The Washington times., 1918-12-02

should be formed ana personally con-
Quoted to a happy contamination. but
from no quarter have / seen any gen
eral scheme OF Reconstruction"
emerge which 1 thought It likely We
could force our spirited business men
and self-reliant laborers to accept
with due pliancy and obedience.
Many Agencies Set Up.
While the war lasted we set up
many agencies by which to direct the
Industries of the country in the serv-
ices 1t was necessary for them to req
der, by which to mako sure OF an
abundant supply of tho materials
needed. by which to check undertake
ings that could for the time be dis
pensed with and stimulate those that
were most serviceable in war, by
which to gain for the purchasing de-
partments of the Government GER
tain control over the prices of essen
tial articles and materials, by which
to restrain tfade with alien enemies.
make the most of the available ship
ping, and systematize financial trans
actions, both public and private, so
that there would be no Unnecessary
conflict or confusion-by which, in
short, to put every material energy of
the country in harness to draw the
common load and make of us one
team in the accomplishment of a great
task. But the moment we knew the
armistice TO have been signed we took
the harness OF. Raw materials upon
which the Government had kept its
hand for fear there should not be
enough for the industries that sup
pliedf the armies have been released
and put into the general market again.
Great Industrial plants whose whole
output and machinery had been taken
over for the uses of the Government
have been set free 70 return L. the
uses to which they were put before
the war. 1t has not been possible t.
remove SO readily or so quickly the
control of foodstuffs and OF shipping,
because the world has still ~ be fed
from our granaries and the ships are
still needed to send supplies to our
men oversee and to bring the men
back as fast as the disturbed condi-
lions on the other side of the water
permit; but even there restraints are
being relaxed as much as possible and
more and more as the weeks go by.
Know Field Thoroughly.
Never before have there been agen-
cies in existence in this country which
knew so much of the field of supply,
Of labor. and of industry as the War
Industries Board, the War Trade
Board, the Labor Department, the Food
Administration, and the Fuel Admin
istration have known since their la
bors became thoroughly systematized:
and they have not been isolated agen-
cies; they have been directed by men
which represented the permanent de-
partments of the Government, and so
have been the centers of unified and
cooperative action. 1t has been the
policy of the Executive, therefore,
since the armistice was assured
(which is in effect a complete sub
mission of the enemy) to put the
knowledge of these bodies at the dis
posal of the business men OF the coun-
try and to offer their Intelligent me
diation at every point and in every
matter where it. was desired.
II is, surprising how fast the process
OF return to peace footing has moved
in the three weeks since the lighting
stopped. 1t promises to outrun any
inquiry that may be instituted and
any aid that may be offered. It win
not be easy to direct II any better
than 1t will direct itself. The Ameri-
can business man is of quick initia-
tive.
Large Floating ResIduum.
anu processes OF
private initiative will not, however,
provide immediate employment for
all of the men of our returning
armies. Those who are of trained ca
pscity, those who are skilled work
men, those who have acquired
familiarity with established BUSH
nesses, those who are ready and will
ing to go to the farms, all those
whose aptitudes are known or will be
sought out by employers will find no
difficulty. 1t is safe to say, in finding
place and employment. But there will
be others who wiz be at a loss where
to gain a livelihood unless pains are
taken to guide them and put them in
the way of work. There will be a
large, floating residuum of labor Which
should not be left wholly to shift for
itself. 1t seems to me important,
therefore, that the development of
public works of every sort should be
promptly resumed, in order that op-
portunities should be created for un-
skilled labor in particular, and that
plans should be made for such de-
velopments of our unused lands and
our natural resources as we have
hitherto lacked stimulation to under
take.
1 particularly direct your atten-
t'on to the very practical plans which