THURSDAY, AUGUST 23, 1917.
PACE !.
PLATTSMOUTH SEMt-WEEK LY JOURNAL.
! -
Cbz plattsmouth journal
PUBLISHED SKVI-WEEKLT AT PLATTSBIOUTHi NEBKASKA.
Kstared lit Postofflce at Plattsmouth. Neb., as second-class mail matter.
R. A. BATES, Publisher
UBSCKIPTIOlf TRIClEl CUM PKB TEAR IIC ADTANOB
How can any little nation
Though it fight with desperation,
Hope to beat this combination
Von Falkenhayn,
Von r.Iackciisen,
Und Gott!
:o:
Farward, march!
:o:
State fair next week.
:o:
Haller is still there.
:o:
The
soldier boys are moving.
:o:
The hay fever season is here asaim
:o:
Profits and poverty
hand.
9
:o:
;o hand in
The second Liberty loan is to be
floated in September.
:o:
Winter is comins on, Snd the coal
qucotion needs looking into.
:o:
When it comes to irrief. there i al
ways enough to go around.
:o:
As soon as both ends collide the
middleman is a goner for sure.
:o:
The cor. umers could soon settle
t! e coal n:estioh, if given a chance.
:o:
The state hoard of assessment
made no change in the aceessinciit of
t'as county.
:o:
What is the sense in discussing
politics i'l these war times? None
in the least.
:o:
General prosperity is in command
of Plattsmouth, and is going to see
that things move.
:o?
The more the people of the United
States Know of Senator LaFollctte.
the less thev think of him.
-:o:
The canning season is now on.
and everybody is canning all they
can, and there is still plenty of cans.
:o:
What if the food speculator?,
should go on a strike do you think
it would make any difference to th
consumers?
:o:
No longer can it be called "a rich
man's war and a poor man's fight,"
because the conscription army will
have as many rich men's sons in the
army as poor men's sons. When it
comes to conscription none escape
except for physical disability.
to:
Just two things seem to stand in
the way of complete happiness for
the Sammies now in Europe. They
a-re anxious to get into action aiul
they are waiting for American to
bacco. The French article is not to
the Sammies' liking at all, one ship
ment of American tobacco was lost
and the boys are now watching the
arrival of every boat hoping for the
second shipment to arrive.
:o:
It seems evident that the price o
county seat weeklies must shortly
advance to $2 a year or be published
at a loss. The advance in printing
material seems to be permanent. Cost
i
of the paper on which this is printed
ij more than twice the former cost
and there is no sign of any material
reduction. Wages and other expenses
are higher, and on top of all this the
dollar itself is no good it won't buy
0'
anything. The price of $1.50 a year
is evidently not enoush. So far as
. .this paper is concerned the time for
Ta. rise in price will be postponed a.
-long as possible, but it seems to be
drawing near. Those who take time
' bv the forelock, or the nincr ieg or
. .other place where the grabbing i
good, and pay in advance, will prob
ably make high interest on their
money. An announcement of a ris$
to S2 a year may ccme as a Christ
mas present or at any rate, iu th
near future. Fairbury Journal.
THE BLEND OF MATERNAL
AND NATIONAL DEVOTION
One Mother's Letter to the Presi
dent and His Kindly Reply
to the Noble Writer.
In years to come letters like the
following will be treasured in the
archives of libraries and museums as
precious legacies of history. Such
letters are today among the most in
teresting tokens of the Civil War days
when President Lincoln's great heart
was so often wrung by the love of
loyal mothers, and when he was mov
ed as President Wilson has been, to
respond in similar gracious manner
to the patriotic spirit of the nation.
So if these letters are to possess val
us in the years to come, why not
now?
The Reply
The White House, Washington,
July 10, 1917.
My Dear Mrs. Meyer:
Your letter of June 13th has warm
ed my heart. Your feeling about your
sons is the feeling which I should
think every mother in whom the true
spirit of motherhood and of Ameri
canism dwells would have, and I
like to believe that it is true that
the country is full of mothers of the
irae heroic and self-sacrificing sort.
It quickens my pulse and strengthens
my belief in the splendid capacity of
this country to meet every crisis of
this sort to receive such a message
s you have been gracious and kind
nough to send me, and I shall treas
ure it in my heart as a typical ex-
rrssion of devoted American woman
hood. Cordially and sincerelv yours,
WOOUKOW WILSON'.
Mrs. Louis Meyer,
It. F. D. No. 2, Wheeling, W. Va.
A Mother Heroine.
Sherrard, June 13, 1917.
To the President of the United
States:
Dear Sir: Perhaps you will think
me presumptuous to write a letter to
on, but we are all one thing loyal
mericans. I simply wish to let you
know what one West Virginia woman
has done for our country. I have
ent two stalwart, strong, healthy
hoys to the front. Ferhaps you have
already met them. They are Fred
and Louis Meyer, now in Wishington,
D. C, in Company D, Sixth Regiment,
merican (something). They en
listed ten days ago at Columbus, Ohio,
as truck drivers and are to be put
n the Amublance Corps. They were
at home to bid us good-bye before
oining. While it hurt me very much
to bid them good-bye, as I may nev
er see them again, yet I know that
our country needs them and I must
not mind a few more pangs. Must I?
They have both written a lot of let
ters and cards and sent me their
pictures in uniform, of which I am
justly proud. 1 inclose one to you of
the brothers standing side by side to
show you a type of West Virginia
manhood. The stout one is Fred, 27
years old, weight 245 pounds, height
feet, 11 inches. The tall one is
Louis, 21 years old, weight 185
pounds, height 6 feet, 1 inches. All
I ask is that you return the picture
after you are done with it, as I may
never get another one.
Mr. Wilson, it makes me angry to
hear some women talk. They say,
"Oh, Mrs. Meyer, how can you stand
it to see your big strong boys go
away: it would kill me if mine
would have to go," and so forth,
tell them that my boys are ftot cow
ards, that they volunteered as my
father and brother did in the six
ties, and that if such boys as mine
did not go, who would go? The crip
pies, lame or blind? Mine are per
feet in health and mind, being clean
pure country boys. I have still an
other son who would enlist if I would
give my consent. He is but 15
years old, but tall and strong. But
his father is growing old and we need
him to work the farm of 100 acres
If the war does not end soon and he
is needed badly, J must let him go
but just now I think I have done my
share, don't you? We preach patrio
tism to our children at home and in
the schools, and then when the coun
try needs them, let them hide behind
our backs (not I) and ask them to
be exempt, as one of my neighbors
did whose son was working away
from home, but came horne to help
pop on t6 farm and fired the hired
man to make rQni for the son.
large husky boy of 21, like my tal
one. If you have the time, far. jVil
son, and want to see a healthy man,
go to Company D, Sixth Regiment,
Just arrived from Columbus, Ohio,
and ask for the brothers, Fred and
Louis Meyer, Ambulance corps. And
don't forget, please, to return my
treasures (the pictures) and oblige.
And now one word more. I highly
approve of wBat you have done,
namely, sending troops over, the wat
er to put down the rebellion and
stop this war business, this slaugh
ter of the innocents. I took my sons
in my arms, asked God to bless them,
told them to be true to their coun
try and not forget their mother.
MRS LOUIS' MEYEH.
R. F. D. No. 2, Wheeling, W. Va.
SAFE FOR DEMOCRACY.
Governor Capper of Kansas offers
a good suggestion under the caption
of "Keeping America Safe for De
mocracy. He says:
"With the national guard mobo-
lized and the selective army drawn,
it is but natural that all over the
country there is keen interest in
what the government will do with
them. Will they be rushed hurriedlv
to the battlefields of France and
Belgium, or will they undergo a suf
ficient training and seasoning here
at home in order to make them fit
for fighting? Fortunately we have
a line on what the war department,
thinks about it. In his correspon
dence with Colonel Roosevelt last
spring, secretary uaker saia mat u
an expeditionary force were sent to
Europe he would feel obliged to urge
that it be officered by and composed
of men selected because of their pre
vious training and, as far as possi
ble, actual military experience.'
" 'My judgment reaches this con
clusion,' continued Secretary Baker,
for the reason that any such expedi-
tion will be made up of young
Americans who will be sent to ex
pose their lives in the bloodiest war
yet fought in the world, and under
conditions of warfare involving ap
plications of science to the art of
such a character that the very high
est degree of skill and training and
the largest experience are needed for.
their guidance and protection.
I could not reconcile my mind
to a recommendation which deprived
our soldiers of the most experienced
leadership available, in deference to
any mere sentimental consideration,
nor could I consent to any expedition
being sent until its members have
been seasoned by most thorough
training for the hardships which
they would have to endure.'
"As the war department has wisely
decided that no troops will be sent
abroad unless thoroughly seasoned;
as experts agree that two years sea
soning is not too long; and as we
won't have the shipping to transport
a million American troops and the
necessary food, equipment, munitions
and supplies much if any inside of
two years; can't we be doing some
thing in the meantime to make that
democratic army not only valuable
to the country but popular as well?
Can't we make army seivico both
profitable and educational for the
soldiers, for the boys who have vol
unteered or been selected to serve
our country? We offer theoe sugges
tions: Make the army a great na
tional, democratic college, where our
young men may prepare for the trade
or profession they may elect to fol
low after their term of service is
over. 1
While training and seasun'Pg
our soldiers here in America, make
every cantonment an American col
lege. Temper strenuous military
training and seasorJug with whole
some amusement and schooling to fit
the boys for valuable citizenship in
time of peace. Tiiw preparation for
a trade or profesbicu will enable ev
ery American sold'cr boy in the army
to look forward to ttio end of service
with hope and assuumce. He will
feel that when ha has performed his
patriotic duty for urcio Sam, his
country will have enabled him to
make good at a trjde or profession
and support a family. Thi3 will help
keep America safi tor democracy.'
Governor Capper'; suggestion is a
good one and shou'd be gleu care
ful consideration.
:o:-
The genuine thought- America.
DRAFTING MARRIED MEN.
There has been sharp difference
noted here in Nebraska among ex
emption boards as to whether mar
ried men with dependents should be
selected for military service. That
same difference has arisen in many
other states, and has created so much.
feeling ' that it has finally elicited
an expression from President Wilson.
9
Senator Weeks of Massachusetts,
an early and vigorous champion of
the draft act, wrote the president
that opposition to the policy of draft
ing married men, and to the exemp
tion of aliens of draft age, "are cre
ating a state of mind which is likely
to be extremely harmful." The draft
ing of men with families, the Massa
chusetts senator declared, -"is eco
nomically an unsound policy." And
he said further, in his letter to the
president: "It is unwise from the
standpoint of successful prosecution
of the war to take married men as
long as there are a sufficient num
ber of single men of the draft age
to meet the government's require
ments. It will also mean very mate
rially added burdens to the govern
ment in providing for the dependents
and it increases the distress of mind
of at least one person for every one
drafted, developing in the total an
amount of criticism and resentment
which might be and should be avoid
ed."
To this President Wilson wrote a
letter agreeing with the views of
Senator weeks, saying:
"Your point with regard to the
drafting of men with families i.s
undoubtedly well taken, and I ha v.
reason to believe that it is very
much in the mind at any rate of
most of the drafting boards. I shall
take pleasure in calling the atten-
1
tion of the war department again
to it."
Charles E. Hughes, chairman of
the district exemption board of New
YorkCity, says that his board ir
deciding each case upon its meritr.
in accordance with the regulations,
and calls attention to the text oJ
the regulations the rulings of the
provost marshal general under date
of August S as follows:
"A clear case of dependency ordi
narily renders discharge advisable,
since the drafted person loses his
civil income and thus loses his means
of support, the wife is left without
support, and this lack of support is
the effect which the act aims to
avoid. But wherever such effect does
not in fact follow, and the wife is
not lef without reasonably adequate
support, but will receive such sup
port from other sources, there is no
real denendence rendering discharge
advisable."
It is clear, from the text of Sen
ator Weeks' letter and the presi
dent's response to it, that Mr. Wil
son believes exemption boards should
administer this regulation with lib
erality rather than with severity to
ward the family man claiming ex
emption. In fact, the correspondence
establishes that both writers think
the general policy should be to ex
empt married men from service so
long as single men are available.
Fabian Franklin, in the New York
Times, holds that the rule is thaj
"a married man bona ftde supporting
his wife, or wife and children, by his
mefltal and physical labor, is entitled
to discharge unless the wife or chil
dren have independent means of sup
port." It is not a question at all, he
argues, of whether an army can be
raised, but of how it shall be raised.
One-third, of the entire list k would
furnish the first army of 687,000
men, with this rule adhered tb. "By
straining and warping the rule, per
haps, we might stop, at one-fourth, or
one-fifth. But why should we? Is
the accident of a man's draft
number being, low in the list to be
allowed to count more, he asks, than
the reasons against "throwing a
young woman upon the more or less
charitable aid of persons other than
her husband." And he concludes
by saying:
It is not a question of getting the
army. It is a question of whom to
take first. After this army has teea
formed Out of the ltrst third of the
lottery Jist, and a second army of
the same size out of the next third
and a third army of the same size
out of the last third, then, if we
still need men and can equip them,
by all means toke the married men,
dependents or no dependents. But
why do it novv? Why not carry out
in good faith a program deliberately
laid down, and based not only on
considerations of humanity, but also
of national policy, until the time
conies when the program is no long
er feasible? Of course there are
cases where the general principle
does not apply, and above all cases
in which marriage has been resorted
to for the purpose of evading the
draft. But the principle itself is
manifestly sound and it is mere want
of clear thought as to the nature of
the alternative that accounts for the
fumbling with it which has char
acterized the proceedings of the last
week or two."
There has come to this newspa
per a great many letters from young
wives vigorously protesting against
the drafting of their husbands while
single men, with no family responsi
bilities, are left undisturber in civil
life. A few of these letters have
been printed, but they must not be
interpreted as signifying any lack
of loyalty on the part of the people
of Iowa and Nebraska, or the ex
istence of a sentiment here different
from elsewhere. It is a sentiment
that has found expression generally
over the union, and it is one that
so appealed to the president him
self to cause him to write the letter
above printed. World-Herald.
:o:
Time" to go on record! Time to
separate the sheep from the goats!
Time that loyal fathers and mothers
who are giving their son's to the
country's service be protected against
the sneers and the disloyalty and
the indifference of the slackers and
the disloyal. The assertion that a
woman might as well boast of her
virtue as for a man to declare his
loyalty is the piffle of the coward,
the disloyal at heart and the spine
less slacker who is afraid of losing ?.
penny by openly standing up for his
country.
:o:
Some automobile owners are break
ing the law every day in this neck
of the woods, and on the streets of
Plattsmouth, in the fact of permit
ting their sons and daughters to
run autos. We know of several in
stances where slight accidents have
happened, while cars were in the
hands of young people, under the age
limit. We want to once again warn
parents that children are not allowed
to handle cars, and if arrested by
the police, don't blame him, for the
law makes it his duty to arrest such
persons.
:o:
Many people are known to blame
other people for the same things
they have done .themselves. Thi"
may be termed reaction, but it is not
right. Always keep your own door
yard swept clean befare finding jaulr
with your neighbor.
About the only definite thing that
can be said for a certainty about the
pope's peace suggestion, is that some
arrogant power is finding out that
it has more than enough of fight
ing. :o:
. Many cities and towns are having
market days and special sales days.
Would it not be a good idea for the
merchants to invest in something of
this kind?
:o:
It will do no good for the kaiser
to cry "Enough," says the Topeka
Journal. The entente allies will tell
him when he has enough.
:o:
The "cousins" will no longer rule
Europe after this war is over. That
fact seems settled, right now..
:o:
Nebraska, being one of the best
states in the Union" will always hold
her own, and then seme.
:o:
Our merchants keep moving, and
are selling the goods, which is in
evidence every day.
:o:
Peace without annexation must go,
or no peace at all. That's the "word
with thebark on it."
:o:
While you keep putting food dewn,
the speculators keep putting it up.
m r , - in.
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. n ..... 'ti.,:j n-n-mj
mssm
k t -hi iT -;1 PF.17 CENT.
!jCvfi V AVc:;-lab!?IVcporat.:cnfarAs
' C S th. ? ' ... " . j T) 1- r.f
linuxiic Morancri anaoi.
Tltcrcbv Pfomolin Digestion
Cliccrf Jlncss and Rcst.Cur.tiu-is
neither Cpiam.Mcrphine nor
Mineral. Not Narcotic
1r ,.I'l I
b -0
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:st -----
I i
V.l - I.I
ih? and Fcverishnss ami
;;:;! Loss cf Sleep
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it . c-Antrn I
Exact Copy of Wrapper.
LOST--One slightly used United
States rubber auto tire, size 4x4,
complete with inner tube and rim.
Xon tread. On road west of Murray
near the Fred Meisinger place, on
Sunday, Aug. 13, 1917. Reward for
finder. Notify Albert Shelhorn, or
leave at Journal office for reward.
Bring your weliingr to us. Platts
mouth Garage. Tel. 304.
DELCO-LIGIIT i i
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THICK PLATES-LONG LIFE.
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Works for me every day in the year,
furnishing electric light and power.
Delco-Liglit has never failed us in the year and more it
has been in our home. It runs our double washer every Mon
day; irons for us on Tuesday; cleans our carpets any day and
runs the fan when we want it. JAMES TERRYBERRY.
Thirty thousand others users deriving pleasure and
profit from Delco-Light.
Two sizes, $350 and $420 f. o. b., Dayton, Ohio.
8SY ROSENTHAL,
538 South 25th Ave, : : : : Omaha, Neb.
Bartling's Best Brand
$12.00 per bushel $11. OO per bushel
ALFALFA SEED
Lower grades at $3.50 to $10.50 per bushel
SEED WHEAT, Common Yellow Berry
variety, grown in Otoe County; unlimited
quantity. Ask for prices.
Wo are buyers of Timothy, Red Clover,
Cane, fVIillct, Pop Corn, Winter Rye and other
field seeds. Send Samples.
Edward
fj Seed rcrehantfi,
f fita t
Btt
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4 East of Riley Hotel.
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A want ad will bring what you want.
Moth
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1871
BRAND
Nebraska City, Neb.
f Lull
Seed
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