Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-02-02
|rue LAW or COMPENSATION:

Ety; Gumbel Bldg. Ksnsas C"s' w
MTHE LAW OF COMPENSATION;
"Crane hanger Is the title usual!y
limited to the man who pricks the pup,
fe Of happiness. 1.-THE Grape hanger
yould bo an undesirable citizen IN
heed, if his mission were mercy ~
Sike the Joy out Of living bu. .ne at
ne times when people are so pussy ses
Eng Joy out of the present 1naL .ne'
bSmpletely ignore the future. MS ia,
Ion, right now needs some ciepe
rangers to point out the dangers 'na.
viii come with the conclusion OF oul
resent war prosperity. the bacne
seyiew essays this role in the follow
I,p article on the outlook for 1917: :.
The situation in which the united
Yates flnds itself after thirty months
k the great war is remarkable one.
Mis- has not been the result OF any
s,anaeement on our part or OF any vol
pntary operation. We have literally
zen lifted up by the great economic
,rces released by the war and peen
J,rne along irresistibly on a road 10
Aches beyond the conception OF any
sne before the war. A billion dollars
4, added gold has been swept IN to us.
Two billions of our own securities
.,ave been paid for and are now owned
md drawing interest over here. we
Gave practically paid our foreign debts
Either through the purchase OF these
kacurities or by loans to foreign Dor
%bwers.
The work of thirty years has been
Zone in two But we can take no cred
Ito ourselves for these gigantic trans
irmations. The nation has been an
nresisting instrument, completely I'M
er the influence of almost preterna-
Elral powers and carried forward to
Unbelievable economic accomplish
(f,ents, almost without volition and GER
Mainly without any commanding dlrec-
i on on our part.
"a And vet. looked at broadly, ii the
4 beration had been planned and car
& led out by the greatest minds in the
Universe equipped with supernatural
synyers, things could not have been bet
arranged for the nation as whole
III fewer mistakes have been, made.
III We nave Still to tclimb down from
Fhe heights-the attitudes of inflated
txrices and expanded money supplies
fble to map out any direct process of
Rction, but it is cause for the greatest
ySankfulness that. as far as we have
nbne we have condition wonderful
its newly acquired sources of mater
III strength and financial fitness to
rleet the problems Of the future.
N But it must be reflected that this
last torrent of trade which has caused
5ur prosperity to grow and fatten, is
IJnade possible through the dire neces-
Mites and miseries created by ter
tEble conflict outside of our own Dor
m FRS, the burden of which is being
Drne by people essentially of our own
4 lood and brotherhood. While they
Hare suffering tortures. we are thriving
Eand growing rich. untouched by dis
dtress. pain or even discomfort.
The law Of compensation so far is
mot working. We are paving nothing
Ptor our gifts. We are doing nothing
JAS nation to make us proud. A flood
lof riches poured upon an individual
Swho has done nothing to merit them,
Astultifes his real development. 1t has
Hbeen so with nations, working out
Reventual national demoralization-un
Hess, as has sometimes happened. the
B,ondition of overpropitious fortune
Mas brought about it's own disaster,
land in resulting adversely. the national
has been redeemed.
\; Such national decentralization might
Home to us from long continued infla.
sNon and extravaganza, growing into
over-confidence and neglect to pre-
lpaie Other nations In the long his
tory of the world have had their feasts
of Belshazzar following an expanding
I)and prolonged surfeit of wealth and
power, before the downfall.
But these things seem still far off
flor US.
II we steer clear of conflict, the de.
ascent to peace levels may not be as
serious as is somtimes contemplated.
The action Of the market in December
under the awe-inspiring effects of
Ipeace prospects, may be some indica-
ltion of happenings in the industrial
lworld when peace actually comes.
There was most drastic decline ac-
kcompanied by an enormous turnover
lin ownerships. and yet this great trans
mutation was effected without disas-
tier. The public holders of securities
were so we'll fortified with the profits
OF the last two years that although
Elosses were severe, there were no fail
ures. It Is fair to assume that the
in the industrial world,
which will take place when peace con.
lditions actually materialize. will be
met with similar fortitude and alb.
lsence of calamity.
L ----------------------
THRIFT DAY, FEBRUARY 8.
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