The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-04-06
INTERVIEW WITH
FRANK HAGENBARTH

F. G.. Hagenbarth, of Spencer, Ida
no, was in Blackfoot last Friday OF
his way to Washington, D. c., anC
when interviewed by the editor OF
The Idaho Republican concerning his
mission, he said, II have been ap.
pointed member of the advisory
committee to President Wilson, to
report upon the wool supply of Idaho
The committee consists of four mem
bers, one from Massachusetts, one
from Chicago, one from Minnesota
and myself. We will report upon the
wool supply that is available for gov
eminent use and the prospects for a
continued supply. The defense move
ment of the United States has been
for some time in the hands of a COM
!. m1ttee of defense, consisting of men
prominent in business, finance, manu-
featuring and invention, whose bust
ness it is to advise the government as
to the best means and materials for
conducting the defense of the nation;
then there are various committees
subsidiary to that, one to make
special commodities.
''You see when the war in Europe
began, England was unprepared and
1t took about two years to get ready
for effective fighting. The United
States is also unprepared, but we
have been watching the European war
and by following the course of Eng
lands preparations we have learned
a great deal as to what can be done
and how to do it. 1t is thought that
we can make preparations for effec-
tive fighting in about year. When
the government undertakes to gather
an army and put it in fighting trim,
IL does not need simply men, guns
and munitions but it must have MANY
other things Guns and munitions are
not the first things to hand a soldier
after he is enlisted. Clothes are the
hrst thing he must be supplied with
and wooden clothing is best. Wool alb
serbs the moisture from the body and
still retains its heat. Cotton, when
IL gets damp, gives up its heat at once
and is little protection to the body.
soldiers and sailors are exposed to all |
KINDS or weather and require wooden
clothing. If clothed in cotton and ex-
posed as they are, they would simply
freeze. After a man is clothed in
wooden and is provided with shelter
ana 1000, and a supply of food is ar
ranged for so it will keep on coming,
TO him. then guns for training and
ammunition for practice are the next
things needed. And after long per-
lod OF training he is ready for work
ana all this time stream of SUPPLIES
must be provided for the army. Vari-
Gus committees, like the one I am
a member of, are expected to gather
exhaustive information on the lines {
they are appointed to investigate, and
my committee is assembling in Wash
lngton' to report on the wool situa- t
ton The United States produces i
only ~ per cent of the wool consum- t
81 IN the United States, and has been 6
going abroad for the other 60 per
cent. England gets her supply main t
y from Australia and New Zealand G
ma IN supplying her armies she has
arranged for all that she can possibly T
'otalh. The greatest aid we can
'ender in this war is to help the al t
les to supply materials for them a
elVes, and now we have to apply to S
england for some new arrangement "
y TO winch way to obtain Australian t.
" New Zealand wool for our own Il
rmies. If spectators in our own G
ountry attempt to hoard the wool b
upply and hold the government I'D 81
or eXorbitant prices, say 81 per 7
ound, 1t will probably be necessary 81
o commander the stock, have the eI
alue appraised and let the govern Il
lent pay the aDDrai Sad vaJro opd or
axe the wool and take it without ts
clay. The wool supply of the world W
at the lowest ebb it has ever been Al
nd SO is the supply of beet, mutton, in
ork and hides; in fact, almost every- al
ling that comes from the farm. tr
THE American farmer has the W
reatest opportunity now to get rich al
lat has ever been presented to him,
ur own country in a position where Id