8 HARRISBURG TELEGRAPH A NEWSPAPER FOR THE HOME Founded 18S1 Published evenings except Sunday by THE TEL%GRAI*H PRINTING CO. Telegraph Building, Federal Square E. J. STACKPOL.E President and Editor-in-Chief V. R. OYSTER, Business Manager QVB M. STEINMETZ, Managing Sailor A. R. MICHENER, Circulation Manager, Executive Board 7. P. McCULLOUGH. BOYD M. OGELSBY. F. R. OYSTER. GUS. M. STEINMETZ. Member of the Associated Press—Tha Associated Press is exclusively en titled to the use for republication of all news dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited In this paper and also the local nAvs published herein. _ . . All rights of republication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. t Member American Assocla lation and^Penn- Eu stern Avenue Building, Entered at the Post Office In Harris burg. Pa., as second class matter. By carrier, ten cents a 4♦ week; by mail, 93.00 a year In advance. Come forth into the light of things— Let nature be your teacher. —Wordsworth. MONDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 1018 PUNISH THEM WE'RE hearing a lot about the degenerate former crown prince of Germany these days and how he has been taken to a place of safety by the airmen of the Hun forces. Also, we are told that he ex-kaiser himself is more or less the guest of Holland, where he is receiving hospitable attentions. Those who fought the good fight and who conquered the unspeak able Hun will never be satisfied un til the Hohenzollern tribe shall have received their Just deserts. It is sur prising that Holland, where a large majority of the people are anti- German in feeling and sentiment and who have suffered from the autoc racy across the border, should in vite the disfavor of other nations by thus protecting the former kaiser and his spawn. Let them be haled before an international courtmar tial and give them what is coming to them without delay. Even the awakened German people are de manding that they and those who have been associated with them in the outrages of the last four years and more be punished as their guilt deserves. So long as the late kaiser and those of his ilk responsible for the tragedy of the ages are permitted to strut and receive the considera tion of the nations that have suffered there will be unrest among the vie-, tors and the vanquished. Until and unless an example for all time is made of these men there will be an undercurrent of resentment that may render more difficult the restor ation of a lasting peace. hit does not go down well to read a Field Marshal Von Hindenburg cl Field Marshal Von Mackensor. hre still having their "shining j swords" and addressing their troops as in the old days and under the al leged new German republic. These cut-throats should also go with the rest, and Germany cannot expect its professions of reform to be accepted in good faith until the last remnant of a group of autocracy, as repre sented in its military leaders, shall have disappeared. Of course, these military highbinders will pretend to adopt the new order in Germany to save their bwn necks and deceive the outsiders. Let us not be fooled. The Kaiser's "shining sword" has been handed over to the Holland au thorities, while his grandiloquent speeches will furnish the ground work for several comic operas. Mean while the world Is waiting for the arch-murderer's trial and punishment. He has been strutting back and forth across the stage quite long enough and should get the hook. PENNSYLVANIA APPLES ANY person having any doubts as to whether the fruit rais ing Industry of Pennsylvania, which has been a State policy to en courage from the days of Governor Samuel W. Pennypacker, is going to amount to anything is referred to the simple statement regarding Adams county made at the office of the statistical bureau of the State Department of Agriculture. This county, which has often been called the center of the Keystone State's "apple belt," is typical. It illustrates the attention being given to fruit raising, which is now in vogue in Sullivan as well as in Fulton and in Mercer as in Bucks. The apples of Pennsylvania are becoming known every year and as distinctive as the South Mountain peach and the Erie county grape, to say nothing of the Lehigh potato and the York county strawberry. Just for the sake of bearing In mind that the State of coal and iron, and oil, ships and shoes, really does amount to something in the fruit raising line it should be stated that in little Adams county there tire 151 MONDAY EVENING. commercial orchards and that they have 102,000 bearing trees and 140,- 000 coming on. Thla doos not In clude privately owned or farm or chards, but It Is enough. Franklin and York are Bhowlng the samo In terest. It should not be forgotten, either, notwithstanding some claims which may be made from Washington as to how the Democratic ad ministration fostered the apple and Its kind, that orchard supervision has been a marketd State activity run from Harrlsburg for over a dozen years and that the new Gover nor is one of the pioneers in invest ments in that line, showing his good business judgment as well as his in terest in Pennsylvania products. And there are many like him who are helping this State to raise more of its food supply. Already the Telegraph is receiving suggestions for a permanent memorial to the men who served In the great war for liberty and Justice. One is a recommendation for a great hospital, modern and adequate; another sug gests a combined city and county building, with provision for a war museum and military records, and a third strongly favors a great tri umphal arch at the entrance to the proposed monumental viaduct at State street. Harrlsburg must honor the men and women who have honored the city, and the undertaking need not be delayed. RESTITUTION, TOO LET the German plunderers be sent into the devasted areas as soon as peace shall have been finally declared and kept there for as many years as may be necessary to restore the ruined farms and towns and cities. It's going to be a danger ous job and the malefactors of Ger many should be the first sent to the shell-covered countryside. An Amer ican agricultural commission has been investigating and the chairman, V. O. Thompson, of the Ohio State University, says: The problem of tilling the land which has been the scene of the battles is a very serious one, for it is filled with unexploded shells. The fruit trees have been com pletely eradicated by ruthless fell ing. You can charge indemnities, but you camiot get land ready to plough without danger. The Germans should take the risk as part of the price to be paid for their wanton devastations. From the economic point of view, if we allow German prisoners to return home to re-enforce Germany without this French rehabilita tion. Germany has again the lead on France. France is left Hat on her back and Germany gets a long start. Even after suffering a mili tary defeat she wins an economic victory. The devastation was admittedly intended to ruin France so that she could not recover for years, while Germany, untouched, is ready to profit by her breaches of international law. Yet, as this commission sees it, as soon as the country is ready for agricultural restoration the agricultural popu lation will be on the spot waiting to rebuild their shattered farms and farm equipment. They are pitifully attached to their homesteads, although in thousands of cases there is only the cellar remaining. Although it was not their war alone, France and Belgium have furnished the battlefields. We are liere to fight with France for our common ne fense. the battlefields being fur nished by circumstances. The restoration of these battlefields to farm lands is an inter-Ally prob lem. When Germany shall have restored, so far as restoration is possible, the devastated lands of Europe, work ing as the slaves of Rome once worked in building roads and castles and bridges, then the Hun will learn, and the lesson will serve to warn all obsessed peoples that he who de stroys must rebuild in toil and suf fering. Justice demands restoration and restitution. NEVER EVEN HESITATED THE fears of the President that Wilhelm would take heart from the election of a Republican Congress to prolong the war, do not appear to have been based on fact. The Kaiser did not rejoice over the Republican victory. He knew just as well as anybody that politics in the United States had nothing to do with the way the Yanks were fighting and he continued to plan his little excur sion to Holland. The records at hand show that after election day he never even hesitated. STREET CAR* SERVICE BOSTON newspapers are quite concerned over the general transportation situation in that city. Beside the impending collapse of a large part of the rpunicipal street railway system, the city is facing the alternative of ten-cent fare on the elevated lines or the im jlositlon of increased taxes to make good whatever difference there may be if the fares are kept at any lower figure. One of the leading newspapers says: "It is already clear that the present seven-cent fare will not bring the road within measurable reach of its expenses." The same newspaper observes that "it is also reasonably clear that an eight-cent fare will not meet the situation, and that carrying passengers at nine cents per head would not give the trustees any considerable margin for the upbuilding of the road. In creases in fare do not bring propor tionately greater income. As the rate goes up the patronage drops off, and this is especially true of short-haul traffic, which is the most profitable kind." It appears that in Boston the ser ious conditions have been brought about by the forcing of subways and many operating expenses upon the transportation lines. Boston has had a reputation for years of giving the longest ride for the money of any city in the world. Now the same newspaper declares that Boston is headed for whatever luxury there may be in ranking as the city that has the highest street railway fares of any in this country. Harrlsburg is also interested in the street railway problem, espe cially as a revenue of thousands of dollars has heretofore been derived from the municipal tax on the gross receipts of the looal system. Ex pansion of street railway lines also means the expansion of a city, and the business of any community llko ours dsponds largely upon the euso with which peoplo aro transported from one section to another. It would be unfortunate should 'any thing occur here to lessen street railway facilities or to place us In any such plight as that from which Boston Is suffering at the present time. Whatever mistakes have been made In the past, we cannot lose sight of the fact that the street rail way lines are necessary to the de velopment and comfort of the peo ple. Any reduction of service af fects all sections of the community. fotitCcv Ik "ptKH44^cuua. t By the Ex-Committcemnn Senator William C. Sproul, the ! Governor-elect, will leave .this week ■ for the wilds of Pike county to take u rest and get away from the people who want to cinch appointments or to give advice on whut he should do. Meanwhile, things will be allowed to shape themselves up in regard to the organization of the Legislature and the belief is general that the "dry" sentiment of the state will tend to make Representative George W. Wil liams, of Tioga, the presiding officer of the House. The North American expresses the belief that the "drys" can organize the House without much trouble and ' says that the suggestion of the Pitts j burghers that the Speakership go to ' Allegheny has not been received with | much enthusiasm. The Pittsburgh Gazette-Times says it is "highly probable" that a "dry" member can be made Speaker and notes the trend to Williams. Governor-elect Sproul is in favor of a short session. It is probable that the Republican caucuses of the House and Senato to be held the night of January 6 will adopt resolu tions fixing the date of final adjourn ment either April 17 or 24. ■> —Senator William C. Sproul con tinues to be the object of most news paper comment of a political char acter these days. The Senator is planning to go away for a brief rent, but the Philadelphia newspapers in sist that' he is going to plan his cab. inet. All seem to agree upon Wil liam I. Schaffer for Attorney General and the list of Brumbaugh ap pointees to be replaced Is being lengthened doily. —The Philadelphia Press, which has declined to get exerted over "sea shore conferences" says in its re view yesterday: "As for Governor elect Sproul having refused last week to attend 'secret sessions' of leaders at the- shore at which the running of the state for the next year was to be decided upon, that was pure fancy. A group of poli ticians arrived here, sure enough, but most of them came for an outing at a New Jersey resort where the Penrose men traditionally seek re laxation after a hard campaign. There was no 'session' and never any question of inviting Senator Sproul. Therefore he did not refuse to meet then, in any 'holier-than-thou' atti tude." —A Chester dispatch to the Pub lic Ledger discussing the vacancy that will occur in the senatorship, says: "The positive assurance of Governor-elect Sproul that his son would not be a candidate leaves the matter of Delaware county's next representative in the Senate an open issue. The public believes Mr. Sproul, in recognition of his twenty six years in public service in one office, should name his successor. Speculation is rife as to whom he will name. It is believed whoever Mr. Sproul names will be elected. Three candidates stand most promi nently in the field, each a supporter of Mr. Sproul, and are said to en joy his close friendship. They are J. Lord Rigby, of Media: Captain Samuel D. Clyde, of Chester, and Richard J. Baldwin, the Speaker of > the House in the last session. The county districts are divided on Rigby and Baldwin, while a strong Clyde sentiment is noticeable in Chester. The report that William T. Ramsey was a candidate for next Speaker of the House was branded by Mr. Ram sey as a wild rumor. —General W. G. Price will be the next mayor of Chester, predict news paper dispatches from that city. —Reading Republicans believe that the showing made by Compen sation Referee Thomas G. Seidle, the state administration leader, may cause incoming people to feel more kindly disposed toward him. —According to Scranton newspa pers a new agreement in regard to mine caxes is to be worked out. If it is successful the next legislature may be spared the usual controversy on the subject. —Pittsburgh newspapers just now are buzzing on the problem whether Senator Charles H. Kline will get the Kephart place on the superior court bench. The chances are that the va cancy will not occur for some weeks to come. —Representative Robert S. Span gler, of York, is being boomed for Speaker by his people, who point to three Republican members and a Republican senator from Demo cratic York. —The Lackawanna congressional contest is sure to get into the courts from, recent charges that are go ing around. The Luzerne county soldiers vote will be challenged be yond question. —Senator Boies Penrose is once more the center of the news. Rlgh on top of a of stories sent out from Washington that there was a coalition plan to deprive him of the chairmanship of the Senate Finance Committee, of which he is the senior member, the Senator declar ed in an interview in the Public Ledger that It is simply a Demo cratic scheme to make trouble in the organization of Congress. The Sen ator says he will be chairman of the Finance Committee, the most power ful position in Congress. —The senior Senator also came out last night with a letter to John C. Winston, chairman of the Phila delphia Committee of Seventy, in which he declared for a new charter for Philadelphia. The letter is a very strong one and the Inquirer says: "Senator Penrose pointed out that under the powers conferred upon the Mayor by the Bullitt bill, 'a system of scandalous political control has been Intrenched." As a remedy, he suggested that the police, firemen and municipal officeholders be en tirely removed from politics and pledged himself against 'political control based upon municipal con tracts and municipal Jobs.' " —William L. McCullagh, member of the Pittsburgh board of registra tion commissioners and a member of the Legislature in 1907, is dead at the age of fifty-nine. The registration commlßslonership is a gubernatorial appointment IT A "RRJSBTTRG TELEGRAPH WHEN A FELLER NEEDS A FRIEND BY BRIGGS f//f^ yy - COPYRIGHT 1HI& NEW YORK TRIBUNE INC LETTERS TO THE EDITOR | ANENT THE KNOCKER To the Editor of the Telegraph: Fools" names and fools' faces ore often seen in public places. By the bobbing up again of our old friend, the "Knocker," we see that one fool, at least, in Harrisburg, is not dead , yet. Isn't it a grand and glorious feeling when you awaken out of your slumber and hear the joy bells ring out the glad tidings of peace and you just roll over and say fervently, "Thank God for this peace,.God bless the United States and its Allies with . every prosperity." Then you wink ycur eye and laugh up jour sleeve and say to your self, "this peace didn't cost me a nickel." A man's patriotism, nowadaj s, is not meas ured by the publicity he may attain by advertising a few well-chosen words and sbme grammatical phrases he may have at his command, but by ' how much in dollars and cents he has given to bring about this peace. Does he have a blue star in the win dow? Did he do one day's labor to wards winning the war? When a man hasn't given one penny to- j ward the Red Cross, not one cent in Liberty bonds, not a drop of his | blood, none of his efforts or energy expended toward the bringing about of this blessed peace; no, not even j permiiitng his wife to sign the food j conservation pledge. A man who has done absolutely nothing all through j the period in which our nation was | in war should take his cue from the duck and keep his head under cover. Who is this newcomer in our midst who cometh forth every now and then with some tommyrot and pop pycock advice to our people? At one time he undertook to teach our po lice department and the city authori ties how to run Harrisburg. Another time lie was knocking on our splen did army of railroad men, admon • ishing them to be satisfied with the wages they receive. * Who is "It" anyway? How can "It" undertake to instruct men, j'es, noble, honest men who earn their livelihood by the sweat of their brow and put their earnings in the various channels of war relief work; men who would disdain to sit around the house smoking cigarets while the poor lit tle forlorn wife does the carpet-beat ing. Again we repeat, who is "It" who should undertake to dictate to such men? A sympathetic miser is i.o better than tho Kaiser. Tt's what did you do to help your Uncle Sammy? What did you do to help the boys along? In passing by last win ter we noticed the outline of a skull cut out of white paper and with red cross bones painted on its forehead hanging in a certain tool's wiudow, while all around in other people's windows could be seen the different emblems of relief work? What meancth the skull in the window? That leminds one of the days of the White Caps and anarchism. It is really amusing to see that our dour old "knocker" is religiously bent. This comes us a complete sur prise. We noticed in particular that "It'* advises the government to re move certain wartime restrictions, especially those periaining to boose. Of course it would be expected that persons whoso chief necessity is tho products of the brewery should he howling for the restrictions to bo lifted from the same. .The dear crea ture tel s us how to deal with the snial. percentage of abusers of the rights, etc. Say, "Knocker," tell us how would you punish a fellow who has no li cense yet who sold beer to his room ers? One time "It" posed as ail art ibt having paintings in the State Capitol, then again "It" is a rail road official, and all the while "It" Is a member of the Sons of Rest. There Is too much news of import to takg up space for some individuals whose chief aim is to assume to be a man of affairs. Say, "Knocker." go way tack and sit down. If the United States is good enougn tor you. why didn't you buy a Liberty Bond or two? DISGUSTED. The Succession of Woe The second woe is past; and, be hold, the third woe cometh quickly. —Revelation xi, 14. . Justice Is Due Germany [From the Boston Herald] ALREADY the German govern ment is appealing to President Wilson for help in modifying the terms of the armistice; already we hear the calls for mercy for the German people. Again we are asked to differentiate between the German rulers and the German people. Be cause Germany t'cund itself defeated it appealed to Mr. Wilson for help out of its dilemma. The answer of the United States and of the Allies was unanimous: "Unconditional surrender." The President heard the unanimous cry and referred the German appeal to the Allies. The Versailles conference instructed Marshal Foch to impose terms which Germany evidently reads as surren der, if not unconditional surrender. No uprising of the people of Ger many; 110 change of rulers and methods of government; no so-called democracy or socialism, will change the Allies, even if it changes Presi dent Wilson. ' Let us for a moment consider this case, not in terms of politics, but in terms of Justice. For hundreds of years the Germans have had the reputation of believing, and acting on the belief, that "might makes right." Fifty years ago this Ger man nation tried its hand on France, stole Alsace-Lorraine and collected $1,000,000,000 as tribute. From 1871 down to 1914 it has toasted "Der Tag." Its rulers, Its men, its women, its children have prepared for the conquest and plunder of the world. It was not an ignorant nation; it was not illiterate; it cannot com plain it knew no better; on the con trary, it boasted of its great knowl edge and kultur. Through Its men of business, through Its general pop ulace it showed its ability in gain ing the markets of the world. All the time it was deceitfully arming itself for conquest, loot and plunder, and when "Der Tgg" arrived it started on its career of crime, of murder of men, women and chil dren, of ravishment of women, of loot of home, library, church and cathedral; of destruction of prop erty anywhere and everj'where. It poisoned wells; it gassed civilian peoples; it made slaves of neutrals; it deported to Germany hundreds of thousands of men and women and Interesting Foreigners \ "The whole problem in securing the interest of the foreigner in any movement seeking to Americanize him is very largely a personal one," says the State Board of Education in a bulletin commenting upon the work being dona to Americaniztj fotc'gnorsin Scrunlon under auspices of Superintendent of Schools S. E. Weber, of that city. The report gave the results of a survey of the for eign population made in Scranton by Prof. Charles Francis who found over 4,000 non-English speaking persons over sixteen. The report shows that men and women inter ested in various organizations are making efforts to get these foreigners inio night schools a-'d that those who cannot attend night schools after noon sessions are being arranged. The State Board commends the ef fort to have employers Interest their workmen in Americanization through schools and urges that other employ ers follow the example and have a representative who will encourage men to study to become citizens. It is noted that onc-fourtli of the non- Erglish-speuking people are property owners and that many have been ir this country ten joars without making any effort to become natural ized. y The Lord's Angel Leads If thou shait indeed obey his voice, and do all that I speak, then I will be an enemy unto thine ene mies, and an adversary unto thine adversaries. For mine Angel shall go before thee. —Exodus xxill, 22 and 23. Next? • Next thing we know Germany will go dry.—From the Seattle I ost-In , telligencer. made them help prepare death-deal ing weapons for their own relatives and fellow-countrymen. For two and one-half years wo supinely saw this band of murderers running amuck in Europe and on the seas. Finally, rudely awakened, when it looked as though England, France and Italy might become vassal states of Germany and we might be obliged to fight alone to save ourselves like wise from becoming a vassal state; to make the world safe for democ racy, so that we might live in the world as a democratic nation, we joined the Allies, and after a year, while France, England and Italy were being "bled white," we got read>\ With the welcome help of British, Italian and French trans ports we began sending troops to Europe. One by one our opponents were surrounded and compelled to cry for peace. At last the leader na tion of this Jesse James gang has been rounded up and Marshal Foch has dictated what must be done in order to get peace. If the Germans surrender their navy, their guns, their forts; if they scrupulously obey the terms of the armistice, as Marshal Foch may from time to time dictate, then the duty will devolve on the high court of justice of the Allies and of the United States to pass sentence. There may be innocent men and women among the Germans, but for four years and more, when Germany thought she was going to win, they did not make themselves known. The innocent Germans, from Carl Schurz to Otto Kahn, left Germany before the war. It is too late now for Germans still in Germany to come into court and plead ignorance or innocence. The whole nation is guilty. It bragged too much. Its Socialist leaders, while they were winning, have been just as bad as the junkers; they must all pa> f the penalty. They cannot all suffer the ordinary penalty for murder, rape and robbery, but no mistaken ideas of mercy should prevent justice "to the uttermost farthing" being meted out to the whole nation. Mercy would not be appreciated or under stood by the German people; they would consider it a sign of weakness on the part of the Allies and of the 'United States. He'd Like to Forget These Said tho Kaiser: "Me und Gott." "I'll give the Americans the right answer at the right moment." "Look at the magniiicent successes of our heroic sons and their able leaders." "We are near victory. This is one of the greatest moments in German history." "Neither the French nor the Americans will ever hreak through our front." "The last drop of our blood will be shed before our enemies wrest from us the land which belongs to Germany. We are under Divine pro tection. Our enemies cannot and will not succeed." "American armies and numerical superiority do not frighten us." "My army and my navy will win the victory." "What have I not done to preserve the world from such horrors?" "The people who wish to destroy us are digging their own graves." "Our victories in the Held make those over yonder realise we cannot be subdued." "We desire to livo in friendship with neighboring peoples, but the victory of German arms must first be recognized. Our troops under the great Hindenburg will continue to win it." "As against the calumnies of the enemy X feel grateful that my unre mitting efforts in my reign of nearly thirty years to bo the champion and protector of high principles." "The activities of our submarines are calculated to bring us a strong German peace." "Trusting in our righteous cause and in oifr strength, we face the year 1918 with firm confidence and iron will. Therefore, forward, with God, to fresh deeds and fresh vic tories." NOVEMBER 18,1918. " WHIZZIE —BAN G!" [Sergeant Melville A. Shauer, somewhere In France and son of Emil E. Shauer, assistant treasurer of the Famous Players-Lasky Cor poration, has written a number of exceptional verses on the war as seen by the soldier in the trenches. His latest offeritig herewith, is worthy of publication.] 1 (With apologies to Rudyard Kip- 1 ling). Note:—The Whizzie-Bang is a particular brand of husky German trench mortar which makes you duck for the trench so you stick to gether without the "mortar." You may talk o' shot and shell When you're quartered safe from hell, And the skinny beer and vlri excite your laughter, But it's different sort of bizz When you hear the whine and whizz And you try to dodge the bang that follows after. Now, over there, across the brine, On the western hattlcllne Where the Yankees staked their claim out with the gang, Of all that beastly bumpin' There was none could get you jumpin' Like that bloomin', curs'd fandango, whiz2ie-bang. It is whizz! Bang! whizz! Not much time to hide your phizz— So you bite the dust and wonder ( where it is— -1 "Now, if—," Bang! Your thoughts are broken By the ultter Bache's token That howling hunk of hatred, Whizz! Bang Whizz! When the lads in khaki lay In their dirt-dug homes by day While the rifle and machine gun bullets sang.— In the thickest of the fray You could spot her right away— That sassy, snappy, spit-cat, Whiz zie-banfj. It was Whizz! Bang! Whizz! Hear the screaming splinters sizz! Oh, the breeze they make'd give you rheumatiz — And you'd wish you had your mitts On the pesky, frisky Fritz Feeding up the iron rations, I Whizz! Bang! Whizz! I shall ne'er forget the night When the moon was shining bright And we cussed because it gave the Fritz the hang— We were crossing fields of wire When she opened up her lire And wo thot of home and "blighty," whizzie-bang! Well, you made us hop and run With your devil's poppin' gun. But this war ain't finished'yet—not by a dang! Go on spittin' till you choke, You ugly little bloke, You'll be smoking soon in hell, old Whizzie-bang! Written somewhere in France by Sert. Melville A. Shauer, September 29. 1918. Readiness Complete (Samuel G. Blythe in the Saturday Evening Post) I looked for the latticed mast of the Americans, and found them, stretched in a row near the head of the line, the Nth Battle Squadron of the grand fleet and powerful and portentous as any; gray, like the rest of them, with sharper lines and not so much tophamper; and the sight was good to see, for here were ships that 1 knew about, here were ships flying my flag, here were some of America's best, manned by Americans, fit and fine and for midable —gTeat battle craft from the other side of the vofld joined amU cably with the British and with but one end in view—the smashing of the Hun. The admiral's barge came for me, and we bobbed down the long lane between the great ships until we reached the ladder of the American that led the imposing line of Amer icans—the flagship. Topside the red, white and blue was flying and all round were American fighting men. Tho band was playing American music. The boys were skylarking Amerlcanwise and talking American talk. The savory smell of American pies baking came along the deck. The officer who met me at the rail spoke my language. The cigarets that stuck from the blouse pockets of the gobs who passed were Amer ican cigarets. The cap ribbons car ried the name of the state—port your helm or you'll be telling some thing, mister!—of a state with which I am reasonably familiar. I was home, right back among my own folks. On the job with a squadron of the best ships our navy has, and right up at tho head of the line. Those big American ships were prepared to fight any and all Ger man comers when they left the i shores of the United States, and they have been ready every minute since. There hasn't been a second's laxity. There hasn't been the let down of an.hour. The signal comes from tho com i rpander-in-chief. Word is passed by every ship. The decks are alive. Every man from admiral to water • carrier is at his post. The pennants snap to the breeze. The bands play. The tarpaulins are stripped. from the guns. The ammunition is in place, shells of every caliber ranged near their carriers. The anchors are hoisted. Heavy black smoke belches from the funnels. As smoothly as a trained military force starts on parade those vast ships move out, their broad bows turning foamy furrows in the .water, the dull gray of them shadowing the sea. There is activity in the air, on the water, under it. And in long, straight formidable lines they surge forward —iforce force —power in its highest exemplification. i THE YELLOW STREAIC i [From the Kansas City Times] At the end, when it was evident 1 that the game was up, if the Kaiser had gone out to lead a charge and 1 die at the head of his troops, he would have won at least the respect 1 the world pays the brave man who is willing to die for his faith. Instead he chose to slink away, P to sdve his own precious skin. He had sent millions of men to their , death for his own glory.. Always he t had assured them he would rejoice (o share their dangers, but the heavy i responsibilities that were his as head i of the state, prevented. Then came the day when his ro i sponstbilitles were at un end. Ho had ' signed the abdication. He was no longer German Emperor. If he really 1 believed in his cause as he pro -1 fessed, it was his opportunity and ' his privilege to die lighting for it, 1 rather than to seek safety for the few troubled years remaining to him. ! But his courage failed. He who ' had brought death to millions, could , not himself look death in the face. , So he stole out of his country by night and fled from the crowd of Bel | gians who greeted him with the cry, "Assassin!" What a spectacle! I lEuettmg (Eljat j General production conditions In the anthracite region, which were aggravated as far as the Harrlsburg district Is concerned by the heavy loss of production In the Lykens vtum ley coal district because of Influenza, have caused more coal to be dredged from the Susquehanna between Sun bury and Mlddletown than ever known before. River men say they have been too busy to gather statis tics, but say that every squadron In the fleet strung along the river has brought to shore more coal ths.n ever known and that there are 1„- dicatlons of new pockets being ™ found this fall. The dredgers de clare that there are twice as many "coal suckers" operating on the, Susquehanna than there were three years ago and the late autumn has enabled thousands of tons to be re claimed and sent to industrial estab lishments along the river. The state of Pennsylvania is one of the biggest buyers of tile river coal for the operation of the heating and electric plant at the Capitol and in addition to enough stored in the cellar of the State House has many tons stored on a lot in Capitol Park Ext%psion district. It is the plan to have enough either in tho building or adjacent to it for the lighting and heating of the Capitol until next May. Mountains of coal have been formed in several places in Harris burg by the dredgers' teams and if the river remains open work will go on and the supply in hand increased for the establishments which are equipped to handle the flnely-grained fuel which is dug from the bottom of the river after being carried many miles down stream. * * * The recent death at Mercersburg of George A. Fleming marks the passing of an excellent newspaper man, well known in Central Pennsyl vania as the editor of the Mercers burg Journal. Although he was as much of a progressive as any young newspaperman, this man loved to recount tales of the bygone days. One of the curiosities, a relic of those times, was an old Washington hand press which is still in the Journal office at Mercersburg. Mr. Fleming began work in the news paper profession many years ago. He was in charge of a paper at Ship pensburg and at one time owned a Palmyra newspaper, later moving to Mercersburg where ho was one of the best-known residents at the time of his death. • * * Penn, writing in the Philadelphia Evening Hullctin, says: "The pros pective Governor knows Pennsyl vania well. His attachment to tho state may be discerned in any con versation with him. It is not one of those affected or simulated emotions which sometimes make blatherskite or blarneying politicians ridiculous. He has, in no small degree, the same kind of pride which a son of Massa chusetts, or a son of South Carolina, is commonly supposed to feel for his state, as if it were a special favorite of the Almighty. Sproul will be able to meet visitors from every one of the sixty-seven counties of Penn sylvania in more of a cordial fa miliarity than any Governor in the course of many years has been able to exhibit at once, and intelligently, on his advent into office. From the time when he was about twenty-six age there has not been a year when he has not been in con tact with state affairs by reason of his work in the Senate. He looks upon Pennsylvania as in itself a na tion—as a matter of fact, it is en tirely comparable with Canada— and not only with its politicians, but 4 with most of the men who are in the forefront of its industrial and manuacturing development, he has long been in contact." • • • Some one asked a couple of min isters whether the interruption of church services due to influenza had materially affected attendance at worship in Harrlsburg. This question was asked with the fact in mind that never before had churches been closed such a length of time in this city and that the people have been strenuously engaged in war ac tivities of various kinds. Both clergymen said that in their opinion the attendance had been wonderfully well maintained and in certain cases increased. Another man, a layman, said that gratitude at the passing of the epidemic and coming of peace had deepened religious life in Har risburg. \ WELL KNOWN PEOPLE —Charles M. Schwab is planning a tour of shipyards to speed up win ter production. He is letting his own companies go. —Homer Williams, head of the Carnegie Steel concerns in the Pitts burgh district, is one of the active men in war work in his county. —J. Leonard Replogle, the steel expert, has recovered from a bad at tack of influenza. He is spending his time in government work at Washington. —W. H. Donner, who was for merly interested In Steelton, Is a member of one of the most impor tant steel committees at Washing ton. —A. C. Dinkey, tho executive of the Midvale corporation, is planning to turn the great munition capacity to general business needs. —B. Dawson Coleman, Lebanon iron manufacturer, has taken charge of some of tho work to get trained men to go to France to help police districts and revive industry. [ DO YOU"KNOW —That Harrlsburg has more men employed on railroads ttian ever before? HISTOHIC HAKRISBURG After the war of 1812 there werg five military companies in Harris burg. .Street Railway Curtailment Boston newspapers are prlntlf,v stories of the collapse of the strei | railway system of that city. lip ceiver of the Bay State Street Rai( k way Company announces a sweeping , curtailment of the operating cjy> penses by shutting down 138 r?%U<s i of track north and south of I>,\ ( , ton. These are unprolltable lint, and connot be mukntained undei present conditions. The only pos sible way, the receiver says, thai these lines might be kept open would be through an agreement C* residents of particular localltkat guaranteeing the * operating penses of the stretch of trac2*i these sections. He warns that these curtailment, may be only a beginning and that other lines may bo cut from tim to time. The receiver declares thai only prompt aid from the publik will save the system from complete disintegration. Street railway com panies throughout the country have been hard hit and everywhere the service is being curtailed, more or less. . £
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers