Mountain Home Republican. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1915-1946, 1923-05-26
MENACE OF THE SWISS NAVY
BY Guy Flenner

with serious delay, if not abandon
ment, and all other reclamation ac-
tivity in this state was similarly
menaced-by the Swiss navy!
There is no Swiss navy, you know,
and there was not so much basis
as claimed. for statements thai
menaced irrigated Idaho's advance
ment, and what there was might bet
ter have been courageously left I'M
fired.
The Swiss navy, in this case, was
representations giving an exagger-
ated idea of the conditions in this
state.
Some of these resolutions, and de-
clarations in other forms, sounded
like a famine in Russia. They told
of the terrible conditions so bad
that no one could pay the govern
ment what he owed under reclama-
tion contracts.
These statements went to congress,
to officials in Washington, and worst
of all, over the entire United States
telling the nation that Idaho was
impoverished and ifeless.
The enemies of reclamation-those
who oppose spending any govern
ment money excepting on eastern
and souther harbors, rivers and
ereeks-were delighted to have the
West furnish this evidence for their
campaign against the west. And
what does anyone imagine investors
and prospective homseekers thought
about that testimony?
True, conditions had not been the
best here; but we participated in a
nationwide depression. Why should
not our balloon come down after the
war? The other fellows did. We
did pretty well during the war. Why
not take our own medicine if we
fooled the gate receipts away?
People who owe Uncle Sam for
advanced ought to expect to
pay it the same as any other debt.
They should not all expect blanket
and Understandable extension of re-
lief because some really need and
should have it. And above all, they
should not spread alarm to the detri-
nent of their state.
We have got to forget this Swiss
navy stuff and, in the knowledge
hat we have one of the most prom
sing states in the northwest, get in
md drill.
Perhaps it may not be cause for
that hard working, in
lustrious, thrifty. but temporarily
depressed and discouraged people
re too often unnecessarily alarmed
when men who are often posed as
eaders of thought are continually
citing up scarecrows!
1t is regrettable that there is
lass of politicians everlastingly or
ting and writing about the Swiss /
avy.
Why do not these men rise to con-
5ructnve building standards? Why n
o they apparently lay awake nights
evising bugaboos with which to .
tighten the farmer, the laborer and r
ne merchant, attempting to force II
lemselves into the position of de- II
Verers?
The ammunition of these gunners p
the Swiss navy is abundant, if n
,uttery; they shoot with ceaseless q
lergy. Everything is going to the .,
ernal bowwows unless, forsooth, ri
ley shall be put on a pedestal and y
Ito office and kept there. Taxes, =
eight rates, religion, schools, high .
avs, bobed hair earrings, jazz mu-
C, ct cetera and then some the en- :,
Dyed to invite attention to them -
Ives and to scare the public into n
series of fits so the public may hail q,
lem as the only doctors. n
Also it seems necessary to keep :,
lie people stirred up over politics
, months each year, to the disad- |
lntage of their employment and
lsiness ~ for it is always easier
put over fallaeies when the audi
zee is discontinued.
Things too high? Some things
rong? Certainly; but such men do
tie if anything to produce a rem
y. They are long on salves and
ort on solutions. What they do is
embroil folks at home until the
tier are hardly capable of calm
dgment, and antagonize outside
encies that could be helpers in our
velopment through friendly criti-
Im instead of possible opponents
cause of bitter and meaningless
tack.
No wonder we common folks some
mes get scared without reason r
len these men vociferate that the
Mss navy will get us if we don't
Itch out.