Vagabond Editorials

(Continued from Page 6) of plodders. Every now and then a man is born who isn't afraid to defy precedent-and then things start to happen. Boldly he tears down what has always looked like a stone wall, finds it was only a tissue of falsehood and unrealityand the world goes forward. ff it were not for such men the world would still be flat, the skies would be filled with jealous and warring gods, the earth would be overrun with devils and superstition, and mankind would still be mental. physical, and spiritual slaves. Thank God for men who refuse to mind ! d< t( t<

Government figures show that we manufactured ten billion feet less lumber in this country in 1930 than we did in 1929; and the figures for 1931 will show a steep reduction from those of 1930. As these lines are written the greatest curtailment in the history of the lumber industry is in effect. Few, if any, sawmills in America have normal production. Those that run do so because they can't help themselves-for any one or more of a dozen good reasons. No one is running because there is profit in lt.

A few mills run 0""",r]" t t"a"** charges, etc., force them to do so. But most of the mills run because they have men and their families dependent upon them for a living. Leave out this vital reason, and almost no lumber would be manufactured in the country today.

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Business and finance, like rabbits. run in circles. The banks started some time since to get their assets into liquid form. So a lot of people, following the example of their bankers, did likewise. They drew out their cash from the banks, rented a safe deposit box under the same roof. and locked it up. Both hurt.

So it is nationally. *;n, "r* the Government income is far less than its expense. fncome taxes dropped fearfully from 1929 to 1930. But from 1930 to 1931 the drop will be precipitous. So the cry comes-"Raise the taxes of the rich". They are likely to do it. Will that help? Not likely. The old circle again. Impose exorbitant taxes and every mother's son who might be expected to expand his business next year, build a house, or employ some extra help-pulls in his horns and keeps his money locked up. And only by putting our money and our people to work can we ever hope to become prosperous again. >k ft's the old story of the egg and the chicken again. Or the story that is famous in the White Mountains about the visitor who asked a native-"\Mhen will it be warmer around here?" The native pointed to the snow on the White Mountains and answersd-"Whsn the snow melts on the mountains." "And when will the snow melt on the mountains?" asked the visitor. And, of course, the answer was-"When it gets warmer around here."

A cARGo oF THR; Lrrrro* FEET oF RUsSIAN LUMBER HAS JUST BEEN PERMITTED TO ENTER THIS COUNTRY over the protest of the lumbermen and every obstruction they could bring to bear. That is the most shameful news item that the press of the nation has published since the depression started.

The lumber industry of the United States with the millions of workers dependent upon it for their daily breadlies prostrate. The prices their product brings, are starvation prices. The only reason they ruh at all is to keep their employes alive. Misery and want stalk the footsteps of the followers of the industry.

And over in Red nurril,*, *"n" lumber out of stolen timber, manufacture it under labor conditions that would kill the soul of a decent American, bring it to our shores and hurl it like a Comrnunist bomb into the ranks of a suffering people-without restraint. ***

Shame on us that such a thing should be ! I have readand half believed-that God raises up great men to meet great emergencies. Where are they now? The emergency is here ! And if ever this nation cried aloud for men with brains, backbone, and bowels, that time is NOW ! Where are they? And only the echo answers "Where?"

Truly these times .r,a ti" ;";". in which they are met, bring yearningly to mind the words of the poet, when he said:

"God give us men ! A time like this demands

Strong minds, great hearts, true faith, and steady hands."

Yes, Mr. Poet. We need them all, right now. But most of all we need that sort of courage and decision that will kick over the technicalities and absurdities through which portholes this Russian menace is allowed to enter this country, and simply say to the destroyer as the French said at Verdun-"They shall not pass !"