Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1912-06-13
FISH FAMINE PERIL
Use of Travis Is Said to Make
This Really Possible.
ITS PREVENTION Is SOUGHT
Congress May SANCTION the Parole of
Federal Life Prisoners-Su2erin-
tendent Of House Press Gallery
Proves Himself Veteran.
BY GEORGE CLINTON.

BY GEORGE CLINTON.
Washington.-Rep representative Gard
ner Of the Sixth district of Massa-
chusetts acted as a Snowman before
an audience in the bureau of the coast
and geodetic survey the other day.
He presented a series of moving pic
lures, one Of which showed a French
fishing schooner in the North Sea
dragging up fish by means Of what
are called otter travis.
There is a movement to give legis-
lative force to an International agree
ment which will prevent the use Of
travis of this kind by fishermen. The
travis go down deep, the object being
to catch big fish, out in their opera
ton it is said they kill thousands of
small fish and unless their use be pro-
hibited, it is possible, even probable,
it is said, that the world before many
years would be confronted with a ia
mine in sea food. It is said that If
this should come the problem of feed
ing the world would become one abso-
lutely unsolvable.
The house of representatives has
passed bill, which also has been
favorably reported by a senate com
mtttee, to allow the paroling of Uni
ted States prisoners, who are serving
life sentences, at the expiration OF the
fifteenth year Of their Imprisonment.
Recently there has been a movement
IN many Of the states to extend the
parole laws to men serving life sen
fences and as has been marked in a
number of instances recently, the gov
eminent seems to be inclined to fol-
low examples set by the individual
states. AS things are at present, q
man who is sentenced by federal
court to life Imprisonment has only
two chances of having his liberty re-
stored, one by bringing forward incon-
trOvertible proof that he was innocent
and was sentenced under a mistake,
and the other by the pardon of the
president.
Story About Charles H. Mann.
Not long ago in one of these dis
patches there was a short sketch Of
Col. Charles H. Mann, superintendent
Of the house press gallery. AS was
said then, Mr.. Mann has been looking
after the interests of Washington cor
respondents for so many years that
he has virtually forgotten when his
service began.
The other day Louis Brownlow of
Tennessee, a Washington correspond
ent, made a discovery. Mr.. BrownIow
had been going through the files of
old newspapers in the library of con-
gress. He walked over to the press
gallery and said that in copy of the
Harrisburg Keystone of 1889 he had
found mention of the fact that Charles
H. Mann had just been appointed
postmaster in the town OF Doyles-
town, Pa. The superintendent of the
press gallery overheard what Brown
low said and instantly speaking up
said: what did you say was the
name of the town in which my name
sake was appointed postmaster"
''Dolyestown, Pa" said Brownlow.
Nov, I am going to prove to you
that am the man mentioned in that
report" said Mr. Mann.
The correspondents know that MT
Mann is a veteran, but they were all
fairly sure that he never had been
appointed postmaster in any place in
the year 1889.
Made Himself Out Ninety-Four.
Mr. Mann went over to his Office
and In a few minutes returned with
4 commission made out to Charles
H. Mann as postmaster at Doylestown,
Pa, in the year 1899 It was signed
by Ames Kendall, secretary of the
treasury. Mr.. Mann showed the com
mission tTiumphantly
The correspondents took out their
pencils and worked out problem, the
result of which showed that If their
gallery superintendent, Charles H
Mann, had been appointed postmaster
at Doylestown, Pa, in 1889, when he
must have been at least twenty-one
years old in order to be commits
stoned, he today had reached the age
of ninety-four.
Then it was that Charlie" Mann
explained that his namesake who had
been postmaster under the Jackson
administration was his father and that
he had kept the commission as a fam
lily heirloom.
Titanic Memorial Progresses.
The movement started in Wash
Ington to raise money for a me-
mortal to those who persisted IN
the Titanic disaster with special in.
tentioT to honor the heroic manhood
shown on that occasion is progressing
rapidly. The plan Of the "Women's
Titanic Memorial" as the organization
is called. has received a peculiarly
warm welcome in the capital. One Of
the reasons of this is that to no other
single American community was the
horror Of the disaster brought more
closely home
Maj. Archibald W. Butt, aid to Pres
ident Taft, was unquestionabIy the
best known and perhaps the most
popular figure in all social events
here, but the manner Of his death and
the tribute which was paid by surviv-
ing women to his Iabors on their behalf
in the last hour on board the Titanic
have proved that he had every quality
of a soldier, a man and a hero
The late Frank D. MilIet held a
place in the art circles of Washing
ton which hardly can be filed. 1t IS
believed that the tribute paid by Sen
STORY YET IN THE FUTURE