Grand Forks herald., 1922-05-17
ACCEPTING ACCOMPLISHED FACTS.

There are people-qute lot of theni-who, IN
discussing the adjustment OF conditions resultins
from the world war, insist going back to the MS
toric facts and maintain that there ought not to
have been anv war The war was wrong, therefore
all the conditions resulting from it arc wrong and
Iany adjustment made will necessarily be
wrong 1t is as if one charged with the duty OF pre-
pairing a calendar should quarrel with the power
that caused the globe to turn little more OF less
than an exact number of times on its axis III max
inp a complete revolution around the sun. 1t is
easy to see that if the two movements had been
made to coincide exactly, they might have been,
lust as we'll as not, infinite lot OF trouble could
have been saved the almanackers.
The world revoves as it does and the makers
Of calendars must adjust themselves to that fact.
The war came upon the world, and It lett certain
conditions Those facts cannot be changed 1t is
for us to deal with the conditions which exist
Arguing that they ought not to have existed gets
nobody anywhere.
operating terminal elevator and big Touring mill.
1t is not vet actually handling grain, except in the
,yerv minor planfNat Drake. But it has in process
of construction at Grand Forks plant which repre-
sents cash investment as it stands OF something
like two million dollars, and actual value, after
all deductions have been made for shrinkage from
various causes. of something approaching that sum
Over two hundred are now at work on the
plant and the number is being increased as rapidly
as additional men can be employed to advantage
Contracts have been made tor machinery, ana ar
rangements have been made for pushing the work of
construction as fast as is physically possible. lhe
state is as defntelp committed to the operation OF
that plant as it is to its construction.
II NAV be that the state would lrave done better
to keep out Of this business. Many OF us have
thought so and said so on sundry occasions. The
fact is that it did noA keep out. 1t went in. 1t is
in now, 1t is going TO remain in tor some years
Tire movements of the earth have been very incon-
veniently timed. There ought not to-have been
war Perhaps there ought not to have been state
elevator. But all three things accomplished
facts, all alike Interchangeable. Will it not be just
well to accept the facts and adjust ourselves to
them?
1t may be objected that all that is necessary to-
get the state out Of this particular department of
public ownership is to elect set of state officials
pledged to return to first principles, stop construc
ton work and dynamite sell or abandon what has
been done. Very simple. And all that is necessary
to provide for the making OF perfectly elegant cal
endar is to slow down the spinning of the earth by
fraction Of per cent The one is about as
probable as the other
No party or faction known to be in favor of
abandoning the elevator project would last through
more than the first hour of campaign. An admin
istraton that would undertake to put such policy
into effect would be recalled with startling sudden
ness and emphatic uaannlity.
That mill and elevator plant is going to be com
pleted and operated by the state under somebody's
direction. Whether the project is necessary or ur1-
necessary, wise unwisc is beside the question
The JOB IS going to be done. The-present business
IS to sec that is well done thoroughly and in good
faith, and as efficiently and economically as possi-
bic