--- 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: 31 number: 3 published: 1928-01 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* 31, no. 3 (January 1928): 265–266." source: url: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3103unse 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: improvementera3103unse start_page: 265 end_page: 266 rights: status: public-domain basis: US publication 1930 or earlier (published 1928-01) source: https://archive.org/details/improvementera3103unse publication_year: 1928 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 1928, before 1931; a scan-level notice does not restore copyright. --- # Passing Events EVENT Colonel Charles A. Lindbergh arrived in the Val Buena flying field. City of Mexico, at 2:39 p. m.. December 14. 1927, after having been 27 hours and 10 minutes in the air. from Washington. His arrival was delayed some because he lost direction at Tampico. and had to circle about before he located the Mexican copital. He was received by a crowd numbering from 25.000 to 30.000 people. He proceeded at 2:50 to the stand, where he was greeted by President Calles and the American Ambassador Morrow Colonel Lindbergh undertook the trip at the invitation of the president of Mexico. It is hoped that his visit will result in the strengthening of the bonds of friendship between the two countries. The Dearborn Independent, Mr. Ford's paper, expired Dec. 26, 1927. The magazine once had an announced circulation of 700.000. Rather than sell it. Mr. Ford ordered the magazine to refuse further subscriptions. The Dearborn Independent was purchased by Mr. Ford in 1919. James Jackson Woodruff , a son of the late President Wilford Woodruff, passed away in his home, 133 north West Temple St.. Salt Lake City. December 8, 1927. He was born in Winter Quarters, Neb., May 25, 1847. and arrived in Salt Lake September of that year. He was employed for 38 years by the Z. C. M. I. Mr. Woodruff is survived by his widow, Mrs Fannie Lloyd Woodruff, and the following son and daughters: Mrs. Mary W. Ensign. Dr. J. Lloyd Woodruff and Mrs. J. H. Johnson. Fourteen grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and the following brothers and sisters, Asahel Woodruff, Mrs. Clara W. Beebe. Mrs. J. J. Daynes. David P. Woodruff. Ensign Woodruff. Newton Woodruff. Marion Woodruff, Mrs. Belle Moses, John Woodruff and Mrs. Julia W. Park, also survive him. President Coolidge has again informed the Country that he does not choose to run in the Presidential race, next year. In a short address to members of the Republican National Committee, Dec. 6. 1927. he said, in part: "To give time for mature deliberation, 1 stated to the country on August 2 that I did not choose to run for president in 1928. My statement stands. No one should be led to suppose that I have modified it. My decision will be respected." The 70th Congress opened, Dec. 5, 1927. In the Senate the Smith-Vare controversy was started at once. Mr. Smith, with his colleague. Senator Deneen of Illinois, started toward the dais to take the oath of office, but was stopped by a resolution by Senator Norris. (Rep.) of Nebraska, which declared him ineligible for membership in the Senate. Mr. Vare did not even attempt to leave his seat. Their case will probably occupy the Senate for some time. In the House. James M. Beck of Philadel- phia (Rep.), elected to succeed Mr. Vare, was challenged by Representative Garret (Dem.). on the ground that he is not, it is alleged, a legal resident of Pennsylvania. He was per- mitted to take the oath of office, but the House afterwards adopted a motion for an in- vestigation of Beck's case by a committee. President Coolidge, in his message to Con- gress, which was read on Dec. 6. 1927, states that all is well in the country. We have peace and enjoy unprecedented prosperity. Our na- tional debt has decreased from $26,000,000,- 000 to $19,975,000,000, and the annual in- terest has. consequently decreased from $1.- 055,000.000 to $670,000,000. but notwith- standing this there can be no reduction in the taxes beyond the figure proposed by Secretary Mellon. One reason for this, as may be gathered from the Presidential message, is the need of money for flood control; another is the necessity of having costly "defense" forces on land and on sea and likewise in the air. Great Britain, we are told, thwarted the plan for reduction of navies, at the triple congress called by the President; now, then, we must build a number of huge battleships, in the in- terest of peace and for the defense of the rights of American citizens abroad. The President also declares that it is the purpose of the federal government to proceed forcibly against violators of the probitions laws, and this is, by politicians, interpreted to be a warning to the Democratic par:y that if a "wet" can- didate is selected by that party, prohibition will be made an issue in the Presidential cam- paign— something which the leaders of both parties have tried to escape. The Council of the League of Nations con- vened, Dec. 8. 1927, at Geneva. M. Briand the French statesman, is endeavoring to bring about a better understanding than that which now exists, between Great Britain and Russia. The relations between Poland and Lithuania, which are strained, is one of the most im- portant at present. A report on the "white slave" traffic was presented to the Council by the investigating committee, on Dec. 5. The report indicated that American officials are making a determined stand against the inter- national traffic in women and children and have been successful in their campaign. The Council adjourned on Dec. 12. The Polish-Lithuannn controversy and some other problems were settled in the interest of harrnony and good will. 266 IMPROVEMENT ERA Wrn. J. Bennett, a prominent Salt Lake business wan. died Dec. 4. 1927, after only a week's illness. He was born in Salt Lake November 9, 1876, the son of the late Richard and Maria Foster Bennett. At the time of his death he was secretary and treasurer of the Ben- nett Glass and Paint company, secretary and general manager of the Bennett Gasoline and Oil company and vice president of the Idaho Glass and Paint company. He was active in chamber of commerce affairs, having been a member of the ch.imber committee in charge of Christmas street decorations. Mr. Bennett is survived by his widow, Mrs. Ethel Fan Bennett; two daughters, Mrs. Margery Lewis and Miss June Bennett; a son. John Farr Ben- nett; two sisters, Mrs. Joseph C. Sharp and Miss Nellie Bennett, and a brother, John F. Bennett, general manager of the Z. C. M. I. The preparatory disarmament commission of the League of Nations convened at Geneva, Switzerland, on Nov. 30, 1927. On this commission there are delegates from the United States and from Russia. Hugh R. Wilson is the head of the American delegation. The proposition of the Russian delegation, through M. Litvinoff, contemplates the complete dis- armament of all nations and the destruction of all war paraphernalia of every class and des- cription, beginning next year. Arthur Franklin Barnes, former city com- missioner, passed away at his residence in Salt Lake City, after two months' illness. Mr. Barnes was born in Kaysville, October 3. 1861. the son of the late John R. and Emily Shelton Barnes. He spent his early youth in Kaysville. He was educated there and at the Universitv of Deseret, now University of Utah. Later he came to Salt Lake, beginning his business career as a bookkeeper. In 1883 he married Elizabeth Sansom. who survives him. Mr. Barnes was a member of the L. D. S. Seven- teenth ward bishopric for twenty years, and at the time of his death was stake high counselor for the church. He was on a mission for the L. D. S. Church to the eastern states in 1895. He was city councilman for Salt Lake from 1 8 92 to 1902, and later was an unsuccessful candidate for mayor. In 1920, Mr. Barnes was appointed to the city commission to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of Mayoi E. A. Bock. At this time the present Mayor, C. Clarence Neslen, who was a member of the commission, was chosen to head this body. At this time Mr. Barnes was made commis- sioner of public safety, a position he held dur- ing his term on the commission. In 1921 he was elected to the commission, heading the ticket. He was also interested in a number of successful business enterprises. Four men were shot to death in the prison in Mexico City. Nov. 23. 1927. for an at- tempt against the life of General Alvaro Obregon, former president of Mexico. Among the four was Miguel Agustin Projuarez, des- cribed as a Roman Catholic priest. He met his fate kneeling, with clasped hands for a brief prayer, then standing and extending his arms in blessing. The others were Humberto Pro- juarez. a brother of the priest; Luis Scgura Vilchis and Juan Tirado. The funeral took place the following day, and a crowd estimated at 20.000 gathered along the line of march and at the cemetery. Everyone carried floral offerings of some kind, even if only wild flowers plucked along the roadside, and rained these flowers upon the caskets as they passed while they pravei and chanted for the dead "martyrs" and for Christ the King. A "companionate marriage" was entered into. Nov. 22, 1927, at Girard, Kansas, be- tween Aubrey C. Roselle. 20 years old. and Josephine Haldeman-Julius. 18 years old. Dr. L. M. Birkhead, pastor of a Unitarian church, performed the ceremony. Both said a com- panionate marriage would permit them to en- joy each other's companionship without sac- rificing their education, as many schoolmates had done. "So many girls, especially those in school, have affairs and they would be bet- ter off and more capable of putting their minds on their work if they were married." said the bride. A pitched battle between strikers and police- men in the northern Colorado coal zone was fought Nov. 21, 1927, early in the morning. Five strikers are reported dead and many are wounded, as a result. Governor W. H. Adams issued a warning that all must obey th> law. Referring to the entry of the state militia into the situation, he deplored the necessity for it. but declared that the events of the morning were such as to force him to make use of this last resort. Nine of the mines in northern Colorado closed Oct. 18, resumed operations on Dec. 1, with only a few men reporting for work. The supreme court of Mexico upheld the contention of the American oil companies, in a decision. Nov 17, 1927, thus opening the way for more satisfactory relations between the United States and the southern neighbor. This is a controversy of ten years' standing. The decision will give the world confidence in the integrity of Mexico's jurisprudence. The court, by unanimous decision, granted the ap- peal restraining the department of industrv. commerce and labor from canceling certain of the company's drilling permits. The court also declared unconstitutional the important sections 14 and 1 5 of the new law as far as this suit was concerned. Section 14, in effect, substitutes fifty-year concessions for oil land titles acquired before 1917. Section 15 forfeits titles to oil lands for which no application for confirmatory con- cessions had been made within one year from the effectiveness of the new law,