.at.
THE BEE: OMAHA, FRIDAY, MARCH 80, 1917.
The Omaha Bee
DAILY (MORNINO-EVENING SUNDAY
FOUNDED BY EDWARD ROSEWATEK
VICTOR ROSEWATER, EDITOR
-THE BEE PCBLISHINO COMPANY, PROPRIETOR.
Entered at Omaha poatotfica sa sacond-claia naUar.
TERM OF SUBSCRIPTION.
By CArrter. Br llitf.
Otlly aes Bandar , ...... .par Boot. s3s par rsar, 18.00
(Hr wiLboat Bundsr " . ifie " i-M
KHnlnt and BustUr "40a " S.fts
ixnlna without Suadar............ "Ma 4.00
iaadu Bw oolj "Ma " IW
llr ana Ssaoar Baa Utm yatra ra aaVaacs fll.st
Srnd aotio. of caaoa or addran or tmtularttf la eaurar ta Oaaaa
Baa. ClraalaOOB OcpartsMnl.
REMITTANCE
Hand ftr Sraft. aapnaa or porta! order. Onlf saant stanra tikar M
luranol of mtU scooBBta. Pononal oaauJi, autpt oa Oautas sad
Mara atrhania, aot atwaplwli ;
OFFICES.
nnaM Tha Baa rrnlldliig. rnietf Psoas's Osl Btdldlnf.
Rnuth Omtha U1S JT SL " 'w Tort mi sifts An.
I'nwil Blofr. 1 N. tiala Bt St Louis Xe B'K. of Coauoma.
Unrola LUUa Bolldlm. Wathlmton TzB Hia St. N. W.
CORRESPONDENCE
Addnaa esiaamfilestlnns nUttnf to lafff and seiurlsl SttWar 10
Omaha Baa. Editorial Dapartomit.
FEBRUARY CIRCULATION
54,592 Daily Sunday, 50,466
ATmia strcnlsUoa for tha laontaa Sttbscribad and nroro la IV Drift
TVIUIunr. Clrualatloa Haaaiar.
. Sakacrikara laarkif tha etty akwiM kava Tin Baa i aaaJM
ra tkara. AdSrsaa chaafoa aa altaa aa raapMatsS.
Keep cool I Emergencies cat! for headwork,
not heat . ' ' . ' ,
It payi to advertise! If you harbor any doubt
about it, ask the recruiting officer.
It must be the war germi in the air that pre
cipitated that vaccination war upon us.
Omaha's wheel tax ordinance remains, as It
were, caught in the cogs of the judicial machinery.
A "bone dry" law with "wet" trimmings It In
prospect for Nebraska. Nothing like novelty, to
command attention! ', - ,
By a simple twist of the pen steel pipe gets a
boost of $10 a ton. The historic "lead pipe cinch"
yields the pennant to the modern s'teel pipers.
. With wool prices edging up to 50 cents a
pound the flockmasters of the west, in munificence
of profits, threaten the golden eminence of the
potato barons. . , , . . i ,
The only objection against "Billy" Sunday's
invasion of New York comes from base ball re
porters. The latter contend that the lingo of the
profession is designed for written, not spoken,
words.
'
Benson and Florence come Into the big tent
with due bills amounting to $314,500. Not much
'of a load at tuch additions go, but with what hat
gone before insures father a few more open pores
for perspiration.
At usual New York state leads at a munificent
spender. In three years the state budget jumped
from $48,000,000 to $72,000,000, and the lawmakers
are rustling .for new, sources of taxation tt
earnestly as s warring power. V
America's real spurt,; of patriotic service
awaits the bugle call of Colonel Bryan. When
that trumpet sounds a million men will rally to
the colors within twenty-four hours. The colonel
. said so. And the colonel is some prophet
: The Navy department declinei to loosen the
muzzle on Rear Admiral Bradley D. Fiske.
Josephus evidently fears the admiral might say
something worth while and divert public atten
tion from the secretary'i copiout vocal efforts.
In the rush to the legislative finish belated
bills suffer "sanguinary losses." Many s petted
darling, smothers in the trenches and promising
hopefuls get the axe. All of which goes to show
that Germany does not monopolizev"ruthlessness."
) 8 '.
, "Either way, a republican could be elected
to succeed Neville in 1918 and the legislature
and state house be returned to the control of
republican a" World-Herald.
' It surely looks that way not only "either
way," but "any way."
Pen pictures of the ghastly side of battlefields
for the moment mock the heroics of war. That
is all. Horrort ire disagreeable and toon for
gotten. Deeds of courage, achievement, sacrifice
alone survive to lighten the dirge of death and
gloss the actual side of human savagery.
i One branch of the California legislature unani
mously approved a new and attractive thought
embodied in a bill. The bill makes it a misde
meanor to solicit from candidates for office sub
scriptions to any "cause" or "benefit," or "touch"
them with tickets for balls, parties and like in
sinuations of a shake-down. Coast states are
prolific in new tnoughts, but none makes a more
touching appeal to statesmanship than this.
Passing of Siberia
St Lamls Glass Daaaaarat
Since George Kennan, more than a quarter of
a century ago, wrote "Siberia and the Exile Sys
tem," the English-speaking world has had a fuller
conception of the horrors of the lives led by po
litical convicts in that part of the world than it
had formerly. Until then the world had a vague
idea of Siberia as a desert land in which political
exiles were forced to live without any of the com
forts of life, in the most inclement winter climate
in the world. Kennan't revelations awoke man
kind to realization of the cruelties and barbarisms
constantly visited upon the victims of an au
tocracy, not for crimes but for aspiring to larger
liberty and fuller life for the people of Russia.
In the first outburst of horror and indignation
10 other pen expressed so dramatically the pre
vailing feeling aa did that of Swinburne in the
poem beginning with the memorable tines:
"Out of hell a word comes hissing, dark as doom,
Fierce as fire and foul as plague-polluted gloom.
Out of hell, wherein the sinless damned endure,
More than ever sin conceived of paint impure.
More than ever ground men's living souls to dust.
Worse than madness ever dreamed of murderous
' .' lust. ; , .
These, and things far worse, if such things sre.
Prove thee regent, Russia; show, they mercy,
czar."
The imperial Russian government made tome
diplomatic representations to London, particu
larly in protest of the line, "Smite, and send him
howling down his father's way." Nothing could
:ome of this, and the world, accepting Swin
burne's lines as inspired damnation of colossal
crimes, hat wondered if, amid all the other
changes qf life, this monstrous thing could en
sure forever.
, The wonder is now at an end. Siberia, aa a
jtnal colony for political prisoners, ia passing.
: It may even now be said to have passed. The
Russian proclamation of political amnesty strikes
the chains off hundreds of long-manacled limbt
and lets light into dungeons where human beinga
have been immured for decades.
; Again the Impractical Mr. Bryan.
William Jennings Bryan makes public appeal
that congress take no action that may involve the
nation in war without first trying out his "talk-it-over-for-a-year"
plan and, in event that proves
of no avail, submitting the entire subject to a
referendum vote of the people of the United
States.. This is again the impractical Mr. Bryant
As to Mr. Bryan's motives in thus thrusting
himself forward to embarrass the president by
insistence on hit own peculiar personal views St
this crucial time, we are undecided. Surety he
does not fail to realize the fact that the United
States has broken off diplomatic relations with
Germany and tent the German ambassador home
because of the persistence in submarine ruthless
nets. Whatever our proper course of action may
be, it it up to the membert of congress to say
one way or the other, and they can wait for
further instructions from their respective constit
uencies, just as renewal of submarine activity wat
ordered by the German war council without any
referendum vote of the German people. All Mr.
Bryan't plan would do, would be limply to con
tinue over, with our apparent acquiescence, the
present conditions precipitated upon us over our
repeated protests.
In this connection it is worth recalling that
it was William Jennings Bryan who, as secretary
of state, signed the note of protest sent to the
kaiser in May, 1915, with the warning that Ger
many would be held to "atrict accountability"
for unfriendly acts, which accountability he now
would have congress enforce by consuming an
other year in interchanging war notes. The
kaiser could ask for nothing more. -
. Nobody hereabouts wants to go to war except
at a list resort, but if we are forced into war to
defend our rights, we must have something to
fight with besides investigating committees and
referendums. . " .
Votet for Women In Great Britain.
The adoption by the House of Commont of
a report favoring franchise reform for the United
Kingdom, which meant the early extension of
suffrage to include women, it a significant but
not an astonishing fact. The course of the war
hat turned the tide of public opinion throughout
the United Kingdom in woman't favor, and the
hat asserted herself aa never before and with dis
tinction and credit in the management of the" af
fairs of the country. Subsidence of the hysteri
cal agitation in presence of the national1 calamity
w9 accompanied by intelligent assumption of
definite tasks of assistance in criticaltime of need.
Social as well as sex discriminations and privil
eges have disappeared under the wave of con
flict and t new empire Is emerging.
The social disturbance in Great Britain is far
greater than Is generally realized. It has affected
not only woman's conditions in all its aspects, but
institutions that have endured for centuries have
felt ita influence and are breaking down or van
ishing before the newly liberated forces. The
revolution in Russia and, remarks accredited to
Von Bethmana-Hollweg afford proof of the
steady1 upward sweep of democratic jdeas. Votes
for women is but sn incident in the mighty
changes that must come from the war and which
are certain to embrace all the racea of man in
ita final consequence. No earthly power can re
store conditions under which people lived three
yean ago.
Time will be required to put (the proposed
franchise reform into operation in Great Britain,
but its support by the popular branch of Parlia
ment is a proof of progress made by the women
since the war began to batter down social barriers.
. Another Diabolical Plot Discovered.
The attute editor of the Omaha Double
Header, who can see as deep into a millstone as
the next one, and who has little trouble in look
ing both ways at the aame time, has unearthed
another diabolical plot promoted by the republi
cans. It it no more nor test than a cunningly
contrived plan to put the democrats into t deep,
dark hole, no matter how they vote on the "bone
dry" measure, now worrying the majority in the
legislature. If the conclusioni of the eminent
editor of the esteemed Double-Header are correct
and who can doubt they are? the democrats
have been warned just in the nick o' time. All
they have to do now ia to evade the trap set for
them with tuch fiendish cunning, but exposed by
the omniscience of their philosopher, guide and
friend. Thit may be accomplished by passing a
law that will meet his editorial approval. He
does not say what kind of a law he wants, but
leavea the impression that it ought to be So
framed at to please both the bone dry and the
topping wet elements of hit party at one and the
tame time and all the glory will thut redound to
the clever democrati, who alone can achieve tuch
an acme of legislative accomplishment. At any
rate, the devilishnest of the republican schemers
hat been unmasked and exposed, which, ahows
the value of having an ever watchful sentry on
guard.
Crop Conditions in Nebraska.
A consultation of experts to consider the win
ter wheat situation in Nebraska should not be
made the basis for alarm. This crop is in bad
ahape ;the continued cold, dry weather has dam
aged it extensively, more than half the planting
being hopelessly lost. But this is not fatal, nor Ne
braska ia not a one-crop state, and plenty of time
remains for reseeding the area of the destroyed
winter wheat crop, and spring wheat, oats or corn
may be' substituted,, with sn assurance of profit
able yield. The meeting in Omaha ought to be
aerviceable, for it came in time to secure con
certed action to the end that the best means be
adopted to avert a possible disaster. Intelligent
farmers will realize the emergency and will co
operate to the end that Nebraska soil be put to
the best use and be made to produce continually.
Abnormal weather conditioni will not alwayt pre
vail, and a busy season of planting and cultivating
awaitt the farmer in Nebraska, with a reasonable
certainty of another bountiful harvest in the fall.
The steel trust joint the copper trust and the
Bethlehem people in cutting prices for govern
ment work on a basis of the average price for
ten yeara past Other linea of big business sre
undertaking government war work on a margin
of 10 per cent above cost What the venders of
food product! will do to show their patriotism
ia not divulged. . Until the contrary it shown the
public will assume they will not capitalize gov
ernment stress for a squeeze. ( .
"V". -
Itmust certainly be tough on our old friend,
Edgar" Howard, when his job of lieutenant-governor
keeps htm so busy that he has to excuse
himself from writing for his own paper. Next
time "Edgar" will follow his own advice to newt
paper men to' keep out of political office.
I7nele Sam In Ih Caribbean
IS Rich Island of Poverty
By Fndtrie J. Hatkin
San Juan, Porto Rico, March 19. Since Porto
Rico came under American control its annual
production of wealth has increased from $45,
000,000 to $115,000,000; roadt and tchoolt have
been built; light, water and tewage have been
introduced in the cities; the island hat been con
verted from a tleepy, picturesque bit of primi
tive Spanish-America into a land of wealth and
modern nduatry.
There it only one thing that haa not changed
much, and that ia the condition of. the people.
When Spain owned Porto Rico the bulk of the
people were very poor; they lived at squatters
on the edges of the sugar fields by sufferance
of the owners and worked in the sugar fields for
40 cents a day. Now they are still poor, though
the island is twice as rich, they are still squat
ters snd they work for 60 to 70 cents a day, while
the cost of living has risen. In only one way
have they changed. These Porto Rican field
hands have grasped the American idea of an
organized struggle for their rights. They have
thrown off the submissiveness instilled by Spain's
long rule of fear, have organized themselves into
unions and have repeatedly gone on strike.
Through their chief spokesman they gained a
hearing when the Jones bill was being drawn and
succeeded in having the property qualifications
for the electorate and for office-holders struck
out of the bill, so that their legislative power as
a class is greatly increased.
The condition of these laborers is made acute
by the fact that Porto Rico is a very small island
with' a very large population, which owns little
of the land. Of course, the struggle between
capital and labor goes on everywhere. But in the
United States, for example, it it ameliorated by
many things. Every man hat opportunities to
better his condition. There are still public lands
which he may have for the taking, and others
which he may buy at low ratet. All of the varied
resources and industries of a great nation are be
fore him.
In a little island like Porto Rico it is very dif
ferent. A large part of the urban property is
owned by Spaniards living in Spain, and to them
flows annually much of the island's wealth. The
street car lines of San Juan are owned in Can
ada. So are some of the banks. The sugar busi
ness is controlled largely from the United States.
Porto Rico is making money for many different
peoples, but little for Porto Ricans.
Thus the Porto Rican laborer is at the mercy
of the landowners, many of whom have never vis
ited the island. There is no land to which a
poor mart can acquire ownership. There is no
work for the great majority of the people except
the labor of the sugar fields. Formerly the
laborer waa very poor and toiled and was con
tent. Now he it very poor and toilt and ia dis
contented. Hungry and lean, with a bare machete
in his hand, he is demanding a share in that lib
erty and equal opportunity which is mentioned
in the Declaration of Independence, the constitu
tion of the United States, and referred to by po
litical orators. These men have an organization
of growing strength, and they are demanding
from the planters a dollar a day for eight hours
of work. This the tugar interests refuse. '
But whether they win their strikes or not, it
is apparent that some fundamental changes will
have to be made before industrial peace can be
permanently established in Porto Rico and the
condition of the people permanently improved.
The leader and spokesman of the laborers in
Porto Rico is Santiago Iglesias, a Spaniard and
a man of education. He is not beloved of the
governor, the chief of police nor the represents
tivea of the sugar interests, but none of these
have any aerious charge to make against him,
and it is probable that his efforts to better the
condition of the people wilt in the long run re
dound to the benefit of all of them. The planters,
for instance, complain that these Porto Rican
laborers will not work hard and regularly. None
of them teem to have reflected that a man who
has to live on 60 cents a day, with the cost of
living wnat it is and without the prospect of a
raise, might lack both the energy and the incen
tive to hard and regular work. At the docks
the laborers are paid somewhat better, and the
ship captains testify that they can trim a ship
more quickly and efficiently than the famous long
shoremen of New York. Likewise, the sugar com-
fanies are said to be making a profit of 100 and
50 per cent this year, so the work evidently gets
done somehow.
The greatest need is to give the people a chance
to own land. A man who has no "place in the
sun" and no chance to acquire one is not on the
way to become a good citizen. There are 250,000
ocrea of government land on the island which
could be divided into homesteads of a few acres,
giving the laborer a home of his own and a little
land to cultivate. A law wat passed by the Porto
Rican legislature directing the commissioner of
the interior to divide this land and offer it to
the people. He dd so divide one bit of land, but
the people claimed that it was merely a ruse to
colonize them around a certain sugar factory that
needed more labor, and they would not go. They
are suspicious of the Porto Rican officials and
government, but they have considerable faith in
the United States congress. .
A high tax on uncultivated land would make
absentee landlordism less profitable than it is now
in some cases and would enable the people to buy
some of the land now held for speculative pur
poses. This has been a very prosperous year In Porto
Rico. The crops have been good and the prices
very high. The island Is a dream of productive
beauty. You may ride "through miles and miles
of tender, pate-green cane fields, dark orange,
groves speckled with gold, pineapple fields hold
ing up their heavy fruit to the sun. Now and
again you flash through a squalid little village of
palm thatch and lean dogs and half-naked chil
dren and dirt and stench. It is like a stain on a
beautiful fabric this shame of poverty in a rich
land.
People and Events
Traffic courts of New York are ateadily refus
ing money from speed maniacs caught in the act.
A minimum of five days in jail ia becoming a
regular treatment In chronic cases,
A number of buildings In New York city have
recently been insured against war damage bom
bardments, explosions and incendiary fires.
Lloyd's of London took the business at half of
1 per cent. Just like finding money. ' -
Arthur Legrasse, a youngster of 18, frait and
feminine, just ended a run of four years in the
role of housemaid in Fall River, Mass. He might
have prospered in the disguise indefinitely if he
had contented himsetf with a maid'a wages, but
he persisted in sequestering loose coin and fell
from grace and skirts.
Convict striped suits are no longer fashionable
among New York state's involuntary guests.
Albany and Onandago county penitentiaries, the
last to cling to the stripes, recently joined the rest
of the state in sending them to the ragbag. Gray
suits have been substituted. They are less con
spicuous and free from the evil reputation of
stripes. -
Several eastern railroads are giving a practical
boost to gardening, particularly the planting and
cultivation of potatoes. The Lehigh Valley road
ia fitting up "spud special" which will go over
the lines and give demonstrations of seed treat
ment the benefits of spraying and other expert
information for the benefit of enterprising
growera. '
An Indiscreet pacifist named Geo. Kroncke,
president of the school board of Madison, Wis.,
is charged in local prints with having rebuked the
principal of the high achool for having permitted
a patriotic demoifstraton by the ttudentt, fol
lowed by a salute of the flag. Local newspapers
demand the resignation of Kroncke, which is let
ting him off easy. ' .
Health Bint fur the Day.
Rubbera should be worn for only a
short time during wet weather and
ahould be removed aa Boon aa they
are not needed.
One Year Ago Today In the War.
Italians and Austriana engaged In
severe battle at Gorlzta.
Allies reported discovery of four
Teutonic submarine base among the
Greek Islands.
Official report of the sinking of the
Franco-Russian hospital ship Portu
gal In the Black Bea, with loaa of
nearly 109 Uvea.
In Omaha Thirty Years Ago,
Mr. M. Elgutter. the well known
Farnam street clothing merchant, who
haa been alek for soma months, waa
suddenly taken worse and his son,
who has been attending Harvard, has
been sent for. '
Although William Lehman endeav
ored to keep tha "festive fact" of its
being his birthday from his friends, a
large number of them "gathered him
In" and an Impromptu banquet was
the result.
George W. Tlllson was appointed
city engineer in place of Andrew Rose
water, lately resigned.
Colonel C. 8. Higglns purchased
from 8. A. Rogers the property at the
corner of Twelfth and Douglas now
occupied by V. Dellone. The colonel
Intends to erect a ave-story hotel on
the property.
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Modjeska,
Count Bozenta and Mr. and Mrs. Os
car Ounkel occupied a lower box at
Modjeska's performance of "Twelfth
Night" at Boyd's. )
The Patrick farm, comprising about
650 acres, was sold to W. H. Under
wood of Kansas City for $615,000.
The. Interesting play, "Above the
Clouds," given by the ladles and gen
tlemen of the Saratoga Lyceum, will
be repeated by special request at Ly
ceum hall, when Mr. and Mrs. L. H.
Baer and Jean Ruby will assist In the
program.
Tbla Day In History.
1789 House of representatives of
the first congress organized, with
Frederic A. Muhlenburg of Pennsyl
vania as speaker.
1818 Congress awarded a gold
medal to General William Henry Har
rison. ' 1842 John Fiske, historian, born
at Hartford, Conn. Died at Glouces
ter, Mass.; July 4, 1901.
1856 Crimean war ended with the
signing of the treaty of Paris between
Russia and the allies.
1863 Prince George of Denmark,
brother of Queen Alexandra of Eng
land, proclaimed king of Greece.
1867 Public announcement of the
treaty by which the United States pur
chased Alaska from Russia.
1870 Fifteenth amendment to the
federal constitution went Into force.
1874 victorious British troops
from the Anhantt campaign received
by Queen Victoria.
1894 Jane O. Austin, novelist died
In Boston. Born in Worcester,, Feb.
25, 1831.
1910 King George of Greece is
sued a royal decree for the revision of
the constitution, ending the regime of
the military league.
The Day Wo Celebrate.
Ernest G. Harwood of Harwood
Harwood, real estate. Is 85 years old
today. He was born In Fullerton,
Neb., and has been in tbe real estate
business for twelve yeara,
William G. Besler. president and
general manager of the Central Rail
road of New Jersey, born at Gales
burg, III., fifty-three years ago today.
Dr. Alexander C. Humphreys, presi
dent of 8tevens Institute of Technol
ogy, born In Edinburgh, Scotland, sixty-six
yeara ago today. ,
Mary Whlton Calkins, professor of
philosophy at Wellesley college, born
at Hartford, Conn., fifty-four years
ago today.
Jamea A. Hamlll, representative in
congress of the Twelfth New Jersey
district, born at Jersey City, N. J.,
forty years ago today.
De Wolf Hopper, one of the veteran
actors of the musical comedy stage,
born In New York City, fifty-nine years
ago today.
Timely Jottings and Reminders.
Former President William H. Taft
la announced as the chief speaker at a
big mass meeting to be held In Chi
cago tonight In the interest of pre
paredness. The democratic members of the
house hold their caucus today to de
cide upon their plan of organisation
for the sixty.-flfth congress.
Problems of transportation In case
of war are expected to receive atten
tion at the hands of the Eastern Asso
ciation of Car Service Managers at its
annual convention to be held today In
Philadelphia.
Fifty yeans ago today the United
States senate received from President
Andrew Johnson a message contain
ing the surprising announcement that
a treaty had been negotiated with the
czar of Russia tor tbe purchase of all
that part of the continent known as
Russian America, and now embraced
in the territory of Alaska.
Storyette of the Day. i
"What Is land around here worth
an acre?" asked the stranger In the
auto, as he pulled up beside the man
In the buggy.
"Well," replied, the man in the
buggy, "that depends. Are you a
prospective purchaser?"
.."I am," replied the man in the auto.
"Well," said the man In ihs buggy,
"land around here to you would be
worth 870 an acre, but to me it would
be worth about 817 an acre."
"How does that come?" asked the
man in the auto. '
"I am the assessor," replied the man
in the buggy. Minneapolis Tribune..
NEBRASKA EDITORS.
, Millard Martin of Pones will bacoma editor
and publiahar of tha Allan Newa April 1.
Ivan K. Adair haa tranifarrcd his Intareat
In tha lease of tha Ponea Advocate to hia
partner; WUIiam M. Wrisht.
Max Wlleoi. Junior editor of the Bridse
port News-Blade, waa married last week to
Miss Maa Panble of Sldner, Hah.
Flint B. Hohnee,. editor of the Hoi brook
Observer, haa added a Cranston newspaper
proas to tha equipment of hia plant
The Chadroa Journal la having plana
drawn for a saw building, which tt expects
to have completed within ninety days.' :
Hastlnsa Tribunal Salt for ISt.SOS dam
age haa bean started against the editor of
tha Tribune beeauae a wrong initial was
need hi connection with a man's name. Next!
Mrs. X. K. Comptoa haa sold tha Greeley
Cltisen to Kdward P. Curran of Cohunbne.
The transfer will be made this weak. Mrs.
Comptoa haa beett editor of tha Citiaea for
eighteen rears.
H. H. Paaaa. whose pleturaeqaa snd fore
ibis English has given tha Beemer Times
mora than s state-wide reputation, has sold
tha paper to D. B. MaySeld of Stanton. . Mr.
Pease baa bean appointed maU carrier on a
rural route running out of Beemer.
World's Largest Horse Markets.
Ord, Neb., March 27 To the Editor
of The Bee: Please print in The Bee's
Letter Box the names of the two
largest horse markets of the world.
R. R. No. 2. CHESTER TRAVIS.
Note St. Louis, first, and Chicago,
next.
Mrs. Getasctimau Wires Wilson.
Omaha, March 29. To the Editor
of The Bee: Pleasey-let me ' express
my sentiment, which I have also sent
to President Wilson:
"The mothers of Nebraska have
looked to you as a man of peace; they
have hoped and trusted in your peace
ful aims; they have believed that, with
the glorioua vision of a high-minded
statesman, you would find, in the tre
mendous issues now confronting our
beloved country, a practical applica
tion of those exalted thoughts which
you have so frequently expressed with
such force and beauty. Still hoping
and trusting In that masterful states
manship that has thus far kept us out
of war, I entreat you by ail that is
Inspiring in the Idea of patriotism,
and I lmplorewou by all that is sacred
and holy In the name, of mother, to
save us from that unspeakable catas
trophe to which we are now so near.
From the depths of their souls, the
mothers of Nebraska call to you for
peace.
"MRS. BERTHA GETZSCH.MAN."
Every Citizen a Secret Service Mag.
Omaha, March 28. To the Editor
of The Bee: I believe every loyal
American citizen should be a secret
service man and in close touch with
the secret service department. Then
every foreigner who might be the least
bit "tainted" could be watched. There
are many ways to be of material as
sistance to your Uncle Sam aside
from carrying a musket Every com
munity should have a branch of the
secret service department and the ut
most care should be exercised in ad
mitting members. Isn't this sugges
tion worth acting upon?
J. H. J. BLACK.
In Fairness to the Railroads.
Grand Island, Neb., March 28. To
the Editor of The Bee: Through these
columns about four years ago I ad
vocated and upheld the railroads In
being entitled to more compensation,
not only in passenger service but in
freight traffic revenue. I still am of
that opinion, as I was then, and I
sincerely believe they are Justly de
serving of a liberal Increase in freight
rates in the face of the advance in
rolling stock and railroad supplies in
general. Through the wage contro
versy recently settled it becomes
manifestly more convincing to the
states and people and employes who
are loyal to-e, corporation whose fore
most interest is the welfare of the
publio at large, and that corporation
is the railroad which is the peer of all
when it comes to progressiveness in
all things. Therefore the railway com
mission should grant a fair increase
in freight rates in proportion to the
advance of railroad equipment and
wage Increase of their employes.
Railroads are so much unjustly
criticized even by some of the em
ployes, who are well-paid men. Why?
Simply because these people do not
stop and realize what their employers
have to contend with in handling a
great financial problem in operating a
railroad system. I like to see men get
a good living wage for their services.
No railroad believes in starving their
men, not for one minute, on the other
hand, they want well-fed men. If
men are not getting enough to suffi
ciently keep them in comfortable cir
cumstances, It's not because the com
pany anr Its officials want that condi
tion to exist. t
Railroads pay their men better
wages, have better working conditions,
treat he public patrons with more re
spect through courtesy of the em
ployers, and give the general public
as a whole 75 per cent better service,
more for their money, and, in any
other way you may look at it than
any corporation or other manufactur
ing business of any Importance, serv
ing the public.
The railroads never cease in trying
to build up and help the progress of
any community through which they
operate, and I hope to aee them
granted an increase In both passenger
and freight rates and we will all be
benefited either directly or indirectly.
V. A. B. An Employe.
SAID IN FUN.
Mlstri-M 8e here, this chair Is eorared
with dut.
Maid Yewnim. I guess there ain't nobody
been slttln' tn It lately. New York Times.
Mrs. Simmer Tour husband seems to be
vettlni thinner every day.
Mrs. Portlelgh Yes, poor fellow! But I
wss getting so awfully stout we had to diet.
Boston Ulobe. .
"What do you think of this Idea of burn
in it people In effigy?'1
"I'm against It," replied Senator Sorghum.
"When fuel Is so expensive there's no excusa
for the waste." Washington Star,
MM riANCE iStrnMMORE
DEAF BICTV DAY - OUllW HE
NO-NtfrfrHt'S VTA
MARR.Eb LIFE AHEN
OF HIM!
"Her electrician lover could not under-
stand her rejection of his offer."
"Why couldn't he?"
"He couldn't make her explain how a de
cided negative could be so positive." Balti
more American.
"Say. if you're runnlna' to flab your little.
boy out o the mill pond you're too Jatel"
"Oh, good heavens! '
"Yep, he crawled out hlsself." Harper's
Magazine.
"James nays h believes In signs for
everything."
"is he that superstitious V
"It Isn't superstition, it's business. Ha
paints 'em."-Baltimore American.
Mrs. Blank I suppose. Willie yon are
glad that spanking has gone out of fashion.
Wtllte Huh! Jt always takes my folks
a couple of years to catch up with the
styles. Chicago Post
Illinois Central
Direct Route to
Fort Dodge ,
Waterloo
Dubuque
Galena
Freeport
Madison
Rockford
Chicago
and intermediate points.
Direct connections in Chicago
for all points east and south.
Strictly up-to-date, '
all steel trains.
Tickets and reservations at
CITY TICKET OFFICE,
407 South 16th Stmt.
' ; S. -NORTH, i
District Passenger Agent
- Phone Douglas 264 '
Easy to Play
No Other Make "Pumps" So Easy As
f This GULBRANSEN-made
v (Pronounced Gul-bran-sen)
Player Piano '
$2.50 Weekly
V
$375
easy to pedal
10-Year Gnaranly
Genuine Mahogany, Walnut or Oak.
A mare touch with the foot,
and It's oft like a flash!
Fact Is, you don't have to
use your foot One finger,
pressing on one pedal, will
make It playl
If you have an Invalid In
your home, a delicate wife or
' daughter, . a feeble grand
: mother, ' a "rheomatlky"
grandfather, or young
child, who, would enjoy the
diversion and entertainment
of making muic, this Oul-branaen-made
Player Piano
Is the Instrument (or yon to
buy.
It would be downright fool- -lshness
to buy a hard-running
Player Piano, at any
price.
The almost Motionless ro-tatlng-valve,
flexible six
chambered Air-Motor, the
small Wlndways, tha direct
stroke Pedals, and tha air
tight construction through
out, make the Oulbransen far
the lightest-running Player
Mechanism yet Invented.
AND THB PHICB 18 SO SENSIBLE I REALLY YOU'D
PAY FOR THIS FIND INSTRUMENT SO QUICKLY AND
EASILY THAT YOU'D NEVER MISS THE MONEY I
A. HOSPE CO.
THE V1CT0B BT01U5
1513-15 Douglas Street