Bemidji Daily Pioneer Newspaper, April 28, 1915, Page 1

e X4 | g VOLUME 13, NO. 102. BEMIDJI, MINNESOTA, WEDNESDAY MG,MN, 1916, s - FORTY CENYS PER MONTE. BATILE OF NEUVE CHAPELLE T0 FIND PLACE IN HISTORY Mystery is Thg&,s( Will Fight for Such a Place as 1.%%,, = by Eng- lish—Is Desolation oy, ¢ i PAYS FOR ITS NICHE IN ANN. Shells Have Churmed Buildings, Streets and Even Graveyard— Trenches Replace Highways. By WILLIAM G. SHEPHERD (United Press Staff Correspondent) (Copyright, 1915, by United Press) (Copyright in Great Britian) With the British army in Northern France, April 16.—(By mail to New York.)—The road to Neuve Chapelle, Fngland’s newest possession, is sunk- en; it's the road of the trenches. As soon as you enter the trench of the British army before Neuve Chapelle you don’t leave the shelter of tren- ches until you're in the town and when you're in the town you don’t leave it either. Neuve Chapelle is blown to pieces. Its earth and streets, even its graveyard, has been churned by shells. From a zig-zag trench you get your first view of it; it is desolation itself. The mystery is that men will fight for such a place, but the battle of Neuve Chapelle is already finding its place in history as a tremendous achievement of an English general. The quiet little French village that has never before been noticed, pays for its niche in the annals of human affairs. Held On For Months. You're plodding along the trench. “Dighby MacDonald,” calls the colonel, who is guiding you as he stops be- fore a cloth that seems to be hung like wall paper on treach. The cloth moves; a moment later you're being introduced to an English colonel. Digby MacDonald helped tomake these trenches; he came here first with his men during the days when the Ger- mans were Sweeping <Calaisward when he had to order his men to a ditch besides the LaBassee road.| Here's the La Bassee road, and here’s Digby MacDonald and his men in the sathe old spot;~ ‘Ths mogths passed since last Qctober amd ‘this little bunch of men held on; across the road the Germans held on, too. Night and day, night and day, for hundreds of days they were deadlocked. See Neuve Chapelle. “Look over the trench, Neuve Chapelle,” says Digby Mac- Donald. You hesitate about raising your head. “It’s all right,” he says. “The German trench is right over ‘there hetween us and the village, but it’s clear of Germans now and the German trenches are 200 yards be- hind the town.” This is your first clear glimpse of Neuve Chapelle. You're really in its outskirts. It is only on the other side from you and an eighth of a mile away and across the meadows you see a man strolling toward you, dressed in khaki, inspect- ing telephone posts, apparently. You're standing on an elevated road- way, behind a shelter of sandbags and the meadow line below you. Bullets Come Close. “It was from these trenches be- side the roadway that our men rush- ed over the road into the meadow and against those German trenches in the battle,” explained one of the offi- cers. ‘“‘Behind them were the re- serves. They came piling over this road by the thousands.” While he is talking the khaki person in the meadow is cooling strolling around and whistling. So are rifle bullets, now and then. Some are uncomfort- ably close; they are spent bullets and they are noiser than the bullets newly sent. All this time German and English shells have been in the pathway. A whine came near to us on our right and a hundred yards away a shell exploded and threw up a huge cloud of earth, topped by smoke. On our right, five minutes later another shell fell, but further distant. Five of them came within fifteen minutes. We took the tren- ches and advanced to Neuve Chapelle. While you're in the town you can’t see it. Your whole world is the wall of the trenches.. The night is without a sound save for a muttered oath when someone slips in the mud and the noise of the rifles. It seems like a hunting party or as if you were behind the scenes at a theatrical performance. You feel pretty safé. You have already for- gotten the graves back there. there’s The Presbyterian Ladies’ Aid so- ciety will meet tomorrow afternoon at 2:30 at the home of Mrs. A. Lord, 903 Beltrami avenue. A pienic lunch will be served. All the ladies are cordially invited. M. L. Tankel, of Minneapolis, au- ditor of the Dan Patch air line, is visiting his ‘brothers-in-law, Henry and Charles Cominsky. MEN TO SERVE SUPPER Annual Flapjack Meal of Presbyter- ians To Be Given Thuesday, May 11 Many have been anxiously await- ing the announcement of the date of the annual ham and egg and flap- Jack supper served by the men of the Presbyterian church and here it is, Tuesday, May 11. It was announced yesterday by Rev. 8. E. P. White. Two suppers are given each year by the men of the church, a turkey sup- ~er in the fall and a flapjack repast < /the spring. The meals are pre- “|-ared and served by the men and are always delicious. T0 SETTLE GONTROVERSY Auditor George Attends Warren Meet- ing For Purpose of Straightening 0ut Difficulties Involving No. 11. |SETTLERS OFFER OBJECTIONS With James L. George, county auditor, and many settlers of Steen- erson, Minnie, Benville and Spruce Grove townships in attendance, a meciing is being held before Judge Grindeland at Warren today for the purpose of reaching an agreement concerning certain matters relative to Judicial Ditch No. 11, which have been in controversy since last Novem- ber. This ditch is one of the largest in the state, being 542 miles in length and was built jointly by Beltrami and Marshall counties, Engineer Hoag being in charge. This county has paid $300,000 of its share for the construction of the drain and when application for the balance, $40,000, was made last November strenuous objection was heard from officials and settlers of the territory benefited. The Beltrami commissioners refused to pay,the balance until the matter was straightened out. Claims were made that the yard- age of the diteh showed a shortage and that a large part of the ditch alleged to have been completed had not been dug, and these contentions have been substantiated by Diteh Referee Dent. The plan now is to have a neutral engineer appointed to thoroughly in- vestigate the building of the ditch and to ascertain the true .condition. The ditch, was to be built at ap- proximately $700,000, a little ‘more than half of the ditch is in Beltrami county. It is also claimed that the book- keeping concerning the ditch in the office of the engineer is far from com- plete, many important items being missing. ALLIES GAIN OFFENSIVE IN FRANGE AND BELGIUM (United Press) London, April 28.—The offense in French and Belgium warfare has passed into the hands of the allies. It is reported here that the German offensive is wavering and that the French have thrown their entire re- serve strength against St. Julian which must be recaptured. The Ger- mans have not been able to do any more than to dig themselves into new positions and have been unable to construct any permanent entangle- ments. British critics declare that the allied army will now be able to proceed without any heavy loss of life. Meeting At Tenstrike George F. Howard, of the Univer- sity Agricultural Extension division, rand B. M. Gile, the Bemidji Agricul- turist, were speakers at a farmers’ meeting held in Tenstrike last even- ing. Today meetings were held in the schools at Wilton and Solway and this evening a farmers’ meeting will be held in Lammers township. To Appraise Two Townships. L. G. Pendergast, the Bemidji rep- resentative, will leave in about two weeks for Duluth where he will do some appraising for the state tax commission. His first work will be two townships on the Lake and Cook WOMANS PEACE | ™ ™= == [FRE DESTROYS CONGRESSCONVENES Fifteen Hundred Delegates From World’s Greatest Nations Gather at The Hague to Hasten End of War JANE ADDAMS NAMED CHAIRMAN England Representatives Are Re- fused Passports--Disruption Avoid- ed Because of Previous Action. The Hague, April 28.—What can the women of the world do to stop the war? A majority of the delegates were in their seats when the Women's congress opened this morning, and the German government had raised the ban. Most of the Italian women were absent because of the fact that war with Austria is believed imminent. It was stated by Dr. Anna Auspurg that. the congress must be a success be- cause the international feeling for humanity is higher than patriotism and stronger than hatred. Jane Addams Chairman. Jane Addams, the Chicago philan- trophist and socialogist, was unani- mously elected permanent chairman of the congress. It became known today that Eng- land refused a majority of its dele- gates passports on the ground that the enemy might attempt to make them disclose military gecrets. Within the next three days some 1,500 earnest, thoughtful, hopeful women, representing all the great nations—both belligerent and neutral —will endeavor to answer this ques- tion, as well as present for the con- sideration of the various govern- ments the claims of womanhood both in the formulation of peace terms, and afterwards. At the invitation of the women of Holland, supported by leaders in the progressive feminist movement in the United States—particularly the American Women’s Peace Party— and those of the Scandinavian coun- tries, the International Congress of Women opened its first day’s session today in this ‘“peace capitol” of the world. Among the delegates are many whose busbands, fathers or sons are now fighting for their coun- try—or already have been slain or maimed for life. It is said that practically every one of the 20 representatives of Germany have close relatives in the Kaiser’s army. Owing to the restrictions against indescriminate travel these days between France and Holland— through England—only a few French women so far have arrived. Half Are Dutch Women, More than half the delegates are Duteh women, and a very large per- centage of the others are from Den- mark, Norway and Sweden. A party of fifteen, under the leadership of Miss Jane Addams, came direct from the United States, via Rotterdam, in order to avoid the vexatious delays of travel through England caused by the severe regulations regarding vise of passports, Home Office permits, etc. Delegations are also present from Russia Austria, Hungary, Serbia and even Turkey. One American woman has come, under her special request, to voice the plea of the women of her country who have been suffering cruelly in the war. The war-swept countries of Belgium and Poland, Italy, Greece and the other Balkan states are likewise represented, in addition to various British colonies. To Avoid Disruption. In order to prevent acrimonious de- bate that might lead to a disruption of the congress and thus defeat the objects for which it was called, the various women’s organizations send- ing delegates agreed in advance that any reference to “relative national responsibility” for the origin or con- duct of the war should be considered out of order. This suggestion was made by the central committee of Dutch women who arranged the de- tails of the congress and drew up the tentative resolutions which will form the basis for the general discussions. “The -only possible objection to such a meeting,” said one of the or- county line. “ead tho Ploneer want ads, ganizers today, “was that at this par- ticular time, when national feeling (Continued on last page). Destructive Distillation Plant Pro- position Disonssédl by Merchants - There 15 a possibility that Be- midji will soon be glven a destruc- tiye distiliation plant, calling for an investment of approximately $80,- 000. The purpose of the plapt will be for the reduetion of norway pine and jackpine stumps, turpentine, ro- sin, pine tar, varnish, creosote and a hundred other by-products being manufactured. The proposition was discussed at the meeting of the Mer- chants’ association Tuesday afternoon and a committee Comprising C. W. Brandborg, B. H. Winter and W. L. Brooks appointed to investigate and consider the advisability of encour- aging the locating of-the plant here by Mr. Cate, who 18 of the opinion that Bemidji would:be an ideal loca- tion for such an institution. It was announced at the meeting that D. L. Friedmann, of the Fargo firm of David Quail & company, public. ac- countants, will addrees the merchants during the next several days, a spe- cial meeting to be called. HAS PRAISE FOR GILMAN Representative Penidergast Says St. Cloud Lawmaker is Entitled to Much Credit for Session’s Work. FAVORED NORMAL SCHOOL BILL “What man do you name as being more than any other for the passage of the bill appropriating $25,000 for the building of Bemidji’s normal school,” was asked Representative L. G. Pendergast, who fathered the bill in the house, this morning. “All things considered I would give credit to Charles A. Gilman, of St. Cloud, the oldest man in the leg- islature,” was his quick reply. “Rep- resentative Gilman was chairman of the normal school committee of the house and he must be given credit for the unanimous vote of the com- mittee in recommending the passage of the original bill, providing $150,- 000 for the school, gveryone of the twelve votes l’avuring; it.” Representative Pendergast will be 73 years old in Ju He was the third oldest member af the last legis- lature. Representatiye Gilman, who was at one time lieutenant governor of the state and a member of the senate and house for several terms, being 82 and Fred Seebach of Red Wing being 74. The Bemidji law- maker was otherwise distinguished as he was one of the three old sol- diers in the house, the others being Representative John Hompe, of Deer Creek, and Seebach. “For Mr. Gilman I have the great- est respect,” said the Bemidji vet- eran. “He was just as active dur- ing the session as any young member, and was just as desirous of political preferment. He was a strong sup- porter of every measure of benefit to Northern Minnesota and was anx- ious to assist in passing all bills of merit, while his opposition for meas- ures of less importance could always be expected. He retains his ambi- tion of younger days and I count him really a wonderful man. “He was loyal to his home city and county, St. Cloud and Stearns. He urgently supported the bill re- quiring the state to use Minnesota granite in building state structures, a measure of great benefit to St. Cloud. He also caused a bill which Would have granted St. Cloud the privilege to bond for an unlimited amount to be reduced to a $25,000 limit. In this amount the bill passed the house, but otherwise it would (Continuea on last page). PUPILS FORM NEW LEAGUE Students of . Freshman, Eighth, Seventh, Sixth and Fifth Grades Organize Junior Association. FIRST GAME PLAYED TUESDAY Much interest in the Bemidji schools has been aroused because of the organization of what will be known as the Junior Baseball League, in which five teams have been given ST.PAULLIBRARY; LOSS IS $600,000 Seventeen Firemen Injured While Fighting Flames Which Have Burned Since Last Evening. ASK MINNEAPOLIS FOR AID Five Million Gallons of Whter Poured on Main Fire—$7,000 Loss at St. Paul Wrecking Company. (United Press) St. Paul, April 28.—Seventeen fire- men were injured, several perhaps fatally, and property damage esti- mated at $600,000 in a series of fires which swept St. Paul last night and today. This biggest of the fires was the public library in which sixteen firemen were hurt, with a damage of about $500,000. i The other big fire was that at the St. Paul Wrecking company, the loss being approximately $7,000, one fire- man being injured. Chief Melander was injured last night when he was struck by a truck at the library fire. His condition is improved today. Crossed Wires Cause. Attempts to place the blame of the fire upon spontaneous combustion in refuse in the basement failed, and it is believed that crossed wires were re- sponsible. Fire Still Burning. At 3 o’clock this afternoon the fire was still burning although it has been placed under control. The Gaity theater, near the scene of the fire, was converted into a temporary hos- pital, at one time having thirty per- 'sons in it, many being merely over- come by smoke. At noon 5,000,000 gallons of water had been poured on the main fire alone. Have Narrow Escape. Six firemen narrowly escaped suf- focation from smoke and gas. An explosion of smoke in the store on the corner of Wabasha and Sev- enth streets gave the first warning of the blaze, which later got so far be- yond control that a 6-llalarm, the fire department’s “S. O. 8., was sent | * oyt for the first time in six yeal “The alarm was turned in at and was followed in rapid succession by calls for out-of-town help, in- chiding Minnenpoll_s_. Hundreds Battle Fire. At midnight hundreds of firemen were battling with the flames, ham- pered by smoke and gas the frail structure then appeared to be doom- ed, with great hazard of it sweeping the adjoining buildings. Scores of lines of hose were pour- ing hundreds of gallons of water each minute into the huge building, which covers a block, it appeared to be mak- ing scant impression. places, the fireshman class, eighth, seventh, sixth and fifth grades being represented. The league was organized accord- ing to a plan of Superintendent W. P. Dyer and will be directed by Julius Bestul, science instructor and coach of athletics in the schools. Games will be played every Tuesday ~and Thursday afternoons, the champion- ship aggregation to be awarded a high priced bat. Due largely to the terrific hitting of Johnson, second baseman, who poled two home rums and two two- base hits, the Sixth grade Tuesday afternoon defeated the Seventh in the opening game of the league by a score of 18 to 7. Chase and Olson pitched for the winners, Stechman doing the receiving, while Rutledge, Cota and Jones comprised the Seventh grade battery. Standing of the Clubs. Won Lost Pet. Sixth Grade .. 1 [ 1.000 Fifth Grade . [ [J .000 Eighth Grade . [ 0 .000 Freshman Class ... .0 0 .000 Seventh Grade ....0 1 .000 The next game will be played to- morrow afternoon when the Sixth will play the Eighth. The pupils of each class are en- thusiastic over the the games and rooters’ clubs are being organized to encourage their respective teams. BAND GIVES ENTERTAINMENT Advertise May Dance Which is to Be Given Friday Night. For the purpose of bringing at- tention to the May dance which is to be given in the City hall Friday eve- ning, the band gave a street concert last evening, a large number hear- ing the music. Later the members were taken to Nymore in the Carter jitney where a short concert was given. One of the features of the dance will be a May pole and the hall will be attractively decorated. The band was led last night by H. E. Anderson. SENIORS TO SELECT PLAY Several Being Considered With “The Hoodoo” in Most Favor—Twenty- one Candidates for Graduation. “COMING-UP” IS CLASS MOTTO Members of the senior class of the Bemidji high school are meeting with much difficulty in the selection of a class play. -'Four well known produe- tions are being considered but the one most favored is “The Hoodoo.” Edwin Simons, president, ecalled a meeting of the class Tuesday after- noon at which the problem was dis- cussed and a definite selection is ex- pected to be made soon. The class selected “Coming-up” as its motto and named the red rose as its flower. With but another month of school the members of the class are looking forward to graduation and preliminary plans for commence- ment week are now being discussed. There are twenty-two members of the senior class who are candidates for graduation, a large percentage being practically certain of receiving their diplomas while several are on the anxious seat. -These are members of the class: Margaret Anderson, Claire Nangle, Margaret McGhee, Fern Robertson, Mable Booth, Lucile Steidle, Harriet Davids, Helen Evans, Fred Graham, Edwin Simons, Leslie Slater, Alvin Olson, Glen Conger, Robert Shaw, Eugene Cahill, Marie Cahill, Marie Larson, Gertrude Huntosh, Grace Manor, Edyth Carlson, Margaret Congdon and Mary Baney. This list: includes fifteen girls and séven boys Thé-graduating class last year numbered ninetéen. : LARGE FRENGH ARMORED GRUISER IS TORPEDOED (United Press) Paris, April 28.—In an official dis- pateh given out by the French war department this afternoon contained the : information that the large French armored cruiser’ Leongambet- ta, of 12,352 tons displacement, had been torpedoed and sunk. It is pre- sumed that the warship struck an Austrian mine in the Adriatic sea, off Otranto. It is not known how many of the crew were drowned but it is believed that some were saved. De- tails of the disaster are lacking. TO BAUDETTE BY AUTO Bridge Being Placed Over Ditoh 13— Connects With No. 20. Automobile trips from Bemidji to Baudette and Spooner ‘will soon be possible and a bridge is now being built over Judicial Ditch No. 13 which will open State Road No. 4 for travel. Ditch No. 13 connects with No. 20, which runs north from Red Lake. . The bridge will be com- pleted in about a month. Banquet For Firemen Last evening the Bemidji firemen were given a banquet after the regular meeting, the affair be- ing planned by their wives, mothers and friends. Covers were laid on two large tables in the City hall The Bemidji band played several selections and after the banquet the room was cleared and dancing en- joyed, the music being furnished by ‘the band orchestra. Russian peasent women work in the fields with the men. SCOO THE CUB REPORTER Sherlock Holmes Had It On Scoop I This Department NOW $C00P-NOU CLAIM A GOOD POLICE- REPORTER SHOULD BE BOTH DETECTIVE AND WRITER -T WANT Y0U TO HELP US ON THIS BLAUK HAND MNSTERY CASE. > SOCIALIST AGAN “RESTRAINSBOARD FRON GIVING AD Beltrami Only County of Booster As- sociation Not to Appropriate Money - for Development Work. —— TO INVESTIGATE HIS DEFENSE Vote Will Be Taken to Asoertain Whether Ninety Per Cent of Third District Citizens Sustain Aotion. Claiming that 30 per cent of ths constituents in his district were op» posed to his voting in favor of the: small appropriation of ' $260 for furthering the work and support of the Northern Minnesota Developgent association, Commissioner = Hayes from the Third district voted no, and the four other commissioners “yu, ‘when roll was called on a motion fa- voring this appropriation Tuesday af- ternoon. A committee of business men agked the board to reconsider this propo- sition, as” the matter was tuyned down by Hayes the last time it came up for passage. According to 'the state law, the unanimous vote of the board is required, but stubborn Mr. Hayes refuses to do as (by his own admission) his conscience dic- tates. ‘““Ninety per cent of my con- stituénts are opposed to it and I'll have to do &s they want me to,” said ‘‘faithful” comrade Hayes, “§)- though T would favor it myselt.” Hayes Placed on Record. After the proposition was well ex- plained by F.-S. Lycan, one of the committee, Mr. Hayes said: “I don't wish to change my stand at all.” The vote was then taken in order to place Mr. Hayes on record, the mo- tion having been made by Commis- sioner Lennon of Kelliher. 2 “What is your objection?” asked: H. E. Reynolds of Mr Hayes. Then Mr. Hayes “reluctantly” admitted that 90 per cent of the constitugnts in his district were opposed to “I have made lots of inquirfes of men. in my district, and I have been 8l over it, pretty near, and have yet\W: find one ‘Who-ls in favor df ft. Lots that I-aidn’t-spesk to wia it woud’ come up again and that'I should op- pose this proposition. - I am= = ally in favor of it,” saild Mr. Hayes. Would Give One ‘Dollar, “How much would you give?” asked Mr Reynolds. “I would give one dollar,” replied Mr. Hayes. Mr. Reynolds then explained the advan- tage of Beltrami county doing f{ts part and clearly showed where di- rect benefit would be derived by resi- dents of Mr. Hayes’ district, as well as the rest of the county. Messrs. Rako, Lennon, Thompson and others took a firm stand, favoring the ap- propriation of $350 in an endeavor to swing Mr. Hayes, but he failed to swing. Attention, Third District! Attention, voters! who live in Mr. Hayes’ district. The feeling through- out the county'is that there are just a8 loyal a bunch of boosters in the Third Commissioner’s district as in other districts. Mr. Hayes can’t find them, although he has been “pretty near everywhere.” First a word about this appropriation. Beltrami county is the only county in the association which has /not voted its share toward the support of the work for 1915. This year it is asked for $250, considerably less than previous years, and is the only time it has not responded. The whole Northwest has heard of Bemidji and Beltrami - county through this or- ganization. Thousands of new set- tlers haye been brought here through its efforts. “Beltrami -county is the parent county of the association, and to think that it cannot vote through the board of county commissioners, its share, because one obstinate mem- ber votes against it. - The value de- rived and to be derived through hold- ing the winter meeting in Bemidjl cannot be measured in dollars and cents. Where the county gives $250 it will receive in return ten times this money in actual benefit. To Secure Sentiment. In order to get at the sentiment in the Third Commissioner’s district, The Pioneer has decided to make the following offer: A three months’ subscription free to the Weekly Plo- neer to all who will cut out the cou- pon on page 4 and send it to this of- fice during the next ten days. Vote . either way you like. If you think that this county should boost this development movement to the extent of appropriating $250, vote yes. It not, vote mno. X To Show Ridiculousness. 5 The idea of taking this vote is not to place men on record so much as to show the ridiculousness of.- Mr. Hayes’ statement, which was that 90 per cent of his constituents in the'- Third Commissioner’s district were opposed to such a move and that he had seen mearly all of them about. -~ it.