--- 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: 19 number: 9 published: 1916-07 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* 19, no. 9 (July 1916): 853–856.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1909unse 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: improvementera1909unse start_page: 853 end_page: 856 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1916-07) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera1909unse publication_year: 1916 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 1916, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Passing Events lllllllllllllllllllllllllllllllm PASSING EVENTS The battle around Verdun continued all during June, at times with a violence unprecedented. The loss of men is appalling on both sides. The Navy Bill, calling for an appropriation of more than $250,000,- 000 for construction and maintenance of the Navy, passed the House June 2 by a vote of 538 to 4. The Army Bill, calling for a regular peace-strength of one hun- dred and seventy-five thousand men and a war force of two hundred and six thousand was signed by President Wilson, June 3. The Democratic National Convention, in session at St. Louis, Mo., renominated, on Thursday, June 15, President Woodrow Wilson as the Democratic candidate for President of the United States, and Vice-President Thomas R. Marshall for the vice-presidency. They were nominated and chosen by acclamation. Richard Harding Davis, author and war correspondent, died at Mount Kisco, New York, April 12. He was a popular American writer and had been a war correspondent in five wars including the present great war. He was born in Philadelphia, in 1864, and was educated at Lehigh and Johns Hopkins universities. "Soldiers of Fortune" is his most widely read book. The citizens of Eastern Millard county extended an invitation to the people of the state to celebrate "Well days" with them at Fill- more, June 1, 2, and 3. The occasion brought many people to that southern country to celebrate the striking of artesian wells along the vast Pahvont valley. That such wells have been found is an indication of a coming great economic evolution for that part of Utah. Edgar E. Calvin, who began his railroad career as a telegraph operator, has been chosen president of the Union Pacific railroad to succeed A. L. Mohler whose resignation, due to ill health, took effect July 1. Mr. Calvin is well known in Salt Lake City and the West having been connected many years with railroad interests and being vice-president and general manager of the Oregon Short Line rail- way. Louis D. Brandeis was confirmed by the Senate of the United States June 1, to be an associate justice of the supreme court. The vote was 47 to 22. It was four months since he was nominated by President Wilson for the place, and during that time a constant war- fare against his confirmation was waged in the Senate, the objection to Mr. Brandeis being that he was lacking in the judicial tempera- ment. Neil B. Musser, age 16, son of Jos. W. Musser, of Salt Lake City, was appointed to the naval academy at Annapolis, and left to take up 854 IMPROVEMENT ERA his school work there, on June 12. Congressman James H. Mayes made the appointment. Mr. Musser is sixteen years of age, and in his cadet work at the west side Salt Lake high school was first lieutenant and quartermaster. He was a member of the Forest Dale M. I. A. and a leader and enthusiast in M. I. A. scout work. class, Dr. Harvey Fletcher, late superintendent of the Y. M. M. I. A. of the Utah stake, and professor in the Brigham Y,oung University, has accepted a position with the General Electric Company to engage in special research work in New York City. This splendid position came to him through the record he has made during the past ten years in electrical research. Utah and the Brigham Young University will feel keenly his absence. The university has given him a furlough of two years; however, he may stay in New York indefinitely. Engineer A. M. Campbell, Ogden, 56 years of age and married, lost his life in aDenver & Rio Grande train wreck near Colton, Utah, on the early morning of June 6. Five other men including Fireman Wil- liam Schafer, of Ogden, aged 30, lost their lives. On the passenger coach on the fated train were President Joseph W. McMurrin, Mrs. Amy Brown Lyman, Mrs. Emma A. Empey and Mrs. Sterling B. Tal- mage who were returning to Salt Lake City from a conference in San Juan stake. They were badly shaken up, but received no injury. Four of the dead were trespassers on the train. J. Parley White, state bank examiner and former chief deputy sheriff under Joseph C. Sharp, was appointed chief of police of Salt Lake City on the evening of May 29, to succeed C. W. Shores who recently retired after being declared ineligible by the supreme court to hold office by reason of not being a citizen of Utah. Mr. White is forty-five years of age, and a son of William White head of the firm of White & Sons, livestock dealers. He came from Wales to Salt Lake City at the age of five, and has lived here since that time. He was appointed bank examiner by Governor Spry three years ago. The new position came to him entirely unsolicited. James J. Hill, the empire builder and financier, died in St. Paul, Minnesota, May 29, at the age of 78. He was well known in the United States as railroad builder and financier and famous as the man who opened the great northwest, completing through his own initia- tive and efforts the consolidation of the east and west which had been undertaken by the government. He was born on a Canadian farm near Guelph, Ontario, in 1838, and went to work in a steamboat office at St. Paul at the age of eighteen. Archbishop John Ireland said of him: "He loved and respected religion and held the Christian faith to be the supreme principle of human righteousness and human life." Earl Kitchener, secretary of state for war, and his whole staff who were proceeding to Russia, aboard the cruiser "Hampshire," were lost off the western shore of the Orkney islands, north of Scotland, June 5. He was on board this cruiser which was sunk either bv a mine or a torpedo and all on board went down. The loss of Earl Kitchener is considered the most stunning blow to England since the war began. The "Hamoshire" carried a crew of between four and five hundred men. Lord Kitchener was going to Russia at therequest of the Rus- sian government to arrange for a supply of munitions for Russia, and perhaps to discuss important military and financial questions with Emperor Nicholas. PASSING EVENTS 855 The Republican National Convention, on June 10, nominated r . Charles Evans Hughes, of New York, and Charles W. Fairbanks of Indiana as the candidates for president and vice-president of 'the United States. At the same time Theodore Roosevelt was nominated by the Progressive national convention, and, later in the day, John M Parker of Louisiana as his running mate. On receipt of the news of his nomination Mr. Hughes sent to President Wilson his resignation as associate justice of the federal supreme bench and accepted the nomination which apparently gives satisfaction in all quarters and is a precursor of the re-uniting of the Republican party. It is generally believed that Colonel Roosevelt will turn his influence to the election of Hughes. Utah cast seven votes for Hughes. „ , Dr George E. Hyde, formerly of Idaho, and prior to that, of - Ogden, Utah, was appointed superintendent of the state mental hos- pital at Provo to succeed Dr. D. H. Calder, at a meeting of the Board May 26. The appointment took effect June 1. Dr. Calder left for Southern California after twenty-one years of continuous hospital work. Dr. Hyde was born in England, in 1884, and settled in Ogden where he married Rose Farr, daughter of the late Judge Aaron Farr. He studied medicine at Baltimore, Maryland, and has engaged in hos- pital work in San Francisco and Boston, and took a special course in nervous and mental diseases at the Mayo Brothers hospital, in Roches- ter, Minnesota. For a term of years, up to 1915, he served as super- intendent of the Idaho mental hospital at Blackfoot. His salary was fixed at $2,500 a year. Li Yuan Hung, the new president of the Chinese republic, succeed- ed Yuan Shih Kai just after that noted president's death, June 6 and is quoted as "a capable, gentle-mannered, gentle-spirited man, thoroughly republican, honest, straightforward and popular among the Chinese." His leading characteristic is said to be his faculty of surrounding him- self with strong men. He stands for the open door in China, is a progressive, and will continue the advancement of the modern school system. It is reported that half a dozen provinces which were in revolt against Yuan Shih Kai his predecessor have announced their loyalty to the new chief magistrate. He will remain in office until October, 1917, at which time the term of five years for which Yuan Shih Kai was elected will expire. Yuan Shih Kai's latest pronuncia- mento was a cancellation of his former mandate declaring the republic of China a monarchy. The great naval battle which has been expected for twenty-two months came to pass on the 31st of May and for the first time in history two modern battle fleets came in conflict. The details of the battle which took place about 150 miles off the west coast of Northern Denmark in the North sea are obscure, and the losses are disputed on both sides. The British lost fourteen ships aggregating a tonnage of 105,670 tons. The Germans lost ten ships aggregating a tonnage of 95,000 tons. Eight other ships were reported lost on the German side by the British, but the loss was not admitted by Germany. This included "Westfalen," a dreadnought, three destroyers, a submarine, a light cruiser, and two battle cruisers. Among the ships that were lost to the British were "Queen Mary," "Indefatigable," "Invincible," "Defense," "Warrior,"' "Black Prince," battle and armed cruisers, and eight destroyers. It is estimated that upwards of ten thousand men perished in this battle which is among the greatest and perhaps the greatest in the history of the nations. The British loss in men and officers is placed at 5,000, and the Germans at 3,000. 856 IMPROVEMENT ERA Carranza presented to the government of the United States on May 31, through the Mexican ambassador, a garrulous and offensive note charging that the United States was acting in a way to justify the suspicion that it expected to tight Mexico. It demanded a precise statement of American intentions and an immediate withdrawal of American troops in Mexico. However, the troops under General Obregon continued to co-operate with the American forces in policing Northern Mexico. The administration at Washington made no im- mediate answer to the note, and inclined to minimize its importance, though it was decided not to withdraw the expeditionary forces until it was proved that Carranza was able to keep order. General Trevino, commanding Carranza's army of the north, advised General Pershing, commander of the Americans, on June 15, that any further move- ments by the Americans south, east or west from the present lines would be considered a hostile act and a signal to open warfare. Sev- eral anti-American riots occurred in the early part of June in Mexico, and on the 10th raiders drove off 80 head of horses from across the border near Laredo, Texas. On the 18th President Wilson ordered the National Guard of all states into federal service 100,000 strong, to be mobilized on the border. The National Guard of Utah was or- dered to mobilize on the 19th. Preparedness parades were the order throughout the United States during the month of June. In Chicago, New York City, and the east, as well as in many western cities, including Salt Lake City, parades were held. Hundreds of thousands of people formed in line with flags and music to show their willingness to have the country prepare to protect itself in case of war. In the parade in Salt Lake City, June 3, there were in line upwards of twenty thousand people, includ- ing Governor Spry, President Joseph F. Smith, and many other prominent leaders in the civil, religious, educational, and business world. The parade was more than two miles long and required an hour and ten min- utes to pass a given point. The course of march was lined with great crowds of people. Civil war veterans and veterans of the Spanish - American war, school children, club men, labor unions, merchants and clerks, and citizens in general, headed by the High School cadets and bands of music, were in line. On the same day in Chicago 120,000 people participated in High School Cadets at the head of the preparedness parade. Pa- the procession down Main rades of like character were St., Salt Lake City. held that day also in Spring- field, Ohio, and Illinois, New Orleans, Hartford, Conn., Providence, R. I., Memphis, and other large cities.