Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1937-04-08
GETTING DOWN TO
BIRTHDAY

ANOTHER BIRTHDAY
lust twenty years ago today the
United States embarked on its laud-
able mission of making the World
Safe for Democracy President Will
son, who coined the immortal
phrase that was to be the battle
CRY of freedom has long since
passed on, as have also many other
national figures whose memory,
were they living today. would be
scared by the irony of the incom-
parable sacrifice for a seemingly lost
IL Instead of democratic forms
of government in nations which
formed the backgrounds where
countless thousands gave their lives,
Europe seems more and more turn
ing to relationships. What with Hit
Ter and his Nazi power Of sole i'm
perialism in Germany, Mussolini
ruling his fascists with an ever-in-
creasing iron hand in Italy, Rus
sia's ideal" experiment brought I'M
der the one-man control of Stain,
and other smaller units gnashing
under the leash of ruthless dictators
it is not hard to understand the diff
feulty in arousing enthusiasm in
any immediate or proposed prepara-
ton for armed conflict.
That small group of senators who
dared oppose the resolution declar-
ding war had a celebration" the
other day. OF course several of them
were among the missing. But with
all the ominous signs on the hori-
zon, there was real cause for ere
joicing." Not surprising was the
statement of the groups chief
spokesman, when asked how he felt
about his action in the Senate TWEEN
ty years ago, and he replied, lone
of the proudest moments of my life
was when / voted against the Unit
ed States entering the world war
More difficult indeed would it be to-
day to ecu a vote of approval by
a majority of the Senate in support
of any such declaration. Our policy,
tested on the proving ground of the
World war, will more than likely
remain one of KEEPING the United
States safe for democracy"
There's magic in iron these
days. Scrap iron by the hundreds of
tons Is moving into central shipping
points. and there being reloaded and
consigned to big steel mills In the
east. Dozens of truck loads move
from eastern Montana into Williston
every day, taken there largely be-
cause of discriminatory shipping
rates again4t liontana points. Where
one or two vacant lots formerly pro.
vided ample storage facilities for al
the old iron that would be brought
to the city in several years, now va
cant property scattered all ove the
town is being filled with scrap heaps
of old steam engines, tractors anC
machinery of every description
There's more than one story behind
it all.
Contrary to the general belle.
that all the old iron is going to for
eign shores to be made into gun!
and ammunition, this is only on,
contributory factor. True. increas,
in production of steel Is enhanced
by warri g nations and preparation
for war in Europe, but improvement
in general conditions at home haI
added equally to the demand 70.
iron and steel which can be remelte(
and made into modern machinery
Another interesting angle to thu
magic in iron" is told in storiei
related by farmers who suddenl,
find their tractors or other valuabl,
pieces of machinery missing. ON
farmer who spends his winters il
California told the other day that
upon his return to begin operation
on his thousand-acre farm, not on
piece of machinery he had left out
side through the winter was to b,
found. Many others have complained
of losses that have in some case
caused warnings to be issued will
threats of apprehension.
But more enhancing than all be
hind the gathering, transporting ant
marketing of the old iron Is tina
same dominating spirit that has mo
tivated the life of our peopl,
throughout the depression era-th'
desire to earn a few dollars Of thei
own right. No n who gathers scral
iron and hauls 1t to intermediate
markets is going to make a fortune
Rest assured of that. Let's see
they tell me from three to five ton
is the average weight in the hund
reds of truckloads moved out daily
he gets S6 a tom. Tha
would bring from $40 to $25 for tn
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