The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1918-11-06
AFTER THE WAR NEEDS

will soon end. Germany, unless en-
tirely crazed, will not attempt 10 carry
on a fight which means in the end her
final destruction. If there is CAM
paign In 1919 she will not only have TO
defend the shortened lines from Metz
to the Holland border. but she will
have to protect herself against attacks
on the entire front Of Austro-Huneary
and Russia. Her armies are to-day
unable to hold in France. No one but
a crazed fanatic can think that they
Will be able to hold when spread out
all over the long line of the entire
German frontier.
The questions Of peace will become
pressing in this country. The large
majority Of our manufacturing plants
are to-day at work on war orders al
most exclusively. More than 80 per
! cent Of the production Of the iron and
steel mills Of the country is being
taken for government purposes. With
in a very short time most Of this in
tensive war work will cease, II for no
other reason than that the American
people will refuse to buy bonds and
! paw taxes to pay for them. If our
mills are to be kept busy, if mines are
! to continue in operation, and II en-
ployment is to be general. the proouc-
ing agencies Of the country must look
out for markets in other channels.
The domestic consumption must be
! speeded up. Buildings which have
. been held up by the war will be
erected, new enterprises OF many
! kinds will be undertaken, but the re-
adjustment is not going to be easy
and without friction. A great deal
Of new work, which should be done,
will be delayed, looking for lower
! prices. No ordinary business man.
with a sum Of money to invest now,
will care to undertake the investment,
knowing that within a year or two the
investment value Of his property VIII
nrobably be cut from 30 to 40 per cent
BY lowered costs. The temptation to
! wait will be strong and will be gen
eral. \ great deal Of foreign com
merce which we have had will begin
to slip away from us under the com
petition of European producers.
Under these conditions The 1ntelli'
cenccr believes we will need a COM
! plete reversal of policy at Washing
ton; combinations Of manufacturers
which make for economy have been
subject to penalization by law and
prosecution. not to say persecution. by
! the national administration. We Will
need these during the next few years.
We will need their ability to-get raw
material; to get supplies economically
and to produce with the greatest
efficiency Otherwise American indus
tries will break down at home and our
commerce abroad will disappear. We
will need. moreover. more effective
protective tariff than we now have, OF
! have had in many years. In other
words, we will need new understand
ing and new vision at Washington-a
conception OF conditions OF successful
business. Perhaps it may be impos'
sible to bring the voters of this coun'
try to a realization Of this fact BY the
ordinary process OF persuasion. Per
haps we may have to go through an
j other period of hardship such as pre-
vailed from 1895 TO 1896, when men
walked the streets and looked for
work in this land Of great opportun
! ity: when bread lines and free sour
kitchens were common among the
richest people upon the face of the
. earth. It is to be hoped that we viii
not have such an experience, but such
an experience will certainly be real
lied IL the policies which have pre-
vailed at Washington during the pas
six years continue for any length o.
time after the war ends.