The Alaska citizen., 1917-05-07
FOR REAL. PREPAREDNESS.

believers III ITcpdTCulltNN. ItpdI CNiIS9H 'lI"' is real, that has reason for its foundation and promises results when 1t k put into el- feet We believe that our record will bear us out ill this statement.
 An examination of The Citizen for the last few months will show that we were the first local publication to advocate home pro ducts for home consumption We have re peatcdv urged that I'airbanksans can and should grow enough food products to make them independent of the Outside markets. We do not say this in boastng manner, but merely to support our assertion that we are for real preparation every tune.
 The organization oi local farmers last Saturday is one of the best methods of pre- paredness that could have been taken. They will be able to accomplish more as a unit than they could ever hope to singly. History of past achievements, and also past failures, proves that success comes more fully to or ganized effort than to individual work. We hope, and are confident, that the farmers or ganization will be productive of more real good not only to the town of Fairbanks but the entire interior of Alaska than any other one step that has ever been taken by any local body. It is a big move for the agricultural development o1 the Panama Valley.
 Their efforts, properly directed, will as sure this region of sufficient supplies to live comfortably without the enormous importa- tjons of food supplies that have heretofore been considered necessary. This fact will be properly advertised throughout the entire country, from one end to the other More than anything else, it will bring home to the States farmer the magnificent opportunities that await him in this section, and will be .l, l. of them here as settlers. This we greet as real preparedness.
 The formation of the Alaska l oval League, and its sister organization the Wo- men's Loyal League of the Panama Valley, both of them created out of high-mndcd patriotism, and with the idea of service, are also examples of preparedness. Both of then, should be kept alive, and both will undoubted- ly be able to render invaluable aid to the gov. ernnent This is their purpose
 There is another movement on foot that we cannot see any of the essentials of pre- paredness in. We refer to the move under way to purchase a building for an armory in which to drill local men who are liable to be called into active military service. We don't think that there is any doubt regarding the individuality of drilling anybody else Ii such place is bought, the very word "ar mory' applied to 1t would be misnomcr. An armOry, according to the latest photographers, IS a place where arms and instruments of war are deposited, and 'in the United States usually large building including drill hall offices, etc.
 In the first place, we have such ncgli- g1be quantity Ot service rifles and other war equipment as to need no more than a packing case to store them n With the task of equipping an army of 100000 men inside the next two years ahead of 1t, the govern ment will not be able to either give us arms or sell them to us And the government is the only source from which they may be se- cured at this time. Evidently we do not need hall to store equipment."
 The next purpose of an armory, as here tofore used in America, is for drilling Is there any real need for a house to drill in at present? We think that the majority of Fair banksans will take the position that there is not Spring is now on Us. In no other coun~ try under the sun is there as much room out of doors for learning drill formations Ii the need for drilling is acute, or if it is de sired to give local men who are eligible for service some preliminary training before they are called, there is suitable place at Exposi- ton park for such work. True, 1t may be a little muddy just at present, but actual war fare does not take into consideration such minor details as this. Mosquitoes will be source of some annoyance, but their singing will only add a touch of realism to the work as the song of an Alaska "skeeter' is very similar to that of a high power rifle bullet, and the "skeeter bite" is only little less painful than the bite of Springfield"
 The training which 1t is said will be