Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-12-02

N"h'h"Nu iV" asS ohe
our spirited business men and self-re-
liant lahorers to accept with due plancy
and obedience.
HarDessed Nations Energy
| While the war lasted we set up many
agencies by which TO direct the indus
tries of the country in the services II
was necessary for them to render, by
which TO make sure Of an abundant
supply OF tine materials needed, by
which to check undertakings that could
for the time be dispensed with and
stimulate those that were most service
able in war, by which to gain for the
purchasing departments OF the Govern
ment certain control over the prices
of essential articles and materials, by
which TO restrain trade with allen
enemies, make the most of the available
shipping and systematize financial
transa actions, both public and private. so
| that there would be no unnecessary con-
| nct or ConfusIon--by which, In short,
TO put every material energy of the
country in harness to draw the com.
mon load and make of us one team in
the accomplishment Of a great task.
| But the moment We knew the srmi-
stiCe to have been signed we took the
harness OFF Raw materials upon which
| the Government had kept its hand for
| fear there should not be enough Jor
! the industries that supplied the armies
have heen released and put into the gen
| eral market again. Great industrial
plants whose whole output and maChin-
cry had been taken over for the uses
! Of the Government have been set free to
return to the uses to which they we're
put before the war
II has not been possible TO remove 80
quickly the control Of foodstuffs and Of
shipping, because the world has still to
be fed from our grunaries and the ships
are still needed to send supplies to our
men overseas and to bring the men back
as fast as the disturbed conditions of
the other side of the water permit; but
even there restraints are being relaxed
as much as possible and more and more
as thr weeks 70 by.
Never before nave there been
agencies in existence in this country
which knew so much of the field Of
supply. of labor and of industry as the
war industries board, the war trade
board, the Labor Department. the food
administration and the fuel administra-
tion have known since their labors be-
came thoroughly systematized and they
have not been isolated agencies; they
have been directed by men which repre-.
sented the permanent departments Of the
Government, and so have been the cen
ters of unified and cooperative action
1t has been the policy Of the Executive
therefore. since the armistice was as
sured (Which is in effect a complete SUB
, mission of the enemy TO put the knowl
: edge Of these bodies at the disposal o.
the business men Of the country, and t'
|, offer their intelligent mediation at ever!
, point and in every matter where it wal
: desired.
It is surprising how fast the process
= of return to peace footing has moVe'
: in the three weeks since the hghtinl
stopped II promises TO outrun any in
quiry that may be instituted and an;
D aid that may be offered. II will not b
: easy 10 direct it any better than it vii
direct itself. The American bushes
man Is OF quick initiative.
Employment for soldiers
4 The ordinary and normal processes o
: private initiative will not, however, pro
vide immediate employment for all
, the men OF our returning armies Thcs
who are OF trained capacity, those VIII
, are skilled worimen, those who have ac
ouired familiarity with established bus
nesses, those who are ready and willln
4 to 20 to the farms. all those whose apt
8 tudes are known or will be sought b
J. employers will find no difficulty, it
: safe to say, in finding place and en-
ployment.
!, But there Will he others who will
~ at a loss where to gain a livelihood ur
less pains are taken 10 Eu'ut the'h al
i put them in the way of work. The
5 will be large floating residuum
labor which should not be left Who'll
Q to shift for itself. 1t seems to me ii
a portant, therefore, that the deyelopme
IS of public works Of every sort should
5 promptly resumed. in order that oppo
d tunitics should be created for unskill'
q labor in particular, and that plans shou
l. be made for such developments Of q
S unused lands and our natural resourd
as we have hitherto lacked stimulate
I to undertake.
Redeem waste Land
- | particularly direct your attention
the very practical plans which the Sc
n retary Of the Interior has developed
sc his annual report and before your cor
~ uittees for tho reclamation of arl
at swamp and cut-ovcr lands which mlgt
-, IL the states were willing and able
III cooperate. redeem some 100000
AZ acres of land for cultivation. There a
lis said to be 100000 or 20,0Oo,oOO acr
10 Of land in the West, at present arid I
IN whose reclamation water is available,
h. properly conserved. There are abo
e. o3O 0OO, 900 acres from which the fores
z" have been cut, but which have never y
been cleared for the plow, apd viii