Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1916-10-20
AFTER THE WAR. WHAT?

AFTER THE WAR, WHAT?
Following upon the close Of the war
now raging in Europe will come very
crucial time for the United States
Over here. we have for the past lew
years been living extravagantly we
have not taught ourselves nor anyone
else to save. Very little effort has
been made in either home or factory
Ia eliminate any element OF waste.
We are extravagant now. We resent
II when anyone suggests to US 10 De
less wasteful.
But the time is coming when We
have got to be less wasteful. Wnen
we have got to work In the home ana
in the factory in systematic manner
AS soon as the war closes. the ractor
les and the workmen Of this country
will have to match their product
against the factories and working peo-
ole Of Great Britain, Germany, France.
Holland, Austria. Italy, Belgium and
possibly other war stricken countries
on the Eastern continent. The factor
in this great competition that we
want to call attention to at this time
is the eficiency and thrift, the saving
OF every particle Of material that can
be utilized that is now going on, ana
will 90 on. in those European factor
les. we. in this country. with our
present wasteful methods can not
compete with the careful and pains
taking and saving efficient methods
that are being now systematically put
in force in the war stricken countries:
This war will not last always and
when it is over, the governments OF
the countries that are now at war Will
In a great measure, take charge of the
manufacturing institutions and gener-
al products of those countries. They
will to a great extent regulate wages.
They will make those wages low
enough to enable their products to be
made and sold in all parts OF the
world Don't think they will not do it
because they will.
The affciency we will have to COM
pete with after the war, is the ehicien-
h. developed and built by necessity.
Under the pressure OF necessity. the
people OF England, Germany. France
and Austria have become enormously
productive. Inspired by patriotism.
guided by the most highly educated
enR1NooTS duu COASSI AANOSsHs
in those European countries has been
lifted out Of the ruts Of custom and
short hour rules and handicaps ana
hindrances and red tape. They are
fighting for their life. Initiative has
had free play. New machinery and
new kinds of machinery has given new
powers to workers. Cooperation and
organization. with women taking the
tblace Of men in most all lines Of labor
has modernized and speeded up pro-
duction in those countries to degree
that was never before thought pos
sible.
Hundreds and thousands of new
factories have been erected. Where
there were once green fields, there are
now acres of buildings employing
thousands of men and women and
girls and boys. There are factories
everywhere, and everywhere there
are people who have developed skill
in factory work and taste for the
wages that work in q busy factory as
sures. London. long noted for it's enor-
NOUS pauper population, is now city
o. busy people and countless factories.
These factories are not going to
close after the war The government
Is already at work planning on how
to keep them all going when thou.
sands upon thousands of soldiers come
home hunting for work. What Is true
In England is true in France and in
Germany. Europe is greater manu-.
featuring section than ever before
What they are accomplishing is rev.
citation. even to themselves.
In a paper read before the Bankers
eonvention in Kansas City. F.. A. Van.
derlip. president of the National City
Bank of New York, summed the mat
esr % % follows:
The war wages cannot be paid upon
commercial work after the war, II pro-
duction falls back to the old methods,
hut they can be paid II production is
maintained by the new methods.
There Is anxiety about the future, but
the best observers do not believe the
British workman. now that the demon
stration has been made, will go back
to the old limitation and the old pay
They believe wages will be bigger and
costs lower than before the war. and
that the difference in the cost of pro-
duction may Offset the interest on the
war debt. The cost Of living is high
there now, owing In part to the high
freights on all importations. but after
the war is over these costs will decline
rapidly, and IL wages can be kept at
the present level the condition of the
wageearning class will be better than
before.
Will industry in the United States
make the same progress? There is
warning in the fact that adversely is
usually better teacher than prosper
ity. The latter comes by fort1itous
circumstances and we enjoy 1t, relax
and take our ease. while adversely
puts men upon their mettle and calls
up all their resources. In some re-
spects we shall be stronger after the
war We shall be richer. our product
i've equipment will be better than ever
before. but these will not avail with
out 4 spirit Of unity. and good under
standing n oas ina stril eNzan'sa-
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