Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1917-08-31

The success of this battle with pow
erty is contingent upon the existence
of social surplus, the basis of all So
cial well-being. That is, as nation
we must produce goods or services
much in excess of our immediate needs
of subsistence. And we are doing that
today upon a scale never before known
in the world. 1t has made us the rich
est nation with wealth estimated at
something close to $250,00O,000,000 1t
is an intolerable condition that when
there is enough and more than enough
to feed all that any should hunger,
save, perhaps the chronically criminal
and the unemployable of various anti
social types.
Civilization has kept pace with in
creased economic production. "Start-
ing from a rude social order wherein
bare and uncertain existence was the
most that man could wrest from ma
ture, society has attained an incred
ible economic productivity by the de-
velopment of intellectual force and
manual dexterity, by the more efficient
arrangement of it's own powers, and
most of all by the discovery and utili-
zatiOn of natural energies. The diff
fusion of comforts, the possibilities Of
TluXuries, the rise of arts and letters,
the spread of culture-in a word, the
development of civilization is the con-
sequence of Increased economic pro-
duction." And furthermore, we can
place no limit to the future rate of in
crease in production clearly assign
able.
The history of the United States
illustrates the working of this prin-
ciple which has ousted the gloomy,
pessimistic prophecy of Malthus. From
1850 to 1900 the population increased
226 per cent, while the production of
the eight great cereals increased 400
per cent. And what Is true of our agri-
cultural products is also true even to
greater extent of iron and steel, tex
tiles and other manufactures. Our per
capita wealth in 1850 was $307. 1t is
now supposed to be about 81 300 or
$1,000.
Workers Condition Bettered.
Together with this great increase in
national production and wealth, with
the creation of a great unprecedented
social surplus, has gone a wonderful
betterment in the condition of the
working classes. Wages have risen
expenditures have increased for non.
physical satisfaction; the deposits in
savings banks have augmented; the
per capita consumption of wheat
sugar and meat have grown; the death
rate has declined, and, taken alto
gether, there has been q steady anC
, unprecedented improvement in the
condition of the workers.
But the creation of this huge socia
surplus has not removed the challenge
of want; it has not destroyed th'
, menace of poverty. 1t has only made
a solution of q bitter problem posi-
BILE. While there is no doubt that th'
t intensity of poverty is less today thar
: in the past, even in this country, ye
2 the challenge of poverty and its con
: sequent misery still stands wolflike q
E our threshold. In the words of Profes
SOT 1OllaDuSTs Lie TOOI Ol III
4 problem lies deeper. Poverty, like Ger
y tain of its primary causes, is phas
Y of modern industry. The very force
: which increase the national produc
: and enlarge the social surplus, If lef
Y to themselves, breed conditions o
s want. Far from diminishia
). with increased wealth production, tn
r misery resulting from such causes is
h in the face of social inaction, likely t
r augment and intensity. Society ma
h grow richer civilization may advance
r and yet poverty continue to gnaw car
n cer-like at it's vitals."
e Our enormous national wealth wit
IS it's unprecedented social surplus, OH
# vast natural resources which we ar
# conserving in time, our national ideal
l. and aspirations for social, political al.
4. industrial justice, are the factor
Is which, sooner or later, may give US tb
Y, unique distinction of being the world
first nation to abolish poverty.