The Hawaiian gazette., 1917-06-15
FIRST BUSINESS "
IS WIN THE WAR
Director Of National Chamber of
Commerce Roasts Business
As Usual" Talk

WASHINGTON, May 2s-fn an in.
teryiew issued today through the COM
inittee on public information, dealing
with the business situation, Edward a.
Filene OF Boston, president Of William
FilencS Sous Company, director of
the United States chamber Of commerce
and n member of the permanent com
mittcG on international chambers of
commerce, said that business had .bnt
ono job today, and that was to do the
thing that would bring victory at the
earliest possible moment.
"The needs of war-the needs Of the
country" said Mr.. Filene, "will fully
employ every capable man and woman.
War will produce more new business
than any practically possible economy
can curtail. But the length of the wRr
the rapidity with which victory will
cOme--will depend on what kind Of pro-
ducts our people are working on.
81 am not in sympathy with such
appeals as are being spread broadcast
urging people to keep right on spending
as usual and branding economy as
sort of business treason | do not for
one moment think that such appeals are
prompted by selfish motives. There is
no class of men who, in my Judgment,
nre more ready TO make patriotic sacri-
fees than business men. .
1.-THE campaign for business rs
usual has been launched 10y men who
sincerely fear that widespread economy
win cripple the war power Of the ma
| ton by cutting down the volume of
business, reducing the demand on pro-
lducers, throwing men out of employ.
lm"nt, and disturbing tho business aud
financial morals Of the country gener-
| ally.
"Business Has But One Job Today
but while j recognize the patriotic
purpose back Of the business as usual,
slogan, as n policy / regard it as un-
sound. II will prolong the war and
hamper the fighting effectiveness Of the
nation every day IL is practisod. Bust
ness has but one job today, and that is
to 10 the thing that will bring victory
at the earliest possible moment. And
business cannot serve two masters.
| Even before the war our productive ca
paoity was taxed to the limit. We sim
| ply cannot fiji oil the added demands of
war. and at the same time satisfy all of
the appetites of peace. Our job Is the
DuHlHths VI war; nOb DuSlHtSS as USUAL.
"War demands not only an organized
army, but an organized nation as well.
And both must he organized to the same
end. looms that are turning out cloth
for sport skirts should be employed, if
needed, to furnish uniforms for soldiers.
"The question America faces is Just
this: Shall the voluntary economy of
the people make it possible for all
American business to become essential
business, or can that end be reached by
drastic government action only, and
after a long period of wasted life and
money and needless inefiiCiency? We
have enormous resources, but they are
not infinite. We will be obliged to ex-
anime all production and selling in the
| light of its ultimate contribution to the
winning of the war. If business be-
comes a Stacker through holding on to
non essential producing and selling it
will have to he eonscripted t0r essential
eff people heed the call of business
as usual, and spend just as they did
! be ore the war they will be helping to
bring about II rise in prices and in
creased taxation, in this way: The
| gOvcrrm, nj will necl a vast amount Of
supplies from factories already pushed
with orders. If ordinary personal de
mands are Lrrping the factories busy,
the government will he obliged to com
| pete with is own people in the prices
it pays. This win force, rise in prices,
and If the gov rrnmont is obliged to get
its supplies ON a rising scale of prices
it is clear that the purchasing power
of the goN"rumcnt, which the people
| pat in lis hands through bonds and
taxes, will run out just that much more
quickly, Tn" result will be moro bond
issues and additional taxes which will,
of course, come out of the purse of the
people.
More Than Enough Work for AM
at is to the credit of the spirit Of
some who preach business as usual
hat they base their plea partly upon
the fear that economy win throw many
| 'ropI" out of employment. Some have
Visions Of hundreds of saloSproplc
| being thrown out of our big stores,
skilled workmcn searching for jobs; in
| fact, labor in general demoralizcd. But
| tie fact /, that there will be more than
enough work for all. With the prospect
Of 2,O00,OuO being withdrawn from bust
| ness and industry for the army, and
| Nith the enormous added demands for
war supplies, the outlook is that our
problem will not be finding jobs for
workers, hut finding workers for jobs.
"And above all a regime of economy
will 40 our VIGOROUSLY wasteful nation
n lnsting good. 1t will do democracy :
wilIful stomach good to go on war.
| time diet. 1t viii reduce the waist line,
clear the eye, aud harden the muscle of
the ation We have the chance to shift
our whoIc national life from an extruva.
giant TO = healthy and sane basis at a
time when unusual government de
nandS will make up for the curtaiI
mcnt Of individual expenditure and pre-
vent business DISASTER
hi
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