The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1917-11-22
BORAH TELLS THE EAST
WAR COND|T|ONS;WEST
PATRIOTISM OF PEOPLE is NOT
MARKED BY GEOGRAPHIC.
CAL LINES.

Serlbed conditions as he found them
latter an extended tour of western
states, and particularly in Idaho. He
found the people everywhere united in
support of all war measures of the
government, but shortage of labor and
inadequate transportation matters be-
yond their control, are seriously in
.terfering with making that support
effective. Senator Borah said in part:
West Anxious to Do Its Part.
The attitude of the west toward the
war is no different from the attitude
of the east. We hear constantly of
the apathy of the west, but / found
no sentiment in that part of the coun-
try different from the sentiment which
find throughout the country gener-
ALLY. In matters of domestic concern
there may be shades of opinion upon
public questions which distinguish one
part of the country from another. But
ii is more or less Phariseeism to as
sumo that in war with a foreign
power one part of the country is more
loyal or more ready for sacrifice than
another. | venture that in perform
lance, in deeds done, and in actual
achievement the west will measure up
to the full responsibility of the hour.
Its record speaks for itself.
In the matter of enlistment the
northwestern states went distinctly
and conspicuously to the front In
my own state the record was eXcep-
tional. We oyersubscribed the Lib
erty loan, and what is of vast i'm
portanee, it was very we'll distributed
among the people. In the matter of
the Red Cross subscription we raised
far more than our quota. Some coun-
ties contributed four or five times their
quota. The same interest is now be-
ing shown in the raising Of the Y. M.
C. A. fund. | speak of Idaho, but this
record is fully supported by all the
states in that great northwestern en-
pire.
There is a serious condition in the
west, but it does not arise out of a
want of patriotism, but to want of
means by which to effectuate the de-
sire of the people to do the proper
thing in this emergency. Last spring
the farmers went forward and produc-
ed crops in splendid fashion. Now
when the crops are being gathered it
is impossible to find transportation ia
clities to carry the products to the
market.
ANY amount of fruit and potatoes
is going to waste by reason of want
of means of transportation. We had
neither elevators nor cars sufficient to
take care of the crops and the exceed l.
ingly serious condition will result in
utter encouragement in the produc-
ton of the crop of 1918. There is very
| little use of talking economy and con-
servation when stuff is rotting and go
ing to waste about you; there is no
encouragement to plant crops under
such conditions.
Lack of Farm Labor Serious.
Another feature of the situation is
the want of labor. There has been a
scarcity of labor in harvest and crop
gathering times for several years. Now
that the boys are being taken from the
farm under the draft the situation is
tsuch that you can not find labor to
plant and certainly not sufficient labor
% h. mi
labor situation is changed through
some method there will be vast de-
crease in the crop acreage of the west
next year through inability to plant
or SOW and take care of it.
ut Is not because the farmers are
not willing to go forWard-lndeed'
they are anxious to-but this is con-
dition and not a theory. The serious
ness of it can not well be exaggerated
I am very certain that it's effects will
be tremendous in the coming year. 1t
is not a question of paying higher
wages. 1t is a question of no one to
employ.
without food, without transporta-
ton facilities to the seaboard, and
Without ships, the sending of our arm
les to Europe will be futile. These are
three great elements of success over
shadowing in importance all others
however important the others may be
1.-THE present outlook Is not promis
ing for the speedy termination of the
war. It may run on for two or three
years or longer. In any event, present
conditions admonish us to prepare fol-
long war. The greatest granary In
the world lies west of the Mississippi
river. If 1t fails it will not be because
these people are not devoted to theil
government, not because they are apa-
thetic or uniformed as to the respon-
siblity which rests upon them, but be-
cause they have not the means in Ia
Dor and transportation to utilize theil
great resources for good.
while there are other things con
nected with war preparation more in
teresting, more commanding in ap.
pearance, there Is none more vital thar
that of organizing production and get
ting the products to market 1t vii
be a tragedy of worldwide significance
and effect, disaster, If, when oul
army is there, there are no foods. M
cars, no ships"