Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-01
Views and Reviews
Comment on Men Mentioned
In the Current Ne1Us

Meredith Ncholsons series of articles en-
titled "The Valley of Democracy" whose allu-
sions to Omahas commission plan OF city gov
eminent and the extent of the German propa--
ganda here raised the ire of the Commercial
Club publicity agents when they appeared seri-
ally in Scribners Magazine, have been gathered
into single volume, now presented to the pub
lie. AS matter of fact, Mr.. Nicholson's refer
ences to Omaha were obviously intended to be
complimentary and meant in the most kindly
spirit-his questioning of the effectiveness OF
municipal reform through the commission plan
route being drawn from the citys experience
before the last election. In the revision for the
book the added explanation makes this clear;
cat the election last spring" we are told, only
one of the city commissioners was reelected
and Omaha is hor 80 that the present year will
show distinct Improvement in the manage
nent of its public business. Local pride is very
strong in these western cities and from the
marked anxiety to show forward-lookng
spirit and praiseworthy sensitiveness to crit
cism. we may look confidently for a steady
gain in the field of municipal government" Very
considerate of us is Mr.. Nicholson, I say. The
quotation from the Ohlinger report on the as
cendancy of German "Kutur" in our city, and
particularly its intrusion into our public Schools
is still used by way of illustration, yet with the
comment. These conditions have, of course
passed, and it is for those of us who would
guard jealousy our rights and honestly fulfill
our obligations. as American citizens to see to
it that they do not recur." Mighty good advice
for us to heed, there, too
Let me say few words about Charles R.
Van Hise, under whose administration, just
brought to close by his death, the University
of Wisconsin took the first place among the
great state universities of the middle west, as /
said last week about Andrew D. White, who,
as its first president, put Cornell university
IL.
cationa institutions. One cannot help seeing
noticeable similarity between Wisconsin and
Cornell in the physical location on high ground
in each instance overlooking a beautiful lake,
in the general layout and construction of build
ings in the co-educational scheme, in the COM
prehensive policy and aims. Perhaps link is to
be found in the fact that President Van Hises
immediate predecessor was Charles Kendall
Adams, who had gone directly from the presi-
dents chair Of Cornell to the same position at
Wisconsin. White and Adams were both his
torians, Van Hise was geo1ogist but plainly
with rare executive ability not often possessed
by men specially trained in the natural sciences.
During visit to Madison on invitation to de-
liver course of lectures there, had the pleas
ure of being entertained by President Van Hise
shortly after his induction into office and he was
stifl immersed in his geological studies and re-
searches. He had been experiencing some
trouble with his eyes and said he kept abreast
of the current literature of the subject by having
Mrs. Van Hise read to him. and grasped the
meaning perfectly from her even, unmodulated
reading of words and wording she herself did
not try to understand. President Van Hise was
also at the Conservation congress, at which l
was one of the delegates representing Nebraska,
at which he was looked to as one of the recog
nized authorities on the distribution of mineral
and other natural resources in this country. Wis
consin took pride in the fact that he was the
first native born son of the Badger state to be
president of its state university and at the same
time the first alumnus of the university to be-
come its head. He marked out new paths and
set a fast pace for his successor whoever he
may be.
Wonder if folks have caught the full signif-
canoe of the return of six republicans to repre-
sent Nebraska in the lower house of congress-
making solid delegation in that body? This
has happened only once before in the history Of
the state, when the Roosevelt wave swept over
divided opposition in this state in 1904 and gave
us six republican congressman In 1894 the re-
publcans elected five out of six, which was
pretty close to it. Never have the democrats
had solid house delegation at Washington out
OF Nebraska, the nearest they came being in
1896, when the score stood four to two. 1t
should be remembered, of course, that the state
has been accorded six members only since the
1890 census We had started out with single
the number to three as result of the 1880 CEN
sus. Up to 1887, all Nebraska congressman had
been elected as republicans. The first democrat
to break in was John A. McShane, chosen from
this district for that term. When he was sue
ceeded by w. J. Connell, we again had solid
republican house delegation which was broken
the next time when w. J. Bryan won out and
was restored only, as I have said, by the 1904
election and again now by the election of this
year.
The dispatches have already announced the
citation for the Crois de Guerre of Colonel Will
liam Hayward, whom we will always claim as
son of Nebraska although he has been COM
mandng a regiment which he recruited and
trained in New York. The text of the citation
which has been sent to friends here is worth
reproducing As translated it reads:
Under command of Colonel Hayward who,
though injured insisted on leading his regi-
Pickering, admirably cool and brave; of
Major Cobb (killed), of Major Spencer
(grevously wounded), of Major Little, true
leader of men, the 369th R. l. U. S., engaging
in an offensive for the first time in the drive
of September, 1918, stormed powerful even
ing positions energetically defended, took
after heavy fighting the town of S, captured
prisoners and brought back six cannons and
a great number of machine guns.
With that glorious record. Colonel Hayward
and his gallant officers and men should be emit
tied to decorate their coats completely over
with crosses, ribbons and other insignia of
honor. Let Colonel Hayward come back to
Nebraska and give us chance to show Our pride
and grateful appreciation.