Norwich bulletin., 1918-11-23
NATIONAL POLICIES

Labor costs. we know, must er-
 ter into our calculations considerably.
 Whether American firms venture into
 foreign markets individually or in
 groups, operating under the Webb
 E,ornerene bill, their ability to com pete for any length of time must de-
 pend largely upon production costs.
 American manufa cturers have little to fear in the matter of costs save in la bcr-not the large corporations, that is. whose expansion abroad will really open up new markets for the United States. I am not seriously concerned about high wages; it Is output that counts The thoughtful, forward look ing nei1 among the. n1antfacturers of today are not at all 1nsistent upon reduction of wages such as shall leave labor poorer than before, but they are against every tendency which may serve to curtail output. In Australia today the minimum wage experiment l has resulted in the slowing-up of la- l bor to keep pace with the sfowest in 1 the ranks on the basis, that none shall he preferred (meaning earn more l than the other). These are tenden- cies which every thinking person de- l plores. and it is the cheek upon or lspread of such uneconomic conceptions which will later affect our chances of maintaining successful industrial orr gani2ation.
 1 Tn regard to shipping, we are told l it will be 1922 before the worlds per war tonnage will be reached. The United States will have more bottoms available for her ocean freight than ever, but we cannot selfishly deny the rest of the world a partnership in this privilege. The British came forwar'i with their ships and said: We will carry your troops to France for you, while you are building the ships you need Can we say. Well, we have the ships now; good bye!' as we take d flying start in the race for eonhnaer- cial supremacy? Surely not. It is sure
 that the whole problem of shipping
 land freights must be determined with
 la view to placing American business
 on basis whereby it can compete
 with the rest of the carriers of the
 world, and our railroad policies must
 be framed to fit in with them.
 | Referring to the maintenance ol
 cur established national ideals, let us
 remember that the extent to whict
 sentiment will enter into foreign bus
 mess and what preference will be
 given by foreign buyers to American l made goods-all other things being } Eequal-will be gauged somewhat bl } the spirit in which the American mer-
 chant and manufacturer go into anC play the game. If we can maintain th' {. ideals Of lnselishness we have pro
 claimed to the rest Of the world, ant : 1 not hark back to the various forms 0 greedy individualism, We shall main t tain a proportionate share of the good 5 will of all the worlds consumers. I l we permit practices which develope' l the old reputation for Yankee smart | ness We shall lose.
 2 "The rest of the universe is goin 3 | to make a tremendous demand upoi 5 the productive energies of the Unite : States, and the processes of transitio E from highly stimulated to normal pro : auction must lie operated carefully an ] guided reasonably if the machinery I to escape jolts and breaks. We can e not hurriedly apply economic 1a' y where for years military law has eri V tirely prevailed. and we shall prof | if content to go little slowly. W 9 must sagaciously strengthen the for |, ward movements in government, econ Q cmics, industry and society, and loo s neither to the demagogues nor to tn s lreactionaries for our course. It is nc 1. what any class has gained or lost n the great tragedy of the past foJ n years: it is what mankind as 8 wfol g has gained or lost that bids us all y sober and patient in anticipating tt
 evolutiens of the next decade.''