The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-11-05
WHERE THE RICH MAY HELP

Among the passing items of
news relating to the rich we learn
that Mrs. Francis Butler Griffin,
OF 5i5 Park avenue. New York,
has discharged two cooks. a maid
and butler because they
refused to sign food conservation
pledge cards. Interesting. also is
the comment of Food Administra-
tor Williams, Who said this action
showed the spirit Of New York
women toward conserving food to
save the nation.
We think the example of Mrs.
Griffin in cooking the family
meals is good, but our interest in
this case runs rather OH another
line. When there is great and
appalling shortage of labor why
should Mrs. Griffin or any other
womcn for that matter. keep Two
rocks. ladies maid aud but
Ter? WHY should not these able
bodied workers be employed
where their services may be OF
direct benefit to the country at
large? Mrs. Griffin should be
condemned rather than praised
by this food administrator. This
is time when ladies MAIDS and
buffers should be dispensed with
4 few days since. the Stevens
vile Register told us that schools
in the Bitter Root had been dis
missed 50 the children might aud
IN gathering the apples and pota-
toes. The Register adds TINS
timely comment:
In spite Of all these srea, efforts
many thousands of dollars worth o'
foodstuffs We're ruined by frosts. a
considerable percentage of the apple
crop froze On the trees and many car
loads of potatoes Mere made unfit FOL
use \ nation struggling in prepare
ton for war WAS cripped by the loss
of this food \ public compelled I,
pay cxorbltant prices vas deprived
through waste of considerable
amount Of food. Farmers who hat
been urged to plant greater acreage
met with loss as a result Of their i'll
dustry and patriotism.
This loss was caused largely through
lack of laberers for the harvest Ye
i'll every town III this valley are able
haI inI
casually, no matter no" high tn,
wages which may he offered Tn,
conditions here are probably typica
OF those prevailing throughout the ia
ton. Men have been drafted for tn,
war. Capital, through increased tax
alton. has been drafted. Labor. whic,
Is just as necessary as soldiers %
money. has escaped. We are told tina
every resource of the nation is need
ed TO win the war. Surely this mus
include labor. When Congress rrs :
s:mblcs, it may be well and necessar
10 pass laws providing for compulsor
work for able bodied men during tn
period of the war. Such a law shuul
include the Strect-curu"r luafcr a
wen as the l. w w. and German sym
pathizcr.
l:hc view of our rontcmpurar'
Is wise and patriotic. 1t is some
thing akin to maddrning 10 thinI
OF the losses to the farmers q
The Bitter Root a. we'll as to tn
thousands who will be h,Iusr
next winter by reason of This lacl
Of labor. when We find 50 man
strong men and women cmplo>e,
to feed the pampercd tastes OF tn
rich. Weeks before the crop
were ready for harvest we en-
phasizcd in these columns tn
great Importance Of government
tai aid in furnishing employees t
the farmers.
While the students of Montan
have left their duties to harve.
potatoes before the frests. bu
hers. ladies' maids and funk,
could have been conscripted al
put to work somewhere for IL
government.
Al