Omaha daily bee., 1917-04-26
HISTORICAL SAVING
A PERIL TO NATION
Howard Z. Coffin of Defense Board
Sees Grave Danger in Indis-
criminate Economy.
MIGHT UPSET BUSINESS
Warning Contained In First Statement
Issued by the Public Informas
tion COMMITTEES.

Washington, April lo.--TIoward Il. Coffin,
member Of the advisory commission Of the
Council Of National Defense, issued warn
Ing to the country today against indts-
crimlnate economy. calling attention to the
need for continued prosperity as well as
for the elimination OF waste. In an inter
view given out today by the newly or
ganised committee on public information.
tho first statement which the committee
has issued, following a trip through the
west Mr., Coffin expressed tho fear that
the country might be injured In a hysteri.
cal wave Of misguided patriotism.
after nearly three years of, refusal to
take tho European war and Its lessons
aerIously," he said, 1--WE suddenly launched
forth In most fevcrish activity to save
the country overnight. Patriotic organiaa-
tiona, almost without number arc milling
around, noisily and, while Intentions are
good the results are often far from prac-
teal BECAUSE OF an impending and pos
sible shortage OF foodstuffs We have hys-
tericai demands for economy In every limo
of human endeavor. Waste Is bad, but an
undiscrin,inating economy Is worse.
Some states and municipalities are stop
ming road building and other public work.
General business is being slowed down bo-
cause of the emotional response Of the
trading public to these misguided CAM
paigns for economy; savings are being with
drawn from the banks: reports show that
some people have begun to hoard food sup
plies. and thousands Of workers are being
- all ~
this Is wrong. Unemployment and closed
factories. brought about by ftfui and III
advised campaigns for public and private
economy. will prove Z vertable foundation
of quicksand for the serious work we have
at hand, 1t is truo that the president
has said that this is a time to correct our
habits Of wastefulness. Certainly But the
keynote of his message to the people was
this paragraph:
ut Is evident to every thinking man
that our Industries, on the farm, In the
shtpyards, In the Mines, In the factories,
must bo made more prolific and more eff
ficient,'
Need Prosperity In War.
we need prosperity In war time even
more than when we are at peace. Bust
ness depressions are always bad, but doubly
50 when we have fight on our hands.
The declaration Of war can have no real
evil effect on business. What bad effects
are apparent are purely psychologist and
largely of our own foolish making for our
markets are the same In April that they
were in March. We need more business.
not less. There IL real danger IN hysteriH.
Indiscriminate economy will be ruinous. Now
Is the time to open the throttle.
EVERY day the advisory commission Of
the Council Of National Defense receives Of
fers of service from business firms and indi-
vidualF, with requests for immediate infor-
nation as to how this service may best be
rendered. Now and then great dlssatisfac-
tion With tho governmental departments Ia
expressed because instant advantage Is not
taken Of such offers. Many Arms are hesi-
tatlhg 70 close ordinary business contracts
BECAUSE OF desire to hold capacity open
TO meet possible carly government need
''This spirit and this willingness TO meet
sncrInce and even financial loss In the gov
eminent service Is a most encouraging trib-
ute TO American patriotism. But we, must
remember that In the great struggle In
which We have now become part there Ia
much to consider besides munitions, troops
and ba ttleships Few OF US can serve In any
heroic role, or even In the supply Of NUM-
lions to tho military arms of the service.
an this country Of vast resources wo al
ready have a tremendous equipment for mu-
nitions making. built up on foreign orders
and now Immediately available, through OK
piration Of these orders. Except In limited
cases, there 10 little need for the develop
ment of new sources of supply. The dictates
Of common business sense require tho Utill-
sation as far as possible, of existing ma
chincry.
Keep the Fires Burning"
ut seems to me, therefore, that a plain
statement Of general policy Is most desirs bis
Upon the Industrial side OF the war three
great problems, or, perhaps, l should better
say, tasks confront US.
First and toremost we must facilitate
the flow OF raw materials and finished
products TO our allies, and must provide the
means of rail and water transportation
therefor.
Second We must meet our own great
military and naval building schedules.
"rhird, we must plan to do all this
with the least possible disarrangemcnt OF
vast commercial and industrial
machines.
Through 1t all wo must keep close eye
unon the possible conditions of peace fol-
lowing the present war We must insure the
business success and general prosperity of
the country during the war II we are to hold
our present strong place among nations In
the commercial competition Of the future.
There Is no doubt of the Willingness of
any manufacturing plant or individual to
serve should the call come. But until the
call does come, II is best to stick TO the
Job. Let US make Better Business our
watchword and keep our factory fires burn
Ing. No radically new conditions confront Us.
We are still. cut of'from business relations
with the Central Powers. but that does not
mean that We have lost any markets. With
:he rest OF the world we will continue TO do
volume of business greater than ever be-
fore. TO the billions which have been spen;
here by foreign powers are now to be added
the billions OF our own. State activities road
building, public works, private industries, all
must go as before. Business must be
increased. labor employed and the country
kept going strongly ahead as a successful
economic machine. We must have successful
industries II successful tax levies are to be
received "