The Ward County independent. [volume] (Minot, Ward County, N.D.) 1902-1965, 1918-12-05

| PROBLEMS TO Be NET
Rotary Club FavOrs Additional Parks,
Better Housing and Special
Schools for Teaching
Americanism.

| At a meeting of the Minot Rotary
Elub, Monday, Mr.. Holbein read an
Excellent paper, which was inspired
by the Rochester convention 1t fol
lows:
Reconstruction problems are many
Ind varied in character, but there are
few that may appeal with most force
10 members of the Minot Rotary club.
In reporting the conventions held at
Rochester, New York, last month, it
has been necessary to separate the
different angles Of the question to fit
Che different organizations of the city
Sf Minot with which have something
TO do. Therefore, am only going to
discuss briefly three points in recon-
struction that come within the prov,
!nce of the Rotary club. The others
must Of necessity be referred to the
Association Of Commerce, the Town
Eriers Club and the Builders and Ira
Hers Exchange, as they are Of parti-
fular interest to those organizations.
/. Knowing as I do some of the ideas
bf our president relative to the fu-
lure activities of the Rotary club,
makes my task an easier one.
/ The MinOt Rotary club is not limited
In its scope particularly as to its ac-
tivities, yet there are some things
that come within its province with
greater force at this time of recon-
etruction. We must look to the bet
ter things in place of the commercial
purely. We are rather bound by ira
dition to do the things that other or
ganizations do not specialize in. In
this time of reconstruction or read
jutment, we find that one of our most
important tasks should be assisting
the government in the Americaniza-
tlon movement, the housing problem,
tnd the further acquisition of parks
And Fairgrounds for our people. These
then, seems to me to be worthy of
discussion at this time.
1 The country is on the verge of a
period of unrest. A period of trying
pew things. A period when the pro-
jessional agitator feels that he can
with impunity start trouble For
eighteen months or more everyone has
been hedged about with governmental
and patriotic restrictions that have
precluded any criticism of the govern
ment and the present political admin
istration. If we criticised there were
those who were quick to impugn our
motives, and place US under suspicion.
It may have been right in the main
that this condition of affairs existed,
for government at war is different
than government at peace, and any
criticism might reflect greatly at a
time when all the patriotic zeal of
the people was necessary to maintain
the morale of our boysin the trenches
and in the camps. But with peace
these restrictions have been removed
to large extent, and it is right that
they should be, for a government or
people restricted as to criticism in
times of peace is little better than the
autocracy that we have been fight
ing into submission. But as stated,
the time is now ripe for the profess
sional agitator and several instances
have been reported where the red
flag of anarchy has been waved upon
the streets of cities of the United
states. Americanism, therefore, is a
live subject today.
We have among us even here in
Minot, little groups of foreigners who
work together, pass their idle time
together, read the newspapers and
books Of their native land, and talk
the language Of their old home coun-
tries. While enjoying the benefits of
a free country, under republican
form Of government thew still retain