The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-10-03

49,
first time over much of this great ma
ton of ours? Thinking that Western
News readers might be Interested,
shall try to set down two orNthree last !
ing thoughts that came to me as we
covered the 5000 miles on our recent
auto trip
One thought that kept returning
persistently to my mind was the
marvellous prolificness of this great
nation. We started in the early spring,
drove back into the Middle West and
then into the South. turning north
from Florida along the eastern coast
into Maine, then west through the lake
states and home again Everywhere
we went we found the country beautl
full in its prodigious richness. IN the
North the plowed fields were Just be-
ginning to show green with the new
CROP. as we drove southwark the crops
were farther and farther advanced, the
rich black or chocolate soil giving
promise of a more than abundant
harvest. From the citrus orchards OF
Florida the last of the old crop was
market. Everywhere rich old Mother
Earth was doing her full share to feed
and clothe her children, not in stinted
and misery manner but with Tree
and open hand, with unheard-of gem
crosby.
We were equally impressed from an
other standpoint but in much the same
manner. From one end OF our journey
to the other we saw undreamed-of
development from the standpoint OF
industrial richness. Every city had its
hundreds Of large Industrial plants;
busy trains sped back and forth carry
ing a great commerce; trucks on the
highways bothered us by their num-
bers; great and highly developed
Iharbors teemed with ships from every
corner of the world. factory whistles
blew. wheels hummed, the entire ma
ton was apparently beehive of aetivi-
ty. And all this in period OF de-
preston.
This perplexing thought kept return
ing to me- Here was a country blessed
beyond measure with vast riches in
resources and industrial development
and yet man in his foolishness was
making mess of it all Thousands Of
men, women and little children were
poorly nourished, poorly clothed
fathers and sons without work; young
men and young women discouraged
because of enforced idleness, and al
right in the midst of an undreamed-o
superabundance Why is man so lack
ing in wisdom that he cannot work ou
an industrial system in which every
deserving man, woman and child shall
have the opportunity to acquire anc
enjoy a FULL free and generous life.
Surely we here in America ought tx
be able to solve that perplexinG prob
lem since we are sitting right IN tht
very lap of abundance. Let us hops
that some day-and that right soon :
we will be able to solve that problem.
After we had progressed a consider
able distance on our journey we bega'
to count the large number of uni
versities and colleges we had seen. Tina
left with me another thought, though
that stayed with me throughout TIL
journey. 1t was relative to the hug
ing in education
We took great interest in NOTICING
the magnificent universities, colleges
and high schools. In nearly every cit,
into which we drove there was SOM
outstanding educational institution
State universities we passed by tn
score; colleges were almost too numer
Gus to count; large and costly higl
school buildings greeted us in ever
hamlet and city. The state universitie
and other institutions such as Harvard
Yale and Columbia astounded us b
the very evident immense cost Of thei
plants-large ard pretentious build
ings, lovely grounds, huge stadium.
equipment the very best
What a generous country ours is /
providing for the education of i,
youth | made little search bu
was unable to find in the time | CAV
to it just what is expended annual
in America in education. But TIL
expenditure must run into millions {
dollars. And the money invested i
all these high schools and colleges an
universities, scattered thickly through
out the length and breadth Of the lant
must run into billions of dollars w
are spending millions of dollars to driv
out the darkness of ignorance an
properly to equip our young peopl
for life, and let us hope for 1.-THE MOI
abundant life 1t is most assured
money well spent
And now | speak OF something f
which have not the slightest apolog
but which some rnoderns may class ;
decidedly old-fashioned / was taugl
when lad in school to love and reve,
my country and the heroes who fougl
and struggled TO make it great I ha,
been proud Of the great service
human liberty this, beloved Ameri,
of ours has given to the world, and
have known in my innermost convi,
ton that the lot of mankind has bee
inestimably better because of the e,
ample set before the world by tn
young nation.
confess to growing feeling Of pri,
4 in my country as travelled over
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