The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-12-22
OUR SALVAGE PROBLEM.

OUR SALVAGE PROBLEM.
For the United States reconstruction is a
problem of salvage rather than rebuilding. Our
cities not bombed. Our factories were not
looted. Our fields are not torn by shells, nor our
roads blown up by mines
We did add many things for war that will be
useful in peace. Every community should have
salvage committee, composed of the war-work
bodies, to that nothing of value is lost.
There is greater need for such committee now
than at any time in tn elast four years.
knowledge, emotions, institutions, as well as
guns, ships, shells, armies and munition plants
have been accumulated. Indiscriminating junk
ing of these will lose much that we fought hard
to win.
The welded new elements together and
ofrged from them instruments of common action
of incalculable value
That rival churches, hostile classes, competing
industries and antagonstic institutions and in
dividuals of every sort worked together and grew
appreciative of each others virtues marks a
gain we must not lose.
That billions of waste was squeezed from in
dustry, much marketing friction removed, labor
truly modified and promising beginning made
in adjusting the relations of employers and en-
ployed is as important victory as any gained
in France. 1t will be lost If our Bourbons, who
see need of positive reconstruction have their
way.
We created an army of Red Cross nurses
trained millions IN first aid" built nationwide
system of base hospitals and accumulated q vast
fund of knowledge concerning our national
health. We learned wonderful lessons in SANTA
ton. We bought, most dearly, valuable knowl-
edge concerning the health of the people. We
nave the machinery, made for war, with which
osave in each peaceful year more lives than we
spent in war. Unless we consciously plan to
keep these things, they will pass away and the
fruits of sacrifice be lost
War made cooperation honorable, placed SER
vice above profits an industrial incentive, and
gave industry common social aim that lifted
it above conflicting individual interests This is
a more valuable conquest than colonies, exclu-
s1ve markets widened Boundaries It is
worthy of all efforts to preserve.
War taught that men fight best when thew NAV
hard 1t gave the methods and machinery with
which to organize social play. 1t showed us a
vision OF directed, socialized, educative amuse-
ment. The lessons, machinery and vision NAV
De saved If we bestir ourselves in time.
mat the schools were reused from sleepv iso
iatlon and their plant, staff and pupils made to
play a great part in national life in time of des
perate emergency is the greatest educational adj
vance OF this generation. Only devoted. con-
sclous care will preserve and add to that adj
vance.
Inc reconstruction armies that will salvage
these gains and defend in time of peace the vic
tories gained by the war will have as great need
Tor able leadership, trained strategists and un
selfish, patriotic devotion was required by any
army that crossed the Atlantic
Inc whole of eastern Peru is undeveloped. but
IN the coast country agriculture has been devel-
oped to high degree.
feru mas 1900 miles of railway in operation.
with several thousand miles additional projected
or under construction