OCR Text |
Show Intermountain News -- Briefly Told for Busy Readers ISIT SCENIC ITAIl PURPLE HEART AWARD. II YY CROP VERY FINE. NEW MARKET FOlNI). STIDENT WORK NEEDED TO By GENERAL JOHN Article J. PERSHING I'ROYO, II ULLFD into complacency by cit;.i oi:r pnar.ty, Uj pas- sively accepted this poisonous growth with small concern. Now that our complacency is gui.e, we begun to study this foul phenomenon more careful!. We see it eating more and more deeply into our national Lie, infecting politics, extorting tribute from lmme-s- , tlreatening our I am very homes. Front my own tu ly as an individual, convinced that prohibition has largely Imanced this new postwar underworld of ours. Vast profits have drawn and. once outmultitudes into the bootlegging hesitate do to turn to not of side the pale the law, they a criminal of Thus other forms and crime. army has racketeering elf. been built up which defies the very go eminent I do not question the sincerity of the prohibitionists, nor their nobility of purpose. Yet the inability to enforce the Lav in this respect has resulted in such tragic consequences that believe the time has come to face this question squaiely and to work together toward some other solution which takes more account of the inevitable traits of human nature. Fmt neither the repeal nor the modii'cati m of the prohibition laws will altogether abolish crime. 'I he estimated one million or more men, accustomed to the easy money oi the mo' leg and speakeasy business and with an utter contempt for law, c. m t be thus citizens overnight. converted into virtuous, Many will turn to other forms of illegitimate . activity. Corrupt officials, de- r.ird or disregard, ng regulation conprived of bootleg tribute, will cerning it should be heavy realize that the Inei tn cnieiive of seek new sources of graft. Our frontier ancestors, when the card Identification s.vMoin would e. But It would be conthe criminal element got out of be biirdenson burdensome than the lrs siderably control, formed themselves into breakdown of our svstetn tor apprevigilance committees, rounded hending er.i'iln.tis The curds would , but they would be a up criminals, and strung them up not be a No honest man could obhelp. grout on the nearest tree. Every to a plan which would materially man, w hen he reads of the ject aid In rounding up criminals. criminal activities of our modern Just as the depression has finally racketeers and of their apparent opened otir eyes to the magnitude of our crime problem, so has It brought immunity from capture and prosecution, feels a natural impulse to home to us the very extravagant activities of unwise politicians during go out and organize a vigilance our prosperity orgy. While the citicommittee. Hut action can be takzens have neglected their public duen, under the law, only through ties, the politicians have quietly hut the constituted authorities. Any enormously Increased the cost of govother course would lead to abuses ernment. locally nod nationally. of the national greater than those it might cor- in 1913 were approximatelygovernment, rect. of Interest payments bu-ir.e- -,. -- 1 11 law-abidin- g I run-all- red-blood- ed against the Individual than otherwise. Why should we not form neighborhood and community committees, so that the gang will find Itself confronted with an organized body of men larger and stronger than Itself? The more Important his position In the community, the greater the obligation of the citizen to Join the committee. htvttt JY should we not form neighborhood and community committees, so that the gang will find itself confronted with an organized hodv of men . . . Suppose a neighbor of larger and stronger than a merchant is visited hy or a yours gets kidnaping threat, a gangster who tries to extort tribute from him, or a section of the town experiences a series of holdups. If the individual citizen goes to the police station or city hall and fails to get satisfaction, he is powerless. But if the neighborhood committee stands ready, at the very first threat of gangster activity within its borders, to take common action against the invasion, the picture changes. . . . Representing the militant citizenship of this community, it could demand positive action hy the police and hy the city authorities. Committees of this kind would he vigilance committees, not in the old sense, hut in the sense that they would he ever vigilant in the protection of rights and the performance of civic duties. I would consider it an honor to serve on such a committee myself!" Can Force Action. Such committees, made up of citizens, who regard citizenship as a paramount obligation, could force action. Suppose a neighbor of yours gets a kidnaping threat, or a merchant Is visited by a gangster who tries to extort tribute from him, or a section of the town experiences a series of holdups. If the Individual citizen goes to the police station or City hall and falls to get satisfaction possibly because of an alliance between officials and the underworld he la powerless. But If the neighborhood committee stands ready, at the very first thrent f gangster activity within Its borders, to tnke common action against the Invasion, the picture changes. The threatened man Immediately summons sll his trusted friends, who advise with the neighborhood committee. Representing the militant citizenship of Its community. It could demand positive action by the police and hy the city suthorltles. Committees of this kind would he vigilance committees, not In the old sense, but In the sense that they would be ever vigilant In the protection of rights and the performance of civic duties. I would consider It nn honor to serve on such a committee myself. These committees would serve many other purposes beyond the suppression of racketeering. They would present a united front against the grafting of officials. They could hold weekly or monthly meetings to discuss the problems of government. Such meetings would serve to bring out and develop, as no institution we now possess does, new leaders, especially among the yotmg citizens. In every community. One great aid to crime In America Is the veil of anonymity which covers the Individual. In any army, every man Is accounted for. Ills name, rank, regiment, and whereabouts are known. If he Is wanted, we know where to In America we have find him. no Identification. Men can move from city to city, changing their names ns they would their coats. They can register as they please at any hotel, with no questions asked. It Is a pleasant, custom, but It puts an ineasy-goinIn the way of the barrier superable police In the detection of crime. The time has come when we must abandon the right to anonymity, as enlightened European countries have done. Every resident of our country should have an Identification card, a small passport with photograph attached. Change of permanent residence should be reported to the police. The card should he shown. If necessary, upon registration at any hotel, or on any other occasion when demanded by the police. The penalties for forging a g exclusively on the public debt. In 1931 they had Increased to approximately $2,ixi,(Hti.-000- , exclusive of Interest pa.vtnen's on the public debt and expenses ine'd"ttt to the World war. The cost of adof local govcrinnet fs ministration throughout the country Increased from in im.i to $7,UKioon,(Hio The budget of one of our in 1929. cities. New York, for 1932, Is greater than the expenditures of the entire national government for 1IHK1. Some of these Increases, unquestionably, have been necessary for expansion and for coping with the more complex problems of today. But an alarming portion of them have been with an eye to Jobs for the politicians' friends. I'nnecessary offices, hoards, commissions, have been profligately multiplied. And now. when our national revenues shrink, there Is little done toward applying the logical remedy of reducing expenses. Instead, legislators resort to the vicious policy of Increasing taxes.whoth direct and Indirect. Thus the citizen finds himself burdened with the staggering load. But can he, with clear conscience, He cannot. lie elected complain? these legislators, he saw them die up lavish appropriations, und he elected them again. During the boom days the citizen was too busy In speculation himself to worry about the national debt or the local debt. So with municipal n(Tnlrs. During the citizens cheerfully prosperity looked on while, the politicians multiplied unnecessary offices, gave extravagant contracts trf their friends for public Improvements, passed laws favoring special Interests, and loaded the public with Invisible taxes In the form of graft. Now many of our great cities are threatened with Insolvency. Their depreciating securities Imperil the solvency of hanks where the citizen has his money. The citizen again discovers that he Is the victim. But Is he not the victim of his own neglect of the plainest duties of citizenship? In the situation that now confronts hhn, the citizen Is groping. What can he do now? What practical action can he take? He is told to go to the polls and east his vote, which Is an old story to him. but by Itself It will not remedy the situation, for too often the candidates of each party are Incompetent or corrupt. There Is a great deal more to political duty than going to the polls to vote. A body of uninformed citizens flocking to the polls, prompted only by good Intentions. Is about ns effective as an army made tip of untrained men marching to battle. ear after year, tinder universal suffrage, therp has grown a wider divergence between theory and practice In our political economy. To perform his clxic duties elToc tivel.v It is no longer enough for the citizen to understand the theory of politics. He must study Its practice. That means time, trouble, and hard work. He must study the political forces at work In his own neighborhood, his own ward, his own district. He must go to political meetings, associate with loIIt!e!nns. And out who are the political lenders behind the scenes, drop in More than 100 e $7IM'0K),-Ok)- Tlie ability of the underworld to terrorize society lies In the fact that It Is thoroughly organized, while society is not. At present It Is more the gang CT. county officials from 29 counties of the state are expected to participate in the first outing of the Mali State Association of County Officials, to be bold in the near future at Utahs scenic parks Bryce and Zion canyons, according to Ammon Tuttle, Utah county auditor and president of the organization. LOGAN, UT. George D. Preston, local attorney and captain of Battery C, Hath field artillery, Utah national guard, has recently had conferred on him the Order of the Purple Ilea rt of one oak leaf cluster. The honor was bestowed on Captain Preston for wounds received in action July 18, 1918, and October 8, 1918, at Soisson and Champagne. POtATEI L.O, IDA. Ilay and grain crops in Bannock county this season arc sufficient practically to eliminate the wed of government feed loans next spring, C. W. Daigh, county agent rc;Mrts. WENDELL, IDA. A new and promising market lias boon found for all the output of the West Point Cheese factory west of hero. The fufory recently shipped one carload ff American cheese to Portland at 10.5 cents a pound, and has an agreement for further shipments at the top prevailing price. I DA. Preparation POCATELLO, Is being made at the University of Idaho, southern branch, for a record enrollment at the coming fall term, according to Dean J. R. Dyer. To date, more than 975 prospective new students have sent Inquiries to the college. The greatest problem facing college officials. Dyer said, was In employment for finding part-timstudents. PRESTON, IDA. Decrease In assessed value of Franklin county property was estimated at $150,972 under 1931 by F. A. Faekrell, deputy assessor. Assessment on real and personal property for 1932 totaled $4,035,805 compared with $4,017-12- 8 in 1031. POCATELLO, IDA. A statewide police net has been sxiread for the capture of thieves who entered the Rt. Anthony Catholic church and escaped with sacred ordinances and vessels from the altar. OGDEN, UT. A protest against the removal of V. E. Carlston and Victor McCord as state prohibition officers in Ogden lias been forwarded to Governor George II. I' rn by We are the Ogden W. C. T. U. fully cominted that this city needs, not fewer enforcement officers, but more officers, the unions letter to Governor Dern stated. LOGAN, UT. Bonds of tbe municipal electric light plant amounting to $10,000, due September 11, r will lie refunded under a serial bond issue, the Logan city commission decided recently. The $10,000 In bonds will be issued Immediately, while another $40,000 in water-work- s bonds, due January 1, 1933, will be refunded between now and ttie first of the year. COEUU DALENE, IDA. A t) fire of unknown origin completely destroyed the Brautigan boat works at Sanders beach, Coeur dAlene, recently. LEWISTON, IDA. Wheat farmers in the famous Palouse country around Pullman, Colfax and Gen- ese have handed together to hold their 5.000,000 bushels of wheat for CO days unless a profit can be made. They hope to get 75 cents a bushel, MOUNTAIN IIOME, IDA. Serious spread of white top, a particularly noxious plant, has prompted Elmore county commissioners to ask a quarantine at their next meeting. So serious is the spread of the plant that some farms have been abanten-yea- at the political clubs, look Into the records and alliances of candidates for office. Even this Is not enough, unless there Is some organization of non political citizens to work with unite) force. Here again the neighborhood committees which I suggested earlier would have their uses. Such committees could compel the respect ot the political lender and hold him to an accounting. They could hold meetings and ask candidates to appear before them, address them, and submit to Moreover, questioning. they could and should keep track of the political and financial administration of local and national affairs. It might be Inferred from what I say here that I think there are no good men In politics. On the contrary. we all know many fine men, honest men, able men in politics But there are not enough of them. One of our problems Is to attract men of higher caliber Into public life Certainly the profession oT government is ns Important as any calling In onr nation. Yet it Is not even taught tn our schools and colleges. We teach political science, yes. but that Is n tar cry from practical politics. There Is no alternative for the aspiring point clans but to learn their high art and profession nt the knee of the district leader or ward captain too often with undesirable results Corporations for the conduct ot business, education, and charity have multiplied In number and Importance In recent years. Service in hundreds of corporations Is affording a new for thousands in managing and directing people, and this In turn should he of the highest value toward supporting progress and durability In But business governmental affairs nien too often forget that the govern ment Is the most Important corpora tlon of all. They passively permit men to occupy public others to whom they would deny Jobs In their own com panics. They fall to apply, on elec tion day, the elementary rules they have learned tn their business. No Time for Shirking. Business men say that poilMcs So Is service In the unpleasant." trenches unpleasant, but our cIMzcns do not shirk It when duty rails. Curelessness, neglect, and Ignorance In the conduct of the affairs of government have exactly the same results as they would have in any army facing the enemy on the field of battle. The obligations of ttie individual citizen ns a part of this government are quite as binding as these of eaeli soldier composing an army. Thorough tmiirng and a high sense of ditty are as im portant in one oae as in the other The preparation of an army for serv Ice with any hope of success demands something more than writing out the details of organization and the ssu ance of orders. It requires the train ing of each individual of the army In the particular part lie is to play at the front. It is the same In the successful conduct of the government. Each citizen must he trained in his duties and he Inspired hy a high sense of obligation in carrying them out. Constitutions and laws do not of themselves guarantee either the efii clency or the permanence of govern ment. In a government by the people the responsibility of the Individual must be conscientiously fulfilled, or failure will he the result. Make no mistake about it: Our nn tion Is confronted hv a crisis as seri ous as tbe crisis of the war We are at war against depression and crime. And. just as to that earlier crisis, we come unprepared. Our unnrepared ness in the war cost us untold billions In money and the lives of some of our finest men. Our nnprcpnredncss for this battle of peace lias also cost us dear. But In tbe war. once we were aroused, we made effort which aston Islied the world. Just so today the American citizen, once he is aroused to the dangers that menace his coun try, will, I devoutly hope and believe, gloriously redeem his indifference of the past. .19-- 2 Moll S3 niilcat. WN"C YOUR DRUCCIST F08 A PEX WAVE INTER MOUNTAIN PROKT AN Most small boys like to play b dirt. It is a sign that hey ir, normal, and doesn t necessarily mean that they will spend thei adult lives in politics. Dubtl THIS WEEKS PRIZE STORY Chilly weather will soon be here. Heres the retlpe for winter cheer: Stock shelve high with interneiauia Jam, Pack the cellar with Intenooutifc ham; ncath blankets of Internoautaii wool. Bleep Bend the children to an lntenmmaUi school ; Fill your coal bin from mines of the west. For after all are best! Intermcontain' thing MRS. ALEX 0. C0LEMAX, Rexbui?, IdtW STUDY AT HOME University Instruction by Mail Enroll Anytime, Profitable, Interesting Minimum Cost Write for Home Study Bulletin m EXTENSION DIVISION UNIVERSITY OF UTAH Salt Lake City, Utah The fingerprinting of children will have one good result. It enable exasperated mothers to trace the real culprit in the jam Boston Evening Tracloset. d nscript. Examination of the ha rays present in full moonlight proved that the surface atmospheroIf of the moon is without oxygen. the man in the rocket is on his way ultra-viol- -go- od-night. $30,-OO- GASOLINE Packed With Pown wM The book of Lamentations for profession i book composed noumers to use in leading oxer ta vailing of the faithful msalpni. doned. ' Svrvtc. French Penal Code Prance does mu send all persons who commit crimes to the French penal colony on the Isle de Saint, off the coast of French Guiana. The type of prisoners sent is that, generally speaking, of the undesirable habitual criminal whom the French government does not want to return to France. In sentencing the crimimil to the col onios the type of criminal rather than the type of crime committed is stressed, such ns undesirable political prisoners, as well as vicious habitual criminals. ASK OGDEN, UT. S o m e generous thieves called at the DeVries farm recently. Mr. DeVries and several of his sons saw two men digging point in's in tl.eir fied and proceeded to cover the pair with a sliolgun. One (if the thieves wrested the gun from the farmer, and the two raced across the field, leaving their coupe, and two sacks of potatoes. ARCO, IDA. Plans are being made for the completion of the Idaho Central highway from Carey to j COLLEGE RICHFIELD, UT. A delegation of over thirty people from the various communities of the county have apealed to the Sevier district school hoard in nn attempt to secure nn earlier opening of schools in this district than Oct. 17. the date set hy the hoard nt their last meeting. SALT LAKE CITY, UT. The state road commission is calling for bids on $99,000 worth of road work, including various state road Improvements to he let in September. OGDEN, UT. Reports of the industries in the Rocky Mountain region show that business In this district has suffered less from depression this season, than many other localities in the western part of the United States. Yellowstone. Utah nforroation. WP1 3 years mfde'rn need ;nt facuRYj A ,rk and States The states of $ |