The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-12-07
WEBSTER IN, PLAN
Well known Stove Manufac-
turer ON Labor.
Fund for Subsidy of Business
Expansion.
MILLIONS TO Be IDLE SOON
MunitiOn Factories Alone En-.
ploy 100000.
Encourage Work by Investment
Safeguard.
MILLIONS TO Be IDLE SOON

A plan to create fund Tor tho Suo.
sidy of business expansion over and !
above the present demand preceding
the rehabilitation Of the manufacture
of war munitions has been fostered
and encouraged by w. H. Webster.
president of the Rathbone. Sard q
Company of Albany, N. T., according !
to Information given out in Topeka |
today by Theo. Heege, Kansas repre- !
sentative of that well known concern.
President Webster's ideas. most
valuable at this time, due to the enor-
nous problems off reconstruction and
the care of the millions OF laboreru in
munition manufacturing plants. fol-
low:
THE adjustment Of industrial con-
ditions to meet the demands which
the cessation Of hostilities and the re-
construction period will necessitate,
involves problems which will have to
be dealt with and provided for in a
deliberate and intelligent manner. 1t
is first necessary that the conditions
as they now are should be fully under
stood. Most of the industrieA of the
country are at present either Wholly or
partly engaged in the manufacture of
war supplies of one nature or another.
activities have been either greatly re-
duced or entirely eliminated. n
Further, to meet the demands of
the war industries board and to re-
lease raw materials necessary for the
successful prosecution of the war, the
sale OF commodities in general was
discouraged. sales organizations were
disbanded and advertising and sales
helps discontinued resulting in an al
most complete paralysis az the coun-
try's selling organizations.
The result is that before the manu-
facture of pre-war industries can be
resumed. sales organisations will have
to be rebuilt and even then the de-
mand Tor the commodities which have
peen reduced or eliminated during the
war period will depend entirely or the
ability of the public to purchase. There
can be no doubt but that the purchas-
ing power of the public has been
greatly reduced by the financing of
the war thru the purchase Of liberty
bonds and the subscription to war ac-
tivities which has not alone left them
without surplus funds, but indebted
them for many months to come.
Millions for Munitions,
"It is estimated that there are seven
and one-half million employes-dt pres
ent engaged in the manufacture of
war materials and supplies, and in ad-
dition there are three million men un-
der arms. 1t Is now suggested that
not only shall the army be demobilized
at the rate of three hundred thou
sand (300,000) per month, but it is
further suggested that all overtime
or night work be entirely eliminated
in war munition and supply factories.
This act in itself will Immediately
throw out of employment not less than
three million (3,0O0,oOO) employees, and
the gradual cancellation of war con-
tracts during the next three months
Will result in further discharge of
not less-than an additional two and
one-half million (2,5oO.00O); conse-
quently the condition which confronts
the country i9 tho TO
of providing work for Approximately
six million (6,00O,00O) employees on
the assumption that the pre-war in
dustries cannot possibly do more than
provide employment for the balance
of four and one-half million (45OO,-
00O) affected thru the final demobili-
cation of the war industries and the
army.
| 1T has been suggested that a large
number of men can be employed on
building projects which have been re-
stricted during tho war period, and
that at least an additional million
more can be employed in shipbuild-
ing enterprises. Both OF these projects,
however, will be in me nature, more
or less of public relief work, and as
far as the building projects are con-
cerned, an expansion which the invest
ment will not Justify. On the other
hand. the increase Of the merchant
| marine over and above the country's
requirements will not only be q costly
venture but will have to be judged
from an investment standpoint on the
basis of a similar cost per ton in
Europe where labor conditions make
1t possible to effect considerable
saving<over the cost in this country.
The value of any such project as
the building of merchant marine is
proportionate only to the successful
operation of our industries and should
follow industrial expansion by Great
ing the means Of an outlet in foreign
markets, and under no circumstances
should precede it. There can conse-
quently be no doubt that the only safe
policy to pursue in an effort to meet
the present exfgency. namely. that OF
reconstruction preceding the demobili-
cation of the manufacture of war
munitions and supplies is to create a
. fund for the subsidy of business ex-
pansion over and above the present
demand. Such plan would not only
safeguard the investment, but would
permit a surplus of manufactured
goods Immediately available for for
eign trade, not to speak of the domes-
tic requirements. which are bound to
be in excess OF the natural supply
once the reconstruction period has
been passed. European foreign trade
has always been fostered by subsidies
of one nature or another, either in
the form of shipping or monopolies
and IL the industrial subsidy suggested
to meet the present exigency were
adopted. it could be made the nucleus
| OF permanent plan for foreign trade