The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-02-16
Tells Need
For National
Defense p Ian
Lieutenant in L. S. Officers
Reserve Corps Speaks at
Lions Meeting.
CLUB OUTLINES MANY
ACTIVITIES FOR YEAR

Probably the most important
business transacted by the Lions
club at the meeting Monday night I
was preliminary consideration of a
number of civic projects that might +
be taken up within the next few
months. Suggestions were invited I
and a number were given.
Lion Bill Farris thought it would I
be fine thing If the Lions would
provide caps for the school highway
patrol. A certain type cap is being
used over Montana by the boys of
the patrol Inasmuch as the club
has, in way, sponsored the Libby
patrol, he thought it would be we'll
if they would equip the boys with
caps.
Lion Mourar suggested that the
club sponsor a band for the city.
Vern Bessey also favored band,
saying that there was plenty of tai
ent here and that Wayne Kemper
of the school faculty had said he
would take up direction of the band
later If it was SO desired.
Lion Smithberger suggested that
the Lions take up the task of seeing
that vacant lots along Mineral ave-
nue. are cleaned up. Lions Murray
and Barkee favored continued spon-
soring of the Boy Scouts. Paul
Church advanced the thought that
if the club would expect further
WPA assistance on any project it
would be better to finish what had
now been started He referred to
work that has been done at the
fnff arir
would be possible to put another
WPA crew of about 10 men on that
work a little later in the spring.
After that work is completed, he
said, it might be possible to secure
assistance on another project. Lion
Parker thought the club should be
considering plans for raising adj
ditional funds for financing its prof.
ects.
The different projects were adj
vanced merely as suggestions. They
will be considered more in detail
at later meeting.
Two guests were present---John
?. Burns, an engineer with the for
est service, and Thomas J. Kennedy,
an attorney of Omaha, Neb. Mr..
Burns is lieutenant in the Of
ficers reserve corps of the u. S.
army and spoke most instructlvely
on national defense, this being ma
tional defense week. Mr.. Kennedy
responded briefly when the guests
were given the usual Lions introduc-
ton. He complimented the Lions
highly on their many civic activi-
ties, saying this was his first ex-
: perience with a Lions club. He also
spoke in glowing terms of the Libby
district, remarking that this was
his first trip into this part Of the
country. You really are entitled to
call this Gods country up here in
Libby" he said, land wonder If
you fully appreciate what you have
here. | am enjoying my visit here
greatly"
Speaks ON National Defense
MFR. Burns had been asked tc
speak on the problem of national
defense, and gave the Lions much
information acquired by him from
his training in the reserve corps
Lieutenant Burns said what ths
United States needs is not large
standing army, but rather an ex
ceptionally good small army. Or
the other hand, our defense need
require a large navy, second tt
none. He said the United State
should have navy fully as strong
as that of Great Britain, although
war with Great Britain was highl.
improbable The Panama canal /
of such vital Importance to the de
tense of our two coasts that he sal,
it must be made inpregnable, wit
possibly second canal built acros
the isthmus on the Nicaragua
route An adequate air defense /
airplanes and anti-aircraft guns wa
also of prime Importance, he sale
The speaker advised his nearer
not to become much alarmed owe
the danger of enemy airplane
bombing and destroying our cite
He said the distance from any prof
able enemy base was too great fc
any present enemy airplane to fl
to our shores and return to its bas
But there was a further protection
he stated, in the efficiency an
power of anti-airplane guns In TIL
connection he told of his person;
experience in shooting down ia,
gets while under training at Fo
Sheridan. He described how larl
Sleeve" target is lowed through Il
air by a plane, this target being
high that it looked to the gunne
below to be about the size of
handkerchief. The shooting w
done at night, with the target pick,
up by searchlight. Yet with gree
crew and with defective ammur
ton that had been carried over fro
the World war, the gunners we
able to shoot down the targets wit
in a minute after they had been
Gated by the searchlights. Al
when the trained regulars went j
to action, he said the targets we
shot down almost Immediately.
Lieutenant Burns regretted I
stand of pacifists and cited instang