The Bolivar County Democrat. (Rosedale, Miss.) 1887-1969, 1918-12-21
LEST WE FORGET!


ing South American merchants to
cancel orders for cotton goods.
Japan, which comes out of the war
unscratched, enriched and with
largely increased merchant marine
and stimulated industries, is send
ing fleet of ships with merchan-
disc to the Pacific Coast. Great
Britain and France for four years
have had commissions studying the
best method of expanding their
foreign trade the moment the war
was over.
In the United States we have the
same unpreparedness for peace
that we had for war, and worse
than this, if news reports are cor
rect, we have the department at
Washington which has established
to upbuiid American business in
terest holding them back. Seldom
has such a shock been given to the
business of this country as Secre
tary of Commerce Red6eld gave.
when, as publicly reported. he said:
We have great decision to make.
It is wheather we shall take this
opportunity and the immediate
rich profit it offers or wheather we
shall restrain our energies tor
while. giving France, England,
Belgium. Italy. even the neutrals
and even Germany s reborn people
fair and free opportunity to get
on their feet. while we assist them
in rebuilding their homes and their
factories and fertilizing their soils.
The afterwar problem of recon-
struction is the most serious that
we now face. It confronts every
nation. We must meet it and we
are wholly unprepared to do SO.
That far. sighted captain of indus
try, President E. I. Bedford of the
Corn Products Refining Co.. calls
attention in the New York Times
to "Obstacles for Our After-War
Trade" He reminds us that we
shall have a large investment in
plants, machinery and accessories
required for war production, and
useless now unless they can be
turned to other uses, and that our
Allies, faced by the same situation
have made preparations aid will
soon be aggressive, if friendly,
competitors in the world markets.
Their governments" says Mr..
Bedford. we may be sure. will give
them plenty Of support" We are
reminded also that the German
merchant ALWAYS has been a keen
and resourceful business man.
The business men of Germany will
be made all the keener by their
urgent need ofregaining the trade
which they lost during a long and
impoverishing war.
Mr.. Bedford sees but one way to
keep much of our recent develop
ment of plant from being scrapped
and that is bv creating increased
foreign business to take care of the
greater production which may logi-
cally be expected" He believes
in the general enforcement of the
eight hour day all over the world
"a general eight hoar day and not
basic eight hour day, which is
merely used as a starting point
for wage increases. With the
actual eight-hour day and plants
running with three shifts of eight
hours each, the cost of production
will be decreased and it will be
possible for us to enter the markets
of the world. We are reminded
also that large combinations with
great aggressions of capital are
needed to do big things and that
partnership of large and small
corporations in the same busin ess
under the terms of the Webb law,
on an equitable basis, is the best
method for obtaining as increase
of our foreign trade. But, -
saws Mr.. Bedford, "unless the dis.
trust too often shown toward large
corporations is done away with,
this will be impossible, and our
foreign commerce will be left to
combinations of small businesses
which will not have the experience
and the facilities necessary to sue
cess
Governmental Incorporation with