Evening journal., 1911-08-29


il gress, there will be- another investigation
into industrial conditions
In measure the Lttleton scheme confirms the
position assumed by President Taft in his mes
sages vetoing the patchwork tariff bills passed by
the lnsurgent Republican Democratic coalition.
The President contended that further tinkering
with the tariff should be halted until the inyesti-
cation by the tariff board is completed.
The Lttleton bill has in mind full and wide
range Of study of industrial conditions with refer
ence 10 their Improvement. The Littleton COM
mission would be composed of men named by the
House the Senate and the President
The underlying idea is that we should take pains
to ascertain facts relating TO industry as is done
in Germany. Germany has made a tremendous
advance in commerce and industry. She has had
non-partisan commissions at work for years study
ing industrial conditions, the cost of production
in manufacturing, the condition of labor, the ex7
pense of marketing, methods of working and so
on. Germany has her industrial schools preparing
workers, training them TO be efficient.
The mere fact that there is a considerable senti-
ment for such commission as the Littleton bill
contemplates, shows the unrest in industrial and
business Circles Manufacturers would like a COM
mission which could accomplish something def
mite and so would the people but few of ms are
beginning to become skeptica about the real
value of Investigating commissions We recall the
Lodge Committee in the Senate which iuvesti-
gated the high cost of living and told MS all about
it, but no remedy suggested if in fact remedy
was suggested has ever done anything to bring
down the high cost Of living.
The Litteton Commission suggests that oondi-
tons of industry are so puzzling that an ordinary
Congressman is at sea when he attempts to egis-
late on important industrial matters. The Lit
teton Commission, if appointed, would in truth
be a confession OF that fact SO far as legislation
for real relief Of industrial conditions is concern
cd, the men at Washington seem TO be at sea Their
remedies all of a political nature, using bust
hess football with the consequence that we
have depressed industrial conditions without sufi-
cient or plausible reasons for their existence
Really the United States ought not to be forced
TO look to Germany or TO any other country for
the solution of our economic problems. The
United States by nature is the most favored
country. We have vast resources, a comparatively
speaking small population untold wealth, great
crops, and yet in the face Of these advantages un-
cqualled by any other country, business and in
dustry have Jagged for some years, since the pros
porous and extravagant era.
The statesmen are not able to give a solution
and because of their incompetency VIC grope along
in the dark, hoping that some commission is going
TO find the true path
One answer as to the cause of the trouble is
given, and quite confidently by persons who con-
tend that industry is marking time because of fear
of hostile legislation and because the government
has interfered with industry. These persons OBJ
ject TO trust legislation, TO Interstate Commerce
Commissions and the like and they would have
the captains of industry free-footed and fleet
footed in their race of self Acknowledgements.
According 10 this view the only way in which
we can have prosperous business is TO follow, re
CARELESS Of consequences the path which is strewr
with injustice. Let rebates spoliation Of consum
crs determinations, frauds in foods and the lik'
continue, let Big Business do as it pleases, ant
everything will be all right they say
An industrial system reared upon such a foun
dation is house built upon sand which the storm
will wash away. Permitting Big Business in th
past to do as it pleased is the most potent caus
of the depression of industry that we hear so mucl
of today.