• •
Oinahd Vhoit>theM>st is dt its Best
LOOK AT THIS SQUARELY.
On September 12, the sixth anniversary of
Pe.rshing’s victory at San Mihiel, one of the most
brilliant and successful major operations of the.
world war, a little experiment will be tried by the
War department. It will be a sort of make-believe
mobilization. Everybody and everything that is
included in the genrral scheme for the defense of
the country will be theoretically called upon to do
his or its stuff. A sort of “Drawer 32,” as von
Moltke is reported tp have answered in 1870, when
told that Napoleon III was on the march. No fight
ing, no marching, just a gesture to show that all is
in readiness.
Against this a deluge of protests is pouring in
on Secretary Weeks of the War department. Well
intentioned individuals and organizations who de
plore war are equally opposed to the country ever
being ready for war. Who wants to fight? Mighty
few in this country. None of our military men do;
the real champions of peace arc to be found in the
army and navy. They know what fighting means.
Secretary Weeks knows, too.
• • •
Can we always get along without fighting? Let
Us hope so. But just a day or two ago an American
vice consul, a native of this land, was cruelly beaten
to death by a mob in Teheran. Rebels at Sao Paulo
have so conducted themselves as to put American
lives and property in danger. A Japanese fanatic
tore down the American flag and rent it to bits.
We have just served notice on a rebellious group at
Honduras that they are not to expect recognition
from our government as anything but rebels.
These are just a few of the things that might
lead to a situation where the United States will need
both an army and a navy. In June, 1914, peace
eras profound throughout the world. A Serbian
fanatic fired two shots and strdightway the world
blazed up. Many millions of lives and hundreds of
1 ill ions of trer ore were swallowed up. The end is
not yet. The United States was not ready to defend
against the attack, and was forced to hurriedly pre
pare at a tremendous cost. Whenever the waste of
the first year of our participation in the war is
mentioned, the excuse is that it was needed, for we
had to hurry and even to experiment.
Do we want to go through with all of that again?
Dr, will we barn something f-om our own experi
ence? In 1893. we learned more about the import
ance of sanitation in camps than we knew before.
Applying that lesson in 1917-18, many lives were
saved and much suffering spared. If we take home
the le. son taught us by the World War, we may
aavp other lives and much money. This can be
. • done without exalting the military or invoking the
war spirit. It will simply be the round the good
. housekeeper makes, to see that everything is safe
for the night, or that the larder is filled before the
grocers and butchers go on a picnic.
• • •
America’s genius is for peace. For pleasant
relations with all the world. But America has had
; to defend that genius by arms. It may have to
; defend it again. We should bo as ready. Ready as
is the householder to ward off the danger of fire or
the intrusion of thieves. “Defense test day,” as it
; designated, does not tend to exhibit national
hypocrisy, as is alleged. It will show national
prudence and common sense in caring for the great
and universal interest of everyone who lives under
the flag of our government.
MEASURED BY AUTOMOBILES.
At the end of 1923 13,464,000 Americans
owned automobiles. This was exclusive of motor
truck operators. The number of cars going into
service during that year was 4,086,997, an increase
of 53 per cent over 1922. Total number of registra
tions for 1923 was 15,092,177. Over 4,000,000 cars
were made in the United States and Canada last
• year. Production this year will exceed that.
This signifies, if anything, that the capacity of
our people for absorbing the output of the factories
has not been reached. At any rate, the automobile
manufacturers are satisfied that it. has not. Those
men are careful os well ns forrsighted. They base
their calculations on thp most exact knowledge ob
tainable, and this means they have estimated very
closely the capacity of their market.
Most impressive of their calculations rests on
accurnto knowledge of tho income of the people of
the LTnited States. In 1920 the census found 41,
614,248 Americans engaged in gainful occupations.
These the automobile makers have nnnlyzcd and
classified. They have divided tho 13,464,000 indi
vidual car owners into groups according to income.
To the group receiving incomes above $4,000 a year,
they assign 1,521,000 individuals. Down to $1,400
a year they locate 12,810,600, and here for the mo
ment they draw the line on rnr owners. Below this
they find a potential market for more car* than now
are owned in the country.
For our propose, it is not so important that the
automobile makers sec a huge field unsupplied with
ears, ns it I* tlint they have discovered more
than 12,000,000 Americans with Incomes ranging
from $1,400 to $4,000 a year. The Internal Rev
enue bureau had returns from only half that num
her. Either way, the fact is established that Ameri
cans are nut poorer at the end of each y*Hr than
they are at the beginning. The presence of 13,
464,000 passenger cars in the United States is not
an argument in support of allegations of general
poverty. Nor ia the fact that in Nebraska we had
at the end of 1923 213 passenger cars for each 1,000
population.
NO CUT IN GRAIN RATES.
A year ago a special request was made from
the Omaha Chamber of Commerce to the railroads,
asking for an emergency rate Oi. wheat and wheat
products intended for export. This was denied.
About the same time Nebraska, Kansas, Oklahoma,
North and South Dakota, Iowa, Illinois, Minnesota,
Missouri and Louisiana, joined in a petition for a
general reduction in rates on all grains. This has
just been denied by the Interstate Commerce com
mission, in an opinion supported by a majority of
one. Five of the eleven commissioners dissent from
the order.
The reason given by the majority commissioners,
that the advancing prices to the farmer removes the
necessity for the reduction, is not in itself convinc
ing. Rates should rest on a sounder foundation. If
freight rates are too high at one time, they are at
another. Unless there be a definite provision for a
sliding scale, the real standard should be the fair
cost of service, not what the traffic will bear.
A reduction made in the early part of 1922 at
the request of the complaining states stood as a con
cession to agriculture. Later is was made more
general and applied to all commodities. This waas
an admission that the original rates were too high.
Experience of 1923 was such as to warrant the be
lief that rates on farm products still were too high.
The I. C. C. now says, however, they will not be
modified.
A general belief exists thnt freight rates on
heavy goods, such as farm products, livestock, lum
ber, and other bulk shipment stuff are too high. It
was for this reason that President Coolidge said to
congress:
"Competent authorities agree that an entire re
organization of the rate structure for freight Is
necessary. This should be ordered at once by con
gress."
Congress, however, did not order any such re
construction. Neither did it effect relief in any other
way. Congress left the railroad situation just where
it was before the president made his recommenda
tion. Now the I. C. C. has by 6 to 5 refused to
afford that relief to which the farmers believe they
are entitled. As a result we may expect that even
greater pressure will be brought on congress to
order the step the president recommends. It would
seem that only through that course can the agri
cultural and livestock industry get what it needs in
the way of better rates for its output.
PIFFLE IS HIS PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
Governor Bryan has made his gubernatorial cam
paign to date on the price of gasoline. He insists
that his successor on the state ticket shall be a man
who will carry out his policies.
Even admitting that the governor has actually
caused a reduction in the price of gasoline, which
is admitting what every sensible voter knows is not
true, what i.\ that trifling saving when compared
with what might have been saved by tackling some
real problems? He says he has saved the people of
Nebraska $10,000,000 in the price of gasoline. If
he speaks truly then the people of Nebraska spend
more than $75,000,000 a year for gasoline.
But he does not speak truly, and the people of
Nebraska do not spend $75,000,000 a year for
gasoline.
Not a single constructive idea about government,
about finance, about diplomacy—just gasoline.
Not a single constructive idea about relief from
excessive freight rates, high interest charges, tax
free securities or world relations just gasoline.
Not a single constructive idea about marketing
problems, co-operative problems, social problems—
just gasoline.
All his talk about being a progressive, all his
talk about being a rescuer of the dear people, all
his talk about standing between the dear pee-pul
and those who would exploit them resolves itself
into a dinky little filling station at Sixth and South
streets, Lincoln—just gasoline.
The personification of political piffle, he would
have us believe that our ultimate salvation, socially,
politically, economically and morally, is dependent
upon a matter of 2 or 3 cents in the price of gaso
ine, 60 per cent or more of which is a luxury.
This is the measure of the statesmanship of the
man selected by the democrats of the nation as their
candidate for vice president—just gasoline.
Naturally Chairman Sackett favors giving the
voters every opportunity to register their choice.
That is good republican doctrine. Its reverse is
seen only in democratic states south of the old
Mason-Dixon line.
At this writing both Bryans are candidates for
vice president in Nebraska. It is not believed, how
ever, that this will strain their friendly relations to
the breaking point or disrupt their mutual admira
tion society.
Senator Wheeler of Montana bolts the nomina
tion of Davis. Too bad! He has no brother, henee
there seems no way whereby he may be pacified
and induced to return to the fold.
Countess Salm von Hoogstratcn has lost n $2,560
diamond, but she can not blame the count this time.
He is in Europe while she is at Newpprt.
Judging by the length of the platforms the
builders must have thought they were constructing
boardwalks.
“No Factions Left Among Democrats!” shouts a
headline. Just wait till the hospital list is pub
lished.
Judge Woodrough gnve Furlong two years. In
other words, Furlong goes 16 to resch the wire.
There are ample reasons for referring to him ns
“Flighting Bob” La Follette.
r ' _ ....
Homespun Verse
—By Omnha'i Own Po#t—
Robert Worthington Davie
-—
AS WE CROW OLD.
As we grow old tha petty things perturb us leas and
less.
And year by year we higher gnr.e fnr greater hnppl
ness;
Our faith grows stronger ns we live and prudently
discern,
Our hearts grow kinder as we give snd with our living
learn.
The l.alf hallucJnatlv# Joy of youth le changed to Idles
As comprehension shows to us the beautiful of this
Hun-warmed, sun-nourished universe; appreciation grows
As age makes friends more faithful and reveals the
good of foes.
As we grow old gratuity and Intuition sweep
Thn dust of adolescence far Into the whirling deep,
And we become the great machines of heart and mtnd
and soul,
And greater grow as on wp go to tho celestial goal.
SUNNY SffiE UP]'
cJake Comfort nor foroet
Most of the traveling public are not accustomed to travel
These get their impressions of railroad management from the
employes with whom they come in contact, and a grouchy, dis
courteous employe can do more harm in a minute than the
head officials can overcome In a month. When one knows a
thing or two about human nature and watches Mr. McLellan
or Mr. Nelson patiently explaining to the harassed and harried
mother of a small flock, looking after some foreigner un
acquainted with our language and customs and frightened
stiff, or answering questions from all sides and never losing
their good nature, he knows that these two courteous gentle
men are making friends for the Burlington. These friends
will always remember their treatment by the gateman.
We hope the Burlington's managers appreciate that sort
of service. It is doing for the system what mere money will
not do. And we further express the hope that ‘'Mac" and Nel
son will he on the Job for many years to come, and that w>
may be permitted to happen along occasionally during those
years to exchange friendly greetings with them.
—
Met Emerson Purcell of Broken Bow on the street the
other day. He was Just finishing the last lap of a 5,000-mile
auto trip. He declares that he didn't have a bit of car trouble
on the entire Journey. That permits us to continue as holder
of a world’s record. We are the only man alive who ever too!-:
an extended auto trip and had to buy from three to five new
tires, have the motor block repaired, a new differential put In
purchase new springs, have a connecting rod adjusted, valve*
ground, radiator soldered, brakes refined, lighting system
renovated and a few other things of similar nature. Somettm
we think it is due to the fact that we always insist on telling
the truth about our car.
Miss Maryann Mabel McKeen
Is so fat she's a sight to be seen.
She has tried to reduce.
But has found it no use.
So she’ll marry a man named McLean.
Speaking again of auto travel, of which we have enjoyed
much and expect to enjoy more, we are going to organize a
Society for the Boycotting of Scenery Defacing Advertisers
After seeing a huge sign painted upon a giant rock In Cheyenne
Canyon, "Wear Squeezem’s Shoes.” we wouldn't buy a pair of
Squee-zem's shoes to win a bet. While feasting our eyes upon
a rural scene of rare beauty, to have that view cut off by a
gaudy billboard advertising "Shoddyman's For Clothing” sim
ply means that we’d wear rags before Shoddyman sold us any
thing. Were we told that we are hovering on the brink of
eternity, we'd still refuse to take "Dosem's Dope for What Alls
You” because Dosem’s gaudy signs repeatedly shut off our
view of some wonderful scenery while we were autoing through
the western hills and mountains.
And, being just human, we never approach a hamlet of
150 or 200 people to be greeted with "Speed Limit S Miles an
Hour," without feeling a powerful Impulse to hit the old boat
up to top speed Just to show why we believe it to be a hamlet
of 150 or 200 people.
When the question, "Have I filled my Job today?” takes
precedence over the question, "Where can I park my car’" the
business and industrial world will swine along in much better
shape. WILL M. MAUPIN.
V
I -— "
Letters From Our Readers
All letter* mu-t be signed, hut name will be withheld upon request. Communi
cation* of 2i»0 word* ami lea* will be given preference.
V.- - - ...- -.. . —■ /
Another L<ook at the "Hole.”
Omaha.— To the Editor of The
Bee: Now that you have replied to
my letter through te editorial col
umns of The Omaha Bee, let me call
your attention to some of the state
ments you make.
Your editorial was chiefly concern
ed with my statement to the effect
that the masses of the people are
getting poorer each year, and for
proof that my statement was In er
ror, you give the number of income
tax returns for the years 1921 and
1922 showing an Increase of 117,969 in
the number of returns on incomes of,
$5,000 and under. If the population
were stationary, these figures might
serve as a reasonably safe barometer
by which to gauge the financial trend
of the average person. But the popu
lation has consistently Increased from
a time much farther back than the
two particular years you refer to In
your editorial, and, In fact, your fig
ures showing ap increase in the num
ber of persons reporting Incomes of
$5,000 or under is evidence substan
tiating what I said about the masses
of the .people growing poorer. It is
no more than natural that there
should be a slight increase in the
number of small incomes by reason
of the Increase in the population and
the wealtn of the country. (I am not
arguing that the sum total of wealth
Is not becoming greater, but that it
is drifting into the hands of the few
at a faster rate.)
T'slng your own figures, there was
an Increase of ahout 1.6 per cent in
the number of small Incomes: the pop.
illation increased 1.500,000, or about
1.5 per cent during the same period.
Another thing that must he taken
into consideration is the generally ac
cepted fact that there were less small
Income tax dodgers In '1922 than In
1921.
I agree with you that "agricub
turo suffered more than any other"
ns stated in your paper today. But.
more than that? More than Wall
street? Or more than labor ' You ad
mit. then, that some one 1ms really
suffered during these golden days of
repuMleanlsm. But the.t Is directly
antithetical to the theme you have set
upon. You state that the value of
farm property has Increased from
$20,000,000,000 In 1900 to $7S,000,000,.
000 in 1920. ns evidence that the farm
er Is becoming bettor off But give us
figures on this. What about the rate
at which farms all over the middle
west are being foreclosed. What about
the aetunl financial condition nf the
farmer at the present time? The He
partment of Agriculture has Issued Its
survey of 1924 and It makes Interest
ing rending fine of the outstanding
revelations Is the fact that the aver
age cost of producing n bushel of
| Abe Martin |
"Don't repeat tills, frr I promised
my barber 1 wouldn' tell n soul,
but he says th’ Hurl’s hnin't hap
py,” wo heard Mrs. Em Moots say
t’day. Delegate Art Smiley is
home from th’ dimmyrrutie conven
tion boastin’ about hia Now York
run.
(C«t>>'rl(lit, 1*34.)^
wheat In the year 1923 wag $1 24 and
the average price received per bushel
was 99 cents. (That’s what I got, and
had to argue to get it.) So one can
survive on a business which is based
upon the principle of spending 11.24
in order to produce an article that
sells for 99 cents.
I know It Is hard for the republican
enthusiast* to understand the farmer,
for he has a peculiar way of doing
business under stress of necessity
brought about by an almost unob
structed succession of republican ad
ministrations and congresses dating
from the Civil War. He has paid his
debts by getting new loans from time
to time. When his land became mort
caged to the extent that he could get
no more loans, he moved Into a new
fl»M, took a homestead and started
again on the same process. But. the
homestead* are all gone now and the'
mortgages have been piling up. the
Interest has kept eating until—well,
let The Bee tell It: The goose hangs
high, and, alas, the farmer and the
laborer are exposed and nothing re
mains to be done except to believe
that Andrew Mellon Is an Alexander
Hamilton, that Coolldge Is an Abe
Lincoln and that we should thank
Heaven for the powers that be.
How about the average merchant?
How manv of them are setting pretty
as you would have us believe? Not
many. The most of them have join
ed the ranks of the farmer and labor
er
It Is a grand old game of poker,
growing In size ns the nation grows
in wealth. The rules are the same as
when It was only a penny ante affair
and the big end of the stakes still go
to Wall Street.
The Increase you note In the mem
bership of the loan and building as
sociations Is not Indicative of an Im
proved situation any more than Is the
Increase in the membership of th*
Rlwanls club or the I/ndles Aids.
Most organization* Increase In mem
bership with time.
JAMES W. HANSON.
Little Tiling*.
From the Milwaukee .Tourns)
True courtesy I* founded on little
things. Very few of u* would de
Ulwrately step on the toes of another.
or watt until he arises and slide Into
his chair. We at least keep from be- j
Ing boorish. But In those finer dls ■
Unctions that show a spirit of regard
for others we fall
Ever sit at a table In a cafeterln |
anil have some one slide his tray!
under your face, when he might as!
well have kept U on his own table ;
until the attendant took It up? Or j
have a caller at your office pile hie
hat anil bundles on your desk, with
■ tit apology and regardless of the
work you have lying on It* Or on a
crowded rond watch the driver who
waits until the fellow In front ts In ;
a tight place and then edges In !
ahead, just tn gain one place In the i
line?
These are little things, of course— ,
loo small to make an outcry about *t i
the time But they sometime* make j
us wonder when we shall teach the
point of full respect for the rights of
others.
\ Utile of Ever> thing.
Guest 1 see you have six of my
favorite dishes on today. Which do
you recommend?
Walter Take the stew, sir, and
have the lot' Sondaga Nlsse. Stock
holm.
6%_NO COMMISSION_S%
SI REAL ESTATE LOANS i
I 6% INTEREST °
; NO COMMISSION !
^ Repayment* ^
o The Conservative Savings & Loan Ass'n o
Z 1614 Hornoy Slrssl
6% NO COMMISSION 6%
/
“From State and Nation”
—Editorials from Other Newspapers—
Against War, Yet for It.
From ths New Tork Sun.
The democratic platform is a cu
rious Jumble of practical politics and
ldeallatlc unrealities. There is no co
ordination in it. Perhaps in the fury
of the kian and League of Nations
rough and tumble there was no time
for co-ordination.
Toward the end of the document
two planks appear which devour each
other. One of them says:
"War Is a relic of barbarism, and
it is Justifiable only as a measure of
self-defense.’’
It Is backed up by another, to tills
effect:
"Our government should secure a
joint agreement with all the nations
for world disarmament and also for
a referendum of war, except In case
of actual or threatened attack."
No one will quarrel with the pur
pose underlying these planks, which
is to reduce or eliminate the risks of
war. But the grotesque Juxtaposition
to them is an out-and-out war plank,
specific and unconditional in terms.
This says:
"Wo condemn the Lausanne
treaty. It barters legitimate American
rights and betrays Armenia for the
Chester oil concessions. We favor
the protection of American rights in
Turkey and the fulfillment of Presi
dent Wilson’s arbitral award concern
ing Armenia."
President Wilson's arbitral award
concerning Armenia cannot be ful
filled unless we Impose it on Turkey
by force of arms. The award was
made at the request of the allied pow
ers who had conquered Turkey and
were trying to make peace with her.
The United States had no part in that
war or In the protracted negotiations
which followed
The Sevres treaty, subscribed to by
the sultans representatives. was
never ratified. It was displaced
eventually by the Lausanne treaty,
now In effect. In which Turkish sov
ereignty was recognized over a very
large portion of the territory assign
ed to Armenia by Mr. Wilson How
can we enforce the Wilson settlement
unless we send armies to Asta Minor,
seize this territory and bestow it on
Armenia? If ever a war of aggres
slon was authorized It is authorized
in this fantastic plank.
The treaty of Lausanne, which the
convention condemned, is not the a!
lied treaty of pence with Turkey, but
^- 1 ■
—————————■——^,
our own commercial treaty, similarly
designated, with the Anatolian state
“This convention seeks to bring Amer
lean commercial and extra-territorial
rights in Turkey In conformity with
conditions established ir the AUied
Turklsh peace treaty. It is a com
mon sense recognition of a changed
status brought about by the war and
now formally acquiesced In by the
major European powers.
It mar be more than bad judgment
to oppose ratification of this treaty.
But it was pure brainstorming on
the part of the platform makers to
demand fulfillment of the "Wilson ar
bitral award, now obsolete, when It is
evident that such fulflllment can be
attained only through war.
Tree's "Impromptu" Speech.
From the Toronto Globe.
Here is a new story of Sir Herbert
Tree, the Engl.sh actor, and hero of
a thousand stories. It is told by
Cosmo Hamilton. In his new book of
reminiscences, “Unwritten History."
Sir Herhert required to have long
and careful preparation before mak
ing a speech. Once he was unex
pectedly called upon to speak at a
literary club dinner. Instead of de
dining, he amazed his friends by get
ting up and delivering a brilliant ad
dress.
"In delivery, manner and point it
was perfect. It brought forth roar
after roar of laughter at its witty
turns of phrase. His satirical refer
ences to the particular political bu"s
of that time raised several bursts of
applause, and. finally, ending just at
the moment when everybody most de
sired It to continue, it brought down
the house
"The whole thing was epoch mak
ing, especially coming from Tree,
When, several hours later. I wai 1
out of the dub with him, and offere I
my congratulations, he looked all
about him in the exaggerated way
that is associated on the stage w.ti
the Impending give-away of an ail
important secret, chuckled, put h.s
hands on my shoulders, and told rr.e
that he had merely delivered the
after-dinner speech belonging to a part
that he had been memorizing for
months, and would appear in at H:s
Majesty's theater as soon as his
plans permitted.
The play referred to was, for some
reason or other, never produced.
Sure Thing.
"Of course, you were sure from the
first that the convention would have
to end some time."
"Yes,'' agreed Senator Sorghum.
"It stood to reason that the hotel peo
ple wouldn't let the delegates stay
after their money gave out."—Wash
ington Star.
All sports have here a new thrill, you
enjoy them with renewed rest — golf,
tennis^ishing, hunting, motoring or
hiking or horseback up the high moun
tain trails.
$26§o Round - trip from
THREE DAILY TRAINS TO DFNVER
Lv. Omaha SrlO am. 4 25 p.m. 12 25 am.
Ar. Danvar 8:50 pm. 7:S0 a m. 2:00 pm.
L»t u» ahow you how to take a glorioua two
waaka' vacation in Colorado tot $100.00 to
$120.00, covering all axpanaaa
Write Out booklet with map and hotel !iat
far Fraa will help you find Hist the place you
Beoklete are seeking at the price you ** u
For Inferwatlaa. ait—
A. K. Cvrta City fm Agent. U. P. fvttea.
2426 Drite St., O-iha, Pn.'-a lark i;n *.S22
C.-nwltdatad Ti.-tei OP.'*.
1416 Pedga St , Ptvane At aMte **14, ar
Ualaa Station. loth and Maw Streate
Union Pacific
mxi
