The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1919-03-13
BY ROGER w. BABSON
Head of the Information and Educa-
ton Service. U. S. Dept. Of labor

While congress has been busy inyes-
psrtments of the government, under
direction of the president, have been
earnestly trying to prevent its spread.
about it, these departments have been
endeavoring to remove the cause for
it's cxistenceA namely, by extending
opportunities, reducing prices and pro-
viding employment,
One thing-however-has seriously
handicapped some of the federal de-
partments in their efforts to improve
the situation. There is an apparent
attempt at sabotage from certain new
quarters. BY Sabotage" is meant an
attempt to destroy values by refusing
to perform work or otherwise, with
the svowed purpose of personal profit.
Heretofore, the word sabotage has
been used only in connection with the
l. w. WIS. These questions, however,
are now being asked: -
Is it not as much Sabotage for a
manufacturer to try to smash cur
rent wage rate as for a wage Garner
to try to smash machinery, provided
both are actuated by desire for perv
sonal profit? ~
Is it not sabotage" for specula
tor, to attempt to destroy values in
order that he may buy goods cheaper
or bring about financial conditions
which would force others to sell at a
loss against their will?
Is it not as much Sabotage for
capital to refuse to do business, hop
ing for lower prices of materials and
labor as it is for labor to refuse to
work, with the avowed purpose of
making industry so Improbable that
capital would be discouraged and the
plants would fall into the workers
hands? ! 49,.
am not making any charges; more
over, l know that the great majority
of manufacturers and bankers with
whom come in contact are not guilty
of such "sabotage" Something or
somebody, however, is cumming the
wheels of prosperity.
The executive departments of the
federal government have not prepared
any theoretical plans for reconstruct
ton which are impossible or execution.
They have not prepared any paper
programs. They, however, are at
work On sound economic and practical
plans for reviving: a national buying
movement.
Normal employment of labor can be
maintained only with normal volume
of new orders. Manufacturers are
willing to produce, merchants are will
willing to buys Tash:n9ton believes
there is. a very large bu. ing power in
America which is being held back SIM
ply by the mental attitude of the buy
er. In addition to helping the various
departments to secure from congress
the needed legislation to carry out the
various reconstruction plans already
referred to, public. officials can per-
form the greatest service>b preach
ing: .,. -
BUY wisely, but buy now"
The problem of getting the country
to economize was handled during the
war by systematic publicity cam
paigns, {carried,on by the treasury de-,
partment, the labor department, the
food administration and other agen.
cies. 1t is strongly recommended to
us today that the government should
now secure as much publicity for
movement to stimulate buying as it
did, during the war, to retard buying.
As one who had charge of the war
publicity of the labor administration,
endeavoring to get the wage worker
from a peace basis to war basis,
both as to his labor and his purchases,
feel that Should spend as much
time and money in getting back on
peace basis as spent during the
war in getting business on war basis.
l am in favor of the government
getting behind a nationwide publicity
campaign to stimulate business for
the mutual benefit Of. manufacturers,
merchants and wage workers. e. Only
by such national newspaper advertis-
ing could justice be done to every state
and city. The entire cost Of such a
campaign could be covered by contri-
buttons from the industries of the
country in the same manner as the
cost Of the publicity for the Liberty
loans was taken care Of without ex-
pensc to the government.
The buyer should be appealed to not
by asking him to buy something that
he does not need, but by asking him to
buy now what he does need. It could
be explained that buyer who follows
waiting policy not only Injuries the,
business of his fellow men, but tends.
to bring iabout business depression
from which he ultimately will himself
greatly suffer.
The manufacturers can be appealed
to to do all in their power to adjust
prices as quickly as possible to rea-
sonable basis. Where feasible the
manufacturer should be urged to guar
antee the merchant that, should the
manufacturers price for the commod-
ity be reduced within a given time,
the merchant would be protected by a
rebate.
- Finally, labor should be appealed to
to help in the campaign by doing bet
ter work, and by cooperating to re-
duce the cost of manufacturing
The departments at Washington
realize that there must be readj1st-
ment following this war. Every period
of initiation is followed by a period of
deflation. We are not burying our
heads in the sand as blind optimists
although we had rather be blind OPP
timists than blind pessin,ists. What
we are fighting for is that the read
justment shall not be brought ABOUT
wilfully in harmful way, but rather
that we shall do what is possible to
retard it so that the change will be