Jasper County Democrat, Volume 20, Number 94, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 February 1918 — Page 1

Jasper County Democrat

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DEFENSE COUNCIL IN SESSION

Matters of Routine Business Transacted Wednesday. The Jasper County Council of Defense met in regular session at the court house Wednesday afternoon with a goodly attendance of members and other interested parties. Matters of routine business were discussed. Rev. j. Budman Fleming, chairman of the Morals committee, who had been instructed to investigate the public libraries in Jasper county and ascertain if there were any pro-German books therein, reported that he had investigated the libraries at Rensselaer and Remington, but did not find anything objectionable. Mrs. Ora T. Ross, chairman of women’s activities, reported that she had been able to purchase yarn for the local Red Cross of the American Patriotic League at New York City for $2.75 per pound, which is the best price yet obtained.

WARMER WEATHER PREDICTED

Cold of Past Few Days Is Nearing An End. Colder weather has prevailed since Wednesday, when the temperature dropped to near zero. It has warmed up some during the day time but the nights again took the mercury down the tube. However, the weather has been bright and clear and far from unpleasant. At 2 o’clock yesterday afternoon the thermometer at The Democrat office registered 24 degress above zero. The prediction for this locality for today is “fair and warmer.”

MUST LIMIT SALES OF FLOUR Shortage Found In Many Indiana Counties. f ■ Drastic restrictions on the sale of flour in Indiana have been order' ed by Harry~E. Barnard, federal food administrator for Indiana, after a conference with Carl W. Sim- head of the milling division the state food administration. Reports have been received of a shortage in various counties. Under the new plan retailers are not to sell more than one pound a week per capita. In cities the amount is not to be more than five -pounds a week to the family and in the country twelve and one-half pounds. This difference is attributed to the fact that in cities 'baker's bread is more widely used than in the country. The order, which is to county food administrators, and which was issued just before he left for Washington, and as received by the local administrator, John Eger, follows: John Eger, Federal Food Administrator, Rensselaer, Indiana. Owing to acute conditions of wheat situation immediately notify all retailers to restrict until further notice. sale of flour to basis of one pound per week per capita and not more than five pounds in city and twelve and one-half pounds in country, still adhering to fifty-fifty rule substitutes. Take immediate census all stocks flour in distributors’ hands, pool stock, and re-distribute on equal basis. Do not allow flour to leave your county except to individual consumers, without notifying me. Am organizing flour distributing bureau to handle situation whenever county organization cannot provide.adequate supply. Situation very serious, you must handle local problems. BARNARD, ? Food Administrator for Indiana.

ASKS MORE FOOD PRODUCTION

Governor Wants County Farms to Increase Cultivated Acreage. Governor Goodrich has issued an appeal to county boards of commissioners asking that steps be taken to cultivate and plant every | available acre of grcyind at all county infirmaries to aid war production. irihis appeal the governor said: •'The poor asylums off this state have in farms an aggregate of 19,322 acres. The greater part of this can be cultivated. The need is for both farm and garden crops. Some poor asylums which formerly bought much fruit and vegetables now grow an abundance for their own use. Some have increased their dairy herds and poultry flocks. Many of them use the labor of inmates in one or more of these industries, according to their ability, to their benefit and happiness.” Try The Democrat’s Want Ad column. Yon will be most agreeubly surprised by the results.

COURT HOUSE NEWS IN BRIEF

Paragraphs From the Various Departments OF JASPER COUNTY CAPITOL The Legal News Epitomized—Together With Other Notes Gathered From the Several County Offices. County Treasurer Charles V. May was in Laifayette on business Wednesday. New suits filed: No. 8897. Fred Thomas et al vs Fred R. Hines et al; complaint on contract. Demand $5,000. Reports come from Houston, Texas, that Sheriff Ben D. McColly, who with his wife and little son went to that place about two weeks ago for tihe benefit of the former’s health, is considerably improved. Attorney W. W. Lowery of Indianapolis was in the city Thursday on business at the court house regarding the case of Stockton vs. Lane, which has been returned from the supreme court for retrial in the circuit court. John O’Connor of Kniman was in Rensselaer Thursday visiting his many friends along the street. He had been to Chicago on business the day previous and could not resist the temptation-to come down here before returning home. Articles of incorporation have been filed with the secretary of state by the Bunnell Auto Sales company of Hammond. The capital stock of the concern is SIOO,OOO, and in the list of directors appears the name of Jesse E. Wilson, formerly of Rensselaer. The case of August C. Stauffenberg vs. Daniel S. Makeever et al, appealed to the supreme court from the Jasper circuit court, has been transferred to the appellate court for want of jurisdiction, and appellant’s petition for time to and including April 19, 1918, is granted.

COURT NEWS

There has been very little doing in the circuit court this week. The Catherwood vs. Catherwood case, which involves the settlement of a large estate in Benton county, has occupied the attention of the court up to Thursday eveing when the hearing of evidence was concluded and the matter taken under advisement by the judge. Judge Wason of the Carroll-White circuit court has been chosen to hear the Claude May ditch case, but it is hardly probable that anything will be done this term. The case of State vs. Walters was continued for the term.

LAKE COUNTY POLL TRIAL

Special Venire of Thirty Men Drawn for Possible Jury Service A sepcial venire of thirty men has been drawn for possible jury service at the trial of the Lake county poll fraud conspiracy case against seven republicans, which is set to begin before a jury in the United States district court on February 26. L. Ert Slack, federal district attorney for Indiana, who will be in Charge of the prosecution, has begun preparations for the trial, which is expected to last a week. The defendants include Roswell O. Johnson, former mayor of Gary; William A. Forbis, chief of police at Gary during the Johnson administration; Clarence M. Renolett, and Howard .Hay, both connected with the Republican city committee- of Gary in the last campaign; James Black of Lowell and George 0. Schaaf of Whiting, Lake county commissioners at the time of the last election, and Matthew J. Brown of Crown Point, county treasurer. The indictment alleges a violation of Section 19 of the federal penal code by the alleged interference with voters in their preference of candidates.

THE TWICE-A-WEEK

RENSSELAER, JASPER COUNTY, INDIANA, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1918

WILL PETITION SCHOOL BOARD

To Discontinue Teaching German in the Public Schools. At a meeting of the Knights of Pythias Tuesday night a committee consisting of C. M. Sands, C. Arthur Teuter and C. -C. Warner, was appointed to prepare resolutions and present to the Rensselaer school board asking that the teaching of German in the public schools of this city be discontinued at once. In order to make the request as effective as possible a petition embodying these resolutions was drawn up and may be signed by anyone so desiring, and this petition may now be found at the office of C. M- Sands. Any move toward abolishing the teaching of German will no doubt have the approval of the student body. Twice in the last week some parties have entered the high school building during the night and made away with the German books. While the spirit that prompted the act may have been good, yet the method adopted must be condemned.

NOTES FROM COUNTY HOSPITAL

Born, February 21, to Mr. and Mrs. Jay Nowels, a daughter. Miss Fairchild of Demotte will undergo an operation this morning. John Wilbank of northeast of town was brought to the hospital Wednesday suffering from injuries sustained by falling from a load of hay. Norman Chase had his tonsils removed Wednesday. Mrs. Homer Hendrickson is improving nicely.

CONDITIONS AT CAMPS GOOD

Secretary Baker Visits Men and Finds Health Improved - Secretary Baker has just returned to Washington from a visit to a number of concentration camps in the South and Middle West, and stated that he ifound conditions very satisfactory. The general health at the camps was excellent, the secretary said. iClothirig was adequate and the equipment of rifles at each camp complete. Full complements of machine guns and artillery are not yet in hand, but there is enough of each to permit continual practice. “The disease and sick rates at each camp were found to be steadily declining,’’ said Mr. Baker’s statement. “At each camp an adequate number of trained nurses was found and the hospitals were well cared for and supplied and in the hands of capable medical and surgical staffs. The general health of all three camps was excellent and at Wheeler, where the worst sickness had occurred, the improvement was marked and steady. “The early difficulties due to crowding have been entirely overcome and none of the hospitals visited was being used to full capacity. In very few wards were all the beds occupied.”

FRENCH MONEY IN QUANTITY

Far Outstrips the United States Legal Tender. An Indiana soldier now in France] writes this father at Peru and gives an interesting description oif the quantity of French money compared to ours. He also adds a few w’ords . that should cause those with sons! at the .front to rest easy regarding] their comfort and welfare. One paragraph of his letter is as fol-, lows: •“I am changing all my American money, and a dollar in change is a pocketful. Five dollars in paper will wrap up a pair of rubber boots! Dad, believe just half what ■ you hear and lose your imagination, ] because the biggest part of all, rumors is false. We live just as comfortable here as there and the ] food here is great. We have two nice Y. M. C. A.’s, .and there is to be a big musical program for us tonight. Gee, we can get the finest wines and beer here, but no whisky. These French people sure are glad to see real soldiers. When we marched down the streets the first time the little children came up and kissed our hand and held ’em, just tickled to death. Sights are wonderful and we are enjoying good health.”

LATE BIRTH ANNOUNCEMENTS

February 20, to Mr. and Mrs. Charley Porter, north of town, a son.

GENERAL AND STATE NEWS

Telegraphic Reports From Many Parts of the Country. SHORT DITS OF THE UNUSUAL Happenings in the Nearby Citie* and Towns —Matters of Minor Mention From Many Places. ENTHUSIASM AT LOAN MEETING Next Drive Will Appeal Strongly to the Farmers. Although the government has not yet announced the date of the third Liberty loan drive, nor fixed the amount to be raised, the counties in the third Liberty loan district of Indiana are all set for a |recor<i-lbreaking campaign. Tuesday afternoon’s enthusiastic district meeting at Lafayette was remarkable in that it brought together the energetic workers of eight counties and found them all prepared for the starting of the big drive just as soon as the time is set. Thomas Bauer, chairman of the Tippecanoe county committee, presided at the meeting and there were representatives present from all the counties, including Tippecanoe, Carroll, White, Jasper, Newton, Benton, Warren and Fountain. The principal speakers were Will H. Wade, Liberty loan director; G. H. Dunscomb of Chicago; Secretary of State William A. Roach and Will H. Adams, reporter of the supreme court. The principal features of the meeting, aside from the enthusiasm shown, were the decisions in regard to the ipolicy to be pursued in the Liberty loan drive in this district and the importance of organizing the farmers. Mr. Wade told of the necessity of getting the farmers into closer touch with the Liberty loan movement. He said a fair chance to understand the nature of the loan has not been given the farmers. Mr. Wade, in his address, said there has been- a great change of heart among the people of Indiana regarding the Liberty loan. “The people are keenly alive to the call of the government,” he said, “and will subscribe more liberally than ever. This war has reached the homes of everybody.” Before the meeting adjourned the representatives, men and women from every county in the district, pledged themselves to dedicate their entire efforts to the loan drive and resolved to make it a brilliant success. They promised renewed energy and untiring labor in behalf of the loan. The representatives present were: Tippecanoe county, Thomas Bauer and Mrs. C. B. Stuart; Newton, Warren T. McCray and Miss Adah Bush; Jasper, J. N. ; Leatherman and Mrs. J. J. Hunt; | Carroll, W. M. Eaton and Mrs. Ed Blythe; White, W. K. O’Connell and Miss Mary Turner; Benton, Charles !B. McKnight; Fountain, Dan C. Reed; Warren, Burt Fleming.

REDUCED PRICE TO CONSUMER

Is Expected to Follow the Fuel i Administration’s Plan. Washington, February 22. —Reduction in the retail prices of both anthracite and bituminous coal is, expected by the United States fuel administration as the result of a. decision announced to eliminate jobbers’ commissions after next April 1. Under the new regulations retail dealers will obtain coal at the same price, whether buying directly from the mine or through middlemen. Jobbers are now permitted to add to the governipent price at the mine a commission of from 15 to 30 cents a ton, but the old practice will be resumed of making the Jobbers look to the mine operators ' for compensation. The mine prices will be increased slightly to provide for the operators’ added expense, btft it is announced that the advance will not be equal to the commission how allowed the* jobber. The amount of the increase will be determined later. Elimination of jobbers’ commissions, the fuel administration announced, was necessary in order to eliminate a systemized form of pro-

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FUTURE PUBLIC SALE DATES The Democrat has printed bill; for the following public sales: Wednesday, February 27, Oscar Russell, 1 mile east and 1% miles south of Gifford. General sale, including horses, cows, 7 head of hogs, 3 dozen chickens, 100 bushels seed oats, 10 tons timothy hay, corn fodder, farm Implements, etc. Thursday, February 28, J. W. Phares and N. Selby, on the H. O. Harris farm, 6 miles west of Rensselaer. Big general sale, including 19 horses and colts, 25 head of cattle, 35 head of hogs, a large number of farm Implements, hay, grain, etc. Saturday, March 2, Parmer Wiseman, on the Clay Harris ranch, 4 miles west and 1 % miles north of Fair Oaks. General sale, Including 11 horses and mules, 26 head of cattle, 39 head of shoats, seed corn, timothy hay, chickens. Implements, etc. & ° ■ /. Monday, March 4, 1918, joint sale of Moosmiller Bros., Simon Cook and Wash Lowman, on J. J- Lawler's Hanging Grove farm, miles east of Rensselaer. General sale, including 4 horses, 22 head of cattle, 10 brood sows, implements, etc.

MAY SOON LEAVE FOR FRANCE

Mrs. Donald Beam received a message from her husband in Chicago Thursday saying that it was not improbable that he and Don Wright and Harry Curlin, members Of the Great Lakes Naval band, would leave Chicago either today or Monday for New York and thence overseas, Mrs. Beam went to Chicago last night lor a brief visit with her husband. Orders issued several days ago set the time of departure for last Tuesday, but at the last moment this order was ■ rescinded and their departure postponed indefinitely, but it would now appear that they are to leave at once.

LOOK FOR YOUR NAME HERE

List of Subscribers Paid Since February 1. It has been the custom of The Democrat until recently to send at once a postal card receipt to each new subscriber received by mail or to the subscriber renewing his mibscription by mail, and of course the date on the label of their paper was changed when the list was next corrected, which is usually about every two weeks. Occasionally, when the office was heavily rushed with work, it has run to the third week before the date on the label has been changed. From this time on until further notice, because of the expense doubling up in mailing individual receipts, by reason of the increase in letter postage rates and the very close margin on which the newspaper business is now conducted with the war prices on paper and all kinds of printing material, we shall publish in the Saturday issue of The Democrat each week the names of those who renew their subscription during the week previous, which publication shall act as a receipt until the date on the label is changed, showing the precise date paid to. Following are the renewals and new subscriptions received since January 30, 1918: ♦Lloyd Reed, Fair Oaks Jesse Welsh, Chicago C L. Parks, Argos, Indiana M. C. Mills, New Point, Indiana N. A. Schmitter, Rensselaer R-l Alvin Fisher, Milnor, N. D. John Mann, Rensselaer F. M, Norman, Rensselaer R-2 Edgar J. Brown. Wheatfield J. H. Williamson, Rensselaer W. H. Wortley, Rensselaer R-l I>ewis Hooker, jjensselaer R-l Jos. Scheuri£h<Surrey A. D. Stephenson, Stevensville, Mont. J. A. Kolhoff, Rensselaer H. C. Vincent, Wabash ♦Paul H. Worland, Charlotte, N. C. August Fritz, Elk Point, S. D. ♦Ernest Winters, Medaryville R-l ♦George Winters, Francesville R-5 ♦Earl Price, Rensselaer R-2 B. T. Lanham, Rensselaer R-4 W. W. Reeve, Rensselaer Clyde Reeve, Masonville, N. Y. J. P. iHlammond, Rensselaer James F. Ross, Fairbury, 111. *L. H, Potts, Moody ♦Wm. S. Nuss, Fair Oaks R-2 John Langhoff, Rensselaer R-4 S. H. Norman, Boulder, Mont.

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FANCY PRODUCE MARKET.

February 22.—Get the top price. Bring us your produce. We are paying today the following prices: Eggs, 45c; old roosters, 12c; ducks and geese, 17c; turkeys, 18c to 23c; spring roosters,'24c; butterfat, 50c. We cannot buy hens or pullets owing to government Regulations. Our place of business will be open on Mondays.—C. E. PRIOR.

Vol. XX, No. 94

NATION FACES FOOD CRISIS

Next Two Mooths Most Critical R. R. Congestion Blamed. 11. S. MUST AID THE ALLIES Country Far Behind in Its Program of Sending Supplies Overseas— Aska the People to Help. Washington, Feb. 22.—The next two months will be the most critical period with regard to food that the United. States has faced since she entered th® war. This was the statement of Herbert Hoover. United States food administrator. Earnest co-operation Is called for. The statement reads: “In response to many Inquiries I beg to say it is true that since the first of December we have fallen fur behind) our agreed food program with the allies. By the end of February we will be short 45,000,000 bushels in cereal, products which we undertook as our share of their supplies. We also will be short of the amount of meat products that we were to deliver. “This deficiency Is due solely to th® railway congestion since that date. Face Critical Stage. “The next sixty days will be the most critical period in our food history. The simple fact is that the program goes far deeper than supplies to the alites. “During the last three months wo have fallen far behind in movement of foodstuffs from the farms to the consuming and storage centers. Up to th® first of February less than 50 per centl of the normal ratio of corn has been moved, less than SO per cent of thei oats and less than GO per cent of the, potatoes. “We had about 130, (MM) carloads ofl potatoes November 1 tlmt should hav® been moved from the producing centers, and up to the first of February we had moved about 28.000 carloads. We should have moved over 50,000 in. this period. The result is that potatoes are spoiling in the producers’ hands.

Transportation to Blame. •There is a great deal of live stock which has been ready for the market for some time, hut is still held in tho fanners’ hands through inability to obtain transportation. ‘The effect <>f this delayed movement has been manifold: “First—To Jeopardize the safety of n great deal of the soft corn and perishables, such as potatoes. “Second—Tlie stricture in flow of distribution has disturbed the price conditions in the country by practically suspending the law of supply and demand. "Third—The cost of grains for feeding live stock has so increased to the feetlsr of finished cattle that they face serious losses. The costs of the dairying industries have necessarily greatly Increased. “Fourth—Through the large consuming areas we have been living on reserves through the period of scant supplies*! These reserves are approaching exhaustion. "Fifth—We have been unable to transport to seaboard the necessary foodstuffs for the allies. Public Must Give Aid. •The situation calls for every co-op-eration of the public —through the quick loading of cars, loading them to capacity, and discharging them quickly—and in every way reducing the tax on the railways. “Co-operation can be given by reduction lit consumption of foodstuffs, by the consumption of home and local stores to the exclusion of transported articles. “No effort is being spared to move allied food, and the railway directorate is arranging sjtecial trains to carry meat and packing house.products from Chicago to load the waiting ships. “HERBERT HOOVER.”

SHIPYARD ROW IS NEAR END

Concessions Being Made by Both Government and Union. Washington, Feb. 22.—Concessions by the United States shipping board and William L. Hutcheson, president of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, seem likely to hying an end to the controversy that started when Hutcheson called out the men in the Atlantic coast shipyards. Hutcheson submitted a counter-proposal to the board, and this is now under consideration. He has receded from his position on some minor points, but still holds out for the closed shop and for the appointment of a carpenters’ brotherhood man on the wage adjustment board of the shipping board.

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