The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-09-02
arc FIXING CHECKS FRO
n~UCrToNi THEORISTS GREAT
iSs DANGEROUS srTr ALTON

FrstG8etk2u.. Is @taw81k HT al 7&sef
the country.
IN the industries primarily depended
aad In connection with the vigorous
prosecution ~ the war,
The change has been produced by
the Trica-fxlog program of the admin
istratfon. It's Hrst workings have been
70 defeat the purpose Il was supposed
70 accomplish.
Some OF the titpminous mines are
now ciostng DOWN, their owners having
notified Washington that they cannot
operate ut the price set By the gov
eminent under the authority contained
in the food control bill
II Ia known that the large copper
mines are not turning out more than
~ per cent NJ thtr maximum output at
the present time. This, IN part. ia due
10 labor troubles. which dcebtless have
been fowented TO a considerable extent
due to the uncertainty Of the copper
miners rs a whole, on account Of their
apprehension for the future. with a
copper dictator" slated as a prospec-
program Of price-fxing.
Many Of the smaller steel mills have
expressed alarm over the price-6xiug
program.
Patriotic business men everywhere
look az the situation with genuine con-
Germ, not SO much for themselves as
for the effect It will have on the well
fare Of the country.
In the main, they are assuming the
attitude of an onlooker. This does not
represent their choice Of positions or
a condition OF aequiescense in the drift
Of things. II means rather that thay
have been given the hint 10 stand aside
while the government runs RmaIrs
Neither their advice nor their aid Ia
desired, except as concerned in the sti-
mutation Of production without the
means to do SO. and as the making sf
bricks without straw has never been
the task Of intelligent business, they
do not know how to proceed.
Thus far the assum ption has been
that business alone has been ignored
In the modern method OF prtce-hxins
and production control The real facts
are that labor has been Ignored to ar
equal extent.
The whole system In it's present work.
ings Is n that is pitched or the high
est key OF altruism. As with all such
systems In theory, there is too often
manifested the keenest concern with
regard to disturbed conditions affair off
while neglecting TO prepare against the
occurrence OF the same conditions a,
home. In the simplest field OF econom.
les this sentiment has been satiried in
the kind reformer who knits woolen
socks for the little sufferers in Darkest
Africa. while her own children are
without foot covering in a more In
hospftahfe cline. The differences be-
tween the two sets of altruism Ia rather
one of degree than OF kind.
IT rs known that before the appoint
ment of DR.. GARFIELD as the price-nxing
head OF the coal industry representatives
both of the coal operators and the coal
miners submitted to President Wilson
the proposition that a committee be
formed to pass ION coal prices at the
mines. such committee TO consist Of a
representative of the pine owners. a
representative of labor and a member
of the federal trade commission. This
p%rososal was fatty rejected by the
president. who appointed DR.. GARFIELD
over tire protests bUtfr Of the OPERATORS
and the miners.
The slowing-dow process. by a nat.
ural law of business. has extended al
.eady considerably beyond the limits
q the immediate application OF price,
nxings Through tho operation 81 this
~ ~ effects are becoming apparent