The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1918-12-23
Informal Smoker Proves High.
" Interesting; Legislator
Here On Business
SPEAKS OF IMPROVEMENT.
UNDER CONTEMPLATION
Lieut.. Barker Also Speaks;
Urges Bemidji to Clean
Up and Beautify

Red Lake to High Landing, bridge
the river to the west and save the
letour. have the promise from the
government that this will be done.
So spoke Congressman Knutson OF
the Sixth district at the informal
smoker given in his honor at the
Commercial club Saturday night, ne
having been in Bemidji and vicinity
FOR d few days looking after inter
ests to come up In Washington.
II would also like to see" he con-
tinued, "a railroad constructed to
sWarroad opening up the vast terri
tory in the northern part OF the
county, and IL the government re-
tains the railroads III belive the
M. & J. would be extended to Bau-
dette.'' #...
Congressma Knutson also spoke
OF thirty-five miles of ROAD between
gCass Lake and Ball Club to cost
s1O0, 900 to be put in, making fine
stretch from Duluth to the Dakotas.
He said 1t would in all probability
be completed in three years. He also
pledged his best efforts for more led
eral aid In road building. s
Eulogy for America.
Digressi1g from government topics,
he turned along patriotic lines and
paid high tribute to America. Never
in history has there been anything
like the good old u. 8. A. ne ex-.
claimed, and it is necessary TO
guard that which we have. He
warned against propaganda to plant
the tree Of militarism in the United
States He told Of receiving scores
of letters from patriotic societies for
the creation OF a standing army Of
from 1000, 900 to- 200 900.
II eff it is militarism they want they
can have it in Germany and not
here, {, he explained. sI'm for big.
navy aud am confident it could hold
off any foe until the land forces We're
nobilized. III would like to see the
guard companies placed In ma.
tional guard, but the army CLIQUE is
against them. They get no oppor-
tunity. Two companies Of the Min
nesota national guard We're sent to
Deming, N NJ, early in the war and
kept there until this summer while
Others were sent to active service.
\ In the last eighteen months the gov
ernment has spent or authorized
\ $4,000, 900, 900, or $50 every minute
since the time of Christ" and then
he went on to discuss finances in
huge figures, warning that it was
! necessary to pare down to the bone.
The speaker also said Bemidji was
fortunate in getting its federal
building, when all public structures
were halted by the war. There's
little pork along that line now, he
remarked He paid high tribute
to the soldiers and to the women Of
the country in their war work.
Bemidii Warm Spot.
II am no stranger in Benidji.
Have known Bemidji and many OF
her people for several years, and
will say that next to, my home city,
st. Cloud, Bemidji comes next in my
affections. She has been good to me
and am appreciative.
P. r.. Peterson played clarinet
solo, accompanied by his son.
County Attorney Torrance was
then called upon and he strongly en-
dorsed Congressman Knutson and
his work in supporting the president
during the period Of the war.
Barker Urges Beauty.
Lieut.. Earle Barker, home on
Christmas leave from the United
States navy. was next called upon
and spoke In glowing terms of his
home city and its wonderful people.
He refrained from discussing the
navy or the war, but devoted himself
to a eulogy of Bemidji and urged
that one of the things that needed
first attention was the beautifying of
the lake shore, the streets and alleys
and other spots in the business dis
trict, citing what he had seen in
eastern cities and towns.
Nav Meet Here.
President Robinson of the club
read a humorous communication from
the secretary Of the Centeryille,
Iowa, Commercial club, a member of
the American City bureau, relative
to an urgent solicitation to hold the
annual summer school in Bemidji.
1t is an association of commercial
clubs that has to do with supplying
secretaries and other officials for
civic associations And before the
writer finished he stated he was for"
Bemidii, as the city had demonstrated