farmers in the wintertime plus more research in such things as proper feed for livestock. DR. J. L. SHERBAHN O’Neill, Nebraska Complete X-Ray Equipment Vi Block So. of Ford Garage (JOHN R. GALLAGHER Attomey-at-Law First Nat’l Bank Bldg. O'NEILL PHONE 11 DRS. BROWN & FRENCH Eyes Tested—Glasses Fitted Broken Lens Replaced in 24 Hours Other Repairs While You Wait Complete X-Ray I Finest Beverages Ialwats come IN BOTTLES MILLER THEATER — Atkinson — Fri-Sat. Dec. 3-4 Sun.-Mon.-Tues. Dec. 5-6-7 Wed.-Thurs. 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LUXURIOUS DESOTO INTERIORS are the most fashionable and beautiful ever created! 39 gay colored trim combinations are available in the ’55 De Soto. BAREIY FIVE FEET HIGH is the new '55 De Soto. You can easily see over it. Means far greater road hugging ability; smoother* more comfortable ride. SHIERK MOTOR COMPANY 212 SOUTH FOURTH ST., O’NEILL
