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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Jan. 12, 1923)
The Morning Bee MORNING—EVENING—SUNDAY THE BEE PUBLISHING COMPANY NEUON B. UPDIKE, Publiih.r. B. BREW Eli, G«o. Manager. MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATED PRESS T%« Aaenuated Preea. of ahtch The Bet 1a a n ember, ta eiclmalrely •"titled to the use for republlrction of ail aeaa diapatebea credited to it or not otbarwlae credited In thii parer. and ai*> the local newa published barei a. All rifhta of reimbUcattoDa of tmr special diapatebea are alao reserved. BEE TELEPHONES Private Branch Exchange. Ask for the Department AT (antic or Person Wanted. For Night Call* After 10 P. M.; 1 nnn Editorial Department. AT (antic 1021 or 1042. IWU OFFICES Main Office—17th and Farnam Co. Bluffa • - • - 16 Scott St. So. Side. N. W. Cor. 24th and N New York—286 frTfth Avenue Wiabington - - 422 Star Bldg. Chicago - - - 1720 Steger Bldg. Pans, France—420 Rue St. Honor# FRANCES GREATEST DANGER. In no way could the United States more clearly indicate its disapproval of French policy on the Rhine than by the withdrawal of American troops. Presi dent Harding chose exactly the right moment to order the move. Up to this time he steadfastly re fused to bring the small army of occupation back, feeling that America as a party to the war had a concern also in the arrangements of peace. The peace and stability for which America hoped has now been upset. With old hates and fei*fs flar ing up and reason and judgment set aside in Europe, no good reason remains for the presence there of any American soldiers. Withdrawal comes because America could hot countenance France’s new in vasion of Germany. More plainly than any words could make it, the French people are given to un derstand that by their imperialistic policy they stand in danger of losing the sympathy of the American ! people. France is a nation of declining population. Its leaders fear that unless it crushes the Germans now j it will be unable to compete with them or even live, J in the future. The fears of the French are their own j worst enemies. This dread and suspicion breeds war and is capable of leading France to the very ruin it seeks to avoid.* By a contiriuance of its present policy France will alienate what has been its greatest protection— theAVmpathy of the wffirld. Physical power can not save it. The need is not for greater armies, but for a higher sense of justice. This is no time to demand the pound of flesh, but for a grain of mercy, which might grow into mutual good understanding and choke out the weed of revenge. Such is the point of view which America has striven to express. Democracy teaches people to look ahead to the consequences of the actions of statesmen. America thus sees further than any other great nation, and discerns the seeds of war in the invasion of the Rhineland and the effort to reach a settlement by force instead of by peaceful agreement. It opposes this move today as it would protest any similar move by Germany, on human grounds. Our hope has been for something better than a perpetual feud between these two neighboring countries of Europe. But until the European statesmen learn to think in terms of the people instead of territory and wealth, there can be no safety. t Bong ago St. Simon, the French philosopher, con sidered tile causes of the greatness of France. He said that if the country should lose its first 50 savants, its first 50 artists, its first 50 artisans and its first 50 cultivators it would be a body without a soul. But, he added, if it should lose all its official person nel, that would cause little damage to the country. That is as true today as ever. The greatness of France, and the peace of Europe depend on the creative and productive genius of the people, not on any strategems of the politicians or the military j leaders. Scheming and force offer no lasting ad vantage to any nation, and the way to peace and general welfare lies through confidertce, justice and hard work. Only to the degree that it follows this policy is any nation entitled to the sympathy and moral support of the world. ON THE WAY TO TIDE-WATER. Certain truisms come up in the mind whenever Nebraska’s economic future is considered. One of these is that the state must continue to be a large exporter of food products; whether these go out in the raw or manufactured form is not material to the main' point. The other,great truism is that the price of the food on the farm will depend on the cost of getting it to market. Our farmers, there fore, are the ones most immediately and vitally con cerned in the cost of transportation. It was possible, and may be again, to control the cost of hauling material of any kind within the borders of the state. Modification of the Esch Cummins law is promised, at least to a degree that will restore to the State Railway commission the power to fix freight rates in the state. Outside Ne braska. however, the case takes on a different aspect. Freight rates to the wider markets, in which our producers are so greatly concerned, will largely depend upon competition. If the service be limited and the demand great, then the rates will be high, and when the cost of getting to market is high, the price on the farm will be low. The Missouri river skirts the eastern border of Nebraska; does it serve the farmer, by hauling his freight? Not that you can notice. On the other hand, it chews up several thousand acres of good farming land each year, exacting tribute from Iowa on one side and Nebraska on the other. It might be made to work, but is not even asked to behave. Why is this so? One most obvious reason is that if the river were put to hauling freight, a consider able amount of the tonnage now carried by the rail roads would ride to market on the river. Another promise to the Nebraska farmer is that some day the Atlantic ocean will be brought as near as Duluth, Milwaukee and Chicago, by way of the Lakes-to-Ocean canal. Why does this project lag? The obvious answer is much the same as that to the question of the river—with the'addition of the New York state canal as a makeweight for argument. Plenty of business is already in sight for all the railroads that exist, for the river, and for the canals, and as the country develops more freight will be presented for handling. Nebraska has not anywhere near attained its productive limit yet. But it is high time that the way to tide-water were being made . easier. " The new general manager of the Omaha Union Stock Yards also started work as an office boy. An other answer to the foolish assertion that oppor tunity no longer exists. An Oklahoma general was thrown from ?is horse and half-killed, adding a touch of realism to the barbecue inaugural. Few changes are announced in the personnel of Omaha banks; some tribute to the men who are running them. SHIFTING PEOPLES TO GAIN PEACE. A startling decision has been reached at Lau sanne, if the word sent out from there Is to be ac cepted as accurate. Instead of seeking a basis of peace whereunder Turk and Greek, Armenian and Syrian, Slav and Seljuk, may live side by , side, worship Jehovah or Allah, two names for one God, and carry on their respective vocations in amicable rivalry, the commissioners have decided to separate all. Christians are to leavp Turkey, and Moham medans to leave Greece, and live apart, that they may no linger quarrel. A million inhabitants of the two countries will thus be affected. Six hundred thousand Greeks, so called, will be required to remove from Turkey, and 400,000 Mohammedans will be forced out of Macedonia and other* parts of Greece. This whole sale breaking up of homes exceeds anything of the sort the world has ever seen. Greater folk move ments have taken place, as when the Huns moved from eastern to western Asia and thence into east ern Europe, but that was a migration of a whole people, seeking a new home. The Helvetian war, over which the schoolboy first tests his teeth«.6n Latin, was to prevent such a migration. Other simi lar m,ovements are dotted through history, but in no modern instance has a people been required to up root itself and seek new anchorage in the name of peace. Aside from political considerations, which do not seem to excuse the action, its humanitarian aspect is one that will shock Americans. If the movement is carried out it will involve the abandonment of homes established centuries ago, breaking off of ties and associations that have grown up through many generations, severing of friendships—for friend ships do exist between these people, even though divided by a barrier of race or fiyth—and the break ing up of conditions established through ages, merely to emphasize the lack of accord in European politics. No commentary could be written that more caus tically condemns the policy, or lack of policy, that has characterized the Lausanne gathering. Peace is desired by all the world, and peace to last must rest on justice. Where a square deal for all is concerned, no question of religion or nationality should have consideration. If ever a peace conference sowed the dragon’s teeth from which new wars will spring, it has been the one coming to such an unhappy con clusion at Lausanne. TWO CONVENTIONS—AND A MORAL. Yesterday it was the farmers who met in Omaha; today it is the manufacturers. In the clearer vision that is developing in America it is apparent to most that these two great industries of agriculture and manufacturing are inextricably bound together. Though one is carried on in the country and the other in the towns, yet there are parts of the same thing, the production of things useful to mankind. The one prospers only as does the other. What the world calls trade consists in the large of the exchange of the products of the farm for the fin ished goods oi the mill. Prosperity comes not from unduly high prices for either raw or finished com modities, but from the even balance of their ex changed Whatever the fundamental reason may have been, the fact that farmers have not been able to exchange their goods for the same quantity of manufactured articles as before the war has ham pered business all over the United States. The fact that a common level of value is now being ap proached is the most hopeful factor in the present situation. Farmers should be interested in the growth of manufacturing in Nebraska, for it means more peo ple in the cities to buy their food. It means also less expense for transportation, both on articles sold and bought. The establishment of small fac tories in the country towns tof this state, to refine the products of the soil which no longer would have to be shipped *to the eastern seaboard and returned later in finished form, would produce an ideal civ ilization here on the prairies. These local manufacturers, on their part, are intensely interested in the development of agricul ture. Two of the principal topics at'this convention concern the project of supplemental irrigation to increase and stabilize the harvest of Adams, Phelps and Kearney couples and the Great Lakes water way, which woulrf*cut the cost of exporting farm products. The farmers need the city, and the city needs the farmers. The wages paid by these manufactur ers go a long ways toward providing a market for the farmers. In proportion as there is a profit in the sale of foodstuffs, the manufacturers find a market for their products in the country. These two conventions meet on different days, and in different halls, but at each the other is an unseen guest. The coming of a body of 1,000 farmers to Omaha is something of an event. Such conventions as those of the Farmers’ union give city folk a definite im pression of the importance of the agricultural in dustry to the state. Perhaps you have noted that all the while the Europeans are sending ultimatums to one another, they are keeping one eye on the United States bank roll. m . ■. —.. ... —, The man who blew his head off because his land lady refused his offer of marriage justified the lady's action. Our “Watch oq the Rhine” is wound up. . Big Salaries for Big Men -From the San Francisco Chronicle. ■ In pursuance of the radical policy of stimulating hatred and competence in order that the great public enterprises may have to be taken over by our govern ment, the senate recently directed the Interstate Com merce commission to ascertain and report what rail road officials receive sularies of $75,000 or more dur ing the current year. The report has been made and it appears that there are eight railroad officials wlio are paid that amount or more. Julius Kruttschnitt, chairman of the board of the Southern Pacific, heads the list with $100,000, of which he will pay to the government about one-half as in come tax. While it is the business of the owners of the roads to determine what they can afford to pay their financial manager, it will do no harm to specu late on the subject. If the owners of any great busi ness could find a man so very competent and experi enced to be able, by wise management, to increase the gross income by 1 per cent a year, without increase of outgq, they would obviously make motley by giving him half of such increase. It is possiblU^that the own ers of the Pacific system think Julius Kruttschnitt that kind of a man. But if he received one-half of 1 per cent of the gross income of the Southern Pacific sys tem for the current year his salary would be around $900,000, or if he got a quarter of X per cent it would be $450,000.- His measly $100,000, of which he will be, permitted to keep half, does not sound very big. Men of the caliber of the heads of our greatest railroad systems are very scarce. Anyone wrho can get into the class can get the salary. The fact is that the total paid for financial and executive management by any railroad is an insignificant percentage of income. a ,-j “From State and Nation” —Editorials from Other Newspapers— . -- - Weighing the Sword. I From the Washington Star. If France goes to the threatened I length of seizure of the Ruhr fu an ! ' (Tort to collect reparations from Ger many the moment her troops begin to move will be dne of the most serious | in the world's history. It will estab lish a precedent and set hi motion a chain of circumstances TOiioh may br.ng to mankind miseries so great that the afflictions of today will be ; looked upon as blessings. Civiliza tion stands aghast at the prospect which is unfolded. More than 2,000 years ago the Gauls sacked Rome and only a ransom in gold saved the citizens from butchery. As the gold was being weighed the Romans complained that unfairness of the counterpoise made their bur den heavier than had been agreed upon. Whereupon Brennus, the leader, of the Gauls, threw his sword into the selklfs along with the unfair coun terp^fce, exclaiming as he did so: "Vae vlctis” ("Woe to the van quished.") That happened long before Christ came on earth to teach men charity, but it is never recalled except in re proach, and because the Romans were a ruthless race has never exeused the ruthlessness of the Gauls. It has been difficult to beieve that now, with more than 20 additional ^centuries of civ ilization to the credit of mankind, France would throw her sword into the scales in which reparations were being weighed. Poincare surely can not wish that history should couple his name with that of Brennus. It Francois resolved upon this course, she must gojnlone and without sym pathy or moral support from the na tions which fought by her side when liberty was at stake. Nor will those nations at some future day feel to ward a France in peril as they felt when the German hordes swept down upon hey. France professes to fear a war of revenge by the Germans, and yet per sists in planting the seeds for such a war. Brennus may have thought he had so burdened Rome ag to make his borders safe, but the time came when the Romans marched into Gaul and exacted a terrible retribution. Two thousand years is a long span, but not long enough to give assurance that history will not repeat itself. The one' thing France cannot afford to do is to turn the world's sympathy from herself to Germaany and make the world forget German sins. Yet the one thing which would do that would be to use the sword to collect a debt in excess of what the world believes it is possible Germany ran pay. Buying Cars and Kngines. From the York News-Times, The way the big railroads are giv ing orders for cars and engines is in teresting to the average citizen. The people will not object to a bet terment of the rolling stock of the roads, as cars and engines had be come rather dilapidated and some new ones will help out greatly. Then the expenditure of this money will help the roads get rid of some of the surplus they have been earn ing and make the balance sheet look more reasonable to the man who has an idea that freights ought to be re duced. Good rolling stock and tracks are what the people want, and then to make the situation ideal freight rates ought to be put to where they be long. With somewhat lower rates the roads would have all the business they could handle even with the In creased equipment, and they would flourish like the well known green ba y tree. The day for the railroads of Amer ica going to the back door and asking Uncle Sam for a handout Is passed apparently. No Overproduction. From the St. Louis Globe-Democrat. Low prices of farm preducts and the distress that rests upon the agri cultural industry is not to be ex plained by overproduction, said James R. Howard, former president of the American Farm Bureau federation, in a recent address before the Amer ican Economic association nt Chicago. "There is certainly no overproduction on the farms," he declared, "when j there -are hungry mouths and unclad | bodies in all parts of thf> world.” This assertion can hardly lie oues- l tioned. Yet production is the basis upon which all prices are made, what ever other causes may exist, and it is a fact that farm prices are still low. It is also true, of course, that the production of fhe principal farm crops is too great for the needs of this country. After these needs have btWn supplied a surplus remains, which does not represent overproduc tion, but normally represents our ex ports to countries abroad. At the present time there is actual suffering from a shortage of food and clothing that could be supplied from this sur plus. Curiously, however, effects Daily Prayer If any man lack wisdom, let him aak of God, and Ha will give It him_James 1:6. Infinite Father, we have trlefl the world and found it h great emptiness; we come back to Thee Who art eager to fill our souls with everlasting truth and mercy. We come with a song in our hearts, for the list of Thy bene fits is beyond our counting. We thank Thee for the stirring dkys of the present, with their opportuni ties for improvement and servleV. their concern for the poor and ignor ant. We thank Thee for the mys j terlous, inviting days whicli are. to . come, laden with secret stores for our replenishing, hidden delights, and dark experiences for our training. We thank Thee for the silent heroisms of the home; for the hallowed drudgeries of »he sick chamber. We thank Thee that despite the clever ness of good men, the Kingdom makes steady advance. Thy bounty unto us is without boundaries. And yet we baffle Thy plans, thwart Thy love, and wander wretchedly from the way of Jesus, j We return unto Thee this morning to | have our stains removed, our petty shams stripped away, Rnd our hearts i fortified. Have compassion upon us, ! and bring us all by and by to our j Father's home, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen. RE. HUGH ELMER BROWN, • Beattie, Wash. NET AVERAGE CIRCULATION far DECEMBER, 1922, of THE OMAHA BEE ! Daily.71,494 Sunday.78,496 B. BREWER. Gen. Mgr. ELMER S. ROOD, Cir. Mgr. | Sworn to and subscribed before me this 4th day of January, 1923. W. H. QUJVEY, (Seal) Notar£ Public ! that are the equivalent of overproduc tion are felt by the American farmer, and the etfects that are not essential ly different from those of underpro duction are felt in Europe. The real cause of this strange con i dltion of affairs, <5hviously, is to be found in the obstruction of exports. The strong dethaml that exists in Europe would lie sufficient to consume the surplus agricultural products and elevate prices very considerably, hut while conditions in countries abroad remain unsettled and their ability to pay Consequently limited, exports will he limited. Here Is to be found* the explanation of low prices,, and not in overproduction. There is a de mand for all‘the farmer will produce, and he should be concerned In seeing the readjustments effected which would encourage exports, and by con suming the surplus result in more fa xorable prices for farm products. Governor Walton. From tile Wichita Kagie. From the terrible things we have been hearing about ,T. C. Walton, re cently mayor of Oklahoma City, we had been looking forward to his mes sage to the legislature with some trepidation. We were not sure hut tlie new governor might appear be fore the legislature with a dirk in his teeth, a pistol in one hand and a sword in the other, the badge of soviet Russia upon his breast, and a guard of red soldiers following him about while he proceeded to do a whirling dervish. After reading the new governor’s message, one wonders how all this impression got abroad about the wild and woolly nature of Mr. Walton. The worst crime Mr. Walton is guilty of in his message is stating the case of tlie Uklahomu farmers rather forceful ly, but with admirable restraint. The governor tells much about the farm er's troubles. He might have told much more without going afield from truth. He recommends state loans, under proper safeguards, to farmers' co-operative organizations. He recom mends that the state buy or build a cement mill to make cement where with the farmers' co-operatives may build warehouses and wherewith the state may build its concrete roads. These are wise recommendations, dictated in the interest of the only class of people that absolutely re quires a helping hand from the state. Oklahoma is a farming state, as is Kansas. Neither state can prosper at all if ftie farmers cannot get cost of production for their products. If warehouses, built with money bor rowed from the state, will give the co operating farmers a better chance to make a living, the governor who sug gests such legislatten is entitled to respect and praise, rather than blame and censure. . v Perhaps Governor Walton Isn't go ing to lie such a howling wild man in the capitol, after all. His message has a sincere, constructive ring. Too Easy to Buy Firearms. From the Greeley Citizen. It looks as if the Nebraska state legislature will be called upon to pass i law restricting the sate of firearms. The Society for the Friendless, in its campaign for the prevention of crime, is strongly urging legislation along this line. The sale of firearms, especially the pocket variety, should be restricted, in fact no one should be permitted to carry small firearms unless he is an officer of the law. £ Men Haven’t Any Rights Left. The national woman’s party Is de manding more equal rights. Unfor tunately, however, men haven't any of that kind left.—Baltimore Sun. Common Sense The Value of Helpful Criticism. When attention is drawn to your mistakes,' do you accept criticism gracefully? Or is it possible that you would con tinue wrong-doing rather than be con- I vinced of your error? It may hurt your pride to be told ! you are wrong but is it not better to know this fact in order to avoid mis takes in the future? Just and helpful criticism is tfle best thing a person can have. You have a lot of faults. So have others. But if you will notice the man of big affairs you will see that he does not close Ills ears and his understand ing to the suggestions and the argu ments which go to show that he is w rong, possibly. That is why he Is a big man—be cause he can profit by criticism. He does not depend entirely upon W'hat he has learned for himself. He takes vantage of what he can learn fro mothers wherever it hap pens. If others are kind enough to let you into the knowledge and lights they have gained by observation or experi ence be glad to get it even if it does not match up with what you had here tofore believed to be true. Consider and W'eigh and keep an open mind, glad of criticism, if fai#, and well meant. (Copyright, 1#2S.) “Th$ People's tditort.iU from readers of Tho Momlna Beo. Readers of The Morning Roe are Invited to u»e this column freely for expression on matter* ot public Interest. The Franco-German Crisis. Hustings, Neb.—To the Editor of The Omaha Bee: I wish to make an appeal to all American I.eglon mem bers and world war veterans for hu manity. I personally was a member of the 89th division for more than 20months in all its engagements and operations, was with the division from the time we left tire United States until we re turned after the war. And right here would like to nsk the question: Why did we go to France? They said for humanity's sake, but what is France trying and doing to humanity now? What is France trying to do to G^r many? We should think that the Urifted States would also say we must stand up for humanity now as we did for humanity against Germany. Tho president, senate and enngress seem to afraid to say to France:, "l'ou have gone far enough; where would you be today if we had not helped you? Wo want you (France) to let a nation like Germany that is down and out have a chance to get up to some extent before you knock her down again.” France wants Ger many to pjiy more than is within her means, at “the same time pushing her tighter against the wall, which gives her even less a chance to pay. It seems to me that if our govern ment does not do anything to pre vent France from going farther, that we, ns the American Legion and all exservice men as a body, to take some notion and make some protest to our government, if not directly to France. We stood up for humanity's sake once, with victory, and we feel, France, that we can do it Again. A MEMBER. OF THE AMERICAN LEGION AND AN EX-SERVICE MAN. , Crime and Punishment. Omaha.—To the Editor of The Omaha Bee: Lawlessness can be curbed only by putting a God fearing fear of the law into the hearts and minds of those inclined to lawless ness. Lack of employment is respon sible In few, if any, cases of lawless ness, but lack of desire for hard, hon est work may be the keynote of many crimes. Another contributing cause might be that the punishment does not com paVe with the crime in many cases— perhaps a small fine, a few days in jail is the sentence given for most petty crimes, and until criminals, either professionals or amateus, are given punishment they dislike, and fear more than work crime will exist. Persons guilty of crime who have been tried before a jury, and who have through due deliberation re turned a verdict of guilty, sboulcl have sentence passed upon them, and this sentence should be final. The laws, as they are now en forced, are an inducement to en ter the criminal game. Burglars steal valuables to the amount of per hays several thousand dollars; then, if apprehended, which they probably never will be, are given a short prison sentence, and before it is served they are granted ^ parole and are at lib erty to ply their trade and make up the losses sustained during their time in prison. A factor to be considered in crime and its punishment is the svpmathy shown by those not molested. Let a burglar or holdup mention that he is an ex-soldier and immediately some one begins, to offer sympathy; or, perhaps, he speaks of a wife and baby or an old mother and the grief and suffering they will endure as a result of ills imprisonment. The chancers are that some misguided soul will Last Year's Calendar Is Useless Now— So are last ' year’s broken promises; lost hopes and shat tered resolutions. Make This Year Different You tried to save last year; how far did you succeed? Re solve to DO IT this year and let us pay you INTEREST ON SAVINGS State Savings & Loan Association 315 S. 17th St. Kreline Bids. C. C. WELLS, Secy. L__ GOOD POINTS of Kurtzmann Pianos Melodious Tones Strength Ease of Action « Dignified Appearance Moderate Prices MUSICALLY- w all that professionals demand. I PRACTICALLY 1 - all that family use requires. W* KURTZMANN PRICES uprights—$435 up. Brands—$900 i p PLATER PLAXOS—$750 , Terms 10% Cash. Balance 2 Years. * Exclusive Agents m mmp rj AI» Smith Sixteenth Street I Our Secret Ambitions. _ WF\m if IT »*uV r/Mi*Te< \ i x ROUT *,W5*ME| Sv tooLO **j. >y - CrAATV I WlU.IAWi fH£. VICE PRESIDENT pp a paper mill MIGHT LONG TP I Surprise his PRlENDS AND NEIGHBORS mm—1—i - I start circulating a petition for a par don. maybe before the criminal has even reached the penitentiary, instead of approving a just sentence. Out laws are the foundation of all things worth while in our country, and the violation >of them should lie considered a disgrace by all and treated as such, and sympathy, ex cept as might be accorded one who, through ignorance or the workings of a diseased mind, has defac%d and de nied a thing of beauty* should find no pla^e in the punishment of lawbreak ers. Our laws are good, let them be enforced with /he same precision that they are written. I*. \V. C. CENTER SHOTS. — % Tlie world Isn’t really growing bet ter. It just seems that way became you don't hear the'word "sweetie”^ so much.—Hartford Times. ^ Young men don't need Henry Ford's advice to spend their money—after they have bought one of his cars. (Not an adv.)—Winston-Salem Jour nal. Our governmental System of checks and balances doesn't work so well any more. Not enough checks to bal a nee.—Tacoma Hedger. They Will Always Be Comfortable i “I want my parents to receive an ample income for the rest of their lives.” The man who said this was bom .and raised on a farm in Vermont. He came west in early life, and after a good many had knocks has become very successful. His first thought was to make comfort able the old age of his father and mother. In order to make sure that remittances would be received by them with unfailing regularity, he placed in trust a number of securities, chiefly bonds, with instructions to remit the income every month to his parents. Upon the death of the survivor of his parents, the principal of the furd reverts to him. Full information regarding trusts will be furnished on request. 'OmahaTrust Company Omaha National Bank BulUInf □The Buyers’ Market: •*** The For Sale Ads of The Bee