Jamestown weekly alert. [volume] (Jamestown, Stutsman County, D.T. [N.D.]) 1882-1925, 1916-09-21
CONGRESSMAN
HELCE0N
OPTIMISTIC
At Prospects Of Gov. Hughes
Election The Mexican
Situation.

Fargo, Sept. 16-Cong. H. r.
Helgesen of North Dakota has ar
rived in the state following the ad-
journment of congress. In an inter-
view here he stated that he voted
for the eight hour Cay bill, because
the threatened strike, if carried in
to effect at that time, would have
caused the death Of thousands of
people had it lasted only 10 days.
The result of the Maine election is
regarded as an indication of the
changing sentiment in the east, and
the people of that state approved of
Hughes straightforward utterances
on the public questions of the day.
Congressman Helgesen said;
"Wilson is losing strength in the
east and his stand in the strike cris-
is has not helped him any. The
president urged compliance with the
proper investigation as to the merits
of the controversy.
No Preparation.
''The administration had done and
wanted to do nothing to defend the
country against the consequences of
a strike so, in my opinion, congress
was forced to act4H the strike was
to be averted.
1T is easy for you people of the
west to criticize the action of those
congressman who voted for the pas
sage of the Adamson bill. Few of
you have any conception of condi-
tions in the eastern cities today.
There the people live from hand to
mouth, buying tomorrow's food sup
ply today. They have not enough
on hand to live two days without
buying new supplies. The shops and
markets do business the same way.
None of the large cities have sup
ply on hand to last more than two or
three days.
Thousands Would Have Starved.
Had the strike lasted 10 days
people in the large cities would have
died like flies from starvation. and
the country would nave been helpless
to come to their aid. In the face of
this l could see no other way but to
vote for the bill and so avert the
strike.
"The matter is not settled yet. 1t
is up to the people to let it be known
if they want conditions to exist that
force legislation at the demand of
certain classes on the spur of the
moment. If they don't, we must
have compulsory arbitration. l be-
lieve the people are awakening to
the danger of the present situation
and that they will demand decisive
action"
Guard Should Come Home.
When asked if he thot the guard
would be sent home from the border
soon he said he could not tell. II
believe that there is no cause for
keeping them there. There was no
need of sending the national guard
to the border in the first place. The
regular army could have taken care
of the situation without any trouble.
"The Mexican situation is a sam
pie of the Inconsistency of the VIII
son administration. Troops are sent
into Mexico with orders to capture
Villa dead or alive. They did not
capture him at all and later it is CIV
en- out that they are down there to
break up the outlaw bands.
Citizens Killed by U. S. Bullets.
1.-The American soldiers shot in
Mexico and on the border were kill
ed by American bullets which Will
son had permitted to be sent into
the country since the trouble start
ed. Even after the attack on Colum-
bus, no action was taken to stop
American ammunition manufactur-
ers from sending their wares into
the country"