Evening star., 1918-01-20
SAYS j. S. FACES
GREATEST CRISIS
Oscar S. Straus Warns That
Mobilization of Resources
Is a Necessity.
CONSTRUCTING u. S. POLICY
CONSTRUCTING U. S. POLICY
BY OSCAR $. sTRAUs.


by OSCAR $. sTRAUs.
tMr straus. who was Secretary Of Commerce
and Labor under President Roosevelt ana later
United States ambassador to Turkey. is now
chairman of the Public Service Commission,
New York city; He wrote the following article
campaign of patriotism through education,
Never in it's history has the nation
faced a crisis fraught with SO great
danger to Ter institutions. Both our
own interest and our responsibility
toward our allies, who are largely de-
pendent upon our economic support and
contribution, make the mobilization of
our resources no less important than
the conscription of our man power.
Our own Army and the armies of our
allies are dependent upon the effective
organization of the resources and pro-
ductions of the country. The necessi
ties of the war make clear that We
must nationalize our resources and in
ternationalize our cooperative efforts.
Under the pressure of necessity We
are rapidly reconstructing our national
policy and are federalizing ourselves
as never before. This fact is evidenced
by the creation. with others, of such
national instruments as the Federal Re-
serve Board. the War Trade Board. the
War Industries Board, the Federal Trade
Commission and the Food Administra-
tion. with the rapid development Of
our Industrial growth. the policy of
our government both state and ma
ttonal. In recent years has been to reg
ulate the combination of commercial
hi ~tI,
reasons. in order to prevent the growth
OF power outside of the government
greater than the government itself But
to remedy one evil we created other
us we are finding 1t essential so to re-
construct our national policies as to
promote instead Of retard economic de-
velopment and growth and to bring
about fuller cooperation between the
government and big business Francis
II. Stsson, vice president of the Guar
anty Trust Company. just before the
appointment of the director general of
railroads. said: only yesterday the
word pooling was an anathena: today
we are pooling food and fuel and ore and
oil and transportation
Efficiency in Combination.
Our railroads. under the pa
ternal aegis Of the government, are
demonstrating in a marked degree the
efhciency of combination in transporta-
ton With only per cent increase in
equipment they have shown Is per cent
increase in transportation service, sim
ply through being permitted to operate
their properties-by agreement among
themselves-on . national instead of a
sectional or local basis
should democracy fail in effective
ness for lack Of concentrated control
or because its rulers are its servants
then 1t must give way to that form of
ayA
necessary the effectiveness necessary
Tor Its security. In the words of Presi-
dent Wilson: THE battle line of de-
mocracy for America stretches from the
workshop"-a fact which emphasizes
CUR duty as patriots to, promote the
fullest cooperation on the part of all
OF our citizens, SO as to bring the CO.
Tor the protection of those principles
which lie at the basis of American de-
mocracy. German autocracy is the very
counterpart and antithesis OF democ-
facy.
Together with our gallant allies. we have
not entered this war for conquest, for ter
ritory or for power. but to dethrone a
system which initiates against the
which. unless dethroned, would rebar
Darize the world. Germany, in her ex-
aitation Of military power, under the
guidance Of false philosophy, delib-
erasely taught and preached to corrupt
and misguide the conscience of her peo-
PIE. who lost sight Of the moral mo-
etves that control other Royernments
ana other peoples The Emperor Of
germany. with a perverted piety. has
boastfully claimed that he is responsi.
pie to no one but God-not the God Of
Nations-but his little HohenxolIern
god. which he is serving by breakinr
every law, human and divine.
Claims of German Emperor.
He has boldly stated: II take NV
an.noTity from God and from nobody
Him alone" Unless the German peo-
pie will of their own accord enthrone
e more righteous God. this war will
nase " 70 go on until we enthrone more
rlghteors God for them and replace
the divine right Of kings by the di-
VINE right of the people. Along this
avenue OF human progress has marched
the majestic FORCES of civilization from
the fall OF Nero to the rise of Wash.
1ngton, and will continue to march nm
st,l all nations are agreed that right
eousnees, and righteousness alone, will
exalt a nation.
This war and the mighty forces that
are arrayed in 1.-THE peaceful and lib
erty-loving allies on the one side and
the military dynasties Of Germany, Aus
tria and Turkey or the other-make
clear that a righteous peace cannot be
secured and maintained except through
victory for the principles of inter
national good faith under democratic
control. followed by the esta blish ment
Of a League of Homer" sufficiently
powerful to guard the future from a
like assault against civilization. To-
gether with her allies. America will
continue to tight for such an outcome
until, in the language of former Presi-
dent Taft, we :cenquer peace" a peace
Of Justice. not an imposed peace of
might cnly without Justice, but of jus
tice fortified by the associated might Of
. league of nations.
TO STAY AT PUBLIC LIBRARY.