Omaha daily bee., 1917-06-03

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NEBRASKA is destined to be represented in
IN high places in this war; if not through ma
tive sons, at least through men who have been
identified with Nebraska at different periods OF
their lives. The expeditonary force to FRANCE is
to be commanded by General Pershing, well re-
membered as military instructor and commandant
of the cadet battalion OF our State university when
he was young man shortly after his graduation
from West Point. General Crowder, in charge OF
the tremendous and all important job OF con-
scripting the new army, belongs to Nebraska
more than he does to any other state 1t was
while stationed here in Omaha that he applied
himself to the study Of military law, putting him.
self upon the road that finally xook him to the top
rank Of judge advocate general. 1t is well known
that at one time General Crowder was seriously
debating with himself retiring from Ne army and
going into law partnership in Omaha with Henry
D. Estabrook and Herbert ]. Davis. Then again
we have the announcement that Charles G. Dawes
Is to go with the European expedition as the H.
nancial agent OF our government with the rank
Of lieutenant colonel Of engineers Mr.. Dawes
started out at Lincoln as a struggling lawyer. but
also had engineering experience before he became
big banker in Chicago There will doubtless be
other Nebraskans close up to the front and some
OF them are sure to reach the military hall OF
fame. #..
A telegraph item the other day carried the
name OF Toyokichi Iyenaga, speaking on the CUES
ton of Japanese immigration at the National Con-
ference on Foreign Relations at Long Beach.
Iyenaga was fellow student at college with me
and even for Japanese is exceptionally keen in
his knowledge OF history and grasp of public al
fairs. He had already graduated from Oberlin
and later became professor in the University. OF
Chicago and still later in Tokyo. remember
particularly his participation in some special ex-
ercises commemorating the establishment OF con-.
stitutional government in Japan, at which he de-
livered most forceful and beautiful oration. 1t
OK ttat aft oh hat ttr,e he
spoke in conversation In very broken English, he
yet had the faculty in public addresses, which he
prepared and practiced, to speak in most gram
matical language and with eminently correct pro-
nunciation. For the exercises to which refer
the entire Japanese embassy at Washington came
over to Baltimore as special guests OF the occa-
sion and made it impressive and memorable.
The sudden death Of Will J. hampton this
week will be mourned as loss to American jour-
nalism of man who had gained wide fame as a
humorist, paragrapher and poet, one Of the group
Of brilliant geniuses who have made the column"
characteristic Of many American newspapers.
but achieved his reputation as the funny man on
the Washington Star and the Detroit Free Press
and did his final speciality for the New York
Herald. Singularly appropriate is this very last
verse he wrote appearing in print on the day OF
his death under the captain The Flag in Sight:
wide display and fix it fast, nailed to the mast,
for it has come to stayi Go, fling the Starry
Banner out! Go, fling it to the skies, where all
may see that Liberty rejoices as It flies! Go,
fling the Starry Banner outi Go, fling it forth
on high that 1t may shine along the line as
Freedom marches byi Go, fling the Starry
Banner out in common consonance that here we
stand, One Flag, One Land and one allegiancel
Go, fling the Starry Banner out, to pass the
word along to ali the world that it's unfurled
against the Prussian wrongl Go, fling the
Starry Banner out, announcing that its call
shall always be Equality for men and women
--alll Go, fling the Starry Banner out the em-
blem Of the freel By right divine the living
sign of world democracy
The last part Of the serial program for the OBJ
servance of Nebraska's semi-centennial of state
hood is to come off at Lincoln in another ten days
in form that we may be sure will meet the stand
ard set by the initial celebration in Omaha last
fall. Unfortunately the entrance Of the United
States into the great world war is operating to
obscure, more or less the historic occasion in
question and subordinate the exercises to the
pressing present day issues. As a consequence,
the affair is likely to have martial tone although
Nebraska's attainment of statehood fifty years
ago was direct outgrowth of the restoration of
peace after the war to preserve the Union We
are making history every day, but that should not
prevent US from appreciating the importance OF
the history that was made by the pioneer found
ers of the commonwealth and the tremahdous