The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1918-03-22
BIG TIMBER TRACTS
MAY Be TAKEN OVER
Senators Would COmman-
deer Forests and Suppress
|. w. w. Activities
SOLDIERS MAY BE
EMPLOYED IN WORK

Chamberlain Explains Necessity of Gov
eminent Assuming Control Of Supplies
-Borah Calls T. w. w. an Elusive
Proposition.
WASHINGTON, March 22.--The SEN
ate discussed briefly yesterday the bill |
proposed by the administration for com
Wandering forests and lumber supplies |
of the United States which was ia |
vorably reported several weeks ago by
the senate committee on military at
fairs and later withdrawn for revision.
Chairman Chamberlain of that commit
tee, back on duty after his recent i'll
ness, volunteered an explanation of the
necessity for the government assuming
control of the whole problem of timber
supply by saying there had been great
difficulty encountered by reason of /.
w. W. activities in the Western lumber
country.
al do not know said Senator
Chamberlain, "whether they have been
guilty of any overt acts either IN de-
struction of lives or property, but con
ditions grew SO desperate III Oregon
and parts of Washington that men were
afraid to go into timber to work. 1t
became necessary to send military men
out there, and it did not become posi-
bic TO insure the production of lumber
as demanded by the government until
men from Camp Meade with rifles on
their shoulders were at hand TO see that
the work was carried on and that inter
ference by the disorganizers was pro-
hibited =
Senator Jones (WaSh.l wanted to
know whether the government was hav-
ing difficulty in obtaining lumber from
owners.
II have received word from Wash
ington, said Senator Jones, 'that it
is believed there that although condi
tions at present indicate that the
|. W W. are under control, the unrest
and disorder is likely to break out this
summer worse than before. The force
of the military should be felt there anC
be ready to meet this situation as il
arises and TO suppress that agency
which y doing more evil, more to hin
der and DELAY the government thar
anything else. In one of the mills a
Aberdeen. Wash, huge spruce 10:
sent into mill wrecked the entire saw
machinery when the whirling saw strucl
an iron hasp which had been drivei
into the log. Not only were both tn
log and saw ruined, but the mill wa
pat out of comm sion for several days
Dispatches from Yakima in the morn
ing papers tell of people taking the sec
rotary of the local |. W. W. out OF tow
and treating him TO tar and feathers
That seems to be one rather effcaciou
way of dealing with the situation.
AT this point Senator Borah inter
posed some observations in regard t
= the |. ". ". 1t was Senator Bora
who, as public prosecutor in Idah
70 many years ago first came into contac
of with the initial manifestations Q
as w. w activities.
or Senator McCumber (N. d. ha
asked Senator Chamberlain if he di
H. not think the states of Oregon, Cal
he fornia and Washington might NJ
IL. handle the question for themselves.
rk Senator Borah remarked that it W.
nd z difficult situation for. states now d.
ed pleted as to state militia strength h
Ii enlistment of national guardsmen
the federal service to handle.
- ~ really know from actual physic
contact with the /. W. W, said Sen
tor Borah, that they are about
elusive proposition as YOU ever we
up against and ii Is almost impossib
to deal with them unless you have re
MAR troops with which 10 oppose thel
The government has in its possession
man who is the evil genius of {
I. ". ". The best thing that cou
possibly be done in controlling the s
uation is to deal speedily and effectu;
~ under the law with the man who
every !. ". ". in this country believ
bears charmed life He has been
professional criminal for the last
years. Around his belt he has TAX
the lives OF at least Is men. 1t h
been proven beyond question that
has done so, but SO long as he &c
unpuaished they believe he will in sol
way lead them out of difficulty. \,
the government has him and it
evidence of his treason, and the b,
thing that could be done would be
punish him. =