Evening star., 1915-02-14
Writes of Industrial America.

At the outbreak of the European war
"a clever American financial publicist.
Herbert n. Casson, was living IN Lon
don. He is close observer of current
events and makes some striking oo-
servations in the course of letter to
his old friend. E. St Elmo Lewis of the
Art Metal Construction Company. This
letter is such a short and pithy COM
mentary on business conditions of the
United States that it is well worth
quoting. Here it is.
las i have been residing in London
since the beginning of the war. 1 have
been asking the question asked on all
sides l have never heard any salts
factory answer. No one seems to know.
why are the American factories not
running night and day? Why are the
railroads not opening up new terri
lions of immigrants who have already
made up their minds to leave Europe
as soon as the war is over?
why are there not fifty American
drummers in London right now trying
to sell s200.000.000 worth of American
goods in place of the goods that were
bought last year from Germany and
Austria?
= why have advertisers become quit
kers. just at the time when their ad-
Refreshments were most needed and
most effective in cheering on the busi-
hess forces of the United States?
From the European point of view,
khe United States is a haven of peace
Ind security and prosperity. 1t has no
troubles that it dares to mention to
Belgium or Austria or France or Ger
many or Serbia or Great Britain or
Russia.
every tenth Briton has enlisted.
Every tenth Frenchman is at the front
Every tenth Belgian is dead. What
hoes the United States know about
trouble?
IT l could afford it. would charter
l. cit TO
vey a party of 5000 American advertis-
ers to Europe for a trip of education.
would give them a week In London,
week in Paris and week in Ant
werp-
IT would let them look at the United
States from the scene of war. I would
give them look at real trouble. I
would let them see trains, ten at a
time five minutes apart, packed with
The manned and dying.
II would let them hear. from frag-
q battleaelds $50 miles wide and
rnies that are greater than the en-
5re population of Texas.
Il would let them graves 100
rds long and full and Belgium, the
ntry that was, nothing now but 49,
square miles of wreckage.
pen. when they began to under
p. to some slight extent, the mag
dde and awfulness of this war. 1
ToUld say to them:
Now go back and appreciate the
United States. realize your opportuni-
les Don't start digging trenches
when nobody is firing at you. Don't
tall down when you have not been hit.
Don't be blind to the most glorious
chance you have ever had in your life.
Go back and advertise. Get ready
or the most tremendous boom that any
ation ever had. Build your factories
bigger. Train your statesmen. Borrow
more money. Go ahead and thank God
vou are alive and that your family is
Nd tk1t Iix,fne fv, l,v a
hat is at peace at a time when nearly
he whole word is at war"
In striking contrast with this praph-
|c picture of the situation across the
yea is the fact that New York and other
american cities are trying to find ways
hf employment for armies of idle work
PRS. and In New York alone 100000
wage earners are vainly seeking for
bomething to do. While the demand for
American products and goods exceeds
the supply. manufacturers are con-
tracting their operations and there is a
prospect of nothing but industrial de-
brsssien. Those who ought to be work