American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-07-17

feafure of the deploraDle cohulVloH %
isfing in northern Idaho today. Inc
situation is desperate and Is growing
more acute daily.
..There is only one solution to this
gigantic problem; the federal govern"
1nent must handle the situation as
war measure; round up these thou-
sands of agitators and place then Al
stockades, register them and sehu Tue
eligibles to the front.
This was the summary of the l. W.
w situation as made by c. A. Barton
general manager of the Bolse-Payet'e
Tnmber company, after making
fve-dav trip through the lumber dis
tricts of northern Idaho and eastern
Washington.
"There is one thing that should De
made plain above everything else'
said Mr.. Barton, "and that is tnat tne
situation is far more serious and ap-
mailing than would appear from read
ING the newspapers. l was doubtful
regarding the seriousness of the con-
dition before l made trip OF inspec-
t,on hut now the thoughts of the
work accomplished by this invisible
menace make me shudder."
Lumber Companies to Continue.
The lumber companies in northern
Idaho will send letter on Saturday
N all the sheriffs and county commits
sioners. Mr.. Barton said, advising them
that the companies will endeavor to
continue their business in a small
r way.
In these letters the lumber interests
will review the l. W W. agitation and
will point out that the companies are
taxpayers. and therefore demand pro
lection for their workmen and of theii
property.
Mr. Barton said:
"The lumber people have agreed
that they will try to continue opera
tions as long as they can. They arr
going to give every possible protection
to their men, but when the /. w w
agitation starts, things will begin t.
happen.
"The tactics of the I. W. W. ar
changing. The men are destroying
their red membership cards by tn
hundreds. In event of arrest, the
deny they are I. W. w. and defy tn
authorities to prove it.
with the exception of the mem
bers in Spokane, they do not gathe
for talks any more. They get into tn
camps quietly in pairs and increas
their numbers gradually until the
have a strangle hold on the situation
Then begins the work of intimidation
There is nothing definite, nothing yo
can place a finger on, but the dreadfl
work OF intimidation goes on daily.
Wives and Daughters in Terror.
"The menace soon spreads to IL
farms. Wives and daughters al
afraid to be left in their homes alon
and 1t is necessary for the men to sta
with them.
Farmers told me that they did n
see how they could harvest their crol
II this reign of intimidation continue
It is obvious that the 1. W.
have some of the brightest men in Il
country handling their campaign
terror.
There is seldom any direct thre
OF harm, but the suggestion comes
an indirect way, from sources u
known. that If such and such mi
does not quit work, that such a
such a fate will befall him. There
nothing definite There is nothi
that can be traced directly to the
w w, but the fear is there and
result is inevitabIe.
ut would be almost useless to re
edy conditions in one section and
the men spread to another. 1t wol
then be the same proposition all o.
again The government must treat
as a national issue and deal with
countrywide movement.
From Duluth to Pacific SeabOard
"The movement has spread fr
Duluth to the Pacific ocean. and
affected lumber, mining and agric
tural production.
II was reliably informed that tn
are 5000 l. W. w. pickets in the nor
wat, handling conditions from
Panhandle to Montana. In addition
menacing the men in the camps, 4
are now appealing to the people t
their cause is just because. they 8
an eight-hour day. II they had
eight hour day they would strike
some other reason.
"In the case of Silver Lake, wh
$50 I. W. W. formed a camp, t
nicketed the entire Panhandle Il