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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (March 7, 1949)
The Plattsmouth Journal ESTABLISHED IN 1881 VublisJ.o.V mi-wcpklv, Morula vs an.l Tlmrs dnvs. at 4ti-413 Main Slr-rl. 1 1 1 .m.M-tli. t ( mini -. .Wl.raska. RONALD R. FURSE Publisher FRANK H. SMITH Editor HAROLD TUCKER. . .Advertising Manager O. C. Osterholm, Plant Superintendent Harry Wilcoxen, Manager Job Department Helen E. Heinrich, News Editor Helen Mrasek. News and Circulation J . -. . . rW2M. associRTion NATIONAl EDITORIAL ASSOCIATION SUBSCRIPTION RATE: S3.50 per j-ear in Cass and adjoining counties, $4.00 per year elsewhere, in advance, by mail outside the city of Plattsmouth. By carrier in Rlatts mouth, 15 cents for two weeks. Kntf-rd et c T'osfif f Ice Bt Plattsmouth. Nebraska as temnd Imj mail matter in a o c(i ilant t- with tlif Ac t of Congress of March 1!T!. EDITORIALS THUMBS DOWN ON MAINTENANCE It seemed to be a blow below the belt to many communities in Nebraska, includ ing Plattsmouth, when the public works committee of the State legislature killed LB 111 providing- the state highway de partment to construct and maintain streets that are a part of the state highway sys tem in all muncipalities. To this writer the bill had little chance of being approved in the format in which it was presented. While we all admit that heavy truck traffic over the state and fed eral highways through towns and cities is responsible for the greater share of main tenance cost, few of us would dare con tend that the state highway department should shoulder all the cost of construction and repair. Here in Plattsmouth. Chicago and Washington avenues are in a deplorable stat? due primarilv to heavy bus and truck traffic over a road bed that was never con structed to withstand such" heavy loads. Most eastern Nebraska cities are in the same position. Most of our city streets were hard surfaced long before dreamers brought forth the big 10-ton "semi's," or the 50-passenger transcontinental buses. Regardless of who is responsible, or who is to pay the cost, none of us want to see these highways routed around our town. Traffic on Highways 75 and 34 throueh Plattsmouth is responsible for the profits to a large number of local business firms and in turn contribute a good share to the success of us all. We are inclined to believe that our lo cal citizens are more than willing to con tribute their share of the cost of construc tion and repair of these through arterial highways. We also believe members of the state legislature realize the state should bear a share of the burden. A bill brought before this body that would distribute the cost one-fourth to the city, one-fourth to the state, and half to federal funds would be received with joy, and stand more than a fair chance of passage. It should be suggested to the public works committee of the legislature. - 4c PRODUCTION, PRICES, PANIC, PEOPLE The top economic advisers cf the Ad ministration advise Congress that 1949 promises to be a good year for business and that the aim of the executive branch of the government is to combat "boom and bust" periods because a new depression, following the pattern of that which began in 1929, might cost the country $800,000, 000.000. Meanwhile, a Senate committee, head ed bv Senator Purnet Maybank, of South Carolina, plans an investigation to deter mine why the cost of living remains high. Noting that the general cost of living has gone down very little, despite the fact that some agricultural prices have dropped by one-half or more, the Senator says that "we want to find out why" but adds that the inquirv is not ''going to be a witch hunt." Charles F. Brannan, Secretary of Agri culture, points out that "production is the answer to inflation and a prime requisite for continuing prosperity." He admits that serious bottlenecks exist and that pro duction of essential items is lagging and says that the "lack of balance is dan gerous." Leon H. Keyserling, vice-chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, esti mated the cost of the 1929 debacle in na tional income as $300,000,000,000 and, basing his calculation on a similar outline, involving present production and income figures, he estimates that the "possible cost of a depression" in the next decade would be around $800,000,000,000. While believing that our democracy would survive such a crisis, economists think that it would only do so with changes "which none of us would like to contem plate." Mr. Keyserling took note of the recent rise in unemployment, the growing dis parity between farm and urban income, continued price increase in metals, fuels and house furnishings, the drop in con- Furse's Fresh Flashes If your wife laughs at your jokes, it means you have a good joke or a good wife. The straight and narrow path would probably not be so straight and narrow if more people walked on it. - - Some motorists evidently think a loco motive whistles at a crossing just to keep up its courage. -k -K Horse sense is that sense that keeps horses from betting on the human race. - 4c When Noah sailed the waters blue He had his troubles, same as vou; Fnr forty days he sailed the Ark Before he found a place to park. - The farmer's biggest turn-over is his spring plowing. 4c Among the folks who have our sympa thy are the innocent souls who order from seed catalogs and expect to raise crops that look like the pictures. x 4c One reason the movie stars don't take their husband's name when they marry is that the time is too short to make the change. 4c A local man says a coal shortage will never worry him now. He just sold his stove. 4c 4c A Plattsmouth man says he knows ex actly how much his wife spends for clothes each vear. He simply adds his income to what he owes. 4c 4c An atom bomb, a worried look, and an income tax blank that's civilization. ANOTHER '49 GOLD RUSH sumer expenditure and the inadequate in crease in the production capacity of the steel, aluminum and power industries. "DOWrFMEMbRTLANE" TEN YEARS AGO Mrs. W. F. Evers honored bv appoint ment by Grand worth v matron of the grand chapter of Eastern Star of the state to be one of the attendants at the meeting in Mav. ... Dr. H. G. McClusky observed ?5th anniversary of pastorate of the First Presbyterian church here. . . . Plattsmouth representatives at the high school annual speech and music tourney at Tarkio col lege captured Class A awards, scoring 15 points. Mr. Lumir Gerner and Evelvn Ripa chaperoned the contestants on the trip. . . . Among those who attended the opera "Carmen" in Omaha were Misses Ruth Patton. Edith Solomon, Pearl Staats, Fstelle Baird. Dorothv Clock. Christine Soennichsen, Mrs. L. W. Egenberger and David Fowler. 4c 4c 4c TWENTY YEARS AGO The pupils of the Columbian school were privileged to hear the inaugural cere monies of Herbert Hoover, president and Charles Curtis, vice president, through courtesv of Harvev Gamer who installed an RCA radio in the school. . . . Joe Love and family returned to this city to make their home: Mr. Love was emoloved at the Rosencrans barber shop. ... J. W. Tritsch, THE PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAL Monday, March 7. 1949 PAGE THREE duction could begin in a hurry if war broke. Johnson put this into effect as early as 1S38, three years before Pearl Harbor, and at a time when U. S. steel moguls were sitting in Europe working out a world steel cartel with the nazis. WAR DEPARTMENT FEUD He also put it into effect des pite the fact that his chief. Sec retary of War Woodring, was op posed to war preparation and did not believe that war was imminent. Johnson's farsightedness, how ever, enabled the United States to mobilize industry in almost record time and to bear the brunt of supplyinj the allied armies. Johnson's other major achieve ments as Assistant Sretary of War were pushing airplane pro duction for the French and Bri tish long before Pearl Harbor when Congress was opposed to supplying planes to thn allies; urging and pioneering the Alas kan highway as early as 1S38 long before anyone ever drearr-! Alaska would have to be foT- i fied; urging increased elect -ic power for war centers; and de veloping close economic and military ties with Latin America. During the period he accorn plished these things, Johnson, as Assistant Secretary of War, was in a constant feud with his Sec retary of War, Harry Woodring The feud would have been comic had it not been for possible trrrric consequences. Woodrine:, one of the most likable men who ever came out of Kansas to Washington, and inherited the all-important post i REMEMBER... By THE OLD-TIMERS From Robert IL Sedgwick: "I re member (circa 1906) when there were arc lights along the streets and how, when they failed to light up, we kids would kick the pole to jar the carbons and, once started, they all would light up. We used to col lect discarded carbons to write our names on cement sidewalks, which were not too common in those days." From. Henry II. Vocke: "I remember wien the WaSle Man came down th street, blowing on a trumpet, and aU'the kids would run heme for a penny to buy a waffle sprinkled with powdered sugar. The waffles were made with water, but they sure tasted 'waffle' good to us kids!" NEBRASKA d Ld fa From E range line Sedgwick: "I re member when Essanay movies were filmed In Chicago across the street from Riverview park. David Spoor and G. M. Anderson coined the name from their last initials. It was there Gloria Swanson and Wallace Beery first met and became movie stars. Edna Mayo, Ruth Stonehouse, Eenry B. Walthall, Bryant Wash bum and James Klrkwood were sone of the others. Anderson always actei the part of 'Broncho Billy' in the westerns." a former resident returned to his farm in the Cedar Creek-Ixuisville vicinity after of Secretary of War by accident residence in Lincoln. . . . Francis Flood,) upon the death of George Lincoln newspaperman, appeared before ; Dern- Something of an isola the Happv Hundred Club with storv and ticnist- he was not enthusiastic i,: i 1. a t. about a bie national defense lands of Africa. 4c (Copyright, 1949, By the Bell Syndicate, Inc.) DREW PEARSON SAYS : LOUIS JOHNSON IS MOST EXPERI ENCED MAN IN U. S. A. TO HEAD NATIONAL DEFENSE: JOHNSON'S WORK WITH INDUSTRY SAVED AMERICAN LIVES DURING THE WAR; SMALL-TOWN WEST VIR GINIA LAWYER NOW REPRE SENTS BIG BUSINESS. (Editor Note The Brass Ring, good for one free ride on the Washington Merry-Go-Round, todaygoes to Louis A. Johnson, new Secretary of National Defense.) WASHINGTON. If past experience is a criterion, no man in the U. S. A. is better qualified to be Secretary of National De fense today than the boyish, energetic, pipe-smoking lawyer from Clarksburg, W. Va., Louie Johnson. Johnson has spent a good part of the past eleven years dreaming of the day when he might attain this all-important post, and, based on past record, he de serves it. A half dozen major moves inside the War department can be chalked up to Johnson, without which many more Ameri can boys would have lost their lives. The most important of. these were "educational orders" of munitions. This was a system by which American industry received small War department orders for tanks, machine guns, artillery, etc., for educational purposes. This gave factories a chance to get their machine tools in shape, with the idea that, follow ing this experimentation, large-scale pro- proo-ram. Johnson was. Therefore, all Johnson's work had to be done either on the side or bv going over the bead of his chief. Some Armv officers, tak ing advantage of this, played Woodring off against Johnson and vice versa, until it was a miracle that the Army, by th1 time of Pearl Harbor, was as well prepared as it was. SMALL-TOWN LAWYER Like a lot of things in life, Johnson's entry into politics was sheer coincidence. Graduated in law from the University of Vir ginia, he decided o practice in a town in which he was a com plete stranger, and went to Clarksburg, W. Va., in 1912. At the time of his arrival, a local sheriff had been arrested for embezzlement, and a lawyer was needed to act as prosecutor. Johnson took the job. fought the case up to the Supreme Court, and, as a result of the publicity, ran for mayor of Clarksbure:. This was just two years after coming to live in West Virginia. Johnson lost the mayoralty race by about 50 votes, but shortly thereafter was elect ed to the state legislature and became Democratic leader of the House. The first World War came. Johnson was mustered out as a captain of the 80th Infantry Division, and on the day he re tired, he had the nerve, to write a letter to the Chief of Staff telling him how to reform the Army. He will now have a chance to carry out those ideas. TOO TRUSTING Louie Johnson is a queer mix ture of conservatism and liberal ism. Since leaving the govern ment his contacts have been chieflv with bie business. His From Mrs. Mary K. Stewart: "I re member when there was a 'sure cure for a sore throat a remarkable remedy used by grandmothers in my childhood days. She would slap a thick, fat slice of salt pork around our neck, tie a wool sock over it, make a strong gargle of vinegar and salt, force us to sit an hour with our feet in hot mustard water, hud dled under a blanket like a small tent, then tuck us into a bed piled high with a feather tick. If the the throat didn't clear up by morn ing, the sock was wrung out of hot water, dipped in a saucer of kerosene and re-applied. Then we had a blis tered neck as well as 'grippe.' Strange to say, we survived." (Contributions to this column are invited from old-time readers. All communications should be signed with the writer's full name. Address them to The Old-Timer, Box 340, Frankfort, Ky. when Johnson went to India as special representative of Presi dent Roosevelt he sided with the Indian independence movement and became the great friend of Pundit Nehru and Mahatma Gandhi. Big, genial, quiet-spoken John son works long, late hours, dashes around the country on speaking engagements; and while Assistant Secretary of War delivered 175 speeches in two years, flying 100,000 miles to make them. Since leaving the government, he has followed a regular routine of spending week ends in Clarksburg, W. Va., the early part of the week in Washington, D. C, and the mid dle of the week in New York. Probably Johnson's biggest handicap is his naive trust in people sometimes in people who have double-crossed him. He is inclined to believe that everyone is his friend though a lot of them aren't. Johson is one of the few War department executives who hasn't been afraid to put the brass in their place. Most civil ian Secretaries of Wrar lean so heavily on the top brass that the constitutional concept of civilian control over the Army is voided. Johnson, however, not only knows the military establishment riients rmv hppn some of the I from A to Z. but isn't afraid to biggest firms in the country. Yet ' tell the brass where to get off. t JAMES C. OLSON, Superintendent STATE HISTORICAL SOCIKTT This year marks the centen nial of the California gold rush, one of the most fantastic move ments of men in all history, and one which saw thousands of Americans make their way across Nebraska in search of riches in the Golden West. Gold was discovered at Sut ter's fort on January 24, 1843. The earliest reports of the dis covery were received dubiously in the East, but when on De cember 5, 1848, President James K. Polk included the news in his message to Congress, the country was electrified with ex citement. During the month of Janu ary, more than a hundred ships cleared eastern ports for Cali fornia. In February more than a hundred departed ior ine same destination. The gold fev er spread to all parts of the world, and emigrants from Eu rope and Asia poured into Cal ifornia all during 1849. By early spring the overland emigration was under way, and the once empty valley of the Platte was filled with countless caravans o f eager fortune hunters making their way west' ward. Estimates as to the exact number vary all the way from 20.000 to 30,000. In general, the Forty-Niners followed the earlier Oregon Trail through most of Nebraska. Starting from Independence, Mo., they entered Nebraska along the Little Blue, following that stream northwest across the state. The trail joined the Platte River east of Fort Kear ney (established just the year before). Once past the fort, the eager travelers followed the Platte to the junction of the north and south forks and then went down the South Platte to one of two "California Cros sings." The lower crossing was near Big Spring and the upper near Julesburg. Those who took the lower crossing had to negotiate Ash Hollow, one of the toughest spots on the entire trail. From the upper crossing the trail as cended Lodgepole Creek. Both trails joined just east of Chim ney Rock, whence they went along the North Platte past Scotts Bluff to Fort Laramie and beyond. The Forty-Niners were as colorful a group of emigrants as ever went through Nebraska. Many of them kept diaries. Still more wrote eager and at times, homesick letters to the family and friends in the East. From these documents, large numbers of which have been published, we have a first-hand account of life in Nebraska just a century ago. Baptismal Services at Methodist Church Sunday morning at the regu lar worship hour at the Meth odist church, Rev. E. C. Will liams baptized Charles Robert Mann, son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Mann and Francis Mich ael, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Patch. Mr. and Mrs. Patch were also received into the member ship by letter from their form er church at Tecurnseh. ,v, j D. Carnerie Author of "HOW TO WIN FRIENDS ond fa INFLUENCE PEOPLE", THE BARBER OF STOCKTON T5ARBF.RS for generations have been the butt of jokes about talking too much and too fat to their clients. Eut here's one man who thinks the opposite method the better. Teter Schimpf of Stockton, Calif., worked in a good shop, patronized by a fine clientele. There was another barber there, named Sam, a irood fellow, and a man that people seemed ifm to like more than thev liked Teter. And how the' enjoyed talking to him. When some of the clients came In, they would sit and wait for Sam to finish with a client, rather than take Peter's chair. Natur ally, this troubled Peter. He knew that they had nothing against him, that he had never antagonized any one o them, and that he did as good a job as Sarn did. Then why? He beean observing people both in the shop and on the' outside who seemed to be popular. He noticed a good many things, like smiling, showing friendliness, refraining from criticizing. All minor matters, but he knew, when he stopped to think about it, that minor matters can change a man's life. i One day a client named George entered, sat down to wait' for Sam, although Peter had just finished with his client. Peter looked at George and said 'Hello' and smiled as he said it. This ; happened again, and a third time. Eut the third time, George didn't wait for Sam. Instead he asked, '"Can you take me?" Peter made George comfortable, turning the cHair so his client could see in the mirror how his hair was being cut. He asked him a couple of questions, and Gecrge got started on a subject that interested him. He loosened up, enjoyed telling Peter what he wanted to know. Peter didn't let him out of that chair until the job was done to the satisfaction of both of them. After that, when George entered that shop he headed straight for Peter's chair. . "And," says Teter, "you can be sure that T have applied the same technique to other customers with just as successful results." - Death of John Speck at Denver The message was received in Plattsmouth Saturday by mem bers of the Speck family telling of the death cf John Speck, 63, the oldest member of the family. Mr. Speck has made his home at Casper, Wyoming for a great many years and the family still reside at that place. He was taken ill several months ago and his condition has gradually grown more severe until he was taken to a Denver hospital where he passed away. Mrs. Everett Gooding of this city, a sister and Fred H. Speck of Sioux City, a brother, were at Denver, at the hospital with the brother when he passed away. Mr. Speck was a brother of Ben H. Speck and Carl Speck of this city, and Mrs. Gooding. The material for the coming year was given out by our lead j er, Harry Knabe. We also plan- ned our year bock. The officers of the club are: ! John Knabe, treasurer; Peter j Lutz, vice-president; Alice Noell, I secretary; Margaret Knabe, news reporter. James Pollard is also a member. After the meeting refresh ments were served by John and 1 Margaret Knabe. The next 1 meeting will be held at Tommy j Johnson's on March 23. Repor I ter. XEHAWKA SWINE CLUB The Nehawka Swine club met at the home of James Pollard on February 28th. The meeting was called to order by the Presi dent, John Knabe. He led in the pledge to the flag. ! Attend Church Meet at Hastings Monday i This (Monday) morning, Mrs. i E. C. Williams and Mrs. Karl I Grosshams departed by car for j Hastings, Nebraska, where they will attend the annual confer ; ence meeting of the W.S.C.S. of j the Methodist church. Mrs. Wil j liarns is conference Secretary and Mrs. Grosshams local delegate. Frigidaires can now be bought for 15. down and the balance on easy monthly payments. War ga Hardware and Appliance. tSucce55iii faveniltoocl . " f MRS. CATHERINE CONRAD EDWARDS ni'ritSi it--- - Patronize Journal Advertisers. nROTHEHHOOD WEEK is coming XJ around again. That's the week, starting with Washington's birthday, when thoughtful Americans take time out to think about their neigh bors. It's the time when school chil dren everywhere take up the ques tion of "brotherhood" and what it means. How can we parents best explain "brotherhood" to our boys and girls? First, let's remember that the whole idea of this week is closely tied up with our American democracy. In this country, the concept of brother hood is a very strong one. Mort cf us believe that we are entitled to equal opportunity. Most cf us don't want to see unfair discrimination against any cf our fellow-citizens. Remember President Truman's Christmas message, in which he quoted these words from the Eible: "God that hath made the world and all things therein . . . hath made of one blood all na tions and men for to dwell on all 'Jbe face of the earth." That expresses our philosophy. And it's a good way to start dis cussing brotherhood with our chil dren. Then, we might compare the work ings of cur democracy to the way a clock ticks. If all the parts don't move together in perfect unison if the mainspring won't work with the balance wheel, a clock can't keep time. The same idea holds for a nation. Our democracy works only when ci tizens get along well together when neighbors cn the street and children at the playground and men and women on the job have a healthy respect for each ether regardless of their color, their religion or their birthplace. It takes Americans of all religions, all ethnic crigins to keep cur democracy ticking. Finally, we might wind up with this thought: A good community, like a good watch, needs a check-up nov and then to keep it in condition. Brotherhood week is a good time for us to check up on ourselves. We should lock deep into our hearts and ask: "Are we being fair in ocr judg ments of folks whose skins are a different color, or 'who worship God in a different way? Are we showing" prejudice toward others cf different backgrounds? Are we discriminating unfairly in keep ing some people cut of our groups and clubs, or out of our circle of friends?' If the answer to any of these questions is yes, that's our challenge for Brotherhood week to see how we can be better to our friends and neighbors in the year ahead. This applies to youngsters in school, as well as to grown-ups. Our boys and girls will be quick to see the point .