The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1919-05-16

pAsoee sIochholderS is not yet agreed
upon: At least $7O0,O00,OOO is de-
manded as first "1oan" by the com
mlttee representing the stockholders
Iney will demand higher freight and
passenger rates if further direct
subsidies are not made. In short
the prospect of private operation is
expensive to the public treasury.
| Senators La Toilette. johnson of
California, Denyon, Norris, Gore and
one or two others in the upper house
VIII resist the scheme, in the hope
That the organized railway workers
may create so strong a public SEN
tlment against the bill as to break
up the bipartisan combination that
is trying to rush it through. But
they do. not think that the public
VIII act IN time. The whole railroad
hight may have to be fought over
again from the start, in another
congress. In that event, however. it
will be fight by organized labor
| and the allies of organized labor to
secure both public ownership and
real democratic management of the
transportation system.
LEAGUE OF NATIONS SURE
League of nations sentiment is
pretty well measured, in every state
In the Union, and the Republican
senators privately acknowledge that
there is not the slightest prospect
OF beating that covenant when it is
offered for ratification. Probably no
other political issue except the
choice CT president of the United
States has led to SO careful a canvass
OF the press and of the sentiment of
the voters, precinct by precinct. The
affirmative majority in almost every
state and city is described as a land
slide.
Reople are reading the text of the
covenant and are finding it very far
from the ideal constitution of a
league of the peoples which they
hoped the president would bring
home from Paris. But with all its
weakness and flaws, it still contains
an implied promise that the bulk of
governmental power on the earth
will henceforth be bound to prevent
wars or the fomenting of warlike
plans. The American people think
that this league of nations viii be
steadily improved as the political
complexion of the chief powers
changes for the better, until in a
few years an almost ideal league will
be developed And in the meantime
this compromise is worth a great
deal.
SOLDIER LAND PLAN
! Secretary of the Interior Lane,
speaking at the reconstruction con-
ference of the National American
Woman Suffrage association here,
said that his plan for giving ready
made farms to returned soldiers was
not meant to cover all of the ESQ.,
100000 acres of unused land that
might be had. He wants only 10O,-
900 acres in every state, or just
enough in the next three years to
keep up with the growing popula-
ton that must be fed. He would not
enter into any competition with the
farmers now at work.
Il would take the hundred thous-
and acres" he said, land in the CEN
ter put a model settlement; group
those farms in small lots, in small
acreages near the central settlement,
with good roads from the farm to
the church and the school, with tele-
phones from the farm to the settle
ment, with a man upon the project
who could guide these boys in the
change of crops that should be had
and the kind of fertilizer that should
be used; and I would have these
farms worked as nearly as may be
along the line of the settlements in
Denmark, comparatively selling their
product and buying what they want
ed.
eff we can get this scheme through
We will revolutionize farming in the
United States. The women will have
back fence to talk over and the
children good schools to go to-"
PATENT OFFICE EVILS
Uncle Sam has money-making
institution known as the patent Of
flee, which is run ON principle
worthy of the most hopeless inmate
of an insane asylum. No matter
how many thousands of dollars are
taken in in fees for the handling of
patent business, the bureau can not
employ one more clerk, pay dollar
in addition salary to an expert pat
ent examiner, nor do any of the 9TH
er things necessary to keep bust
ness institution on its feet. 1t must
go to congress and get an act Of
congress authorizing each change in
the size of the staff or the promo |
ton of valuable men on the pay roll.
With reorganization of the pat
ent office, and an appropriation of an
addition half million dollars-which'
would merely be a repayment of
money paid into the treasury by the
patent Office there could be accom-
plished clearing up of accumulated
work, improvement of the ssytem of
handling applications and as a re-
suit the encouragement of inventive
genius throughout the country. The
patent Office has discouraged many
a man who had a good idea; like the
old pension Office, it let him grow
old >while he waited for action. If |
congress will give the patent Office
a chance, for which it has begged in /
vain for nearly hundred years, the
TTpitod Stotoc NAV hmm ahead in in