Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-17
GOVERNORS ARE ASKED
To AID READJUSTMENT
Secretary Baker Tells Conference
States Must Aid in Solving
Postwar Problems.

Annapolis. Md. Dec. l6-Thirty-six
State governo or Governors-elect IN
annual conference here Yesterday we're
told bv Secretary Baker that the war had
proved the indispensability OF strong
State Governments, in peace as we'll as
wartime, rs the principal agencies Tor
mobilizing and demoblizing armies ,hnding
work for returning soldiers, and develop
ing better methods of physical training
for Young men At the same time ne
pleaded that State authorities give cities
more freedom 10 work out their individual
local problems. -,
Local and district draft boards will
be dissolved at the end of the present
month. Secretary Baker said. After
that time, however, they will maintain
an informal organic tion to ASSIST employ
ment bureaus IN placing returned soldiers
in industry Early disbandmcnt of State
branches of the Council of National
Defense as Federal agencies also was
advocated by the Secretary, who urged,
however. that they also remain in exist
ence informally To aid local authorities
in solving problems of the rcadiustmcnt
period
The War Secretary emphasized that
one of the principal functions of States
hereafter must hc ito rescue young men
from the situation shown during the re-
cent mobilization. when onc-thlrd OF the
drafted men were found TO he physically
undcvelopcd or defective
I'VE must realize he said. that physical
education IS As necessary to the develop
mcnt Of our yo aS mental train
ing. \ sound mind must depend upon a
sound body and We should organize edu,s-
tional systems providing for physical
development,
Secretary Houston. addressing the
Governors, suggested that State Govern
ncntS ascertain immediately what farm
lng lands might hc available for use for
returning soldiers He cautioned, how
ever. against throwing these men indis-
.rlmnatelv INTO agricultural pursuits
without previous experience or adequate
training
Hc Urged States 70 establish strong
,rntrall1cd agricultural departments, TO
,iciin, moro clearly the function of land
.rant colleges. ~ continue pOmotInn Of
agricultura. extension work. huld better
roads and promote campaigns N r.rai
districts against prcvcntahlc diseases.
Considering the uncertainty ~ the
future oi IL aorld'S food production,
Secretary Houston said
Congress should make available q
revolving fund III not less tn 5000,
900 600 To Cifcctu te the Government
guarantee of s. 20 a huShcl for wheat,
for w cannot tell al tins time what the
real market price Will bc = wear iron
nov. II may be n much a s. 20 and II
MAY be a much as 80 cents less than
the guaranteed pr G.
The conference IS being held III the
hall Of the historic Maryland capital.
where George Washington resigned his
commission as leader Of the American
force, in 1888 Standing where Wash
ingtnn stood. Governor Harrington Of
MARYLAND welcomed the visitors
"Bolshevlsm must never he permit ted
lfpon the Western Continent, he said
The sIrcst wav TO avoid socialism Of
n,ch a character. or anarchy. Is to have
forms of government and legislation
that give equal and Just rights and
equal and just opportunity 10 every
citizen. Public utility corporations and
big business must now understand that
they can only exist when they recognize
that their existence Is permitted only
for service and not for self and that
thcv are servants and not masters
Let US find out the causes for Boil
shcvlsm, for socialism, for anarchy, and
il possible remove the causes Nearly
all Of the 'isIns' have some element al
right. and are caused by some element
Of injustice. \ proper study Will give
better underst anding-'
Those In attendance al the conference
included Cow rnors Townsend, Delaware:
Harrington, Maryland Edge New Jersey;
Brumbaugh. Pennsylvania; Beeckman
Rhode Island: Davis, Virginia; Cornwell,
West Virginia