The Cordova daily times. [volume] (Cordova, Alaska) 1914-1947, 1918-02-21
INDUSTRY IN THE SIXTY-FIFTH
CONGRESS

D. Specifically at least. il wouId an
pear that the great duty of the Sixty.
NTH congress, now in its second SEES.
sion, Is to provide the ways and means
) for carrying on the war. It must SIM.
: ply the government not only with
funds and with laws for raising these
FUNDS, but it must also give all the
authority which is necessary to en-.
force the rules and regulations. to
make feasible and possible the carry
ing on of the war with efficiency This
is as already stated, merely the super-
hclal duty of congress- These things
1t can accomplish because the United
States possesses the necessary wealth
and possesses the necessary patriot
ism to make possible the raising of the
revenue, and to make easy the enforce
ment of any rules and regulations
which may be ordered or ordained.
But the congress of the United
States is charged also with maintain
ing the prosperity of the country. That
may not seem to be an easy order, but
as a matter of fact that is actually
what congress must do In carving
out this order it is necessary for it
to display a financial and economic
and political wisdom of a very high
order. Congress must levy taxes, it
must lay imposts of various kinds in
order to provide the government with
revenue. 1t must, in laying these i'm.
posts and levying these taxes, take
into consideration their effect on the
country, upon the investor, upon the
manufacturer, upon the wage Garner
Indiscreet legislation or legislation
that is unwise, or uneconomic will have
a serious effect.
Congress is not merely concerned
with legislating for the moment, with
the raising of immediate funds, or
building of ships, or making of guns, |
or transporting of troops, but with fur
nishing the sinews of victory. 1t is |
concerned with preserving to the |
United States a measure of prosper |
ity, that resiliency which will be nee
essary to enable us to rise above the |
war and continue on our course when |
peace has been declared. Congress
must view its enactments not merely |
in the light of what they accomplish |
today. but upon what effect they will |
have upon the United States tomor-
row, the tomorrow of peace. There
fore congress is charged with an ex-
ceedingly grave duty. and it is good
thing to be able. to say that congress
is aware of its duty and gravely con-
cerned with its own acts and activi-
ties.
It is true that there are some who
would utilize the power of congress
to strip the industries of the United
States of everything which they pos
sess, who would take away from the
financier and investor that which they
have struggled to gain through years
of work and service, and who would
also deprive every man who had more
than few dollars of all surplus. These
men may be Influenced by local condi-
lions or by something else, but the
fact remains that they are in mi
nority. Neither must the fact be over
looked that If their propositions were
carried into effect absolute paralysis
would follow throughout the country.
Congress, therefore, has the duty OF
conserving the industry, the prosperity
and the resources of the United
States.
:. The industries of the country have
taken their assets and deposited them,
figurativeiy, at least, at the feet OF
Uncle Sam, to be used and utilized in
any way that he deemed desirable
These assets did not merely consist
? of their mills and mines and factories,
: nor In bank accounts or investments
? nor in raw material. They consisted
dlSO VI inc pIdln anu OhOA 6J 0u ga
3 thusiasm and patriotism of the OF
: ficers and stockholders and the work
: ers. These latter assets are the great
: est of all All that was asked of Uncle
Sam was that he should use them tt
@ the best advantage, but preserve then
4 If possible for the future use of the
y country and of their owners TIL
a only stipulation, and that was merel!
n implied, was that there should be nj
i willfuI destruction of the propert,
e which was handed over to Uncle Sam