Passing Events

Improvement Era, vol. 21, no. 6, April 1918, pp. 555 to 562

Young Men's Mutual Improvement Associations

Massing events

Japan has consulted the Allied governments about a plan to land troops

at Vladivostock to take possession of the military supplies stored there and

along the Siberian railway line, to prevent them falling into German hands.

American Soldiers' letters, written in France, between January 15 and

20, were lost off the coast of Ireland, the latter part of January when the

steamship Andania was sunk, — so the postoffice department made known

on March 8.

The Logan Temple opened on March 11, after being closed for a con-

siderable time after the late disastrous fire. Something in the neighborhood

of $30,000 have been expended for repairs, besides much donated labor by

members of the Church.

The Texas legislature passed a bill, March 16, providing for state-wide

prohibition. Governor Hobby on that day signed a bill making all points

within ten miles of military camps dry territory, and he will doubtless also

sign the prohibition bill.

The Second National Army call will be for about 600,000 men, and out

of this number it is estimated that Utah will be required to furnish about

1,650 men, less than was expected and a considerably lower number than

was required for the first army.

Reverend T. C. Iliff, a former Salt Lake pastor and superintendent of

the Methodist Mission to Utah, for many years and well known in this wes-

tern country, died on Friday, February 22, in Denver, Colorado. His body

was brought to Salt Lake City for burial.

Major General Hugh L. Scott, beloved former chief of staff, was on

March 16 relieved of his command of the 78th national army division,

Camp Dix, N. J., and placed in command of the camp. The reason for his

release was his failure to pass the physical test.

Lincoln G. Kelly, for four years state auditor of Utah, has been ap-

pointed chief auditor for the American army cantonments, and left for

Washington, March 16, where considerable of his time will be spent, though

he will likely be required to visit the war camps in turn.

Secretary of War Baker and his staff reached Paris 6:30 a. m., March 11.

He went to France to inspect the American armies, and to hold a conference

with military officials. His mission is not diplomatic. He was anxious to

see for himself the conditions at the front, and so fit himself for his great

responsibility.

A book campaign, nation-wide, was begun on Monday, March 18, to

gather books for the soldiers. There are now some 40 free libraries in the

training camps with several hundred thousand books in them, but another

million copies of good, live books are wanted, dealing in adventure, fiction

and biography. Books for the purpose may be left at the book stores or

public libraries.

556 IMPROVEMENT ERA

General Allenby has taken the ancient town of Jericho, in Palestine.

The Turks are offering little resistance and the British expedition has im-

proved its front toward Tekrit. The Turks are said to have begun an

offensive in the Armenian Caucasus, having in view the driving out of the

Russian forces still there.

Henry C. Lund was appointed justice of the peace February 23, to fill

the vacancy caused by the resignation of Herbert Van Dam who has been

appointed assistant attorney general of Utah. Mr. Van Dam was appointed

justice last September in place of Hugo B. Anderson who is in the first

national army at Camp Lewis.

Dr. Milford B. Shipp, a physician and early settler of Utah, died in

Forest Dale, March 14. He was born in Indiana, March 3, 1836, and came

to Utah in 1850. He was a lieutenant in the Black Hawk Indian war, and

filled several missions to England and the eastern states. He was a grad-

uate of the Jefferson medical college, Pa.

Matthew Cullen, a substantial and well-known business man of Salt

Lake City, died Feb. 27, 1918. He was born in Ireland, July 17, 1840, came

to America with his parents, and took an active part in the civil war. He

came to Denver in 1865, entered the mining business, and in 1867, became

a contractor on the building of the Union Pacific. He later moved to Echo,

and then to Salt Lake City.

Calvin S. Smith, a son of President Joseph F. Smith, and a teacher of

English in the Latter-day Saints University, left on Thursday, February 28,

for Camp Lewis, to serve as chaplain in the United States army, his appoint-

ment having been received early during the week. At his first service at

the cantonment, he spoke on the topic, "Where do we go from here?" He

was later appointed chaplain at large.

A call issued for 95,000 more troops from the first registration was

directed by Provost Marshal General Crowder, for March 29, the movement

to the cantonments to continue for five days. The apportionment of the

surrounding states being: Arizona, 148; Colorado, 323; California, 1,745;

Idaho, 242; Montana, 521; Nevada, 72; New Mexico, 127; Utah, 247; Wash-

ington, 638; Wyoming, 134. All other states were included except Iowa

and Minnesota.

The winter during February was certainly remarkable, in this vicinity,

though very timely. From the report of the U. S. Weather Bureau, it appears

that there were ten partly cloudy days, twelve cloudy days, and ten days in

which one-hundredth of an inch or more of precipitation occurred. On the

26th there was a dense fog, and a solar halo on the 1st and the 3rd. The

snow in the mountains is about on an average, though in some places not

as deep as it was last year.

Finland wants a king, according to a London dispatch, and is said to

have asked for Prince Oscar, the fifth son of the Kaiser, to act in that

capacity. The Kaiser has six sons, not one of whom are "among the mil-

lions slain in battle," and from recent conquests in Russia, it is doubtless

intended that each shall have a kingdom, with perhaps a semi-prince, from

the houses of the war devils, Ludendorf, and Hindenburg, thrown in here

and there. It is hoped, however, that civilization will have a word to say

in this matter, and perhaps a veto of the whole scheme!

Senator tries new Browning machine rifle. — Senator James W. Wads-

worth of New York operating the the Browning machine rifle at the public

demonstration on the Congress Heights Range before high government of-

ficials, members of the Senate and House Military committees, and American

and allied army authorities.

This rifle, which weighs fifteen pounds, and can fire twenty continuous

shots in 2lA seconds, a veritable stream of lead, was operated successfuly, so

it is reported, by the Senator, as it was by all others who tried it. The gun

functioned perfectly for all. It performed exactly as the ordnance experts

expected. This gun is the new "over the top" gun, for it has many tactical

advantages for offensive action.

Senator Wadsworth has a keen eye, and he hit the target most of the

time. Other prominent persons tried the light rifle, and all were amazed at

the easy working of the gun.

The Browning machine gun has also been adopted by the Government.

In a test it fired 39,000 shots without a break; in another test 20,000 shots

were fired in 48 minutes and 16 seconds without malfunction. The gun

weighs 34% pounds with the water jacket filled, operates from a tripod,

and is effective for overhead, indirect, barrage, and defensive fire.

American troops in the Lorraine sector, during March, carried out suc-

cessfully a number of raids on the enemy trenches. They were generally

successful, though suffering in one instance from a severe gas attack from

the enemy in which they lost eleven dead and some 66 disabled from the

effects of poisonous gases. They took a number of prisoners, at different

times, and the Americans were highly commended by French officers. The

American army is proving a big factor along the west front, and the boys

are rapidly adapting themselves to new war methods.

Being "gassed" will not be new to National Guard army men. —

American troops fighting in France, have found their training in the methods

of gas attack and the use of the gas masks of vital importance, for the Ger-

mans have been shooting over the gas shells regularly. The National Guard

and National Army men, in the various cantonments in this country, are

getting an intensive course in the use of the masks. The men are drilled

until they can put them on with great speed. This photo, taken at one of

the National Army camps, shows a lecture class on the use of the gas masks,

and the gas attacks. These American fighters will not be unused to gas

attacks, and they'll know just what to do at the right time. No American

fighter will fall a victim to gas because of the laxity of training, for that

covers every possible and foreseen point. A well-known local member of

the National Guard, after trying the gas masks, said: "May he who, contrary

to internaional convention agreements, forced upon the world the use of

gases in warfare, have to wear one of these masks perpetually through sev-

eral eternities, for of all murderous and dastardly methods of warfare, this

of poisonous gases is the most diabolical and damnable." He further ex-

presses the hope that the Kaiser's mask will leak when he meets the fumes

in the nether regions.

The Siberian Situation in the early part of March came to the fore front

of the world's news, and grew out of the Russian debacle. For a number of

days all eyes were centered on Japan which country it was believed, had her

army ready to invade Siberia to safe-guard allied interests. Japan has prob-

ably reached an agreement with China and will most likely co-operate with

her in any military action that may be taken in Siberia. The whole subject

is uncertain, at this writing, and it is not clear that the allies will unitedly

stand behind Japan" in any contemplated invasion of Siberia.

Mrs. Lena Guilbert Ford, the American author of the popular patriotic

song, "Keep the Home Fires Burning," and her crippled son, Walter, died

under the wreckage of their home in a recent German air raid on London,

Saturday, March 9. Her song is one of the most popular marching songs

of the British Army. Mrs. Ford and her son who formerly lived in Elmira,

N. Y., are the first Americans to lose their lives in an air raid on London.

Her mother, Mrs. Brown, age 86, was saved from the wreckage, by her

maid, Annie Croxall, a strong English country girl of 22.

At the Vernal Dinosaur Quarry a head of "Boontasaurus," the largest

animal yet whose skeleton has been found at the quarry, has been discovered

and unearthed according to advices from Vernal, February, 24. Bones and

large portions of skeletons have been known for forty or fifty years before,

but a complete skull has never been found until the present. A skeleton

mounted in the Carnagie Museum was without the head. The workers at

Dinasaur Quarry have now found the head, and their labors have therefore

resulted in one of the most interesting discoveries yet made, after many

years of hope and disappointment.

Turkish prisoners "bagged" by British marched through Bagdad. — In the

valley of the Euphrates-Tigris, Turkish prisoners captured in the great

British drive through Mesopotamia, were marched through the ancient city

of Bagdad, while the enthusiastic Arabs who lined the street cheered the

British. The British have a prison compound in Mesopotamia where the

hordes of captured Turks are confined. In this British official photograph

the Turkish prisoners are shown marching on New Street, at "Piccadilly

Circus" under British escort. This photograph animates the old drawings

made from imagination picturing the entry of the famous citadel centuries

and centuries ago.

Increased artillery action took place all along the western front, but the

heralded German offensive had not taken place at this writing (March 18).

It may be well to watch in other regions, for the German war lords are not

usually heralding their actions. When they do, one may generally look for

something contrary. French raiding was lively and the Americans, who

hold a sector in the Lorraine district between St. Michiel and Pont-a-Mossau,

engaged in active artillery action and trench raiding with successful results,

but with a number of casualties. Later it was reported that American

troops held trenches in the Chemin-des-Dames sector and near Toul.

Dutch ships were to be taken over for use of the Allies, by England and

the United States on March 20. Negotiations in this matter had been long

delayed, as Holland was adverse to the action. A peremptory demand on

March 14 was made on the Netherlands, and German pressure was brought

to bear to deter compliance. Every precaution will be taken to safeguard

the owners, and full restoration made after the war. The tonnage for the

Allies thus made available amounts to one million tons, 70 per cent of

which is in the United States, 15, in British ports, and 15, in other Allied

ports. In addition to recompense for loss, the Dutch are to receive liberal

compensations in export privileges of bread stuffs which they greatly need.

■-rS« ' *

First photograph of the Inter-Allied Naval Council. — In this group are

representatives of five countries whose naval forces are playing an impor-

tant part in the convoying of vessels and in fighting the submarine.

Front row, left to right Admiral: Sims, U. S. N.; Admiral de Bon,

France; Sir Eric Geddes, Great Britain's First Lord of the Admiralty; Ad-

miral Revel, Italy; Rear Admiral Funakoshi, Japan; and Admiral Sir R.

Wamyss, Great Britain's First Sea Lord.

Back row, left to right: Admiral Fremantle, Great Britain; Capt.

Twining, U. S. N. ; Rear Admiral de Lostende, France; and Capt. Crease,

Great Britain. British official photo.

The War Savings campaign in the United States is showing commend-

able progress. For the four weeks ending March 3, the treasury was en-

riched by $40,000,000 from sales of war savings certificate stamps. In the

third week of March the total savings amounted to $70,000,000, with two

PASSING EVENTS 561

million dollars a day coming into the treasury from this source. The cam-

paign of the M. I. A. is progressing satisfactorily, in this line. Stamps

should be bought with actual savings, and not with savings already accu-

mulated. Purchasers should go without some needed article, and purchase

stamps with the money saved. It is a thrift campaign as well as one to

help the government to prosecute the war. Up to February 28, Utah county

reported sales of stamps amounting to over $25,000.

Gotlob Bohi, a faithful church worker, and for many years an energetic

worker for the Improvement Era in Salem, Idaho, died at his home in that

place on January 20, 1918. He was the son of Ivachim Bohi and Elizabeth

Mair, and was born August 7, 1843, in Haarenwailen, Thurgan county, Swit-

zerland. He was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints, July 15, 1881, by David Gruneisen and confirmed on the same day

by the same elder. A family of some fourteen children survive him. He

was a great admirer of the Improvement Era, was a careful worker, and in

the rendering of his accounts and statements was prompt and accurate.

The Improvement Era and its officers greatly appreciate his labors, and are

pleased to add their sympathy to those who survive him, and also their

testimony of his faithfulness as a man and his energetic labors in behalf of

the Church and of the magazine which we publish.

B. F. Cummings, newspaperman and genealogist, and an early and

earnest worker in the Y. M. M. I. A., died on Monday, March 11, in Salt

Lake City. He was born in Ogden, Aug. 22, 1855, and was the son of

Benjamin Franklin and Catherine Hall Cummings, pioneers of 1847. At

the age of ten, he came to Salt Lake City, where for many years he was

connected in various capacities with the Deseret News. He founded the

Logan Journal and wrote for the Contributor, the Improvement Era, the

Juvenile Instructor and other Church publications, and was the first editor

of Liahona. He filled three missions, two in the eastern and one in the

central states. Being an expert genealogist he compiled the histories of

many leading Utah families. He served in three sessions of the Utah legis-

lature, and in other civil positions. He was a true Latter-day Saint, spirit

ually strong, and with undying faith in the efficacy of the gospel as a means

of spiritual and temporal salvation. His writings were clear and simple,

and in every way were as pure and straight-forward as his noble life.

The German army steadily and relentlessly advanced into Russia com-

pelling abject peace pacts between the Germans and Russians. They now

have possession of the Russian strongholds from Petrograd to Odessa. It

is stated that the peace terms which the Russian soviet agreed to, binds

Russia to surrender 160,000 square miles in Poland, Courland, Livonia and

Esthonia; to recognize Finland and Ukrania as independent nations, (under

the thumb of the Kaiser, of course) ; to accept commercial treaties that give

Germany specially favored treatment in Russia; to give up all the vessels of

the Russian navy and engage not to spread revolutionary propaganda in

the central powers, and also look out for an indemnity to Germany, also to

detract from Russia for Turkey the regions of Karaband, Kars and Batoum.

With all this German-made peace, the United States government has still

faith in the Russian people, and on March 11 President Wilson made public

a message of sympathy sent to the soviet, which met in Moscow, as follows:

May I not take advantage of the meeting of the congress of the

Soviets to express the sincere sympathy which the people of the United

States feel for the Russian people at this moment, when the German

power has been thrust in to interrupt and turn back the whole strength

for freedom and substitute the wishes of Germany for the purposes of

the people of Russia. Although the government of the United States

is unhappily not now in a position to render the direct and effective

562 IMPROVEMENT ERA

aid it would wish to render, I beg to assure the people of Russia

through the congress that it will avail itself of every opportunity to

secure for Russia once more complete sovereignty and independence

in her own affairs and full restoration to her great role in the life of

Europe and the modern world. The whole heart of the people of the

United States is with the people of Russia in the attempt to free them-

selves forever from autocratic government and become the masters

of their own life.

(Signed) Woodrow Wilson. '

In their march through Russia, the Germans captured 6,800 officers,

57,000 men, 2,400 guns, 5,000 machine guns, thousands of motor vehicles, 800

locomotives, and thousands of railroad trucks.

Audubon Societies for the protection of wild birds and animals, have

been organized in all the states of the Union, except Washington, Montana,

Idaho, Nevada, Utah and New Mexico. All but eight states have

adopted the Audubon Law protecting the non-game birds. The Improvement

Era has published under the title, "Outlines for Scout Workers," numerous

articles by Prof. D. W. Parratt, descriptive of the birds of the west; and

some splendid work has been done in Utah in past years for bird protection.

Utah is noted as the state in which the first monument in this country has

been erected in honor of birds. Secretary Gilbert T. Pearson of the National

Association of Audubon Socities, 1974 Broadway, New York, is desirous of

co-operating with laborers in Utah and the West, to further the worthy under-

taking of local people in the protection of bird life. To this end he is

anxious that junior Audubon classes be organized in states that have none

at the present time. The plans for the organization of such classes is given

as follows:

The National Association of Audubon Societies is able to make the fol-

lowing offer of assistance for the present school year (1917-1918), to those

teachers and others in the United States and Canada who are interested in

giving, intsruction to children on the subject of birds and their usefulness.

To form a Junior Audubon Class for bird-study, a teacher should ex-

plain to the pupils of her grade (and others if desired) that their object will

be to learn all they can about the wild birds, and that everyone who be-

comes a member will be expected to be kind to the birds and protect them.

Every member will be required to pay a fee of ten cents. When fifteen or

more have paid their fees, the teacher will send their money to the National

Association of Audubon Societies and give the name of the Audubon Class

and her own name and address. Children must not send in fees individually.

The Association will then forward to the teacher (or person organizing the

class) for each member whose fee has been paid, the beautiful Audubon but-

ton, and a set of eight colored pictures of common birds, together with ac-

companying Educational Leaflets containing accounts of the habits of the

birds, and an outline drawing of the pictures for color work. Each child

also receives one of the "Audubon Cases," giving pictures in colors of more

than sixty birds. Full instructions sent on application to the secretary.

"Scientific Aspects of Mormonism" — Shall there be a Second edition? — -

The first edition, by the Putnam Publishing Co., of New York, was sold out

six years ago. The book is apparently in greater demand today than ever

before, book dealers getting as much as $5.00 each for second-hand copies.

The original plates are owned by the author; but, considering the present

high cost of printing, he is reluctant to venture a second edition, unless he

can get the assurance of at least 500 subscriptions. Those who desire to help

the movement will please drop a postal card to Prof. N. L. Nelson, Provo,

Utah, with this message: "Kindly enter my name on your subscription list

for the Scientific Aspects of Mormonism, at $1.50, postpaid," giving name

and address. If this scheme carries, the book will be out by June 1, 1918.