The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1916-01-08

VdleQ 10 q degree commensurate Will
the unparalleled destruction it will
have wrought.
beg you to observe that hitherto
we have been considering the degree
to which this population and the pop
ulation of every city throughout the
world must be affected by the devasta-
tion and ruin already caused by this
war But picture to yourselves the
fearful consequences if it should be
continued for two years as some be-
lieve (and they are the best informeO,
or for one year as seems certain now
be invoked to end it. Assuming that
the same rate of casualties will con-
tinue, the number killed and manned
at the end of one year will be doubled
and at the end of two years they will
be trebled. And these do not include
any of the old or the infrm. They
are all men in the full tide of youth.
And the destruction of capital, it is
safe to assume, will be complete. Moth
ing capable of destruction will be left.
The sources of life itself already Sc
riously impaired will be injured be-
yond repair, and the very existence
of the human family must be seriously
threatened. If so many millions of
men in the very flower of their youth
are destroyed or mutilated, how can
the race be preserved?
But it is in great cities that the
most grievous results will inevitably
follow such devastation of life and
property. Under conditions of con-
stantly increasing production more
than two million human beings have
been attracted here to the shores of
Lake Michigan, where they and the
structures in which they toll or dwell
and the highways over which they
and the products of their labor are
transported, constitute this great city
sOf Chicago. During the same period
and under similar conditions five mil.
lions have been attracted to the mouth
Of the Hudson, where they constitute
the city of New York Everywhere
throughout the world new cities sprang
into existence and grew with amazing
rapidity while in older cities popula-
tions increased to a degree without
parallel or precedent in all the expe-
rience of man. The majority of these
populations have always been able to
support themselves hitherto in condi-
tions which were constantly improv-
ing and which during the last decade
were of such comfort as would have
been considered luxurious even a gen.
GRAFTON ago. But il this war continues
until millions of human beings are
killed or incapacitated, and all the
capital of the world-except what may
survive in this country-is destroyed,
it is perfectly evident that there will
not remain sufficient supply Of raw
materials to afford these immense
populations employment, nor of COM
modities to afford them food and sub
sistence
In a city where five millions are
now living in comparative comfort,
means of subsistence may remain suf-
ficient to support two millions. And
in a city which now contains two mil
lions and half means of subsistence
might remain sufficient to support one.
But what is to become of the surplus
populations? Whittier can they go?
There is absolutely no place to which
they can turn their steps with any
hope of improving their conditions.
They cannot go back to the country
because there they had no opportunity
to sell their labor even in more pros
porous times. A struggle for exist,
ence in each city must necessarily Ell,
sue, which will take the form of COM
petition among laborers for employ
ment; one man Offering to work for
lower wages than another is earning.
A man who had been accustomed to
receive five dollars day will find
himself forced to compete with an un-
employed man of equal ability, will
ing to work for four and a half dol
lars a day. The man accustomed to
receive four and half dollars must
compete with another ready to work
for four dollars and so on down the
list until no man would be working
for wages so low that some other man
under the pressure of want, actual or
approaching, would not be found eager
to take his place at still lower wages.
There is no fountain that can be
tapped for relief of this distress, be-
cause conditions that reduce workers
to such desperate plight will also de-
prive employers Of profits or oppor-
tunity of profits. Starvation is the
only outcome and when men cannot
produce by peaceful industry sufti-
cient to meet their necessities, the
strongest among them will strive by
violence to seize anything that may
appease hunger. All history shows
that populations which have been
called into existence by abundance,
If they find themselves doomed to en-
tinction by famine never disappear in