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About The Plattsmouth journal. (Plattsmouth, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Oct. 26, 1953)
THE PLATTSMOUTH, NEBRASKA, SEMI-WEEKLY JOURNAl Capitol News PAGE FOUIt! Monday, October 28, 195 EDIT O RIALS Furse's Fresh Flashes ATI A C f 6it- .'. . . m ii n ii VA ERIAL REFUELLING BY NIGHT 14 The Air Force announced recently that the problem of refuelling jet planes in the air at night has been solved. This an nouncement comes only a short time after the announcement of the development of the daylight aerial refuelling system, which was first developed by the U. S. Air Force. Turner Air Force Base, in Albany, Ga., recently reported 15 E-48 Thunderjets had completed an after-dark refuelling mis sion without mishap. While it was not the first such mission to be completed, it was a test mission designed to determine the feasibility of night refuelling on a large scale. The fifteen Thunderjets of the 307th Squadron, 31st Strategic Fighter Wing, took off from Albany and flew to Luke Air Force Base in Arizona. . During the return flight, they were met by a KC-97 tanker plane, which carried enough fuel to service the 15 Thunderjets. The successful conclusion of this tech nique overcomes one of the last of the obstacles in the way of aerial refuelling; a process which may revolutionize aerial warfare tactics. It has been thought for some time that night refuelling would be an especially tricky operation and that some time might be required to overcome this barrier. COLD WEATHER AHEAD? Miss Eunice Merlon; of West Richfield, Ohio, says the coming winter will be one of the hardest on record. Miss'Merton predicts the weather by watching bugs, bushes, animals and other natural phe nomena. Relying on the indications and clues, given by these various phenomena, she comes to a conclusion, which she feels is as accurate as those of trained weather ob servers. Recently there have been many signs to indicate a cold winter ahead, she says. Among the mare the heavy coats grown by animals, the high- level at which hornets have hung their nests to keep them free from high snow drifts. Another sign, ac cording to Miss Merton is a great hole in the Milky Way, which is letting cold air in from outer space. As a result, this weather prognosticator says tfce coming winter will be very severe, and you can make your plans accordingly. - 10Q SURGERY : INCA-STYLE uIJJ Reports from Lima, Peru, state that two Peruvian surgeons recently per formed a successful brain operation using instruments made by the Incas, 2,000 years ago. The surgeons, Francisco Grana Reyes and Estaban Rocca, are reported to have decided some time ago to. try out the Inca technique. . -' - A phase of the operation was the use by the surgeons of a, tourniquet which ap plied to the patient's head had almost com pletely stopped the flow of blood,, with no ill effect. Usually, in brain operations, the flow of blood is profuse. The Peruvian surgeons are not the first to try an operation with Inca tools, but it is the most successful yet performed in modern times, as far as is known. For sometime the two doctors had studied hun dreds of ancient skulls, many of which are found at Caracas, on the coast of Peru. In this town it is believed the Incas had either a major surgical center or a school of sur gery, since so many instruments and so many skulls have been discovered there. Some of the skulls show the effects of operations which removed parts of the skull several inches in length or width. In modern surgery the removal of large parts of the skull is considered an extremely dangerous operation and often results in death to the patient. THOUGHT FOR TODAY -You praise the tozvnsuian's, I the rustic State; admiring others' lots, our oivn nr hate. Horace The Plaltsmouth Journal Official County and City Paper ESTABLISHED IN 1881 Published Semi-Weekly, Mondays and Thursdays, at 410 Main Street. Plattsmouth Cass County, Nebr. Three Times Winner Ak-Sar-Ben Plaques for "OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY SERVICE" 1949 1951 1952 Presented Nebraska Press Association "GENERAL EXCELLENCE AWARD" Second in 1951 First in 1952 (In Cities Over 2000 Populatlon)- RONALD R. FURSE Publisher HARRY J. CANE Editor FRANK H. SMITH . , News Reporter SOPHIA M. WOLEVER Society Editoi In the good old days, big spenders spent their own cash, not the peoples. Flipper Fanny, our dainty little con tour twister, says the average American girl needs no defense she can take care of herself. it it ir Honesty is more often a policy than a principle. It is interesting, sometimes, to hear a man speak frankly about his own excel lence. Planning to make money and getting it into the bank account are two very dif ferent undertakings, we have found. Legislation is not the cure for every economic and social ill Jail sentences would help more, one of our priceless citi zens observes. SB " Down Memory Lane A YEARS AGO I U Ladies articles of apparel were taken in an early morningx break in at Ladies Toggery here this morning. Fred P. Busch discovered the theft . . . Stockholders of the Alvo, Nehawka, Greenwood and Otoe county National Farm Loan associations have approved merger of the units. The group will be known as the Cass-Otoe Farm Loan Association. Announcement was made by Orest P. Cook, president. Other officers are H. L. Bornemeier of Alvo, vice president; C. W. Martin of Greenwood, Roy O. Cole of Plattsmouth, directors . . . Mr. arid Mrs. A. F. Smalley announce the marriage of their son, Theodore, to Miss Wanda Johns at Portland, Ore. . . . Rich ard Petring, formerly of Plattsmouth, has been commissioned an ensign in the United States Navy. -ir ir -ft-YEARS AGO LJ Rev. G. A. Pahl has been installed as minister of St. Paul's Evangelical and Reformed church at Plattsmouth ... A one-ton truck stolen from Mullen & Sons meat market was recovered on the old ferry road southeast of the city . . . Jolly Workers Club was organized here with Mrs. Hselen Meisinger president. Other officers are Mrs. Ed Tritsch, secretary treasurer; Mrs. Louise Vallery and Mrs. Emma Kaffenberger, project leaders; Mrs. Pearl Meisinger, social leader; and Mrs. Marie Rummel, reporter . . . Elmwood and Plattsmouth Reserves battles to a score less tie here . , . MrsHoward Capwell of Elmwood has been named president of the Cass County association of Nebraska Coun cil of Christian education. Martin Borne meier of Murdock is vice president; and Mrs. Bernice Marquardt of Avoca is secre tary. it ir ir ' -f f h i r I I ne w asmngron Merry -Go-Round COME ON. MILUft.lT'S MILKING TIME." ustoatmon B U Entered at the Tost Office at Plattsmouth, Nebraska. s second class mail matter In accordance with the 4.ct of Congress of March 3. 1879. SUBSCRIPTION RATE: $3.50 per year in Cass and adjoining counties. $4.00 per year elsewhere. In advance, by mail outside the city of Platts mouth. By carrier in Plattsmouth, 20 cents or two weeks. (Copyright, 1952, By the Bell Syndicate, Inc.) DREW PEARSON SAYS: DROUGHT -STRICKEN FARM ERS BOIL POLITICALLY; ELEC TRICITY CUT OFF. BY POVERTY RIDDEN FARMERS; BENSON CON SIDERED TOO DELIBERATE. (Editor's Note Drew. Pearson contin ues today his series of columns on the farm situation and the economic hardships ! the farm belt is suffering".) WASHINGTON Down in southwest Missouri the other day, an Ozark farmer, looking out at his parched fields, summed up drought and politics this way: "I remember the drought we had back in 1930 when Herbert Hoover was presi dent. It was so dry here and down in Ar kansas that the tree toads hardly' stayed alive. And Senator Thad Caraway began hollering about it even louder than the tree toads. They was too weak to holler much. Despite the hollering, President Hoover wouldn't do anything. He sat and thought. And the louder the senators hollered the more he sat and thought. "That drought was the beginning of Mr. Hoover's trouble. The farmers just didn't forger how he sat in the White House and did nothing when their farms were being sold at auction. And I don't think they'll forget a couple of years from now either." This opinion is probably a little strong er than that of the average farmer but not much. And when 17 per cent of the farmers using REA electricity in Howell County, Missouri, have their meters taken out because they can't pay their bills; and when 100 families move out of Taney County; and when dairymen are selling half their herds to keep the other half alive, you can understand why they are bitter. , . ; , . They arc not particularly bitter against President-Eisenhower. They feel that, as a soldier, he doesn't understand these problems, that he has a right to delegate farm decisions to others. However, they do feel bitter at his secretary of . agricul ture. Much of this bitterness may be unjusti fied; nevertheless it is very real, very potent, and will be a very definite factor in the next elec tion. Skipping the reasons for Ben sen bitterness, however, let's take a look at the stark tragedy the drought-ridden farmer is up against. Wide Drought Area It happened that mother na ture was most niggardly with rain over a wide part of the United States this year. The niggardliness extended all the way frcm Massachusetts through Virginia and Maryland to Okla homa and Texas. But no part of the country has been worse hit than southwest Missouri and adjacent Arkansas, where only one gcod rain has fallen since May 17. ' In this area, dairy cows us ually worth $300 are now selling for $50, simply because farmers can't afford to feed them. It costs $42 for a ton' of hay, and since two tons, or $84, are nec essary to carry a cow through the winter, some of the finest herds in that part of Missouri are being decimated. And with each herd shipped to market the price has edged down just a little bit further. " . t . After long delays, hay relief finally was arranged by Secre tary Benson. It came, however, after Senators Hennings ' and Symington of Missouri had scent weeks bombarding the White House and telegraphing Secre tary Benson. And when it did come only $20,000,000 was al lotted to 13 states, whereas Mis souri alone will need about $15, 000,000. . , . . Meanwhile, loan restrictions have been so tightly 'drawn; that in some counties farmers cannot geti drought loans unless" they are virtually paupers. .- Nor can they get loans if their wives, in order to save the farms, go to work teaching, school or their boys go into town to work. Benson's Slowness ' This is where the resentment against Ezra T. Benson comes in. The secretary of agriculture is not really to blame for the operations of county relief com mittees. Farmers also realize that prices started skidding be fore he entered office and, fin ally, they don't blame him for the lack of rainfall. But they do remember'' that when drought hit these same sections last year, Secretary of Agriculture Brannan stepped in with a hay program almost be fore protests were registered and, arranged for the railroads to haul hay at half price with the government absorbing the other half. In contrast, Senator Hen nings of Missouri brought out the fact that the railroads of fered the same 50 per cent rate to Benson as early as July 1, but he hugged this secret to his bos om. And said nothing about it until two weeks ago. Benson's Speeches Most of all, however, farmers resent Benson's speeches. To them his warnings that he's go ing to abandon dairy supports and his foreboding about other prices supports are like rubbing salt in open wounds. Further more, he seems to have a de pressing effect on prices. Whatever may be the reason for this depressing effect, the farmer reads speech after soeech by the secretary of ag riculture predicting that the price of cattle is going un, and each time, he makes a prediction the price goes down. "I think the general under tone of livestock prices is sub stantially solid," said Benson on Feb. 5. Beef prices were then $19.70. "The beef market is pretty stable. It has been strengthen ing," said Censon on Feb. 27. But by this time prices had dropped to $18.80. "There has been a- very mark ed increase in livestock prices." said Benson on March 2 despite the above decrease. "Within 30 days after taking office we checked the cattle price decline," Benson again boasted on March 8. Yet, instead of in creasing, prices dropped on March 15 to $17.80, and on April 15 were $17.30. "We believe the seasonal rise in the price of fed cattle be tween late soring and fall will cccur again this year," said Ben son on June 11. Yet, on June 15, cattle prices dropned to a new low of $16 per hundred weight. "Substantial recovery in price of cattle in drought areas since the U. S. depart m3Ht of agricul ture initiated its emergency pro gram was noted today by Secre tary of Agriculture Ezra Taft Benson," announced his depart ment cn July 14. Yet prices had ot increased. "Prompt action stabilized the cattle market, got beef into con sumption, and has since resulted in an improved market," said Benson on Sept. 19. Yet, on Sept. 15, prices had already dropped to $15.80,the lowest of all. That is why southwest cattle farmers look at the burning sun and their parched fields and wonder which is worse lack of rain or the perennial, unsup ported, inaccurate optimism of a secretary of agriculture who believes that words rather than acts will cure farm depression. Cass Co Over Q 1953 B mm tioia in end Sales Walter H. Smith, Chairman of the U. S. Savings Bond Commit tee in Cass county, announced LINCOLN Just what action i I will be taken by the newly ap- 1 A. . -J f 4- 4. A J-.I TTl-l. - Commission was a subject of week. Gov. Robert Crosby named the seven man group which was established by the 1953 Legisla ture to advise the State High way Department. Although some people had wanted a board with actual executive powers, this proved impractical be cause of a constitutional re quirement that executive offi cers live in Lincoln. The seven men named are: Arthur L. Coad, Omaha bank er, Democrat. vC. E. Metzger, Cedar Creek fanner and cattle feeder, Demo crat. , Merle Kingsbury, Ponca at torney. Republican. Arthur Albrecht, Deshler farmer, Democrat. W. O. Collett, North Platte real estate broker, Republican Don Hanna, Valentine ranch er, Republican. Fred Attebery, Mitchell ranch er, Republican. Under the law Crosby had to pick at least three men from the opposite political party of the rest. The governor call this a "well balanced" group. He said if there was any emphasis it was on agriculture since Nebraska is a farm state. Crosby remark ed that he had consciously tried to stay away from people who had been involved in the-various highway fights of recent years. But what do the commission ers think? Reporters who called by tele phone learned 'that most of -them were going into the task with open minds, anxious to "learn the ropes". Most seem ed to think the State Highway Department could stand im provement. . Coad remarked, "That was the idea behind the Legislature es tablishing a commission, wasn't it?" But Coad added that he didn't expect to upset the applecart but thought that the ideas of the commissioners could be of use to the department. Old hands like ex-state sen o. 6. IM1LHGKAM - Check correct word in these sentences: 1. The tlack Death that killed thousands in Eng land was a (German weapon) (an epidemic). 2. Puce li a (color) (tropical fruit). 3. Hong kong belongs to (Communist China (GreaUBritain) (French Indo-China). 4. A Saliai is an (Abyssinian prince) a (breed, of doe). A nautical mile is (longer) (shorter) than a statutefcr land mile. Harrie V Quimby is famed as (America's first .... 1 M . woman jhoij a isuurageuc leader). 7. Stotinkl js a (Finnish seaport) (Bulgarian coin). n 8. A refectory is a (kind of mirror) (dining hall). 9. Tamarack is a (tree) (musical instrument). 10. Classification of animals and plants is called (taxidermy) (taxonomy). Check your answers, scoring yourself 10 points for each correct choice. A score of 0-20 is poor; 30-60, average; 70-80, superior; 90-100,; very superior. 1 Epidemic. 1 2 Color. 3 Great Britain. 4 Breed of dog. Longer. 6 America's first woman pilot. 7 Bulgarian coin. Dining hall. 9fT -ee. 10 Taxonomy. t I; I urejSiiPJui papoDsd llaL JS ?L iaJing! ! atorT Merger and Hanna Said of - the vear totaled $684 858 75 they had the feelinS of ZettinZ rf Jl inft5 t io" back int0 the tnick f highway SSta fo? the cS disPutes asain' Meteger com- At the same time it was an mented. "This should take a lot nKfS?n tti.Sa remarked PiJ?'s!?JniLe?.' that he thought there was "a twfiftr"" rtmuuutcu lot of spending that could be helped," the cencensus of the new commissioners seemed to to $70,650,242.63. "Nebraska has now reached toe record wir mlSe posbla Y US through the efforts of hundreds of patriotic citizens of the state Fifty-eight counties have ex ceeded their quota and it is pos sible that every one will be over the top before the year ends, al though the drouth will have ers taxes. Metzger said. "They're abso lutely necessary. You can't get good roads without money." Collett said that he thought one advantage of the commis sion was that its members could 3omee'feTtnb7ndale,HaTl Q$? to the o" ' "J " Nationally . the Savings Bond Program has made marked im provement in 1953. September, 1953, was the best September since World War II. The first nine months of 1953 set the rec ord for any corresponding per- "We know more about the troubles and road problems around our home areas es pecially the laterals and cross country roads," Collett affirm ed. Metzger, however, made the point that too many people iod m the past seven years. To- think just about their own tax aaies iui uu5 periuu in oer- r0ads. He said he thought the lensnlA H B.onds were commission could bring a state $3,290,169,000, or an increase , of Wide approach to the problem. 23.7 above those of the cor- '-Already people are contact responding nine months of last ing me about the road close to year- I their place. They just don't see ! the wnole picture," said the for- Consumer credit increased mer state senator! $217,000,000 in August to $27,- 434,000,000, according to the Fed- Health Board Starts eral Reserve Board. The in The new State Board of Health crease was about one-third less also got underway. Dr. J. E. M. than the rise in consumer debt Thompson of Lincoln was elect in the same month a year ago. ed chairman and Dr. Joseph The August increase was almost Burt, dean of the University of entirely in installment credit. Nebraska College of Pharmacy, vice chairman. This group is San Leandro, Cal. While an executive body and its mem fighting a grass fire, William bers are all from Lincoln. By Wolter, 49, chief of the Almeda the way, one of the constitu county fire patrol, brushed tional amendments Nebraska against a 4,000 volt power line, voters will find on their ballots The shock threw the chief into in 1954 will be a proposal to the air. He fell and rolled down knock out the requirement that a hill. After treatment for executive officers have to live shock, he took the rest of the in Lincoln, day off. Explosive Situation The blow up of; tan ammuni tion truck on Dodge Street west of Omaha created!! a furore which reached Statehouse offi ces. Gov. Crosby t sad he was checking the situatityi to find out why the shells i "reportedly had their fuses in them. State Engineer L. N. Res;! said he didn't see what the Etate High way Department could do. He said laws regulating these trucks would have to be passed by the Legislature. Besides, t most of them are engaged in ; interstate commerce and couldn't be pro hibited by the state. ' But it did raise ati old issue in the State Railway (Commis sion. The commission last De cember granted temporary per mits for hauling explosives to Watson Brothers arid Union Freightways truck firms. But somehow the board had never gotten around to mafeing them permanent. This would require a public hearing. U That interstate -fliitrastate question is involved hsre also. These truck firms cfaim that they are engaged in Interstate commerce because evejp though they haul the explosives be tween two points in rebraska the ammunition is eventually headed for some plae-; out of the state.. 1 ! If the commission tvere to agree.however, this might knock the Red Ball company i put of the business. They haye: intran state but not interstate, author ity to haul goods. ' ft - Watson Brothers and; Union Freightways have also taken the matter to court alpng an other, route. They are protest ing the commission's decision lease controversy may hav come from the United State Supreme Court. That highe: court in the land refused to hca an appeal by William Propst o Grant. So Propst had bce stopped all along the line in hi efforts to start injunction pro ceedings in behalf of certai: leaseholders of school lands. Th matter grew out of the Stat Supreme Court's decision i the Ebke case, invalidating ; 1947 law. The decision mean that leases had to be sold a public auction. Propst and oth ers tried to stop these auction but were unsuccessful. Th leases have been sold and man of the leaseholders, Prop: among them, bought their leaa es back at auction. The matte may now finally be a dead isue that Red Ball has a right ttfhaul explosives under a "General Commodity" grant back in 1937. They contend this is changing the rules in the middle of the game. Observers say there must be a lot of money in hauling ex plosives, judging from the way these firms are battling over the privilege. As to whether ammunition hauling can be taken off the highways, officials are doubtful. They point out that the Defense Department wants it this way. In fact, there was a bill before the Legislature to reduce the amount of explosives which could be hauled in any truck load. A group of officials came from Washington to argue against the bill and it was kill ed. Indications are that even if someone tried to prohibit such hauling, the Defense Depart ment would step in and order the block removed on grounds of jeopardizing the country's de fense. Final Answer What may the final answer to the long dragged out school land MUffifW Mrs. Dudo Hiatt Correspondent Mr. and Mrs. G. E. BrubachH were week end guests at Crestor in the home of their daughtei and family, Mr. and Mrs. Ec Kugler. Mr. and Mrs. Earl Lancastei and, Mrs. Harry Brickett mad a call on Sunday at the. horn of Mr, and .Mrs. Orville Royel after receiving , word of thj death of the Royers' daughter Jo Ann Royer, in an accident Mrs. Lancaster and Mrs. Brick ett are cousins of the Royers. Cass County's Greatest NewsDaner The Plattsmouth Journal T VAX5 J&J XU VETS.' ARE YOU PLANNING TO ASK VA FOR DENTAL TREAT MENT? REMEMBEK TME PEWTAt CONDITION MUST HAVE EXlSTEP ATTIME OF DISCHARGE or BE AGGRAVATING A SERVICE CONNECTED DISABILITY Tr fall information mtul your r.ri VETERANS ADMINISTRATION JIM WAS TELLING H I VISITED HIM ALL LA5T SUMMED IT NEAtZLY HIM 0 y HE HASN'T Y NO, HE WEOTE I Mn tllU A ( I L!H BCI A.I VISITED HIM ALL LA5T SUMMER CSUESTS t TIVES AND A IT NEACLV DBSVE HIM TO THIS YEAS.' PUT A STOP P0 YOU MEAN HE WeOTE AND TOLD THEM TD 5TAY AWAY f On, NO, 1 He llSVITfcU THEM, Alw A6KE R NOTHING I WHAT 5IXE OVEZALLS THEV. . I TUVT ' III A. CI IDOl x VI 'PR!SE,DE33li 'N I I. j W. TH WELL KNOWN WOLF WU!5TL5t .,-4 tMf I, I 7 1 WEAD YOU WH6TLE r AT TrtAT LADVI HE1? 61VE HH YER OLE PRE5SNT1 i ix t-t- x s its s m v i , - (OKAY, WISE 6'jy- j