The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1918-11-22
LOOKING AHEAD

1t is a generally accepted fact that
"panics" or 'hard times" are resultant
from the attitude of mind on the part
of the people. Pessimism breeds
pessimism just as surely as optimism
breeds optimism; and certainly in the
face of present conditions there is
every reason for us to be optimistic
concerning the future.
A dispassionate survey of that with
which we can now expect to be con-
fronted by the cessation of hostilities
by those who have been engaged in
the World War surely points to work
and more work--and more than
enough in our own country to keep
our present workers busy and to pro-
vide occupation for those who return
to the ranks Of industry from military
life.
In the first place, we must recog
hize that the war has opened up to
US, as a Nation, many hitherto un-
recognized avenues of usefulness and
service in the way of materials and
labor.
Because all things Fundamentally
come from the soil, consider farming
as it was. looked upon a few years
ago, and as it is today. For years
the tendency of the American farmer
has been toward expansion, regardless
Of all else. His perception of profit
seemed to lie solely and entirely in
the number Of acres he owned rather
than in the production which he effect
ed per acre.
The necessity for increased pro-
duction of all food-stuffs together
with the shortage of farm labor has
brought with it the science of inten-
siVe cultivation it has forced the
lssue--it has brought home to the
farmer that his vital interests lie in
the concentration of his energies.
What will be the result of this
growing realization? 1t can natur-
ally be expected that the tendency
will veer from large and slightly
worked acres to smaller farms with
every acre under intensive cultivation.
There will be more farms and natur-
ally more farmers.
Let us look at another field. For
years we have been known as a great
cotton-producing country and a cot
ten manufacturing country; but it
needed the cutting off of Germany
from the world to awaken us to the
fact that we had been practically
dependent upon her for the dyes
which entered into the manufacture
Of our great natural home product.
American ingenuity and initiative
were Immediately set into action and
the result has been that, while we
have by no means reached perfection
in the production of dyes, it is GER
tain that never again will we be de-
pendent upon any foreign country for
practically our entire supplies.
And so it goes down the line. New
fields have been opened, fields that
require heads and hands to till the
virgin soil of new enterprises.
True it is that we have two million
men abroad, and that places must be
found for these men upon their re-
turn home; but it must also be
recognized that their transfer from
military to civil life will not take
place, as it were, over night. The
transition will be gradual and the re-
adjustment a natural one. More
over, it must not be overlooked that
it is but natural that some of our boys
will elect to remain in Europe for
some little time, that they will see in
the rebuilding and reconstruction
which must take place in those war
ridden countries an opportunity, and
glamour of excitement that is attract
i've to the eyes of youth.