Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1918-05-08
BY ARTHUR w. DUNN.


Washington.-Of course the big Job
which the United States now has on
hand is winning the war, but there
are several big problems to solve
which ought to be engaging the at
tention of those who are not devotlng
their energies to war work. In way
quite a number Of men have been try
ing to solve the greatest or all prop
lens that confront this country, Wnicn
is the depopulation of the farms ana
the influx of rural people to the cities.
Speaker Champ Clark has a clear
idea about what Is going on ana can
give the causes, but as yet has not
been able to offer solution OF the
problem. The speaker takes MS own
congressional district as an example
and he points out that little towns
throughout his district do not grow
because small manufacturing plants
cannot thrive In the smaller cities anu
towns. One reason is because they
cannot get sufficient railroad accom-
modations and If located on one line
Of road they have been squeezed IN
the matter of freights. But the main
trouble is that manufacturing plants
in small places cannot maintain
scale of wages or hold skilled labor
Their best men gravitate to the clues
where they meet their own kind or
people and where they seem better
satisfied. There Is scarcely an agrl-
cultural county in the United States"
said the Speaker, (which has not lost
population In the last ten years.
Speaker Clark cannot see that the
war Is going to make any diHerence
with the present condition, nor does
he believe that the men who come
back from the war will want to go to
the country and live on farms. he
thinks that there is general tend
ency on the part of the people In the
country districts to move to the cities,
and although he recognizes 1t is very
serious question, he has not figured
out remedy.
He spoke of very interesting
phase of the colored situation In
number of states and particularly in
Missouri. He said that the negroes
gravitate to the river towns. ut must
be that there is some affinity between
niger and a catfish" said the
speaker ''for they have left good
places to go to towns along the riv-
ers. I know OF places where they
could find employment for every men,
Der of the family, have cabin and an
acre Of land where they could run
little farm of their own, and yet they
pull I'D stakes and go to the river
towns"
1t would thus appear that the drift
from the farms is not confined to any
color CIR race.
The third Liberty Loan campaign
started in Washington with a bang on
the anniversary of our declaration Of
war against Germany. The celebra-
ton commenced officially when Mary
Pickford, Charlie Chaplin, Doug"
Fairbanks and Marie Dressler ap-
peared on the steps at the east front
of the capitol, on the spot where pres
idents of the United States stand
when they take the oath of office at
their inaugurations. A goodly number
of senators and congressman, together
with several thousand WashingtonianS,
were there to see what their movie
favprites looked like in the flesh, and
1t was amusing to see the chagrin Of
some of the legislators at being forced
to play second fiddle, so far as pop
ular interest was concerned. Little
Mary proved herself to be a better
bond salesman than any mere con-
gresham, however, by taking in over
81 900, 600 in the one day.
When the country Is at war
and the interests of the whole peo-
pie are bound up in the success of
tho nation in that war, it may seem
strange that such drastic legislation is
necessary as that which has been pro-
posed and so strongly advocated in
both houses of congress. Looking back
through the vista of years it is easy
to explain why "copperheads" existed
In the northern states during the Civil
war. Those men not only had preju-
dices against war, but they believed
states had right to secede. But when
there is no question of the rights of
states, and further, there is no ques-
ton as to the great disaster defeat for
the American arms would be to the
nation, 1t is certainly amazing that the
government is obliged to- go farther
than it ever did before In order to put
down treason and sedition.
But this fact stands out boldly !:
Whatever legislation Is necessary to
maintain the government in the pros
ecution of the war will be enacted even
If 1t goes to the extent of clothing the
president with still greater power than
he now has. The people throughout
the country who are guilty of foment-
ing treason and sedition are response
BILE for the drastic legislation which
hoe boor, apooto1 ord u,h;aL xx-{II ~