New-York tribune., 1915-03-07
Continued from second page.

only say that I agree with every word said by the
Grand Old Man There never was such an OPP
portunty before America as there is to-day and
we are utterly failing to grasp it.
"Half the world is at war and is not producing,
but consumption goes on. Most of the other halt
of the world is cut off from the supply OF INDUS
trial products which they formerly received from
Germany and from England. America IS the only
industrial nation which is still productive ana on
us il would thus devolve to supply the entire
world to be buster and more prosperous than we
ever dreamed possibe-but we are Idle IL Is not
that we do not have the workmen-hundreds OF
thousands nay. millions, are looking for work.
1t is not lack Of factories; our factories are Idle
or running on part time. We have the engineers,
the chemists 1t is not lack of MATERIAL we are
still the storehcuse of the worlds natural re-
sources 1t is not lack of shipping facilities Tor
hundreds of thousands of tons of the worlds best
ships rot in our harbors, and a polite suggestion
that any objections of foreign nations against our
using these ships for our business might lead to
an embargo on exports would result in immedi-
ate acauiescence But-we do not have the enter
prise; the initiative and courage have gone out Of
our captains Of industry.
Fifty years ago we would have jumped at such
only principle in investments of our fnanciers,
our big business men, seems to be safety first;
and however recommendable safety first is in
matters of life, in business when carried too far
as now it is fatal to Initiative
at is true only big business, only large indus
trial corporations can have the power of eff
cientlv utilizing conditions they are to-day,
and for many years, while administrations came
and went in Washington, they have rivalled each
other in bounding big business while the people
stood by and applauded. Now the very same peo-
ple are starving for lack of employment while
untold opportunities are within reach, but CAPT
tol tas become too scared to reach for them
There ia no Improvement in sight, but bounding
eorporatons, which are the only means of efhcient
and economical industrial production, goes mer-
rlv on. and this despite the lesson Germany mas
taught us with its enormously rapid industrial
advance brought about by the close cooperation
of tbe national government with its giant cor
poratiOns.
"Rut lot us also see the other side: The ma
tioraI Government after all, represents the sent-
ment of the people. Why, then, has our nation
become so hostile to corporations, where else
where they are recognized as the most ehiclent
tools of progress? When the corporate develop
ment took place the national government mad lttle
mower. and the corporations organized and carried
on their work altogether too often without any
regard to public interest, until public sentiment
was aroused by the arrogance and extortion OF
some corporations to such pitch as to insist on
the national government stepping in. Ever since,
corporations have resented governmental interfer-
ence objected in every conceivable manner and
sulked, while the government, without intelligent
assistance, has made blunder after blunder Bet
ter this was done abroad: When the corporations
were formed the national government was an ac-
knowedged superior power, and from the begin
ming the corporations have been kept under con-
troll so as not harm the public interests. while
encouraged to the utmost otherwise, and the re-
sentiment against corporations, therefore, has
never arisen.
"The only possibility Of getting out Of our pres
ent deadlock rests in a fair and intelligent CO.