The Detroit times., 1917-08-07
Private Business
ny N. ADDINGroN BRYCE
Author Of The Riddle OF Person
atty" "PsycholoEy and
PArenthood" etc.

The war has forced upon US many
new ideas and notifications OF
many old ones In the light OF its
terribly concrete actuality. many a
tondly cherished doctrine has been
found ~ only for the scrap. heap OF
discarded notions
Numerous people. however. still
tall 20 appreciate this stubhornly
they cling 70 all their past beliefs
And sometimes in so cinging they
work serious mischief 20 the nation
OF which they form a part
I, is thus with the mentally blind
ones who today insist on living in
accordance with the theory OF ex.
'reme individualism which would al.
low every man 20 do his private
business" as seems best 10 him. and
with complete disregard FOR possible
consequences 20 his fellow men.
Whereas the fact is that the war
has convlncingly demonstrated that.
strictly speaking there Is very
little private business"- inso-
FAR as IA man so called private bus
mess affects other people u IL yer
tahiy public business. and must be
conducted With this In mind
All ~ MS II rs certain. will In
time be obliged 90 recognize this
truth and regulate our behavior &C
..rTI--f. Tsho s,0,nr al 80 ,.s a.,
$50 the better for our country and
Cor ourselves
We shall have 10 recognize, for
example shat mo he theory OF ok
.reme indlyidualism would allow US
ro ear what food wo please and 20
waste as much food "a We please
we have social responsibility that
should enforce food thrift on us
A. All times and most of all in
.me % grea' food scarcity one IN
iyiduais eXirayaCance and waste
fflness are certain 20 mean depriya
aoD fo other individuals This IN
ifs furn means some degree ~ ma
tional Weakening
And he WAY has made II very
clear ths' rreventable causes ~ na
.onat weakening cannot be toler
lted
For the same reason. The way an
nlleiigal behaves with regard 70
his health IL not merely his per
sonR aTair his private business.
R- many would argue In real
sense f slso ls public business
Most ~ an t = public business
IN timt ~ var such a. hat thru
which Ve are now passing
The man who so lives as need
leesiy 20 BRING Illness on himself. rs
ln 'in,e ~ war traitor 20 the spirit
~ PATRIOTISM For ho IS deliberate.
Iy making himself a liability instead
~ an asset 'o his nation
S,il oors. Is 'he case ot Tho man
who. having in his charge The hous
inr ~ other people or purVeylng
food 90 other people ior the SAKE
- rroaf exposes those others 20
conditions endanKering their health
HIS relations 90 BITS patrons Is not
his private business however
gorif ferously he may nsist hat it Is
The rubnc Is vitality Interested.
vitality concerned Ia what be does
Nor. p man has goods 20 sell
8. The price 70 puts on these goods
auarc,y his own affair
They may be goods such "a coal.
who'd meat -four constituting
roaI necessities - tie II he eN
arh'anfiF demands prices that many
people cannot meet manifes'ly he
is lniuring HIS nation
Nanifes''y. TOO. however plausible
no theoretical defense of his iusfful
business policy. because that policy
does not injure The nation. ne must
Voluntarily or thru compulsion mod
crate he greed FOR gain
This .s. In truth one ~ the great
LESSONS ~ The war
The DAYS of extreme individual
Ism are AZ an end Hence,orth the
dominant principle in the conduct
~ 'he individuals affairs must BE-
fhat % social possibility