--- 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: 24 number: 10 published: 1921-08 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* 24, no. 10 (August 1921): 952–956.' source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera24010unse 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: improvementera24010unse start_page: 952 end_page: 956 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1921-08) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera24010unse publication_year: 1921 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 1921, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Passing Events The Aaland question was settled by the council of the League of Na- tions at Geneva, June 24, by awarding the island, to Finland. An earl is kidnapped. James Francis Bernard, fourth earl of Bandon, was taken from his residence, June 21, in county Cork, Ireland, by a band of masked men. The castle was set afire after Lady Bandon and the serv- ants had been locked in a room adjoining the stables. Mrs. Lettie Farr Thatcher, widow of Apostle Moses Thatcher, died at her home in Logan, Utah, June 21. Mrs. Thatcher was 76 years of age. She was born at Nauvoo, 111., and came to Utah with the early pioneers, which included her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Aaron F. Farr. Eamonn de Valera was reelected president of the "Irish republic," it was announced June 20 by his secretary, Harry Boland, who also stated that Sean (James) O'Cealaigh, former Irish "envoy" to Paris, had been elected speaker of Dail Eireann, the Sinn Fein parliament. Charles O. Wheat, who died at Ogden, June 15, is said to be the last member of the Utah pony express to pass away. He was born in Hartford, Conn., September 4, 1846. He came to Utah in 1860 and when thirteen years of age began riding pony express from Salt Lake to Milford. In later years he became a locomotive engineer. Crime is decreasing in Salt Lake City, says the chief of police in his report for 1920, published June 22. There were only three homicides as against nine during the preceding year. Most of the property stolen was recovered, and several thieves arrested while engaged in their unlawful pur- suit. Prostitution has been entirely eliminated, says the chief. Nearly a hundred years was the age reached by Andrew C. Olson of Ephraim, Sanpete county, Utah, whose remains were laid to rest in that city, June 14. He was born in Denmark in 1822 and joined the Church in that country. He came to Ephraim in 1873. There he married Mary M. Nielson. He has nine children and forty-two grandchildren. As a young man he followed the sea for a number of years. Arizona's contribution to the Mormon Battalion monument fund has been received by Governor Mabey and forwarded to Mrs. May Belle T. Davis, secretary and treasurer of the monument commission according to a report published July 1. It consists of a state warrant for $2500. Governor Mabey has acknowledged the receipt of the contribution thanking the peo- ple of Arizona for the expression of good will conveyed in its gentrous donation. The death of Lady Randolph Churchill, who was Miss Jennie Jerome of New York, was announced in a London dispatch June 29. It was due to heart failure following a hemorrhage. She was married to Lord Randolph Churchill, second son of the seventh Duke of Marlborough, and one of England's most influential political leaders of his day, in 1874. Her son, "Winston Spencer Churchill, secretary of state for the colonies, was with her at the end. PASSING EVENTS 953 The British coal miners' strike was ended June 28. It has been in progress since April 1. The miners resume work at somewhat reduced wages, but the government offers a subsidy to the coal mining industry of £10,000,000, and the workers will share the profits with the employers. Nearly one million miners were affected by the strike but they failed to enlist the full cooperation of railroad men and dock laborers and there- fore failed in obtaining all they demanded. Samuel Gompers was re-elected president of the American Federation of Labor, at the 41st annual convention of that organization, at Denver, which was brought to a close June 25. John L. Lewis, president of the United Mine Workers, was his opponent. The executive council of the federation instructed Gompers to call upon President Harding, his cabinet, and congress to bring about recognition of the so-called Irish republic and to protest to Great Britain against the "brutal and uncivilized warfare now being conducted in Ireland." Taft succeeds White. Former president of the United States, William Howard Taft, was nominated, June 30, to be chief justice of the supreme court, to succeed the late Chief Justice White. The nomination was promptly confirmed by the senate, in executive session, only four votes being cast against him — those of Borah, Johnson and La Follette, Rep., and Watson, of Georgia, Dem. Mr. Taft is said to be the first man in the na- tion's history to be chosen for the highest office in both the executive and judicial branches of the government. Maneuvering of a ship by wireless was successfully accomplished, July 10, when the battleship Iowa was controlled for two hours from the Ohio, five miles away. There was not a soul on board the Iowa. The ship was a real "Flying Dutchman," that mythical crewless ghost of the seas, as she obeyed the will of Captain F. L. Chadwick on the Ohio, almost hull down on the horizon. The invisible, magic fingers of the radio reached out across the sea to whirl the Iowa's steering wheel, operate the fuel, oil and water supply valves, and start and stop the ship, says the Associted Press account. A conference on disarmament may be held in the near future. Presi- dent Harding, it was announced in a Washington dispatch dated July 10, has approached Great Britain, France, Italy and Japan to ascertain whether it would be agreeable to them to take part in a conference on the limita- tion of armaments, to be held in Washington at a time to be mutually agreed upon. If the proposal is found to be acceptable, formal invita- tions for such a conference will be issued. He has also urged that there be at the same time a discussion of Pacific and far eastern problems and that China be invited to participate in the consideration of these problems. The peace sentiment in the United States is growing. On June 22, a pe- tition signed by more than 20,000 clergymen was presented to President Harding, asking that steps toward an international conference on reduction of armaments "at the earliest possible date" be taken. The petition had the indorsement of the National Catholic Welfare council, the United Syna- gogue of America, the Central Conference of American Rabbis, and the Federal Council of the Churches of Christ in America. Among the listed signers were Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Episcopalians, Disciples of Christ, Congregationalists, Catholics, Unitarians, Friends and Rabbis. The Ulster parliament was opened formally by King George, June 22. In his speech he pleaded for peace and harmony in Ireland and expressed the hope that ere long there would be a parliament in the southern part of the island. The king was accompanied by the queen, who, it is said, looked pale 954 IMPROVEMENT ERA and nervous. Following the conciliatory speech of the king, Lloyd George is- sued an invitation to De Valera, president of the so-called republic of Ire- land, and Sir James Craig, premier of Ulster, to come to London for a conference with the government on the Irish question, for the purpose of finding a solution acceptable to all. Sir James accepted the invitation, but De Valera on June 27, replied that he could not accept it "in its pres- ent form." Later, however, he accepted, and proceeded to London. Piracy in the Atlantic is thought to account for the mysterious dis- appearance, within the last few months, of at least eight freighters and the crew of one ship, the schooner Carol A. Deening which was found stranded, January 31, this year, a few miles north of Cape Lookout, lightship, N. C, with every evidence of foul play. Four departments of the United States government, says a Washington dispatch dated June 21, are seriously and earnestly endeavoring to deter- mine whether piracy on the high seas has actually leaped out of the pages of early seafaring history into the present reality of modern ocean commerce. Among the missing ships are a Spanish freighter, a Russian bark, and three British steamers, besides the American vessels. The ancestral home of Washington urns dedicated, June 21, with elab- orate ceremonies. Sulgrave manor, as it is called, is located in Northamp- tonshire, England. It has just been reconstructed, at a cost of £50,000, and is now an exact replica of the place as it was three centuries ago. The Marquis of Cambridge, brother of Queen Mary, gave the principal address. The Prince of Wales planned to be present, but was detained. The exercises began with services in the Sulgrave parish church, where lies buried Lawrence Washington, forebear of George Washington; Mrs. Washington, and their eleven children. John A. Stewart, president of the American branch of the Sulgrave Institution, presented a bronze bust of Washington to the manor on behalf of American donors. George Harvey, American ambassador, did not attend the exercises. A peace resolution ending the war with Germany and Austria-Hungary, was agreed on, June 28, by the conferees of the house and senate. It is re- garded as a compromise between the plan of Senator Knox and the proposi- tion of Representative Porter. It declares the state of war at an end and expressly reserves to the United States, "any and all rights, privileges, in- demnities, reparations or advantages, together with the right to enforce the same, to which it or they have become entitled under the terms of the armistice signed November 11, 1918, or any extensions or modifications thereof; or which were acquired by or are in the possession of the United States of America by reason of its participation in the war or to which its nationals have thereby become rightfully entitled ; or which under the treaty of Versailles have been stipulated for its or their benefit; or to which it is entitled as one of the principal allied and associated powers or to which it is entitled by virtue of an act or acts of congress or otherwise." The reso- lution, having been passed promptly by both houses of congress, was signed by President Harding, July 2, at Raritan, N. J., where he was visiting at the home of Senator Joseph S. Frelinghuysen. The next step will be the negotiation of a peace treaty between the former belligerents. The Total population of Utah, 449,396, shows a preponderance of males over females, according to information issued by the census bureau, June 23, the figures being 232,051 and 217,345 respectively, but the female con- tingent is gaining. During the first decade the total population increased by 20.4 per cent, the male population by 17.9 per cent and the female population by 23.2 per cent. The ratio of males to females in 1920 was 106.8 to 100, as against 111.5 to 100 in 1910. The figures for the entire country show that we have 2,090,132 more males than females, the totals PASSING EVENTS 955 being 53,900,376 and 51,810,244 respectively. The females predominate in- Masachusetts, Rhode Island, New York, North and South Carolina, Georgia and Alabama. The distribution of the population in Utah according to color in 1920 was as follows: White, 441,901; Negro, 1.446; Indian, 2,711; Chinese, 342; Japanese, 2,936; all other (Korean, Maori, Filipino, Hindu and Hawaiian), 60. During the decade the white population increased by 20.5 per cent while the negro population increased by 26.4 per cent. The foreign-born white population numbered 56,455 in 1920, as against 63,393 in 1910. This element constituted 12.6 per cent of the total male population in 1920, as against 17 per cent in 1910. Changes in ward and stake officers June, 1921. — New wards and branches.- — Logan Twelfth ward, Logan stake, J. W. Linford, bishop, Logan, Utah; Fairview North ward, North Sanpete stake, John Richard Graham, bishop, Fairview, Utah; Clemmentsville branch, Teton stake, Herbert J. Carbon stake Rudolph Reusser, presiding elder; Standardville branch, Carbon stake Rudolph Reusser presiding elder; Kennilworth branch Carbon stake, Charles H. Clair, presiding elder; Rains branch, Carbon stake, Francis Anderson, presiding elder; Soldier Summit branch, Utah stake, Parley Bills, presiding elder, Soldier Summit, Utah. New bishops, etc. — La Sal ward, San Juan stake, Alexander Jameson, succeeded Walter D. Hammond, address same; Moab ward, San Juan stake, Walter D. Ham- mond succeeded Clyde A. Hammond, address same; Burrville branch, Sevier stake, Myron L. Burr, presiding elder, Burrville, Utah; Trout Creek ward, Bannock stake, Guy Harris acting, Lago Idaho; Redmond ward, North Sevier stake, J. Ernest Frandsen succeeded James A. Christensen, address same; Coltman ward, Bingham stake, Vincent F. Wootton succeeded Orson W. Hudman, Idaho Falls, R. D. No. 5, Idaho; Richvale branch, Teton stake, Albert Gilbert, Elmer Harris, address same; Palisade ward, Teton stake, Edgar L. Gee succeeded James W. Stott, address same; Darby ward, Teton stake, Octavus Smith succeeded Peter Sorenson, address same; Pan- guitch south ward, Panguitch stake, Fred G. Gardiner succeeded J. Nephi Henrie, address same; Holliday ward, Cottonwood stake, Joseph F. Quist succeeded Joseph Y. Larsen, address same. Dr. George Thomas was elected president of the University of Utah, on June 25, at a meeting of the board of regents in the directors' room of the Deseret National Bank building. Dr. Thomas was formerly the head of the department of commerce and finance at the university. The final vote was nine to four. Professor Fred W. Reynolds receiving the minority vote was nine to four, Professor Fred W. Reynolds receiving the minority Utah. His mother had died when he was 14 years of age, and a year later his father suffered an injury that prevented him from working on his ranch and threw added responsibility onto the boy. What time he was able to spare from ranch work was spent in study. For three winters he attended the Brigham Young college, taking the regular high school course. With money which he had saved from working as a thresher hand, and with that which had come to him through the death of his father, he went to Boston in 1891 with the intention of entering Harvard. After com- pleting his high school course through a year's study at Berkeley high school in Boston, he was able to do so. The ninth out of a class of 425, he was graduated from the college after four years with a degree of bachelor of arts. For two years afterward he taught at Brigham Young university, later taking a professorship at the Utah Agricultural college for the same length of time. Dr. Thomas then again returned to Harvard, where he took a year's postgraduate work, obtaining the degree of master of arts. Soon after- ward he traveled through England and Europe. While abroad he studied at the Frederick Wilhelm university at Halle, Germany, and the University 956 IMPROVEMENT ERA of Berlin, being awarded a degree of doctor of philosophy at the first- named institution. He succeeds Dr. John A. Widtsoe, who now is a member of the Council of the Twelve. Colonel ] canes Henry Martineau, oldest civil engineer in Utah, veteran of the Mexican War, and pioneer of 1850, died at the home of his daughter in Salt Lake City, Friday, June 24, 1921. He was born in Amsterdam, Mont- gomery county New York, March 13, 1828, and was the son of Doctor and Mrs. John Martineau. Coming to Utah as a non-"Mormon," in 1850, he taught school in Farmington that winter. Through the study of "Mor- monism," he joined the Church shortly after. He later followed his pro- fession as civil engineer, and laid out thirty-five towns and cities in Utah and Idaho, besides roads and canals, and many surveys of the public do- main. In 1851 he was called to Iron county with President George A. Smith, remaining there until 1860. In July, 1860, he moved to Logan, occupying there various responsible positions in civil and religious affairs. In early days he was an Indian fighter and rendered active service in a number of campaigns in Utah. In 1884 he moved to Arizona and the next year to Mexico, where he continued in his professional labors, returning to Salt Lake City in 1903, where he spent the remainder of his life. He wrote a number of articles for home magazines, and was a fair writer of both prose and poetry. He filled with credit a number of offices in the Church, and during his later years, was a patriarch. Impressive funeral services, at which remarks were made by Presidents Heber J. Grant and A. W. Ivins, were held Sunday, June 26, at the residence of his son, Hon. Lyman R. Martineau, one of his thirteen surviving children, and a member of the General Board of the Y. M. M. I. A. He leaves also numerous grand- children, great-grand-children, and great-great-grand-children, who are liv- ing. His body was buried at Logan. In an interesting experiment on the improvement of potatoes by hill se- lection which has been under way at the Utah Agricultural Experiment Sta- tion for nine years, an increase in yield of one hundred bushels an acre has been secured, according to Professor George Stewart, author of a re- cent bulletin reporting the results of this experiment. The work was begun, in 1911, by Dr. F. S. Harris who was then Director and Agrono- mist of the Station. In 1916 the work was taken over by Professor Stewart who has continued the work up to the present. When the work was be- gun a number of the highest yielding hills were selected from the Majestic, Bangor, and Peerless varieties, then being grown at the Station. Each hill was put in a separate paper bag and numbered. The following year each hill was used to plant one row of potatoes. At harvest each year thereafter, each hill has been dug separately and the tubers placed in a paper bag with its proper number. During the winter each hill has been carefully weighed and the tubers counted and then returned to the bag for storage during the winter. From these data some of the best hills from the best rows, and some of the better hills from the poorer rows, were again se- lected for planting the following year. This process has been continued for the last nine years, an unselected strain being grown each year for com- parison. By 1915 — just three years — the selected strains yielded an average of 301.03 busheljto the acre as compared with 179.3 bushels to the acre for the unselected. From 1915 to 1920 the selected strain has outyielded the unselected stock of the same variety by more than a hundred bushels an acre, except in 1919 when there was a difference of only 29.6 bushels. The following year, however, the selected strains again outyielded the un- selected strain by 168.6 bushels. The small difference in 1919 is attributed to the very poor growing season. In addition to a greater yield per acre the individual tubers have been larger, more uniform and more nearly free from disease.