The Washington herald., 1914-04-09
What the Country Needs.

b. z. fnbcs In the New Y0rk American.
The country needs less politics and more
work
Less destructive political talk and more
constfuctive Industrial action would help
the nation.
Congress should postpone passage OF
its anti-business bills until business is in
more robust state Of health. No harm,
but much good could come OF such a
course
Most business men have been whIstiing
to keep their courage up. They have been
orally optimistic but pessimistic at heart
Their accounts have not been as rosy as
their published words.
But conditions. given reasonable en-
couragement. could improve wonderfully
Nature Is on our side.
The governments report on winter
wheat, issued yesterday. Is the most in
spring document that has come out of
Washington in many a day. 1t forecasts
a record-breaking crop. Not In a decade
has the condition (95 l-2 per cent? been
so high; the acreage sown makes even
better showing, and the yield is esti-
mated at well above e00,Ooo00o bushels
although, Of course, the actual harvest
viii not reach that unparalleled figure.
owing to a natural depreciation between
INV anu the TtdDlnk season.
Bounteous harvests can Offset lot Of
political bungling.
The politicians selections OF cities to
receive the coveted Federal reserve banks
disclose that narrowness Of vision, that
Misunderstanding OF economics. that per-
sonal prejudice which the people have
come to expect OF high Washington Of
hceholders. But. as We pointed out the
day after the announcement was pub
lished, the work OF Messrs. Williams,
McAdoo. and Houston can be corrected
by the Federal Reserve Board. President
Wilson will not dare elect to that tre-
mendously important tribunal political
sycophants suffering from astigTnatism.
He will unquestionable choose capable
men. And II he does, they will doubt
less deem IL cardinal duty to reap
portion the reserve districts. This will
help TO reassure the financial and COM
mercial world.
Assistance will also come from the
Interstate Commerce Commissions rate
decision-if II does not, then farewell
prosperity for the next few moons. The
only conceivable reason for expediting
the hearings is that the COMMISSIONER
very tardily-have been aroused to the
urgent necessity for helpful action. A
favorable rate ruling will 90 more than
any other single incident TO revive the
financial cOmmunity's dropping hopes, re-
start the wheels OF industry and thin
the appalling ranks of unemployed.
The mere rumor that the commission
rendering a favorable de-
cision was sufficient some six weeks ago
to start boomlet, but it was promptly
quashed by the commissions ill-timed.
senseiess TRADE against the
St Paul and other railroads Steel manu-
equipment and allied companies
received more orders during the brief
period OF hopefulness than they had
booked in months. But all this has been
stopped. The next monthly return of the
Steel Corporations unified tonnage is eN-
pected TO show a serious decrease, not |
that the filling OF orders /,
on hand has been on a very light scale. |
All eyes are on Washington. IL Wash |
ington is in earnest in seeking to reduce |
the army OF unemployed and to start the |
on the road to prosperity, II |
could achieve much by the following:
l. Let Congress announce the postpone
nent Of anti-business legislation.
.. Let the Interstate Commerce Com 1
mission hasten a helpful freight rate rul-
ing
= Let President Wilson name a strong
Federal Reserve Board.
T. And let Congress adjourn at the
earliest possible moment.
Everybody outside of politics is ChsfinE
10 bring about business activity. Most
conditions are right. IL is for Washing
on to pronounce sentence OF still worst
depression or a return of prosperity
Will Washington be as considerate as
Perhaps you and every other citizen
.ouId do something to induce Washing
on TO take the right course. Try 1t.
rhe issues at stake are not light. as any
hungry idle workman can tell you. /,