The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1916-09-24

comes and argues with me how he IS
going TO make 1t work And when man
say we must not permit any organi-
cation to neglect the interests of so.
ciety.' ] say, Amen but what 1 want
to sit down and discuss with Won is
how are we going to prevent it. The
only thing worth talking about in mol
itics or in any other sphere is the
constructive idea; How are you go
ing to do it?' We all know, or, at any
rate we pretend to know, what we
ought to do. but We do not all know
how to do il, and the very difficult
question which the American people
is face to face with and which they
are going to settle is this How are we
going to organize our participation as
a partner in the settlement of dis
putes between capital and labor which
interrupt the life of the nation?' l in
vite all subscribers to suggest a
method.
THE method is apt to be obscured
in some quarters. as il we were say
ing that it was the right of the gov
eminent or of organized society, which
is another term for the same thing, TO
say to a man: You must work wheth
err you want to or not America is
never going to say to any individual:
You must work whether you want to
or not but ii is privileged to saw to
an organization of persons: You must
not interrupt the national life with
out consulting u.s.
QUESTION OF PARTNERSHIP
at is not question of obliging in
dividuals; it is question of enforc-
ing a partnership and seeing to fl
that no organization is stronger than
that organization which we all belong
to and support and call and love by
the name of our own government.
so laid programme before Con-
gress by which, at any rate, begin
ming might be made in that direc-
ton and that programme is going TO
be proceeded with.
1t is no fun talking unless you can
expect to do something. The only zest
that ever comes into affairs for a man
with red blood in his veins is the zest
that comes when he is put to it to think
out difficult thing and do it; and 1,
fox my part congratulate the business
men of America that some of their diff
ficulties have been removed by legisla-
ton, that they have been fortified
against certain forms of control which
must have been intolerable to them.
That they have had their real com
mercial strength put at their service
by such acts as the federal reserve act.
Tor example, and that now if thew think
they can conquer the world, it is I'D to
them to do it; and that nobody is going
to assist them, because it is a thing
in which they cannot be assisted by a
thing but their own brain. We are nov
out In the open, competitors for the con,
fidence of the world, and there is only
one way to get it and that is to earn it.
SHACKLES ARE OFF
Il cannot imagine anything more in.
spring than to be put on your mettla
after legislation has taken the shackles
Off you and appraised you. You know
that you are no mans servant Re-
action in this matter would shut us up
like province To turn back upon any
portion of the road we have Travelled
would be craven
To pretend that we are able to COM
pete with the world and then cringe at
the opportunity would not be worthy
of any of the traditions of America, ana
SO, for my part, 1 am particularly proud
TO be supported by the business opinion
OF American men, because know myself
TO have great enthusiasm for the
triumphant development of American en-
terprlse throughout the world