THE BEE: OMAHA, TUESDAY, DECEMBER
1917.
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ROLLEY SERVICE MAY BE
HAMPERED DURING THE WAR,
WATTLES TELLS COUNCIL
Orders Already Received from Washington to Curtail
Service During Lax Hours; Company Has Lost
25 Per Cent of Its Men; Mileage Much
Greater Than Year Ago.
Over Two Million Less
Grain Here Than Year Ago
The wcrkly report of the. inspec
tion department of the Omaha Grain
exchange indicates that stocki of
grain in storage in Omaha elevators
are 2.396.000 bushel "ess than on the
rorrespondiiif? date one year ago. The ;
figures now and tin n :
If war conditions continue to affect the street railway
operations, women will be employed as conductor.
"We are seriously considering filling the places made
vacant by men who go to war by employing women," stated G.
W. Wattles, president of the Omaha and Council Bluffs Street
Railway company, addressed the city council committee of the
whole, which was considering street car service under an order
of business brought up by a resolution offered by Commissioner
Butler. .
Mr. Wattles added that women would not prove as efficient
as men in maintaining schedules, disclaiming any disrespect for
the "J tQ uke ijsue with Mr Wattles," exclaimed Mrs.
D. G. Craighead, speaking in behalf of Minne Lusa residents.
ONLY NEED PRACTICE.
" "With a little practice women would
be 'just as courteous and efficient as
men conductors and might improve
over Some men now serving as con
ductors,", she added.
Mrs. Craighead offered a signed pe.
tition for a street car extension on
North Twenty-fourth street, north of
Miller park. She related that during
:he cold weather last week a young
woman walking home from work. be.
yefnd the street ear terminus, froie
her feet, and another froze her
hands,
TRY TO IMPROVE SERVICE.
The commissioners heard both
sides of the street car service con
troversy. Mr. Wattles opened with
h side of the case in these words:
"The street car officials do not
stay awake night trying to see how
bad they can make the service. It is
our extreme desire to give the best
service we can; We admit that the
service has been bad during the last
6()(days and I will say that it is liable
to, be worse under similar conditions.
Crrcnmstances have made it impossi
ble to operate cars on time. 1 he
railroads have' not been on time. It
is impossible to have 100 per cent ef
ficiency with 20 to 25 per cent loss of
man power. Many of our men have
gone to war and we have been filling
thjtir places as best we can. We are
considering filling some of the places
with women, as in maivy cities in this
country and in Canada.
All Must Bear Burdens.
"We must reach the conclusion Oiat
we must put up with inconveniences
and bear and share with, each, other if
we would win this war for democracy.
Wc will win this war if we have to
stop the street cars entirely. Wc
may yet have to stop the street cars
and walk to and from our homes.
"We have just received an order
Wheat 447, 'ion
Corn 12,000
OaU ..... 635,000
Ky. 75,000
Barley 18.000
Total
. 1,231,000
Tar fo.
1,254,000
BOl.OOrt
1.776.000
144.000
14,000
3.1389,900
from the federal fuel administrator
directing us to reduce the service as
much as possible durinw the slack
hours. Other orders like that one
will Come to us from time to time as
the war goes in. and we might as well
be prepared to meet thtm.
"Public service corporations are no
different from private corporations,
and the latter know what it means to
lose their men. We lost 75 men in
Nnvemher and 74 have eone this
month to date. We are doing the best
we can and are not decreasing the
service. Our car mileage during No
vember of this year was 36,000 miles
more than the same month of last
year.
Worked Under Fire.
"We have worked during the last
15 years here to build up the system
under continual fire. We have had
resolutions and other regulatory
measures that have not been fair or
right, and which have been only
camouflage for some fellow who is
seeking office and tryijig to make the
people think he is doing something
for them, but you remember what
Lincoln said about fooling the people
some of the time, but not all of the
time.
"Our service is bad hecause of the
loss of 20 to 25 per cent of our man
power. Neither the city nor anybody
else could get any better service. We
are facing a condition, rather than a
theory." . .
Citizens who were present asked
for better service on West Leaven
worth extension, from Forty-eighth
street, on the Renson line, East Oma
ha and North Twenty-fourth street.
Benson & Thome
"Boys' Shop"
Mackinaws
TO
$12.
Looking for work? Turn to the
Help Wanted Columns now. You
will find hundreds of positions listed
there.
6 TO 18 YEARS
The Ideal Coat
For Hard Winter Wear
Good-lookinp, serviceable
garments, shawl collar,
pinch back, patch or skate
pockets and 3 piece belts.
These are made by a man
ufacturer who ranks first
for fit and quality.
ALL WOOL
FAST COLORS
Benson & Thome
"Boys' Shop"
:
B
ens on &
oifom
Stort Open Until 9 P. M.
Useful Christmas Gifts for Men
Just the Very Articles Men Buy for Themselves
i and Accessories They Use Every Day
THIS year one's list of Christmas gifts is'divided under two hen da a list for the men at
honie and the men in uniform. It hns l.oon our endeavor to provide suitable gifts for
each. Our collection of holiday i.U '. " universal answer to the question of what
to give a man.
Hat Certificates
$3, $4, $5, $6
Why not give "him" a hat certificate
and let him come in after' Christmas and
choose the shape and style most becom
ingt .
We feature" Borsalinos, Knapp-Felt, Mal
ory and Benson & Thome special make
also derbys.
Men's Neckwear
$1 Kind Tuesday 50c
A group of 50 dozen neckties, just re
ceived and specially priced for Tuesday's
selling. Largo shape, made in basket
weaves, Persians, satins, bias striped and
figured effects. Rich colorings in a
splendid quality of silk.
Men's Caps $1 and up
Suggestions Suggestions Suggestions
Hose, 15c to $1.25.
Gloves, 65c to $3.75.
Neckwear, 25C to $1U0.
Shitta, $1.00 to $7.60.
Handkerchiefs, 10c to $1.00.
Jewelry. 26o to $2.60.
Canes, 75c to $50,
Umbrella $1.00 to $1.00.
Pajamas. $155 to $5.00.
Beltt, Wc to $4.00.
Collar Bags, 50c to $4.00.
Tie Pins Wo to $1.5.
Military Brushes. $2.50 to $4.W,
Mufflers, $1-00 to $00.
Suspenders, We to $1.00.
Bath Kobe. H .to iJUO.
Smoking Jackets. $4J5 to $100.
Sweaters, $4.50 to $0.50.
Jerseys, $1.65 to $5-K). i
FOR THE BOYS
IN UNIFORM
Tobacco, pip and match pouch,
75c
Wash cloth and pocket. 25c.
Bag for toilet articles, $1.50.
Case for toilet articles, $1.00,
$L60, $2.00.
Bag for towel and toilet articles,
$2.50.
75,
Sewing case, filled, 75c.
Cigarette case, $1.25.
Khaki stock collar, 35c.
Mirrors made of brass,
$1.00, $1.25.
Khaki shirts madras and flan
nel, $1.50, $2.7.,. $3.50.
Sweater all wool extra heavy,
$9.50.
Sammy Jacket Bradley make,
93.95.
Khaki all wool gloes, $1.25.
Extra heavy natural all wool
sox, 60c.
Fine cashmere hose, 60c and f6c
The Pretext
for National FroMMtiora
The plea for National Prohibition is made on the
ground that the Prohibition States could not protect
themselves against liquor shipments from "Wet States."
This reason no longer exists. The Webb-Kenyon
Law, together with the Reed Amendment (generally
known as the "Bone-Dry" Law), forbid any railroad or
express company to transport liquor into States whose
laws prohibit it, and make it a crime for anyone to bring
liquor into any Prohibition State.
If a state wants to be " Bone-Dry," it can become so
by adopting State Prohibition, with the assurance that
the Federal Government will see to it that no liquor is
shipped in.
The amended Webb-Kenyon Law was passed in rec
ognition of the right of each State to adopt its own policy
on liquor legislation free from outside interference. For
the same reason those states which do not want Prohibi
tion must have the same right of protection tot their policy
FREE FROM INTERFERENCE.
Coercion by a constitutional amendment of states
opposed to prohibition would be most unfair.
Remember, that dnce adopted and made a part of the
Constitution of the United States, National Prohibition
would be VIRTUALLY IRREVOCABLE. However short
it might fall of the results expected of it whatever
other evils might arise because of it however great its
failure might be in a National way, even as it has been in
the State experiments it would be practically impossible
to revoke it, EVEN THOUGH AN OVERWHELMING
MAJORITY OF THE POPULATION DESIRED ITS
REPEAL.
Thirteen of the smallest States of the Union, with a
population of less than 5,000,000 COULD THEN
OVERRULE THE OTHER THIRTY-FIVE STATES
WITH A POPULATION OF 95,000,000.
The United States Brewers' Association,
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