Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 152, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 July 1918 — Page 4

BARKLEY-GILLAM TOWNSHIP COMMENCEMENTS

The eighth grade commencement was held at Barkley church in Bark-; ley township last Thursday night, i An exceptionally large crowd was, present for the occasion. There was j not enough standing room in the | church so the windows on the out- i side were used as a place to hear; Prof. Rettger in his earnest appeal for education. Professor Rettger spoke for an hour driving his message home from the start. He gathered his inspiration from the largest graduating class in Jasper county who sat on the stage at his side. Those receiving their diplomas were: Erma Adams, Elva Adams, Mary E. Ahren, Frank Britt, Mary E. Callender, Gladys Elliott, Garfield Folger, Inez Flesher, Henry George, Ethel Hilton, Elsie Hamford, Geneva Myers, Anna M organegg, Leota Obenchain,* Ellsworth Price, Rachael Peregrine, Alice . Digman, Robert Scott, Mabel Scott, Elvin Schroer, Wiliam Snedeker, Roy D. Williams, Mary Williams, from Barkley. The following pupils from Gillam township given dipkmias were: Clara Guild, Hilda Onkin and Clarence Hansen. . . Superintendent M- L. Sterrett delivered the piplomas to the graduates and before so doing urged the parents of the graduates to make a de-

Are the Packers Profiteers? ■ ■ -- . - - - - - -- ; ■- ■ ' Plain Facts About the Meat Business

The Federal Trade Commission in its recent report on war profits, stated that the five large meat packers have been profiteering and that they have a monopoly of the market. These conclusions, if fair and just, are matters of serious concern not only to those engaged in ; the meat packing business but to every other citizen of our country. The figures given on profits are misleading and the statement that the packers have a monopoly is unsupported by the facts. The packers mentioned in the report stand ready to prove their profits reasonable and necessary. * * * * The meat business is one of the largest American industries. Any citizen who would familiarize himself with its details must be prepared for large totals. The report states that the aggregate profits of four large packers were $ 140,000,000 for the three war years. This sum is compared with $19,000,000 as the average annual profit for the three years before the war, making it appear that the war profit was $121,000,000 greater than the pre-war profit. This compares a three-year profit with a one-year profit-a manifestly unfair method of comparison. It is not only misleading, but the Federal Trade Commission apparently has made a mistake in the figures themselves. * * * * The aggregate three-year profit of $140,000,000 was earned on sales of over four and a half billion dollars. It means about three cents on each dollar of sales-or a mere fraction of a cent per pound of product. Packers’ profits are a negligible factor in prices of live stock and meats. No other large business is conducted upon such small margins of profit. * * * * Furthermore-and this is very important-only a small portion of this profit has been paid in dividends. The balance has been put back into the business. It had to be, as you realize when you consider the problems the packers have had to solve-and solve quickly-during these war years. To conduct this business in war times, with higher costs and the necessity of paying two or three times the former prices for live stock, has required the use of two or three times the ordinary amount of working capital. The additional profit

1 termined stand to place their son or daughter in high, school the coming year. The parents were very enthusiastic over Professor Rettger’s remarks and from ajl appearances Barkley township will have a large representation in the high school next winter. All three of the Gillam graduates are arranging to go to high school. Clara Guild and Hilda Onkin will go to Medaryville while Clarence Hansen will go to Rensselaer. A local choir furnished excellent music for the evening. Rev. Cramer, of the Barkley church, gave a very fitting invocation and benediction. The decorations were no better at any commencement in the county. The general impression among the patrons was that the commencement another year should be held in the afternoon on the outside so that all could observe the exercises.

MILROY-HANGING GROVE TOWNSHIP COMMENCEMENTS

The Milroy church was filled to its utmost capacity while a third of the enthusiastic patrons from Milroy and Hanging Grove townships were compelled to listen from the raised windows at the joint commencement held last Saturday night Trustee Foulks had secured a piano from Monon for the occasion. An orchestra consisting of Beatrice Til-

THE EVENING REPUBLICAN, RBNSSELAEB. IN».

ton, Dorris (Jeffert, Carroll Burroughs, Ethel Burroughs and Orval Rowan furnished excellent music for the affair. Miss Tilton also played a violin solo which was well received. • Prof. Rettger gave ah address that was full of his usual fire and enthusiasm. The crowded audience drank every word that Prof. Rettger poured in a continuous stream for more than an hour. This was the largest graduating class that Milroy township has ever sent into the high school and it seemed to inspire Prof. Rettger. One of the surprising features of the audience was the fact that there were several who heard Professor Rettger at the Barkley-Gillam commencement on Friday night and came all the way to hear him again in Milroy. The patriotic appeals that men of the Rettger-Moran type are worth untold amounts of good wherever they speak. Prof. Moran had a like experience when he spoke at the Union Consolidated in South Marion. The graduates received their dipomas from Supt. Sterrettwho asked the parents of the graduates to hear Prof. Rettger’s remarks and then make an earnest effort to enroll their graduates in high school the coming i year. Those who received gradua-l tion honors were: Lulu Anderson, Iva Blankenship, Ivan Blankenship, Carl Beaver, Marian Garvin, Ray

makes only a fair return on this, and as has been stated, the larger portion of the profits earned has been used to finance huge stocks of goods and to provide additions and improvements made necessary by the enormous demands of our army and navy and the Allies. * * * * If you are a business man you will appreciate the significance of these facts. If you are unacquainted with business, talk this matter over with some business acquaintance—with your banker, say—and ask him to compare profits of the packing industry with those of any other large industry at the present time. * * * * No evidence is offered by the Federal Trade Commission in support of the statement that the large packers have a monopoly. The Commission’s own report shows the large number and importance of other packers. The packers mentioned in the statement stand ready to prove to any fair minded person that they are in keen competition with each other, and that they have no power to manipulate prices. If this were not true they would not dare to make this positive statement. Furthermore, government figures show that the five large packers mentioned in the report account for only about one-third of the meat business of the country. They wish it were possible to interest you in the details of their business. Of how, for instance, they can sell dressed beef for less than the cost of the live animal, owing to utilization of by-pro-ducts, and of the wonderful story of the methods of distribution throughout this broad land, as well as in other countries. The five packers mentioned feel justified in co-op-erating with each other to the extent of together presenting this public statement. They have been able to do a big job for your government in its time of need; they have met all war time demands promptly and completely and they are willing to trust their case to the fairmindedness of the American people with the facts before them. Armour and Company Cudahy Packing Co. Morris & Company Swift & Company Wilson & Company

Lytle, Thomas MeAleer, Arnold Sayers, Okal Spencer, Ora Evelyn Clark, from Milroy township. Those from Hanging Grove were: Scott Cook, Orville Hague, Kathrine Spencer, Josephine Johnson, Naomi Swing, Helen Tyler and Paul Randle. The decorating committee had the front decorated with flags, flowers, etc., which made a fine appearance. The county superintendent congratulated the decofating committee upon their sacrifices and excellent taste in decorating. Rev. Hill, of Rensselaer, gave a very fitting invocation followed at the conclusion with a benediction worthy of remembrance. Trustees Poole and Foulks were both present.

Paul Beam spent Sunday in Indianapolis. Mrs. D. Dobbins spent Sunday at Monticello. Maude Reynolds returned Saturday from Chicago. Mr. and Mrs. D. E. Grow are visiting at Wabash. Mr. and Mrs. David Haste, of Gary, spent Sunday here. Evelyn Wagoner returned to Chicago Sunday, after a visit with Mr. I and Mrs. Goodrich. *

Mike Porter, who has been working at Gary, was home over Sunday with his folks. Wim. L. Freye and Ray Stevenson drove to Toledo, Ohio for a few i days. Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth Allman, of Indianapolis are spending a week with their parents and friends. Orval Huff returned to Rowen, lowa Sunday, after a short visit with' his parents. Elmer Daniels was home from Fort Harrison for Sunday with his wife and the new boy. Mr. and Mrs. T. Schmitter returned to Delphr-iSunday, after a visit with Mr. and Mrs. I. W. Nagel. Gertrude Jackson, who is attending Miss Biaker’s Kindegarten school at Indianapolis, spent Sunday with her parents. r - Worth McCarthy, Howard York and Robert Platt, who are in *the navy at Chicago, spent Sunday with relatives here. Thomas Padgett, who is with the Great Lakes Band returned to Minneapolis, Minn., after a short visit with his parents.

GET BUSY.

We are in this war to win And crush tyranny again; And when we go to iwar, we never fail; There’s a world of work to do And we’ve got to put it through; Go to work, or go to war, or go to jail. Every man must do bis bit On this job, and never quit Until we make the German Kaiser quail; Put your shoulder to the wheel Crush the serpent ’neath your heel; Go to work, or go to war, or go to jail. At Lexington and Bunker Hill Our Heroes fought, and we fight etill That Liberty and Freedom may prevail; And our cause, so just and right Is sure to triumph over might; Go to work, or go to war, or go to ' . jail. You Idle Rich, you need not seek To longer hide the yellow streak Your Country calls; why don’t you hit the trail? The work will make you strong and tough You’ve played the slacker long enough; ' ; Go to work, or go to war, or go to j&il. 1 ?_ _ M. Rankin Halstead.