--- 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: 21 number: 2 published: 1917-12 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* 21, no. 2 (December 1917): 182–188." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2102unse 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: improvementera2102unse start_page: 182 end_page: 188 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1917-12) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera2102unse publication_year: 1917 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 1917, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Passing Events iiimiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiiii^ PASSING EVENTS New York, on Nov. 6, voted for the full enfranchisement of nearly two million women by a majority which was expected to reach one hun- dred thousand. The British sank a masked raider, a cruiser, and ten armed ships in Cattegat, on Nov. 3. The auxiliary cruiser was armed with six-inch guns. Sixty-four prisoners were rescued by the British who sustained no losses. The city of Gaza was captured by the British, on Nov. 7. This is a city in the southern part of Palestine, referred to in the Bible, as Gaza, which is desert. Beersheba, fifty miles south of Jerusalem had previously been captured. New Mexico and Ohio voted on the prohibition question. New Mexico, it was reported, joined the prohibition ranks by a majority of twenty thousand, but from latest returns Ohio remained wet. That state voted de- cisively against women suffrage. "Alcedo," an American patrol boat, was torpedoed and sunk by a Ger- man submarine, in the war zone, at 1:30 on the morning of Nov. 5. The ship sank in four minutes. One officer and twenty men are missing. Tht Alcedo carried a crew of seven officers and eighty-five men. Vice President Thomas R. Marshall visited Salt Lake City, and spoke before the Bonneville Club, Hotel Utah, at a dinner, Nov. 1. He completed his address to the Bonneville club by saying: "For myself, I lift my hand to heaven and swear allegiance to President Woodrow Wilson and to America and Democracy, and may God guard and keep alive this Republic of ours." — The election in Utah. Le Roy Dixon was elected mayor of Provo against William D. Roberts; and T. Samuel Browning was elected at Ogden over A. R. Haywood who was the former mayor. Two new men were elected in Salt Lake City, in the City Commission, namely, A. H. Crabbe and C. Clarence Neslen. At Logan, Mayor Asa Bullen was re-elected to succeed himself. On the West Battle Front in France, the British and the French have made great headway in driving the Germans back. From Oct. 23, to Nov. 3, the French captured four hundred and twenty-two guns and seven hundred and twenty-two machine guns, and took a great many prisoners. The French extended their gains on the Aisne south of Loan, and regained 25 square miles of French territory. Many German prisoners were taken. Brazil has proclaimed war against Germany. The two Chambers, by an almost unanimous vote, declared that a state of war with Germany exists, and President Braz issued a proclamation in accordance with that vote on October 26, since which time war preparations have been going on steadily in that republic of South America, which has already competent representatives studying the situation on the battle front in France. Count Luxburg, the German minister to Argentina, has had two more letters which were sent by him to his government through the Swedish legation at Buenos Ayres, made public by Secretary Lansing, October 29. These letters urged the intimidation of Brazil by a submarine squadron, PASSING EVENTS 183 and spoke of the German intentions to "reorganize" Southern Brazil where there are half a million Germans. Shelley, Idaho, celebrated, Nov. 14, the completion of a new sugar factory, in that city, builtand completed recently, by the Utah-Idaho Sugar Company. There was a program of music and speeches, addresses being given by Dr. Edwin Cutler, Mark Austin, and others, with splendid music, under Joseph Adams as leader. There was also a great barbecue in the center of the city, and all visitors were invited to partake of this old fashioned treat. The exercises closed with a grand ball in the evening. The winter term of the Utah Agricultural College opens December 3, to run twelve weeks, to March 12, 1918. The Utah Agricultural College is the first agricultural institution in America to adapt its course of study to the needs of the people by breaking its school year into a fall, a winter, and a spring term. This winter term represents a complete unit of work espe- cially outlined for the practical person. During this period, the College will offer intensely practical work. J. Lewis Barthou was appointed new foreign minister of France on October 24, after a crisis in the ministry of France. His appointment in 'he place of Alexandre Ribot averted for a time at least the fall of the Painleve ministry. Mr. Ribot was regarded with hostility in the Chamber, and the change, it was believed, would enable the Painleve cabinet to con- tinue in office, but on Nov. 13, Prof. Paul Painleve resigned, and on the 15th Ex-Premier Clemenceau. a famous editor and shrewd statesman, accepted the Premiership. Americans in the trenches in France have had their first conflict with the Germans. On Nov. 4, it was reported that the Germans had made an attack on the first line trenches where United States troops had been taken for instructions. Three Americans were killed, five wounded, and twelve captured or missing. The three killed are, Private Thomas F. Enright, Pennsylvania, Private James B. Gresham, Indiana, Private Merle D. Hay, Iowa. The German papers made great sport over the captured American soldiers. The Americans fought with great valor but were overcome by numbers. Count George Von Hertling, the Bavarian Prime Minister, has been appointed (October 29) to the post of Imperial Chancellor, vice Dr. Michaelis, who was recently superseded. It is the first time since the crea- tion of the present German Empire that the post has been filled by a Bavarian. It has always been filled heretofore by a Prussian, who also held, at the same time, the post of Premier of the Kingdom of Prussia. Count Von Hertling succeeded Dr. Michaelis who is now merely Prime Minister of Prussia. The new Chancellor is a member of the Catholic Centrists, but what stand he will take, politically, is not known. It is said that last year he was willing for peace without indemnities. The Russian Government at Petrograd was taken over by the Bolshe- viki forces early in November. On the 9th, the all Russian Congress of workmen and soldier delegates nameda cabinet composed entirely of Bolsheviki. It is headed by Nikolai Lenine as premier and Leon Trotzky, foreign minister. Up to the 14th conflicting reports as to the result of the conflict occurring in Petrograd and surrounding districts between the Kerensky forces and the forces of the new government, were made public Fierce fighting in the streets of Petrograd resulting in many deaths con- tinued for days. The counter revolutionary forces of Kerensky and Korniloff sought to counteract the Bosheviki with what result remains to be seen. A new Mexican revolutionary movement, said to be headed by Felix 184 IMPROVEMENT ERA Diaz, is believed to be under way, and being formed along the border, and in the principal cities that are in close touch with Mexico. Juntas have been formed in San Antonio, New Orleans, and Los Angeles, with agents, it is said, in smaller border towns. The whole movement is said to be directly connected with the Yaqui Indian uprising in Sonora. Villa in the meantime, (Nov. 14), whom most people thought dead, in a hand to hand battle, captured Ojinaga, and his troops occupied the town while the federal troops under Juan Espinoso y Cardova fled over the United States border and surrendered to Capt. Theo. Barnes, Jr., commander of the American troops at Presidio, Texas. A. Mitchell Palmer, formerly representative from Pennsylvania has been appointed to take charge of enemy alien properties during the war. The United States is going to exercise federal control over all German owned properties and industries in this country. This will involve hundreds of millions and perhaps billions of dollars. All German property of a business nature will be taken over by the Government and, if possible, the business will be continued with directors representing the majority of German in- terests, but appoinetd by the American Government. All earnings will be held in trust by the organization of Mr. Palmer, and arrangements will also be made for taking over other type of enemy property, notably patents. A record will then be kept of all transactions, and a final accounting will be 'made after the war. Floyd L. Weed, graduated from the Latter-day Saints' Business College, in 1912, filled a mission in Sweden and the Central States in 1914 and 1915, re- turning from Sweden when the war started. He served as President of the Twenty-sixth ward M. I. A. in 1916-17. When the call came for volunteers to serve the United States of America in the war with Germany, he was among the first to volunteer, and enlisted with the National Guard of Utah, now the Field Artillery. He is now in California with Battery D, 145th Regiment Field Artillery, Camp Kearney, California. He maried Hedwig Borg in the Salt Lake Temple, on August 24, 1917. Sister Borg filled a mission in the Northern States in 1916-17. The Second Liberty War Loan was over subscribed by fifty-four per cent of the $3,000,000,000 asked, and only $383,000,000 less than the $5,000,- 000,000 maximum fixed by the Treasury. The total amount subscribed was $4,617,432,300. Every federal district exceeded its quota, and 9,400,000 peo- ple subscribed for the greatest war financing operation ever attempted by any government. The Liberty Loan subscriptions for the 12th federal re- serve district show a grand total of $290,576,900 credited to the different states as follows: Alaska and Hawaii, $5,267,505; Arizona, $7,781,650; Cali- fornia, $180,888,250; Idaho, $10,793,700; Nevada, $3,473,500; Oregon, $25,- 455,900; Washington, $41,399,850; Utah, $15,517,000. From this it appears that Utah over subscribed her allotment of $10,000,000 by $5,517,000, a re- markably excellent record. If the bonds purchased by the soldiers at Fort Douglas had been counted in, it would have raised the amount $393,000. The 42nd Infantry of Fort Douglas, the rank and file of which were largelymade up of home boys, met with a fatal accident near Cotapaxi, Colorado, on the morning of Nov. 12. The boys left on the D. & R. G. on Saturday, Nov. 10, and were being carried to Camp Dodge, Iowa, for further training. A rear end collision occurred between two sections of the troop train, resulting in the death of three Utah boys: Guy B. Alexander and Sergeant Claytor P. Preston of Logan, and Fred T. Whitehouse of PASSING EVENTS 185 Salt Lake City, a musician. There were perhaps a score of others injured. Guy B. Alexander came from Heber, and was formerly connected with the Agricultural College of Logan. Claytor P. Preston was the son of the late William B. Preston, Jr., and Kate (Pyper) Preston, and was born in Logan. His father was drowned in Bear River some years ago, and not long after, one of his brothers met the same fate. The loss of this son now has utterly prostrated the mother, and has stirred he whole city and state with great sympathy for her. Fred T. Whitehouse was born at Keewani, Illi- nois, thirty years ago, but has lived with an uncle in Salt Lake City, for five years. He was unmarried. Mr. Preston and Mr. Alexander were both married in August last. The injured men are all said to be getting along towards recovery. Kaiser Wilhelm is thinner than he was before the war, and the lines in his face show that the arch-enemy of civilization has suffered some of the pangs that he has caused humanity. His figure has lost some of the military c?rriage of his former bearing and in this photograph unlike those of the Copyright, Underwood & Underzvood, New York The Enemy of Democracy — the Kaiser as He Looks Today past,he is making no effort to conceal the short left arm that is hidden in most of his portraits. On the Kaiser's right is his son Prince Eitel Fried- rich who is holding some of the iron crosses the Kaiser bestowed on this occasion to his troops. On the Kaiser's left is Gen. von Winkler. The photograph was made on the occasion of the Kaiser's recent visit to Tar- nopol. 186 IMPROVEMENT ERA The steel armor that has been found so useful in protecting the huge tanks from enemy fire has been put to another use on the front. Protected by armor plate, these Italian soldiers, veritable "Human Tanks" are advanc- ing through a fusilade from the Austrian machine guns almost immune from Copyright, Underwood & Underwood, New York Italians Armored Like Tanks to Protect Them From Austrian Machine Gun Fire danger though in the midst of battle. It is another occasion where methods of warfare that were considered forever obsolete, have again found employ- ment in battle. Armor has been out of date as clothing for soldiers for centuries, but like the steel helmet, modern warfare has found it almost a necessity. Patriarch David McKay, father of Elder David O. McKay of the Council of the Twelve, died at the Dee Hospital at Ogden, early on the morning of November 10. Elder McKay was born in Thurso, Scotland, May 3, 1844, and came to Utah with his parents when he was twelve years of age. The greater part of his life was spent in Ogden Valley, where he fol- lowed farming. For many years he was a counselor to Bishop Francis A. Hammond, and later was the Bishop of Huntsville, for many years. In his younger days, he was a captain in the Utah Militia in charge of the Eden and Huntsville companies. Later he was commissioned as Major under General Chauncey W. West, during the territorial days. Shortly after the death of his wife, in 1905, he was ordained a Patriarch, and resided much of the time in Ogden. He took a prominent part in politics during his many years of residence in Ogden Valley, and was elected on the Re- publican ticket, as a member of the House, in the first State legislature. He was afterwards elected Senator in the State Legislature. He was indeed a leader in the community; a man beloved by all with whom he came in contact; a man continually rendering service to his fellows; kind, lovable, affectionate, full of directing counsel, helpful to the poor and the unfortun- ate, doing good in every walk of life. If ever a man was beloved of the people with whom he came in contact, it was David McKay. Morgan P. McKay, one of his sons is a member of the 134th Aerial Squadron stationed at San Antonio, Texas, and was present at the funeral which took place on Wednesday, Nov. 14, services being held in the Ogden Tabernacle and later in Huntsville, the body being interred in the Huntsville Cemetery. PASSING EVENTS 187 Queen Liliuokalani died at her home in Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands, November 11. In an interview published in the News on the 12th, President Joseph F. Smith paid high tribute to the Queen, as a refined and accomp- lished gentlewoman, and as the author of the famous Aloha Oe. On his last visit but one to the Islands, he, in company with Senator Reed Smoot, and Presiding Bishop, C. W. Nibley, called on the deposed queen in her home. President Smith also mentioned the visit of the queen to the President's office in Salt Lake City, on her way to Washington with her lawyer and physician, to make an appeal for certain lands affected by the accession of the Islands to the United States. He also told of her being baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which is probably the first authentic assertion that the former queen had avowed the faith of the Latter-day Saints. He told of her kind treatment to the elders in the Hawaiian Islands. Mrs. Susa Young Gates spoke of Liliuokalani as a charming, refined woman, and an author. Miss Lucy Gates had delighted the queen by dancing a Kanaka dance, and by singing before the Hawaiian at her home in Honolulu, when Miss Gates was five years old. The despatches state that the queen had recently shown striking patriotism for the United States. She subscribed liberally for the Red Cross fund and the Liberty Loan. When the news first came that a state of war had been declared she hoisted the Stars and Stripes over her residence in Washington place, and advised her former subjects to support the United States government to the fullest. The Italian Army on the Isonzo front was repulsed by a powerful attack of the Austro-Cerman army, which advanced on October 24, along a front of some fifteen miles. The disorganization spread north and south as the Germans advanced, and within two days, the entire left wing of Cadorna' s formation, including the second and third armies, was in full retreat. This opened to the Germans the rear of the Italian army, operat- ing on the Bainsizza Plateaus and the Carso, and Cadorna had no alternative except a hasty retreat to save his entire center and right from being cut off. All the commanding positions in the mountains, that were taken with so much expenditure of blood during the last two years, had to be aband- oned almost in a day. On October 29 Udine, the headquarters of the Italian army, was occupied by the Germans. The Italians then retired be- hind the Tagliamento River. General Cadorna was not able to establish himself behind even that natural line of defense, in time to check the Austro-German advance. But they continued on farther into the country where at length the Italians were able, through the help of English and French reinforcements, to take a stand. What the results will be is not known at the present writing. The disaster on the Isonzo caused great anxiety in London and Paris, and reinforcements of men, guns, and muni- tions, were hurried into Italy from France. The United States moved all restrictions hitherto placed on imports to Italy, and agreed to put one hundred thousand tons of shipping at the disposal of that country. The severe defeat of the Italian army was followed by the fall of the Boselli cabinet, and a new cabinet was formed with Segnior Orlando as the new Premier, and it is announced that all parties in the Roman Parliament have rallied to the support of the Orlando ministry, and that no further party positions will be permitted as long as the nationa -estfitory is in danger. German troops had retired from the eastern front, in rtussia, and had con- centrated to make this attack on Italy, which seems to indicate that the Germans will not push a land campaign against Petrograd this winter, and if the revolution against Kerensky persists, it is probable that a separate peace with Russia may be formed. The Germans took more than 200,000 Italian prisoners, and hundreds of big guns. On Nov. 17 the- had been stopped at the river Piave, whose floodgates had been opened by the Italian engineers and where desperate battles were taking place. General Efficiency Report of Y. M. M. I. A. for October, 1917 < c .8 Ward u V — Is "2 w c Monthlv Stake STAKES Is 'o °> o 3 o >o Officers' Meeting CO " fa and < > 11 5 5 10 5 10 10 5 10 10 10 5 10 10 10 5 5 10 10 10 (* rhon 5 5 5 5 10 !. « 5 5 10 10 5 10 10 10 t remo Trt h 10 5 r> 5 5 10 10 10 10 10 5 10 10 10 10 5 10 10 5 10 10 5 10 10 10 10 10 5 10 5 5 5 10 10 10 10 5 10 5 10 10 5 10 10 10 10 10 10 5 10 5 10 10 10 5 10 10 10 I A stake report must be sent to the Secretary of the General Board, 21 Bishop's Building, Salt Lake City, Utah, by the 10th of each month, to be published monthly in the Era. When the report shows that the requirements in General Efficiency have been reached, it is indicated by placing 10 in the proper space; if half, place S. When stakes are below half General Efficiency requirements, it is indicated by a blank. (See Y. M. M. I. A. Hand Book, pp. 17, 18, for regulations.)