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grate HJatri THE RONAN PIONEERI The Oldest Newspaper on the Flathead Indian Reservation Entered as second-class matter May 12, 1910, at the post office at Ronan. Montana. under the Act of March 3. 1879. VOL. VII. NO. 47. RONAN, MISSOULA COUNTY, MONTANA, MARCH 23, 1917. $2.00 Per Year RAILROAD STRIKE a HAS BEENAERTED The Adamson eight-hour railroad e law was held constitutional and valid in all respects in a decision by the e supreme court on March 19. The de- b cision makes eight hours the standard of a day's work and wages for men d in operation of trains and legalizes 1 the wage increase which went into ti effect on its passage. The immediate a temporary wage increase won by the railroad employes affect 400,000 train- a men, as of January 1, and are esti- a mated to total between $40,000,000 a anr $50,000,000. The decision, coming within a few r hcaurs of the agreement of the rail- a way managers and the brotherhood I chiefs to use the provisions of the x Adamson act as the basis for their a settlement, finally disposes of the a railroad controversy and opens the i way for a thorough mobilization of s the nation's industries in case of t w a'. t f SLITER DAIRY HERD SOLD AT AUCTION The public sale held on the Sliter r raich four miles south of Ronan on 1 the 15th inst. brought out a large I attendance and all offerings were I disposed of. at satisfactory prices, The ranch, favorably known in this i section as an alfalfa producer, has 1 been leased to J. R. Winn, who will take possession immediately. 1 Mr. Sliter has been for many years a identified with the development of the Mission valley and is well known as the "Big Fork Booster." He states that he is now just as great a booster for Ronan, and that his faith in this community is supreme. During the past fortnight he has acquired the', extensively improved Drake resi dence property in Ronan, the E. L. Hostetler ranch a mile south of town, and has in contemplation fur ther investments in this vicinity. IL COUNT ZEPPLIN CALLED BY DEATH 1: According to a Berlin dispatch transmitted by Rueber's Amsterdam correspondent, Count Zepplin died on March 8 at Charlottenburg, near Ber-. in, of inflammation of the lungs. Count Ferdinand Zepplin became famous at the age of 70 as the build cr of the first practical dirigible t baloon. On his 75th birthday he nav- I igated his 20th airship to celebrate the occasion. But before he had i achieved fame he had devoted a half century of his life, exhausted his per sonal fortune of $750.000 and sacri ficed a brilliant career as a German c cavalry leader in concjuering the air, ,i Emperor William recently proclaimed ! Count Zepplin to be "the greatest ( German of the Twentieth century." As a token of appreciation he con ferred upon him the Order of the Black Eagle, the highest honor in the emperor's power. It was in the United States that Count Zepplin made his first baloon ascension. It occured while he was 1 following General Carl Shurz in the civil war as a military observer fort the German army. A captive baloon in use for military observations by union troops greatly interested the German officer, and he was taken up in it in 1863. Scion of a wealthy family of an dient lineage, Count Zepplin w'as born in Constance, Baden, in 1838. As a youth he was trained for a soldier r career. He fought through the Aus tro-Prussian wars, and is said to have been the first German soldier to c 'wis the frontier into France in the last named conflict. Serving in the Ger man cavalry for three decades ne rose to the rank of general at the age of 42. He retired ten years later, a distinguished soldier, He began to study and experiment soon after arriving In Germany from the American civil war. Except for the time demanded in routine mili tary duties, for the time spent in fighting and for a year spent in ;ioneymooning with his bride, who was a girl of the German nobility. he spent the remainder of his life Ii building flying contrivances 'hat, for the most part, ref' sed to fly. From a wealthy nobleman owning vast estates, Couiit Zejolin was grad ually reduced to an aristocratic me chanic living in a humble cottage on an allowance supplien by his friends. He met many escapes from death, and disaster repeatedly overtook his airships. They became so fequent that pert paragraphs began to appear in the German press and ridicule his efforts. Then, in a day, the tide turned. He electrified a skeptical world in 1908 by staying aloft for 37 hours in the fifth airship he had built, and by sailing it in a straight course for a distance of nearly 900 miles. Emperor William and all Germany in fact, hailed him as "the conqueror of the i air." t This monster baloon 465 feet long i and of the rigid type and resembling a - a huge cigar, soon met with disaster, I as had his predecessors. Each wreck was a great financial loss, for Zep- b plins baloons wvere valued as high - as $500,000 each. These disasters, 1 however, proved the affection in 3 which the German people held the v aristocratic aviator, When one of his c 3 airships was torn from its moorings c 3 in a gale and wrecked the public sub- j r scribed $1,000,000 to a fund, of which s f the crown prince was president, for a the inventor. The German emperor frequently helped him out of financial a difficulties, and the German reichstag c appropriated several hundred thou- c F sand marks for the purchase of his airships for the German army. At the close of his remarkable ca- s reer Count Zepplin had retrieved a . 1 large part of the fortune he spent in 3 his conquest of the air. He trained v 3 his son, also an army officer, in the' science of aeronautics and especially N in his methods of building dirigible - baloons. He also made an accom Splished aeronaut of Jis daughter, who has made more than 100 flights in the airships her father fashioned. f In commemoration of Count Zep 1 plin Friedrichhafen, the city from 3 which most of his voyages began, has t r decided to establish a Zepplin mu 5 seum. TOP THE MARKET FOR 1917 BEETS The highest price in the history of » the industry will be paid next fall to V growers of sugar beets, according to the announcement of the Great West ern Sugar Co., of 50 cents per ton bonus, if sugar maintains a price of $7.50 per cwt. wholesale. Contingent on this figure a minimum price of $6.50 per ton will be paid for beets with a 12 per cent sugar content and $7.50 with a sugar content of 17 per cent, which is the average con- , tained in the succulent roots grown in Montana, I Contracts made with beet growers c in this territory for 1917 called for a minimum price of $6.00 with a maximum of $7.00, and the bonus of 50 cents per ton proposed by the company is substantial testimony of the cooperative attitude of the sugar manufacturers toward the beet grower. F. L. Cooper, local field represent ative of the Great Western Sugar company at Ronan, states that up to the present time approximately eignt hundred acres of sugar beets are under contract In reservation terrn tory alone, and that this acreage will be materially added to before the time arrives for spring planting. With an approximate yield of from thirteen to fourteen tons per acre, which may confidently be expected, there should be paid to growers in this locality in the neighborhood of one hundred thousand dollars the current season. This too, with the culture of sugar beets ini the Mission valley in practically an experimental stage, It is hoped that the Miszoula branch of the Great Western Sugar company will decide to acquire a desirable tract of land in the vicinity of Ronan where a demonstration farm will be operated, as is done by that company at Billings, Montana, and at other stations where their factories have been established. "This," said the grocer proudly, "is r the finest and strongest safe ever - built. It is absolutely fireproof and burglarproof and is equipped with 1 every device to protect and safeguard i Its contents." e "But what are you going to do with it?" we asked. r "Do with it!" exclaimed the grocer. "Why, keep my stock of potatoes in g It, of. course." EXTRAORDINARY SESSION IS CALLED FOR APRIL 2 President Wilson, recognizing that Germany practically is making war on the United States on the seas, on March 21 called congress to assemble in extraordinary session on April 2, two weeks earlier than the date or iginally set, to deal with the situ ation. The purpose of the session, as aL nounced in the presideot's nt oclama - Lion, is to receive a conmmunication from the chief executive on "grave q juestions of natio.ial polic,." I The president in address to congress will detail how Germany has practi .cally been making war on the United "States by the ruthless destruction of - American lives and ships on the high t seas in contravention of all the laws of nations and humanity. Congress is then expected to pass Ia resolution declaring that a state of war has existed between the Unit - ed States and Germany for some time. t Such a resolution in itself will not be a declaration of war in a technical - sense, although practically it will Samount to the same thing. t As a consequence the United States I will take further steps to protect its interests on the high seas and else where against the warlike acts of RONAN WOMEN'S CLUB FEDERATES The Ronan Women's club met at the home of Mrs. Aldrich on Tuesday - evening, March 20th, and were enter tained by the Misses Marsh, Kain and Savage. St, Patrick decorations were din evidence and each aiemnber re sponded to roll call with an Irish anecdote. Notice was received from the State Federation of Women's clubs that the application of the Ro r nan Women's club for federating ) with the state organization had been accepted. The papers dealt with the present ,ituation gin Europe and vividly de l scribed the awful conditions now pre f wailing in that country. The papers t were: "The Peace Movement"--Mrs. A. Sutherland. '"The Situation in Poland and Bel tgiu"-Miss Azelie Savage. 7 "The Situation in Armenia"--Mrs. - J. J. Maloney. i Miss Olive Townsend and Harold Resner sang several Irish solos and hduets, accompanied by Mrs. Aldrich r on the piano. * Delicious refreshments were served 5 and the green and white color scheme 8 was carried out in this also. They f adjourned to meet with Mrs. Cooper r In two weeks. MORE LITERATURE FOR FREE LIBRARY A new consignment of books, both adult and juvenile, has been received at the local branch of the Missoula county free library and is now avail able to patrons, The library is lo cated in the Ronan high school build ing and is open to, the public on Monday and Wednesday afternoons from 3:30 to 5:30 and on Friday even ing from 7:30 to 9:30, in charge of Miss Eleanor Hull, librarian. The new issue is embraced in the list here appended: Reign of Law-J. L. Allen. Betty Alden-J. G. Austin. ! Eben Holden; Silas Strong-Irving Bachellor. Hard Rock Man-F. R. Bechdolt, Eugene Field in his Home-I. C. Be low. Brandon of the Engineers-Harold Bindloss. How it Happened-K. L. Bosher. Locusts and Wild Honey; Wake Robin -John Burroughs, Louisa May Alcott-E. D. Cheney. A Far Country-Wlpston Churchill. I' Pudd'nHead Wilson-S. L. Clemens. , Cinderella-S. R. Crockett. I1 Vera the Medium; "Miss Civilization" -R, H. Davis. Alice for Short-William DeMorgan. Society's Misfits-M. Z. Doty. Indian Boyhood-C. A. Eastman. I Biological Renaissance of Flathead I- (Continued on page two) Germany and whether an actual state PE of war will come to exist in its full F; sense wil depend on the future acts P of the imperial German government. P Since last Sunday, when three if American ships were sunk off the e British lslei in quick succession, P with loss of American lives-bring- P lug the total number of Americans e " lost through German submarine oper- w ations to more than 200-the presi- P i dent and all of his advisers have sI recognized that a state of war ex isted. From all parts of the country it have come calls for the immediate ii " summoning of congress in extra ses- 0 1 sion. Although the president, by the pro- 'I visions, of the constitution, must P leave it to congress to make the prac- n tical declaration of war, such advices C as have come to the white house 1 from members of congress, governors, P of states, public officials and many t hundreds of citizens have contained e statements of support of such a po1- m icy in its fullest sense. b The cabinet, which urged the move rt upon the president, is described by its members as having been more b thoroughly united than it has been tl on any other question that has come t] before it. i) BUILL) BOATS TOin OUTWIT (ERMANS a A plan whereby cargo tonnage can n be created in this country "faster t I than Germany can sink It" has been lievlsed by P. Huntington Clark, an American engineer, according to an i announcement made before a joint i session of the Automobile Club of e America, the Aero Club of America d and the Motor Boat Club of America, t in New York on March 8. l The new type of vessel, it was said, b could be built in great numbers a quickly at small cost, and by men of t little skill. Eash vessel would be b mastless, smokeless and of diminu tive size and would have such low J visibility as compared with the great steel ships now afloat that it could be seen by a submarine at barely more than a third of the distance at which the 10,000 ton steamships are now detected. I In addition, it was asserted, the i new craft, propelled entirely by mto- C 1 tor, would offer a smaller mark, h would be more easily maneuvered in h event of an encounter, and because of its small draft of from 11 to 13 i feet, torpedoes that usually would 1: sink the larger vessel of steel con- € struction, would "pass idly beneath it," It was estimated that 1,000,000 tons, or a thousand vessels of 1,000 tons each, with a speed of nine knots, could be built at a cost of $100,000.- I 000 In a year. These boats would be 185 feet all over with a 36 foot beam. 1 The same amount of tonnage, with la speed of 14 knots, it was said, I 1 could be built for $150,000,000. I Mr. Clark's plan Is to utilize all of I the coastal wooden ship yards. which now have a capacity of 250,000 tons a I n year. To enlarge these plants, it I was asserted, would require nothing I more than the clearing of additional beach or bank, the laying down of more cheap wooden way's and the set e ting up of additional lumber planing and sawing machinery. The labor, he contends, can be created from the "rawest material." FARMERS' GRAIN COMPANY FAILS The Reservation Farmers' Ele vator company, with elevators at Ra i valli and Dixon, has failed, with liabilities placed at $15,000, and as sets unknown. This failure came as a great surprise to everyone as it was supposed the company had made considerable money this year. The folowing article printed in the Missoulian of Thursday morning, is the only available information the Pioneer has at the present time: Helena, Mar, 21.-Though there is I some indecision yet as to the final outcome of the financial difficulties of the Reservation Farmers' Grain company at Ravalli, farmers who had grain stored in the company's elevat ors at Ravalli and Dixon are due to receive full payment. Charles D. Greenfleld, Sr., commissioner of agri culture and inductry, haa retu 'ned from an investigation of the m1. tr' with the report that there is now on I file with the secretary .f state a bond of $10,000 signed by 14 securities. Mr. Greenfield states that the com pany is in bad shape financially. He I Fay. that in a report made by the president of the company to the de partmcnt January 31, affidavit was made that there was some 8,000 buss els of grain in storage in the com pany's elevators and that the corn - pany had on hand some 10,000 bush els. On his arrival at Ravalli he - was told by the manager of the com - pany that there was no grain in storage. Upon investigation he fourd that there were 600 bushels of grain in the elevator and about 211 bushels in cars at Dixon shipped in the nanle - of a man who holds a chattel inert gage on the property of the company. - The grain; In the cars was not conm t pany grain and the man in whose - name it was shipped informed Mr. Greenileld that a mistake had beel, 2 made, The grain was then reship ped to Ravalli. It was also admitted that the 600 bushels of grain In the I elevator was not subject to a chattel - mortgage and the 800 bushels have been put ir the care of a trustee, 3 representing the sureties on the bend. Mr. Greenfleld says he was informs, 1 2 by the manager of the company that the company owes Iarmora for a lit 2 the more than 5,000 bushels of grain which was in storage. Cicem.s issued in payment for the grain mnd dishonored at the bank aggregal o $3,578. The sureties have agreed to deposit the amount for which t1 y are liable with A. P. Morse, of the Mission bank at St. Ignatius, awd within two weeks a start will l'n a made toward paying off the claims of r the owners of the stored grain, Mr n Greenfielh is much pleased with the n disposition shown by the sureties n after they were shown their resnons it ibilities. The president is unable' LO if explain how the company got into a difficulties, as he paid but little at f, tention to the business affairs. A thorough investigation will be made I, by the sureties in an effort to find s means for rein:bursing themselves for f the money they have paid out as a bondsmen. PAT McLAU(HLIN ASSESSING RONAN Chief Deputy Assessor Pat Mc Laughlin is in Ionan this week 1st ing all property for taxation. lie commenced in town Monday last and has just about completed his labor here. With property being assessed at its cash value, the chances are very I bright that the valuation will be greatly increased over former years and that the tax levy this year in Missoula county for county purposes ,will not be greatly in excess of ten mills. Mr. McLaughlin states that merchants' stock will be assessed - from their Invoices, and that in stances in Missoula show there has been an increase from $1500 to $15, 000, and from $3,500 to $13,000, show ing that in the past the big fellows have avoided paying their just pro portion, 1 lie say., that on the advice of At t torney General Ford that anyone re f fusing to furnish invoices are to be promptly reported to that offcial for I action by him. - NOTICE Dr. C. S. Bovard of Helena, will be here and preach in the M. E. church Sunday evening, March 25th, at 8 o'clock. The mortgages and bank notes which have been held against the lo cal church are now in the hands of the pastor and will be burned at the services Sunday night. Our large choir which is doing ex cellent work, will be present. A good time and a full house is expected i Sunday evening. A cordial invitation is extended to all. s Dr, Bovard will hold quarterly con t ference at the church Saturday night e and all official members are urged to be present. Everybody is invited to e attend. s E. D. SWISHER, Pastor. e The Ladies' Aid of the M. E. s church held a parcel post social and .1 supper at the church yesterday even a Ing and a large crowd attended. CZAR OF RUSSIA IS OVERTHROWN The daiily papers of the latter part of last week contained the startling information that the czar of Russia had abdicated the throne in favor of his young son, under the regency of the czar's brother, Grand Duke Alex androvitch. Later advices said that the heir had also abdicated and that a committee of twelve representing the Russian duma would control the country. This news came as a com plete surprise to most everybody in this country, but from reading the papers it appears that all the coun tries of the allies were appraised of the doings and expected a change in the Russian government. The revolution was over in a short time and almost every branch of the army, navy and government readily assented to the change, There was some desultory fighting in Petrograd for three or four days when all the troops favorable to the dynasty sur rendered 'to the revolutionary troops and fraternized in the streets like brothers. Latest advices indicate that the ultimate outcome will be the establishment of the Russian repub lic, a master stroke for democracy and rule by the people. At first it was surmised that the revolution might mean that there was a strong anti-War party in Russia fav orable to a separate peace with Ger many, but later it has been learned that the real cause of the revolution was that the czar was influenced by his German wife to such an extent as to prevent the war being prose cuted in a manner dosired by the peo pie. All German sympathizers in the army have been relieved of their com mands and it is said that the war will now assume a different phase than heretofore. s The new ministry is composed of - members of the duma and everything Is quiet and orderly all over the country. MRS. COOPER'S PAPER ON CHILD SURGERY The following paper was read by Mrs. F. Leroy Cooper at the Ronan Women's Club at the last meeting, and at the request of several of the members present, it is published. The Pioneer commends this paper to its readers and urges that it be carefully read: One of the finest things anyone can do is to discover a way to make someone well and happy for life. Like new inventions, surgery along new lines is being developed. Many times it Is accidentally discovered, but usually one or more surgeons may work a life time experimenting and studying to perfect one idea A number of years ago, it will be remembered that a wonderful doctor was brought to this country from Austria to perform what was called a bloodless operation on a wealthy man's daughter This doctor had very little time to spend in this country, so many crippled children were not able to obtain relief.. The one special girl he came to help was Miss Armour, who is now just enter ing society, a straight, beautiful girl. Very few things can be done by this method, the knife figuring in most of the wonderful things done. The re moval of a bit of bone here or a bit of flesh there, changing the whole ap pearance and character of a child. Not long ago it was discovered that adenoids were the cause of many º children being stupid, sulky and also I delicate. This growth interferes with the intake of oxygen, thus lowering the nutrition of the brain. The body or intellect cannot develop if the f brain Is not in working order. Selfish ness, deafness and dullness are brought on by this growth, as has been proven by its removal. A boy I of nine, whose face was so flat. ex I pressionless and frog-like that he I was thought to be feeble minded, was brought to a physician here in the - west. The boy's mind seemed blank t and he was hard of hearing, so his teacher reported, while his parents said he was selfish and sullen. After the growth was removed his whole life was changed. He became inter ested in his school work, besides be . Ing considerate of other people. 3 Not only must the brain have nu - tritious blood going into it, but it (Continued on page seven)