The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-01-24
DEFENSE BOARD
WOULD DEVELOP.
DAK0TAL Ignite
Council Adopts Resolutions Call
ing Attention Of Legisla-
ture to Resource.
TO RELIEVE FUEL SITUATION
Consumption Of Native Coal and
Building Up of Industries
Strongly Urged.
TO RELIEVE FUEL SITUATION

North Dakota is called upon as a
war measure to develop it's one great
est natural resource-the vast Ignite
coal deposits within it's border, in res
olutions adopted by the executive
committee of the North Dakota de-
Tense council in session here Wednes-
day.
The resolutions, which were intro
duced in both houses of legislature
this afternoon, and of which copies
will go to congress, follow:
Whereas II country in it's war for
the existence of popular government
throughout the world is called upon
to exercise every energy and resource
at it's command, and must above ali
things avoid waste and duplication Of
effort, and
"Whereas the state of North Dako-
ia has within it's borders vast and ex-
traOrdinary resources now in the ear
ly stage of development in her Ignite
coal deposits which underlie much of
the western half of the state tribu.
tary to three great transcontinental
trunk lines OF railroad and the great
commercial waterway-the Missouri
river; and.
"Whereas these recourses could be
used to further the efficiency and
power of the American nation in car.
rying on the var by providing fuel for
the shelters in the reduction of iron
ore and factories for the manufacture
OF such agricultural and other ma
chinery as are being used in the north
west, and mills for the completion Of
the finished steel products for use in
the western part Of the United States
and laboratories for the manufacture
OF munitions Of war, in building rail
roads, ships, bridges and other essen
tails Of the development of our coun.
try to its greatest strength; there
fore
BE it resolved that the council of
defense Of the state of North Dakota
request the legislature Of the state OF
North Dakota now in session to form
ulate a memorial to congress calling
the attention Of congress to the above
condition, and asking that our nation
al legislature Immediately take steps
" UoC anu lAC1 uCNCIOp LII LAC
above purposes IL great natural re-
source, now Jointly owned by the peo-
pie, the state ana the nation
These resolutions are directly in
line with suggestions which have been
made by Federal Fuel Administrator
I. p. Baker of Bismarck. Capt. Baker
urges the wisdom Of developing and
utilizing our coal here in the north
west as a means Of obviating the ne
cessity of hauling eastern coal, which
is needed to- relieve the fuel famine
in the east, hundreds OF miles by lake
and rail to be consumed here at a
price twice Or thrice as great as that
of the native coal.
AS a war measure, Capt. Baker has
urged that the northwest be consti-
tuted a fuel district independent of
the east and middle west, in order
that the eastern aEthricite and bitum-
nous and the soft GOALS of the mid
die western fields may be used in the
industries east of the Mississippi
which so badly need this fncl.
Favorable action is anticipated from
the legislature. Congress attention
will once more be called to a sub
ject which is already receiving atten-
ton from the national lawmakers, fol-
lowing a request from Secretary o:
the Interior Lane for an appropriation
Of $100,CO to finance experiments
with North Dakota Ignite.