The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1918-12-07
-Four Thousand Men Represent
ing Every Branch of Indus
try Meet at Atlantic City.
SECRETARY REDFIELD AND
CEAS VI. SCHWAB SPEAK
Chief Topics Considered Were
Reconstruction Problems and
Readjustment of Business
and Labor Under Peace Con-
ditiors.

dltlCES.
Atlantic Ciiy, \. j., Dee. 4.-Four
thousand Elen representing virtually
every brancn Of business and indus
ny in the country, assembled here to-
,.uy III u RECONSTRUCTION congress, ns-
tened to messages On readJustment
problems aclivercu by Secretary tseu-
ileld, Charles NJ. Schwao, head or the
Eelnlene:2i Steel Corporation and dl-
rector general OF the emergency feet
corporation, and Harry a. @hee!e.,,
president or the chamber or com
lnerce OF the United States.
M. Wheeler amid great applause
urged that American business should
ue represented at the peace confer
encc in France. Mr.. Schwal) made an
appeal for q great merchant marine
to give outlet 70 surplus American Z
products and declared thar labor
5acuid be permitted to organize in in
tividual plants and share in the pros
perity OF the country. Secretary Red
ueid said that no rash hands should be
laid on wages; that The proper spirit
Of trade is not excessive profits, but
service, and that American business
men should take into account moral
.aues when dealing with his custom
e:s in all lands.
There is some talk here tonight
that a committee Of American pusi-
ness and industrial men might lie sen;
30 Europe during the peace regc-
j:ations.
Secretary Redheid prefaced MS
speech with the statement that his re-
marks were not TO be taken as al,
,:+.cial announcement. Il am more
and more impressed said he. "ir
reading curren; discussions and re-
fect;ng upon them with the truth t.ia'
readjustment is very largely = stat
of nlind-that it requires not SO nauc,
a program of a fixed line of proce-
dure as an evolution While We are
discussing it the process of readjus1
ment is proceeding almost silentl.
Ill about us
He made q plea that g helpful hand
be extended 70 the countries that sui
central powers.
Mr. Sctwab's appeal for 81 .nerchan.
marine struck a responsive chord. i:
great merchant marine is essential fo!
the ultimate success Of the United
States, he said, and its successful
operation is not for the benefit OF az:
one IMAM or ciass Of rlen or any one
branch Of business but for the SccG
of every citizen Of the country.
Il do not care" he declared, 'wi1a;.
plan may be best for the operation
Of these ships 80 long. as they are
operated economically and SO long a
the expense. Of operation is borne D.;
the whole people. NO American ship
ping can be successful; OF enlist pri-
vate capita! tof!ay, IS shipping is nov;
operated"
Speaking or private ownership OF
Mr.. Schwab snid
THE real Development O.: any
great enterprise depends upon the in-
dividual Initiative Of the American
business man. do not believe we viii
ever get the full economical develop
ment Of any great branch of -Araeri-
can industry that is not developed un-
der private enterprise and by private
capital
Taking up the question CT LABOR,
Mr. Schwab said:
II am one of the men who be-
lieve in the fairness Of American la-
bor I am one ot the men who be- /;
lieve that the only foundation -po"
which anything can permanently rest
is the economic use OF everything, !
whether II Dc labor. material, manu-
'acture or what net. Any foundation
Of organized labor or capital that is
Oh false bases must fell. We started
IN some 20 yeas ago on q series of
that many people called
trusts and there were many such
concerns organized that had as their
prime motive the artificial idea of
either restricting production or in +
,reasing the selling price You have
:ncn them. one after another, fa:i
md fade away. That vas on 3,
wrong basis. Our congress realized
md rightly and justly took steps to
,orrect it.
What has been true OF capital will
}e equally true Of lator and there
ore the education of the American
man must be to have him
ealize that lis permanency and sue :
ess and til success of the ration vii;
iepend upon labor conditions anl.
apital conditions that are founded on
principles first Of ell.
Il am not opposed to organized Ia
or I believe that labor should or
anize in individual plants or .
themselves for the better ne !
Of labor and the protection t
f their own rights: but the organ {
.ation and control OF labor in indi- {
dual plants and manufactures, to
" mind. ought to he made repre- [
crtatirc Of the people in those =
lants who know The conditions. c
"'n the years gone by, seriorsiT a
oul>t many t:,,lcs i labor has rccciv- G
j its frir c',nre cf tho prosperity Z" $
lis great country. We, as manufac- {:
arers, have got to open our eyes to a U