The sun., 1916-12-03

'h ~ 'hS va
stocks time to sell at a profit even IL
in tn, meantime the market rises still
further"
Mr.. Blbson was asked IL It il a pos
sible thing for "a country to be pros
porous for any great length of time
and whether depreSsions and panics
are not necessary one In SO often.
Ills opinion regarding this matter was
rs follows:
Nations are but groups of indi.
viduals. II you or | overwork or abuse
ourselves We are sent to bed and
forced to rest. 1t Is the same with .
nation. t
III We are burning our candles at
both cnds they soon go and we ind
mat we are out Of candles. Then We
must stop and make some more. On
the other hand. the Creator never in.
tended that man should be sick. Man
was supposed to enjoy good health
until he died from old age, when his
children would he at their prime and
able To do much more than he himself.
! believe that the Creator desires that
nations should continually grow more
prosperous without any of these alb
normal sctbacks.
We're We tho only country on the
face Of the earth there is no possible
reason why we could not have slowly
but continually increasing prosperity
provided We had proper knowledge If
conditions 80 that production, loans.
credits. &c, in some one line would not
become ovcreNtended. repeat, II we
were the only country or IL we had no
connection by ships or rail with any
other country continued prosperity
would he easily possible.
This Is of course a useless assump-
lion. We not only are one Of many
countries hut we are connected with
all these different countries by means
Of transportation n communication.
Not wi~thstanding this fact. however,
there still Is no reason why we could
not have permanent prosperity bro.
vid"d va had the knowledge Of condi.
tons To which | have above referred
and provided We manufactured mora
per CAPITA than our ~neighbors. This
Is the determining factor. 1t Is not a
question of wages or tariffs or ship
subsidies or anything else. but simply
ability.
We hear n lot about competing with
a'A 49, = A'a'fA 81 i" 40 u
is more capable and able to do more
work than our labor. We do suffer and
always shall suffer. The fact that for
cign labor is willing to work more
chcaply than our labor has nothing,
fundamentally. TO do with the situa-
tion.
1T In all p question Of production
per capita. When We produce less per
capita than other countries. then We
need TO worry. So long as we produce
more per capita than other countries
there is no need for us TO worry. II
We are not having continued pros
perity, it is simply due To our lack OF
organization, our imperfect systems Of
distribution and our un~w.llingness to
nat faith in God and our fellow
men,"
In conclusion. Mr.. Bahson was asked
his opinion as To- future conditions, and
no replied.
$50 Ion" rs the war lasts business
should continue Lood. II industry In
centrally organized between now and
the close of the war. we should continue
70 have fairly good business after the
wal IS over. ARRANGEMENTS should be
commenced at once for taking care Of
men who are now engaged in the man.
ufacturc Of munitions. In order to in
sure that they will have something to
do after the ~ is over. With proper
organization, there should lie plenty
NJ work for everybody after tho war.
"Our Government, however, must
take general charge Of the situation.
These men now engaged in munition
manufacture cannot be left to them
solves to find places for themselves.
or course they eventually would; but
il would mean a long period Of loanng
and disappointment during the time
NJ |rcadiustment. II is loaflng and dis
appointment which cause Impressions.
In tho anne way, arrangements
should now he made for the distribu-
tjou throughout this country after h
war or the yar.ou other exported
products which Europe will no longer
want from ms after the war is over.
"Thcro il enough work in this coun-
try that should h" done to keep our
workers employed for years and years.
II there were some central organization
to keep things running smoothly and
prevent ovcrprnduction in any one
lAll'' " ' wv WV ~
production is impossible. 1t is over
production In some one line that will
cause rs trouble. Then. owing 10 the
fact that "" are all brothers, whether
We want 10 admit II or not, we al
mr'' sufrcr accordingly"
But" said the reporter, what II
such organization in industry is not
developed between now and the end OF
the war;
In such case" replied Mr.. Babson,
81 am afraid that "A business depres-
sion awaits Us after the close OF the
war, ana tho LONGER the war lasts thu
greater the crash will be at its close.
Moreover, ! am not saying this as one
who believes that the present pros
pcrity is all due to tho war. for I do
not. We might he prosperous To-day,
war or no war, I fear this business