The Leader, enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ga.) 1915-1921, 1918-10-09
Prosperity Will Con-
Iiaue After The War
FiraacierS and Captains of Industry
Believe Times Will Be
Good for Years

New York, Oct 6.-Will the pres
ent unprecedented prosperity of the
United States continue after the war?
This is a question that is already oc-
cupying the attention of fnanciers,
business men and others. Some are
inclined to take a pessimistic outlook
for business after the war has ended
and peace has been declared. Various
arguments are offered to support
their predictions. VIII not the ma
jority of the great industrial plants
now engaged wholly on war work
shut down Immediately the war is
ended? they ask. Will not hundreds
Of thousands of workmcn thus be
thrown out OF employment? Will
not the European nations be bank
rupt after four or FIVE years of war
fare and thus unable to buy our pro-
ducts? And what of the millions of
men released from military service?
viii there be employment for them
when they return?
No one is in position to answer
these questions with exact certainty
There is no precedent upon which to
judge Of the financial and industrial
conditions that are likely to prevail
after the war is ended The condi-
tons that are likely to prevail after
the war is ended. The conditions that
followed the American Civil War of
more than half century ago offer
no parallel to the conditions of the
present time. What happened then
is not likely to happen now. The
whole economic fabric of the United
States and of the world has under
gone a radical change.
But there are great financiers in
America, eminent merchants, cap
tains OF industry and political econo,
mists who are giving deep study to
the problem and without exception
these men have arrived at the con-
clusion that there is no foundation
for the dismal prediction that are
heard in some quarters 1t is their
unanimous opinion that the present
prosperity after the war and that
it will be shade by Canada, England
and all the allies.
Il have no patience" says New
York fnancier of international repu-
tation, with those prophets of woe
who declare that, after the war.
America will be i'll for a spell of hard
times. 1t is the shcerest nonsense to
talk i'll this way; for, instead of see
ing an end of its prosperity, the
country will be actually better off
than ever"
10 begin with iii spite of the raw
ages of war, the population of the
country will be larger after the war
than it was before There will be
more people to earn money, and of
course, more to spend it. The natur-
al wealth of the country will remain
practically as it was, available for
exploiting under new and vastly inn
proved conditions
There will be an enormous amount
of capital released for the develop
ment of new industries. Establish
ed manufacturers who have prosper
ed as result of the war will have
available the capital with which to
extend their fields of operations. And
even the income from foreign sources
will be greater than it was before
the war, for we shall draw large and
certain revenues from our loans to
our allies. Thus, it may be seen, the
country will have an excellent start
from the point of view of material
things
But there is an aspect more i'm
portant still. America has made good
all sorts of industrial defects during
the war, New factories by the thou
sands have sprung into existence in
all parts of the country, all of which
are available for commercial purposes
in the future. Great shipyards have
been built on the three coasts and on
inland waters. Agricultural product
ion has been stimulated and the ac-
Invites of mines. oil fields and lumber
camps have been keyed to a high
pitch to meet all demands for the flu
ture. In a word, the country, is in
a position to extend all the old indus