The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1917-05-12
TENTH EPISODE
War in the Dooryard.
IN TIME OF PEACE.

The Punishment of Baron Huroki
proved to be as complete an affair as
heart could wish, a mystery as pro-
found, as finished, as thoroughgoing
as could reasonably have been ex-
pected even of Oriental subtlety, cum
ming and forehandness, leaving no room
for doubt but that the head of the Jap
anes secret service in the United
States had long anticipated and plan
ned against precisely such contingency
as had at last driven him out of public
life.
Without the slightest considerable
lead into that blind labyrinth of under
ground life wherein the japanese had
taken refuge, Patria's private bureau
Of investigation, under the direction of
Donald Parr. worked tirelessly for
weeks upon the problem, leaving no
stone unturned in it's efforts to track
down the fugitives.
At last Parr, innately incredulous,
suspicious and solicitous for Patria's
welfare, was drawn to admit that
Baron Huroki must have fed the coun-
try.
He was at once glad and reluctant
to believe this-reluctant because he
feared lest some disaster impossible to
foresee develop through ~overconh-
dence; glad because with Huroki elimi-
mated from the land, Patria was free
once more from that persecution and
peril of assassination which had been
her daily portion ever since, in coming
of age, she had been so unfortunate as
to attract the attention of the Japa-
nese-Mexican junta.
But if both Donald and Patria
breathed more freely as day followed
day without overt attack upon the lat
ter or any of her properties, they did
not permit themselves to be deceived.
Beneath this truce both OWNED an IN
ceasing ebb and flow of intrigue.
Impossible as it va to surmise In
what quarter or manner that malign
outbreak should be apprehended, Pa
tria and her aides neglected no imagi-
nable %precaution. The small arms and
munitions factories, the ordnance foun-
dries, arsenals and %shipyards owned by
Claiming, Inc, were recognized to a
degree of the highest efficiency, each
working three shifts of employees
every twenty-four hours. Existing con-
tracts with the allies for war material
were filed, renewals and further Or
ders were refused. Great stores of
arms and ammunition began to accu-
mulate, and were held against that day
when, plunged Unexpectedly into war,
this nation should find itself in urgent
need of equipment for the hordes Of
unframed volunteers who would
spring up to it's defense.
And whereas nothing could persuade
a purblind people to prepare physically
for the trials and strains of warfare,
nothing could prevent Patria, or any
other patriot, from putting the men
on the pay roll in shape to fight for
their homes.
Very quietly the Plattsburg scheme
was put into effect at Powder Town,
in accordance with the promise Patria
had made her employees at the time of
the strike. Under the supervision of
Odpldlu dlI flnC SlnPlOJCCo NCiC VI
gained into companies, put through q
course of setting-up drills, and in
structed in the use of arms-all o. full
pay for the time demanded for these
exercises. Almost Immediately the sue
cess of the experiment was assured by
the response of the men, their eager
interest and willingness.
With this encouragement, Patria
caused the experiment to be put into
effect at all the C~hannings plants. Its
success was uniform. In a space OF
time incredibly brief the half-million
men employed by Channings in vari'
Gus capacities were organized and rap.
idly approaching a state of military
efficiency.
In short, all that could be accom-
plished toward the preparation of this
country for war by private citizens
whose efforts were unsanctioned by the
government was done by Patria will
the assistance of Donald Parr and theil
staff Of aides.
Despite their most determined eff
forts to cloud these matters in secrecy
however, the news leaked out. Sharp