New Britain herald., 1918-12-02

with the republic of Colon bin. | very
earnestly urge upon them al early
and favorable action upon that vital
mater. l believe that they Will feel,
with me, that the stage OF affairs is
now set for such action as will be not
only just but generous and in rhe
spirit Of the new age upon which We
have SO happily entered.
So far as our domestic affairs are
concerned, the problem of our return
to peace is a. problem of economic
and industrial REIMBURSEMENT That
problem is loss serious for us than it
may turn out to be for the nations
which have suffered the dsarrange-
nlents and the losses of the war longer
than we. Our people, moreover, do
not wait to be coached and led They
know their own business are quick
and resourceful at every readjustment,
definite in purpose and self-reliant in
action. Any leading strings we might
seek to put them in would speedily
become hopelessly tangled because
they would pay no attention to them
and go their own way. All that we
can did as their legislative and execu-
tive servants is to mediate the process
OF change here, there, and elsewhere
as we may. | have heard such coun-
sci as to the plans that should be
formed and personally conducted to a
happy contamination, but from no
quarter have 7 seen any general
scheme of recon struction' emerge
which [ thought it likely we could
force our spirited business men and
self-reiiant laborers to accept with
Que pilancy and obedience.
IL,
many agencies by which to direct the
industries of the countries in the
services 1t was necessary for them to
render, by which to make sure of an
ABUNDANT supply of the materials
needed, by which to check undertake
1ngs that could for the time be dis
pensed with and stimulate those that
were most SerViceable in war bv
Whicn TO gain for the purchasing de-
paftnents of the government a GER
tam control oNr the prices of essen
tlal articles and materials, by which
TO restrain trade with alien enemies
make the most OF the availa bic ship
ping and systematic financial trans
actions, both public and private, SO
that there would be no unnecessary
conflict or confusion-by which in
snort, 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 off. Raw materials upon
which the government had kept it's
hand for fear there\ should not be
enough for the industries that sup
piled 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 gov
eminent have been set free to return
TO the uses to which they We're put be-
fore the war. 1t has not been pos
sible to remove SO readily or so quick
ly the control of foodstuffs and of
shipping, because the world has still
to be fed from our graneries and the
ships are still needed to send supplies
to our men overseas and to bring the
men back as fast as the disturbed
conditions on the other side of the
water permit; but everywhere re-
straints are being relaxed as much as
possible and more and more as the
weeks go by.
Never before have there been
agencies in this country which knew
labor and of industry as the war in
dustries board, the war trade board,
the labor department., the food ad-
ADMINISTRATION and the fuel administra-
ton have known since the labors
became thoroughly systematized; and
they have not been isolated agencies
they have been directed by men which
| represented the permanent depart
n r Oert #L-,-
been the centers of unified and CO.
operative action. It 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
disposal Of the business men of the
country and to offer their intelligent
mediation at every point and in every
matter where it was desired. 1t is
| surprising how fast the process of
return to a peace footing has moved
| IN the three weeks since the fighting
stopped. 1t promises to outrun any
inquiry that may be instituted and
| any aid that may be offered. 1t will
| not be easy to direct it any better
| than 1T will direct itself The Ameri-
| can business man is Of quick initia-
| tive.
Ihe ordinary and normal pro-
| cesses of private initiative will not.
! however. provide immediate employ
ment for all of the men of our re-
| turning armies. Those who are of
| trained capacity, those who are skill
! ed workmen, those who have acquired
familiarity with esta bIished bust
| nesses those who are ready and will
| ing to go to the farms, ali those
whose aptitudes are known or will be
| sought out by employers, will find no
| difficulty, 1t Is safe to say. In finding
| MIA and nII,rr