American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-08-24
TENTH EPISODE
War in the Dooryard.
IN TIME OF PEACE.

The Punishment of Baron Huroh
proved to be as complete an affair as
heart could wish, a mystery as pro-
found, as finished, as tho~roughgoing
as could reasonably have been ex-
pected even of Oriental subtlety, cum
ming and forehandness, leaving no room I
for doubt but that the head Of the Jap
anese secret service in the United
States had long anticipated and plan
ned against precisely such contingency
as had at last driven him out of public
life.
Without the slightest considerable
lead into that blind labyrinth Of under-
ground life wherein the japanese had
taken refuge, Patria's private bureau
of investigation, under the direction of
Donald Parr, worked tirelessly for
weeks upon the problem, leaving no
swne unturned in its efforts to track
dow the ~fugitives.
At last Parr, innately incredulous,
suspicious and solicitous for Patria's
welfare, was drawn to admit that
Baron Huroki must have fed the coun-
try.
He was at once glad and reluctant
to believe this-reluctant because he
feared lest some disaster impossible TO
foresee develop through overconh-
dence; glad because with HurOkt eliml-
mated from the land, Patria was free
once more from that persecution ana
peril of assassination which had been
her daily portion ever since, in coming
Of age, she had been so unfortunate as
to attract the attention of the Japa-
nese-Mexican junta.
But if both Donald and Patria
breathed more freely as day followed
day without overt attack upon The lat
ter or any of her properties, they did
not permit themselves to be deceived.
Beneath this truce both OWNED an I'M
ceasing ebb and flow of intrigue.
Impossible as it was to surmise in
what quarter or that mahgn
outbreak should be apprehended, Pa
y tria and her aides neglected no imagl-
nable %precaution. The small arms and
munitions factories, the ordnance foun-
dries, a~rsenals and shipyards owned by
Claiming, Inc, were recognized to a
degree of the highest efficiency, each
working three shifts of employees
every twenty-four hours. Existing con
tracts with the allies for war material
were filed, renewals and further or
ders were refused. Great stores OF
arms and ammunition began to accu-
mulate, and were held against that day
when, plunged Unexpectedly into war
this nation should find itself in urgent
need of equipment for the hordes OF
unframed volunteers who would
spring up to its defense.
And whereas nothing could persuade
a purblind people to prepare physically
for the trials and strains of warfare
nothing could prevent Patria, or any
other patriot, from putting the mel
On the pay roll In shape to fight fol
their homes.
Very quietly the Plattsburg scheme
= was put into effect at Powder Town
10 accordance with the promise Patri'
had made her employees at the time o
the strike. Under the supervision o
Captain Parr the employees were or
ganized into companies, put through
course of setting-up drills, and in
structed in the use of arms-all on full
pay for the time demanded for thes'
exercises. Almost Immediately the sue
cess of the experiment was assured b,
the response of the men, their cage
interest and willingness.
With this encouragement, PatriI
caused the experiment to be put int
effect at all the Channings plants. 1t
success was uniform. In q space o
time incredibly brief the half-milliol
men employed by Channings In vari
Gus capacities were organized and raI
idly approaching a state Of militar,
efficiency.
In short, all that could be accom-
plished toward the preparation of thi
country for war by private citizen
whose efforts were unsanctioned by tn
government was done by Patria wit
the assistance of Donald Parr and thei
staff of aides.
Despite their most determined ei
forts to cloud these matters in secrec,
however. the news leaked out. SHARP