DIY History | Transcribe | World War I Diaries and Letters | Conger Reynolds newspaper clippings, 1916-1919 | 1918-07-03 Des Moines Capital Clipping: ""Mowrer Gives Thrilling Description of Battle Seen from French Side"" Page 2

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Conger Reynolds newspaper clippings, 1916-1919

1918-07-03 Des Moines Capital Clipping: ""Mowrer Gives Thrilling Description of Battle Seen from French Side"" Page 2

-By Webster
"You," Granados reasserted. "You are the thinker among us four, David. Our governor is a finished diplomat. Ferraz is a master in managing our finances. I can fight a little, and my men know me and have some respect for me as a reader. We each see what we are doing, but you see afar. I do not speak now for the whole of Brazil, but for our own state, which we love. Nevertheless, I can see things also. And I know of no one whose single control is strong upon all those people you have mentioned, except you. We all recognize it, and we are well content that it should be so."
Noel neither smiled nor deprecated the tribute.
"You speak of one man," he answered; "I speak of many men working together under the will of one supreme. Can an individual combat an army?"
"You mean that all the Germans in our country are working in unity." Ferraz began.
"They work in unison and obedience to the imperial authority in Germany, yes," Noel averred.
"Senhor Noel is right," the governor corroborated, his alert eyes contradicting his restrained voice. "You, Ferraz, like many of us, live too much alone, and are too indifferent to the world outside our isolate estates. Our writers and thinkers have tried to awaken us also. But we see, and we do not heed. The republic is passing from the hands of its own people while they dream."
(To be Continued)

Merchant Marine and the Farmer
Edward N. Hurley, chairman of the United States Shipping board, recently made an address in which he said some things of interest to the farmers of the country. After speaking of the efforts now being put forth to build ships to carry soldiers and food and other supplies across the water, Mr.Hurley said:
"It was before the formation of the present shipping board that Secretary McAdoo insisted that our pioneering on the seas must in the future be done by an interest having boundless resources, an interest that is not compelled to concern itself with dividends to its stockholders or returns to its bondholders, an interest that can afford to suffer losses and sustain them for an indefinite period, and interest that has a single purpose--the general welfare of the United States as a whole. Obviously there is but one such interest, and that is the government of the United States. Before the war, ocean commerce traveled in bottoms (ships) owned and operated by private capital. Now this gigantic merchant fleet which we are turning out is to be controlled by one central body, by the greatest corporation in the western world--the United States of America."
Mr. Hurley went on to say that we have been a great tourist nation, but we have traveled in foreign ships; that we had few ships going to South or Central America, few in fact going to any foreign ports; that we had but one line of old ships crossing the Atlantic, and but one crossing the Pacific--none to South America, none to Australia nor to India nor to Africa. Now, on account of war needs, we are building ships in great numbers. Our program calls for the building of 1,856 ships of various kinds, and, in addition, a large number of barges. In addition to the to the ships we are building, we have taken over 245 ships of foreign ownership. He estimates that five billion dollars will be needed to complete our ship building program up to 1920, and then we will have the greatest merchant fleet ever assembled in the history of the world. 
What is to be done with this fleet, assuming that we are able to defend it against the German submarines or to make good losses which it may suffer from this cause? Mr. Hurley says that we will be in a position to establish a weekly passenger service between New York and the western and eastern coasts of South Amrica. We will be able to serve Mexico and other Central American states with fine service. We will be able to handle Russian shipping on the Pacific, as well as the shipping of China, and help Japan as much as she may need. 
Apparently it is Mr. Hurley's ambition, and no doubt it is shared by the larger business interests of the country, to maintain a great merchant marine. Eastern business interests have been trying to bring this about for twenty years past. The emergency of war has done in one year what they have not succeeded in doing in twenty years: given us a government-owned marine. 
How will this affect the farmer? Mr. Hurley speaks of our trade with South America and with Australia. What will we haul to these countries in our merchant ships? Manufactured products of one sort and another. The vessels which take our manufactured products will not return empty. They will need a return loading. What will they bring back as payment? What else than agricultural products, live stock, corn, etc., from the Argentine; wheat and other small grains from Australia.
What effect will the importation of agricultural products in large quantities have upon western agriculture? Not long since we spent a day with an unusually well-informed man, a member of the Australian department of agriculture, who is in this country now, studying our agricultural institutions. He told us that Australia now has piled up the surplus wheat from the 1916 and 1917 crops; and he added something of far greater significance, namely, that the wheat acreage of Australia can be extended to as much as two hundred million acres, or two-thirds as much as the total wheat acreage of the world at the present time. Australia is about as large as the United States, with a population less than one-tenth as great. With the sea covered with United States government owned ships, operated [at] public expense, as suggested by [Mr.] Hurley, it is not difficult to ima[gine] what will happen to the wh[eat] growers of the United States if [the] business interests of the east ha[ve] their way about this matter. 
The eastern coast of South America is a great live stock cou[n]try, especially the Argentine. It [is] not difficult to gues at what ma[y] happen to the live stock interests o[f] the United States, with a government-owned merchant marine operated at public expense, if the business interests of the east have their way about it. 
It is becoming increasingly evident that the business and manufacturing interests of this country are looking forward to the end of the war, and are making their plans accordingly. Our older readers will remember what happened at the close of the Civil war. When this great western country was settled up so rapidly, the eastern farmer[s] could not meet the competition from the cheap lands of the west. His land decreased in price from $150 an acre to $50 or $60, and his boys moved west. For fifty years we built up our industrial enterprises at the expense of the farmer. Just as we have reached a time when consumption has almost overtaken production, the whirligig of events seems likely to bring the farmers of today face to face with the difficulties which confronted the farmers of the seventies and eighties. 
In what we have said here, we must not be understood as in any way criticizing the building of ships. We must build ships or lose the war. Without ships, we are helpless to give aid to the British and French, who for four years have been fighting what is our battle just as truly as their own. But when peace comes and we begin the reconstruction period, the agricultural interests should have a very potent voice in how this merchant marine is to be used, and it is none too soon for western farmers to be thinking about what they are going to do.--Wallace's Farmer.

A CHANGED WASHINGTON
The most striking symbol of change I saw in Washington was a uniformed young white woman of aristocratic appearance driving a motorbus load of very black laborers in the quartermaster service.
Permanent population, not counting soldiers, has increased 70,000. Rents have gone up sharply; congress is debating the Pomerene bill to check this extortion. Probably the operation of the Alley law, abolishing unsanitary alley dwellings, will be postponed. The late Mrs. Wilson was deeply interested in this act. The district has to advertise out of town for policemen; the force is 100 short and has few applicants locally. 
The overworked street railways have introduced the "skip stop," making stops at every other corner. This saves power, which is money, and speeds up transit by 10 to 15 per cent.
Autos are so numerous that crossing even the broad capital streets has become for the first time hazardous. 
Enormous public buildings are erected in haste. When time will not permit even this, miles of wooden barracks, like Camp Upton cantonments, are housing government departments. Washington is at work! The only place where time is wasted as if we were not at war, is in the halls of congress. To step into the galleries that of the senate particularly---and listen to the droning debates of long delayed and imperative needed war measures is madding. -- Letter in New York World. 

SAVING THE TIN CANS
The annual report of the department of commerce sets forth the dire need of tin cans and the efforts the government is making to conserve them. During the early days of last summer's campaign for the preservation of perishable fruits and vegetables, government experts tested the possibility of utilizing once used tin cans, but investigation proved the advisability of abandoning this plan in favor of "detinning" processes, whereby most of the steel and tin is recovered for further use in manufacture. The government is now persuing factory owners to substitute paper or fiber containers for all non-perishable articles heretofore put up in tin. This it is expected will to a certain extent offset the tin cans shipped to the army in France. The balance of the loss will be made up by salvaging used cans. --Thomas F. Logan, in Leslie's.

Minnesota is the latest state to bar alien teachers.

"SHEILA"
The Life Story of a Society Girl--By Carolyn Beecher
SYNOPSIS.
Sheila Andrews, the daughter of a millionaire, is thrown upon the world and forced to make a living when her father dies suddenly, leaving nothing. She learns many things about the world in which she lives when she tried to battle for an honest living. She tells of her experiences---
CHAPTER CXV.
We had planned to stop in Chicago a day, where we would see Harold. Then, while Clark attended to some business, Harold and I could have a real visit without his new brother-in-law intruding. That was Clark's way of putting it. 
Harold was delighted to see me, yet he couldn't hide the fact that he had been surprised at my marrying Clark so suddenly. 
"You must remember he first asked me long ago when dady was with us," I told Harold. "And he says he has been waiting all this time."
"I was sure it was going to be that Mr. Hunt," Harold replied.
"You too! It's a wonder some of you didn't succeed in marrying me to him whether he wanted me or not. Even Mrs. Murphy was disappointed. But you see she doesn't know Clark."
"Oh, Cummings is all right! I am very well pleased with my new relative. But that Hunt was a corker! From all indications you could have had him if you wanted to."
"Don't be too sure of that," I parried. Some way I felt a little hurt, Not that Harold meant to make a comparison. But he had.
We stayed all night in Chicago, and in the evening Harold, Clark, and I went to the theater. I enjoyed it immensely. Clark seeing my enthusiasm, said:
"I'm sorry, but it will be a long time before we can see a good play again."
"Don't they grow plays on your ranch?" Harold joked. "I thought you raised everything."
"Almost everything," Clark returned, smiling at Harold.
"I am fond of the theater," I admitted. "I always have been."
After the play we went to a gay restaurant for supper. Clark again said:
"Have a good time, Sheila, we'll stay as long as you like. You won't see anything like this on the ranch."
"Don't grow cafes, either, eh?" Harold broke in. "You better stay in Chicago, sis. I'll take you tot he theater, and occasionally when I can stretch my pocket book to a cafe for supper."
"No thank you, Harold. I prefer the ranch without them, to them without Clark."
They both laughed at my little speech, and Clark squeezed my hand under the table. I thought of our conversation that night in Chicago many times in the next year. At first with a smile, lated with a wonder in my heart.
The next morning we started on the last part of the journey. Clark told me everything of interest in the country through which we passed. It was a new country to me.. I enjoyed his description of the places and people.
"I never shall be bored with so interesting a companion," I thought more than once. Clark seemed so happy, so thoroughly content. There wasn't a cloud on the horizon of our happiness. I did not see how there could ever be. 
The ranch, Clark had told me, was some sixteen miles from the station. It seemed a dreadful way to one who always had counted distances by city blocks. but he laughed when I said so, and assured me:
"Miles out here don't mean anything. I have a high-powered car. We shall be at home, our home, dearest, before you realize. One of the Chinese boys will meet us.
"Won't it seem funny to have Chinese as servants" I exclaimed. "I am not sure that I won't be a bit afraid of them."
"They make very good servants. Wing, my cook, is an exceptional one He has been with me a long time; ever since by housekeeper grew too old to do the work. I hope you will like them all, Sheila. They are part of the ranch"
"So you grow Mexicans and Chinese if you don't grow plays and cafes?" I said. 
"Yes, and I wish I might grow everything to make you happy."
To repeat all the trifling things we said, the little intimate nothings that happy people in love say to each other, would be tiresome, I suppose; but to me the time fairly flew, and when the train drew up to the little station and Clark said we were at the end of our journey I was a bit sorry.
But I did not regret when I saw the big car and heard the Chinese boy greet Clark. Then they left me a few moments in the little waiting room while they looked after my luggage and put it in the car. When they were ready Clark came for me, and, wrapping me in a fur robe, we started for the ranch, my future home.
(To be Continued)

Saving...

-By Webster "You," Granados reasserted. "You are the thinker among us four, David. Our governor is a finished diplomat. Ferraz is a master in managing our finances. I can fight a little, and my men know me and have some respect for me as a reader. We each see what we are doing, but you see afar. I do not speak now for the whole of Brazil, but for our own state, which we love. Nevertheless, I can see things also. And I know of no one whose single control is strong upon all those people you have mentioned, except you. We all recognize it, and we are well content that it should be so." Noel neither smiled nor deprecated the tribute. "You speak of one man," he answered; "I speak of many men working together under the will of one supreme. Can an individual combat an army?" "You mean that all the Germans in our country are working in unity." Ferraz began. "They work in unison and obedience to the imperial authority in Germany, yes," Noel averred. "Senhor Noel is right," the governor corroborated, his alert eyes contradicting his restrained voice. "You, Ferraz, like many of us, live too much alone, and are too indifferent to the world outside our isolate estates. Our writers and thinkers have tried to awaken us also. But we see, and we do not heed. The republic is passing from the hands of its own people while they dream." (To be Continued) Merchant Marine and the Farmer Edward N. Hurley, chairman of the United States Shipping board, recently made an address in which he said some things of interest to the farmers of the country. After speaking of the efforts now being put forth to build ships to carry soldiers and food and other supplies across the water, Mr.Hurley said: "It was before the formation of the present shipping board that Secretary McAdoo insisted that our pioneering on the seas must in the future be done by an interest having boundless resources, an interest that is not compelled to concern itself with dividends to its stockholders or returns to its bondholders, an interest that can afford to suffer losses and sustain them for an indefinite period, and interest that has a single purpose--the general welfare of the United States as a whole. Obviously there is but one such interest, and that is the government of the United States. Before the war, ocean commerce traveled in bottoms (ships) owned and operated by private capital. Now this gigantic merchant fleet which we are turning out is to be controlled by one central body, by the greatest corporation in the western world--the United States of America." Mr. Hurley went on to say that we have been a great tourist nation, but we have traveled in foreign ships; that we had few ships going to South or Central America, few in fact going to any foreign ports; that we had but one line of old ships crossing the Atlantic, and but one crossing the Pacific--none to South America, none to Australia nor to India nor to Africa. Now, on account of war needs, we are building ships in great numbers. Our program calls for the building of 1,856 ships of various kinds, and, in addition, a large number of barges. In addition to the to the ships we are building, we have taken over 245 ships of foreign ownership. He estimates that five billion dollars will be needed to complete our ship building program up to 1920, and then we will have the greatest merchant fleet ever assembled in the history of the world. What is to be done with this fleet, assuming that we are able to defend it against the German submarines or to make good losses which it may suffer from this cause? Mr. Hurley says that we will be in a position to establish a weekly passenger service between New York and the western and eastern coasts of South Amrica. We will be able to serve Mexico and other Central American states with fine service. We will be able to handle Russian shipping on the Pacific, as well as the shipping of China, and help Japan as much as she may need. Apparently it is Mr. Hurley's ambition, and no doubt it is shared by the larger business interests of the country, to maintain a great merchant marine. Eastern business interests have been trying to bring this about for twenty years past. The emergency of war has done in one year what they have not succeeded in doing in twenty years: given us a government-owned marine. How will this affect the farmer? Mr. Hurley speaks of our trade with South America and with Australia. What will we haul to these countries in our merchant ships? Manufactured products of one sort and another. The vessels which take our manufactured products will not return empty. They will need a return loading. What will they bring back as payment? What else than agricultural products, live stock, corn, etc., from the Argentine; wheat and other small grains from Australia. What effect will the importation of agricultural products in large quantities have upon western agriculture? Not long since we spent a day with an unusually well-informed man, a member of the Australian department of agriculture, who is in this country now, studying our agricultural institutions. He told us that Australia now has piled up the surplus wheat from the 1916 and 1917 crops; and he added something of far greater significance, namely, that the wheat acreage of Australia can be extended to as much as two hundred million acres, or two-thirds as much as the total wheat acreage of the world at the present time. Australia is about as large as the United States, with a population less than one-tenth as great. With the sea covered with United States government owned ships, operated [at] public expense, as suggested by [Mr.] Hurley, it is not difficult to ima[gine] what will happen to the wh[eat] growers of the United States if [the] business interests of the east ha[ve] their way about this matter. The eastern coast of South America is a great live stock cou[n]try, especially the Argentine. It [is] not difficult to gues at what ma[y] happen to the live stock interests o[f] the United States, with a government-owned merchant marine operated at public expense, if the business interests of the east have their way about it. It is becoming increasingly evident that the business and manufacturing interests of this country are looking forward to the end of the war, and are making their plans accordingly. Our older readers will remember what happened at the close of the Civil war. When this great western country was settled up so rapidly, the eastern farmer[s] could not meet the competition from the cheap lands of the west. His land decreased in price from $150 an acre to $50 or $60, and his boys moved west. For fifty years we built up our industrial enterprises at the expense of the farmer. Just as we have reached a time when consumption has almost overtaken production, the whirligig of events seems likely to bring the farmers of today face to face with the difficulties which confronted the farmers of the seventies and eighties. In what we have said here, we must not be understood as in any way criticizing the building of ships. We must build ships or lose the war. Without ships, we are helpless to give aid to the British and French, who for four years have been fighting what is our battle just as truly as their own. But when peace comes and we begin the reconstruction period, the agricultural interests should have a very potent voice in how this merchant marine is to be used, and it is none too soon for western farmers to be thinking about what they are going to do.--Wallace's Farmer. A CHANGED WASHINGTON The most striking symbol of change I saw in Washington was a uniformed young white woman of aristocratic appearance driving a motorbus load of very black laborers in the quartermaster service. Permanent population, not counting soldiers, has increased 70,000. Rents have gone up sharply; congress is debating the Pomerene bill to check this extortion. Probably the operation of the Alley law, abolishing unsanitary alley dwellings, will be postponed. The late Mrs. Wilson was deeply interested in this act. The district has to advertise out of town for policemen; the force is 100 short and has few applicants locally. The overworked street railways have introduced the "skip stop," making stops at every other corner. This saves power, which is money, and speeds up transit by 10 to 15 per cent. Autos are so numerous that crossing even the broad capital streets has become for the first time hazardous. Enormous public buildings are erected in haste. When time will not permit even this, miles of wooden barracks, like Camp Upton cantonments, are housing government departments. Washington is at work! The only place where time is wasted as if we were not at war, is in the halls of congress. To step into the galleries that of the senate particularly---and listen to the droning debates of long delayed and imperative needed war measures is madding. -- Letter in New York World. SAVING THE TIN CANS The annual report of the department of commerce sets forth the dire need of tin cans and the efforts the government is making to conserve them. During the early days of last summer's campaign for the preservation of perishable fruits and vegetables, government experts tested the possibility of utilizing once used tin cans, but investigation proved the advisability of abandoning this plan in favor of "detinning" processes, whereby most of the steel and tin is recovered for further use in manufacture. The government is now persuing factory owners to substitute paper or fiber containers for all non-perishable articles heretofore put up in tin. This it is expected will to a certain extent offset the tin cans shipped to the army in France. The balance of the loss will be made up by salvaging used cans. --Thomas F. Logan, in Leslie's. Minnesota is the latest state to bar alien teachers. "SHEILA" The Life Story of a Society Girl--By Carolyn Beecher SYNOPSIS. Sheila Andrews, the daughter of a millionaire, is thrown upon the world and forced to make a living when her father dies suddenly, leaving nothing. She learns many things about the world in which she lives when she tried to battle for an honest living. She tells of her experiences--- CHAPTER CXV. We had planned to stop in Chicago a day, where we would see Harold. Then, while Clark attended to some business, Harold and I could have a real visit without his new brother-in-law intruding. That was Clark's way of putting it. Harold was delighted to see me, yet he couldn't hide the fact that he had been surprised at my marrying Clark so suddenly. "You must remember he first asked me long ago when dady was with us," I told Harold. "And he says he has been waiting all this time." "I was sure it was going to be that Mr. Hunt," Harold replied. "You too! It's a wonder some of you didn't succeed in marrying me to him whether he wanted me or not. Even Mrs. Murphy was disappointed. But you see she doesn't know Clark." "Oh, Cummings is all right! I am very well pleased with my new relative. But that Hunt was a corker! From all indications you could have had him if you wanted to." "Don't be too sure of that," I parried. Some way I felt a little hurt, Not that Harold meant to make a comparison. But he had. We stayed all night in Chicago, and in the evening Harold, Clark, and I went to the theater. I enjoyed it immensely. Clark seeing my enthusiasm, said: "I'm sorry, but it will be a long time before we can see a good play again." "Don't they grow plays on your ranch?" Harold joked. "I thought you raised everything." "Almost everything," Clark returned, smiling at Harold. "I am fond of the theater," I admitted. "I always have been." After the play we went to a gay restaurant for supper. Clark again said: "Have a good time, Sheila, we'll stay as long as you like. You won't see anything like this on the ranch." "Don't grow cafes, either, eh?" Harold broke in. "You better stay in Chicago, sis. I'll take you tot he theater, and occasionally when I can stretch my pocket book to a cafe for supper." "No thank you, Harold. I prefer the ranch without them, to them without Clark." They both laughed at my little speech, and Clark squeezed my hand under the table. I thought of our conversation that night in Chicago many times in the next year. At first with a smile, lated with a wonder in my heart. The next morning we started on the last part of the journey. Clark told me everything of interest in the country through which we passed. It was a new country to me.. I enjoyed his description of the places and people. "I never shall be bored with so interesting a companion," I thought more than once. Clark seemed so happy, so thoroughly content. There wasn't a cloud on the horizon of our happiness. I did not see how there could ever be. The ranch, Clark had told me, was some sixteen miles from the station. It seemed a dreadful way to one who always had counted distances by city blocks. but he laughed when I said so, and assured me: "Miles out here don't mean anything. I have a high-powered car. We shall be at home, our home, dearest, before you realize. One of the Chinese boys will meet us. "Won't it seem funny to have Chinese as servants" I exclaimed. "I am not sure that I won't be a bit afraid of them." "They make very good servants. Wing, my cook, is an exceptional one He has been with me a long time; ever since by housekeeper grew too old to do the work. I hope you will like them all, Sheila. They are part of the ranch" "So you grow Mexicans and Chinese if you don't grow plays and cafes?" I said. "Yes, and I wish I might grow everything to make you happy." To repeat all the trifling things we said, the little intimate nothings that happy people in love say to each other, would be tiresome, I suppose; but to me the time fairly flew, and when the train drew up to the little station and Clark said we were at the end of our journey I was a bit sorry. But I did not regret when I saw the big car and heard the Chinese boy greet Clark. Then they left me a few moments in the little waiting room while they looked after my luggage and put it in the car. When they were ready Clark came for me, and, wrapping me in a fur robe, we started for the ranch, my future home. (To be Continued)