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THE 8EMLVEEKLY TRIBUNE. NORTH PLATTE. NEBRASKA.

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NIKOLA TESI

HEN I was a boy and chance or an un

avoidable predicament made It ncc

cBBary for mo to walk past a grave

yard after dusk of an ovenlug, I

began whistling as I approached

and continued i ntll my llpa wore

swollen or walked a mllo out of

my way to get woll around It.

But even with all my whistling

In a boyish attempt to prod a recre

ant courage, my legs nevertheless

wero pretty wabbly and my knee

action was not of tho sliow-rlnc

class. My heart, too, ungallantly huddled up

In a corner and wont on strlko, so that there

wasn't much bjood In circulation to keep mo

warm, and quite ns a matter of course I got "cold

foot."

In the nervous tension my scalp contracted so

that my hair felt as If It was so many pricking;

needles, goose ilesh writhed In creepy lines ovor

my body, whllo my splno seemed llko nothing bo

much as an anlmntod Icicle and my nerves wero

rasped by tho demon of fear, for, mind you, every

one of those dlm-limncd gravestones was a po

tential ghost that might at any Instant ralso its

'uncanny arms and sweep awesomely out and

claim mo for Its own.

Did you over pass a graveyard at night whon

nlono? And didn't you feel Just about that way

whon you did?

Much as I might wish to bo a bo7 again, I

should not over caro to havo to pass a graveyard

nt night alono.

There has been so much Bald and written pro

and con In discussing tho tactics of tho Gormans

iln sending their forcos at tho onomy In what

1s known as tho "mass formation" that it aeoms

ns If llttlo could bo added to tho argument

But thero Is a human aldo to this policy that

iso far has not boon presented; not to my knowl

edge, 'at least.

It Is a simple phase of tho question that has

to do with tho olqment of human nature; tho

mental process of tho mass, as disclosed by the

Individual as Its unit.

Why is It that, tho man who quakes with fear

pt 'the approach of an impondlng battle qulto

loften, as tho recordo show, Is tho ono who goos

Ita at tho cbargo with apparently tho darodavll

recklessness and dlHrogard fpr danger that dis

tinguished him among his comrades as tho man

iunafrald or as being "crazy with tho heat" of

fbattle?

However, before ho attains to this dogroo of

courage and comes eventually to be stricken with

"battle fever ho must havo boon divorced from his

onBo of fear by eomo process or association aside

Jrom his conscious control. Fear and tho con

crete evidenco of bravery are soldom if over com

bined In any hazardous undertaking, and eapo

dally In tho caoo whore the Individual faces

tho enotny In battlo or other mortal danger un

supported and alono.

I And that brings us again to tho wolrd and fear

some specters that take form in tho dreadful dark,

along tho silent and desortcd road at tho edgo of

jtho ghost-haunted gravoyard.

i It Is interesting, and not a llttlo amusing, now

ithat I (and wo aro all pretty much alike in that

jroBpoct) look back ovor tho years and coldly an

ntyze the mental attitude in which under tho

ourtaln of night 1 hesitatingly approached, trem

blingly passed and thankfully left behind those

harmless and sacred villages of the dead at the

(time I was on Impressionable lad,

For, you Bee, when fortune favored mo with

companions on tho infrequent occasions of my

nocturnal journeys past the old graveyards, even

If It were only a small boy, not yet' old enough to

recognize' thq possibilities of a ghost in a dUBk

shrouded tombstone, my courage always retained

enough stamina to carry 'me through tho other

wise nervo-Bhreddlng ordeal without having to

rosort to the expedient of whistling myself out of

breath, At any rate.

Thero might bo prowling ghosts ovor thero in

the lowering dork of tho somber aisles running

through tho shrubs and the weeping willows

but wha'. follow should be nfrald of ghosts with

a faithful comrade touching elbows at his side?

However, pn occasions when thero was a com

pany of us, four or six or more boys, that walked

together along the graveyard road, why, thero Just

olmply were no ghosts at all.

But if one of us had by some fortuity becomo

(separated from tho main body and suddenly real

ized that ho was stark alono among tho momen

tous possibilities of his ominous surroundings, his

(also koyed bravado would instantly havo lost Its

Krlp and hit bottom with a plunk.

Tho chances are, as a matter of fact, that ho

would have been "scared stiff" too Btlff to got out

of his tracks for tho moment, at least. And,

quite uublushlngly, I am assuming that that boy

must have been myself,

And, aa for any of. us to have ventured In the

circumstance to go In thero alonequite unthink

able, I assure you.

But what, you are asking, has all this to do

with the question of tho German genoral war

staff's tactics when storming a fortress or charg

ing the battle lino In sending their troops at tho

enemy In close order or "masu formation?"

Well, tho man is tho boy and tho boy is tho

man, and tho mental attltudo of tho soldier In

relation' to battlo 1b precisely that of the boy and

the night-veiled grayoyard.

With this difference, all boys, unless It be tho

occasional exception that proves tbo mlo. aro

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naturally obscssod w.lth childish fear of ghosts

and gravoyard phantoms created in tholr fertile

Imagination. Most men outgrow such baseless

fears, and somo, I cannot undertake to say what

por cont, havo by natural dovelopmont, will power

or solf-control outgrown tho sonso of fear to such

an extent that It does not manifest itBelf when in

tho faco of dangor.

But thoro nre those of us In whom fear quickly

and prominently develops oV recurs when our life

Is placed In Imminent peril. And such, men aro

in tho majority, very probably. Tho world calls

thorn "cowards," Possibly that is an appropriate

generalized term, though it should be gingerly

applied In tho caso of the man who strives but is

unable to ovorcomo a natural fooling of fear.

There should, too, bo qualifying distinctions, as,

for instance, the moral coward, as distinguished

from tho "physical" coward; tho coward of con

science and the coward of principle.

Tho moral coward may not ever havo experi

enced the sense of foar, or vlco versa.

It Is. the rare exception, however, when a man

will voluntarily admit fear of physical danger be

foro tho enemy. And it would needs bo a grace

less coward indeed who should confess that he

would bo. afraid to enlist under tho colors If called

upon for tho defense of his country.

Certainly an overwhelming majority of us,

whether or not wo aro sufficiently candid to admit

it, experience the sense of fear in a greater or

less degreo when we mentally place ourselves

within rango of tho enemy's flesh-mangling shrap

nel, parrying tho vicious thrust of a bowel-rlpplng

bayonet or dodging tho decapitating swing of o

cavalryman's saber.

And thero are many of us who, if wo were about

to bo placed In bucIi a position, would lllnch, to

say tho least. And then thero are those, no one

will over know what proportion of tho whole,

who whon ordered Into action would drop out,

flop ovor and play 'possum or Just plain "beat It,"

providing ho could do so without attracting the

attention of his more loyal comrades or being de

tected by his offlcers, "which last eventuality he

knows would result In a quick dealt penalty of

death.

Even If so disposed, such a getaway could, of

course, be effected only in a thin lino of troops

advancing in open or extended order, whero the

chances of or opportunities for detection would be

minimized, and whero, too, such action would be

likely to occur, because the Individual is deprived

of the moral support and psychological encourage

mpnt of olbow-touchlng comrades to spur him on.

It Is in tho cognizance of this clement in hu

man nature, which is concrete rnther than ab

stract, that tho Gorman commanders show their

fine understanding of this phenomenon 6f temper

amental idiosyncrasy, tho mental attitude, If you

please, of tho soldier facing the enemy, fpr, after

all, the Boldlor Is only tho average citizen In

uniform.

And this particular attitude of the Boldlor is the

story, all over again, of tho boy and tho dark and

tho graveyard road. Alono and unsupported, he is

tho victim of fear. Touching elbowB with fellow

compatriots, tho sense of foar either is momentar

ily allayed, or shamo prevents an open display of

It. Almost any man would accept tho challenge

of the risk In such environment rather than bo

called a coward by his comrades or to be shot

as such by a watchful officer.

It Is tho understanding of this fact, for It Is a

fact, not a theory, that Justifies and possibly com

pensates tho Germans in tholr tactics of charging

the enemy on maBsc.

And then, too, tho military experts, and even

tho layman, has learned that with tho great ad

vances made com in ononsivo ana aeiensive

moans In modern warfaro, the battles aro won by

masses rather than by tho individual as tho unit.

When a certain objective is aimed at the com

manders, having millions of men in hand and

moro in reserve, coldly calculate the BacrlDco of

many men to reach it, and to do so hurl men in"

solid masses at tho enemy with tho purposo of

breaking him by sheer weight of numbers.

The battlo value of the Individual as developed

in wars of tho past, when musket, bayonet and

saber were prominent factors, Is largoly lost in

tho face of ultra-modern machinery devised for

wholesale killing, which demands the co-operation

of masses rather than tho distinguish

ing activities of the individual. Such machinery

makes for barbarism and brutal slaughter, rather

than civilized warfare, it war can bo considered

a civilized institution, but in this day of a blood

red continent It is a part of tho gamo, and we

must perforce accept it. New York Press.

NEW

TATE OFFICIALS INSTALL

ED FOR DUTY.

HOLLENBEGK GIVES OATH

New Chief Justice Sat for First Time

Legislators Approve Gov-

ernor's Message,

Lincoln. Now officers of tho state

wore Inaugurated before a Joint ses

sion of tho two houses of tho stato

legislature and Governor Morohead

delivered his Inaugural address. Of

ficers for tho coming two years wore

sworn by the chief Justice, Conrad

Ilollenbeck, who was previously sworn

In and sat for tho first time in tho

court session. Tho stato officers, with

Governor' Morehead, who were Bworn

In, are: ,

Governor John II. Morehead, Lieu

tenant Governor James Pearson, Sec

retary of Stato Charles W. Pool, Aud

itor William II. Smith, Treasurer

George E. Hall, Superintendent A. O.

Thomas, Attorney General Willis B.

Reed, Land Commissioner Fred Beck

man, Itnllway Commissioner Thomas

L. Hall. i

The house was well flllc'd and the

galleries crowded when Lieutenant

Governor McKolvlo Btepped to tho

chair and called the Joint session to

gether, the last act of the outgoing

lieutenant governor. It took Govern

or Morehead about an hour to read his

message, which was listened to at

tentively. Many of his recommenda

tions seemed to meet with hearty ap

proval by the legislators.

Fix Time of Sessions.

Sessions of the house will be from

9 In tho morning until 12 and from

1:30 In the afternoon until 3, when

the committees will meet and work

until G. Employes were cut down

from seventy-five to thirty-one and

tho mallcarrlers and postmasters

eliminated. In placo of these a sub)

station of the postofHco will bo estab

lished during the session. There will

bo fewer committees and fewer mem

bers to each committee.

Automobile Instruction Popular.

Automobile instruction in Nebraska

is a popular thing if tho enrollment

at tho college of agriculture is any

Indication. The number of students

has more than doubled within the

last two years. Last year when such

Instruction was first offered, 30 stu

dents enrolled. This year there are,

75. Aside from the- lectures, actual

repair work is done on cars brought

In for practice.

Water Power Report Accepted.

At tho suggestion of Speaker Jack

son, former Representative , J. McAl

lister of Dakota county was. given

time in the house to explain the re

port of the special commission to in

vestigate water power, of which he Ib

chairman.

The house voted to accept tho re

port and order 500 copies printed for

the members of the legislature and

general distribution.

INDIAN TROOPS IN ACTION

Rural Credits Question.

Rural credits legislation has been

brought to the front in a resolution

offered in the senate by Beal of Cus

ter. He asks that congress be re

minded that the step is promised in

the platforms of all parties and that

passage of the proper bills would aid

agriculturists and stock raisers of tho

west.

After Careful Analysis of Problem

Body Suggest Beat Way to Han

dle State's Dependents.

Sterilization of the mentaly defec

tive, at tho Institute for tho Feeble

Minded youth at Beatrico and nt tho

nsylums at Lincoln, Norfolk and Hast

ings is the recommendation mado by

the Board of Control in tho blonnial

roport which that body has filed with

tho governor. The board's report is a

careful analysis of tho wholo complex

problem of how tho stato may best

handlo Its large dependent defective

and criminal classes, which, tho re

port shows, havo increased over 12

per cent in the lnst two years.

It recommends in regard to- tho

girls' industrial school that tho age at

which a girl reaches her maturity bo

raised from 18 to 21 years, for tho

board holds this period In a girl's life

to be more critical than any other.

The report terms it "somowhat of a

mockery" to send criminals forth from

the penitentiary with a Bkl,ll in an oc

cupation that Is pursued nowhere in

the Btato outside of the penitentiary.

In this connection It advises a refor

matory and explains its failure to pro

vide ono in pursuance with tho appro

priation of $150,000 granted by tho last

legislature as duo to tho fact that tho

amount of the appropriation was too

small.

The alternative of a twine factory

as provided by the last legislature did

not appear feasible to tho board which

did not consider twlno making a destr.

able employment for tho prisoners.

Dropping of the word "non-rosldeht"

from the alien land law of the stato

is, proposod in a bill, to bo introduced

at the session at the request of W. D.

Schaal of Springfield. Mr. Schaal in

sists that this apparently insignifi

cant change will remedy what he

deems 'the evils of tho present sys

tem, that of allowing resident aliens

to own land in this state.- He wants

to force all aliens who own land and

are enjoying protection and prosper

ity of the state to becomo citizens of

tho country.

ChlropracticB seek tho enactment

of a law such as somo other states

have passed, recognizing the "science

of chlropratlc" and placing tho pro

fession on a plane with osteopathy.

In ordor to do this they ask the legis

lature to create a stato board of ex

aminers, whose duty it shall be to ex

amine all persons who may wish to

practice tho chiropractic science in

Nebraska.

A movement is on foot to bring

Thomas Tynan, warden of tho Colo

rado penitentiary, to this state to

talk to the legislature upon making

good roads. A Nebraska law was

passed two years ago intending to

provide for such work, but it proved

in such shape that it. has not been

nvailed of. It Mr. Tynan comes, it

will probably bo this month.

Short Course at State Farm.

During the regular vacation of

classes at tho university farm, prep

arations nre being made for the open

ing of the" 'winter 'short course of six

weeks of the university sohpol of

agriculture which beginB this wek.

Although mainly Mohammedan, tho Indian na

tlvo army ombracoB men of tho most varying

religions, socts and races. Its normal strength

In round figures is 160,000 men, but this does

not lncludo (about) 22,000 Imperial service troops,

35,000 rosorvlstB and 39,000 voluntoora.

The officers, of course, aro British, but every

regiment has Its native officers, known respec

tively as rlsaldars, subahdars and Jemldars. A

rlsaldar is tho natlvo commander of a troop of

cavalry, whllo tho subahdar and Jomldar rank

respectively as captain and lieutenant among

thomsolves, that is, for in no circumstance does

a native captain- exorcise' any commaadt over a

British lloutenant. Tho. Indian soldiers whoso

names are most familiar to tho British public

are tho Sikh, the Rajput, tho Gurkha and tho

Pathan.

It waB tho Sikh, of course, who put up such a

tremendous fight against England years ago, but

who, once conquered, has ovor slnco proved tho

loyalost of tho loyal. Originally of Hindu origin,

tho Sikhs as a religious sect wore founded by

Nanak Shah in the fifteenth century, and reached

tho zenith of their military and political power

undor tho famous Ranjlt Singh (1780-1839). Tho

Sikh Is not born a Sikh, but is admitted or ini

tiated as ono when he reaches early manhood,

from which date he never cuts his hair, and

always wears an iron bangle on his wrist. By

tholr religion, tho Sikhs are forbidden to use

tobacco In any shapo or form. Equally at homo

in tho aaddlo or on foot, tho Sikh Is a magnificent

fighting man, and an awe-inspiring figure with

his big board, and great mustache curled up bo

hind his ears.

"Rajput" means literally, "son of a king," and

tho Rajputs aro an intensely proud, reserved and

silent race. They are tho world's finest horse

men, bar none, though thoy do not disdain to

serve In infantry regiments. Thoy are very tall,

upstanding men of magnificent "presenoo" and

haughty domoanor, for they never forget or allow

tho spectator to forget that thoy are of royal

blood. Inside his turban tho Rajput carries a

stool circlet with Bharp edges, and this ho can'

hurl or throw with Buch deadly accuracy and

force ns to decapitate an enemy at many yards

distance.

Kipling has mado us familiar with tho Gurkha,

who Is "blood-brothor" to tho Highlanders, and

tho moBt cheorfully bloodthirsty llttlo "dovll" go

ing, Tho Mongol descent shows Itself In his

broad, Hat features and squat frame, and tho con

Hog Barns at Fair Grounds.

The only permanent building which

the state board of agriculture will ask

the legislature to build on the fair

grounds during the year 1915 is a

modern hog barn. It is estimated

that the building and grading will

cost $80,000,

A motion to havo members of the

senate who had official matter to mall

out submit such matter to the secre

tary of the senate to be stamped and

mailed was passed. This is in accord

with reform recommendations of the

Joint committee appointed two years

ago and tho plan is designed to save

postage to the senate.

A bill to bo Introduced at this

session of the legislature will give

the Omaha metropolitan water district

the right to enter into the manufac

ture and sale of electricity, upon af

firmative vote of the citizens of tho

district, ahd will give the -water dis

trict a full opportunity to compete

with private enterprises of that city.

The committees chosen to select

standing committees in tho house and

senate are widely different in make

up. The houso committee is frankly

progressive, headed by J. N. Norton

of Polk, one of tho most radical mem

bers. The senate committee is head

ed by Phil Kohl of Wayne, a conser

vative democrat.

W. F. Frlsbee, State Chemist.

W. F. Frlsbee of Des Moines has

been appointed state chemist in con

nection with tho pure food depart

ment of tho state to fill the vacancy

caused by tho resignation of B. L.

Redfern.

Fries, Dean of Legislature.

Sorcn M. Fries of Dannebrog is the

dean of tho legislature In years of

service. Ho is now a member of the

house for tho Bjxth time.

Reports from the eight stato league

baseball cities by President Miles in

dicate there will bo concerted action

In the legislature asking for an

amendment of the law making It le

gitimate to play tho national gamo

on Decoration day after 2 o'clock in

the afternoon.

To establish a system of state life

insurance and annuities in Nebraska

similar to the plan in operation in

Wisconsin and Massachusetts is tho

purpose of a bill which will be intro

duced in both branches of tho legislature.

Speaker Jackson, J. N. Norton and

W. C. Parrlott form tho house com

mittee on rules.

Tanner Loses Place.

Senator Quinby of Douglas sprung

a sensation soon after the sonato was

called to order by an amendment sub

stituting tho name of E. W. Miller of

Omaha In place of that of "Doc" Tan

aer of South Omaha, who had been

agreed on In caucus as clerk of tho

engrossing committee, and after a

wordy battlo Indulged in by members

of the Douglas county delegation, in

which Dodge took a hand. Tanner was

Sentiment In favor of cutting down

the number of blUs introduced at this

session of the legislature had its first

expression lit tho lower house, when

Richmond of Douglas offered a reso

lution designated to eliminate all du

plicate measuros after tholr introduc

tion and before the bills are printed

at state expense. Tho resolution re

cites that there has been great waBto

of public money at past sessions of

the legislature in printing bills which

IrcomfcaTfn0 tho"extrdeml ,0rd,' " XS5T a vote TtTon Tor aclual o7pWcUcaUy duplicate" ono

minor lo miueu mr iuuuci, - hmuuiui.

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