The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-01-26

Of the United States and its allies by
ico-operating with the food admins
tration in encouraging the conservation
and production of foodstuffs, said AL
fred Atkinson, state food administra-
or. at the close of the powerful adj
dress before the officials convention
yesterday.
Atkinson's vigorous explanation Of
the vital part which food is playing in
the war was the climax of day which
included important addresses by half
a dozen state and federal officers.
Premature Peaes Means Ruin.
IF Germany could make peace now,
she would have taken n long step to-
ward the fulfillment of her desire as
expressed in 1872. The worst thing in
the world for us would be a premature
peace. Those are rough words. but
they are true ones. They mean that
some OF your sons must go to the front
and bare their breasts to the enemy.
They mean that the Prussian autoc-
racy must be shown that a world war
is not profitable to them.
For, If Germany should win, do you
think she would pay the cost of this
war? No. not for a minute. England
could not pay the indemnity she would
demand. France cannot. Tho only
nation in tho world which can is the
United States. We have 40 per cent Of
the wealth of the world here now, and
Germany would make us pay. That is
why we must win, and win. as Presi-
dent Wilson and Lloyd George have
said, by Knockout
mot long ago I talked with former
Congressman Stout OF Montana, who
has just returned from France. He
said that the thing which most struck
him there was that all the men who
came back from the front trenches
have gray hair. And there Is no music
in France. There are no laughter and
no smiles. SKty-year old men in the
front-line trenches, and Germany is
planning her most concentrated drive.
Russia is through. There there is
nothing but pure. delightful chaos.
John r. Mott told me upon his return
from Russia that the Russians are
through. He heard them say there
that now they have i'd themselves Of
government. they must never have
one again. They tried to blow up his
train because his party represented or
ganized society. ThDy probably will
not make n separate peace because
they can't decide on anything or re-
main fixed in one opinion long enough
to do SO.
Hun Intrigue Did II.
IN ,t,ir 4,
put them out. Ana tho same intrigue
lis working here. The same intrigue
-whs worked in Italy, and then, when
the Italians had been told that Ger
many was their friend, the great drive
was launched against them, and they
quit. The Germans got SO close to
Venice that they could shell the aity,
and II they ever had reached the city,
Italy would have been out of the war.
German Spies Work Here.
That's the same thing that's work
ing here among us now, with its lies
about the Red Cross and the other war
work And. l say. that if / were run
ming the show, I'd treat the man that
spreads those things the same as I'd
treat a German soldier In uniform.
Somebody said. ii we entered the war,
a million men would spring to arms
over night. They would have been
about as useful as SO many spring
lambs against those seasoned veterans
Of Germany.
With Mr.. Hoover, It is a question of
self-preservation for us. When a neu-
trail says we must have food. he has
to say. Tn sorry. butswe must serve
ourselves and our allies first No won
der he doesn't feel like going to the
senate and wrangling over some detail,
when he has to return to his office
and decide whether he will shin food
to Holland or let The people staryo
there.
" We Don't, They Don't.
And SO Americas task Is to sub
shtute our foods. For if our allies
don't get IT, they don't eat--that's all.
This Is not the time to argue over the
change of food and diet in England
and France. There may be injustices
done. here and there, and they can't
he helped. But that is not the main
\ question. They will be disposed of
osition is to feed our allies And if
there were no food administration Won
can see what the situation would be.
3 France would have had to buy in COM
g petition with us. Can YOU imagine
where the price of wheat would De I'M
der those circumstances? If man is
starving and he comes to you who have
S20 in one hand and a loaf of bread
In the other. you know which he would
take. Yet flour remains at the gov
crnment's fixed price. And 50 with
sugar. though travelled through east
ern cities where you couldn't buy a
pound of sugar at any price.
Our allies are holding the Hun.
They must be helped to hold him by
every means in our power, for IL they
don't hold him, we'll have to settle
with him here. Our food SUPPLY line
right now is at a lower level than that
: ot the Germans We've got to hold
ours up SO that it will not strike bot
tom until the German line does. This
Is what we must do.
When President Wilson said the
world would be made safe for democ-
racy. he said WE would do it. He