Passing Events

Work on a tunnel under the English Channel is expected to beghi in the spring.

The Prohibition question entered a new and unexpected phase, when the people of Ohio, Nov. 4, by popular vote, nullified the ratification of the constitutional prohibition amendment by the Ohio state legislature.

Ten million dollars will be spent, the coming year, for missionary work, by the American Catholic board of missions: Missionary work will be done esppcis'll a meeting of the board held in Chicago, at the residence of Archbishop Mundelein, Nov. 4. The Prince of Wales arrived in Washington on Nov. 11, and was wel- comed by Vice-President Marshall. At the White House he met Mrs. Wilson and Miss Margaret Wilson. At the Press Club he made a speech in which he paid a warm tribute to the army and navy of the United States, because of the part they took in the war.

A government expert on the smoke problem, G. St. John Perrott, has been making observations on the smoke bank above Salt Lake City, from an airplane. He has also taken samples of the smoke for chemical exam- ination. This is said to be the first time in history that the airplane has been used for such a purpose. Undesirable aliens may be deported on a large scale, in the future. In a raid in New York, November 8, about 1,000 suspects were brought in. Thirty-seven of these were held on various charges. "Big Jim" Larkin, former head of the Irish Transport Workers' union, is mentioned in dis- patches as charged with "criminal anarchy." Four killed and several wounded is the result of a cowardly attack upon a column of marching ex-soldiers, who were celebrating Armistice day at Centralia, Wash., Nov. 11. It is charged that members of the I. W. W. were the assailants. Shots came, it is asserted, from every direction, and some from the upper windows of the I. W. W. headquarters building. Victor L. Berger, Milwaukee Socialist, was deniel his seat in the House of Representatives, on Nov. 10, by a vote of 309 to 1, Representative Wright (Republican), Wisconsin, being his only supporter. The House held that he was ineligible for membership because of his opposition to war, ex- pressed in what was considered "seditious utterances and disloyal activities" during the great world-conflict. William F. Fisher, a pioneer of Utah and Idaho, died, Sept. 28th, at Rigby, Idaho, at the home of his son, Dr. Ray F. Fisher, at the age of 79. He was born in Woolwich, England, in 1839, and came to Utah when he was 14 years old. He married Millennium Andrus, daughter of Milo Andrus, in Salt Lake in 1861. He rode a pony express in 1860 and '61 and was a freighter to Carson valley, Nevada, from Salt Lake, and Richmond, Utah, to Montana in the late 60's. He was known far and wide for his charity and kindliness of heart and greatness of manners. He had a host of friends throughout the intermountain region.

PASSING EVENTS 181

Mrs. Ella Wheeler Wilcox, the famous poetess, died at her home, Brad- ford, Connecticut, October 30, as a result of nervous collapse, while engaged in war relief work in England. She was in her sixty-fourth year. She wss married to Mr. Wilcox in 1884. Her literary work embraced a large num- ber of books, both prose and poetry, and she was a contributor to many publications. According to arrangements made, Mrs. Wilcox's ashes wcce taken to Short Beach, and the receptacle sealed in a niche in the granite ledge on which her home stands. This was done with the ashes of Mr. Wilcox. President Wilson congratulated Governor Coolidge of Massachusetts on his re-election, November 4. This is thought to be the first time in the history of the country that a Democratic President has sent congratulations to a Republican official. But Mr. Coolidge's re-election was a popular en- dorsement of his firm, admirable stand for law and order in the matter of the striking police force in Boston, and on such questions there should be no partisanship. Politicans are already mentioning Governor Coolidge as a coalition candidate for the Presidency, next year. Some consider it probable that the political contests in the near future will be between radicals and conservatives, instead of Republicans and Democrats.

The death of Charles Westover, at St. George, November 4, at the age of 92 years, removes another of the early Utah pioneers, very few of whom now remain. On the 14th of October, Brother and Sister Westover cele- brated the seventieth anniversary of their wedding. He was then hale and hearty for his age, and his death came rather unexpectedly. Brother and Sister Westover came to Utah in 1848, and were married in Salt Lake City, October 14, 1849, by President Brigham Young, at the home of Erastus Snow. Sister Westover received her endowments in Nauvoo, Illinois. The deceased leaves, besides his wife, three sons, four daughters, forty-five grandchildren, sixty-seven great grand-children, and two great, great grand-children.

Letters by the first aerial transcontinental mail were delivered to Gov- ernor Simon Bamberger, from Senators Reed Smoot and W. H. King, and Congressman M. H. Welling, dated Washington, Oct. 6, and brought by Maj. Henry Abbey, Jr., of the signal corps. Senator King's letter speaks of the conquest of the earth, sea and air by the genius of man, and compares the present day flyer with the trip of the pioneers. Senator Smoot said this is the forerunner of regular aerial mail service, for the airplane has come to stay. Congressman Welling remarked that the governor would think probably of the conditions under which he came into Utah on foot, and present conditions of travel. The congressman's father came to Utah on foot, also 60 years ago.

A manifesto of anarchists, copies of which have been seized by agents of the department of justice, according to published extracts, is an open declaration of war upon the state, the church, and all both divine and human authority. The title of the document is "Novamirsky" and it is said to have been issued by the "Federation of Unions of Russian Workers of the United States and Canada." One of the extracts published reads: "The destruction of the state means the principal work in the formation of the new society * * * down with state; long live anarchy!" Another ex- tract follows: "We hate religion because it lulls the spirit with lying tales, takes away courage and faith in the power of man, faith in the triumph of justice, here on the real earth, and not in a chimerical heaven. Religion covers everything with fog; real evil becomes visionary and visionary good a reality. It has always sanctified slavery, grief and tears, and we declare war upon all gods and religious fables. We are atheists. We hate authority, that eternal preserver of slavery and foe of freedom. We are anarchists."

182 IMPROVEMENT ERA

President Joseph B. Keeler, of the Utah stake, was honorably released, at a recent conference of that stake, and succeeded hy Elder T. N. Taylor. Elder Stephen L. Richards, referring to President Keeler and his services in the Church, said they were highly appreciated. Utah stake, he pointed out, is one of the largest stakes in the Church, having approximately 14,000 members, and during the administration of President Keeler, the increase was fifty per cent. The efficiency, Elder Richards added, and the tithing have increased, and "under his generalship this great army of people have gone forward to the accomplishment of the great purposes held out to them in the Church. His devotion to the work has been without question; his heart has been in it, and it has been his first consideration. He has carried a great load. For more than forty years he has been in some way or other associated with the largest Church school, the Brigham Young uni- versity. That work alone has been ample to occupy the attention and effort of any competent man. The Presidency of the Church and their associate Council believe that he has earned an honorable release from his great service as president of this stake."

Thomas Edwin Farish, historian of the state of Arizona and well known in Salt Lake City, died in Los Angeles, Oct. 30. Mr. Farish was born in Macon, Fayette county, Tenn., June 4, 1837. His father having gone to California during the gold excitement in 1849, Mr. Farish with his mother and brothers and sisters left Tennessee for the west, three years later, arriving in San Francisco on April 11, 1852. Mr. Farish was author of the bill which provided for the surveying and blocking off of all the inlying tide lands. This about $1,600,000 to the state of California. He bill realized moved to Arizona in 1879, which has been his home since that time. In 1885 he was private secretary to Governor Zulick of Arizona. In 1888 he was commissioner of irrigation for Arizona. He was elected to the Arizona legislature in 1891. While in this capacity he represented Arizona in the Arid congress held at Denver. From this conference came the development of the great reclamation system, which has added millions of acres of arable territory to the country. Mr. Farish was made historian of Arizona in 1913, by appointment of Gov. Hunt, a fitting recognition of his wonderful memory and knowledge of historical facts, and still held this position at the time of his death.

The international labor conference convened in Washington, October 29. Thirty-six countries had sent delegates. The United Stantes was not officially represented, because this country has not ratified the peace treaty, but the conference invited the American Federation of Labor and the Cham- ber of Commerce of the United States to name delegates. Secretary of Labor Wilson welcomed the members of the conference. He told them that while the league of nations had not technically come into existence, it was an "assured fact," and that, consequently, it was the duty of the United States to organize the conference. Declaring that the problem of the rela- tion between labor and capital was the oldest in the world, Mr. Wilson said that 'from the davs of Moses, when the Biblical leader set out as a walking delegate for the brickmakers of Israel, the best means of obtaining a fiir adjustment between employers and employes, and of securing the acme of production, while at the same time protecting the workers, had been an ever-present question." "On the proper solution of this question depends the future prosperity of the world," he continued, adding a warning that all social experiments should be conducted so carefully that no "explosions could take place."

A strike of all soft coal miners throughout the United States was called by union leaders for Nov. 1. The day previous, Federal Judge Anderson,

PASSING EVENTS 183

Indianapolis, at the request of the gvoernment, granted an injunction, re- straining union officials from issuing further strike orders or encouraging miners to join the strike. An issue between the government and labor unions was thus clearly drawn. More than 400,000 miners, it was claimed, laid down their tools, but on Nov. 3, Samuel Gompers and Warren S. Stone, prominent labor leaders, were exerting themselves to bring John L. Lewis, acting president of the United Mine Workers, into conference with Secretary of Labor Wilson on the settlement proposition, which involved arbitration of the dispute between the miners and the operators by a com- mission of five members appointed by President Wilson. On Nov. 8, Judge Anderson made the restraining order permanent and gave the leaders until November 11, to recall the strike order, a decision which the executive council of the American Federation of Labor promptly denounced as "so autocratic as to stagger the human mind." On Nov. 11, however, the strike was called off, whereupon Secretary of Labor Wilson issued a call for a con- ference to consider and take action on the demands of the employes.

President Heber J. Grant arrived home on Nov. 10 from an extended on which he started Oct. 17. While absent he visited Inde- trip to the east, pendence, where he held well-attended meetings. On Sunday, Oct. 26, Pres- ident Grant spoke in the new Brooklyn chapel, and Wednesday following, at a convention of Rotarians at Boston. George W. McCune, president of the eastern states mission, accompanied him. After the Rotary club luncheon in Boston, Mr. Simmons, the district Rotary governor; Mr. Phillips, secretary of the Boston Rotary club; Presidents Grant and McCune and President Grant's daughters, Emily and Frances, who are studying in Bos- ton, took an automobile ride through Concord and Lexington, over the route taken by Paul Revere. They also visited other historical places. In Washington, President Grant paid his respects to the Utah representatives in the Senate and the House. He also called at the White House, where he met Secretary Joseph Tumulty, Admiral Carey T. Grayson, General John J. Pershing, Walker D. Hines, and other government officials. Congressman Welling took the party to Mount Vernon. President Grant also met "Uncle Joe" Cannon, Postmaster General Burleson, Vice President Marshall and Secretary of the Interior F. K. Lane. From Washington President Grant went to Toronto, Canada, where he visited the new mission residence head- quraters recently purchased for the Canadian mission. He left for San Francisco, Nov. 13, on his way, with Bishop Charles W. Nibley, Elder Stephen L. Richards, and others, to Hawaii, to dedicate the new temple building.

Changes in stake and ward officers for the month of October, 1919, reported by the Presiding Bishop's office: Stake Presidency^—Utah stake, Thomas N. Taylor succeeded Joseph B. Keeler, J. William Knight, First Counselor; and Simon P. Eggertsen, Second counselor; address same. Liberty stake, Bryant S. Hinckley ap- pointed first counselor, Fred M. Mickelsen, second counselor, in the stake presidency. Maricopa stake, John Cumard, second counselor in the stake presidency. — New Branches. Mountain Home branch, Woodruff stake, Archibald Pullman, presiding; elder, J. C. Anderson, branch clerk; address Burnt Fork, Wyoming. West Tintic branch, Tintic stake, Moses S. Goodmansen; presiding elder, address West Tintic, via Eureka, Utah. New Bishops.—Franklin ward, Oneida stake, Cecil Woodard succeeded Samuel C. Parkinson, address same. Sixth ward, Pioneer stake, Ernest Wright succeeded Arnold G. Giauque, address, 312 South 3rd West, city. Lehi ward, Maricopa stake, John W. Jones, acting mshop, to succeed Isaac H. Rogers; address same. Ray branch, Maricopa stake, H. Alberto

184 IMPROVEMENT ERA

Davis succeeded Loran Dana, address same. Ririe ward, Rigby stake, William H. Chandler, succeeded David Ririe, address same. Harper ward, Box Elder stake, Henry Yates succeeded Thaddeus Wight, address same. Fremont ward, Wayne stake, James C. Taylor succeeded Christian T. Balle, address same. Millburne ward, Woodruff stake, William A. Stringer succeeded Joseph F. Killhurn, address same. Union ward, Union stake, Jacob Kohler succeeded Osburn Richenss address same. Bramwell ward, Boise stake, Elmer I. Rose succeeded Charles A. Robison, address Emmett, R. F. D., Idaho. Basin ward, Cassia stake, Seth F. Harper succeeded Adam S. Sagers, address same. Kemmerer ward, Woodruff stake, Harold R. Harrison succeeded Gilbert Taysom address same.

A vigorous reply to newspaper articles that have appeared on both sides of the Atlantic, containing false reports concerning the Church, has been published over the signatures of the board of governors of the Salt Lake Commercial Club and other leading citizens, including ministers of various religious denominations. Among the signatures of this important doc- ument, in addition to the officers of the Commercial Club, are, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court E. E. Corfman, Justices J. E. Frick, A. J. Weber, and S. R. Thurman; John C. Cutler, former governor of Utah; W. S. McCornick, the prominent banker; James E. Collins, pres- ident, and Lewis H. Harding, secretary, of the Rotary Club. The let- ter of the ministers says, in part: "Having been pastors here for years, and being fully conversant with existing conditions, we hereby state that, while the 'Mormon' Church is strongly a missionary Church and engaged in proselyting among Christians in Europe, the United States and other countries, yet simple honesty compels us to give denial to such published statements as we are convinced are untrue." The letter is signed by the Rev. Peter A. Simpkin, Philips Congregational church; the Rev. J. Sherman Wallace, Immanuel Baptist church; the Rev. Chester A. Snyder, Central Christian church; the Rev. James H. N. Williams, First Methodist Episcopal church; the Rev. William W. Fleetwood, St. Mark's Episcopal cathedral; the Rev. George E. Davis, First Presbyterian church. In the United States Senate a protest was entered, Nov. 11, against the "libelous matter" published about Utah and the Church.

The special session of Congress adjourned Nov. 19, sine die. The Senate failed to ratify the Versailles peace treaty. A resolution by Senator Lodge, proposing ratification, with a preamble and fifteen reservations added to the A treaty, was lost by a vote of 39 to 55. resolution of ratification without res- ervations, presented by Senator Underwood, Ala., was lost, 38 to 53. Senator Lodge then introduced a concurrent-resolution providing for a declaration of peace by Congress. This was referred to the foreign relations committee. In the meantime, this country is still at war with Germany, technically. Although the Lodge resolution was defeated, Senator Borah considers the result of the vote a victory for his side. It is thought by others that the treaty may be presented to the regular session, Dec. 1, and Senator King, Utah, believes that after brief consideration, it will be ratified then with reservations following in the main the Lodge reservations, with some conces- to what Germany sions to their opponents. Anxiety is felt in Europe as will do, in view of the position taken by our Senate. If Germany should refuse to comply with the peace treaty, now that the United States, for the time being, has refused to support it, no one at the present time can fore- see the consecpiences.