Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1917-12-19
WHAT COMMISSION
OF PUBLIC |. | SAFETY ETY.
MEANS TO PEOPLE
Splendidly Organized Body Helps
Make Minnesota Ready
and Efficient.
TO COORDINATE RESOURCES
Board Created by Last Session Of
Legislature, Given Extraordinary
Powers for Good-Has Support
Of Loyal Citizens Saves
State Money.

OF Loyal ~lISZen8- 0AVeS
State Money.
The Minnesota Commission of
Public Safety is an organization that
is unique and one that has attracted
the attention and the compliment Of
imitation in nearly every state In the
union.
With the extraordinary powers
given it by the act which created it,
passed at the last session of the Leg
is}ature, it has been in a position to
undertake a wide range of activity
and at times use its powers IL taking
immediate and effective steps to
hasten the military preparedness OF
our state, cut waste and extravaganza,
make "profiteering" impossible, and
adjust economic questions for the re-
lief of the people. In fact. the oppor-
tunities of the Commission as force
for the coordination and correlation
of the moral, material and military re-
sources of our state for the effective
prosecution Of the war on the part OF
our state and placing it at the fore
front of the sisterhood of states In
q national effort to carry out our part
In the war for democracy and the
overthrow of Prussian autocracy, have
been tremendous. They have devel-
oped almost hourly since the creation
of the Commission and every problem
that has presented itself has been
met squarely, handled with patriotic
motives, statesmanlike vision and
without regard to personal or politi-
cal consideration.
An Economical Proposition.
The creation of the Commission
meant that thousands of dollars would
be saved to the people of Minnesota.
Without it, it might have become
necessary to continue the Legislature
in session almost continually in or
der to take up public matters with
respect to the present war conditions
and activities that are constantly pre-
senting themselves for adjustment.
For this purpose body of nearly
two hundred men with widely differ
ing opinions, would have proven un-
wieldly, expensive and slow as to re-
suits. With a small organization OF
but seven members appointed for the
one great patriotic task of placing
our state in position to do its full
share in the war, and with this idea
back of their every official act, taken
after conscientious and broad minded
deliberation, our state has made Won
derful progress in its war prepare
tons and has excited the envy and
admiration of all other defense bodies
In the nation.
Has Support of Loyal People.
The Commission of Public Safety
has the patriotic support of all loyal
people who realize that every personal
| consideration must be put aside dur
ing the present crisis. They realize
chat the Commission is Minnesota g
pledge to the national government
that or state is back Of our Presi.
dent and Congress in their war PRO
gram. The Commission is the official
head Of our government in Minnesota
and as such, must be given the und!-
vfded support of every citizen in the
discharge of the tremendous task it
assumes. Its decisions and orders
have all been taken with uniform
good grace and obeyed in a large
sense, with great credit to the patrio.
tic citizenship of our people, regard
less of whatever hardships might en-.
sue, by seemingly unwarranted re
stricti0ns, knowing that the action
would result in the greatest good to
the greatest number in the finaI
outcome of this world wide war.
The Organization.
| The great task of the Commission
and one of the essential fundamental
ideas back of its creation was the
mobilization of the sentiment of GU,
people. for the war; the populariza
ton of the war idea for the protec
ton of national honor, perpetual
world peace and the safeguarding OF
democratic forms of government.
This task has been one of the
greatest problems Of the Commission
of Public Safety, to which all others
have subordinated themselves. l,
meant that the mental attitude and
disposition of a large majority with
regard to the war and its problems
would have to be utterly changed il
victory was to come to our armies.
This was to be accomplished by the
presentation of facts, and causes O,
the war through the press, the pulpit
the platform, literature and every
means of expression that could be
brought to bear. -"
At the time of the entry of this IA
ton into the war the people of GU,
state were in anything but a warlike
mood. They we're prosperous, happy
peace loving and had no idea of -4hf
deadly peril that threatened them a,
he hands of the Prussianized auto
ratio power seemingly 50 far re
moved as to make any thought O.
anger now or in the future too RI
'culous to contemplate.
To awake them to their real dan
er and to emphasize ths fact that 9
"al danger has threatened, and doe
ireaten their very homes right here
Il Minnesota, has been task that
eemed almost impossible of accom-
,iishment. There has been 4 great
change in public sentiment every
where. however, which has beer
brought about. by the work Of the
Safety Commission, aided by tt
splendidly organized system Of coun
" units and various patriotic bodies
who have assisted ii the work.
During the FIRST few weeks 81 the
life OF the Com Kreat daal