Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1918-05-09

must be available for all of our people.
The fact that more than one-third of the
young men called by the selective draft
| wero rejected as unfit physically forces
| upon our attention n most serious condi-
ton. In the period of worldwide read
justment that will follow the war this
nation will need to free itself from every
handicap md the proper care Of tho
health of babies, youth and adults VIII
call for careful attention. The ndvan-
tages of improved medical skill must he
made available not alone IN our cities
but in our rural sections.
The problem of the supply II 9hys!-
clans and surgeons must be faced. The
number of graduates from all of our med
ical colleges in 1916 was not as large as
that in $780, although our population
greatly increased during these &c years.
The opportunities Of tho medical profess
sion are a challenge to the young people
of this country. The responsibility for the
proper preparation and training of ply
sicians. surgeons and nurses rests with
our universities and colleges.
The fields of engineering and scientific
management are and will be increasingly
important. Industrial organizations that
have required many years for their de-
velopment have been disrupted and their
workmen are now found in the trenches
or in other occupations. The problems
connected with reorganization will be
numerous and difficult. More than GER
tain patent rights and specifications are
required to make an industry n success.
The human element is important and
this Will require careful considera ton,
while changes in manufacturing methods,
substitution of raw materials and modfi-
cation of products to meet the demands
of new markets will call for the best
talent available.
The development and conservation of
our natural resources claims serious con-
sideration If we are to repair as far
as possible the losses caused by the war
we shall be compelled to utilize to the
fullest extent the forces of nature The
past months have brought us face to face
with the waste occasioned by our eXtrav-
agant methods. Water power transform
ed into electricity must. as time passes,
be substituted for coal to furnish energy
that will supply us with heat, turn the
wheels of our great manufacturing plants
and transport our merchandise across the
country Conservation of this type Is
still in its infancy. 1t will require the
stiles in cooperation with the facilities
of our great industrial organizations to
utilize our natural resources to the ex-
tent that they will enable us to compete
favorably with all of the other peoples
in the worlds market.
There is need for a more scientific treat
ment of agriculture. Great as has been
our advancement in this respect in the
past two decades, there is much to be
learned concerning the proper use of our
soils in order that we may not waste both
man power and natural resources. Tn
til recent years 1t was not necessary for
this country to give any considerable at
tention to the science of agriculture. 1t
was held to be automatic that any per-
son who was a failure in all other occu-
pations could surely make a living by
becoming farmer. The rapid develop
ment of our cities and industrial centers
drew from the farms many of the more
ambitious and promising young men,
The building of the great railroads
throughout the West opened our fertile
plains for grazing and for the raising of
wheat and corn on scale and at a
price beyond the possibility of the east
ern farmer. BY 1893 this agricultural de-
velopment of the West had overpowered
the East. The financial and economic
disturbances that followed in this nation
as well as in competing European coun-
tries were among the most serious in the
history OF our country. New England
farmers saw the value of their land de-
preclating until in many cases the saw
ings of years had disappeared Farms
were abandoned and the East began to
depend upon the West for agricultural
products. With a more complete settle
ment of the western States the condi-
tons that permitted Of cheap production
have disappeared and the East is now in
position to compete successfully. After
the war, however we shall face COMPETE
tlon with South America and Australia
Our hope 0f successful competition in
the world markets for agricultural prod
ucts Is dependent upon our careful scien-
tihc management of the soils ana our
caro- CT animals Tho government has
placed its stamp of approval upon the
farmer. Hcnceforth agriculture will be
1ustifed In claiming consideration In our
colleges and universities.
IGNoRTNCE AND ILLITERACY
BREED REvOLTS.
Tho education Of our youth must re-
ceive moro careful attention II we arc to
insure the safety of democracy. Igno-
rance and illiteracy breed reyoits that lead
to social decay. Our public schools are in
very real sense tho hopo of democracy.
If they fail all OF our sacrifices OF blood
and treasure In the conduct OF this great
war will be in vain. Speaking Of the now
educational measure then before Parla-
ment, Mr.. Fisher, head of the English
educational system. said.
That nation which, after the war, EN-
ploys the best teachers with the highest
pay as n part of the best school system
will be the best governed and therefore
the greatest nation. OF that i am abso-
lutely certain. No people which does not
respect education will demand and sup
port good government, and IL there is not
a vital impulse running through its edu-
cation the people Of no nation can be ex-
pected to respect 1t.
II believe. and an increasing number of
other people are beginning to believe, that
education lies at the root of happiness for
every people. Worthy education is i'm
possible where inferior teaching forces
are employed, and only Inferior teaching
forces can be secured where inferior pay
Is offered Where teaching is inferior
good government cannot be expected"
1t Is true that we cannot have good
schools until We have good teachers. We
must therefore rely more definitely upon
colleges and universities for our supply
of teachers who shall possess compre-
hensive outlook upon life and It's prob
lens. Again ! quote from Mr.. Fisher:
IF we are to achieve population
worthy of liberty. national and individual.
1t must be made up of individuals pos
sessing free. unprcjudiced minds. We
want citizens who will wish and win the
best for US. but who will be willing and