The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-11-21
Fort Missoula Eventually
Will Be Abandoned,
Is Belief.
AGITATION COMING
FROM TWO BODIES
State Board of Education
and Business Men to
Consider Plan.

Assurances from Washington that
Fort Missoula has not been perman-
emily abandoned by the war depart
ment did not prevent agitation Of
plan to have the post given to the
State University from gaining fresh
headway in the city yesterday.
News dispatches from Washington
indicate that whatever present use the
war department has for Fort Missoula
is slight and only temporary. With
in a short time. it is believed here the
post will be given up by the govern
ment as of no further military value,
and many interested persons feel that
preparations should be made now for
pressing matters in the university's
behalf when the proper moment shall
arrive.
Action Contemplated.
A. l.. Stone, president of the cham
Der of commerce, said last night that
the project would be presented to the
executive committee of that body
within a few days. Action by the
committee probably will come before
Charles H. Hall. Missoula member of
the state board of education, places the
proposition before his associates at
their December meeting.
Evans Promises Support.
Conditional Endorsement of the plan
was given in telegram yesterday
from Congressman John NJ. Evans to
The Missoulian.
My first effort" said Mr.. Evans,
will be to see that the fort is re-
garrisoned. and if at some future time
the fort is abandoned l shall do my
best to see that the property is turned
over to the university. This, no doubt
would require congressional action
The procedure in such cases is SIM
pie. The war department turns the
abandoned military posts over to the
department Of the interior, pending
the enactment of legislation directing
their final disposition.
Abandonment Inevitable.
While it is not probable that any
effort to secure Fort Missoula for the
State University will be made as long
AS the war department has any use for
the post, abandonment of the property
is regarded as inevitable.
"The experience of the country since
the outbreak of the war has been such
as to make a return to the old military
order unlikely" said d. d. Richards,
secretary Of the chamber of commerce,
yesterday "The existing system of
military posts was flatly thrown to one
side when war was declared. 1t had
been devised to meet the eAigencies of
Indian warfare and was useless when
1t became necessary for the war de-
partment to train large numbers of
men.
ut now appears certain that when
the war is over the nations military
system will be based upon an enor-
nous reserve army, which presumably
will be trained regularly at the new
cantonments, adapted especially to
that end. In that event the old mill
tary posts will be of no value.
Must Prepare for Future.
Considering these things it seems
useless for Missoula to hope that the
post here win ever be used again for
any large purposes. During the war
1t may be maintained as IA headquar
ters for police work, but afterward no
such work will be necessary. Appar-
emily. then, the wisest course is for
Missoula to prepare to see the post
aDanQOneu. Inc DeSt pFepdTdtloH loI
that surely lies in building up senti-
ment in favor of a transfer of the
reservation to the State University
Would 30 Splendid Campus.
That the post would be Of tremendous
value to the university was admitted
on all sides yesterday. The reserva-
ton comprises 1850 acres Uwo and
three e-quarters square miles) of good
land. The beautiful Bitter Root riv-
err winds through the reservation.
part of which extends into the wood
ed foothills Of the Bitter Root range.
On the reservation are modern
buildings, including two ready made
dormitories. worth more than 100000.
The post is within easy reach of the
city and undoubtedly will eventually
be surrounded by residence section.
Given this reserve. it is pointed out,
the State University would no longer
be confronted by the pressing prob
lens of housing and campus room.