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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 25, 1922)
The Morning Bee: MORNING—EVENING—SUNDAY THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY NELSON B. UPDIKE. Publisher. B. BREWER. Gen. Manager. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS The Associated Frees, of which The Bee ts e mea.ber. is esclnslrelf entitled to the use tor retubJtcstina of til oesa dispatches credited to It as not <<t her wise credited Id this paper, sad els*. the local newt published herein. All neats of republics* ion* of our special dispatches srs also reserved. BEE TELEPHONES Private Branch Exchange. Ask for the Department AT lantic «r Person Wanted. For Night Calls After 10 P. M.: i non Editorial Department. AT lantic 1021 or 1042. OFFICES Main Office—17th and Farnam Co. Bluffs - - - - 15 Scott St. So. Side. N W. Cor. 24 th and N New York—286 Fifth Avenue Washington - - 422 Star Bldg. Chicago - - - 1720 Steger Bldg. : Paris, France—420 Rue St. Honors PLANTS FROM THE OLD WORLD. Down at Washington, D. C., there is an office in the Department of Agriculture which has an in tensely interesting line of work—that of literally combing the earth for plants which may or may not have a place in the agriculture of the United States. The office is that of foreign plant and seed introduction, and at its head is David Fairchild, a son-in-law of the late Alexander Bell, inventor of the telephone. Fairchild knows plants as few men do and he has spent much time in foreign lands in out-of-the way places, searching here and there for shrubs or flowers, or fruits, or varieties of grain which might have merit in this country. But his main work at the present time is that of directing the activities of the men of his office—plant hunters they may be called. There is another line of work carried on by the office, and that is the testing out of the im ported plants on experiment stations located in va rious parts of the country. One of these is at Chico, Cal.; another at Yarrow, Md.; a third at Bellingham, Wash. Two others are located at Brooksville and at Miami, Fla. The station at Yarrow, Md., being in close proximity to Washing ton, D. C., is used for the testing out of plants which are suspected of being diseased. In other words, it is a sort of quarantine station. One of the best known plant explorers from this office was Frank N. Meyer, who for nine years explored parts of China, Siberia, Turkestan and the Caucasus. Meyer’s travels took him over mountain slopes where white men scarcely ever venture, and to barren plateaus. For months at a time he would never see a familiar face, his companions being the native helpers of those regions. Among his discov eries which have made good in this country are a persimmon adapted for the arid southwest, a chest nut resistant to the chestnut bark disease, and a Chinese elm. Scores of other plants of value are filling niches in various parts of this country. In 1919 the body of Meyer was found floating in the Yangtze river of China. No one knows what hap pened, but it is supposed that in a fit of despondency brought on by the intense loneliness, he took his own life. Then there was M. A. Carleton, who explored the Black Earth country of Russia seeking for wheat which would be suitable for the semi-arid regions of the United States. In 1899 and 1900 he introduced the durum wheat varieties to this country. These wheats are adapted for the great plains section. From the very first the durum wheats were popular and by 1906 the annual crop in the Dakotas, Montana and other states totaled 40,000,000 bushels. In 1920, 36 per cent of the wheat crop of North Dakota and 28 per cent of the South Dakota crop was durum wheat. The re sistance of these wheats to rust .and to drouth and their high yielding powers made them favorites. We might also speak of the Kherson, Swedish Select and Sixty-Day Oats, all imported from Europe, which have made good in their new home. Less than fifteen years ago an eight-ounce packet of Sudan grass seed was imported from Africa. At the present time this grass grows in scores of states and has a real place as a late summer pasture. Soy beans were originally at home only in China, Japan and Manchuria. Now they are increasing in ] acreage yearly in the corn belt. Recent trials in- | dicate that soy bean oil from corn belt soy beans, will be one of our commercial products. 1 When you think of the food plants of the United States, think also of the men who have ex plored the out-of-the-way places in foreign lands to bring us back plants of value for our many different conditions. USING PRISON MAN POWER. One of the principal counts in the bill against ■ American methods is the handling of inmates of prisons, reformatories and the like. That an im- j mense wastage of man-power is here all who have studied the question are agreed. How to utilize this power to best advantage is not yet known. One of the first difficulties encountered is that few of the prisoners have any occupational training. This necessitates their employment at tasks the de tails of which are easily mastered. Another is that j the call for such products as are thus supplied is limited, and objection is made to the sale of the same where it comes in competition with the prod uct of free labor. Attempts to solve this objection by having the state use the output of prison fac tories have been partly, but only partly, successful. A way should be found to make use of the labor- j power of every prisoner, for two great reasons. First, the prisoner must be constantly and usefully occu- ■ pied during his time of confinement, else his health will suffer. Second, he should be taught the habits of thrift and industry, and trained to be self-sup porting while in prison, or he may soon resort to 1 crime again when liberated. The state has a right to use the inmates of pris ons and reformatories in such way as will make them nearly if not quite self-supporting. How this may best be done is a problem for penologists, and on its working out these are not agreed. Factories of many sorts are suggested, and each proposal of this natuie brings its separate problems of operation. Using prrsoners to construct highways is another favorite method of getting good from their labor. It has been employed to good advantage in many states, and with some degree of satisfaction in Nebraska. Whether it be workhouse or factory, road build ing or just breaking stone, the prisoner’s work should be a source of income, to the state and to the pris oner. The latter must not be able to feel that he is not getting some return from his efforts, beyond what it costs to maintain him while undergoing pun ishment or reform. Study of the Nebraska laws on the point should be intensive by the authorities, and the board of control should have some constructive proposal for the consideration of the legislature. Too much man-power is wasted in Nebraska now through idleness in county jails and state prisons, and a way to put it to service ought to be discovered. Who is to enforce the rule with regard to venti lation of street cars? “BUT ONCE A YEAR.” No matter the weather, the world seems fresh and beautiful on Christmas morn. All are as chil- I dren again, seeing through their eyes, sharing in ' their delight and living again the days of youth and innocence. The news of the outside world today is dwarfed in its importance by the events of the home fire side. It is in harmony with this spirit that the j first page of The Omaha Bee today is devoted to a drawing by Bushnell, a cartoonist who has for | many years interpreted subjects near to the heart , of America. There on the hearth stands Santa Claus with his bag of toys. The twinkle in his eye ( is all the brighter for the suspicion that the chil dren who appear to have fallen asleep in the big armchair are only pretending and would, if they dared, leap up and throw their loving arms about his neck. The note they have left in the little cart declares that they have been good children, and perhaps they have—as good at least as any boy and girl, full of the joy of life can be. The spirit of Christmas softens the harsh standards of everyday conduct. A host of memories is brought up by this crea tion of the artist’s pen. What a splendid thought it is that there should be so much of goodness and love in the world as is personfied in old Saint Nich olas. This one day in the year the best impulses of humanity rule supreme. Generosity, thought for others and the desire that none should lack for the i comforts and joys of life prevail today throughout | the land. These influences are at work also during I the rest of the year, but without any such univer- I sal emphasis. It is that on this Christmas day all j are thinking and working together that makes it so beautiful and inspiring. The more of the spirit of Christmas that men and women can carry over into the new year, the fairer will life be, for them and for all alike. SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE FAIRIES. Remember Sherlock Holmes, and the keenly an alytical manner in which he dissolved every mys tery? The creator of this great literary figure, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, never failed to astonish his readers with his cleverness. In none of the stories was logic strained or reason twisted. The contrast between Sir Arthur's detective stories and his latter day discussion of the questions of spiritualism is most remarkable. Two years ago he made the startling statement that fairies had been photographed by two English girls, 10 and 16 years old. He even brought the photographs to America as evidence. Quite a con troversy raged over his claims. At that time he showed no sign of feeling that more evidence of their genuineness was needed. Now, however, he an nounces that he has discovered important corrobora tion. It is doubtful if Sherlock Holmes himself could have made much of the sort of proof that is now brought forward. Sir Arthur, however, attaches the qtmost importance to the fact that the younger of the two children wrote a note to a little friend in South Africa, saying: “Elsie and I have been seeing fairies lately. t\e even obtained photographs of them. 1 wonder why we did not see them in South Africa? I suppose it was too hot." A child of 10, he declares, would not attempt to deceive a friend on such a point. This, however, would not be sufficient evidence for Sherlock Holmes, nor is it for many who have whetted their minds on his decoction and inductions. If there are fairies in Yorkshire, doubtless they would more read ily reveal themselves to a child than to an adult, but 1 surely one who believes in their presence so firmly 1 as Sir Arthur ought to be allowed to see them for l himself. COSTLY R/ILROAD REGULATION. How to get away from the necessity for railroad regulation has not been discovered, but its expense is so heavy as to make it well worth while to seek some method of reduction. Back in the beginning of the Interstate Commerce commission, in 1887, its annual expenditure was $15,140; :n 1921 this had multiplied to $6,193,714. Such an item could not ; but be reflected in the cost of living. In addition to ! the cost of this commission there is also the expens.; i of the railway labor board to be borne by the public. If these two bodies are combined, as suggested by President Harding, some economy might be accom plished. One of the principal causes of the heavy expendi tures of the Interstate Commerce commission lies in the study of railroad valuations. Inasmuch as this study ha^ resulted in a gross figure as high as the estimate placed on them by the railroads, it is diffi cult to see what has been gained for the people. When this survey is done, a considerable decrease in expenditures for regulation should be in order. What America needs is competition between the railroads. This business of regulation has gone too far. It is all very well to set maximum rates for freight and passengers, but the public mind can see no wisdom in the government setting minimum rates, too. Here is a privately owned utility, whose every movement is supervised by the federal government. Being under such paternalistic regulation, it has come to expect governmental protection of its in come also. The situation is distinctly unhealthy, and it is to be questioned whether or not government regulation has been worth what it cost. Council Bluffs is having a surfeit of costly fires, hut we feel sure the damage wrought will be repaired and that the spirit that has kept the city prosperous through so many years will build again to greater heights. Government From tlie Cleveland Plain Dealer. — W’e live under a government by slogan. A president who wants to implant a message in the public mind compresses it Into a slogan and the newspapers do the rest, liberty bonds were sold by slogan. Parties win or lose according to the versatility of its slogan writers. The church bulletin board you pass on the way to work this morning contains a neatly lettered slogan. The fuel station on the corner placards Its wisdom slogan wise. You are lucky if the office boss does not hurl a slogan at you as you open the desk. Slogans everywhere. Have you a new cosmetic or a new kind of horseshoe nail to market; invent a slogan. A new security to sell; a Ben Franklin slogan or thrift will turn the trick. A laggard business venture to put on its feet; phrase a slogan and see It revive. Well, why not? A good slogan condenses much thought into few words. The world is too busy for dis sertations; it acts on impulse; it wants it preaching compressed. Man or woman who must spend the day behind a counter, at a desk or a cashier's window has no energy to waste trying to remember the speech his carniate made him on the way downtown, but the slogan read from the sidewalk bulletin board sticks, whether you want it to or not. Wise old Dr. Franklin has been eelling stuff for a century and a half because he knew the value of saying it in slogans. If you have anything worth doing, write it, oi* hire it written, in slogan form. Let others write the coun try's laws; it’s the slogans that guide us to our destiny! I What About Arbuckle Films? Press of Nebraska Against Lif ting Han—Depend on Patrons of Movies to Discourage Move—One Says Question Is of Small Importance. Norfolk Pres*. Marie Weekes: The faith of a child is the most beautiful thing in life. The children of America loved Fatty Arbuckle with the devotion those of us of a generation earlier bestowed on Gene Field. The fat comedian violated the faith of those children, and no lover of children with ideals for these little ones will countenance the return of a fellow whose nante is associated witli the unclean. A censorship by the patrons of the movies whose money makes the pic ture industry possible is file only safe censorship. Eet the American pic ture public refuse to see Fatty Ar buckle and Hollywood will clean up more quickly than It will with the ent» ployment of ten Will Hays. The Press will oppose the showing of Ar buckle films in Norfolk. Grand Island Independent. A. F. Buechler: It is to be feared that Mr. Hays permitted his sympa thy for Arbuckle personally to dominate his judgment and that he has subordinated the best interests of film theaters and of motion pictures as a form of public entertainment. It seems absurd to declare ns a premise that the Women's clubs which are pro testing are motivated by a desire to persecute. Especially in view of thej constantly recurring evidences of cer tain conditions in parts of filmland, ft Is much safer to assume that the re monstrating women entertain the higher desire to disassociate the busi ness and the entertainment from such conditions. They are not malevolent; they would prefer only to forget. Mr. Hays' action revives the scandal. Fairbury Journal. W. F. Cramb: The best censor of moving pictures, as of everything else, is an enlightened public opinion. It Is doubtful if Fatty Arbuckle can come back, with or without the per mission of the chief of tiimdom. The public wants cleaner pictures and cleaner lives for those who make them. Fatty Arbuckle will never be able to create a smile in an audience which has in mind his reckless and riotous and vulgar display of wealth. Whether he was actually guilty of the girl's death or not makes little difference. He has proven himself a bounder too coarse for the typical American. He would create a better impression in the minds of the com mon people if he would go back to Kansas and work as a farm hand at $40 a month and found. ScottsbluIT News. George Grimes: The return of Fatty Arbuckle to the films can do no good to the movies. The public would like to believe that the majority of screen stars lead more wholesome lives than his was revealed to be by the trial of the Rappe case. To set him up now as a hero, winning the applause of millions. Is unwise. The producers may find his Dims un profitable. This, at least, will offer the public a chance to demonstrate whether it is sincere in demanding that Hollywood folks live clean lives. McCoqlt Gazette. H. D. Strunk: Personally, I am little interested in Fatty Arbuckle, and can not see where it makes a great deal of difference whether he again ap pears In motion pictures or not. Per haps it would be just as well for tho film industry if he would move to Africa and spend tho balance of his life studying wild animals. I believe the American people are more interested in a few of the eco nomic questions that threaten the fu ture prosperity and growth of the nation. For instance, the freight rate on a carload of fruit from Cali fornia to New York is approximately $700, while several hundred thousand families in the United States are suf fering from a 20 per cent reduction in railroad wages last July, and have refused to work under such condi tions. It takes seven and eight weeks to get freight from the eastern markets to western Nebraska. Horse hiden are selling at $3 per hide, while a skunk hide brings from $2 to $2.50, j and a coyote bide sells for $6. The farmer finds it difficult to make a living under present conditions, as does tlie laboring man, the small town merchant and the tradesman, while ! the big retail stores of New York | City are making from 2.000 to 3,000 i per rent profit on many of the com i modifies of life, as was shown recently i by a report from the United States senate. These are some of the things that it seerys to me should he brought to the attention of the people in the plare of whether or not Fatty Ar buckle is to appear in films. Hnldrege Progress. E. J. O'Shea: America doesn't seem to care whether it's Tom, Dick or Harry when it conies to entertain ment. Arbuckle’s buffoonery may be pleasing, but we much prefer the sim pler sntics of Lloyd, or Chaplin, or Rogers, or a host of others untainted with the ulcers of degeneracy. By all means let the millionaire produc ers bring him back to the screen; It will simply hasten the day of censor ship so badly needed in the film world, Seward Blade. Mrs. E. E. Betzer: Will Hays' ef f,rrt to reinstate Fatty Arbuckle in the film world Is received by all de cent folk with intense disgust. Ar buckle's millions may or may not have kept him out of prison, but this does not change the mind of the peo ple as to his being a debaucher and rake. Any theater manager who at tempts to show the Arbuckle films will get the frost he deserves. Par ents will not permit their children to see the films. Hays has lost prestige over ills ridiculous effort to reinstate this fellow'. Blair Pilot. Don C. Van Deusen: Js a man any worse because we know so much about him, or is he any better be cause what we know about him oc curred some months ago? Has the punishment meted out to Fatty puri fied him so that he is now more acceptable than he was when tho NET AVERAGE CIRCULATION for NOVEMBER, 1922, of THE OMAHA BEE Daily.73,843 Sunday .78,103 : B. BREWER, Gen. Mgr. ELMER S. ROOD, Cir. Mgr. j Sworn to and subscribed beforr me this 5th day of December. 1922. W. H. QUIVEY, (Seal) Notary Public Rappe tragedy startled the country? Did her death really make him more immoral than he had been for some time previous when he was at the height of his popularity? Is he more moral now or more experienced? How are the real morals of the other Him folk in comparison to Arbuckle's? Or does Mr. Hays go on the theory that what the public doesn't know won't hurt us? Jf this is the theory, it seems to us Just fooling the public to withdraw the Arbuckle films for a time and In a few short weeks put the Hays' O. K. hark on them again. If Fatty is a sincerely reformed man he is entitled to reinstatement and to be given another show. The same is true if he has been made the goat for the immorality of film folk in general. But we are reminded U'at any fool can ask questions that even Will Hays, the great movie censor, can't or won't answer. Falls City Journal. Aaron Davison: If Arbuckle were a successful husiness man instead of movie idol, these same bigoted and hypocritical organizations would not point their fingers of shame at him. He has already expiated hts folly, morally and financially. A high tribunal has acquitted him. If he is to be punished further let the public judge, and not a few vol unteer mouthpieces of questionable public opinion. Bloomington Advocate. P. M. Crane: The attempted come back of Fatty Arbuckle is an outrage on the American people. While he never was convicted of the heinous crime by the courts, the people be lieve him to be guilty and one of the lowest social vultures who caused the death of a woman In drunken de bauch. Hollywood is becoming a stench in the face of the American people. Leigh World. Charles It. Kuhle: The success of the reappearance of the "Fatty'’ Ar buckle pictures will, of course, de pend entirely upon the patronage of the public. From a moral standpoint, it would he a good thing it the pic tures could be eliminated, as they will always carry with them the stigma of shame. Norfolk News. The American public will, no doubt, in time be ready to give "Fatty'' Arbuekle his chance to re habilitate his tattered reputation. Tho lime will come when it is convinced of the sincerity of his desire to live such a life as will not be a menace to the thousands of* boys and girls that llock to see liis pictures. The piotesls that are already corning In in pretty good indication that the public is not yet convinced. Mr. Hays would have done better to await a more propitious time to announce tho return of "Fatty” to tlie lilms. Oakland Independent. “Fatty” Arbuekle is a good-natured, overgrown boy, whose tllin success had probably gone to his head. He has had his lesson and his punish ment, and any hue and cry against him now would seem to smack of per secution. if Christ forgave, why not man? tiering Courier, A. B. Wood: Am neither prude nor Puritan, but record a solemn promise never to enter place where "Fatty” is billed. If allowed to come back, it Is a deathblow to Hays' regime, and an impetus to renewed censor ship agitation. He should bo barred not so much as personal punishment as a matter of principle and example — Nelson Gazette. F. A. Scherzinger: To ask rein statement of Hollywood's greatest moral degenerate in the name of t He Christmas -spirit is blasphemy in the extreme. This man. blessed with abil ity and resultant opportunity to ac quire fame and wealth, was given u chance and lie utterly failed to meas ure up to the responsibility. Public morals demand protection against such characters, and it will come only when they are buried In eternal ob livion. To establish the motto of no yesterdays would wipe out the hope of humanity established in Bethlehem ”,000 years ago. Daily Prayer And the angel eald unto them. Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unio you la born this day in tile <ity of Pavid a Savioub, which is Christ the Lord.—Luko 2:10-11. Wo are tilled with joy and grati i tude this morning for the gift of the Saviour, Jesus. We are especially thankful that He is not a Saviour afar off, blit linked to our nature in tbe manner of His birth, in child hood, in humility, in love and sympa thy. He who saw the light of day in the midst of the beasts of burden when first He threw the mantle of humanity over Himself, has lifted from us the burdens of sin and anx iety. In Hint we are glad. With all the angels who celebrated His nativity we add our voice of Joy. With the humble who inquired what these things meant, we still search for the truth of the incarnation. Give joy this day to all people, we earnest ly pray. Bless all children .the babes of the land. Be with the poor, and give to us all. and to all others, the spirit of good will arid of charity. Bring pence to earth, a reception of I the good tidings also. May the gifts of love manifest tHe spirit of Jesus, we ask in His name. Amen. m;v, nouKRT w. TtroMrsoN. Pittsburgh. Kan. DON’T FAIL TO BE at fkQgBmren (d “The Value-Giving Store” Closing Out Sale Tomorrow Morning, December 26th. ■ Typewriter Repairs on : Any Kind of Machine We sell as well as repair all kinds of typewriters. We guarantee both our typewrit ers and our repair work. All-Makes Typewriter Co. 20S South 18th Street —_—.-I “The People’s Voice’’ Editorial* from ra»d*c* of Tha Morning Bat. Rradara ol Tha Morning Bao ara invited to uaa this column freely for exproaaion on matter* of public interact. “Save the World Wlfh Music." Omnha.—To the Editor of The Omaha Bee: In these times of un rest and crime, might we get back to the employed and the unemployed, in fact to all the people in the United States, that merry whistling, humming and singing of tunes, heard everywhere before the war. in other words get hack to normal, where everyone is happy, contented and prosperous. If the people are happy and con tented, they will be peaceful and law abiding. no more unrest, no more ( wars, no more crime, and In his judgment It will also solve the pro hibition question. But how? Making laws does not do it; church and sermons do not do it, and everything thus far tried seems to be a failure, in getting hack to normal. My idea and plan is that we must reach their souls by music, soul stir ring music, and if rightly applied, this old United States will not know itself after a campaign of 30 days’ duration, anti if it is successful in these United States, why not then, ex tend the campaign to foreign coun tries? Select about 10 old and popular songs and tunes. Have a campaign for 30 days, simultaneously in every city and town in the United States. Have every church use only these songs. Have all movies and other theaters play only these tunes dur ing intermissions. Hire bands where obtainable (that can play real music) and have them play these tunes upon the streets each evening, rncving from place to place throughout the city or town, all community meetings sing only these songs during the cam paign. Broadcast by radio every eve ning. put posters on billboards calling attention to what's going on. Publish in every newspaper a copy of the poster, print enough pamphlets (in nil languages) containing these songs with music, together with enough gray matter so everyone will snap into it. distribute these pamphlets everywhere. Enlist the co-operation of all governors, mayors, ministers, heads of each and all organizations, to make this campaign a success. The music must he good music, not the jazz. hut real, soul-reaching music. The music in these beautiful old songs will reach their hearts, the words will supply food for thought, the title of each of these songs is a sermon in itself, no other sermon needed. If everybody would learn these 10 songs and the two short prayers, sing them, whistle them, hum then and talk them, it would not he long be fore everybody would be happy, con tented and Prosperous. HOpEFUIj I Common Sense Good Acts to Make lip tor nad. You are an usual person if you have never done, a thing of which you are ashamed. You may not wish to know, and probably you try to forget, but there are deeds registered against you which you would give all you possess to blot out. Now you cannot help these acts, but there was a timo when you might have stopped before you committed them. You are trying to balance the scales on the other side now. but you can not get away from the momory of them. If you have no regrets for the un savory things you have done in the past you deserve pity. If your conscience is so calloused that the evil of which you are guilty has not left a scar you are in a serious stage of degeneracy. Most of us need to do a lot of good and wholesome, helpful and charitable things to make up for the misdeeds against us. One good act for every good one will not cancel It. There should bo several good ones to make up for each bad act and even then you cannot stop the influence of Just one bad act, nor can you imagine how far the effect of your one misdeed may reach. Are you work ing along this line? (Copyright, 1922.) .4 Hunch for Santa ^(JAvjK ' 1 I^OUC-MT ^NO /jAHiTA >M>iAO \ I /(W1.V oiv£ vdO A \ 1 JurtlC VARD »' A I . J hammbr '* I / j J^OKiA/RlL>j/, j 11 if •***" CENTER SHOTS. Sometimes we suspect that re ligion would become more popular if half the energy wasted in trying to get men to church were bestowed on getting the church to men.—Colum bia Record. Georgia’s "grand old woman,” Mrs. Felton, may be, as reported, the first old woman to hold the senatorial of fice. but it is a statement that is open to debate.—Topeka Capital. Likely the reason muffs are so pop ular this year is because they make ' such nice holsters.—New Orleans Times-Picayune. “Senatress" Felton’s first day is also her last. It is not lexical, how ever, to reason from analogy that the first woman senator will also be the last.—Grand Rapids Herald. Right Now! while every one is Happy, we wish to say Merry Christmas! Happy New Year! A Cfo IDish A Ijou and Ijours J\. Mernj Christmas and a Happij and Prosperous Nero uear1 Burgess-Nash Company •everyqodyS store'