The twice-a-week Twin Falls times. (Twin Falls, Idaho) 1916-1918, 1917-12-20

pended solely on the volunteer system, |
necessitated the sending back of thou
sands of trained soldiers from the
field to work for the government at
home, without which action some es-
sontial industries would have broken
down completely.
Men noting the phenominon of GER
tain new industries and lines of nee
essary preparation developing with
marvellous rapidity, while others, ap-
parently on a settled basis are sud
denly seen to be tagging, are tempted
to come to the conclusion that the
last named fact is due to the ineffi-
cheney of those in charge, when it is
really due to the withdrawal of part
OF the forces heretofore employed
and their entrance to the service of
the new enterprise. Hence, the sum
total of progress can never be as great
as the more sanguine anticipate. 1t
would be hard to overestimate the eff
feet of the law stated, for it is really
natural law manifesting itself in the
concrete matter of war preparation.
Hence, we now hear men wondering
why President Wilson did not declare
the laws of nature imperative.
The American people have done
wonderfully well during the past year,
and they have made a great showing
largely because they have diverted
their energies from things non-essen-
tial, though legitimate, to things that
are essential. Women who delighted
i'm social activities have devoted much
OF the time formerly spent in such
pleasing lines, to knitting for the boys
on the front. SO far as this knitting
was done without interfering with
other essential activities of produc-
ton, and this was true of the greater
part of it, it was a clear gain;
taking up of the slack" Where it
was done at the expense of another
sort of activity of essential produc-
ton, it was often more necessary than
the other, but it had a tendency to cut
down the production in the other line
So that those who expected the line
from which it was withdrawn to show
as great an increase as the knitting
would be disappointed.
In changing from the peaceful basis
on which industry was based to the
war basis, there would have been a
tremendous amount of lost motion UNI
! der any circumstances, even though
this might be more than offset by in
creased energy. In marching across
an unexplored field many unforeseen
obstacles must arise. Under such cir
cumstances it must seem after a time
that more progress should have been
made than was made.
This is the real explanation of the
state of mind now more or less mani
Testing itself. Compared with this
inevitable condition, the mistakes
real and fancied that have been or may
be discovered are but dust in the bal
ance. 1t is a condition which no hui
man foresight could have averted and
which men and women of ordinary
human intelligence can understand,
ii they take the trouble.
When it develops that things have
not gone on quite systematically and
that impossible things have not been
performed inquiries begin, legitimate
! enough when conducted with the sole
view of getting facts We now have
such a condition in Washington.
Statesmen are conducting investiga-
tions, which, we repeat, are all right
l where made sanely, but which show
= evidences of decentralization on the
part of the investigators, as if they
= were suddenly confronted by facts. the
= like of which were never before
known. Perhaps similar facts never
f came to the attention of the solons
+ previously, yet they lie on the sur
p face, as part of the inherent limita-
= lions of humanity.
!