New Mexico state record. (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1914-19??, 1918-12-06

= Quoted TO . happy contamination. bu
from no quarter have ! seen any gen
. ersl scheme Of reconstruction
emerge which / thought 1t likely ",
t could force u spirited business me,
and self-reliant laborers to accep
/. with due pliancy and obedience.
Restraints eslns Rapidly Relaxed.
While the war lasted We set VI
many agencies by which to direct tn.
! industries. OF the country In the serv
ices It was necessary for them to rem
der. by which to make sure Of n
abundant supply OF the materials
needed. by which to check undertak
ings that could for the time be dis
pensed with and stimulate those tina,
were most seryiceable in war. BY
which to gain for the purchasing de
partments Of the government a certain
control over the prices OF essential
articles and materials. by which to re-
strain trade with alien enemies, make
the most of the available shipping
and systematixe financial transac.
tons. both public and private. 10 that
there would be no unnecessary con.
flict 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 arm.
istice to have been signed we took
the harness of. Raw materials upon
which the government had kept its
hand for fear there should not be
enough for the industries that sup
piled the armies have been released
and put into the general market again.
Great industrial plants whose whole
output and machinery had been taken
over for the uses of the government
have been set free to return to the
uses to which they were put before
the war. 1t has not been possible to
remove SO readily or 30 quickly the
control OF foOdstuffs and of shipping,
because the world has still to be fed
from our granaries and the ships are
still needed to send supplies to our
men oversee and to bring the men
back as fast as the disturbed condi-
tions on the other side of the water
permit: but even these restraints are
being relaxed as much as possible
and o and more as the weeks go
by.
Never before have 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 admins.
tration have known since their labors
became thoroughly systematized; and
they have not been isolated agencies;
they have been directed by men who
represented the permanent depart.
ments of the government and so have
been the centers of unified and coop.
erative action. 1t has been the theory
of the executive, therefore, since the
armistice was assured (Which Is in eff.
feet a complete submission Of the en-
emy). to put the knowledge of these
bodies at the disposal of the business
men OF the country and to offer their
intelligent mediation at every point
and in every matter where 1t was de.
sired.
Return to Peace Footing Rapid.
1T is surprising how fast the pro-
cess of return to q peace footing has
moved In the three weeks since the
fighting stopped. 1t promises to out.
run any inquiry that may be instituted
and any aid that may be offered. 1t
will not be easy to direct Il any bet.
ter than 1t will direct itself. The
American bushes man is Of quick In.
itiative.
THE ordinary and normal processes
of private initiative will not, however.
provide immediate employment for all
of the men of our returning armies.
Those who are of trained capacity,
those who are skilled workmen, those
who have acquired familiarity with o..
tablished businesses. those who are
ready and willing to 60 to the farms,
all those whose aptitudes are known or
will be sought out by employers will
find no difficulty, 1t Is safe to say, In
place and employment. But
there will be others who will be at a
loss whore to gain a livelihood unless
pains are taken to guide them and put
hem in the way of work.
There will be a large floating re.
siduum of labor which should not be
eft wholly to shift for itself. 1t seems
o me important. therefore, that the
Of public works Of every
'ort should be promptly resumed. in
that opportunities should be Gre
tied for unskilled labor In particular.
md that plans should be made for
'uch developments Of u unused lands
md our natural resources Is we have
hitherto lacked stimulation to under.
AXE. ,
Big Reclamation Program Favored.
Il particularly direct your attention I
o the very practical plans which the !
ecretary Of the interior has devel. !
ped in his annual report and before !
committee for the reclamation of {
rid, swamp and cutover lands which y
night, II the states were willing and
BILE to cooperate, redeem some 3O0,- t
90. 700 acres of land for cultivation. d
here are sal dto be $4,000, 900 or 90 r
0O. 1000 acres Of land in the West. at t
resent arid, for whose cultivation wa II
il available. If properly conserved. 4
here are said to be $4,000. 900 or 60, n
'hich the forests have been cut, but 8
'hich have never yet been cleared for !!
N Alo.r anA x.hlnh liz suunaAo AAA A. L n