The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-10-11

unanimous consent he succeeded in
defeating it.
From the boys "over there" comes
but one report concerning the Red
Cross, and that is an unqualified COM
mendation. And one of the praises
uttered by nearly all is that the Red
Cross is not hampered by red tape.
Oh, if we could only get some of those
Red Cross people in charge of the
Government Service.
With the combination of foresight
and promptness of action which char
acterizes the true statesman, Sena-
tor John w. Weeks of Massachusetts
has introduced a concurrent resolu-
tion providing for the creation of a
Joint Congressional Committee on
Reconstruction. 1t is none too soon
for Congress to take action along
this line. In fact, such a commit
tee should have been established
months ago. AS a member of the mi
nority party, Senator Weeks has very
courteously waited for the Democra-
tic majority to take some steps to-
ward preparing for the peace condi-
tions which will soon, we hope, con-
front us. With the usual failure to
either understand or act upon the task
that awaits us, the Democrats have
done nothing. Senator Weeks resolu-
ton is broad in its scope, as it should
be, and is in itself demonstration of
the authors complete grasp of the i'm
portant economic and social problems
which must be solved if this country
shall readily and with a minimum Of
waste return to the normal activities
of peace. In his resolution he enum-
crates most of the subjects which
should receive study, among them
problems affecting labor, capital cred
it public utilities, rehabilitation of
industrial and military resources, de-
velopment of home industries, foreign
trade, agricultural development, ship
ping, and housing conditions. In or
der that the study of these subjects
may be wholly devoid of partisan bias,
he proposes that the Joint Committee
should be composed of six Senators
and six Representatives, an equal
number of Republicans and Demo-
Gratis. In view of the very strong
probability that the next Congress
will be Republican, it is clear that
Senator Weeks is actuated by no par
tisan bias in proposing that the men,
bership of the committee shall be
equally divided between the parties,
whichever party shall be in power.
Congress has long been under criti-
cism for it's slowness to act-let it
demonstrate it's ability to meet
pressing emergency by adopting the
Weeks Resolution and get the COM
mittee to work at once preparing the
legislation necessary to make this ma
ton ready for peace conditions.
The National Exposition of Chem
ical Societies in New York City is an
revelation of the possibi-
lities of protection of American in
ventiveY genius from sthes destructive
competition of'ncheap) foreign labor.
That protection is possible through
the imposition Of sufficiently , high
tariff duties or, as in the present i'm
stance, by the Intervention of war
that puts stop to all imports from
enemy countries.
Not only has the dye stuff indus
try been developed to huge proper
tions from a comparatively insignif-
cant manufacture before the war, but
the ceramics industry has grown by
leaps and bounds, and in short time
will absorb the markets heretofore
supplied from Austria. The intricate
problems connected with the art are
being met and solved as they arise.
Clays as good as those found in
Teutonic countries are being discov-
cred in the United States; automatic
machinery, mechanical dryers, etc.,
have been installed; and the manu-
facture of hardfre, true porcelain,
now In great demand for table use, is
being rapidly proceeded with.
But what will become of those &C.
tivities after the impetus of war has
been removed? They will disinte-
CRATE and sink back into oblivion un-
less the Republican party is put in
charge of legislation at Washington,
and law is placed on the statute
books that will continue in the form Of
a protective tariff the inducements
now held out to American initiative
To shorten the war, buy bonds
then more.