The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1939-02-02


Incidentally it is usually the ex-
plosive in a "dud' shell that hurts
someone in an accident. This is
not the explosive that propelled that
shell. Ii is the charge that should
have detonated when the shell hit
its mark This is also an important
charge, of course, but when il comes
TO hitting the enemy in battle il is
the propelling charge that is vital.
A slight deterioration could make a
difference of half mile. more or
less, in where the she'll landed.
Supply of Explosives Is
.4ilowed 10 Grou Stale
II would easily make the differ
ence between winning or losing an
important naval battle. Present-day
naval strategy gives the victory to
the first feet to land a salvo on the
target. That is the reason the SUI
perior optical instruments of the
Germans in the World war made
their otherwise inferior fleet such
menace-which made the losses of
the British so heavy at Jutland.
Not only has the explosives sup
ply of the United States army and
navy been allowed TO grow stale
and risk its being incalculable for
accurate firing in battle, but actual
ly to this day there is not an ade-
quate factory source for its supply.
Machinery is now in preparation
for such supply, and the fact that
it is makes an extraordinary rev.
citation of the desperate nature of
the picture. About year ago this
machinery was ordered without the
sanction of congress and without
publicity, at cost of $4,000, 000
The orders were made possible by
private individual who guaran-
teed the orders. In short, he would
have been obliged either to take
over the machinery himself or to
lose his money. if congress should
not later legalize the operation.
But the amazing part of the whole
story is that these needs were real
lied in 1888, and that certain army
officers obtained enactment by con-
gress, in the first 81 400 100000 re-
lief bill (Which included NRA) for
the mechanization and motorization
of the army But this effort was
wasted. Not a cent of the huge re-
lief fund vas so spent.
There are those who think there
would have been no Munich if it had
been.
Mod fcafion Of Cuban
Sugar Treaty Raises Str
Maine potatoes seem a far cry
from Cuban sugar, but no more re-
mote than some Of the ramifications
which are combining to make trou-
BILE for the reciprocal trade agree
ment policy of Secretary of State
Cordell Hull. Half a dozen sena-
tors are already clamoring for a
full investigation Of the proposed
modification Of the Cuban treaty,
which would reduce the rate of duty
on Cuban sugar, but not change
the quota Cuba is now permitted to
ship into the United States.
One of the most outspoken critics
of the agreement is Rep. Ralph O..
Brewster of Maine Brewster says
that Of every $4,000, 900 that Cuba
gets or might get from the United
States $40, 100000 goes 10 Wall
Street,
This attack by the sugar produc-
, ing state congressman, and others
, interested in knocking out various
items in the reciprocal trade agree
ments, illustrates also the difficulty
involved in any sane consideration
of loans to Latin America, or for
that matter any foreign loans.
The trouble is when the time
comes to pay, either principal or
interest. A foreign country can pay
debt, or interest on the debt,
only in two ways. 1t can ship
gold, or it can ship goods. We don't
want the gold We have a great
deal more than we want now. We
don't want the goods. or rather
there are various elements in the
country which don't want each par
ticular type of goods, for the simple
reason that this element wants to
produce that type of goods itself,
and enjoy the full advantage of the
. domestic market in the United
, States without foreign competition.
Buy South american Goods
But Don't Lend Them Money
Economists agree that the sane
! thing for the United States to do, In
the present anxiety to do something
: for South America economically, is
, not to lend them any more money
but to take more of their goods. II
we would agree to take enough
products from the South American
countries, they would eagerly buy
the goods We are 50 anxious TO ex
port.
More important, taking THEN
, goods would be a much frmer anc
! surer step toward continued friend
ship and mutual esteem than lend
ing them money. which will inc