The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1918-12-21
News Of The World
COMMERCIAL WORLD FACING ECONOMIC
READJUSTMENT
&C. B. W.

COMMERCIAL WORLD FACING ECONOMIC
READJUSTMENT
Men Of influence are recognizing the fact that
| the past four years have witnessed a vast
change in economic conditions The world
never again will be the same as in the past.
| At the tenth annual governors conference,
held at Annapolis, Maryland, the other day,
Governor Emerson G. Harrington. of Maryland
in making the welcoming address, said:
"Now that the war is over, the questions of
reconstruction, restoration and readjustment
are demanding early solution Old conditions
| can never return New conditions now con-
front us to meet. Bolshevism must never be
permitted upon the western continent, but the
surest way to avoid anarchy or Socialism of
such character, is for us to have such forms
Of government with such legislation that gives
equal and just rights, and equal and just op-
portunity to every citizen of Our country. Pub
lie utility corporations and big business must
now understand that they can only exist when
they recognize that their existence is permitted
only for service and not for SELF and that they
are servants and not masters -
AT the annual meeting Of the Illinois Manu-
facturers' Association, held last week in the
Congress Hotel, Chicago, it was generally
agreed that the United States will never 60
back to it's industrial pre-war basis and that
workers will have vastly more to say in future
about industrial conditions.
At the reconstruction conference, held last
week at Atlantic City, and which had been
called by the United States chamber Of COM
merce, the councillors, consisting of some of the
ablest business men of the country, suggested
the following code as basis Of operations
industrial enterprises should be conducted
with view to the greatest opportunity for all
concerned.
Regularity Of employment must be striven
for.
Impartial agencies must be set up to inter-
pref and apply agreements and to make prompt
and authoritative settlements Of differences.
''The right of all workers to minimum liv-
ing wage is declared.
"High wages and national prosperity go hand
in hand. Therefore, whenever the volume Of
business declines, the last item to be reduced
should be wages.
GA standardized and established wage should
represent standardized measure of perform
ance
In all plants where the number Of workers
is large a responsible executive should be
charged with the superintendent Of relations
between the workers and the management"
John D. Rockefeller, Jr. in speech on Re
presentation in Industry forcefully presented
the issue as follows:
GAS the leaders of industry face this period
Of reconstruction, what will their attitude be?
Will it be that Of the Sstandpatters who take no
account Of the extraordinary changes which
have come over the face of the civilized world
| and have taken place in the minds of men, who
say. What has been and is must continue to be.
With our backs to the wall, we will fight it out
along the same lines or go down with the Ship
who attempt stubbornly to resist the inevitable
and, arming themselves to the teeth, invite open
warfare with the other parties in industry, the
certain outcome of which will be financial loss,
inconvenience and suffering to all, the develop
ment of bitterness and hatred and in the end
the bringing about through legislation, if not
by force Of conditions far more drastic and rad
ical than could now be amicably arrived at
| through mutual concession in friendly confer
ence?
| cor will it be an attitude. in which myself
profoundly believe, which takes cognizance of
! the inherent right and justice of the principles
underlying the new order, which recognizes that
mighty changes are inevitable, many Of them
| desirable, which, not waiting until forced to
| adopt new methods, takes the lead in calling
together the parties in interest for roundtable
conference to be held in spirit of justice, with
a view to working out some plan of cooperation
quate representation, an opportunity to earn
fair wage under proper working and living con-
ditions, with such restrictions as to hours as
shall leave time not alone for food and sleep
but also for recreation and the development Of
| the higher things Of life"