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
