The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1918-10-15
RE.oRGANIzING FOR PEACE.

RE-ORGANIZING FOR PEACE.
Peace will not come this year-there is !not
one chance in hundred Of it. But if it should
T. would find the United States unpreparedlfor it
1t may come next year-God grant it will; it
hardly seems probable that it will be deferred
later than 1920. These snrmises, however are
based on the assumption that the United States
continues to intensity its efforts in the prosecu-
ton of the war and suffers no relapse in them
through over-confdence. II an American peace
is to be brought about in 1919, thetentire country
must exert every effort toward that end. SAYS
the Municipal Journal.
But, having realized this aim, whether in one
year or more, the nations will suddenly find them
selves confronted with problems little less diff
cult than those of organizing for war-the prob
lens of reorganizing for peace. These will re-
suit from the disbanding of an army of five
million men and the sudden stopping of NUM-
lions factories employing many more millions
These men must continue to eat and obtain the
necessities of life, and this means that most OF
them must at once obtain work. Also it seems
almost inevitable that prices and wages will fall
and be for some time in an unstable condition
not favorable to business expansion.
To foresee these conditions and take such steps
as can be devised to minimize the evil results is
the duty of those who remain at home, and espe-
cially of officials, federal state and city In our
issue of June 22d urged city officials to begin
at once to prepare definite plans for public works
which would give Immediate employment to re-
turning laborers. If carried out, this should
furnish a fairly satisfactory solution to one of
the problems.
But there remain others the solution of which
is not evident. What we do to aid in
the early establishment in occupation of clerks
mechanics and other skilled men, and of men
formerly the owners of businesses which have
vanished during their absence? Are those who
have endured the hardships, danger and wounds
of war to return home to find that those whose
hardships have been confined to eating war
bread and who have been making war profits will
now resist the return of these men to their for
mer positions, whether in shops or in CONNER
cial life? On the other hand, can we expect
lshment of active competitors in their own lines
1t is difficult problem, which is all the more
reason why we should begin at once to look for
solution. One that suggests itself puts the
solution up to civic organizations, either official
or unofficial; to councils, boards of trade or COM
missions organized especially for the purpose.
These would make it their business to look
after those of their own citizens who have re-
turned. In the case of skilled labor, they would
see to it that their old positions others equally
as good, were returned to them The same with
clerks. Merchants would be aided, financially
and otherwise, to begin their business again
where they left it, so far as this would be posi-
BILE. Patriotic bodies of women organize now to
knit for the soldiers; let them organize then to
trade with them.
u