Omaha daily bee., 1916-12-26
The Great War Lesson

|
The greatest achievement of the war in Europe
| is the demonstration that it gives OF what the
people OF a nation may do when they are aroused
| and brought together with an earnest determine
| ton. The idea OF both SIDES whether justified or
not, that their country has been attacked plot
ted against, and has been forced to fight for its
life and its future safety has not merely aroused
the sentiment of patriotism and spurred the people
to united effort and the sacrifice OF all they hold
| dear. That is splendid exhibition of heroism and
devotion, but there is more practical side to it.
| such struggle brings out the capacity of a
people for exertion in other work than that of
| armies 1t doubles their ability in the work OF
| producing things Of value from the resources Of
nature and turning them to account for their own
beneht; or, rather, it induces them to exert the
ability that is latent in them to produce these
greater results.
In England and France as we'll as Germany,
industries have been diverted much from their
legitimate field of production, but they have been
spurrcd to redoubled activity in securing results
While much of their skill and their labor has
been directed to producing instruments Of destruc
ton and applying them hercely, to their USE what
has been reserved for other employment has been
also greatly increased in its effectiveness. With
such enormous waste and destruction going on all
the time and so many Of the best workers en-
ployed in that kind of business the rest OF the
people are able to provide for themselves after
who are fighting.
Besides this demonstration of how much more
people can do than they are accustomed to, when
forced to it by sense of danger and the necessity
OF defending themselves, there is the proof of how
much less they can get along with for the support
OF life in fair condition, if not in comfort There
is the lesson of not only how much more they can
accomplish than they are used to, but how much
less they can get along with for their own needs.
1t is calculated to impress the idea Of how much
less is done in the piping times Of peace than
might be accomplished without and overexertion
and how much of the fruits of endeavor are ordi-
narily squandered and wasted The forced econ
omy is reminder Of how unnecessary and worse
than useless is large proportion Of the expense
ordinarily incurred Under the stress of war re-
quirements there is not only an nducement for
overcoming the desire or the habit OF consuming
vast amount that is of no benefit but for dis
carding what is absolutely injurious and COM
monty INDUCED in regardless of that fact. The
indulgence in stimulaants and intoxcants is
greatly curtailed in the present war as matter
OF policy as well as economy.
1t is generally believed that the benefit of
these lessons will continue after the war is
over and prove source of national strength to
those who have been subject to them. The num-
Der of the labor forces will be depleted but their
efficiency and activity will be enhanced. The
same effort will be more effectively applied and
directed and will produce larger results at dimin-
ished cost. The habit of moderation and temper
ance in consumption will persist to the improve
ment OF health and comfort. The expected re-
suit is that the burden Of war cost will be mit- |
gated and the effectiveness of peace activity |
will be increased'n way to make recovery rapid |
and promote industrial progress in an unprece-
denied degree. The leading men of Great |
Britain and France and Of Russia are confident |
that their nations will recover their ground and |
mi Ind, 10
in few years They do not expect to lose their |
place, but to be strengthened rather than weak |
ened in their position by the experience they are
going through. |
How are those who are not taking part in it |
to share in the benefit Of this strenuous discipline?
The people of the United States are profting |
by the trials of other nations at the present time
At least some of them are, more or less to the
cost of Others as well as at the expense of the
struggling nations Of Europe. They are under
less pressure than in ordinary times for exerting
their capacity in an effective way and without
waste of energy or of material. The prosperity
they are enjoying is easily won They are not |
suffering from the emulation or the competition /
of others, but are relieved by the preoccupation
OF these in the strenuous struggle into which |
they have been forced, either by their own pas
sons or those of rivals.
When this is over. we shall have great ad-
vantage in unimpared resources and largely in
creased means OF turning them to account 1t will |
be no advantage to us to have impoverished and I
overburdened peoples to deal with. For time we
shall have an advantage in dealing with those |
who have not been engaged in war but that
field will be far from profitable in national
sense. The trade Of the world will not regain
its normal condition until the nations which have
been wasting their energy and their substance
in war have recovered these in great measure
They will probably do this more rapidly than
has ever before been possible, and they will get
the benefit Of the experience and discipline
who have been taking it easy meanwhile and
gaining wealth by diminished effort be able to
hold the advantage they have been acquiring or
will those who have been forced to strenuous
effort and painful self-denal gradually crowd them
backi