The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1918-12-01
HUGHES WARNS OF
ABUSE OF POWER
Continued from First Page.

tension Of governmental activities
without counting additional difficulties.
rs It not entirely possible to main
tain governmental supervision which
will give reasonable opportunity for
doing reasonable things instead Of
seeking TO maintain rules Of conduct
which shackle American enterprise?
Neither labor nor the general public
gains anything from denying free
scope to honest business, and to Sc
cure this legitimate freedom 1t should
be the function of government to pro-
vide Intelligent supervision which will
aim at the detection and punishment
Of abuses and not at the Gripping OF
opportunities rightly used.
THE Webb bill is but a slight ad-
vance. II needs the background Of
large undertakings and wide expert
enoe. Moreover, II conduct II es-
sentially wrong. It is not purged by
giving Il fruition on foreign soil; and
II conduct IL not wrong but beneficial
II ought to be encouraged In the in
terest Of industry and trade wherever
undertaken.
Danger of Labor Troubles.
THE indications are that we are
facing serious labor -conditions--it
would be idle to ignore this-and
every effort should be made to meet
them. 1t has seemed to me that at
this time It would be we'll to have
a quick survey OF all the important
public work in the various States and
municipalities which has been held up
during the war, and that intelligent
effort should be made to set 1t going
az rapidly as possible all over the
country to take up the labor slack.
Il assume that tais Is receiving the
attention of officers of the Govern
ment, Certainly we should not wait
idly for critical conditions to arise.
Tho question OF the distribution Of
labor and the prevention OF unem-
ployment, 30 far as may be, needs at
this time the most expert attention.
There is a poor outlook for the bless
ings Of peace II men who want to
work should be unable to find work
at fair wages"
New National CONSEQUENCES.
1--WE emerge from the war with a
| new national consciousness; with a
consciousness OF power stimulated by
extraordinary effort; with a conscious.
ness Of the possibility and potency OF
cooperation and endeavor to an extent
previously undreamed Of; with ma
| tional pride and enthusiasm springinp
from our share In the complete vic.
tory which finally rewarded the stead.
fastness, unconquerable spirit an6
| long sustained sacrifices Of our brave
Allies and to which we had the priv.
lege OF making the decisive contribu.
ton at the critical moment
I'VE know too we'll the burden OF
debt. the unfortunate waste of war
the terrible losses in human life which
sum up the price of liberty, but we
turn from reflections upon these e
greet with eagerness the new oppor.
tunities Of peace. We come out OF the
war without losing our senses ir
dreams of immediate Utopias, and
without the feebleness and irresolu
ton Of fatigue. but quickened ant
alert, and determined that neither
brute force nor the mad sway Of un.
reason shall destroy our liberty oil
mock the victory that we have won.
Urges Military Training.
What are our resources? I SPEAK
not Of material or OF machinery or Of
mere instrumentalitles but IN term:
Of national energy. in terms Of mar
power, which makes democracy work
able. Physically we were never 81
we'll off. 1t Is difficult to realize whar
it means to have several millions o.
young men from every part of thu
country, from every lot in l!te, from
every vocation, trained and developed
ply slCally and returned TO their re
spective communities with heightened
capacity and zest.
And alongside Of these are count
less thousands who have remained a
home, but who have learned OF phys
ical shortcomings which they hav
sought to correct, and whose stand
ards OF physical we'll being have beef
raised. The return of our boys
thanks to the intelligent care whicl
a loving. proud and generous peopl
have exercised and this new atten
ton to physical conditions, will mea
that the substantial basis Of progress
in sound health has peen notably re
enforced. This standard we mus
maintain and for this reason. If 70
no other we must have an adequat