--- title: Improvement Era description: Monthly periodical of the Mormon church, 1897 onward. This library holds the issues of November 1897 to December 1930. authors: - Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations collections: - periodicals tags: - magazine - improvement-era periodical: Improvement Era volume: 18 number: 10 published: 1915-08 publisher: Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations publisher_place: Salt Lake City language: en type: magazine reference: 'Young Men’s Mutual Improvement Associations, "Passing Events," *Improvement Era* 18, no. 10 (August 1915): 940–944.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera18010unse transcription: Transcribed from the Internet Archive scan of each issue (the item for each issue is named in the issue's own source); unnumbered advertising leaves are omitted, printed page numbers are kept as page markers. identifier: improvementera18010unse start_page: 940 end_page: 944 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1915-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera18010unse publication_year: 1915 note: The Internet Archive item metadata carries a blanket "© Copyright by Intellectual Reserve, Inc." notice. The library owner judged it inapplicable because this issue was published in 1915, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Passing Events Passing Events A violent wind and rain storm extended from Nebraska to Ohio, on the morning of the 8th of July. There was a destruction of prop- — erty amounting to over a million dollars, and many lives lost thirty- two persons being killed in Cincinnati. The manufacturers cf the Ford automobile announced, on the 18th of June, that they had perfected a farm tractor that will sell for less than $200. This tractor will reduce the cost of farm production from one-third to one-half. It is announced that the construction of these tractors will begin at once in factories which are intended to turn out a million every year. They can be hitched to any vehicle and be driven like horses. Robert Lansing, Watertown, New York, was appointed, June 23, by Prest. Wilson, to succeed Mr. Bryan as Secretary of State. Mr. Lansing succeeded John Bassett Moore as counselor in the department, in March, 1914, and was acting secretary after the resignation of Mr. Bryan. He is fifty-one years of age, a graduate of Amherst college, and a lawyer by profession. His writings on international law have attracted wide attention. Ray S. Sheets, brother of Bishop Edwin S. Sheets of this city, and a young man of about twenty-seven years, died in Laporte, Indi- ana, June 24. Bishop Sheets went east for the body, and the funeral services were held June 30 in the Eighth ward chapel, Salt Lake City. Bishop O. F. Hunter presided, and Horace S. Ensign and a male quar- tet sang. The speakers were Bishoo Sheets, Harrison Sperry, Judge Le Grande Young and Bishop O. F. Hunter. An earthquake in the Imperial Valley, Lower California, June 24, created havoc in a number of towns, and damaged buildings which represented a property loss of one million five hundred thousand dol- lars. Eight people were reported killed and twenty injured. The great southern California irrigation system, strange to say, escaped serious damage. The many earthquake shocks are attributed to disturbances at Black Butte, an extinct volcano at the head of Volcano lake, in southern California, which was greatly disturbed. Settlement of claims for American cotton on the steamships "De- cido" and "Livonia," which were seized several months ago by the British government while in transit to Germany, has been made at the rate of 10 cents a pound, so it was announced on the 11th of June by the British government. These are the first settlements out of many cases pending. Others will be settled as soon as the ownership can be definitely determined. There were twenty-six cargoes of two hun- dred thousand bales in all, detained in March and April. General Victoriano Huerta was arrested on June 27 at Neuman, New Mexico, near El Paso, charged with violating the neutrality laws by planning in this country a military movement in Mexico. General Pascuel Orozco was also arrested, but both were released on bonds, and Orozco later escaped. It is said they were about to cross the Rio Grand river where General Salazar was to join them and that from Cuidad Juarez they were to move southward. Their hearing was to be held in the Federal court at El Paso, July 12. The governor of Chihuahua asked the United States for the extradition of Huerta, July 2 on a charge of implication in the murder of President Madero. , General Porfirio Diaz, for about thirty-five years dictator and mas- ter of Mexico, and its resigned ex-president, died in Paris, July 2, 1915. He resigned in favor of De la Barra, May 25, 1911, owing to the revolution of Francisco I. Madero, Jr., and secretly left the capital for Europe. He lived in Paris and other European cities in virtual exile since then, a silent witness to the plague of revolution and bloodshed which has followed for over four years in the land he so long peace- fully ruled. He was born of Spanish parents with an infusion of In- dian blood, in 1830. After conquering, in 1867, the factions then as now existing, he was elected president in 1877, and re-elected eight terms, the last beieng in July, 1910. Prohibition scored a victory in Utah, at the special election on the 29th of June. Every formerly "dry" city in the state of Utah where t> special liquor elections were held, elected to remain "dry," withone exception where the vote was a tie. This exception was Gunnison, Sanpete county, where the "drys" and the "wets" received 163 votes each The cities that remain "dry" are Provo, Logan, Smithfield. Richmond, and Marysvale. Farmington also went "dry" by a vote_ of 147 to 50 Milford, in Beaver county, came within eight of going "dry " where the "dry" wote was 201 and the "wet" 209, which is con- sidered a big victory for the "drys." It is now the only place in Beaver county where the saloon may exist. Logan surprised even the most hopeful of the prohibition partv who anticipated a majority the figures swelled of 400, but when the vote was counted found that to more than 1,000. The note of President Wilson to Mexico, in which the warring government, factions were requested to get together and establish a personal was replied to by both Carranza and Villa by letter and by representatives to Washington. Each indicated that there was a pos- sibility of an agreement between the warring factions, though Villa interfere in the took the ground that the United States has no right to internal affairs of Mexico. It was later learned, however, that Car- States^ govern- ranza refused to consider the proposals of the United^ ment concerning a settlement of the chaotic situation in Mexico. On and it was re- Tune 18 four of Carranza's cabinet members resigned, ported that Carranza thought it best to retire to Vera Cruz to the fortress of San Juan de Ulma. President Wilson s plan is for the selection of some Mexican, on whom the parties can agree, to act as steo aside when this provisional president, and Carranza has agreed to that General Gon- can be done. On the 23rd of June it was reported zales at the head of Carrnaza's army, was about to occupy Mexico the revolt of Citv Some trouble resulted in Sonora on account of being in peril, Yakui Indians, and the American settlers in Sonora the "Chattanooga" and "Raleigh," battleships were dis- the "Colorado," patched to Guymas with a landing force of 1400 men «"der orders Maytorena's trooos were i,n b *° re PLe." to land in case General f the command of the squadron, the Indians. Admiral Howard is in Mexico is Americans in the Yaqui Valley are said to be well armed. facing a general famine. Gerald C. Anderson, the young man who used tp meet people in Era, and in his kindly, cour- the business office of the Improvement their wants will be forever missed fron, h l eous manTer attend to Los Angeles June 21. 1915 Gerald as accustomed table. He died in went back to the Era office. Gerald C. Anderson was the son of Nephi Anderson and Asenath Tillotson. He was born in Ogden, Utah, — June 18, .1890 and around that date cluster some of the most im- portant events of his life. He was baptized on his eighth birthday by his father, in Brigham, Utah, where the family had moved. There he attended the public schools, and was a student in Box Elder'sfirst high school. He was ordained a teacher in the Priesthood, November 22, 1905, by Elder C. Elias Jensen. On the removal of the family to Salt Lake City, in 1906, he entered the L. D. S. High School where his father was teaching; but owing to a severe attack of heart trouble and rheumatism, which affected him ever after, he had to discontinue his schooling. He was ordained an elder, June 17, 1910, by his father. On June 18, 1913, he married Ethel L. Symons, daughter of Charles W. Symons, in the Salt Lake Temple. Gerald frequently said that he could manage to die if on June 18, that date would be well fixed with his earthly ca- reer. That date came with pe- culiar feelings to his wife and father, who were attending him GERALD C. ANDERSON during his last illness; but he keptup his fight for life three days more. Gerald held no important public positions, he made no big mark in the world. He had to hus- bandhis little bodily strength, so he could not accept some of the positions of trust offered him. For nearly ten years, it was a fight for life with him, and he made the struggle bravely, and always with a cheerful spirit, and with faith in God. Many times during that period was he near death's door, but he was never afraid. Though not a profound student of books, yet he had a clear knowledge of the truth, and he seemed to know intuitively, the big fundamentals of the gospel as depicted in his father's "Added Upon." As a boy, and as a young man, he was clean and pure. He was not ignorant of the world's sins, but innocent of them. No one ever heard him tell "smutty" stories, and he had no pleasure in listening to them. A few hours be- fore he died, the attendant physician, seeking for something that would act as_ a stimulant, asked him if he liked lager beer. "I don't know," he said, "I have never tasted it." He leaves a daughter, Helen, — fourteen months old, and a wife a sweet, brave woman who has the big, comprehensive view of life, and who knows that this world is but a prelude to. the eternal worlds, where her husband, freed from his earthly handicap, is planning and working for their eternal kingdom of glory. — The Great War. The great war continues in each of the zones with uninterrupted activity. The participation of Italv created active operations in the south, where it appears, the soldiers of Italy won con- — siderable ground, although on the 8th of July they were reDorted to have lost seriously in one of the great actions. The Russians con- tinued to be driven back in Galicia, Field Marshal August von Mack- ensen, a lieutenant of Hindenberg's, being credited in the official Ger- man reports with the masterful leadership of the great Austro-German armies which relieved Hungary and swept the Russians nearly com- pletely out of eastern Galicia and back into their own territory. An airship raid in the North sea by the British was a failure. A United States firm in early July received an order for 150 swift boats to be used in the North Sea, and in the war zone, for the destruction of Ger- man submarines. These boats will be able to sail fifty miles an hour. The effort of the Allies to force the Dardanelles continued without apparent great headway, and with great loss of life and property. The blockade by sea which restricts the commerce of the world and con- demns millions to hunger, still continues. — June 9. The United States replied to Germany's note of May 30, maintaining that the sinking of passenger ships by German submarines without warning violates the principles of humanity and all law. The note plainly asked for assurances that measures will be adopted to safeguard American lives and ships. Premier Asquith announced that the casualties in the British armies, on the continent and on the Medi- terranean, from the beginning of the war to the end of May, totaled 50,342 killed, 153,980 wounded, and 53,747 missing. — June 11. Italian troops completed the occupation of Gradisca, north of Monfalcone. The German armies under General von Mack- ensen renewed their offensive movements in Galicia and took Russian possessions along a front of forty-three miles. — June 15. The British House of Commons voted a billion, two hundred fifty million dollars for war expenditures, and Premier Asquith stated that the war is now costing Great Britain fifteen mil- lion dollars a day. The war appropriations, up to this one, a^qregate — four billion, three hundred and ten million dollars. The second night raid on the northeast coast of England was made by a German zeppe- lin, — and sixteen persons were killed by bombs. French aviators dropped bombs in Karlsrhue, Germany, in retaliation. — June 16. The Austrians are reported to have captured 122,400 Russians, many cannon and machine guns, between June 1 and 15. At Souchez and other points north of Arras, the French carried some German trenches, by the use of nearly three hundred thousand shells, by artillery. — June 17. The Italian submarine "Medusa" was torpedoed and sunk by an Austrian submarine. T une 18. — The Austro-German drive in Galicia has penetrated Rus- sian territory at Tarnograde. The Russians issued a statement re- garding their withdrawal in Galicia, maintaining that it was before superior numbers. Between May 29 and June 15, they state that the Austro-German losses were more than one hundred and twenty thou- — sand men. The Allies claim to possess ten square miles of the Galli- poli peninsula.— King Constantine of Greece is reported recovering his health. June 19. — The French report further advances north of Arras and the British in Belgium pressed forward for short gains at various points. — The kaiser is reported to have assumed personal direction of ihe Galician campaign. — June 20. The Italians in the Trieste region captured the heights of Plava, and the French in a drive toward Souchez gained three- fifths of a mile. — June 21. The French claim the most brilliant victory for the — Allies since spring fighting began, in their winning of "The Laba- rynth," a complicated series of trenches north of Neuville-St. Vaast, held heretofore with unshakable persistence by the Germans. The — British House of Commons voted a new war loan of five billions to — cover possible deficits in the year. The Cunard liner "Cameronia" at- tempts to ram a German submarine. — June 22. The French report gains in Alsace and Lorraine. Dun- — — kirk is shelled by long range guns. The Austro-German army in Gaiicia enters Lemburg, after a severe battle. June 23. —The Allies capture Sondernach, a point of desperate contention in Alsace. This establishes a new line of advance toward the Rhine. —The British cruiser "Rockburg" was injured by a tor- June 24. pedo. —The British note on the blockade was received at Washington. announced from France that the total apporpriations for the war It is from the beginning up to date is four billion eight hundred million dollars. — June 25. It. is announced that the British losses during the last — two months have averaged two thousand a day. The Italians continue to bombard Malbogette. — June 26. The German Socialists publish an appeal for peace and "Vorwarts," the official organ of the social Democrats, was suspended for publishing the article advocating the opening of peace negotiations. — June 27. The Germans made an attack north of Warsaw, and it was announced that Italy is about to enter war with Turkey. — June 28. The "Armenian," with a loss of eleven Americans, was torpedoed and sunk off Cornwall, by a German submarine. The ves- sel, flying a British flag, was warned, offered resistance, and was sunk. It had a cargo of 1,422 mules from Newport News, U. S., to France. —The Teutonic June 29. captured Tamaszow, allies Russian Po-in land. June —Recent fighting the Dardanelles has resulted in an 30. in advance by the Allies. —The "Scottish Monarch," a British steamer, was torpedoed and sunk by a German submarine. July 1.—The German forces reach Krasnick in the southern dis- trict of Russian Poland. — July 2. Three British steamers, "Ingle- moor," "Caucasian" and "Wellbury," were sunk by a German sub- marine; also the British schooner "L. C. Tower." — July 3. The Belgian steamship "boguonat" and the British steamship "Gadsley" were torpedoed and sunk by German submarines. — July 5. Jane Addams, Chairman of the International Congress of Women for Peace, arrived in New York. She says the people of Europe are ready for peace, but they have no choice but to go on. The Norwegian bark "Fiery Cross," with six Americans aboard, was sunk off Scilly Islands. T uly 6. — Notwithstanding the German drive in Gaiicia, Petrograd reports no apprehension for Warsaw, which bids fair to be protected. — The losses of the Allies in Arras are reported from Berlin to be fearful. July 7.—The Italian armored cruiser "Amain" was torpedoed and sunk by an Austrian submarine. July —The government Washington took over the. Sayville, 8. at L. I., wireless station, the only direct means, privately operated, of direct communication between Germanv and the United States. It will now be operated by naval forces. — July 10. The German reply to the latest American communica- tion realting to submarine warfare was made public, and the official text sent to Washington.