Italian Philosopher-Martyr

The Mediator

Omaha, Nebraska, August 22, 1919

February 17 is the anniversary of the burning in Rome, in 1600, of the Italian philosopher, Giordano Bruno. He was subjected to continual and terrible persecution for seven years prior to his death, in the hope that he would recant. In 1889 a monument was erected to him under papal protest at the place where he perished at the stake.

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Poor Picker

The Mediator

Omaha, Nebraska, August 22, 1919

They were discussing the raising of children at the chamber of commerce show recently and Dr. Maude Wiley, in charge of the Welfare league, told an amusing story. Seems the little girl had been spanked by her father for disobeying. With tears running down her cheeks she ran to her mother, crying, “I think papa’s perfectly horrid. Was he the only man you could get?”

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You Win!

The Mediator

Omaha, Nebraska, August 22, 1919

The man who is riding sixty miles per hour in a big machine is no happier than the man who is riding thirty miles per hour in the flivver, because the man in the flivver thinks he is going sixty. – Cincinnati Enquirer

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Happy Hunting Ground

The Mediator

Omaha, Nebraska, August 22, 1919

Sign on farm in Kansas – “Hunters Take Notice: Hunt all you durn please, and when you hear the horn blow come to the house for dinner. If the quail are scarce kill a chicken or two, and if you can’t get any squirrels kill a hog.” – Boston Transcript

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Ancient Needlework

The Mediator

Omaha, Nebraska, August 22, 1919

The early Britons were expert in needlework, and the earliest (British) Church of England before the fifth century won fame from its “handmaids of the church,” who made linens and altar frontals for numberless churches in Europe. Tapestry, the work of queens like Matilda and noble ladies in olden times was largely needlework.

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Old Actors Discuss Changes In Times

The Mediator

Omaha, Nebraska, August 22, 1919

Many old time actors and actresses, who have in recent years joined the “movies,” held a reunion in New York the other day to talk over old times and new creations. It was a time for reminiscence and they enjoyed the occasion to the fullest extent.

Actors who trod the boards ten and fifteen years ago together in a play that thrilled New York, had a reunion last week. They talked over the olden days when movies knew their place and left the drama in peace.

The players were members of the cast that supported Amelia Bingham in “The Climbers.” The place of their reunion was nothing more or less than the Vitagarph Brooklyn studio.

The films had finally reached out and gathered these artists. They will reproduce on celluloid the play that made them famous.

Frank Loomis, casting director for the Vitagraph, believes he has accomplished a notable feat in mobilizing the principal players of “The Climbers” to appear in Vitagraph’s reproduction of that state success.

Miss Corinne Griffith will play the star’s role. Tom Terriss is director. James Spottswood, who played the role of Trotter in the state version, with Miss Bingham, repeats that performance in the film. Percy Marmont, also a member of the earlier cast, is in the film. Miss Emily Fitzroy, a well known state favorite, has an important part.

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Observations

The Mediator

Omaha, Nebraska, August 22, 1919

Senator Hitchcock’s newspaper is getting worried about who Omaha will offer as a gubernatorial candidate next year. It is a safe bet our mayor will be side-stepped at the convention.

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The fact that the entire country has gone “dry” does not appear to interfere with the little game known as “bootlegging.” Fifteen bootleggers were on hand Monday morning in police court.

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After awhile Omaha people will begin to appreciate what the Woodmen of the World is doing for our city. Also what  great, big man is W. A. Fraser.

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Mr. Shotwell says he can find no way to punish food profiteers in Douglas county. He is about the only county attorney in the country that feels that way.

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Some large department stores attempted to corner up the stock of government stores in Omaha, but did not get away with it. One big concern had to return a big consignment of blankets.

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The policemen have organized to secure an increase in pay. It is about time. The firemen got away with theirs – why not the police?

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The attempt of landlords to squeeze the tenant is being looked into. It is about time. A lot of these vicious landlords were preparing to inaugurate a system worse than that in vogue in England.

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There appears to be no lack of rottenness in Omaha, despite the worthy effort of Police Commissioner Elmer Thomas.

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Mr. Ringer will return to the city next week to assist Superintendent Thomas of the police department.

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Time For Action In Mexico

The Mediator

Omaha, Nebraska, August 22, 1919

The time has just about arrived for Uncle Sam to take the bull by the horns in Mexico and settle that vexatious question once and for all. The continued depredations by itinerant Mexican desperadoes on American people has become so exasperating that it cannot be overlooked for a great length of time.

The exploitation of Mexico by Americans in recent years has had a bad effect in some instances, but as a general proposition it has been a good thing for the country. Mexico covers a very wide area and has not had a responsible head for a decade. The natural result has been that the machinery of government has decayed and become almost useless as power to police the various states.

What is required in Mexico is a power similar to the power that civilized the Hawaiian and Philippine groups and brought to them stable government. Sooner or later that power will have to be furnished by some substantial nation that can enforce its dictates for good and stable government in Mexico.

Our people have taken much from Mexico and tried to get along with the people of that country. Mexico has not progressed like other new countries, either in education or the art of government. On the other hand, it has decayed. Far-seeing men, with an eye to developing the natural resources of that country, have invested great sums of money. It is too late to stop the advance in that development.

When the Mexican is educated to decent living, to the value of thrift and to the necessity for advancing instead of declining, then and not until then will that country progress. It has just about come to the point where Uncle Sam will be forced to take a hand in bringing about a stable government, even if it takes an army to do it.

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Doings In Omaha Fifty Years Ago

The Mediator

Omaha, Nebraska, August 22, 1919

Si Colwell was taking a well earned rest, after several months of strenuous endeavor. He was known as one of the village cut-ups in his time.

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Harry Pearce denied that he was ever identified with the bootlegging business, except at the receiving end. That was about right.

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Babe Ruth, the 300-pound beauty at 706 North Steenth street, was spending a few days’ vacation with East End friends.

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Walter Bell defeated Frank Douglas at pinochle for two buckets of near-beer. They were great gamblers in their time.

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Gus Christensen was caught with a suspicious slooking pop bottle, but was able to explain the contents to his old friend, Peter Ault, with whom he was forced to divide the “pop.”

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Tommy Toy discovered a leak in his copper-lined hip pocket. It cost Lou Adams a lot of money before the leak was discovered.

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Bob Heller, formerly known as a leader in the sporting world, paid his subscription to The Mediator, a matter which indicated good judgement.

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Jimmy Ford took a day off to explain the dangerous points of Omaha social life to several delighted audiences. He was a great entertainer.

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Ruth McLane, North Seventeenth street, had numerous callers last week. A lot of newspaper boys had considerable explaining to do. Mr. Moore was on the spot.

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Andy Gallagher, well known philanthropist, called on North End friends during the week and contributed to various charities in that end of our great religious city.

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Emil Hoffman and his mighty collection of musicians were again on the job at our opera house on Harney street. He had some good recipes for nearly beer.

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The story about Dan Butler, well known city commissioner, being engaged to marry was denied. He said he already had enough troubles.

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All that bunk about Ossifer Petersen finding two smacks in his coat pocket was awfully funny for the boys on the force. Somebody nearly carried the joke too far.

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Harry Pullman was still sticking around town, working at his old job. He was one of the villages’s industrious hustlers.

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Ray Lones and some of his companions made midnight calls on friends in a Douglas street apartment. Ray said some of his friends were touched, but nobody believed anything he said.

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Million Tons of Food in Omaha and Profiteers Not Punished

The Mediator

Omaha, Nebraska, August 22, 1919

Enough Stored to Last Year and Prices Going Higher; Authorities Refuse to Act Against Criminals Responsible For This Condition.

There are enough eggs stored in Omaha today for every man, woman and child in the city to have one egg a day each for a whole year, without bringing another egg into the city. This is aside from frozen eggs, of which there are enough to furnish one a one-half eggs for each of them one day for a second year. The people of Omaha are paying 45 cents a dozen for eggs.

During the next year a conservative estimate is that 10,000,000 eggs will be permitted to go to waste, in order to keep up the price of hen fruit. That is one of the secrets to the present high cost of living.

There is also in storage in the city 12,000 tons of meats, or 24,000,000 pounds. Of butter there is one and a half million pounds in storage. If the Union stockyards were closed for ten months there would still be enough meat left to supply the city for a year. With the normal receipts of live stock and other commodities the Omaha market will receive enough products within the next year to supply the city for twelve years, even if another pound was not received.

These are the conditions, just as they exist. It means that the most ungodly system of profiteering that ever was heard of is in existence. It means that a coterie of gangsters have combined to hold up the consumers of the country to the last cent that the peace of the country will stand for. In cities other than Omaha the officials are taking the bull by the horns. In Omaha the ring that is bleeding the public is working daily and getting away with not even serious censure.

There is in storage in Omaha 54,000 pounds of iced rabbits. When the rabbit season opens in October they will be placed on sale and the fresh rabbits will be stored for next year. What is left over will go to the dump to be buried. Some of the produce dealers of Omaha have had the nerve to say that they had a right to let their stuff decay and rot if they so desired and it was nobody’s business.

This is the situation that has come to light as a result of an abortive attempt to get at the bottom of the high cost of living. Our county attorney has not even ventured to suggest to the district judges a grand jury to probe conditions as they exist.

There is absolutely no excuse for this condition. Storage houses are keeping the prices from going higher, not because of patriotism, but because they do not have room enough to handle more produce and thus keep it away from the consumer. With capacity for storing twice the amount now in cold storage, prices would be twice as high. Thrice as much food as is now being wasted would go into the sewers, in order to maintain the high scale of food prices.

These are actual facts. They cannot be controverted. If our law-enforcing powers so desire they can improve the situation bountifully. If they maintain their present silence and inactivity pries will go still higher. It is the plain duty of the people to either force them all into activity or put the whole bunch out of office, city, county and state.

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