Baxter Springs news., 1918-11-08
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
Washington. D. c. October
BY ]. z. Jones
"After the War"

According to the reconstruction re
solutions before Congress, Il appear
that no plans have yet been seriousl!
considered for the rehabilitation o
our Army and Navy after the war
The problem as to what Is to be don'
with these men must be solved.
Secretary Lane Of the Interior De
partment, appears to be the only Cab
met officer who has come forward tC
announce a plan Of betterment fol
our soldiers when they return from
the battle fronts. Nevertheless II Is
"A fact that practically every Depart
ment and Bureau Of the Government
has been developing ways and means
toward reconstruction, and they will
all be put forward. Secretary Lane,
in a letter to the President, recalls
that following the Civil War the SOL
diers went upon the homestead land
which was thrown open to entry. Con-
gress is asked to get busy upon plan
that has been outlined by him to pre-
pare government lands, to supply
drainage and other important and ex-
tensive improvements that will be
necessary before land in great guam
titles can be made available. At the
close Of the Civil War this was an
agricultural rather than q manufac-
turing nation, and it is impossible to
forecast the percentage Of soldiers
who will 90 upon farm lands. 1t will
be necessary to provide employment
for five million men and to transfer
millions of war workers into employ
ment in civil life.
There is in process Of completion
war orders amounting to billions Of
dollars, and when a declaration of
peace comes most of these will neces-
sarily be cancelled Immediately. Con-
gress is beginning to pay attention to
these problems which will entail great
losses to manufacturers-running into
amounts aggregating billions of dol
lars, and the adjustment Of which will
create a situation of uncertainty that
will exist for years to come. "lnti-
mately connected with the question Of
labor is the one relating to social well
fare" declared one of the Senator'S,
who added that the European cOun-
tries have taken steps, nationally, re-
lating to welfare questions; for exam
pie, the provision for old age pensions,
life insurance and other similar mat
ters.
New Questions Ahead
The Senate proceedings bring out
the fact that at the end Of the war we
are likely to have merchant feet
larger than that of any other coun-
try in the world-a different relative
position than the one we held at the
beginning of the war. This fleet will
be very largely owned by the Govern
ment, and it is a problem that must
he decided as to whether we are going
to sell the yards, lease them, or to
operate them under Government own
ership. Government ownership crops
up in every industrial problem.
Another immense problem con-
fronting the Government and the
country, affects the manufacturing
plants and other establishments Gre
ated for war purposes, the machinery
for which may or may not be avail
able for after war production. 1t is
likewise considered a subject for the
immediate present to decide what we
are going to do with the millions OF
war workers now SO busily employed
who will find themselves out of en-
ployment when peace has been declar-
edit appears imperative that the Coy
ernment must take some action to
protect its war workers. The Govern
ment has an endless number Of build
ings now being used for exclusive war
purposes, and it must be determined
what is going to be done with these
buildings. What also is to be done
with the houses the Government has
provided for its war workers? Sure
ly all this vast equipment must not
deteriorate or 60 in the scrap heap. At
the same time the Government cannot
always "do it ALL" Private initiative
must return to bear its burdens, for
it is very clear that cooperate indus
try will not solve the problem and a
wise modern philosopher gives this
reason: Because inevitably the few
must always lead and the many must
follow, which renders just co-Opera-
tion impossible of realization until
human nature itself is changed"
American Dyes
The great crowds that gathered to
witness the victories of the American
chemists had the satisfaction to be-
hold the dye manufacturing process In
operation; and color for color, it was
i.-.-I..A.l. AhnA Ahn hnr,nn dives aY-