Omaha daily bee., 1917-09-09
Nebraska
DEFENSE COUNCIL
MEMBERS SILENT
Gooch Only One Who Does Any
Talking Following Charges
Made by Lieutenant Gov
ernor Howard.
(From a Staff Correspondent.)

Lincoln, Neb., Sept. 8.-(Special.)-
The State Council of Defense refuses
to make any comment on the charges
made by Lieutenant Governor Edgar
Howard in his Columbus Telegram
against Herbert E. Gooch, a member
of the State Council of Defense, and
asking for his discharge on grounds
that he is professional patriot"
= President Joyce, Vice President
Coupland and Secretary Richmond all
refused to make any statement, say
ing that it was a matter that they
would have to consider before taking
any action.
Calls 1t Flapdoodle.
The Lincoln Evening Star, of which
Mr.. Gooch is the principal owner and
president Of the publishing company,
this evening quotes Mr.. Gooch as
follows:
The demand from Edgar Howard
that resign from the Council of De-
Tense is all Bryan political fapdoodle.
THE short-weight case he refers to
was heard more than six years ago.
Previous to the enactment of the net
weight law all the mills in Nebraska
packed -four to weigh forty-eight
pounds including the sack. The net
weight law was passed, / believe. in
1911. There was no emergency clause
and the law did not 60 into effect un-
til July, 1911. The date of its be-
coming effective was overlooked by
the secretary of our company. 1t
was overlooked also by perhaps more
than a dozen mills in this state.
Chester Aldrich was governor at the
time. The Star had opposed his cleo
ton and naturally he was unfriendly
to me. He had his inspector on the
job and found that our sacks were
two or three ounces light in the net
weight, as they packed forty-eight
pounds gross. Ignorance OF the law
excuses no person, so the milling
company was technically guilty and
we admitted it. A dozen other mills
were caught the same way. Person.
ally, I knew nothing of the matter
until it was brought to my attention.
Ilot NCI wight SoSSs
Flour when milled should contain
1874 per cent moisture. This is the
government regulation. Flour held
in stock may lose part of this mois-
ture content and naturally will weigh
less. The only correct test as to
weight of -four in stock is to bring
the moisture content back to l5h
per cent and then weigh it. If -four
IS kept in a very dry place, or the
weather is dry, all -four will undoubt-
edly weigh light In wet, damp
weather the reverse is the rule. This
condition does not cheat the con-
sumner, as the dry -four will ia ke up
lust that much. more moisture in the
working.
$50 far as Mr.. Howard's charge
that our milling company is crooked,
our customers are better judges OF
that than Mr.. Howard.
- Political Buncombe. l
"The whole thing is political bun
combe and evidently emanates from
the Bryans. Howard calls me a pro-
fessional patriot. A couple of young
propaganda against President Will
sons preparedness program. The
Commoner was printing attacks
against the president and reproducing
,n,. >;s.;c cartoons from repulb-
iican papers. Later on Mr.. Bryan
made repeated trips to. Washington t
and held conferences with the oppo-
nef1ts of preparedness, and his clique
in congress proved very embarrassing
to the president. Later on Bryan was
a candidate for delegate to the st.
Louis democratic convention. Inc
Star successfully opposed his election
and rendered patriotic service IN
doing so. The action of the intense
Brvanites in congress, such as Sem
ator Gore and others, proves this.
Where Allen Comes In.
"The Star has also criticised Dis
trict Attorney T. S. Allen for his lax
ity in holding and prosecuting .tral..
tors. This, too, may be. professional
patriotism The Star, as anewspa-
Der, has lent its every aid to the ad-
rnirlistration. 1t has worked tor pre-
paredness, for the Red Cross, for the
Liberty loan, and for every other,
force that would make America more
effective in this work. In taking its
stand on these questions it has never
considered its own financial welfare
and has never been on both side OF
the fence. This sort Of professional
patriotism is evidently distastetul in
some quarters.
$50 far as my resignation from the
council of defense is concerned, do
not propose to pay any attention to
demands from Edgar Howard or any
of his faction. In fact, | would make