The Taney County republican. (Forsyth, Mo.) 1895-1992, 1917-06-21
Business Must 90 on.

Ouly OS NOu OJ NuJih AIAaN 6SoSlCS llIS
entire strength Of the nation af ort that
supplants usual activities, that cripples
usual trade, that means a national life
far removed from he'business as usual
slogan that is now being shouted in the
United States. M nation can fight
in this war;" he says again, so long as
it has business as usual, for slogan"
It is TO be expected that in time Of
great stress the strong emotions aroused
will lead to exravagances in words,
even among those who are ordinarily
conservative ind practical minded. We
have heard much OF the same tenor as
this from welI.meaning advisers, but it
is only necessary TO examine the facts
10 expose its lallacy. We shall have
perhaps, 100000 men in the army
and navy. We shall have, possibly, 2,
100000 engaged in the manufacture
OF the destructive munitions Of wal and
their agencies. Say another 1000, 900
in the production Of clothing and other
equipment Of the forces in arms.
There will be approximately $4,000,
900 people, not directly engaged in
the activities Of war, whose needs, at
least, must be provided for, and whose
reasonable desires should in the gener
al intrest, be satisfied, A large num-
Der oil these will be. it is true, occupi'
ed in the production Of ioodstufs, d
part OF which will be required for the
subsistence Of the armed forces, and a
large part for the allies, but neverthe'
less the greater portion OF such products
will be consumed by the 93,000,000
who are, in way, outside OF the war.
and they as wei as the army, have
other wants that must be supplied.
To say that this vast number should
devote all its energies TO the purposes
Of the war is arrant nonsense, It is ut
terly impossible, and II it were possible
it would be absolutely destructive oi
the sources Of revenue upon which the
war depends. Business must 90 on as
usual, or as nearly so as circumstances
will permit, because, if for no other rea
son, the Successful prosecution Of the
war demsnds it Normal business al
all times grows out ol the production
and sale 10 mankind Of the things tire
qlires for a CIVILIZED existence War
may modify the character OF this de-
mand and lessen its volumD, but it can
not stop it without destruction. We
must continue to eat and wear clothes
whether we are civilians or soldiers
We must 90 on buying and selling' we
cease at our peril. The ability Of any
nation to carry on war is largely de
pendent upon its power to maintain the
activity OF business and the conse eluent
prosperity Of its people, for from this
must be drawn the silewe Of war. War
in its last analysis is always matter OF
money. NJ war can be fought with
out it, and the nation that has the most
other things being equal, can hold cut
the longest. We must win this Wal,
and We must pay its price. We could
not draw money from an idle nation,
and, if it were possible 10 absorb the
entire strength OF the nation" into the
various activities Of the war, the govern
ment would necessarily feed upon il
sell 10 its own undoing.
The correspondent intimates that
Great Bntain has Abandoned the
business as usual motto The Idct,
do not support such theory. Blsi
ness in Great Britain has been profound
" affected by the war but has gone on
and is being encouraged to go on b.
the government in every way possible
The Official reports o! its exports
how il has succeeded. The total for
1914 was f379,C0O,OOO for 1915,
f3l5, 100000 aud for 1916 f424, 000,
900. Up 10 the fist oI the year, there
fore, Gftat Bitain, notwithstanding the
submarine losses, was not only ke, picg
up its expert business as usual, but wa:
increasing it. So should it be with US.
Subject to such shifts and modification:
as the needs Of tie government require
husiness musi continue 10 the hjyhes,