The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-02-01
w. A. Kohl
HOnored at
Rotary Club
Presented With Gift
At Tuesday Noon
Meeting
HONORARY MEMBER
Attorney Sid Butts, of
Alexandria, Spoke On
National Defense

Supt. w. A. Kohl, who will leave
Sank Centre Friday for Evanston,
ILL.,, to take over his new duties
with book concern, was honored
at Rotary Tuesday noon. He was
presented with a pen and pencil
set as a token of esteem of club
members.
DR.. j. F. Dubois, who made the
presentation, said he hoped Mr..
Kohl would enjoy his new work,
but hoped he would return to the
city in the near future. He COM
plimented Mr.. Kohl on his activity
in Rotary and his work in the local
school system. Mr.. Kohl in thank
ing the members stated that he had
enjoyed Rotary, that they were a
fine bunch of fellows and that he
would miss his Rotary work in
Sank Centre. He took this oppor-
tunity to state that the new school
building had been planned educa-
tionally sound, and that the school
board was headed in the right d.
rection. The routine Of educational
progress, he said, just around the
corner, Is ready to start. The board
Is going forward and has a fine
unit, which will prove its worth as
time progresses.
Carl Fischer, in making the pre-
sentation Of honorary membership
in the local club to Mr.. Kohl, said
that Yves had done more to make
the club famous in International
Rotary than any other member.
Mr.. Kohl is now Sank Centre Ro-
tary's No. honorary member, I'M
til such time as he becomes a mem
Der Of some other club.
l.. L. Kells introduced Sid Butts,
attorney Of Alexandria, as the
speaker Of the day, whose subject
was the question of national de-
tense. His topic was excellently
outlined and showed a great deal
of study. Mr.. Butts stated that we
are faced with the problem that
peace in our time Is not an achiev-
ed fact, nor is it likely to become
SO in the future. History is full of
great wars which marked the
downfall Of some tyrant, and they
will continue. The problem Of ma
tional defense, Is not alone for our
country but for the entire Western
Hemisphere. It is three-fold: LIST,
political; End, economic; Bird, mill
tary; and underlying all is the
militaristic problem. An attack on
our country would be by sea COM
munication, and therefore our ques-
ton of national defense resolves
itself in naval defense. He out
lined the policy that served Great
Britain for several generations. a
large navy, larger than any other,
which enabled that country to
maintain an army just large
enough to care for England and
its colonies. The coming of the
aeroplane, he said, has injured
England's policy, but aeroplanes or
bombing planes would have little
effect as they are not able to travel
across either Of the large oceans
with full load. America has the
same advantages that England had,
and he said our question Of nation
al defense would be a large navy.
Mr.. Butts reviewed proposed
laws, which have been prepared
for presentation to Congress in
case Of war, which contains indus
trial mobilization, selective service,
manufacture and sale Of articles
and the licensing Of all business.
This bill, If passed, would make the
president Of the United States a
virtual dictator. This, he said,
would indicate that our people are
not patriotic, and he thought 1t
not necessary to coerce people or
industry. If we do not become en-
broiled in another foreign war that
plan would not be necessary, he
thought.
In resume he stated that we
should have an adequate navy, with
a federal army Of 100000 and a
National Guard Of 100000. In that
case any other country would need
twice as large a navy as we have
to attack either coast and no coun-
CONTINUED on Page 8. Col. %