The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1918-10-11
AFTER WAR is OVER, WHAT?


perhaps less, it behooves thoughtful
people to devote some consideration
to the future-to after-war condi-
tons. Many people fear stagnation
after peace is declared. Certainly
there will be a period of recorstruc-
ton. Thousands of manufacturing
consums, employ & some millions of
men and women that have been en-
gagged in making war material of one
kind and another, will have to go
thru a period of transition and get
back to the making of those things
that are required by world at peace.
This will require time. Wages will
have to be readjusted to peace times.
This may require six, at most twelve
months. After the United States has
once more gotten on a peace basis
it will start on the greatest era of
development and prosperity the coun-
try ever experienced. Every reason
points to the soundness of this con-
clusion. We have nothing to rebuild.
This is the one great manufacturing
nation that war has had no effect on
other than to stimulate it's industries.
The manufacturing industries of Eng
land, France, Belgium and Germany
have been sadly impaired for one rea-
son and another. Those of France
and Belgium have been DESTROYED.
Those of England have all but been
destroyed. Those of Germany will
have to go thru the readjustment
period with at least half her artisans
killed or crippled. None Of them
have a stock of raw material to be-
gin work on. Ships to carry raw
material and manufactured goods
will be scarce. German ships to car
ry freight have all but disappeared.
The English, French, Italian, Dutch,
Swedish, Norwegian and Spanish
merchant marine has been reduced to
practically one-half the pre-war ton
mage. On the other hand the Ameri-
can merchant marine, tremendously
augmented, and being added to every
month, will be ready at an instants
notice to take wares to Europe and
bring soldiers back. There will be
such a market for American lumber,
for one thing, as this country never
dreamed of. There will be ready
market in Europe, Asia, Africa,
South America and Australia for
every kind of manufactured FOODS.
All these countries have been with
out their normal supply for at least
four years. From all countries save
Europe they will bring back princi-
pally raw materials for which there
was lack of ships the past 8 years.
There will be no lack of employment
at remunerative wages for all the
people of this country for at least
five years after the war closes, once
we have passed the reconstruction
period.
All fear of trouble after the war
from disconnected labor or |. w. w.
and their like will be taken care of
by our returning soldier boys. Those
soldier boys are going to cut a big
figure in this country after they com
home. They will have such a respect
and generation for the country that
backed them up that the man who
wants to start something will do well
to respect. Those malcontents who
may want to change this country in
to a Russian Bolshevik will have a
hard time to convince those return
ing fighters that this country and it's
government is not the best on earth.
If any should take it into their heads
that they want to change it by force
they will find themselves hanging to
tree without the formality of a
trial. Never fear but those boys who
helped whip the kaiser will know
what to do with the enemy at home.
There will be over four million of
them, the very flower of American
manhood. What is more they will
have priority over all of us stay-at-
homes, as they should have, for the
best this country has to offer in
every avenue of life; and woe to him
who sets his face against them. The
gates of hell shall not prevail against
them.
To readers of the Echo we say,
have no fear of the future. 1t can
not be other than fraught with good
for all of us. AS for trouble, leave
that to the returning soldier boys.
They will look after any trouble
makers that may raise their heads.
On another page we print an ex-