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About The Athena press. (Athena, Umatilla County, Or.) 18??-1942 | View Entire Issue (March 22, 1918)
Advertisers The cAthena Press circulates in the homes of readers who reside in the heart of the Great Umatilla Wheat Belt, and they have money to spend mm Bntered at the Post Office at Athena, Oregon, as Second-Class Mail Matter Subscription. Rates One Copy, one year, $1.50; for six months, 75c; for three months, 50c; payable in advance, and subscrip tions are solicited on no other basis VOLUME XXX. ATHENA, UMATILLA COUNTY. OREGON, FRIDAY. MARCH 22, 1918. NUMBER 12 nininiiniiiiinMiiiiiiiiiiiinmiiiiini There is But One Instrument Which actually recreates in all its splendor the golden voice of great singer. That is The New Edison, the "phonograph with a soul." The pertection of This Wonderful Invention is relegating to obscurity the talking machines and other devices for sound reprodcution which once seemed quite adequate. If you respond to beautiful music, call at our store and learn what the phrase, Mus ic's Re-Creation" means. The Davis-Kaser Co. Home Furnishing Department Store Complete Furnishers of Homes, Offices and Schools 10-20 Alder St. Walla Walla Wash. ""'".v." jp8IIIIIIHt'IIIHII' A man said to us: " Rogers can look you in the eye, hut Watts takes a side view." Every day your chance is one less to secure one of those McCormick Combines. Order and after 6 days tell us if You Are Satisfied We have the best gram bin made, the best grain tanks and will put you next to the best farmer elevator. Electric Washer and Rotary or Two-Spool Sewing Machines. A new shipment of Phonographs that play all records. ONE NEW FORD TOURING CAR (Take it and show Fay LeGrow the road.) WATTS, C& ROGERS Farm Outfitters Just Over the Hill niiiiiiiiiiiiiiiitiiiumttiini wss Show Your Patriotism! Buy a War Savings Stamp and Help Win the War pin For Sale at The First National Bank of t4thena iiiiiiim It MM Illl ESTABLISHED 1865 Preston-Shaffer Milling Co. AMERICAN BEAUTY FLOUR Is made in Athena, by-' Athena labor, in one ol the very best equipped mills in the Northwest, of the best selected BlueBtem wheat grownranywhere. Patronize home industry. Your grocer sells'.the famous American Beauty Flour Merchant Millers & Grain Buyers Athena, Oregon. MMMMMIMIMMMI Waitsburg, Wash. MMMMMMMMMMMM We carry the best MEATS That Money Buys Our Market is Clean and Cool Insuring Wholesome Meats. LOGSDEN k MYRICK Main Street, Athena, Oregon I LMl lLlVlkJ 1L1LVU.1 md 74W?K OntheComtiyGeritletiiari) 33 m OUBLINO the farmer'! share of the wheat dol lar Is one of the war time Jobs Uncle Sam has done since food control became possible. After five months of grap pling with the problem, Uncle Sam Is now trans lating Into the pockets of both produc ers and consumers benefits derived by the Nation. He has shut off specula tion, produced a free market and movement of all grades of wheat, cut expenses and Induced a normal flow of wheat In natural directions, and ef fected a thousand other economies. The Food Administration Grain Cor poration, which supervises the sale, or' ItseM buys every bushel of wheat pro duced In the Nation In its progress from country elevator to foreign buy ers or domestic consumers, marks a new step toward national efficiency. Bow i four short months It has been done is told In the following episodes wherein two bushels of wheat traveled to market. One One fall afternoon, Col. Bill Jenkins, who farms somewhere In Mis souri, loaded his wheat Into a wagon and drove along the black road that led across the prairie to town. When he reached the co-operative elevator of which ha was a stockholder, he pulled up on the scales, checked his gross weights carefully, and began to unload. The manager came out and asked : "When yon want to sell this wheat?" "I dunno," he answered. "One time's about as good as another these days. T won't weigh any more later," be added, with a dry smile. "Wheat shrinks a lot," admitted the manager. "I hear the Government wants as much wheat as It can get just now understand the Allies do eat a terrible lot of It Blnce the war." "What's wheat to-day?" asked Col. Jenkins, getting Interested. "Well, let me see," parleyed the manager. "I guess this whent'd be a good No. 2 under the new grades." "Grades? What about grades? That Food Administration seems to mix Into mighty nigh everything from rabbits to axle grease." "Hold on, Colonel," said the eleva tor man, good-naturedly. "The Food Administration Is not to blame. Con gress passed the act and told the De partment of Agriculture to fix the grades. They became effective last July. 1 sent out a letter on It" "Well, I guess you better sell for the best you can," sold the farmer. "I am needed at home." And he drove away. A New Order In the Grain World. rOj ONVERSATIONS of this raSH ill klnd mIgnt haTe taken ffEwf' place In almost every i sH SB town In the great grain ki3 bclt ot 11,8 Nation uft" sfc- er August 10; for revo lution In grain market ing was taking place, Uncle Sam had started on this remarkable ex periment; be was going to see wheth er wheat could be marketed minus rake-offs to Uie speculators. This necessitated complete control by the Government of storage facilities, trans portation and distributive agencies, and the marketing machinery for wheat and rye. Everybody was troubled; most of all, the officials of the Food Adminis tration Grain Corporation who bad undertaken, without salary, and at the sacrifice of their personal connection with the grain trade, to whip Into shape the forces that would drive for ward the big business machine for marketing American wheat A single control; and a $50,000,000 nonprofit making corporation to do the work. This work Is a necessary arm of the Food Administration, allowing the Government to do business quickly and without red tape. Its stock Is held In trust by the President of the Unit ed States. For the time of the war It will supervise the rate or purchase the part commercially available of the 660,000,000 bushels of wheat and the 50,000,000 surplus of rye grown In America In 1917. Its Job li to find a market for every bushel, Irrespective of class and grade. Under its patron age, wheat screenings are moving Jurt as easily as No. 1 Northern. It must also work out satisfactorily the local prices for wheat at each of almost 20,000 country elevator points, adjust thousands of complaints, organize the gathering and analysis of date, Inspect concerns reported as dealing unfairly, solve vexatious disagreements among the trade, and deal effectively with the allies' purchasing sgent and the neu trals who may desire to purchase. In the early days, following the de- I termination of prices for 1817 wheat by the President's Fair Price Commis sion, confusion existed In every part of the wheat-producing regions. This was Intensified by be Inauguration of the new grain grades, as promulgated by the Department of Agriculture, which took place about the same time, and led to diverse complaints and a feel ing among farmers that the Grain Cor poration of the Food Administration was responsible for both the price as determined and stricter observance of grata grades But the corporation was tawnslbl for neither act It to pur. ly an administrative arm of the Gov ernment formed to buy grain or super vise Its sale at the prices determined by the commission, and It must do Its work on the basis of the new grades. But to return to our fanner and his expectations of price. Introducing Two Bushels of Wheat Lying side by aide In his wagon had been 2 bushels of wheat that fate had marked for strangely different ends. They were very much alike, those bushels of wheat, and to look at thein you would not have suspected the strange and wonderful adventures In store for them. Yet one was destined to travel abroad for consumption In France ; the other to find Its way Into Georgln, where It was milled and Its flour finally reached a New York baker on the East Side. But In the sum of the travels mnde by the two, as we shall follow them, will be un folded the International panorama of wheat marketing In time of war. Finding a Price at a Country Point High war costs of production gave our Missouri farmer much concern as to his returns and accounted for his depression over the prospects of his wheat "grading down" ; for that meant a reduction of 3 cents per bushel un der the No. 1 grade. But It graded No. 2. - The elevator would also deduct on additional S cents a bushel to cover the fixed charge made In this locality for handling and selling. The 5-cent charge Included the commission of 1 cent per bushel customary In 1017 among commission men for selling the wheat to domestic millers or foreign buyers. The elevator man was none too sure as to how to get at the price which this wheat should bring. He knew considerably more about human naturo than freight rates and decided to "check up" the problem to the nearest zone agent of the Grain Corporation. So he wrote a letter to the representa tive stationed at St. Louis. That let ter was referred to the traffic expert In the New York office, who transmit ted the following rule for determining the price of wheat at any country point : There Is only one price for wheat at a country point That price Is always to be arrived at by taking as a basis the price at the most advantageous primary market where we have fixed a price and deducting the freight to that market and a fair handling profit That Is the price to be paid for wheat at any station, regardless of the point to which It may be shipped. Working out the price which should be paid for wheat at your station Is a fine occupation for an off day. If you cannot find the answer, write to the Food Administration Grain Cor poration In New York City and Its traffic eipert will give you aid. Finding the Price of No. 2 Wheat at Slkeston. A KG an actual example: An elevator man In Slkeston. Mo., wanted tfl ffifgF to know what price i No. 2 wheat should IllBfc M lirlnir flt his station when No. 1 wheat at New York City was $2.28 per bush el. Here Is how he went about It: The freight rate from Slkeston to New York being 16.98 cents per bush el, he deducted that from $2.28 per bushel and found the price at Slkeston to be $2.1102. From this he deducted 1 per cent per bushel for the commis sion firm's charges, which put the net price f. o. b. Slkeston at $2.1002. He next compared this price with what he could get If he sold at St Louis, his nearest primary market At St Louis the basic price Is $2.18 per bushel, and the freight rate from Slkeston to St. Louis 0 cents per bush el. Thla would make the Slkeston price $2.12, less 1 cent per bushel for selling charges, or $2.11 net The St Louis price would therefore govern, being advantageous to the Slkeston seller. If our Imaginary 2 bushels of wheat had started from Slkeston, since It was a No. 2 grade, we must deduct 3 cents per bushel, which would bring the prlco t o. b. the elevator point to $2.0802 per bushel. As our Imaginary elevator man Is charging 8 cents per bushel for handling, which Includes the commission fee Just mentioned, we deduct an additional i cents to arrive at the price the farmer received. This price would be $2.0402 at the elevator. Some of that 4 cents will return to our farmer If the elevator prospers; for It Is owned co-operatlrely. When Farmer and Elevator Man Dis agree. Had thla elevator been owned by pri vate firm or person, or had It been a "line" plant Col. Jenkins would not have been so bland and trustful. He might have refused to sell at all and arranged to store his wheat or he might have taken It over to a com petitive concern which offered a high er price; for the Food Administration has not yet attempted to regulate the prices paid farmers for wheat at coun try points. It does, however, offer to I sell for any farmer or farmers' organ i Izatlon wheat offered at ermlnal I points, but makes a commission charge i of 1 per cent for Its services. CORPORAL SEBASKY IS E Corporal Edward Sebasky, writing to his mother under date of Feb. 15, 1918 says: "My dear Mother: We got here at our training camp. Had a great trip across France in side-door Pullmans. This sure is a nice country. The wea ther is just like spring over here. We have been quite busy today doing out our washing and taking baths. It sure is great to settle down for awhile when you have been on the move like we have. When we landed in a port in France we went to a rest camp and stayed there a couple of days. They had canteens there and sold wine and ale. They sell champagne for eight francs, a bottle held about a quart, and you ought to have seen the corks bit the ceiling. Eight francs is about $1.60, so that was not near as dear as in the States. Jock bought ten bucks worth and they nearly fainted. They sure think we are It over here. We got some mail today, some pa pers and letters, so don't forget to send the PresB and E. 0. I sent you a letter from England. Tell George Winship's mother that he is O. K., but we left him in England. When we were in camp there one of the boys that was in his tent took the mumps and they quarantined the whole bunch. We got a look at the guns we are going to use. The banel would more than reach across the dining room. We have not got our guns yet, but will get them next week I suppose. We get a chance to rest up this week. I slip pose we will be able to get passes to go to town after awhile, but so far we have to stay in camp. We are not able to say very much in our letters. The captain reads them all to see we don't give the names of towns and any information that might be useful to the enemy, as thera are a lot of spies around; and then we save a lot of time by having the letters censored here; because if they pass the captain, its quite certain they are 0. K. Other wise a letter might get to New YorV and they would have to send it back. They do not censor the mtiil that comes to us. Will write you another letter as soon as we get our guns and things. We do not have a very long address, as they do not want to let the enemy know how many men there are at any one place. Will give you more news next time." Mrs. H. I. Watts has received a short letter from her brother, Claude Gaines, who was a survivor of the sunken Tuscania. He writes under date of "England, Feb. 21." His letter, although necessarily unsatisfac tory as to details, gives the inform ation that he is well and suffering no ill effects from his thrilling experience. As a mere hint, he says: "We were 12 days coming over. I got sea sick, but was not the only one: but after a 'swim,' we all got over it. Riding on the waves in a leaking boat four hours, about 20 in it ." He encloses a large group picture clipped from a news paper, of "Survivors of the Tuscania, on their way to a special matinee giv en to them at Southampton. The en tertainment was attended by the May or and Corporation officials." His own picture is pointed out by an arrow. Barber Shop Fire. A destructive fire was narrowly averted by prompt action of the fire department Wednesday evening, when smoke and flames vere discovered in the rear of Henry Keen's barber shop. The fire originated in the back room at the base of the hot water heater, after the shop had been closed for the night.. The damage is slight, the small room being charreJ on the interior to some extent. THE WEST TO FURNISH IMMENSE WHEAT CROP "I never saw the wheat coutry look ing better for a good crop than it is now," said E. T. Coman, president of the Exchange National Bank of Spo kane, who returned to that city fiom a trip through the country as far as Pendleton. "Winter whiat is in excellent con dition and in many fields the grain completely covers the ground. There is an abundance t f moisture and the grain has a good color and there is every indication that there will be one of the heaviest yields of Fall sown grain in the history of that part of the country. 'There is great activity everywhere in Spring work in the Walla Walla country and in the western part of the Palouse country. "Han inn a rainy spell, Spring plow ing and seeding should be finished in these sections by the middle of April. The ground is full of moisture and no rain is needed for some considerable time." "SCRIBBLER" IS TAMPERING WITH CHICK AND CIGARS After 23 years, James A. Scott, (Scribbler) has been heard from, and the opportunity agrin is presented the Press to chronicle a breezy line or two from his facile pen. He is located near Long Beach. Calif, and is engag ed in the hen fruit business. He also grows tobacco and manufactures cigars for bis personal consumption. That his stogies are appreciated by a friend once in awhile goes without saying. He writes to Postmaster Henry, an old tillicum as follows: "Friend Chas. H. -Enclosed find a few obnoxious 'stinkers.' The weed was grown and rolled by yrs. truly. Should you have aspirations political, financial or otherwise, a few whiffs is guaranteed to curb or check the same instantaneously. If you have a grudge against any one, present the offender with one and mark the effects. To prove their merits in that respect, make a test case by trying the Mum bo' on Boyd; and if it don't bring re sults, call your humble servant a pre varicator. Said stinkers are of the vintage of 1917, and ire guaranteed to retain all their original strength. Af ter utilizing what you can of them, send the stubs to Bill Hohenzollern and help win the war." Chautauqua in June. Athena will hold a five-day Chautau qua in June, the dates to be announced later. Twenty business men signed up as guarantors last Saturday which insures the holding of Athena's first series of e itertainments of this char acter. The Chautauqua is the stand ard ten-number service, and will be held on afte noon and evening in a big canvas pavillion, which in all prob ability will be located in the City Park. The program embraces different class es of entertainment and includes peo ple of international reputation. Begin Sidewalk Construction. fjp- Barrett is miking prepara tions for the construction of a concrete sidewalk in front of the C. A. Barrett At Co, Implement, building on Main street, west of Second. The entire walk from Second street to the O.-W. depot will be replaced with concrete in the near future. 250,000 15 VOTED At Salem Thursday the Emergency Board authorized the creation of a de ficiency in the sum of $250,00 ) for the purpose of carrying on the work of pro tection of shipyards and other indus tries engaged in war work It is the intention in making the ap propriation that all protection and guard units be co-ordinated in one ce mented and mobile force, as nearly as those objects can be attained, and it is left to the general staff and the State Council of Defense to work out the details. It is probable that a state police or constabulary will be organized, or an organization to fol low as closely along those lines as the military laws of the state will permit. It is also understood that the force, which is to be made up of a minimum of 200 effective men, with officers will be distributed about the state. Headquarters of the organization will be in Portland, with some of the men in Eatsern Oregon, some in Coos county and some in the Lower Colum bia River country, including Astoria. The organization to be composed of four companies, of 50 men each, with the necessary officers added. Included will be a battery of motorcycles. The Council of Defense had recom mended the use of 60 horses for a troop, with three companies of guards, and a detachment of 15 motorcycles, but the board decided to recommend that the horses be eliminated as far as possible and motorcycles substitut ed in their stead. Athena's Service Flag. Athena is soon to have a Service Flag. The matter has been taken up by the ladies of the local Library Board, and a suitable flag will be se cured, with separate stars to represent each and every Athena man now in the service. A star will be added for each man who later joins the colors. The Service Flag will be permanently draped in the Library window, and the Board desiics all having photos of boys in the service, having gone from Ath ena or vicinity, to present them and they will be securely framed in a group, and also placed in the window. This is a special request, and it is hoped will be responded to at once. Had Thumb Mangled. Bert Davis, employed at the Richards chopmill, came near losing the thumb ' on his right hand Saturday. While I putting a belt on a pulley, his thumb was caught between the pulley and the I belt, with the result that the fleBh at the first joint was stripped and the bone fractured. Dr. Sharp gave the injury immediate attention and while Bert is forced to idleness for several days he has the satisfaction of know ing that his thumb is saved. Affidavits By Farmers. The federal employment bureau has is sued a statement urging farmers to file affidavits for deferred classification of their farm hands, warning that they can't complain if they fail to do so and the men are taken in a new spe cial draft. "Local boards cannot defer calling such men unless the farmer em ployer supports the men's claims with affidavits. Therefore it's very im portant that farmers immediately ex ecute and file such affidavits with the local boards." Seeding Spring Grain. Indications are that a considerable acreage of spring grain will be sown in the farming country tributary to Athena. Many acres are now being put in readiness for Beeding operations. I The spring sowing will consist mostly of wheat, though a considerable acre I age of barley will be Mown. Clyde Charlton, who spent his boy hood days in Athena and who of late years has been an O.-W. locomotive engineer running engines out of L Grande, Bpent yesterday in the city renewing acquaintances. With other railroad men, he is on a temporary layoff until business picks up on the main line. BUY NOW Easier will soon be here, why" not buy that new Suit, Coat, Silk Dress or pretty Skirt now, while we have complete stocks to show you. We have all sizes from 34 to 46 stouts and regulars. In buying for 197 busy stores, cutting out all over-head expense, we can suit your purse. Ladies Suits $16.50 to 88.00 Ladies Coats 9.90 to 35.00 Ladies Silk Dresses 14.75 to 22.50 Ladies Silk Skirts 4.98 to 8.50 Ladies Silk Underskirts 2.98 to 4.98 Ladies Sere Skirts . 4.98 to 7.90 Misses Coats $14.75 to 18.50 Childrens Coats 2.98 to 7.90 Ladies Georgette Waists 3.98 to 5.50 " Crepe de Chine " 2.98 to 3 98 Ladies Tub Silk Waists , 1.98 Ladies Voile Waists 98c to 1.98 Just received, pretty new Shoes, such as Field Mouse, Tone Red and Khaki. You will certainly want a pair to go with that new Easter Dress. J Incorporated &