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About Valentine Democrat. (Valentine, Neb.) 1900-1930 | View Entire Issue (July 21, 1910)
I - n 1 . F WIIIDr . : oRtISucRtrS ; . ARE LOCKID UP a ! 3 : E3I > : w . : B. < : : 'I.- I < - Copy W.A.PATTER1 rigl.t 6Pr- b _ 6 HE state , war and navy building which houses , as Its name sug- gests , the three great depart- ments of the government , Is at once the most Interesting and the ' least Interesting to visitors of all Washington's great publio struc- tures. There are secrets In hun- dreds locked up in the breasts of the officials of the three depart- ments , and In written , printed and photographic form , locked up in _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ the office vaults. In a sense the building Is the least Interesting because the outward manifestation of matters of . . , public moment is not in the least showy. It is the F most interesting from the curiosity point of view because all visitors find themselves speculating as to what great state and war matters are con- cerning the officials whose lips are sealed , and whose actions often betray unconsciously the fact that they are burden bearers of mystery. It was not long ago that the name' of Jefferson Davis , at one time secretary of war , and afterward president of the Confederacy was recut into the acqueduct bridge which was planned at the time that he was secretary of war. Years ago the name was chiseled out because of the pitch of feeling that existed In the north against Davis' action In advocating secession and in heading the Confed- eracy of the southern states. Feeling died away and lately the name was restored for the sake of historic accuracy and also to mark the coming of an era of good feeling. On the wall of the room outside the private of- fice of Secretary of War Jacob M. Dickinson , are at least 30 portraits of former secretaries and among them is the picture of Jefferson Davis , the chieftain of the Confederacy. The painting has hung there unchallenged for many years , and it will remain there , barring the accident of fire , for all time to come. It is by far the best painting in Uic i ooiu as a work ot art , and persons who do not recognize the features of Davis ask almost instant- / ; ; S 1" ( . ' ° dgg > z v F _ .e G-OKr oJ : t : wWrr . ly who It is , for it Is such a striking bit of the painter's craftsmanship that it stands out from the other portraits , not all of which are meritori- ous as likenesses or as evidences of genius in the i 1 artist. In the president's new office room in the White House , one that is included in the new part of the office building , there are today two pictures only , one of them that of his father and the other that I of Theodore Roosevelt. One is at the left and the other at the right , and they both overlook the scene of the president's official activities. Some people have said that there are strained relations between President Taft and former President j Roosevelt. There are those who believe that proof of this will come only when the portrait of Mr. . Taft's predecessor is superseded by the portrait of . . . some other man. In the building which houses the state , war and navy departments is housed the general staff ot I the army , of which Maj. : Gen. Leonard Wood is the chief. The country has perhaps only a vague I idea of the duties which the officials of the gen- eral staff perform. When the Spanish-American war began it was found that the United States because of the long period of peace and because of the belief that war was unlikely , was in a state badly prepared to enter on conflict. The army was fairly well equipped , but the National Guard regi- ments were in a bad state of preparation. When the war was over immediate steps were taken to prevent any : like condition of affairs In the future , and under the inspiration of the then secretary of war , Elihu Root , and of Colonel Will iam H. Carter , now brigadier general and assist- ant chief of staff , the formation of a body of of- ficers whose duty it was to be to make in time of peace preparation for war , was begun. The general staff of the United States army was the result , and today it is a most efficient body. If war were to be declared tomorrow . > . . inst any nation of the earth , it would be foui . . . . that the United States as far as limitations of its armed forces would permit , would be ready to make the most of what it has . in the way of arms and men. men.df the secrets which are held in the state , war and navy building the most important are those which have to do with preparations for possible conflict with every nation on earth. These se- crets are in the keeping of officers of the twin services , the army and navy , and while they are I different In their nature , they both have to do with means for offensive and defensive opera- tions In the unlikely case that this country one r . , . , J z ; a f t ! , / ' yc : . ! ) r + into w Y , J l f I 3 Y ' . ' . . . . . t : : : : ii ; ) : e ' 'TT'I ' : c7.z.Pl.ZU7A.R A/Vfl .2V Vy- BUILDIN G-- /d\ : I / \ Z < s4s : > Y I : : > I T\ \ : t 3C t / , ' v ' I _ _ 1/ a > , ' . . . ' : . . ' , i:4 + $ - _ _ _ _ ( . v 1Jr' i J . . . , . " . , . . , ' , - . . . . I1fTJYJ 1 . o coP.Y f.g4t sroy 6" 'HOU.'r.r . ; n'lQVO _ " _ _ f1hii'fliF ; ; < ft/gjjirJff . : } : ' _ muu ' " " P. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ' . . . . . . ' ' . . . < . . . . . . . . < : " . . . . . . . " : ' . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . , . ' \1 iutrzuIT7r i r' - \ : , i fliltf'BIIi.Jli.A : ( . . Ji * > - day may be . forced into the position of a com- batant. The course that Is followed by the United States government in making plans to conduct a war in case war comes is the course followed by every great country of the world , and so no na tion can take offense because it Is known that the United States outlines plans to meet another coun- try on the field , or on the high seas of conflict. War games are played yearly in the army-and na vy "closets" of all the great countries of the world , and while they are called games , they have a certain grimness : about them that is not at rail playful. War with Great Britain is the remotest kind of possibility , and yet a board of naval officers and a board of army officers have prepared plans which will be put into service , unless the lapse of time renders them useless , in case such a con- flict shall occur. The same statement holds true of preparations for possible trouble with France , Germany , Italy , Spain , Japan , Russia and all the other great countries , and with countries of less degree of strength , importance and population. Comparatively recently when it became known that it would be necessary to reoccupy Cuba , the order for reoccupation came suddenly. While no one knew it definitely , every preparation for just such a contingency had been made by the army board , and as soon as the order was issued , trans- ports were ready and certain troops were desig- - nated for foreign service , and they were sent at once "to the front" properly equipped and with every arrangement made for their travel and their subsistence and with every plan made for their course of procedure when in the island. Some time ago when it seemed likely that be- cause of the activities of President Castro of Ven- ezuela , this country might have difficulty with the South American republic , a republic in little more than in name , it would have been possible to have invaded Venezuela with an armed force and to have done it without much preliminary prepara- tion. Every inch of the Venezuela country like- ly to be traversed by an invading army was known to the American authorities. The roads were known , and every point of vantage and disadvan- tage was known. It had been said that It would have been practically impossible for a foreign force to reach Castro in his fastness , but the situa- tion and all its difficulties was understood , and it was the. belief of the war game students in the great Washington building which stands opposite the White House , that Castro could be brought to terms quickly , even though it must be done by a comparatively small force sent from a great dis- tance. tance.While While the members of the general staff of the army make preparations for all demands that may be made on the service in case war should come , it is what Is known as the war college which works out the actual problems of warfare. Officers are detailed as students at the war college and while various kinds of work are set for them to do , the most important is that of engaging a war game inside the four walls of the room , a game which one day may have for the scene of its ac- tion , territory thousands of miles in extent. One of the last plays which occupied the attention of the , - 0 tt-/J' d.eY lf" V cYJO ' x' c tfyrj " ' 't ! y.a w FV ' - .Z" ' .lj , army officers was one which assumed the possi- bility that the Japanese were intending to land on the Pacific coast. Over at Newport , Rhode Island the naval war college had worked out the prob- - lem which would confront the navy if the Japanese fleet had succeeded in reaching the Pacific coast. Of course there were two answers to the prob- lem and one involved the defeat and the scatter- ing of the Japanese ships. The army officers gave consideration only to the condition which would arise If the Japanese navy had overmatched ours , and the Japanese had succeeded in landing a great army on the Pacific coast. In working out these war games , officers are detailed to represent the enemy and others to rep- resent the forces of this country. The "moves" in the game are watched and umpires decide which has the better of the matter. When the game has been finished the various moves , If they are deemed to be successful from the viewpoint of America , become a part of the plans which are recommended for adoption in case the war game becomes a dire reality. In the war and navy building there are naval secrets. Once on a time a magazine contained an article which said in effect there had been great mistakes in the building of our battleships and cruisers. The article met with some approval and some disapproval at the hands of the naval ex perts. One statement in it was to the effect that when our battleships were not heavily laden the heavy armor plate was above water and that con sequently a part of the hull , the most vulnerable part made a fair and unprotected target for the enemy's guns. In making the comparison , the writer of the ar ticle said that one of the great British warships , the one most recently launched and considered the most formidable , was protected by her heavy armorplate no matter whether she was heavy la- den or light laden. It was stated that this dread- naught's heavy armorplate extended below the wa- ter line at all times and the intimation was that . the statement could not be disproved. i As soon as this article appeared inquiry was I made at the navy department concerning the truth of the story that our ships were unprotected at certain times by their heavy armorplate and that the reverse was true of one of the British dread- naughts. From a dark recess in a vault there was brought forth a photograph which had been se cured of the British ship which had been used for the comparison. The photograph took all the strength out of the written statement. It is probable that in all the navy departments of the world there are photographs of the war ships of other nations. These are not nard to ob- tain for they are on sale everywhere , but there are photographs taken under certain conditions which are not supposed to be in common circulation. Some of these photographs show ships at a dis advantage , and they are of service to the naval authorities of countries which one day may en gage In warfare. It is probable that a good supply of photographs of this kind taken of foreign ves sels is in the possession of the United States aui thorities. The state , war and navy building has its se crets , and while the show places in the structure are not many , there is a sense of interest and mystery which appeals to the visitors when they wander through the corridors. nl time of war this building is the scene of the greatest activity , for the three departments which it houses are those which have to do with warfare in its very essence. The state department in perilous times has a work no less important than the work which falls to the lot of the army and navy. . , LINCOLN A . . v Rifle and Revolver Teams. Adjutant General John C. Hartigan has issued orders appointing rifle teams for the First and Second regi- ments of the national guard. The or- iers ; follow : "Upon recommendation of Colonel Gr. A. Eberly : , commanding the First : Infantry , N. N. G. , the following rifle ind revolver teams are hereby ap- jointed : "Field and staff rifle team , First in fantry - Lieut. Col.V. . E. Baehr , Major C. E. Fraser , Major A. H. Hol- lingsworth , Capt. D. F. Lough , Lieut. Dale MsDonald. "Regimental rifle team , company of ficers - Capt. Iver : S. Johnson , Capt. Chris Anderson , Capt. R. E. Olmstead , Lieut. Fred Abbott , Lieut. Hans An- derson. "First regiment revolver team - Col. G. A. Eberly , Capt. I. S. Johnson , Capt. H. E. Ford , Capt. Chris Ander- son , Lieutenant Harms. "The above officers will report at the rifle range at Ashland , Neb. , as early on June 18 as possible. "Upon recommendation of Col. F. J. Mack , Second infantry , N. N. G. , the following rifle and revolver teams are hereby appointed : "Field and staff rifle team , Second infantry-Col. F. J. Mack , Major : : H. J. Paul , Capt. L. C. Kesterson , Capt. C. A. Bull , Lieut. E. Mullowney. : : . "Regimental rifle team of company officers-Capt. A. Kimberling , Capt. F. A. Anderson , Lieut. JoTIn W. Long- with , Lieut. N. P. Woodbury , Lieut. A. O. Naslund. "Second regiment revolver team- Capt. C. H. Johnson , Capt. L. C. Kest- erson , Capt. L. H. Davis , Lieut. J. L. White , Lieut. A. W. Kelly. "The above officers will report at . the rifle range at Ashland , Neb. , as early on July 18 as possible. " Raising the Dues. Raising the scale of dues paid by members was the means adopted by the Nebraska postmasters' association at Lincoln last week to take care of a threatened $200 deficit in its treas- ury. Officers of the association laid before the convention at its final ses- sion the fact that expenses had been so heavy as to make necessary some provision for increasing the income in future. The method proposed for do- ing this was to abolish the old flat rate of $1 annual dues for all postmas- ters of whatever grade , with 50 cents added for initiation fee , and substi- tute a sliding scale. After a lengthy discussion the dues were fixedas fol- lows : For postmasters of first class offices , $10 ; second class , $5 ; third class , $2 ; fourth class , $1. Appoints Rev. I. F. Roach. Rev. I. F. Roach , pastor of St. Paul's M. E. church in Lincoln , has been appointed a member of the stat normal board by Governor Shallen- berger. The appointment is not to become effective till September 1 , al though the term of office of Mr. : Childs of York expired June 25. Mr. Childs will continue in office till Sep- tember and this will give the present board a chance to finish up the work of the school year. The appointment is for a term of five years. It was made under the provisions of the old law which the last legislature tried to repeal and failed through a decision of the supreme court holding the re pealing act unconstitutional in many respects. Milling in Nebraska. According to a bulletin issued by I Labor Commissioner Maupin , between ! . January 1 and December 31 of 1909 , Nebraska flour mills shipped by rail the enormous quantity of 240,000,000 pounds of flour. This , of course , does not include the flour consumed at the point of milling. The amount shipped represents three and one-half fifty pound sacks for each man , woman and child in the state. What these ship- ments would have been if Nebraskans had been loyal to the "home patron- age" idea and insisted upon having Nebraska made flour , no one knows- but the production would have been enormously Increased. Big Semaphore Plant. One of the largest semaphore plants in the entire west is now being built in the. Burlington yards. It will be a 120-lever machine , housed in a large brick building protecting Burlington yard tracks and the Union Pacific crossing. It will require about three months to complete the plant and when done it will cost between fiftj and sixty : thousand dollars. Fremont has filed a complaint with the railroad commission charging dis crimination in favor of Lincoln and Omaha on coal rates. Visit the Havelock Shops. Delegates to the postmasters' con vention paid a visit to the Havelock shops of the Burlington. They were escorted through the big plant by of ficials of the Burlington , Mayor Hinkle , Postmaster A. A. Hayers and other Havelock officials. Many : : of the visiting delegates at tended the reception given by the Commercial club at the city auditor ium. They were 'made to feel thai the people of Lincoln enjoy their com' Ing and would like to see them come again. , . . . ALL OVER NEBRASKA Harvest Hands Needed. Clay Count . . . There is . . . . . such a tie mand for harvest hands in this county that farmers , are offering . from $2.50 to $4 per day. Seventy- five men could find employment hero at once to help care for the harvest Hail Devastates Farm Lands. York Count . . Reports of the storm which visited this county show considerable damage on account of : hail , especially in the west part. North of Bradshaw the hail cleaned up two or three sections of growing crops. Want Coursing Meet. Gage County.-Another effort is be- ing made to secure the national cours- ing meet at Beatrice. Solicitors are out and have succeeded in securing $2,275 in pledges. The sum of $2,600 must be guaranteed to meet the ex- penses of the meeting. Wheat Better Than Expected. Johnson County.-Although it has rained in several sections of Johnson county during the past ten days : , but little moisture has fallen in' Tecumseh. The wheat harvest is . on and the harvest in many cases is i much better than was anticipated. To Become Regimental Band. Buffalo County - Word was re ceived in Kearney to the effect that Kearney musicians will be mustered in as the second regiment band of the Nebraska national guard. More than enough men have expressed a will ingness to sign up enlistment papers Found Hanging in a Shanty. Sheridan County.-The body of a man identified as G. F. Booth a homesteader , was found hanging in a claim shanty thirteen miles northeast of Bingham by Charles Wagner of Ellsworth. In the absence of traces of violence he is supposed to have committed suicide. Cattle Struck by Lightning. Pawnee County.-An electrical storm passed over the vicinity of Ta- ble Rock , during which time about . an inch of rain fell. Three head of cattle , standing under a tree in a pasture just south of town , were instantly killed , when the tree was struck by lightning. Crops Near Gordon Good. Sheridan County.-Crops are show- Ing up well as a reward for the drenching showers received during the last two weeks. Prairie hay which was backward before the rain , is growing fast. Alfalfa is doing nicely. Wheat and oats are heading rapidly and filling in good shape. Peculiar Illness. Dodge County-Succumbing to a peculiar illness which had-contracted the muscles of his throat until he was unable to swallow any food , Jacob Schultz died at Fremont. Schultz died from starvation. He had been fed through a tube in his stomach for over eighteen years. Prominent Men at Chautauqua. - Philps County. - Manager Newland has announced the program of the annual chautauqua which will be held in Holdrege the early part of August. The list so far includes ex- Governor Glenn of North Carolina , Senator Cummins of Iowa and Gov ernor Buchtel of Colorado. Dedication of Fair Building. Lancaster County.-Secretary Mel- lor of the state fair board is sending out hundreds of postal cards bearing pictures of the new colliseum on the state fair grounds asking recipients to be present at the dedication of the building. September 5. The funds for the buildings , a glass , steel and brick structure , were provided by the last legislature. - - A Woman Attacked. Adams County. - Mrs. Menno La was attacked by an unidentified man in her home near Paulina. Her hus- band had gone to town leaving Mrs. : : Lay and her baby alone. The stranger attacked her in the kitchen , threatened to kill her and tied her hands with a dish rag. She lost con- sciousness and did not recover until half an hour later when she tele- phoned her husband. The assailant was not apprehended.'A . . . I - - I - . 'A - , ' - ' ' I Threshe ° 'men Killed. Filimore County. - While on the way home with their traction engine and separator crossing a bridge ten feet long , four feet deep , Joe . Hav- lacek and Frank Kubish went through , the bridge collapsing in the center , the engine and tender doubl ing together , pinning the two men in the hot mass of iron. Havelacek was killed instantly , while Kubish blew - the whistle until help came. He was rescued , but died at his home near Milligan. The engineer was found at the throttle with his pips. still in his mouth. Horses Bitten by Rattler. Custer County.-Some time during the night or early morning , two valu . able horses belonging to James Wood , a farmer living one mile east of Broken Bow , were bitten by a rattle- snake and will probably die. The ani- mals had been grazing on a hill east of the house and when found their heads and necks were swollen 'out of all proportion. A small puncture on each nose shows where the reptile got in its deadly work. This is a rare instance here as live stock has sel dom been injured by rattlers r
