PLATTSHO DTH 8 EM I-WEEK LT JOtJKNAC.
THURSDAY. DECEMEEE lDlft.
Cbe plattsmou tb lournal
Pl'BLISUED SEMI-WEI3KI-V AT PLATTSMOtTH, NEBRASKA.
Entered at Fostofflce at Plattsmouth. Neb., as second-class mall matter.
R. A. BATES, Publisher
CBSCRIPTIO PRICE. ilJO PEIl YEAR IX ADVANCE
THOUGHT 1 OR TODAY.
Die when e may, I want it v
said of mc, by those who know
me best, that I always plucked
a thistle, and planted a flower
when I thought a flower would
crow. A. Lincoln.
:o:
Now that winter is here, it is colder.
How did you enjoy Christmas?
:o: '
We all feel the effects of Christmas.
:o:
Learn to know yourself, before criti
cizing others.
:o:
A box in your pocket is worth t'.o
on your ear.
:o:
The cost of chorus girls, like their
t i. hes, is going up.
:o:
This is the kind of weather to se
cure recruits for the regular army.
:o:
These are the days when it is no
disgrace to pet eold feet.
:o:
One person with plenty of pep can
make a whole lot of officers ginger up.
Truth is mighty and mighty in
convenient for some people.
:o:
One of the severest trials of a news
paper man comes when a first-class
stingy man dies.
:o:
A little sand or ashes on your slip
pery sidewalk will help out a number
cf hollow and empty prayers.
:o:
Christmas is over and now for a
"Happy New Year!" and the contin
uance of prosperity and good times.
:o:
A woman is willing to take anv
kind of a chance with a sore throat if
she owns a handsome string of pearls.
:o:
Talk about help for the legislators
in preparing bills. The trouble has
been, heretofore, too many lawyers on
the outside have done too much pre
paring. :o:
With the hope that it will start the
fireworks, they have begun to prop up
the rear end of the state capitol build
ing at Lincoln with telephone poles.
If somebody doesn't pull the poles
away the building- will probably re
main there for the winter.
:o:
When a school boy gets his neck
broken playing foot ball, his sudden
death is explained as having been
caused by "heart failure." Quite true
A broken neck is quite apt to cause
'"heart failure," followed by a funeral
:o:
When any company dealing in a
general line of material like the
Standard Oil company can double their
capital stock and then declare a 10(
per cent dividend, it looks to the con
sumer as though the commodity should
be purchased at a much lower figure
This is what the Standard Oil com
pany of Kentucky is proposing to do.
:o:
There should be relief for the news
paper publishers in the high price of
print paper, and as much as these pa
pers have done for the members of
congress and the United States sena
tors, it looks to a man up a tree as
though they could do something in the
wav of relief. It is no use for the
members of the house and senate to
say that they can't do anything for
relief, and we would like to know
what they are there for? There never
r.as such an outrage perpetrated upon
the? American people, and if some re
lief does not come soon, the people
"will naturally come to the conclusion
that the paper trust has too many
tools in both houses. Let them show
K.!r hands, or get down and out.
-.. . 1 rcs " and
i
Skating on the ice is line.
:o:
And the next day after.
:o:
Did you cat turkey, goose, chicken
duck? All good enough.
:o:
If it were not for your friends you
would be pretty lonesome, don't you
think?
:o:
When a stranger tries to get a
:1kvI: cashed he makes a mistak by
thinking that evoiybody knows the
eh. ck is good just because he happens
to possess that information.
:o :-
At the current ratii of progress it
wi1! not be many monitor, until black
('.'amends take the viva of the cheaper
.i.-..! more common, g.-.rden variety of
jev.'elry store diamonis for personal
.v. r
:o:-
Mark the prediction. That the fu
ture of peace of nations rests with the
coming man and woman, the ones
whose hearts have ached the hardest
daring the war and the ones who have
-lone the suffering.
Only five more days and Leap Year
expires, and a whole lot of old maids
have missed the chance of a life time.
They will be too old for grandmothers
four years hence.
:o:
The "Home Workers" do not belong
to the gang who oppose improvements
for the city Neither do they belong
to those who are detering the building
of the new high school building.
:o:
We are not a knocker and we would
not be for the world, but there are
those who knock from Monday morn
ing till Saturday night, and their
nocking vanishes into thin air. But
they are a pest to the community, just
the same.
:o:
Mr. Adamson, author of the recent
eight-hour law passed by congress
ays that both the labor unions and
railroads are liable to come in for a
good "spanking" if they do not desist
from their efforts to have the law re
pealed in favor of agreements en
tered into by heads of their respective
organizations.
:o:
Everybody should be happy at this
season of the year, but those who
would appreciate happiness, are those
who do not have the money to pur
chase happiness. But none but the
rich enjoy this life, anyway. But
their observation when we pass from
this earth is the same as ours, and
over there we will all be alike and
the armies of the Savior will not be
partial in their extention to rich and
poor alike. That is one thought we
should all take into consideration, for
the Redeemer is faithful to those who
are faithful to Him.
:o:
Major General Leonard Wood of the
United States Army is reported to
have declared in a public address on
December : war is coming as sure
as uod is in neaven and the sun
shines in the sky." That is important
if true. But if the event is as certain
as the general states he must have
accurate information. lie must know
with whom this war is to be, and what
it is to be about. Knowing that, he
should not keep the knowledge to him
self. This coming war must be over
something that is either our fault or
the fault of our future antagonist. If
it is our fault, can we not avoid war
by icmedying the matter? If it is the
fault of the other side, we are under
no obligation to declare war on that
account, and if General Wood would
be less secretive it may be possible to
settle the matter peaceably. It is his
duty as a citizen and'public official to
divulge to the proper authority this
information or admit publicly that he
spoke without knowledge. The Pub
lie
rheumatism. Sold every-1 r oley JMdney nns, ana r oiey uarnanc
THE LANSING MYSTERY
What in the world, may we be per
mitted to wonder, was the matter with
Lansing?
What was it that happened at
Washington, unseen by the world,
known perhaps to but a very few
men, that called forth Secretary Lan
sing's amazing "explanation of the
president's peace note, and later his
explanation of the explanation?
Press reports say that Lansing's
pair of explanations are to follow,
through diplomatic channels, on the
heels of the note itself. They will
comprise a separate document, to be
presented by four ambassadors as a
sort of appendix to the virile state
paper penned by the hand of VoodroV
Wilson. And what an appendix! The
note as Wilson prepared it was an in
vitation to peace. As Lansing con
strued it, and as he said the president
construed it, it became an invitation
to war. Promptly thereupon the sec
retary was called into consultation
with the president, and there followed
a new construction, in which the sec
retary said he was sorry, and that the
note spoke for itself, but that his orig
inal explanation, as explained by this
second explanation, still stood!
And in this shape the whole mess is
transmitted to be laid before the
trained and skilled diplomats of Eu
rope !
Woodrow Wilson has been accounted
the peer of the best in his power to
make words express precisely the
thought designed to be conveyed. In
this latest of the many notes to Eu
rope he appears to good advantage.
It is a note nicely and carefully word
ed, restrained in its terms yet vigor
ously robust in its meaning. It meas
ures up to the highest standards of
diplomacy. It represents the triumph
ant handling of an exceedingly deli
cate situation.
Why did Lansing have to dip in and
spoil the effect by presuming to in
terpret and shade the meaning of th'
plain words of this master of Eng
lish? It is difficult to believe that he
would presume to do this without con
sultation with his superior. But it is
even more difficult to believe that he
did consult Mr. Wilson's knowledge
and consent. Because this involves
the necessity of believing also that the
president, when he found what amaze
ment and consternation followed the
Lansing "explanation, was so un
gracious as to humiliate the secretary
by obliging him to cancel it and pub
licly exnress regret for a piece of
botchwork for which his chief, equally
with himself, was responsible.
It is all an unfathomable mystery
at this time and distance from the
seat of trouble. But it is profoundly
humiliating, none the less, that on sc
solemnly important an occasion, with
so momentous, and dignified a task in
hand, and with so highly creditable r.
piece of workmanship coming from
the president's hand, the whole effect
should have been spoiled, for some
reason unknown, by so ripe and cul
tured a diplomat and statesman a.'i
Robert Lansing, secretary of state.
World-Herald.
-:o:-
Now for the resolution.
:o:
Or, maybe, you'd rather turn over
a new leaf.
:o:
After New Year's day then what?
Down to hard work.
:o:
We are all for a "Happy New
Year," so let us do our best for that
result.
-:o:
"Each whale carries about a half
ton about him." There is no great de
mand for whalebone now, it being no
longer used for corsets and umbrellas,
but the whales still have use for it.
The girl who chooses a career that
fails to include baby carriages, bibs
and things, will land at the gates of
eternity with a consciousness that she
has missed something.
:o:
'A; perfectly healthy woman: can, in
ten minutes' conversation with a doc
tor, convince herself that she is af
flicted with fifteen ailments, and ten
of which are necessarily fatal.
Dated,
LEAVE VENGEANCE TO THE
LORD.
Congressman Gardner of Massa
chusetts is "seething with indigna
tion," to use his own words, because
President Wilson has spoken a word
for peace. "Men and nations," de
clares Senator Lodge's belliscoe son-
in-law, "must pay the penalty of their
crimes. Otherwise wickedness would
run riot in the world." The president,
by moving for peace, "is helping Ger
many to escape the penalty of her
wickedness. The world will not be a
lit place to live in if he succeeds."
From which one might conclude that
if the men who are doing the fighting
should ground arms and shake hand3
before Mr. Gardner is ready for it he
will refuse to make this world his
habitation any longer. The loss of
Gussie would be an outrageous price
to pay for peace. But then we have
grown accustomed to paying outrage
ous prices. Our very souls are cal
loused. We have become reckless with
our treasures. And so, though he be
dearer to us than much fine gold, we'll
rwap Gussie for peace if we get a
chance.
Men and nations must, indeed, pay
the penalty of their crimes. German
men and the German nation have sin
ned greatly, without doubt. Because,
equally without doubt, every nation,
and every man of every nation, has
sinned greatly. The question is, shall
we all take up arms for the purpose
of properly punishing each other for
cur sins? And, having taken them
up, shall we refuse to lay them down
again so long as there is a sinner
amongst us left alive and unpunished?
Mr. Gardner, it is only fair to note,
is not engaged in the punishing busi
ness himself except with his mouth
He is not in the trenches bleeding and
freezing and offering his life to make
this world "a fit place to live in." He
is living fatly and comfortably in a
rection of this world that never knew
what luxurious happiness was till it
leathered the war brides in its arms
brides born of the sweat and tears and
blood of other men that Congressman
Gardner sternly decrees must keep on
dying to make this world a fit place
for him to live in. There are, in the
armies of the entente nations whose
cause Mr. Gardner so ardently loves,
"foreign legions' even legions made
up of citizens of the United States of
America. These are legions of men
who have the courage of their con
victions and who are prepared to pay
the last full measure of devotion to
give those convictions enduring life.
But Mr. Gardner though yet a young
man and full of vigor, is not among
them. He prefers that others should
suffer the sacrifice whilst he spurs
them on and shouts bravely, "Damned
be he who first cries hold enough!"
The Manchester Guardian, the fore
most organ of British liberalism said
in a recent issue:
"There is in this as in all the coun
tries at war, a great volume of opin
ion, too little vocal, unfortunately, in
favor of a serious effort on the part
of European statesmen to put an end
to the carnage which is destroying a
whole generation of young men who
are not in a mood to fight on blindly,
killing and being killed for the sake of
fighting. If the armies them
selves could speak, this volume of
opinion would be revealed as even
greater and more set than it is in the
homes for which those armies, one
and all, are longing."
Perhaps these men in the trenches
are beginning to understand a truth
which Mr. Gardner in his bombastic,
foolish jay, is helping to make plain.
And the truth is this: While they may
have been summoned in the beginning,
to fight to save Europe from German
aggression, they are fighting, from
this time on, not in self-defense, not
for liberty and democracy and the
rights of small nations but to make
Germany "pay the penalty of her
wickedness." The shoe is now on the
other foot and it is "Gott strafe Ger
many." "Vy" ' -v''''
There is no longer the slightest
danger that Germany will dominate
Europe. Nor is there any longer a
reasonable prospect that Germany
may be conquered and disarmed and
divided into email states to which the
fiattsmoutn, neu., ueteinoer) "-
rest of Europe shtdl dictate, with Eng-
land keeping the German colors as a
reward for merit, Russia moving down
to Constantinople, France grabbing
Alsace-Lorraine, Italy contenting it
self with the Trentino and all com
bined sharing in the spoils of Austria
Hungary and the Balkan states. The
war has developed into a hopeless
stalemate. It has degenerated into an
orgy, to use the Manchester Guar
dian's words, the "killing and being
killed for the sake of fighting" an
orgy of hatred and vengeance that is
quite as suicidal as it is punitive.
"Vengeance is mine," the Lord has
said; "I will repay."
It is high time that both the great
hostile alliances leave vengeance to
the Lord, so far as the punishment
of their enemies is concerned, and de
vote themselves for a long while
henceforth to considering and curing
their own sins. Otherwise all the
proud empires and powers will go
down together "in one red buria
bleut." And in their dying agonies
they may lay violent hands upon and
drag into the black pit others that are
yet safe on the brink.
This is the truth that President Wil
son has seen. It is a truth that has
impressed itself on the whole neutral
world. It is striding in seven-league
boots across the trenches and in the
warring countries beholden by all ex
cept those who having eyes see not.
It is under its stern and compellint
mandate that Germany has propose;,
a peace conference and President Wil
son suggested a statement of peace
terms. How pitiful and disgusting, in
its awful presence, are the ravings of
the Gussie Gardners of the world!
World-Herald.
:o:
The fight against "the shyster law
yer" is all right and we hope the leg
islature will make a move in the di
rection of disbarment of all such shys
tery. They exist in every community,
ard they should be brought to the bar
of justice to prove their qualities.
The announcement of Governor
elect Neville that he will keep Super
intendent W. J. O'Biien in charge of
the state fish hatcheries at South
Bend, is good news and will please
the majority of Nebrasfcans. Mr
O'Brien has proven himself to be a
mighty good man to have charge of
the fish plant, and he should be kept
there as long as he cares to stay.
Weekly Wymorean.
-:o:-
The members of the incoming legis
lature meet in Lincoln Friday and
Saturday for the purpose of holding
caucusses among themselves as to
"ways and means," and the selection
of chairmen for the various commit
tees. We would like for the mem
bers of this body to take into consid
eration the qualities of Hon. John
Murtey of Cass county as the proper
man for chairman of the committee on
banking, because we know he is the
pi oper man for the place.
-:o:-
In conversation with several of our
best citizens and among the heaviest
taxpayers of the city, they all agree
that the injunction against the $15,000
school bonds was all uncalled for, and
that they did not uphold such pro
ceedings. They thought that it would
be cheaper and much better for those
who brought the suit to drop the
whole business. It does not cost the
board of education a farthing to de
fend the case, but in the end the
bonds so voted will be declared legal
and the taxpayers will have to foot
the bill. And then, another thing
such a squabble as this is a disgrace
to the community, especially to Platts
mouth, which has been booming more
in the past five years than any town
of its size in Nebraska. "Cut it out,"
is the proper thing, right now.
Of the members of the Nebraska
constitutional convention of 1875 six
are alive and living in Nebraska. They
are: O. A. Abbott, Grand Island; John
Lee Webster, Omaha; J. W. Dawes.
Ottumwa, ..la.;, Isaac Powers, Nor
folk'; Judge '"ReSese,. Lincoln A. .M.
Walling' Davjd City. : ;
. :o:
It's the sure thing that gets your
money.
:o:
Not very long 'till 1917.
SSI
TO BE GSVEN AT THE
SLSok
Saturday If s, Bee, 31
A Grand Good Time Assured
EVERYBODY I Pi VI TED
MUSEC BY HOLLY'S ORCHESTRA
Gents 50c Lad.es Free
Local! fslews
'i'lifxiay':-: !;;il.
Leonard Schafer was a Christmas
visitor at Manley with his relatives
and friends, returning home hist eve
ning. Miss Elsie' Roessler, who is teach
ing at Giant, Neb., this year is home
for the Christmas holidays to enjoy
the holiday season with the home
folks.
.Mrs. Joseph Tighe and son, Fran
cis, of llr.vAlo:-!:. were in the city
over Christmas visiting at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Fitzgerald
iml family and with their other rel
atives and friends.
Dr. G. H. Gilmore of Murray was
'n the city today for a few hours en
route from Omaha to Murray, having
been present at the operation per
formed on Miss Esther Rice at the
hospital in Omaha.
Charles Patterson, of Arapahoe,
.vas ar.rng the Christinas visitors in
Lhe city visiting 'with his brothers,
T. M. Patterson and II. V. Patr--on
and families. He departed this
.r.oining fur his home.
Ed Val'ery and wife of Grass
Range, Mont., who have been visiting
at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Kaufmann and other relatives and
friends, depaited this" afternoon for
their western home.
Mrs. F. A. Cloidt, Mrs. C. T. Pea
cock and Phil Becker returned home
.Sunday morning from Mason City,
111., where they were in attendance at
the funeral cf their uncle and aunt,
.Mr. and Mrs. J. P. Becker.
Ben Muncheau and family of Eagle
were in the city over Christmas vis
iting at the home of Mr. and Mrs.
W. T. Smith, parents of Mrs. Mun
cheau. While in the city Mr. Mun
cheau was a pleasant caller at the
Journal office.
Ed Brantner of Pender, Neb., was a
Chiistmas visitor in this city, and
will enjoy a shoit visit at the home
of Mr. and Mrs. John Cory and fam
ily. Mrs. Brantner and Mr. and Mrs.
Russell Chase have been here for the
past few days.
Wade Porter and family of
Creighton, arrived Friday evening to
enjoy a visit with Mrs. Porter's par
ents. T. W. Valery and wife at their
farm home near Murray. They
were met in Omaha by Charles Val
lery, a brother of Mrs. Porter.
Morris Marley of Cheyenne, Wyo.,
was a visitor in the city over Sunday
and Christmas with his brother, Will
iam Morley and family. This is the
first time in eighteen years that the
two brothers have met and the oc
casion was one of great pleasure to
them.
. Mrs. John J. Coughiin arrived
Sunday morning from her home in
Chicago to spend Christmas in this
city with her parents, Mr. and Mrs.
H. M. Soennichscn. The many
friends of Mr. Coughlin will regret
greatly to learn that he is feeling
very poorly and could not accompany
his "wife to this city.
Charles Bell, of Davenport, la., a
former Plattsmouth boy was in the
Drs. Rftach & fJach, Tha Dentists
The l&rjrest and best equipped
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DR. E. El. TARRY - 240
w f 1 'E
E
Bancs!-
city over Christina.-; visiting with his
many old time friends. Charley was
in Omaha attending to a few matters
for the Woodman of the World team
of which he is a member, and de
cided to spend the Chiistmas season
here with his old friends.
Mont. Rabb of Union was in th
city Saturday evening for a iV.v
hours on rente to Omaha where he
joined Mrs. Robb and Miss Gussie in
a Christmas visit with friends and
relatives. Mr. Robb is soon to ta!
charge of an elevator at Ceresco, but
the family will continue to make their
home at Union.
Simon Clark and wife were over
Christmas visitors at Cedar Creek,
where they visited at the home of
their daughter, Mrs. Robert Stiver
and family. Mrs. Clark returned
home thi.1 morning accompanied by
her little grand-daughter, white Mr.
Clark continued on to Omaha to take
treatment in that city.
Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Skinner of Lin
coln were here over Sunday and
Christmas visiting at the home of Mrs.
.Skinner's mother. Mrs. Herman II : r
old, and also at the A. T. Fitt and
Pery Fie'd In.ry.os. The Skinner fam
ily are expecting to leave in t!u
spring for Wyoming to locate on a
homestead there.
Mr. and Mrs. Harvey IK-negei-came
in Sunday morning from their
home at Carroll, la., .to visit over the
holidays with Mr. and Mrs. Henry
Steinhauer and Mr. and Mrs. Edgar
Steinhauer, and also Mr. Percy Dim
mitt, who is a guest at the Steim
hauer home over the holidays. Mr.
and Mrs. Heneger departed Monday
morning for Weeping Water, from
where they will return to their home
in Iowa.
Mr. and Mrs. George Privett of
Bladen, Neb., who have been here vis
iting over Christmas at the home of
Mrs. Privett's parents, Mr. and Mrs.
P. A. McCreary, departed this after
noon for their home. Mr. and Mrs.
Privett are living on a farm near
Bladen and are getting along very
prosperous in their new home. While
here Mr. Privett called at this office
and enrolled his name for the Semi
Weekly Journal for one year.
POSITIVELY NO HUNTING.
All parties will from this date take
notice that no hunting will be allowed
on our farm. This rule must be ad
hered to and all those violating it will
be prosecuted to the fullest extent of
the law.
Wai.tei; Sans,
MllJ. JOS. SA.WS. 1
CORN SHELLING.
I am now ready to do all kinds of
corn shelling and wood sawing. Call
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