Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1917-07-12
DEFENSE COUNCIL MEETS.
1. w. w. Activities Must be Suppressed
Asks Governor to Call Troops,

Occur d Alene, July 6.-The Idah,
state council of defense, in conferenc,
here today, decided to request Cover
nor Alexander to petition the fedora
government to send troops into Idaho
to check the operations of the l. w
| W., which have resulted in practica
shutting down of milling operations il
| this section of the state. Governor
Alexander is due in Boise tonight from
the east and will Immediately proceed
| here.
The council of defense will get in
communication with the governor in
the morning and if he so desires will
remain here until his arrival for con
sultation.
The council of defense meeting to-
day was attended by IL of the Ii mem
bers. Those present were: Harry L..
Day, Wallace; A. w. Laird, Potlatch /;
Lieutenant Governor E. L. Parker, Cot
tonwood; f. L. Afford, lewiston; j. f.
Ailshie, Occur d Alene; Morris Som
mer, Weiser; Frank r. Gooding, ex-
governor, Gooding, Nathan Ricke, Rex
burg; Ed G. Rich, Montpelier; Joseph
Hansen, Boise; Mrs. G. H. Hayes, Boise.
The absent members were r. M. David
o.
The inquiry conducted by the council
showed that nearly all the mills of the
Occur d. Alene country are shut down
as the result of the walkouts in the
logging camps and that the few remain
ing mills running will be compelled to
shut down in two or three weeks due
to inability to secure supply of logs.
A number of mill owners appeared
before the council and gave review
OF conditions. Evidence was also Sc.
cured from labor sources.
The council of defense ut the conclu-
sion of its inquiry became convinced
that the activities are not influenced
by purpose to improve laboring con
ditions in the logging camps, but in
stead the purpose is to embarrass the
government through reducing produc-
ton, with the ultimate hope, according
to the i. w. w. creed, that all industries
will come under the control of the or
ganization.
In asking the governor to appeal to
the government for troops for this dis
trict, the request also applies to all
other sections of the state where the
l.. w. w. are embarrassing the state in
dustries. The view taken by the coun-
ell of defense is that as the l. w. w.
activities are intended to harass the
government in the prosecution of the
war, it is u matter for the federal gov
to handle, whether dealing
with the numbering mills or the harvest
Adjutant General Moody met with
the council of defense and it is under
stood informed that body that he had
been in consultation with the war de-
partment officials of the western di-
vision and was advised that troops
would be available on call, these to
come from contingents that have been
engaged in patrolling railroads, ser
vice not now longer necessary in some
quarters.
The timber men and mill owners
present expressed the view to the coun
I'll of defense that with troops on the
ground it was assured the mills could
resume, as the |. w. w. intimidation
method would not then be effective.
Among the timbermen here TODAY
we're 1. J. Humbird of Standpoint, j. |
:. McGoldrick OF Spokane, G.. F. Hag- |
,nbuck, manager of the Pan Handle |
lumber company, William Knoll. pres
dent of the st. Maries Lumber com
,any, w. ID. McNaughton, manager of |
he Inland Empire Paper company, and |
!. Z. Reynolds, secretary of the Loggers
Tub.
w. ID. Smith, manager of A. Guthrie
Co., contractors who are logging at |
lie Elum for the Cascade Lumber com
amy, whose shutdown for the /. w. w.
aused the Washington state commission
o ask for troops, was also in Occur d
Ilene.-Lewiston Tribune.
Latah Citizens Organize.
Moscow, July GA mass meeting was
cid this afternoon at the Farmers hall
onsidering the l. w. w. menace in this
art of Idaho. While the meeting was
the Farmers union hall it was not
leetlng of that organization. Neither
las IT confined to farmers. Business
len, farmers, professional men, instruc-
'rs, employers of labor-all taking an
quail interest. 1t is the concensus of
pinion that strong organization is
ecessary in Latah county to offset the
lfluence of the |. W. w. and to protect :
onest men who are willing to work. 1t
the plan of the /. w. w., made plain
abundant evidence to close down all
!mber operations in this section of
iaho and then turn to the farms to stop l
harvesting operations. There is be- |
g free expression of opinion and t
borough discussion of the situation in
its phases in the meeting this after
ION and it is reasonably certain that a 4
rong organization will be effected,
1t for obvious reasons the names of
e Officers will be withheld from pub t
'ation and the plans of the organiza- \
On will be kept under cover.