The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1918-12-23


world commerce for long time to
come.
So far as we can now see, this ma
ton will be one of the worlds leaders
in shipbuilding- Our ships must car
ry our trade to every part of the world
as they did in the olden days before
they were driven from the seas by the
come a nation OF shipbuilders and ship
owners. This means that we must
find expansion for our foreign COM
merce. But entirely outside Of for
eign trade, the activities Of this coun-
try during the next five years should
be such as to fully employ the labor
Of the country. We shall need every
laborer working to his utmost to do
the things which Of necessary must
be done If we go forward in a spirit
OF optimism. There is no possibility
Of a surplus supply Of labor during the
next five years II this country wisely
goes ahead in spirit Of faith in its
future and carries on the great con.
struction activities which are sadly
needed.
A great army Of 1aborers is needed
for the construction Of highways In
every part Of this country, and 1t viii
be a national disgrace If we do not Inn
mediately begin to duplfcae, to some
extent at least, In America the VOL
derful road system Of France. We
may rest assured that our soldiers
coming back from France will demand.
from this country that the bottomlesS
mud holes for highways In some places
and the sand in other sections shall
not remain as evidences Of our short
siehtedness. We must build though
out the entire country at a cost Of BILL
lions of dollars fuu system OF mod
ern highways. Not day should be
lost In fastening their building.
Secretary McAdoo has, unwisely, we
think, suggested government control
Of the railroads during the next five
years in order to spend during that
time S2,5c0O0O, 900 for railroad expan-
sion. Mr.. McAdoo should have dou-
bIed his figures and cut the time in
half, for It would take at least So
600 ,00o, 900 within two and a half years
to adequately develop the railroads OF
the country Whether run under cor-
plete government control or by private
ownership, many billions OF dollars
must be spent on railroad expansion
! or else we shall have more complete
breakdown Of railroads than We have
had during the, last two or three
years.
House buildings on an enormous
schedule must go forward. This must
inc.Sds delayed work ON schools.
chm ches, municipal ani national
buildings, as well as dwellings.
These are but few OF the things
which must now be done. and in the
doing Of which there viii be found am
pie employment for all labor at high
wages.
Any attempt to put down the price
OF labor so long as the most OF living
is at the present e1orbitant figures
j would be economically unsound as
well as against humanity itself. Ltquf-
/ dation OF labor, meaning thereby much
lower prices for labor and much un-
employed, about which much is heard,
| is wrong in theory. We do not be-
lieve that the rate OF wages in this
country should be- regulated by wages
/ in Euhope and in the Orient, and We
are absolutely opposed to any thought
Of bringing down American wages to
meet the level Of foreign wages. we
would rather see our market closed
against foreign products than to at
tempt to put American wages on q par
with foreign wages. We believe that
the rate OF wages IN this country VIII
continue high, Tor, the labOreT Is wor-
thys OF his hire, and IN times past the
ilaborer has never secured his f mi