THE BEE: OMAHA, MONDAY, MAY 28, 1917.
The Omaha Bee
DAILY (M0RN1NO-EVENIN0-SUNDAY
FOUNDED BY EDWARD ROSE WATER
VICTOR ROSE WATER, EDITOR
THE BEB PUBLISHING COMPANY PROPRIETOR.
Entctvdat Onaha povtoffiea m wwnd-chiM nuttf.
, TERMS OF SUBSCRIPTION.
. By Carrier.
Dally antf d4u a;..iBBooLta,63
Utllf WttMtU BundaJ. ...... " 430
vaDtoi tfid fcuwUf mm 40o
vntot witlwut bmOAj..
Bf MitL
wmi.soo
- 100
" fcOO
Bunds Bw obU M S0t "10
feud aotto f bui ot addM at trrtfuUrlty la tMJW to Oaaaa
Bm, CtrauUttaa Dtptttawol
REMITTANCE
Batt fL mxrnm or pomaI erte. Only t-ent Ukm
tvmmt et amail acooanta. ParaoBal chock, Bow a Oaata ao4
OFFICES.
OtDki Tba Baa BiHMIbb, Chtcr-Pwl't Oaa Batlttna.
frrotb Omaha-SS1S N 81. Nw Yortt Ilftt Aft.
CnoBril Blufft-M N Mtlalb L Loola-Ktw B1l of Comflwrt
Itnwla-UUta Bulldta WMMnitoo-T Hla Sk M. W.
CORRESPONDENCE
anannteatlMia ralaUnc to am so ditafUl aUtt M
Ooufa Baa. Kdltortal Oapanaual.
APRIL CIRCULATION
56,260 Daily Sunday, 51,144
lira ameliaon Mr IM Booths aitarlM ana l
WUuaaak arealaUon Msassw.
iakMiu
- Stibocrlhar. leevtai Ik. city elwuls) km Tha Bee. mailed
.. ta tkesa. Addreee changed ill" aa laanasetesl.
Boy Liberty bond, and defeat the knockers.
Where ihere'i much moke, there's apt to be
tome fire.
Tossing gas bombs at rumor mongers li an
other way of confusing the enemy.
A shake-up in the police department wilt be
the proper thing to follow exposure of a shakedown.
The Boston plan of Indicting food speculators
!s fashioned on correct lines. Action outweighs
a deluge of words. . '
A downward revision of the age of naval shells
comes under the head of pressing new business
at the Navy department
The fact that girls outnumber boys in graduat
ing classes merely proves that the school of hard
knocks ttiH gets the boys.
Living up to the compliments poured out by,
the allies forms the largest task before Uncle
Sam's family. But, then, big jobs are your
Uncle's long suit. - . 4
Viewing the spectacle in the show windows
teaves little doubt that shoemakers regard as
hopeless the task of making good the economies
of the dressmakers. . -
"Let no guilty man escape I" exclaimed Gen
feral Grant, referring to the. Whisky Ring. So
say we with reference to the charges and counter
charges of graft in Omaha official circles.
I .
The late John Barleycorn continues losing
friends at home and abroad. Gloom Shrouds his
pathway on all sides, As a figure in world affairs
' he appears about as forsaken as Hohenzollern
William. ' - t
Texans should not be judged by the attempts
of plotters to defy (he draft. History and tradi
tion alike applaud the expertness of Texans In
gunworlc Symptoms of cold feet are alien to
' the abiding spirit of the Alamo. .
, br. Wu Ting-Fang, former ambassador to
the United States, becomes the war premier of
the republic of China. .The appointment signal
izes the adhesion of China to the allied eauseJ
and definitely smashes the remnants of Teutonic
crockery in the, Far East.
By a system of thought transference men of
Would h be out of place to suggest to the
ministers that they make next Sunday a day for
special services for the young men about to reg
ister on the Tuesday following for the most seri
ous business of their lives? Let the response be
unanimous.
When the peace congress comes in the sweet
bye-and-bye, problems of surpassing interest wilt
demand solution. Poland, Bohemia, Ireland, Fin
land and torn others are certain to press for rec
ognition of nationhood. Bigger problems may be
on ths table, but none hold bigger probabilities
lor democracy. 1
Two more private banks are on the financial
rocks to Chicago, running the total wreckage over
a score, In half that number of years. These in
atltotkros, tike all other of the class, operate
without supervision of any kind, and bring pov
erty and disaster to deluded depositors. The as
tonishing feature of the record Is the failure of
lueceeding legislatures to provide legal safe
guards for thrifty people.
Clergymen and Bloodshed
-Braekhm Eagto-
Blshop Burgess of the Protestant Episcopal
'diocese of Long Island is commonly a clear
thinker. He will pardon us If we are unable to
follow the logic of this expression from his lips
at the diocesan convention:
"It would only be by a violent strain of the
Imagination that we could conceive of a situation
where the hands which have been consecrated
to the holy office of the priesthood of Christ
could be employed in the shedding of blood." '
At this moment, according to all the reports,
there are 20.000 Roman Catholic priests fighting
in the armies of France, ahedding German blood,
as an obligation to France and to the cause of
humanity. The number of clergymen of the
Church of England now at the, front as fighters,
not as observers or philanthropists, is very large.
. In neither case would Bishop Burgess question
the technical consecration by the laying on of
hands. But probably he never had any idea of
limiting his thought to such technical consecra
tion, but meant it to embrace all the Christian
ministry. .
, In Exodus xv:3, Moses said: "The Lord ts
a man of war." Martin Luther declares, "Neces
sary war is a duty." In all the ages patriot
"-tlersrymen have shed blood. For example, at the
battle of Chickamauga, James A. Garfield, a
CaitipbtJIite lay preacheo afterward president of
the United States, and the Right Rev. Leonidas
Folk, fighting bishop of Louisiana, afterward
killed bv a connon ball at Pine Mountain, were
opposing each other, each trying to shed the
otner oiooo, ana caca cquauy conscientious ana
devoted to a cause.
Moreover, so far as a layman can aee. righte
ousness is the same for priest and parishioner.
What consecrated hands may not do. hands not
consecrated ought not to do.
, Then are some of the reasons why we can
discover no "violent strain of the imagination" as
requisite for a situation in which the past repeats
itself and the present is only-illustrated. Priests
and clergymen have shed blood, are shedding
blood, will shed blood till what is essentially a
holy war is cnuca n nciui;y ,
Hardeat Pushed Quickest Ended.
The Omaha Bee appears to be greatly elated
because United States soldiers are to go to the
front in France to fight for the entente. Hav
ing entered the war on the side of the allies
probably it is necessary for this country to fur-,
nish men, but it is not a matter for rejoicing,
for thousands of them, if the war keeps up,
will be slaughtered in that terrible killing
shambles. York News-Times.
Sane people who ought to know better do not
yet grasp what is involved in this war into which
the United States has been reluctantly forced
from a sense of duty to humanity as well as to
ourselves.
Far from being "elated" that our soldiers are
going to the front in France to fight, no words
can express our deep regret that there is 'any
fighting at all.
For any one to "rejoice" at the shambles in the
war zone would be worse than fiendish the truth
Is, The Bee has only feelings of indignation and
horror at the terrible slaughter.
But the stern facts must nevertheless be faced.
This is a war to stop war. It is a war to make
Impossible the unprovoked annihilation of an
other country, like the diabolical destruction of
helpless Belgium. It is a war to prevent in the
future trie deliberate killing of innocent women
and babes tike those sent to watery graves with
the Lusitania,
If sending our soldiers to France means to
end the war more quickly, then we are for send
ing them at once.
If sacrificing the lives of some of our men
now means saving the lives of many more of them
that would have to be sacrificed later, then we
are for making the lesser sacrifice'.
Likewise, if contributing money to the allies
now will help end the war sooner and save lives
that continued war would cost, we are for fur
nishing the money.
. Being in the war "to make the world safe for
democracy," we are for prosecuting it with the
utmost vigor and with all our resources, that the
object may be achieved sooner and with the
least outpouring of precious blood.
Presbyterians Not in Politics.
One of the important actions taken by the
general assembly of the Presbyterian church at
its present session Is the declaration that it is not
in politics. This was called forth to by the course
of the Iowa presbytery, which endorsed a candi
date for governor because of his stand on prohi
bition. Wise leaders of the church see the danger
that lies In the way of entering politics even to
the extent of expressing a preference between
candidates or parties. The moral Influence of the
organized churches of the country Is too great to
require resort to the perilous expedient of actual
entry Into a political campaign. No religious test
Is made nor would any be tolerated for holding
office In this country, and the government does
not discriminate between the several sects. Any
one of these that undertakes to regulate politics
is Inviting disaster. Ministers and church mem
bers alike are expected to have a full share in the
civic life ot the country,, but must exert their In
fluence as citizens, and not as followers of a par
German Spies and Yankee Paper.
Americans must begin war operations by con
ceding that the Germans are possessed of ordi
nary jntelligence at least and for this reason the
Navy department should not be surprised that
the kaiser's war council knew of the departure
of, the American flotilla for British waters and
was prepared for it. Ever since the great war
commenced Americans have been told of the
German spy system) Its efficiency Is admitted and
its ramifications are undoubted. The United
States is not Immune to its operation, nor is any
nation, neutral or otherwise, able to close all ave
nues of communication with the world 'to any
who have information to send out
We may at well face the fact that the German
secret service Is active, as it has been, and that
very little going on In this country is not duly
reported on to Berlin. This being true, the
proposed control of American newspapers through
censorship becomes useless. In the present in
stance the Washington authorities admit that no
reference was made In any home paper as to the
movement of the ships and yet this silence by the
press did not prevent the information getting to
Germany In good season. The Incident should
convince the president and his advisers that put
Ing a muzzle on the newspapers doesn't hamper
the secret service maintained by the enemy.
The press of America is patriotic; It has proven
this by its cordial and voluntary 'co-operation with
the government for many months and ii does not
deserve the implied aspersion contained In the
president's demand for extraordinary power to
control publication. Spies are here and wilt be
throughout the war and muzzling the newspapers
will not check their operations.'
Help for the Horses of War.
Just waiting until the Red Cross and the
Young Men's Christian association close their
subscription campaigns, the Red Star is prepar
ing to present its case to' the American public
and ask for funds to carry on its work. It is the
organization of the American Humane association
with especial reference to the horses of the armies.
Unfortunately the American government has
given even less thought to the horses and mules
that will be needed for the great army it is rais
ing than it did for the men and that apparently
was little enough. European governments made
better preparation in proportion, but plenty of
work for the Red Star was left It has been as
busy in battle-torn France as has the Red Cross,
caring for the animals who have suffered just as
have the men. Each army has its veterinary
corps, but these have not been able to take care
of all the work thrust on them, and the Red Star
workers have been of great assistance to the offi
cials. . . .
That the full service of the humane organiza
tion will be needed in connection with the new
army is believed and the work hat the hearty
endorsement of men high in command, as General
Wood, and of citizens who are familiar with its
operations. The provisions for the veterinary
service of the United States army were found
sadly inadequate in Texas last summer and much
actual loss in time and animals was experienced
because of lack of educated and experienced vet
erinarians and facilities for treating ailing ani
mals. This the Red Star proposes in some meas
ure to correct 1 .
The snorting automobile has not yet driven the
horse entirety out of the battle tine. Job's charger
may no longer present his impressive front nor
say "Ha, hal" among the captains, but he has a
worthy successor in the beasts who drag the
heavy guns and do other needful things, and these
are well entitled to humane treatment. Our army
will be well equipped with animals and should
also be outfitted to take care of them.
Foresters to France
By Frederic J. Has in
Washington, May 25. A new banner has been
designed to accompany the Stars and Stripes to
France. It bears a white pinettree shield en
circled by thirteen white stars on a deep blue
ground. It will be the regimental banner of one
of the ten engineer regiments who will be the
first troops sent to Europe the flag of the for
esters' regiment, or, as the Forest Service would
like to see them called, the Forest Engineers.
The white shield on this banner is the shield
of the Forest Service, and arrangements for
selecting and organizing the regiment are largely
in service hands. But the Forest Engineers will
not be drawn exclusively, or even principally,
from the ranks of the Forest Service. Like the
other engineer regiments, this body will be raised
by volunteering among men already trained to
the work.
That is why the Forest Service prefers the
name Forest Engineers. The regiment will num
ber among its officers a sufficient quota of trained
foresters, but its ranks will be filled with practical
woodsmen lumber jacks, sawyers, fellers,
broad-ax men, drivers of logging teams, and men
of all the other trades allied to the practical busi
ness of lumbering. The regiment will thus be
an engineer regiment in the strict technical mili
tary use of the term. It will have the standard
organization of an engineer regiment, with two
battalions instead of the three of the infantry, and
six companies of 160 men each. Its net strength
including officers will be about 1,000 men.
t
The work of foresters and skilled lumbermen
has assumed an entirely new importance in the
present war. The demands for lumber from the
armies are incessant and enormous. Lumber is
needed for trench building, for the construction
of warehouses, sheds, shelters, and for the repair
and building of railroads. As the armies of the
allies advance, the network of railway lines must
be kept continually pushed up to the changing
front. It is to help build and operate these lines
that the engineers are being sent, and the work
of the Forest Engineers will be an essential part
of the service.
The Forest Engineers will probably be organ
ized into several portable saw mill companies.
These saw mills will be set up at the most con
venient point, and the regular operations of
lumbering will be gotten under way. Fellers will
cut the trees? teamsters will snake the logs to
the mills, sawyers will cut them into planking,
motor trucks will haul the lumber to the points
where It is needed. Railroad ties will proBably
be hewed directly from the log by men skilled in
the use of the broad-ax. The organization will
probably also include a number of motorcycle
men for messenger service.
-An additional advantage gained by the sending
of the Forest Engineers is the fact that these
men are already trained and ready for the work
m hand. Practically all the forest engineer troops
of France are trained to trench fighting, and are
capable of taking their places in the front line as
soon as relieved. It would take many months to
train Americans to relieve first-line-trench troops,
but it takes no time at all to train our lumbermen
for the lumbering operations that are just as
essential as the trench fighting. This line of rea
somng applies with equal force to each of the
ten engineer regiments. England has had no re
serve of civilian forest men to draw on at home,
and it has1 had to cal on its dominions for every
available man. It lis estimated that Canada has
sent 15,000 practical woodsmen, or Foresters, as
it calls them, to the front.
' It Is probable that most of the men for this
first regiment will be drawn from the eastern
hard-wood lumbering regions. This is because
the lumbering operations in these regions and in
France are very similar. On the other hand, men
trained to the felling and handling of the giant
trees of the Pacific slope forests would find them
selves confronting an entirely new and unfamiliar
problem in the small birch forests of France.
. The operations of the American woodsmen wilt
be under the supervision of expert and technically
trained foresters, who will be included in the of
ficers of the crops. It is known that the forestry
officers of France have been cutting on a care
fully prepared plan, and the technically trained
officers of the American regiment will be able to
take over and follow up this plan in their work.
None of the wood will be wasted the smaller
branches and even the twigs are in great demand
in the war zone for use as fuel. - ,
Our Fighting Men
Leonard Wood. ,
Major General Leonard Wood, recently trans
ferred from the Department of the Eapt to the
command of the new Southeastern department, is
57 years old and a native of New Hampshire.
His rise in the army has been one of the most
spectacular in its history. Entering the medical
crops as an assistant surgeon in 1886 he was pro
moted by leaps and bounds until at the age of 50
he was chief of the general staff. In the interim
he had distinguished himself as colonel of a
rough rider regiment in the war with Spain and
had served as military governor of Cuba and as
commander of the Philippine division and of the
Department of the East. He was appointed chief
of staff December 15, 1909, and served in that
position until April, 1914, when he returned to the
command of the Department of the East
Clarence P. Townsley.
Brigadier General Clarence P. Townsley,
commander of the South Atlantic coast artillery
district with headquarters at Charleston, is one
of the noted ordnance experts of the United
States army. He is a native of New York state
and graduated in civil engineering at Union col
lege Tiefore entering the United States Military
academy. After leaving West Point he attended
the artillery school at Fortress Monroe and the
torpedo school at Willett's Poidt, N. Y. In the
war with Spain he served as a chief ordnance
officer of volunteers.' He attained the rank of
colonel in 1911 and the following year was ap
pointed superintendent of the West Point acad
emy. Last winter he as promoted to the
grade of brigadier general. ." (
Ralph Earle.
Rear Admiral Ralph Earle, chief of the
bureau of ordnance, is one of the busiest men of
the navy these daysi The bureau of which he
Is the active head has charge of the manufacture
of all naval ordnance and ammunition, the arma
ment of the ships, the work of the naval arsenals
and magazines, the torpedo service, etc. Admiral
Earl, who was appointed to his present post
last December, is a noted expert on ordnance,
having served as inspector of powder on the east
coast, ordnance officer of the new battleship
Maine and inspector of ordnance at the Indian
Head proving grounds, Maryland. He was born
in Massachusetts forty-three years ago and was
appointed to the United States Naval academy
from that state in 1892. '
William V. Judson.
Lieutenant Colonel William V. Judson, who
Is going to Russia as an aide on the -staff of
Major General Hugh L. Scott, is one of the
noted engineers of the United States army. A
native of Indianapolis, he spent two years at
Harvard before' entering the United Statea Mili
tary academy in 1884. Three years after leaving
West Point he graduated from the United States
Engineer School of Application and since that
time his entire service hat been with the engi
neering corps. He has superintended 1 important
river and harbor improvements in many sections
of the country and for some time was on duty
with the Panama Canal commission. He is not
unfamiliar with the language and people with
whom he is about to come into contact since
he saw considerable of the Russians while serv
ing aa military observer with the Russian armv
t in the late war between that country antf Japan.
Proverb tor the Day.
Beauty la only akin deep.
One Tear Ago Today In the War.
Serbian army of over 7S.000 men
landed In galonlca.
Jtallana and Austrian! enraged In
fierce fighting in the Aitlco region.
Paris reported a lull In the infantry
fighting around Verdun.
In Omaha Thirty Years Ago.
Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Barker held a
reception at their home, 1002 King
street. Mrs. Barker was assisted -in
receiving by Mrs. W. A. Redjck and
Mrs. Dundy. ,
The Rifle club enjoyed an outing at
Bellevue, where a bounteous luncheon
was served, and the following guests
were present: Mrs. G. W. Coster and
Misses Morse, Richardson, Bummers,
Balcombe, Shears, Kennedy and Con
nell, Mrs. Clarkson, Mrs. D. J. Collins
and Mrs. George Dana Adams. Dr.
Worley secured the prize medal for
the week.
Joha Bolan and Miss Anna Coyle
were married at St Phllomena's ca
thedral, Rev. Father McCarthy tying
the nuptial knot. Louis Godola acted
as best man for the groom, while Miss
Maggie Bolan was bridesmaid.
Misses Carrie House Margaret Bot
kln, Carrie Detweller, Anna Whitman
and Lillian House gave a most enjoy
able picnic party to a large number
of young friends at Harrscom park.
The first formal reception given by
Mrs. -Dean Gardner was attended by
all the prominent members not only
of Trinity cathedral, but all of the
Episcopal churches in the city, besides
leading women and men of other de
nominations. P. Connolly is planning on leaving
for Ireland, where his parents live in
County Monaghan. He Intends to
make them a visit of one month, not
having been theru for at least thirty
years. ,
This Day In History.
1724 John Smeaton, builder of the
Eddystone lighthouse and the most
noted engineer ot his day, born at
Leeds, England. Died there October
28, 1792.
1764 Virginians under Washington
attacked a small party of French near
the Great Meadows.
1777 Washlngtoa removed his
headquarters to the heights of Mid
dlebrook, N. J.
1794 The French commandant ot
Verdun executed fourteen women for
going to the king of Prussia and be
seeching him for clemency for the
town then besieged by him.
1804 William A. Buckingham, gov
ernor of Connecticut during the civil
war, born at Lebanon, Conn, Died at
Norwich, Conn., February 8, 187B.
1852 A Prussian Industrial exhibi
tion was opened In Berllm
1866 Fourth Wisconsin regiment
of cavalry waa mustered out after
service of five years and a day the
longest term on record credited to a
volunteer organization.
1875 Captain Paul Boynton crossed
the English Channel In his life-saving
suit in twenty-thre hours.
1816 Germany replied to American
note regarding warfare against mer
chant ships.
The Day We Celebrate.
Morris Sheppard, junior United
States senator from Texas and sponsr
for the bill to make the District of Co
lumbia dry, born in Morris county,
Texas, forty-two years ago today.
Bishop Collins Denny of the Metho
dist Episcopal church, south, born at
Winchester. Va., alxty-three years ago
today.
Robert C. Billiard, one of the well
known actors of the American stage,
bom In New York City sixty years ago
today.
Abby Leach, celebrated woman edn.
cator, for many years connected with
Vassar, born at Brockton, Mass., sixty
two years ago today.
Jamea Thorpe, noted Indian athlete,
and now a player with the Cincinnati
National league base ball team, born
near Prague, Okl., twenty-nine years
ago today. 1
Timely Jottings and Reminders.
A1 conference on the foreign rela
tions of the United Statea after the
war, to be addressed by a number ot
noted men, is to be opened today at
Long' Beach, N. T.i
The dental college of the University
ot Michigan opens a special free
course today to train men for dental
service in the United States army and
navy.
Jamea W. Gerard, late American
ambassador to Germany, is to deliver
the address tonight at the commence
ment of the North Carolina State Col
lege of Agriculture.
Live stock and grain shippers are
to ba heard by the Interstate Com
merce commission In Washington to
day In opposition to the proposed gen
eral Increase In freight rates.
The food production propaganda,
with particular stress on live stock. Is
to be the chief topic at the annual
convention of the North Dakota Bank
ers' association, opening today at
Beach, N. D. .
Heads of Kansas colleges meet In
Topeka today at the call of Chancellor
Frank Strong of the University of
Kansas to consider how their colleges
will be conducted during the war.
In the federal court at Indianapolis
today Judge Anderson is to pronounce
judgment on 124 Indiana politicians
who recently pleaded guilty of con
spiracies to corrup the last election.
An expedition representing the Na
tional Geographic society is scheduled
to sail from Seattle today to investi
gate the effects of the volcanic erup
tion at Katmal. Alaska. In June, 1912,
one of the most violent explosions on
record. ,
The annual banquet of the Chicago
Legal club, to be held tonight, will be
"bone dry," and the monV which in
the past has been taken from the
treasury for wines and liquors will be
devoted to the purchase of Liberty
loan bonds. -
Storyctte ot the Day. -
Representative Henry Flood, appro
poe of a bill for arming merchantmen,
said at a luncheon In Washington:
"Germany declares that with Its un
restricted submarine campaign It'll
hold up meat, It'll hold up cotton. It'll
hold up munitions. It'll hold up alt
neutral maritime commerce."
He smiled grimly. '
"But maybe, Instead of all that,"
he ended, "It'll hold up Its hands."
Washington Star.
TRUTH.
Tha eacto. may Sar apoa the plain.
Or disappear, uprooted la a day:
Tha amaraath wlthla Ui bowar may wans.
Or all Ha asaance vaporiia away;
Tha avartrwa may parlan la tha clime,
Or rot la ahlnslM on (ha tall church aplrai
Tha great aequola may aaocumb te tlma,
Or dlMtpata la aahaa roaad Ita pyre.
Tea. even mortal man may retrosrad. n
Or finally become extinct In race;
Tha earth, tha aua, and all tha atara may
fade.
Or leave alone nihility In apace.
But truth, unlimited In worth and rana-e.
Can under na condition die or chance,
Omaha. WILLIS HUDSPBTH.
For Reform in State Government.
Lincoln, Neb., May 2B. To the
Editor of The Bee: Now that the leg
islature has adjourned, It might be
well for our citizens to take stock of
ita accomplishments, or lack of same,
and if unsatisfactory, look for the rea
son, Instead of abusing the legislative
body, as we are apt to do In our short
sightedness. If I had a fine field of ripe wheat
and furnished my hired man with an
oldtlme reaper with which to harvest
the grain, I should not complain If he
wasted more of the crop than he
saved. - Our present method of law
making is as cumbersome and out-of-date
as the oldtlme reaper In a large
modern wheat field. No business con
cern would last a year if run on such
slipshod methods as we are using In
transacting the business of the state.
Now that we have the initiative and
the referendum through which we
can if necessary initiate, important leg
islation and by . the referendum
method, veto undesirable laws when it
seems advisable, as we did In the case
of the bill to build an arrnory at Ne
braska City we have no need of a
so-called representative legislature, too
cumbernome to produce results other
than a tremendous expenditure of
time and money.
Let ub replace this clumsy non-effl
dent legislative machine for an up-to-date
self-binder and do business for
me state on moaern Dustness prm
clDles. Why not have a legislative
commission, composed of one body of
not more than two members irom
each congressional district and two at
large from the state? Let this com
mission sit continuously as do other
state officers, and pay them a living
salary of not less than S3,ooo a year.
Have this legislative commission take
oer the duties ot a multitude of de
partments which have grown up in, re
cent years, whose chief excuse for ex
istence is to create jobs for needy pol
iticians who are seldom seen on the
Job except to draw their salaries.
This could easily be done through
the various committees of the com
mission without working the members
more than eight hours a day ror nve
days in the wck and four hours on
Saturday, so 'that they might attend
the ball games once a week, which is
oftener than most ot us get to see a
game.
With this commission there would
be no hasty rushing through of ill con
sidered appropriation bills, or the
slaughtering of desirable laws- in the
closing hours of the session. Nor
would there be twelve to lifteen hun
dred bills Introduced by one hundred
and thirty-three members, most of
them devoid of merit and not expect
ed to pass by the members who Intro
duce them. Nor would there he a
corporation-controlled senate, whose
chief duties were to protect the cor
porate Interests of the state.
Why should not Nebraska lead the
way with this much needed reform?
Why wait for Kansas to lead, which It
most certainly will do unless we bestir
ourselves.
Why do not our able editors take up
this matter and discuss it fully? No
reform is ever accomplished without
previous agitation. Nebraska editors,
get busy! W. F. PORTER.
Wauls More Ministers.
Seattle, Wash., April 28. To the
Editor of The Bee: Some of our provi
dent, far-seeing men are showing
America's need for trained men In
every field of business and endeavor
trained business men, trained chem
ists, trained civil and electrical engi
neers, trained agriculturists, etc., who
will devote their Uvea to acquiring a
thorough theoretical and practical
knowledge of their special lines.
One field of effort has been over
looked. I should like to call your at
tention to it.
What we need most In America Is a
trained body of ministers. I know we
have the colleges and theological sem
inaries, but these are not sufficient. As
the case stands, a minister goes to his
oharge, book-trained, It is true, but
with no real knowledge ot life, of hu
man nature, and of real, every
day conditions. Before preaching,
prospective ministers should go out
Into the world, work among working
people, do men' work among men,
gain a knowledge of life, and when
they have reached the age of 30 years
or so begin their ministry. If they were
to follow this course they woulu better
understand the truths of Scripture and
they would reject the false teachings
of higher criticism and other false
knowledge.
Coming to the scholastic training of
the clergy, ministers should begin their
real studies after they have left the
seminary. Instead of studying Har
nack or Renan, or Brlggs, they should
study the Bible and the great church
fathers Iranaeus, Tertulllan, Clement
of Alexandria, Origen, Augustine,
Thomas Aquinas and others. In other
words, Instead ot studying wnat this
or that petty theologian has to say
about the Bible, they should study the
Bible Itself and the great church
fathers, who drew their Inspiration di
rectly from the Bible.
,What we need, then, in America
most of all are self-sacrificing men
who will devote their Uvea to the study
of the Scriptures and thus be enabled
tq combat successfully woman suf
frage, prohibition, religious infidelity,
divorce, the worship ot Mammon, and
other corruptions and false doctrines
of the times: men who will labor
"without money and without price" a
establish the true worship of God. and
the true knowledge of the Bible.
'The harvest is great, but the labor
ers are few." Yours very truly,
CHARLES HOOPER.
On the. Farmers' Side.
Oxford, Neb., May 25. To the
Editor of The Bee: AH hall to the
farmers who refused to allow the so
called conservation board to misrepre
sent the faimers and farm conditions
In Nebraska Ninety-nine per cent of
the real farmers will sanction their
bolt and endorse their resolutions. The
howl that has gone up about the
wastefulness of 4he farm, and the
grewsome nicture of the nation on the
verge ot starvation, has wonderfully
pleased our enemies, brought on a
panic and given the holders of grain
the opportunity to make fortunes by
boosting the price. Millers caught the
spirit and hired a special clerk to
mark up prices and advise the cus
tomers that now was ths time to buy.
Machine men and merchants got the
Impression that therewould be some
thing dolnsr when the convicts and
school children were sent to the farms
and they raised the prices ot listers
and corn plows till they would hardly
go Inta the ground, and everything
else from sugar to toothpiqks started
upward with as great ease aa an air
ship. It Is right that the government
should ask the farmer to do his duty
and he Is nobly responding by strain
ing every nerve to produce every '
bushel of grain and every pound of
meat possible. Our fainfers better
than any other class know their call
ing. They have been on the ground
since birth and they know the true .
situation from actual experience. They
realize the loss of their wheat crop
and the enormous expense and labor
entailed on them by such a loss. Many
of them sold their wheat at a dollar
or little better and will be forced to
pay unheard of prices for seed next
fall. They have to contend with the
overshadowing fact that they may be
called to war just as they see the ears
of corn forming as a reward of their
t0Farmera realize and appreciate1 the
interest and advice accorded them by
the various commercial clubs, but can
you wonder if they feel that some of
those good people sometimes become a
little tiresome? Mrs. A. E. Davisson
of the Agricultural college advertises
that farm women will accept help
only who will eat in a hot kitchen and
who are willing to tend the baby and
work In the field. Such a slander
could be littered only through the
depths of Irnorance of true farm life.
No, my dear woman, on the farm, and
on the farm only. Is the place where
the girl help Is treated as one of the
family, sharing every comfort at table,
and elsewhere that they share, and
ninny they do not accord themselves.
Mrs, Davisson has certainly, like man
others, mistaken her calling.
A. C. RANKIN. .
Wliy Italy Is at War.
Omaha, May 24. To the Editor of
The Bee. In one of the recent editions
of the World-Herald I noted that Sen
ator Hitchcock stated that Italy is
staying in the war only because of the I
aid of England two or three hundred
million dollars a month. But by that
he surely Is not acquainted with, af
fairs in Italy. If so, hi surely remem- r
bers what caused Italy to enter the
war. It was the pressure of the peo
ple, and besides it has been the hope j.
of Italy for the last half century, not
to conquer, but to secure the freedom
of the two provinces, Trento and
Trieste, frem the dual monarchy. Also
he ought to know that they raise mil
lions and millions of dollars on their
Liberty bonds each month and the
money not all coming from the people
In Italy, but from Italian people In ,
other countries. Furthermore, I can
state that a great many Italian people
left this country voluntarily to enter
the wnr to secure the freedom of the
two provinces, and not Cor the dollars
England gave them each month, al
though I am sure the government and
the people of Italy appreciate the help
of England and all other countries.
ANTONIO PROCOPIO.
McAdoo's Significant Admission.
Benson, Neb., May 25. To the
Editor of The Bee: Enclosed you will
find a clipping from The Bee of May
24 covering part of Secretary Mc
Adoo's speech in Omaha, which Is a
self -conviction by a cabinet, member
of the Wilson administration. Being a
signatory to The Hague convention
treaty making Belgium a neutralized
state, the administration, fully realiz
ing Its international obligations when
the invasion of Belgium took place,
remained as silent as the grave. The
speech made by Elihu Root In- the re
publican presidential campaign (the
greatest statesman the United States
possesses) at New York will forever
be remembored by all intelligent peo
ple who are upholders of jaw and
freedom.
THOMAS HENRY WATKLNS.
(The clipping enclosed contains the
remarks of Secretary McAdoo to the '
Invasion of Belgium by the German
army.)
Iowa's Blue Laws.
Avoca. Ia., May 24. To the Editor
of The Bee: Several readers of The
Bee noted the statement In The Bee
that the two representatives of this
county would explain their action In
the legislature In not working for the
abrogation of these vicious laws when
the matter was up for settlement last
March, but so far no statement has
appeared.
, Next to the war this issue will be
the paramount Issue in Iowa at the
'next election, and, as both these gen
tlemen are enjoying their first term,
and as they may be looking tor a "vote
of confidence" In seeking re-election In
1918, their victims are very anxious
to learn their views.
WALTER BUR WELL,
MIRTHFUL REMARKS.
Knlcker What becomes of Smith's .
money ?
Bocker He pays his children to be sood,
hie wife to forgive, the cook to stay, and
labor not to atrtk. Judge.
"Soma say that Dame Fashion paya no
attention to utility."
"Well?"
"But I don't agree. For InstaDoe, when
capea are too tiny to afford protection
faehlon cornea out with a big collar."
Loulavllle Courier-Journal.
"Yea, air," 'said the soldierly looking man.
"I have spent fifteen years In tha aarvlce
of my country." ,
"8o have I," volunteered the low-browed
Individual, offering his hand, 'what were
you In for?' Boston Traneorlpt.
.iiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiiiiiiiiinnininiiriiiiiiiiiii'.
50c Per Gallon.
L'TruhOany 5
GRAIN EXCHANGE BLDC.
aiiiiininiiniiiinniiinniiiiiiiuiiiiiniiii?
Discretion and tact are two
qualifications poeeeaead by the staff
of thia undertaking establishment.
Those who have availed themselves
of our experience and equipment
speak in unmeasured terms of praise
of our conduct and fairness.
N. P. SWANSON
Funeral Parlor. (Established 18SS)
17th and Cuming Sta. Tel. Doug. lOOO
THE OMAHA BEE INFORMATION BUREAU
. Washington, D. C
Enclosed find a two-cent stamp, for which yon will please send me,
entirely free, a copy of the pamphlet, "Preparing Vegetables."
Name
Street Address. .....:
City ; State.