The Washington herald., 1918-10-12

The peace inquiry Of the Presi-
dent in reply to the German prof
fers Is. of course, another stroke in
the big game the Executive is play
ing.
1t shows the same tact, the same
Americanism that other communities
tions have shown-together with the
same irresistible guidance to such
of the people of the central powers
as actually want peace to come for
their own good.
There may be Just a slight tinge
Of disappointment on the part OF
some people, but 1t will not last.
The more the inquiry is studied
after the people get a chance to 60
into IL carefully-the more they will
see the wisdom OF 1t.
The next move will come from
Germany perhaps soon, perhaps
not SO soon. But in the meantime
we will go on beating the Huns
back, defeating their navy where 1t
attempts anything. saving sugar,
carrying men to Europe, inducting
men on this side for eventual SER
vice abroad and also. every moment
of the time. boosting the Fourth
Liberty loan.
Victory is ours and the Huns
can't stop US.
We do not know whether NJ. VAL
liere of France has ever visited this
country or has made a study of this
country's domestic problems.
But we do know that he has set
out, in his sum-up of things France
must do in the reconstruction, some
of the very things this country must
do, too. He outlines them as ac-
curately and as precisely as II he
had been on the ground here for
some time. He deserves credit for
his endeavor.
The only change one needs to
make in this list to apply it to our
own country, is to substitute the
word America for France and then
read on. The list submitted by this
thoughtful Frenchman follows. these
being the steps he saws France must
take to go ahead after the war is
over:
Il. Reduction OF the price of
French manufactures by moderniza-
ton. Standardization and improved
technique.
"2. Diffusion of the methods
learned through the war.
"3. Improvement OF relations be-
tween capital and labor.
-. Improvement of technical edu-
cation and of the apprenticeship
system.
rs. The cooperation Of shops and
yards for studies and researches of
all kinds. for the purchase of raw
materials. the discovery OF markets,
the shipments of finished products
at common expense.
"6. Adaptation of French prod
ucts to the taste of customers, as
a means toward the conquest of
foreign markets.
"7. Development and cheapening
OF transportation.
8. Retention of French money for
French enterprise. establishment of
financial facilities, such as long
credits. etc.
"s. Reservation Of mineral re-
sources for the French. with lin
tied concessions Of mines. and state
participation in the profits
10. Assistance to production,
with a view to reducing imports.
IL. Assistance with a view to in
creasing exports Of manufacturers
~. Abolition OF administrative
restrictions through liberal legisla-
tion.
"13. Increasing the number Of
which the state shares the profits.
IA. Initiation Of vast" public
works on roads and railroads. the
deepening of rivers and harbors.
building Of a merchant marine and
OF new marine basins.
"15. Immediate utilization Of
Frances exceptional waterpower.
rs. Supplying OF farmers with
necessary implements and ma nure. >"
So far as our own nation is con-
cerned many of these reforms have
been advocated for years by some of
our far-seeing statesmen. But they
have awaited the war to give them
the impetus needed to put them over
the goal line. Now that the war has
shown the need for them It is not
making too sanguine a prediction, we
believe, to say that they will be ac-
complished in quick order when the
business of reconstruction begins.
Many OF these steps will be fought
by the interests which have something
to lose by the reforms. But these
fights will be OF short duration. The
public is determined to carry the
works Of peace on in the public inter
est. about the way they have been
carried on during the war-and with
the slogan of The People First the
work of reconstruction will be carried
on with extraordinary ardor.
~ 81 IT. 1.
lem which the eminent Frenchman
has not touched. With the accom-
plishment of so full a program as he
proposes, however, there will be little
left to do for the laboring men. Their
life will be too full of promise then to
make much of an outcry for anything
further in their behalf.
talk. just before Senator Lodge
spoke the other day was of simple
dissection. He merely said the Re-
publican contention that Republican
support in. Congress-a majority
was necessary to the further prose-
cution of the war and it's successful
ending had gone aglimmering be-
cause of opposition of Republicans
to the Presidents queries to Ger
many.
All of which seems irrefutable.
But we fear the senator from Ne
vada overlooked the fact that the
Republican leaders, who spoke in
surprise and suppressed indignation
OF the Presidents action, must first
face the almost united opinion Of
their own party organs before they
assume to attack the executive ac-
tion. For it is fact that some of
the party's most patent and patient
partisan sheets utterly fell over
themselves in indorsing the note
They liked its tone and its technique
they liked everything about it.
But they did not know then that it
contained nartv