The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-05-09
Research Division Of the Council of National Defense Offers All Its
Facilities to Aid in Reorganization Of Industry and
Resumption of Trade-Burden Of Reconstruct
ton Must Fall on Industry

Of the services Of an organization that
for many months has been establish
ing connections and perfecting faclli-
tics for the securing of every sort OF
vital information at the earliest posi-
Bile moment it Is available. Through
the fact that the council Of national
defense itself consists of six secre-
tnries of administrative departments
Of the government, and by virtue OF
the further fact that for more than
two years the council has been en-
gagged In the closest cooperation with
national, state, and local agencies OF
private as well as public bodies. the
reconstruction research division has
been from its Inception possessed OF
invaluable contacts in all directions. d.
The material and staff now placed at
the service of business was originally
intended primarily for governmental
use, and they will, of course. continue
to function as the governmental clear
ing house Of reconstruction informa-
ton. The beginning of the councils
researches into reconstruction and re-
adjustment matters In this and for
eign countries followed upon memo
randum addressed to the six cabinet
members forming the council by Gros-
venor Il. Clarkson, It's director, on May
g. 1918. The president Of the United
States received copy of this memo
! randum. and shortly afterward author
lied the council to begin its studies.
In the memorandum In question Mr..
Clarkson, after defining the prime
problem as being that of industrial
reconversion Of industry from the
war basis back to the peacetlme basis
and the reabsorption into industry Of
| the labor employed In the service Of
the United States-said:
1T is elementary that after the war
America will not be the same, Amer
lea. Already she has in many direc-
lions broken with her past and she
is being hourly transformed. The meta
inorphosls Is going on as much In
the thought Of the country as it is
In the structures the same thing will
be true in the period after the war
New conditions and relationships Gre
ate new problSps for nations as well
as for indivIdli\ss; and let me 1hdd
the change WIKI be as great ir( the
thought and Ideals Of the nation as II
Will be In its strictly material prob
lens, whether these be military, com
merclal, or those having to do Will
labor.
Let us grant that we shall guir
military success. Let us then not fal
into the danger-trap of allowing ihs
material effects Of such success TO ov
ershadow consideration of the higher
values which give a nation its life
The civilized world today, as we know
that world, may be said to be chs
great altar of sacrifice. If that is no
true now. it certainly will be true 4
the war continues for another year
1t is oar duty in any adequate intel
lectual conception of the task to se'
to 1t that the gains to the moral al
well as the material well-being of th'
nation shall square with the sacrifice
A little reflection wilT convince on
= that this aspect of reconstruction /
the fundamental aspect and that upol
. 1t must be predcated all successful
: plans in this direction.
"a year ago we were great laz
, democracy. Lincoln said, "A fat houn
! won't hunt That sentence illumine
9 our national disease. The transfer
, nation from that condition is alread
$ under way. Soon the spirit of the M
( ton will be burning flame. Their
1 will be sloughed off the scales fostere
! by love of luxury and the loose an
e boastful thinking that have been on
= curse in the last generation. Out G
: the turmoil and the sacrifice will com
+ discipline and orderly living and thinl
ing: and. therefore. with sequentii
and irresistible logic VIII come d.
: mands for new conditions of Twin
Z commensurate to the new ideals Agai
I | repeat. here is the fundamental r.
e construction to which the America
: government should address itself an
s only herein can be found the pole
e which shall be the groundwork of an