Omaha daily bee., 1919-02-19
MEN CONE FROM
over nation TO
Make TALKS
CONTINUED From Page one.)


main in his room. He sent a COW
of his message which was read by
his South Omaha representative
Robert c. Howe.
Extracts from Mr.. Armour's paper
follow:
The after-war problem of the
United States is one of readiust-
ment; our big concern must be that
we get back to the highway of hui
man progress from which we turn
ed off at the byroad which led to
the downfall of autocracy.
Sees Two Roads.
From where we stand now. there
are two roads: one Of them leads to
bolshevism. 1t has brought to life
the worst forces that are in men.
We tind it manifested in excuses of
destruction, savagery, and complete
disregard for the rights of others. 1t
is a desire for liberty gone insane
and is unthinkable in the United
States. The other road leads back
TO individual and corporate freedom
which is limited only by the rights
of others.
Let us not forget that what the
malcontents call the old order of
things, has made the United States
the richest of nations and made
American citizenship worth more
than any other. We had not reach
ed the end of the long, straight
highway OF human progress when
war sent us in another direction; the
road is still there inviting US on
ward, and the big problem before the
American public and before such
leaders of thought as are here con-
gregated, is to get us back on that
with the least delay.
Faith in Business.
"The road is a weli-marked one.
The first guidepost says, Faith in
business; the next one, Employ
ment for all; and the third. Gradual
readjustment, Faith in the future
business of this country is justified.
All the elements which make for
prosperity are present.
The home market is not the only
market. Partly as a result of the
war we have developed the facilities
for entering into world commerce to
a degree impossible few years ago.
We now have, or shortly will pos
sess, merchant ships that will carry
our products to the far corners of
the earth, and American ingenuity
and enterprise will find markets for
Yankee-made goods wherever there
is money to pay the price.
Shows, Narrow Vision.
1T is a narrow vision that counsels
a business man to hold back on his
contemplated Improvements or ex-
tension; or an investor to hold back
on his investment. A hold-back
policy, if followed widely, would
bring on the very thing we seek to
industrial depression;
and while a few people always profit
from such depressions, the nation
does not, and the greater majority
suffers.
Bearing these facts in mind,
capital must not lie low till prices
come down, and labor has nothing to
gain through keeping the value of
a dollar at its present low level
This congress can do no greater
service than to make plain to the
public the true relations between
wages and the cost of products, be-
tween profits and the cost of service,
between investments and the return
thereon. i have come to the conclu-
sion that the greatest need we face
today is that of understanding. We
have had too much talk about
masses and classes, and too little
recognition of the truth that in the
main all men are very much alike;
that they are actuated pretty much
alike BY the desire to live and to get
the joys that life should be made to
provide.
Know Other Fellow.
"If we but had a better apprecia-
ton of the other fellows problems,
il would make for greater content
nent and greater progress. The
time is at hand when capital must
give more thought to the workers
problems, and the worker must be
informed as TO the problems of BUSH
ness and industry"
Mr.. Armour wrote that he be-
lieved that the congress of the
United States should take cogni-
zance of the employment problem
by the returning soldiers;
hat millions Of acres of land should |
be opened to soldiers and thus made |
productive. The increased produc- |
ion Of basic products thus obtained |