Celebrating History: Elections and a Havre soldier's story

By Emily Mayer

Election results, meeting secrets and news from one of Havre’s doughboys were all in the April 12, 1919, edition of The Havre Plaindealer.

Let’s start with those election results for the Havre City Council and school district.

Phil Jestrab Overcomes Opponents

Lead by Vote in City Precinct

In the city election held Monday, Hanson, Jestrab and Cruzen were elected aldermen. These were over twice as many votes cast in the second ward as there were in the other two together. In this contest, Phil Jestrab won by a margin of five votes although his opponent, P. C. Barrett, carried the High School precinct by thirteen votes. In the first ward C. S. Hanson defeated his opponent R. M. Rathbone, by eight votes. In the third ward, C. B. Cruzen had no opponent and he received but ten votes. The new aldermen take office May 1.

VOTE OF CONFIDENCE IN SCHOOL ELECTION

An Overwhelming Victory for Members up for Re-Election

Last week Saturday, District 16 school election resulted in an overwhelming victory for the members of the board who were up for re-election. D. A. E. Wilkie and C. C. Brundage were the successful candidates defeating O. L. Whitlock and Dan O’Neil by a vote of nearly two to one.

A heavy vote was cast for a school circulars, some interest was attracted had developed at the last minute. By some the vote was regarded as an expression of protest against the so-called T. J. Troy circulars which were distributed the day before and tended to reflect upon the efficiency of the school board. It is believed that the unsuccessful candidate would have otherwise received a much larger vote. In connection with these circulars, some interest was attracted by the appearance of one upon the door of the office of the county surveyor. County Surveyor Peterson is not a resident of this school district and when an explanation was sought of him, he indicated that he took a broad interest in all school districts. Mr. Peterson is a member of the non-partisan league and takes a great interest in the activities of that organization. It is very unusual for county officials to permit partisan circulars to be displayed in their offices.

Speaking of the “Non-Partisan” League, they were still at it holding meetings in a public office, but offering no information as to what they were up to. The previously announced meeting indicated Representative Haaland would attend and extoll upon his achievements in the Legislature, but he was “in the east, somewhere in Minnesota.” Members asked Surveyor Peterson where Haaland was, but Peterson wouldn’t answer. Other members who spoke at the meeting weren’t answering press questions as to the content of their presentations. When asked about non-partisan league members engaged in businesses for which the county would contract work and getting preference for those contracts, Commissioner Crosson clammed up. Members reported as attending were County Commissioners Crosson and Wilson, County Assessor Sanvik, County Treasurer Tracht, County Surveyor Peterson, organizer McLeod and Walter Wiese of Gildford. Neither the date or location of the next meeting was announced.

In other county-related news, a lengthy list of both criminal and civil trials was released by the District Court. Also, Shepard Bros., a local implement dealer, announced they would be using a “Catterpillar-Type” machine to drag and grade some roads in Hill County, thus using technology developed for World War I in everyday citizens’ activities and work.

In other World War I news, a lengthy article was printed in the Plaindealer about Captain Walter G. Glass, son of Hill County Clerk of Court George Glass, and his adventures in the army. In a nod to how the meaning of words change over time, or grow into other meanings, the headline read: “CAPTAIN GLASS BACK WITH CRACK COMPANY.” Today, we might snicker at a couple of meanings of the word “crack.”

In this case, a crack company was one that broke through a war line; Capt. Glass was a member of the 106 Machine Gun Battalion of the 27th Division which was the first to make a break in the Hindenburg line during the war, thus they “cracked” through.

For those troops returning, the U. S. Government and the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks announced a partnership “through which every disabled soldier, sailor and marine of this country will be given full vocational education of whatever character may be necessary to fit him to become self supporting and independent.” In a way, this is a precursor to the G. I. Bill, stating “The United States government has made ample provisions for this vocational work and pays all costs of tuition, books, laboratory equipment, etc., as well as living expenses of the men while in training and allowance to their families, for all who come within the provisions of the law. For those disabled men who are technically outside the law, the fund of the Elks War Relief Commission will provide.”