Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-10-19
NORTHERN TROOPS
IN SOUTH OF VAST
WORTH TO SECTION
Senator Fletcher Sees in
Training of Men Here Per-
manent Increase In PopuIa-
ton and Larger Development


NEW YORK, Oct. s.-Representa-
tive citizens of the south attending the
Southern Commercial congress, in ses-
sion in New York, are enthused over
what they believe to be the perma-
nency of the good that will come to
the south as one of the fruits of our
war with Germany.
The temporary advantages accruiHg
to the south from the army encamp-
ments that dot the landscape all the
way from Washington to Key West.
down the eastern seaboard, are obvious
Il remained for Senator Duncan L.
Fletcher. president of the commercial
congress, TO come forward with a log
ical and convincing argument as TO the
permanency OF advantages to the south
that far outweigh the temporary BEN
efts The senator's presentation of his
idea has thrilled the delegates here as
sembled and has opened to them new
avenues OF thought and speculation that
are rich in their possibilities for good.
II am not one of those who regard
with misgiving the establishment of so
many army camps and environments in
the south" said Senator Fletcher t.
The Journal today, when asked to elab-
crate and illuminate his views respect
ing the aftermath of the war as it will
affect the south.
NO REACTION AFTER WAR.
Il do not believe that the communl-
ties that have been SO fortunate as to
secure camps and cantonments will SUI
fer from a reaction that will cripple
their industries and shrink their land
values when the camps and canton
ments are abandoned at the close Of the
war. There may be temporary upsets
pending readjustments, but in the end
these communities and the entire south
will reap benefits of a permanent char
acter that can not be estimated in dol
lars.
Instead of being, as some of my pes
simistic friends profess TO believe, like
the pricking of a toy balloon with the
point of a pin, il will in fact be more
nearly like exchanging a highly in
f1ated, though weak, balloon for a mas
sive dirigible of proven strength and
tested endurance. The imitation that
the army brings to the south will re-
main and will steadily increase as the
years wear on.
Have you ever stopped to consider
that a vast majority of the selectmen
and national guardsmen encamped in
the south are not southern born men?
They are strangers to the south. The
south is an unknown. and to many OF
them a misunderstood country. These
selected men and national guardsmen
from the north, the east, the west and
the middle west constitute the flower
of the younger generation IN those Sec
tions of the country, just as our select
men and national guardsmen in thu
south are the flower of our flock.
at is impossible to estimate the
worth in dollars of the visit Of these
men to the south. Hundreds of thou
sands of them are to live for months,
possibly a year or more amongst our
people. on our soil Except for the war
and the establishments of these en-
campments in the south, not fraction
Of l per cent of the thousands of
guardsmen and seectmen from other
sections of the country would ever see
the south. They would live in Ignorance
of our wonderful section. 1t would be
impossible to induce them to pay US a
visit and they would never know that
which they are now to learn by expert
ence and contact with our people and
our institutions.
WILL ATTRACT OTHERS.
These boys from other sections Of
the country who are being sent south
will attract TO the cantonments and
camps to see them thousands of other
visitors who know nothing of the south.
Their fathers. their mothers. their sis
tiers and their brothers will flock to the
encampments. and they, too, will get a
first-hand impression OF the south and
southern people that cannot but rebound
TO the everlasting benefit of our section.
The memories of their training in
the south will linger always with the
guardsmen and selectmen who are mo-
bilized in our country. 1t is inevitable
that thousands of them will be so well
impressed with the country, with the
climate, with living conditions, with tho
opportunities and with the people that
they will return to become permanent
residents of the south after the war s
7ver.
Il read with unaIloyed pleasure the
news in the papers last week of the re-
organization of the army, a reorganiza-
ton made necessary. as l understand, TO
| I'LL up the national guard divisions to
war strength. j observed that thou
sands of selectmen from New England.
New York. Pennsylvania, Delaware
| Maryland. New Jersey and the middle
west are to be transferred to southern
cantonments.