Penorratic; Watch, BY P. GRAY MEEK INK SLINGS. —May hasn’t been doing so badly in the weather line. —Again let us advise all those who can afford to do so to store next win- ter’s coal now. — Surely the Kaiser got a shock when he heard of the success of the third Liberty loan. — Building a big ship in a trifle more than three weeks is “going some” but that is only approaching our speed limit. ——Speaking of “sinews of war,” the over subscription of the third Lib- erty loan serves notice of abundance in this country. — The Russian treasury is empty, according to reports, but the Bolshe- viki leaders have probably filled their coal bins all right. — Germany is beginning to find out that Americans are natural born soldiers who need little training to make good fighters. — Kaiser Karl, of Austria, has been proven a liar as well as a pol- troon but that only qualifies him for association with Kaiser Bill. —Republican aspirants for the Con- gressional nomination are busy in Centre county. Some of them seem to look on this as the pivotal unit in the District. — The Kaiser seems to have only one sure ally in this country and that is the United States Senate. But even the Senate is incapable of work- ing much harm now. — The 1918 wheat crop in this coun- try forecasts a yield of a billion bush- els. If unfavorable conditions do not intervene before harvest time it will be the third largest crop we have ever produced. —If it is impossible for you to get to a public place of worship at the noon hour, pause for a moment, wher- ever you happen to be, bow the head and reverently ask God to help our cause, our boys and you. —The 101 German lies that are now being published in the “Watchman” are attracting considerable attention. We have heard from a number of readers to the effect that some of the lies have been spread in their commu- nities and given credence. —The third Liberty Loan went over the top and then some. Glory be! But we're not near over the top of that pile of paper we need. Come on, all you who are in the class prior to July 1st, 1918. We don’t want to have to draw a draft on you. — That long distance gun with which the Crown Prince and other German murderers were bombarding Paris and killing ‘a few women and: children at intervals appears to have gone out of commission. But it hasn’t got much on the Crown Prince. He will go out of commission before long. — Talk about trials. Think of what the poor kiddies will have to go through with between this date and May 23rd, when a circus is billed to appear here. It will be asking too much to insist that they buy a thrift stamp with that quarter when they know it will buy a ticket te the big show. — We don’t know how Tom feels about it now, but we do know that at the moment Rev. Richelsen took that full page advertisement in the Ga- zette and laid down the mazuma to pay for it the editor of our up town contemporary said “that is just the man we ought to have in Congress.” We fear that his mind has been changed like that of a lot of other Republicans in the county who would like to be for William I. Swoope were it not for the orders that have gone out to put Jones, of Bradford, over. — Among the many who drop into this office weekly to buy a single copy of the “Watchman” came two men, recently, who volunteered identically the same information. Each of them said: “I have always known that this is the best paper published in Centre county, but you know I am a Rebub- lican and I couldn’t just swallow your politics. I have come to the conclu- sion, however, that I'm not going to let politics keep me from getting the best newspaper any longer, so enter my name on your list and I'll get the news I want and pass the politics up —maybe.” —_There is so much good stuff in the “Watchman” these days that we are wondering whether the new feature we have added: “First Aid Lessons for Boys and Girls,” is receiving the attention it should. Mothers espe- cially should read and explain these little hints to their children. Most every child knows of the war and nothing bleeds in sympathy for any injured thing quite as genuinely as the child heart consequently the little minds are now in a very receptive frame to learn and retain facts that will be of inestimable value to them through life. —We have all had the opportunity to make splendid investments in gov- ernment bonds but right ahead of us is the real test of our patriotism. The test that will prove whether we want to help enough to actually give some- thing away. Something that will never come back except—like the bread we cast upon the water. The Red Cross needs another $100,000,000 and will start to raise it on May 20th. If every man, woman and child in Centre county were to give thirty-six cents our allotment would be made up, but some can’t give so much so others must give more. We must go over the top in everything. | cause they are not in places of author- vious administrations, which were Re- ‘publican. The public did understand } A) ear STATE RIGHTS AND FEDERAL UNION. NO. 19. VOL. 63. Not Knocking Secretary Baker Now. | We don’t hear the hammer artists knocking on Secretary Baker like they did up to the time that he came back at them through his frank statement to Congress as to what the War De- partment had done and what it con- templated doing. At that time, you will recall, that he stated that plans were formulated to have half a mil- lion men in France early in 1918. It was a great surprise to the public and a corresponding disappointment to his critics. The latter ridiculed the state- ment, not only because they aimed to discredit Secretary Baker, but because the task seemed too Herculean for this country to carry to completion. Wed- nesday the Secretary let the public into the secret that the War Depart- ment has made good its plans and more, for early, in 1918, as it is there are now in France more than a half million fighting men, equipped in every detail for their physical com- fort as well as for their fighting ef- ficiency. Ss Men who either through pique be- ity or through secret sympathy with our enemies have been harrassing all the Departments of the government ever since we entered the war. Even before that, from the very beginning of President Wilson’s administration there have been those who seem to think that no good of any sort could come out of a Democratic direction of affairs. The Federal Reserve system now universally acknowledged the Gabraltar of our financial fabric was decried and condemned when it was proposed, but that didn’t deter its be- ing made a law with the beneficent result that today were it not for the flexibility with which the new system meets the great financial strains in- cident to the war we would have se- rious troubles keeping business and government activities going. Then when the knockers found that the Federal Reserve was proving a boomerang to them they shifted their attacks to Secretary Daniels, because of alleged inefficiency and lack of equipment in the navy. They thought the public would fail to realize that any lack of equipment there might be should properly be chargeable to pre- that fact, however, and then the cli- max came when the Navy Depart- ment, upon Congressional examina- tion, was revealed as being almost the most efficient organization in the pub- lic service. With the shiftiness of the guerril- las that they are the critics and knockers then turned their tirades of abuse upon Secretary Baker. He re- mained calm and confident under the fire because he knew what the public knows now that his Department was fulfilling every expectation that rea- son could demand. We congratulate the Secretary and hope that his critics’ fully realize the contemptible position they find them- selves in. The fact that we now have, in all branches of the service, nearly three quarters of a million men in France and that we will begin to take a more active part on the battle front makes it certain that our casualty list is going to grow. With the: growth of our casualty list will come a great- er strain upon the resources of the Red Cross. To meet this strain the great American’ Angel of Mercy is preparing for another drive for funds. It will be launched next week and Cen- tre county’s share has been fixed at $15000.00. Let us raise it. Let us do it in a jiffy. The county has nearly a thousand men in the service now and $15 a piece is a very small amount when it comes to providing comforts for them when they are sick or wounded, and furnishing the nearest substitute possible to a mother’s love and care in the person of a Red Cross nurse. —Col. H. S. Taylor is over in McKean county this week looking after his campaign as a Democratic candidate for Congress in the Twen- ty-first district. During the past few weeks the Colonel has been so busy organizing the boys’ working reserve in Centre county and making speech- es for the third Liberty loan that he has done little in his own campaign but from now until the primaries on May 21st he intends staying right on the job. Whether he is nominated or not is a fact that cannot be foretold, but one thing is certain, if Col. Tay- lor ever should be fortunate enough to be sent to Congress from this dis- trict he would not only represent his constituents but would not be afraid to raise his voice in support of every measure he believed right and against anything he knew to be detrimental to the best interests of the ‘country. —1It is not necessary to wait for a formal announcement of clean-up week; do your clean-up bit at once and keep clean. Pennsylvania is ob- serving this week, let Bellefonte ob- serve it also, with next week and every other week until it is clean. Both Republican Factions Bad. The Republican primary campaign has become exciting. On Saturday Senator Penrose gave out an inter- view in which he charges that J. R. K. Scott, the Brumbaugh candidate for Lieutenant Governor, is responsi- ble largely for the vice and crime in the slums of Philadelphia. He is “the admitted Republican leader of the 14th ward and has assumed a guard- ianship over the 13th ward,” the Sen- ator states. “Here,” he continues, “the house of ill-fame, the gambling room and other vicious resorts and joints have been permitted to ply their trade openly in broad daylight as well as at night, with the conni- vance of the police. Heroin peddlers and venders of other narcotic drugs, prostitutes, pimps, panderers, drug adicts and wretched degenerates of every type and description frequent these dens of infamy and, until re- cently, no efforts have been made to suppress their activities.” On Sunday Mr. Scott issued a state- ment in reply to the Penrose publica- tion in which he acknowledges his leadership of the 14th ward and ad- mits that he controls the 13th ward. But he charges that both bailiwicks were previously under the control of Penrose and that all of the crimes and vices there were planted and propa- gated during the period of Penrose domination, and significantly adds: “The conditions that formerly existed in these two wards under the Penrose control have always existed in his own home ward, the 8th. His control of this ward is maintained by the fla- grant ballot box stuffer, the thug and the criminal. A large part of his ex- ecutive committee is composed of pro- fessional gamblers and other crimi- nals depending upon crime for their livelihood. These men are his hench- men and companions. * * * With- in the boundaries of this infamous, crime-ridden ward exists the notori- ous ‘Hell’s Half Acre,” while the whole eastern section which gives Penrose his principal support, is steeped with crime and controlled by his criminal friends.” ’ And this probably accurate summa- ry of the character of the two factions is the feast to which the decent peo- ple of Pennsylvania are invited. The church vote is cordially urged to sup- port one or the other of these lead- ers, for Scott represents the Vares and O'Neil is the servile tool of Brum- baugh and “Shunk” Brown, chief con- spirator of the bunch. While they were in agreement upon the distribu- tion of the spoils these bitter antag- onists were entirely willing to con- done the offences of.each other. Now they are ready to condemn, thus vin- dicating the familiar adage, “when rogues fall out honest men come by their own.” Taking the statements together the moral status of the Re- publican party is revealed. It is for the voters of Pennsylvania to deter- mine whether the dominance of such leaders shall be continued. They are equally bad and the remedy is in the defeat of both factions. Polluting the Pulpit. Last Sunday, according to news- paper reports, pulpits in various sec- tions of this State were surrendered to J. Denny O’Neil, Martin J. Brum- baugh, Francis Shunk Brown, John R. K. Scott, A. Nevin Detrich and oth- er politicians, to work politics. Of course all these persons made the pre- tense that they were promoting some moral interest but that is too absurd to deceive any one of active mind. Most of them are not concerned about moral questions or principles. They are politicians who were deliberately prostituting the pulpits they occupied to partisan uses. They don’t care a snap for moral issues. We have before protested against this form of polluting the pulpit, but it is increasing instead of diminishing. One of the offenders spoke from half a dozen pulpits on Sunday and some of the others could hardly lay claim to an interest in the subjects they were discussing. But they availed themselves of the opportunity to bring themselves and the politicians they represented, into notice under condi- tions that must be repellant to the minds of genuine worshippers of christianity. In the interest of mor- ality, in behalf of decency, every church member in the Commonwealth ought to resent this outrage. Imagine a “crap game” under the shelter of the church or a “nickle-in- the-slot” device in the chancel. It would be scarcely less incongruous than political pirates prating about morals from the pulpit for purely selfish and sordid reasons. A poli- tician who resorts to such expedients to gain votes is inherently and funda- mentally dishonest and shoull be so universally condemned that no man will in the future attempt so palpable | a fraud. There are plenty of places for partisan discussion and ample time for political disputation without polluting the pulpit of the christian church. ——Sunday will be celebrated as ble Mother’s day all over the ceuntry. BELLEFONTE, PA.. MAY 10, 1918. The Aviation Scandal. The rumors concerning expendi- tures in the aviation service and fail- | ures of expected results are to be in- vestigated by the Department of Jus- tice, under the direction of the Presi- dent. That some grave blunders have been made’ in connection with this work of preparation for war seems to be beyond question. That the President and Secretary of War have been deceived by somebody is equally certain. But it is not likely that any culpability will be discovered. Nev- ertheless the responsibility must be fixed and the President is as anxious as any one else to accomplish that re- sult. He would have gone about the matter in a quieter way than Con- gress has chosen, but his inquiry would have been as searching. Nearly a billion dollars have been expended in developing the aviation service and according to the evidence attainable poor results have been achieved. Some machines have been sent abroad but not as many as were promised. But:the failure, so far as careful inquiry discloses the facts, has not been the result of corruption or even carelessness. Before airships could be built plants had to be creat- ed and machinery provided. These things consumed time and cost money. Experimenting with motors, trying out designs and other sources of de- lay and expense were encountered at every step in the progress of the work and it is small wonder that disap- pointments followed. But the public may depend upon a complete exposure of the causes of delay and the sources of expense. The President has given his personal attention to the matter. In fact he was the first to suggest an inquiry and if he made a mistake in the man chosen to perform the service, as seems more than likely, it was an er- ror of the head rather than the heart and it will be corrected. If grafting has been indulged in those concerned will pay the penalty. But at this dis- tance from the theatre of the propos- ed inquiry it looks as if the greatest harm that has been done is in expos- ing to the enemy the fact that we have few if any airships in service in Europe. This information is valua- ——The path of the illegal fisher- man may not be crooked and thorny but it is quite ‘expensive, as several parties who recently took undersized trout from the waters of Four Mile run, in the Pennsvalley Narrows, have good reason to know. It cost one par- ty, most of whom were from Union county, $204; a Danville party settled to the tune of $102 and fishermen from Yeagertown had to cough up $42, a matter of $348 all told. Road Making and Politics. Complaints are being made with in- creasing frequency that the State Highway Department, under the con- trol of J. Denny O’Neil, is not fulfill- ing its obligations to the public. The Department has more than nineteen millions of dollars at its command, and Commissioner O’Neil has been profligate in promises of road build- ing and improvement in all sections of the State, but for one reason or another the promises are broken. Ad- vertisements for bids are published but no awards are made and the im- pression is forced that the people are being systematically fooled by the en- terprising and ambitious Commis- sioner. We are inclined to believe the criti- cism, under existing circumstances, is undeserved. What is said about the failure to build or improve the roads is probably true. But Denny O'Neil was not placed at the head of the Highway Department for the pur- pose of building or repairing roads. There are within this department vast opportunities for political farm- ing and Mr. O’Neil was appointed to the office to work it in that way. His predecessor refused to make a politic- al machine out of it and was promptly dismissed. He entirely misinterpre- ted the purposes of the administration when the Governor admonished him to keep politics out. Mr. O'Neil has a keener mind and is doing what is wanted. Besides this is no time to talk about such things as road making or road improvement. Political fences re- quire constant attention at this sea- son of the year in which a Governor is to be elected and Mr. O'Neil is the Brumbaugh fence architect on the job seven days in the week and most of the nights. What do the Vares and Brumbaugh care about roads in the country They have set out to grab control of the Republican organiza- tion and if too much energy were ex- pended in road building some of the most important political “tricks” might be lost. Still the people have a right to complain. Roads belong to them. ——The submarine atrocities are diminishing in number as well as in results and it looks as if the Kaiser will soon be obliged to think up some other form of murder to keep his mind comfortable. | BASE HOSPITAL SERVICE. Bellefonte Nurse Writes Very Inter- estingly of Her Work. Camp Upton, April 21. My Dear Miss Overton:— Received Mrs. Walker’s letter yes- terday morning and the scrap books in the afternoon. I brought them ' right over to my ward and distribut- led them among the patients, and they seem to enjoy them very much. Major Brooks was in this morning and he noticed them and asked me where they came from. I told him my club friends made them and he thought they were fine. I have only eight patients now but 1 suppose if we continue to have this cold, rainy weather I will have some more, as mine is the tonsilitis ward, and so many get sore throat. You wouldn’t know me if you were to see me now, as I am, in my ward, as I wear a mask and have my head covered with 2 cap (like the ladies sewing for the Red Cross wear), and also a white gown over my uniform so that all you can see is my eyes and nose. I have ¢harge of the ward and have another nurse to help me. She makes the beds and looks after the patients, and I give the treat- ments, make the rounds with the doc- tor, order the diets, supplies, medi- cines and see that everything in the ward or pertaining to it is done. Yesterday afternoon five of our nurses went from here to New York and from there will go to France. This morning five more went so now we have only 130 left, but will prob- ably get more in every day. We took some pictures of the ward the other day and if they are good will send some home for the folks to see. We have a Red Cross building here now, with a pool table, library, tables and chairs, where the patients who are convalescent can go from 1 to 4 o'clock, and the medical detach- ment boys from 4 to 10 o’clock. The nurses ‘can go any time, as we are privileged characters. Last Thursday night the doctors gave a dance to the nurses and we invited several men up from the camp. The medical or- chestra played for us and we had a fine time. : aa The hospital is. divided into corvi- dors and there are nine wards ona cor- ridor. I am on A corridor and No. 2 ward. There is no Al as the nurses’ home is Al. There are A, B. C, D. and E corridors, so you can figure out about how many wards there are. Then there are the isolation wards and they are all separate—Gl, 2, 3, 4, 5,6 and 7. G1 is the measle ward; G2 meningitis; G3 scarlet fever and diphtheria; G4 is for nervous and mental cases; Gb for dope fiends; G6 and 7 mumps wards. We also have a very complete op- erating room, an eye clinic, dental clinic, ear, nose and throat clinic. There is also a big mess hall where all the convalescent patients who are not isolated can go to mess. Also a Y. M. C. A, post exchange and post- office. I wish all my friends at home could visit a camp hospital and see how complete they are. When a patient is sent up from camp he is first taken to the receiving ward where he is ex- amined and diagnosed. From there he is taken to his ward for further examination by the ward surgeon. For instance, if he was diagnosed tonsilitis he would be brought to my ward. He is then given a bath and put to bed and when the ward sur- geon sees him he takes his history and examines him and makes the di- agnosis, and that diagnosis sheet has to be taken to the register’s office. Then the ward surgeon prescribes the treatment and when the patient is well the ward surgeon discharges him for duty and his chart has to go into the major’s office before 12:30 p. m., and the patient goes the following day. The ward surgeon makes his rounds every morning at 9 o’clock. I have to know all the doctor’s work and all the ward masters besides my own, as I am responsible for the ward. Of course, the ward surgeon is sup- posed to be responsible, but we have had so many new doctors lately to take the place of those going across that they don't know the work as well as we nurses, so we have to help them. 1 have written about all I can think of now, but would be glad to get more scrap books later on if you want to make them. I must give out the gar- gles now and the medications before the diet comes. Love to all inquiring friends. VERA M. WILLARD. Bellefonte Soldiers Meet in France. Somewhere in France, April 15. Dear Mother: — It is time to write again, so I will take a little time this morning ta do that worthy act. certainly full of surprises. I was sit- ting in a restaurant in the city the other evening when some one tapped me on the shoulder and said “Aren’t you Gates, from Bellefonte?” As it was about three weeks since I left the other fellows I did not like to look (Continued on page 4, Col. 4). ‘place, Well, this life is SPAWLS FROM THE KEYSTONE. —Smith Dick, of Ferndale, Johnstown, a Johnstown Traction company motorman, was sent to the Municipal hospital, the victim of smallpox. —Having lost an eye by the jab of a bayenet at drill in Camp Hancock, private Palmer Kramer, of Treverton, will be dis- charged from the service. —A large hosiery manufacturing firm of Philadelphia has made arrangements to purchase the Stahlnecker property, Sellers- ville, and will occupy the same about the 15th of May. —Mrs. Ulrich Amacher, aged 74 years, was found dead in the yard at her home near Ridgway, Elk county, by her grand- son. Heart trouble is given as the cause of her death. —His large summer home at Pocono Pines, valued at $7,500, Rudolph Blanken- burg, former mayor of Philadelphia, has willed to his wife, who spent many sum- mers there with him. —EB. W. Seifirt, of Oval, Lycoming county, was almost instantly killed by the big auto truck driven by Joseph Eng- ler, of Collomville, who runs a grist mill and was taking a government order of flour to Antes Fort for shipment. —The Red Cross headquarters of Wil- liamsport, recently made the announce- ment that they had received a contribu- tion of $450 from a lady of that city, who had sold old furniture to that amount and gave the money to the Red Cross. —Mr. and Mrs. Adam Beck, Mr. and Mrs. James Leamer and Mr. and Mrs. Nicholas Beck, all of Burnside township, Clearfield county, and members of the same family, each celebrated their golden wedding anniversary during the month of April. —Mary Ellen Stoner, the six year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Scott Stoner, of Williamsport, was struck and instantly killed Wednesday evening, by the motor bus owned by the Updegraff hotel. The driver was exonorated of all blame for the accident. —Worry over failing health and other troubles with which he had been beset during the past few months, caused Jacob Hower, a native of Germany and a resi- dent of Shamokin for almost half a cen- tury, to take his life by hanging himself to the headpost of a bed in a room in the Saratoga hotel. —W. E. Gheen lately shipped nineteen head of beef cattle from his farms near Antes Fort that averaged 1,200 pounds. He has eighty more that will be shipped in the near future. His farmers, William Cox and Peter D. Gramley, are putting out thirty-eight acres of oats, seventy to barley, eighty-two to corn and eighteen to tobacco. —Two Berwick boys, Thomas Travers and Ernest Taylor, neighbors in that had an interesting experience in France on Easter Sunday, according to letters. Neither knew the other was with the American Expeditionary Force until they chanced to meet on the street, and ‘then learned they were stationed only a mile apart. —Early Saturday morning a guard was found dead in a vat of cold water at the Aetna powder works at Mount Union. There was a mark on the back of his head where he had either been struck by some one or had fallen supposedly from a lad- der near the vat. He was .identified as guard Carey, of whom the superintendent of the plant spoke as being one of the best in the service. ; —Peculiar circumstances surround the death of Mrs. Ignatz Beltoski, who died at her home at Hastings, Cambria county, last week. The funeral was held Monday and during the services the automobile of John Ginter caught fire and was almost completely demolished. Tuesday morning Beltoski’s house was demolished by fire and the seven Beltoski children had a nar- row escape with their lives. —When the watchman at the Pennsyl- vania railroad’s busiest crossing at Sha- mokin, failed to report for duty Saturday, Mrs. Bessie Woodling, a watchlady at a nearby crossing, was transferred to the busier point. When three trains approach- ed at a time traffic was unusually heavy, the woman became excited, fainted, and fell to the tracks, from which position she was rescued by pedestrians. —George Dodson, of Altoona, an em- ployee of the Penn Central company, re- ceived burns while repairing electric light wires at the elevated sub-station at Mount Union, Saturday, that resulted in his death on his way to a hospital. Charles Shope, Blair Geissinger, both of Huntingdon, and also employees of the Penn Central com- pany, who were helping Dodson, were also badly burned, but both are expected to recover. —Fire of unknown origin on Monday de- stroyed the garage of Widdowson Broth- ers, at Clymer, burning forty-five auto- mobiles and entailing a loss of nearly $100,000. Most of the automobiles burned were private cars sent to the garage for repairs, it being one of the largest garages of Indiana county. Among them, however, were a number of new Oldsmobiles. The flames threatened other buildings and only by the excellent work of the Clymer Vol- unteer Fire department were the flames confined to the one building. The fire broke out at noon and was under control within half an hour. —The name of the historic road house on Montgomery avenue, between Wayne and Valley Forge, Pa., has been changed from King of Prussia Inn to Ye Old King Inn. Many persons have interpreted the word Prussia as an indication of the pro- prietor’s sympathies. He says that more than once pedestrians have attempted to tear down the ancient placard, and the climax was reached several weeks ago, when shots were heard and it was discov- ered joy riders were using the sign as a target. The inn was erected in 1709. Its first proprietor, a Prussian, theught to honor his sovereign by naming it after him. During the Revolution the inn housed several of General Washington's officers. A disastrous fire occurred at Hunt- ingdon Sunday morning at one o’clock, which resulted in the total destruction of the West End planing mill and two hous- es, with a third partly burned, situated northward from the corner of Fifteenth and Penn streets. The mill, owned and operated by Hoffman, Lorenz & Co., is an estimated loss of $18,000, covered one-half by insurance. The three houses are $2,500 properties with a very fair proportion of insurance. The corner property is owned by heirs of Barton Miller, and the adjoin- ing two belong to the Herncane estate. The next house was damaged but can be repaired. The origin of the fire is un- known. The rumor is that of incendiar- ism, but it is not confirmed by the planing mill ewners. A at
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers