Great Falls tribune., 1922-04-15
Republicans Admitting
Next House Democratic
Asserts Senator Walsh
Message to Montana Democrats at Helena Meet
ing Filled With Optimism Regarding Out
come Of Coming Campaign.

to discern that our mills. factories and
| mines are idle or running on very re-
stricted time because the European
! market for our products has collapsed.
There is but limited demand for our
| cotton and wheat because consumers
abroad have no gold and relatively few
goods with which TO pay for such com
raodities. The mines of Butte were
shut down for nppe months. something
heretofore unknown III its history, be-
cause Europe is no longer able to buy
copper except for Indispensable neces-
sites. The Importance of our foreign
trade to industry in Montana cannot be
overestimated in view of the fact that
| normally go per cent Of the copper pro-
dHced in the United States goes abroad
The war laid its devastating hand on
all the countries of the world. Capital
mounting up into the hundreds of bill
lions, available for industrial develop
ment and business expansion, was con-
sumed. The recovery would have been
slow under the most favorable circum
stances. and though there had promptly
been some concerted action among the
nations engaged in the war to stabilize
political conditions in Europe and dis
band the great armies which the pow
ers associated against Germany and
her allies had brought into the field.
Europe in Turmoil
president Wilson. clearly foresee-
ing the disaster which must come upon
our country and the world unless the
sword could be sheathed, bent his ener-
gies and devoted his great talents to
that end. His work was brought to
naught by the malignant but adroit
Vaccinations Of politicians who put
partisan success above the good of
country. We are paying the price.
Europe still 'stews in its own juice
to use the somewhat brutal expression
of Bismarck. and the craftsmanship of
the republican party is not equal to the
task of organizing the association Of
nations, so solemnly promised by
President Harding as substitute for
the League of Nations, upon the ruins
Of which he looked forward to displac-
ing its author. The result is that
France continues to maintain an army
of 100000 men that keeps Europe in
turmoil, maintaining them, as do
number of other European nations, on
the funds that ought to be devoted to
the payment of interest on the loans
made Of u.s. In effect, we are paying
for the keep of huge armies. the main
tenance of which is running Europe and
impoyerishing us. These include 35Q,-
600 men in Italy, 10000 in Poland,
10000 in Belgium. and an equal num-
Der in Czecho- -Slovakia, an army as
great, rich republic of 100000.
Driven Into Conference
Driven to it by an overwhelming
public demand and the persistency of
democratic senators, both in pressing
the matter on their own behalf and in
support Of the well directed efforts Of
Senator Borah. the administration was
forced to call conference to deal with
disarmament and related problems. It
will be we'll to recall that when the
resolution requesting the president to
call the conference first came before
the senate, it was asserted both be-
tore the committee on naval affairs
and on the floor, by Senator's Poindex-
ter and Hale, that having conferred
with the president upon the subject
he was opposed to the passage of the
resolution. But when the conference
assembled the project of dealing with
the European situation. so far as land
ornaments are concerned. was prompt
ly abandoned, if indeed it was ever con
templated.
Il have no disposition to disparage
the work of the conference. Any pro-
gress toward disarmament or the lin
congratulation. But it is the burden
of land armaments. not naval establish
ments, that is breaking the back of the
world The arrangement entered into
may. possibly. reduce our total annual
expenditures for the army and navy
from SSOO,O0O,OOO to 100000, 900 |
annually. comprehensive interna-
uonal arrangement for universal dis
armament such as would have been
under way by this time had the plans |
of Mr. Wilson carried. would enable us !
TO cut our war appropriations in two
saving Of S4O0 100000 :
year, about the cost of the Panama
canal, the greatest engineering feat Of
all time.
Build Canal Every Year
In other words. we ought to save
enough from our expenditures for mill
AIRY purposes to build Panama canal
very year. The sum is so vast as to
fefy the power of the human mind to
it except by instituting com
'arlson. We could. effectfng such a
aving, without additional taxes, spend
hree times as much annually on works
i reclamation as has been appropri-
tied for that purpose since the act
ame INTO existence 20 years ago But
ven that enormous sum would be
rlfllng compared with the profit that
you'd enure to us from pacfied and
lsarmed Europe. the energies of
whose people would be devated to the
estoration and development Of their
and the expansion of their
BUSINESS, giving rise to an increasing
emand for our copper and our cotton,
ur wheat and our beef. Not a thing
as been done or is being done by our
'overnment to this end, because moth
ng can be done except upon the lines
by President Wilson and the
ountry suffers lest he be indicated.
Tn the contrary when even a tyro
q craftsmanship or economics must
ecognize that the salvation Of industry
n this country depends upon securing
markets abroad for our surplus prod
lets, and that Europe can not buy from
IS unless we buy from them, the re-
party is fatnously preparing
Q enact a tariff law to exclude from
ur shores the products Of their toll.
he operation of which must of neces-
ity retard the rehabilitation of indus
rv abroad and depress their caDacitv
o absorb the products of Montana.
MuIled Three Years
1T is. perhaps. not surprising, in
lew of prevailing conditions, that re