The Washington herald., 1919-01-02

its ultimate success. Its successful
operation Is not for the benefit of any
one man or class of men. or any one
branch of business. but it is for the
good of every individ Ial citizen of
the United States.
| do not care what plan. in the
opinion of our great legislators at
Washington. may be best for the op-
GRAFTON of these ships. so long as they
are operated economically and so long
as the expense of operation is not
borne by any one or few, but by the
whole people. No American ship
building can be profitable or success
full or enlist private capital today, as
shipping is now operated. The people
who constitute the chambers OF COM
merce. the manufacturers of the
United State. must raise their voices
for the successful operation of our
mercantile marine. Do not let the
cry that only a few may profit by
subsidies or otherwise deter you in
the least.
I do not care in what form. the peo-
pie pay the bill. If the government
operates the ships themselves and op-
crates them at q loss. the people pay
NiiO blils Ii Nllt are operated DN
private concerns and a loss accrues
that is made up in some form of
subsidy the people themselves pay the
bill. So that whatever form may be
adopted. We must find some way OF
doing it,
/ do not hesitate to say. however
not as a polite n. because in that l
have never had any part-that the
real 1AVRlnnnanf nf
prise depends on the individual initia-
tive of the American business man. |
do not believe that we will ever get
the full economical development OF
any great branch OF American indus
try that is not developed under spri-
vate enterprise and by private capital.
What part has this in this great
transition? l will tell you. II is well
illustrated by the steel industry. Dur
ing this year, the steel industry will
have made approximately 100000
tons OF steel Before the war twenty
five to thirty million was considered
big output. This great development
has been brought about by needs OF
the war. In my opinion it is highc-
on the average than the amount which
this country needs at this time.
This country will rapidly develop to
the full need of it. but at this moment
it is more than we need for domestic
wants. Our great outlet for all our
manufactures must be foreign mar
kets. How are we going to get into
the foreign markets? The shin Yards
Of the United States during the year
1919 are capable OF producing with
ease, and economically, between
100000 and 100000 tons of ocean
shipping.
The total ocean tonnage which the
United States will possess at the end
of that period. will. IL properly and
economically operated, furnish a rner-
chant marine that should make our
industries secure In this transition
period.
There is one other question of great
and timely Importance, to cover which
no one can lay down general rules.
That is the labor question.
1 am one of the men who believe
in the fairness of American labor The
only foundation upon which any OF
these things can permanently rest is
the economic use of everything.
whether 1t be labor. material, or what
not. Any foundation Of organized la
Dor or capital that is on a false basis
must fail.
Get Closer to the workihgman.
We started in some twenty wears
ago on series of explorations that
many people called trusts" There
were many such concerns organized
that had as their prime motive the
artificial idea of either restricting pro-
duction or increasing the selling price
You have seen them, one after the
other. fail and fade away. They were
on a wrong basis. Our Congress. our
legislature in Washington, realized 1t.
and rightly and Justly took steps to
correct it.
What has been true of capitaI will
be equally true of labor, and therefore
the education of the American labor
ing man must be to have him realize
that his happiness and success, and
the success of the nation, will depend
upon labor conditions and capital con-
ditions that are founded, first of all,
on economic principles. You know. I
have had my hand in this matter of
the organization of capital 1 know
something about it; Iknow what / am
talking about.
am not opposed to organized la
bor believe that labor should or