Passing Events

MASSING EVENTS'

Argentine troops have been mobolized along ^the border of Brazil, an-

ticipating trouble in case of an uprising of German colonists in Brazil.

East Africa has been completely cleared of the Germans whose every

colony is now (December 3) occupied by Allied forces.

The Rainbow Division of the United States army, composed of National

Guardsmen from every state in the Union arrived safely in France, Nov. 30,

and went immediately into training.

The Diet of Finland, a western province of Russia, which has declared

itself independent, voted in late November that it should exercise all the

powers formerly held by the Czar as Grand Duke of Finland.

The Red Cross national drive for an annual membership of 5,000,000

members began Dec. 17. Utah's quota was $60,000. The first day more than

$11,000 of that amount was collected in Salt Lake City alone. The campaign

closed Dec. 24.

The two-year war cost to the United States is placed by Secretary Mc-

Adoo, in his annual report to Congress at $36,000,000,000, and the Secre-

tary appeals to every American citizen to forego all needless expenditure

that the wealth of the country may be conserved for the purposes of war.

Brazil, which country lately declared war against Germany, has sent a

commission to the United States. This military commission from Brazil,

consists of Col. Alepo Gama, Major Borges, Capt. Alexander Bueno, Capt.

Lisbon, Lieut. Athon Santes, Lieut. Luis Noguera, and H. C. DeMartins

Pinhecro, Consul General from Brazil in the United States.

American engineers, working at railway building on the western front

in France, were caught in an enemy encircling movement at Cambrai, De-

cember 3, and a number of them were killed. They fought the enemy with

their tools, being without arms. The courage, coolness, and discipline of

these men were highly praised. A number were taken prisoners and later

rescued.

Jerusalem surrendered to the British on the morning of December 9,

1917, when after a desperate resistance by the Turks the day previous, the

mayor and chief of police came out with a flag of truce and surrendered the

town. There was great rejoicing when General Allenby advanced to take

the city, both by Jew and Arab, and the inhabitants of the Holy City are

heart and soul with the British.

War Savings Certificates. A new savings plan, as simple as the purchase

of postage stamps, was started by Secretary McAdoo, December 3. One may

invest as little as 25 cents at a time at post offices and banks, and other

public places where information may be obtained. Certificates bearing 4 per

cent interest will be dated Jaunary 2, 1918, and will mature Jan. 1, 1923.

The entire wealth of our country is behind them as security. Get in and

save.

At the Italian front the Roman armies retired to the Piave where they

were safely ensconced by November 12, and where terrible fighting took

place for more than two weeks, and continued with more or less fury up to

278 IMPROVEMENT ERA

December 18, the Italians holding their ground in hoth cases, with fearful

loss of life on both sides. By November 25 French and British troops and

guns arrived, and it was felt that the great danger was over and that the

Italians would be able to hold indefinitely the Piave line.

The new Inter-Entente War Council was held in Paris, on November

29, and following days. The American delegates were headed by Col. E.

M. House, and General Bliss, chief of the army staff. Col. House announced

that the United States would be represented in the Supreme War Council

established by the Premiers of England, France and Italy and that General

Tasker H. Bliss and Admiral Benson would act as military advisers to the

council. The purpose of the council is to unify the action of the Allies both

on land and sea.

Milton H. Sevey, of the class of 1914, University of Utah, a former

prominent student, and president of the student body, was killed in an auto-

mobile accident in Southern Utah on December 9, 1917. He was a son of

Mr. Sevey and Mary Heywood Sevey, and was about 28 years of age. In

his senior year he took a leading part in many of the activities of the insti-

tution being on the Chronicle staff and member of a number of fraternities.

A younger brother, Heber Sevey, is now president of the University student

body.

The Railivay situation in the United States does not appear to be very

satisfactory. From a report of the Bureau of Railway Economics for the

month of August, 1917, it appears that the Western Railways' operating rev-

enue per mile, exceeded those for August, 1916, by 7.5%. The operating

expense rose 16.7%. The net operating revenue decreased 5.7%. The taxes

increased 20.4%. Operating income per mile decreased 9.2%. For the

eight months of the calendar year, 1917, the operating expense per mile

decreased 15.9% in the east, increased 3.3% in the south, and increased

5.5% in the west.

Halifax, the great British naval base in Canada, was devastated, Dec.

6, by an explosion and fire almost if not unparalleled in history. Two

vessels, the French munition ship Mt. Blanc, loaded with high explosives,

and the Belgian steamer Into collided in the harbor. A general fire and

destruction followed. More than 2000 people were killed outright and many

thousands were rendered homeless or were wounded, while the destruction

of property mounted into many millions. The explosion was heard 61

miles away, and destroyed all telegraph and telephone installation for 30

miles around Halifax, and freight cars were blown off railway tracks along a

stretch of nearly two miles.

Bishop Robert McQuarrie, for forty years bishop of the Second Ward,

Ogden, died Nov. 27, and was laid to rest in the Ogden cemetery, funeral

services being held in the Ogden Tabernacle, Sunday, Dec. 2, 1917, where a

beautiful program of music was rendered by the tabernacle choir and many

soloists. Among the speakers were President Charles W. Penrose, and Pres-

ident John L. Herrick of the Western States mission. Bishop McQuarrie

was born in Scotland, Aug. 17, 1832, was baptized in 1853, and came to Utah

Sept. 12, 1857, immediately settling in Ogden where he took a working

interest in almost every activity — religious, social, political and economical —

that tended to the welfare of the people and the building up of the country.

General Byng continued the work of holding the western front in France

and was successful notwithstanding the Germans hurried large reinforcements

from the Russian and Italian fronts. The British advance was fiercely con-

tested, and artillery firing during the time up to December 18, was heavy

along the whole battle line. It is estimated by the French authorities that

the Germans have 3,724,000 soldiers in active service on the western front,

PASSING EVENTS 279

but even greater armies are opposed to them. The fiercest counter attack

on the British forces on the west front was made Dec. l-4,on which latter

date the British headquarters in France announced that the great German

counter offensive had ceased, the German drive having missed its end, at

enormous sacrifice of life.

Professor Evan Stephens was sustained as music director of the Granite

Stake of Zion by unanimous vote of the stake conference, held on Sunday,

November 25. His mission is to unite the musical organizations in the

stake, and so co-ordinate the work and the material that each ward will build

up the other, with the ward choir at the head in each ward, and with the

united choirs so trained, that they can at any and all times, unite into one

organization for stake use, without having a special stake choir. It is also

intended to unite the musical forces of the auxilliary organizations of the

stake, so that there shall be no conflict, but rather a united effort, having

each in perfect accord and giving aid to the other. A stake music com-

mittee of four will be his immediate aides, under direction and support of

the stake presidency and bishops.

The Utah Coal Road began operations on November 30, and by De-

cember 18 operated between Provo and the coal fields of Carbon, Grand and

Emery counties in almost full service. They have some 2000 cars with a ca-

pacity of 100,000 pounds each which will be devoted entirely to hauling coal.

This should wipe out the coal shortage in Utah completely.

The United States airship program calls for the construction of 75,000

aeroplanes and 150,000 motors before the end of this year.

On Nov. 23, Rear Admiral W. L. Capps, who succeeded Gen. Goethals,

resigned as general manager of the Emergency Fleet Corporation, and

was succeeded by Rear Admiral Frederick R. Harris, chief of the Bureau

of Docks and Yards. Contracts have been let for 884 vessels aggregating

4,724,300 tons, and 426 vessels have been requisitioned, aggregating 3,029,508

tons, already on the ways; all vessels to be completed by January 7, 1919.

The re-convened sixty-fifth Congress of the United States, opened on

December 3. In a stirring address to the joint session, President Wilson,

among other things, declared for an immediate declaration of war against

Austria, which was later made by Congress, and demanded no let-up in the

struggle now going on, until autocracy is crushed. He epitomized the con-

ditions upon which the war must now be carried on and these are, according

to the President, an immediate declaration of war against Austria-Hungary,

victory to be the sole object of immediate consideration; no compromise

with autocracy; no thought of premature peace, and a demand that the

present Hohenzollern government shall go. Justice, reparation and security

are the watchwords. Speaker Champ Clark of the House, presided jointly

with Vice President Marshall, while President Wilson made his address. On

Dec. 7 the President signed the resolution declaring the existence of a state

of war between the United States and Austria-Hungary.

The Bolsheviki, with Nikolai Lenine as premier, and Leon Trotzky, a

Russian-American, as foreign minister, both Russian extremists, obtained

control of Petrograd, November 7, and compelled a complete change in

the administration. By the 11th a reign of terror convulsed Petrograd at

which the Bolsheviki gained the upper hand, declaring for an immediate

armistice, for the negotiation of a general peace, for the confiscation of all

church lands, as well as state lands, and lands of private ownership, all

of it to be immediately distributed among the peasants. Some battles took

place between the Kerenski and Korniloff forces and the Bolsheviki in and

near Moscow in which the latter appear to have been successful. Proposals

of an armistice until January 14, were made to Germany, beginning Nov.

28, and by Dec. 17 it was announced that the armistice had reached definite

results, and on the day following Dr. Von Kuehlmann, for Germany, and

Count Czernin, for Austria, arrived at Brest-Litovsk, to begin negotiations

with the Bolsheviki government for a general European peace. Trotzky

has notified all the allied embassies of these negotiations and asked them

to participate and say whether they wish peace. In a speech of Premier

Lloyd George, of Britain, a few days before, he stated that he would regard

overtures of peace, at a time when the Prussian military spirit was drunk

with boastfulness, as a betrayal of the trust with which he and his colleagues

had been charged.

Georges Clemenceau, Premier

of France. Ex-Premier Georges

Clemenceau who accepted the invi-

tation of President Poincare to

form a new cabinet in France. He

said that he expected to need forty-

eight hours for the task of getting

together a new group of ministers

with himself as Premier. Premier

Clemenceau initiated the campaign

against German propagandists, the

issue on which the Painleve cabin-

et fell. Despite his seventy years,

he is still vigorous, and exhibits

many of the characteristics that

earned him the title of the "tiger."

Edward H. Callister, a promi-

nent political leader, newspaper

man and ranchman, died in Salt

Lake City, on Friday, November

23, 1917. He was born in Salt Lake

City, December 29, 1862. His par-

ents were born on the Isle of Man,

and came to Utah in 1854. Mr.

Callister was a member of the Salt

Lake City council from 1889 to

1893, and since that time was an ac-

tive and leading worker in the Republican party, having served as state chair-

man in 1900, and a U. S. Internal Revenue collector, from July, 1901, to No-

vember, 1913. He was one of the incorporators of the Herald-Republican

which he later managed until quite recently. He married Louise Eddington,

in 1888, and they have five children. He was a chief promoter of the marble

industry of the state, and also he stood at the head of the Utah wool growers.

In political, industrial, as well as religious affairs, he was straightforward,

proficient and energetic. At his funeral, on November 25, President Joseph

F. Smith said: "He was true as steel to his friends, to his parents, and

to the Latter-day Saints. For these things and many others, I have learned

to love him. I felt, throughout my whole long acquaintance with him, that

when I placed my trust in him, I would not be deceived or betrayed. This

was one of the strongest characteristics of his life; he never betrayed a

friend. Full of courage and intelligence, he was fearless before all men."

Eulogies of his conduct and character were also given by other speakers in-

cluding President Charles W. Penrose and Judge Loofbourow.

Julian Young Burton, son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles S. Burton, of Salt

Lake City, Utah, who is with the American Volunteer Ambulance Corps in

France, was decorated, October 30, 1917, with a French War Cross for

courage, bravery and presence of mind, shown in removing numerous

wounded soldiers under bombardment, on October 23, 24 and 25. In writ-

ing to his parents, he says that he was greatly surprised to be called out

Premier Clemenceau of France

PASSING EVENTS 281

on one occasion and to have the chief surgeon of the second-class, chief of

the Health Department of the 38th Division, read something in French, after

having called him forward, and pinning the Croix de guerre, or the War

cross, on his breast.

Mr. Burton says that he had been washing the ambulance car all the

morning, and was very dirty and in need of a shave, he was clad in his

flannel trousers and khaki shirt, when the Lieutenant came to the barracks

and asked him to go up to the post with him. There it was stated that both

the French and the American Lieutenants, fifteen in number, were to be

decorated. Besides these, Mr. Burton was called and received a war cross

as stated.

Alberta's Loyalty in Production and Men. Eminent statesmen have

declared, and the war thus far has proved conclusively the fact that the

production of foodstuffs, is as important a factor in deciding who shall be

the victor, as the man power. During the year ending Aug. 31, during

which time the 1916 crop was moved, the gratifying total of 36,000,000

bushels of grain was shipped from the railway lines tributary to the City

of Lethbridge, covering a radius of one hundred miles square. If the grain

were loaded into cars which ordinarily hold 1,200 bushels, and stood end

to end, they would reach 230 miles. The fact that virgin soil of Alberta

has yielded so abundantly, the past few years, cannot help but have its

effect, though small it might be, on the duration of the present gigantic

struggle.

In riding over the broad fields, the spectator's gaze is met by numer-

our stacks of straw, and beside each stack is located a grain bin, with a

capacity of from 1,000 to 1,200 bushels. The shortage of labor necessitates

the farmer building granaries, in order for him to market his grain during

his leisure time after threshing is completed. It is not an uncommon sight

to see 20 portable bins in the fields of some extensive farmer, which taken to-

gether would hold as much as an ordinary grain elevator, 30,000 bushels.

As a result of the three bounteous harvests, and the exhorbitant prices re-

ceived, farmers who were barely able to eke out an existence from the

products of the farm, several years ago, are now comparatively wealthy.

They do not forget, however, that the war is mainly responsible for their

prosperity, as is evidenced by their liberal donations to the Patriotic fund.

In two days over $4,500 were raised in Magrath for the fund, which

averaged over $4 for every man, woman and child in the town.

Just subsequent to the outbreak of the war, Premier Sir Robert Borden,

promised the Imperial Government that Canada would furnish 500,000 men

to assist in prosecuting the war, which meant that one out of every 16

persons in the Dominion would eventually see service across the water.

Alberta is practically the only province that has raised her quota of

the half million men. The proffered number of soldiers have

not been forthcoming through the volunteer system, mostly as a result

of the French Canadians of Quebec, who cling to the traditions

of their forefathers and fail to get enthusiastic enough to furnish

any appreciable number of troops. The volunteer system has been re-

placed by conscription, after strenuous weeks of debating at Ottawa, the

utcome of which has baffled many a politician. The Prime Minister

ha? stated that special leniency will be shown all persons engaged in agri-

cultural pursuits, or any trade or occupation that has a bearing on the suc-

cess of the war. Judging from the fact that the population of Alberta

is composed mostly of producers, and that she has furnished more than her

quota of men, it is highly probable that conscription will not be felt

with such an effect in the Province. The Latter-day Saints have proved

their loyalty to the government under which they reside, by sending a num-

ber of their boys to the front, who have the record of being some of the

finest specimens of manhood in the ranks. Some few already have been

killed by the shells of German guns.— E. Pingree Tanner.