Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-05-18
TILL THE SOIL IS
PLEA OF GOVERNOR
LISTER WARNS PEOPLE OF thin
STATE AND URGES ALL no
WORK FOR NATION.

"OnN FUN NhIAON'
"When 1 left for the East I
held the belief that the war
would be over in few months.
now feel that the authorities
will be making q grave mistake
II their preparations are not
based ON tho probability Of .
long. long war.
''Our chief fault as . people Is
that we have the idea of victory
constantly in our minds. We
never think Of defeat. Right
now, too Many people see victory
and too few what defeat would
mean to the country.
I'VE are facing the strongest
military organization ever known
in the history of the world.
"The present intention Of the
United States government Is to
send troops to France ~ SOON ~
possible.
'sThe fear Of production,
which looms SO large to many o1
our farmers, need not be consid-
cred. There viii be NO surplus,
no matter how much We raise"
These were some of the striking
statements made by Governor Lister
In an address before the state war
food commission and large body q
and transportation men st
the Tacoma Commercial club Tuoop
day AFTERNOON. his flrst and only pub
lie statement Of I general chaSaeesr
the war, since his retuFh
from the national capital last Nom
lay.
The governor urged the residents
" the state to shake on their letharoy
and to plunge into the government
ssrvice foesths spoeessfti vrssscutien
81 the var against 0efmany -
: snots of warning = = -.
of defsat and what a.
seat would mean to the nation 9 :
whole.
6lEneG1s 70 10 L0ne.
while his address was mainly
along the line Of food preparedness,
he departed from this subject several
lines to show moro fully the serious
which the United states =.
'acing and the probability that -
in which the country has en-
cred will be bloody. expensive and
ong drawn ont. with the po6sibility
II defeat looming in the background
Unless every citizen does his utmost
% bring the war to . successful con-
:lusion.
"The food question IL the most Inn
,ortant now before the country = said
he governor. "The late season which
We have had in this state has been
he same all over the country and
has delayed the planting consider
ably. 1t is up to this country to sup
ply our allies with food. England
,as not enough grain on hand to last
'or six months.
"In view OF the German submarine
1t is safe to predict that
arge numbers of the ships which are
oaded with precious foodstuffs win
ind resting place on the bottom OF
The sea. We must make good these
losses. both of ships and food. And
his in view of the fact that our crops
sre not as promising as last years.
'In 1915 the state of Washington
produced 55.000.0O0 bushels OF
in 1916 the production
dropped to 45,O0O,O00 bushels and
his year the efforts of this food COM
mission are being chiefly directed to
holding the production up to the 49,
100000 bushel mark. This expect
will be accomplished.
''Prepare for Long War"
when l left for the East l be-
ieved, and most of the people of the
state believed, that the war would
last but few months. Today, after
with many government Of
fcials and seeing many confidential
reports, I feel that the United States
will make a fatal mistake
II they fail to prepare for long, long
war.
"Our chief fault as a people Is that
We have the idea of victory; easy
victory, constantly in our minds. We
never think of defeat. Right now
too many people see an easy victory
and too few what defeat would mean
to the country. urge you all to stop
and think for moment what defeat
would mean. We have the lessons OF
Continued on Page Eight.