American Falls press. [volume] (American Falls, Idaho) 1907-1937, 1917-11-27

the var h over. TheAttme Is not FAR
distant. however, when these people.
Germans alike, Will be ready % make
any sacrifice for the protection Of
their homes and the country to which
they came for freedom and liberty.
I'VE question the patriotic spirit Of
Editor Barber when he accuses US Of
"slandering" the German people Of
this county. when we did as requested
10 do. as an agent In the service Of
our government"
II Is unfortunate that Mr.. Strong at
tempts this Justification, because il
makes necessary a little further COM
ment that Will be embarrassing Soon
after II. +. Bicknell was made state
chairman OF the food conserving cam
paign he organized the state for the
campaign by appointing county chair
men, among whom was +. A. Strong
for Power county. III is no reflection
upon the patriotism nor the ability Of
Mr.. Strong 70 say that he did not do his
work properly nor effectively. He Is
to be sympathized with rather than
condemned. because he had neither the
means nor the time TO do 80. Il was
an injustice to him 10 ask him TO serve,
and a mistake that he did not decline.
II takes time and money, lots of the
former and more OF the latter than
MIR. Strong could be expected to sup
ply. To put on an effective campaign
10 secure the signature OF every person
Ia the county. Mr.. Strong could not
spare the time, and the result was
tNuf fl. IN r40uNu mao d. F.fItr.
majority OF the people outside Of
American Falls never had an oppOr-
tunity TO sign the pledges. They
should not, therefore. be charged with
refusing TO sign them.
Mr.. Strong should not be %censured
for the failure of the campaign, but he
deserves censure for attempting to
excuse himself by blaming his failure
upon the people.
The Press does o believe that Mr..
Strong had the remotest idea that his
report to Mr.. Bicknell would be made
public. nor that he desired IL to be.
Had his intention been to make public
such q report he would have used the
columns Of his own paper to do so
when he found the campaign was not
succeeding.
The campaign at Rockland affords
evidence that effective work was not
done. The Press Is informed that the
pledge cards were left at the stores
there, with a request to have the pa
irons sign when they came to do their
trading. Necessarily, the securing Of
signatures was a secondary matter,
and many patrons would come and go
without having their attention called
10 the cards. What Is everybody's
business is %nobody's business.
The editor Of the Press was invited
by Mr.. Strong TO anvass the first ward
in American Falls. and accepted. He
found. however. that he could not spare
the time. and procured a substitute.
Every home IN the ward was visited,
and the only refusals were people who
could not speak English. None of
these were Of German descent. Three
or four who had previously signed an
Identical pledge. did not sign. but many
who had previously signed. signed
again.
Regarding the statement that the
editor Of the Press desired TO injure
Mr.. Strong or his paper, or that he in
duced Mr.. Jasmann or anyone else TO
order his copy OF the News di%scontinu-
ed. Il Is untrue. No such efforts were
made or thought OF.
There will always be two papers In
American Falls. and Mr.. Strong is ac-
ceptabie competition. There is no de-
sire ON the part of the Press TO injure
the News or lis editor. but there is a
liked determination TO see that the peo-
Pile OF the county are not misrepresen
ted. and that their loyalty Is uot un-
justly called into question.
D~isloyalty Is personal. and not ra-
cial. Disioyal individuals viii not be
defended by the Press. but many OF
most all Germans" Is too sweeping tC
pass unnoticed. especially when print
ed under a flaring head in the leading
daily paper Of the state.
n conditions are as bad as MIR
strong claims they are, justice TO those
who are loyal should impel him to pub.
lish the names OF those who refused "a
sign In order TO protect those who did
and not make the broad statement that
many or most all Germans refused "a
sign" II MIR. Strong will publish q
list OF those who did not sign he will
soon learn that many or most all
never had an opportunity to sign. Tn,
trouble was with the system. or lack
OF Il. that Mr.. Strong used In conduct
ing the campaign. and 70 no other
cause. Il was the system that fell
down, and not the people.
The foregoing has been written in 9
spirit Of entire good nature. But Their,
n,p,ae . tlr,n uha, natfan.a aud fnr