THE OKFUSKEE COUNT NEWS
T
The Okfuskee County News
A
Published every Thursday by Rice & Hinds at Okemah Okla
SUBSCRIPTION PRICE 3 mouth 50c Oaeyetr tlSO
Successor to THE INDEPENDENT Entered as second class matter Sept 23 1904 at
Okemah I T postoffice under the act of Congress of March 3 1897
BIG GERMAN OFFENSIVE EX-
PECTED ON WESTERN FRONT
V
J
POLITICAL ANNOUNCEMENTS
For
For
For
For
For
X'or
For
Vor
For
For
For
For
For
District Judge Ninth District CEO C CRUMP
County Judge W A Ht'SElt
Sheriff ? J A AB Dl'XAGAN
County Treasurer U J MOORE
County Attorney BEX C BALLARD
County Attorney T TOM HA2LEWOOD
County Clerk CHAS It DIEHL
Court Crk ' M C JONES
County Assessor D W MOON
County Assessor ' M B CASTLE
Commissioner Second District MRS A Vf ANDERSON
Commissioner Second District' C C 'WHITSON
Commissioner Second District W T PHARUAH
' The Kind of a Town You Like
The success of any town lies more in men than in money The
key to the establishment and maintenance of a town which Is the
pride of all its people is citizenship One may simply stay in a
town Those who are just staying in a town do so at the expense
cf others The town to them is just a commercial vehicle to carry
money to their coffers They take part in no movements for com-
munity betterment They contribute nothing to public improve-
ments They do not give they just stay and take The main
streets may go unpaved and become full of holes the city may go
unsewered and become a menace to public health the morals and
politics of the town may become corrupt but those who are just
staying in the town do not care as long as nothing is taken from
them — and everything contributes to the fattening of their bank
accounts
There are those who live in a town — and they are the life and
hope of the town They are a part of the town and are concerned
vitally in the progress of the whole They believe in the town be-
ing a “Thing of beauty and a joy forever” They give their means
and money to public improvements and community betterment
They are in favor of any movement for making the town beautiful
and safe ' '
Now' in Okemah there are those who stay in the town and
those who live in thetown
There is need of a cooperative movement to make Okemah the
kind of a town in which people would desire to make their homes
The difference between living in a town and just staying in a
'town is the difference between active interested citizenship and
detached indifferent parisiteism
One of the best agencies for getting the people of Okemah
together to focalize their community' ambitions would be a well
organized ecrrmercial club under good leadership The electric
light question could be adequately handled by the people of Oke-
mah who ir the last analysis are the people who ought to decide
this and any other question touching the welfare either moral or
physical of the tow’n
Is Okemah the kind of a town you like? If not — cooporeace
to make it so There are wonderful possibilities in Okemah for
business happiness and prosperous home life A commercial club
or a chamber of commerce could be a means for bringing business
to Okemah It could lead the business forces in Okemah so that
the citizenship of the town w’ould be behind any and every question
that makes for putting Okemah on the map
I
If you want to live in the kind of a town
Like the kind of a town you like
You needn’t slip your clothes in a grip
: And start on a long long hike
- You’ll only find what you left behind
For there’s nothing that’s really new
' It’s a knock at yourself when you knock your town
It isn’t your town it’s you
Real towns aren’t made by men afraid
Lest somebody else goes ahead
When everyone works and nobody shirks
You can raise a town from the dead
And if while you make your personal stake
Your neighbor can make one too
Your town will be what you want to see
It isn’t your town it’s you
oi i ! —
As the Editor Sees It
In the working out of the farm problems the coming season
the country is up against some stubborn facts It is useless to
blind our eyes to the situation — we are short of farm workers and
that at a time when even more are needed than at any time hereto-
fore The working of the selective draft may give some relief but
cannot entirely remedy matters Even without the loss of the
thousands of young men recently called the farms have been
short-handed for several years
In this connection we would call attention to some facts that
should interest you It has been noted for some time that many
farmers after years of effective work on their farms have left
tftem and moved to the towns leaving their lands in the care of
tenants This has been bad for the farms in many ways particu-
larly in that it deprived the lands of the care of men of experience
and superior judgment both so vitally necessary at this time
- inese men are still in the towns hundreds of them thousands
of them While they may be a substantial factor of the town force
their presence is at this time most urgently demanded on the
farms Every farm in the land is crying out for the guiding hand
and brain of its owner — the one person who should have the deep-
est interest in its success
In this crisis of the nation’s life every owner of a farm who
has left it — wherever possible without too great sacrifice — should
return to the soil and give to it his best labor and thought It is
not merely the matter of his daily labors though these would
count largely in results There is the more important fact of his
experience and broader knowledge of farm problems His hand at
the helm would be an inspiration to the entire farm force and
would count powerfully in the final results
There could be no finer exhibition of patriotism than for the
ex-fanners of the country wherever and however situated to
return to the soil at least through the period of the war when they
could be of such untold aid to their country
The American flag is at half mast for the brave boys who
went down with the Tuscania But American anger is at white
heat and American courage at one hundred per cent efficiency
and when the day of reckoning comes the full price will be exacted
The Washington Post would have Dr Garfield withhold fuel
from congress when next those hot debates are pulled off on the
ground that the Capitol is already sufficiently heated by hot air
But hot air is their food not their fuel
0
- That new American bread has the taste of victory
British Army Headquarters in
France Feb 19 — The great German
offensive on the western front may be
expectedto begin at any moment now
and as far as the British front is con-
cerned the main thrust will be made
on the sector between Arras and St
Quentin
Tanks and a new “mysterious gas”
will be employed by the enemy in the
attempt to break through the lilies’
lines Other attacks will be delivered
farther south These facts have be-
come known through captured Ger-
man prisoners and fren information
gleaned in other ways
Ready for Supreme Effort
Tho plans of the German high com-
mand are complete and after many
weeks of intensive training of assault-
ing troops they are ready to make the
supreme and final effort which has
been advertised so widely in the past
week
Field Marshal von Hindenburg and
General von Ludendorff appear to
have realized that the old methods of
attack in which a long bombardment
is employed are too well known to pro
duce the results desired According-
ly the German troops are being told
that surprise attacks such as were
used in Galicia last summer at Riga
and again on the Isorzj are to be
tried against the allies on the western
front
Infantry Only to Follow Through
Much stress has been laid on t’re
fact that tanks and new gas are to be
used leaving the infantry little tc do
but to walk through the gaps and con-
solidate the positions captured Ger-
man troops have been trained to make
long appioach marches and then to
storm positions after a short gas
shell bombardment Those obstacles
which the German artillery fire has
not obliterated will be rushed by the
troops or ignored The German in-
fantry wil lrely on weight of num-
bers masses of machine guns and
mobile batteries to finish the work
begun by the tanks and the gas I
Allies Can’t Survive
Word has been passed out by the
German high command that few of
the allied troops will survive the ef-
fects of the tanks the gas and the
bombardment and that fresh German
infantry will overcome speedily any
resistance offered in captured posi-
tions Despite these assurances and inten-
sive training to which they have been
put the German troops are frankly
skeptical and are undertaking their
task with no enthusiasm according to
prisoners They feel they are going
to be thrown into battle to be used as
cannon fodder and do not relish the
prospect
It is said General von Ludendorff
recently addressed a body of infantry
at Laon and asked how many men
were willing to fight to a finish Only
five non-commissioned officers and
privates stepped forward The others
declared their desire for an early
peace by “arrangement”
Officers Still Have Faith
German officers on the other hand
appear to have the conviction they will
be able to break through by means of
their “secret attacks”
General von Hutier who is reported
to have laid the plans for the capture
of Riga has come to the western front
to assist in the preparation The les-
sons of the capture of Riga have been
preached religiously to the German
troops It has been pointed out that
there a preliminary bombardment of
four or five hours to cut the enemy
wire and demolish defenses was suf-
ficient to give the Germans a firm
footing in the Russian positions
Won’t Be Surprise Attack
The enemy troops have not been
told however that the morale of the
Russians at Riga was very low and
that the German attack was a com-
plete surprise The Germans will find
the alied morale at the highest pitch
on the western front and their attack
will be far from the surprise desired
The allies are-ready for a big blow
and await with assurance the next
move of the German high command
The German attack cannot be de-
layed much longer All information
points to the fact that both German
civilians and soldiers are keyed up to
such a pitch of nervous expectancy
that the strain cannot endure for long
They are waiting for the attack with
feverish hope that the high command
can this time make good its promise
The German troops are expected to
fight well
Bloodiest Battle of War
The coming battles will perhaps be
the most sanguinary of the war and
they will be the moRt intense yet seen
But they will mark the beginning of
the end for if the Germans do not
break clear through the allied line —
and they cannot — they virtually will
be finished The emperor is putting
every ounce of strength into this great
gamble and if it fails in the early
stages it means the end of Prussinn
militarism
The allied forces have a superiority
in numbers both in men and guns and
no doubt is felt in this front as to the
outcome
SENATOR JOHNSON FAVORS
GOVERNMENT OWNERSHIP
Washington Feb 19 — Permanent
government ownership of steam rail-
roads rather than government control
for the period of the war was advo-
cated by Senator Johnson of Califor-
nia today in a speech opposing the
senate draft of the administration’s
railroad bill
“I would now take the inevitable
next step in government control of our
railroads” Senator Johnson declared
“and do whatever might be essential
to make that government control per-
manent government ownership or at
least leave the way open so that im-
mediately upon the termination of the
war we might follow to its logical
conclusion what already we nave
partly done”
Objects to Compensation
The California senator protested
vigorously at the proposed rate of
compensation to be paid the railroads
under the provisions of the bill and
also opposed the senate’s plan to turn
the roads back to private manage-
ment eighteen months after the con-
clusion of peace
Senator Johnson digressed from his
discussion of the railroad to legisla-
tion to express his approval of Presi-
dent Wilson’s recent stand against se-
cret diplomacy and the president’s
policy of addressing congress from
time to time “?n the open forum of
the world”
“I advert to this subject” the sen-
ator said “because 1 deprecate the un-
democratic and un-American suppres-
sion and repression which character-
ized the first months of our entrance
info the war and which yet obtains in
some circles
Favors Honest Criticism
“The idea last year seemed preva-
lent aqjj to find sanction with various
individuals and in a large part of the
press that absolute silence and sub-
mission without complaints to any de-
ficiency or injustice were the only
measure of loyalty If any individual
with highest motive sought to lay
bare a wrong forthwith he was
charged with lending aid and comfort
to the enemy I will ndt subscribe to
any doctrine that either in peace or
in war legitimate honest and con-
scientious suggestion or criticism may
not bo indulged This government yet
belongs to all its people and they are
entitled to know not only how diplo-
matically the government deals with
the nations of the earth but to know
as well that which concerns the in-
ternal policies which yet control the
republic situated within the bounda-
ries of the United States and beyond
this they are entitled to know what
intimately concerns their property
and their lives
The Light Necessary
“Disloyalty and treason cannot
thrive in the light Neither can i
competence the strong ally of failure
Official suppression and concealment
are as vicious as the secret diplomacy
and private bargaining which Presi-
dent Wilson so justly condemns The
pretense that the people cannot be
told the truth is the artifice of incom-
petent men who are afraid to face
the test of public scrutiny
“The real test of criticism is whe-
ther it is just or unjust if consciously
unjust it should subject him who ut-
ters it to the contempt of all : If just
it vindicates itself”
NO TIME HAS YET BEEN
SET FOR SECOND DRAFT
Washington Feb 20 — Secretary
Baker authorized the statement today
that no date had been selected for the
beginning of the second draft Various
estimates have placed the time be-
tween March 1 and June 1
The government’s disposition not to
disturb the labor situation particu-
larly on farms at the planting season
is one of the factors entering into the
situation
The provost marshal general’s of-
In the Matter of the Cinardtanahlp of
the Estate of Abe Lincoln 1'atrli‘k n
Minor W C Owe an Guardian
No 969
NOTICE OF HEARING ON PETITION
BY GUARDIAN TO MORTGAGE
WARD’S REAL ESTATE
Notice la hereby given that W C
Owens aw Guardian of the estate of
Abe Lincoln Patrick a minor has tiled
in the County Court of Okfuskee Coun-
ty State of Oklahoma hie verified pe-
tition praying for an order of the Court
authorizing and directing him as such
guardian to mortgage certain real es-
tate belonging to his said minor ward
Abo Lincoln Patrick situate In Okfus-
kee County Oklahoma described as
follows to wit:
The North Half () of tho South-
east Quarter (14) of Section Six
(G) Township Eleven (11) North
Range Eight (8) East I it & M
and for the reason in said petition
stated and that tho same is hereby set
for bearing on the 12th day of March
1918 at 10 o'clock a in of said date in
the County Court room ut Okemah
Oklahoma at whirl) time and place the
next of kin of said ward and ull per-
sons interested in hi said estate are
hereby required and directed to ap-
pear before the Court and show cause
if any they have why an order should
not be granted us prayed for In said pe-
tit Ion
'Dated this tin 2Dth day of February
1 9 1 m
V ( OWENS
Guardian of Abo Lincoln Patrick
a Minor
Feb 21-28 Mch: 7
A BIG GAR
Of Alfalfa Mixed Feed
Corn Corn Chops and "
CoriT Meal JUST IN!
The shortage of wheat milled feed is felt
everywhere and with mills closing down
everyday
Alfalfa Meal feed superior to wheat bran s
Alfalfa Molasses Feed in place of wheat
shorts '
101 Alfalfa horse and mule feed mixed
with corn oats and other grain — the best
balanced feed on the market Get your
supply while it lasts
FIELD AND GARDEN SEED
Red Triumph Potatoes bushel $3 "
So far we have been able to supply the de-
mand Don’t wait till the price gets as
high as last year and stock exhausted
Onion Sets red and yellow gal 50c
Sets are very scarce this season We have
only 100 bushels to go around v
Clover Sudan Cane Kafir
1 Feterita and Stock Peas
We have limited supply of all these However trans-
portation is slow and uncertain Do not hold your or-
ders back too long for stock may not be obtainable
when you need it ‘
If our stocks of feed and seeds do not contain what
you need advise us and We will be glad to get them for
you if possible
Wilson Grocery Co
" ) Okemah Okla
i
We are in the market for Cane Kafir Maize Millet
Peanuts and Stock Peas Also Seed Corn and Cotton
Seed a few weeks later
fice it is understood is disinclined to
go ahead with the second draft until
congress has perfected the law by
pending amendments to change the
basis of apportionment and to author-
ize the president to call into the mili-
tary service men skilled in industry
and agriculture regardless of previous
classification
Remaining increments of the first
draft will begin to move forward to
camps this week
BOLSHEVIK MOVEMENT
GAINING FAST
I
An Atlantic Port Feb 19 — The
Bolsheviki government is not only the
strongest force in Russia but it is
steadily spreading its propaganda
among the people of Germany and
Austria as well as in their armies
holding the Russian front according
to Mrs John Reed wife of the Amer-
ican magazine writer whose appoint-
ment as Russian consul general at
New York has just been withdrawn
by Foreign Minister Trotzky
Mrs Reed arrived here today after
a visit of six months in Russia with
her husband who remained to work
for the Bolshevik program of “peace
through revolution” in Germany and
Austria
Tom Hazelwood lectured at the
Crystal Theatre Wednesday night and
County Attorney T S Hurst spoke at
tho Jewel their subjects being the
Thrift and War Savings Stamps A
speaker will be assigned to each ' of
these picture shows on each evening
this week
E:
:
We wish
to announce'
that we
have purchased
' -the-Farnum
Studio
where we
will
be pleased to
meet all
The Studio’s patrons and
good people of Okemah
and vicinity
Courteous treatment excellent service
and' experience of many years
assure pleasing results
F GLIED
Photographers and Artists -
:
:Q