The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1919-02-14

Mr.. Lincoln was taken away Just as
the country was entering upon for
NOR period of reconstruction. Posi-
bly, those hard days would have been
less trying had his generous and far
seeing leadership continued. He was
not given to impatient. speech or. TO
Sa41->14.-. ;<x2 NIX !. -. !. u Z
3f3tSss. fhnuGht had long rersle&tl4;s yel2d
In dealing with things that were large
1T did not occur to him to be little.
In what we have TO say and do respect
ing our own present problems let US
hope for something of his spirit.
| When the war ended there were GER
tain among us who seemed to think
all that America had to do was to go
forth into the world "conquering and to
conquer" to take up again the thread
| OF our business life separate from
other nations. free from external prob
| lens, our purpose concentrated again
upon profit. seeking our own gain. for
getting alike the lessons of the war
and the past and regarding only the
chances of the present and future. 1t
did not take long, however. to find that
| this could not be. The new days were
not as the old ones. The new oppor
tunities were not like those that had
been. There were new duties. strange
environments. We could not be law
unto ourselves any more We had
grave obligations to others that must
be met. We had become in a sense our
!! brothers keepers: we could not cease
To be so. We found that the thoughts
and the methods of former days had
passed away and that we held a new
place in the world
| We had been saving food that 9TH
ers might have sufficient to eat. This
vas novel sacrifice. but one we met
in fine unself1sh spirit. We found,
when the war ended. that we still had
to feed others and on a larger scale
than ever before. Fortunately our own
thrift and energy had so developed our
stores of food that we had and have
abundance and to spare. The problem
of food. however. merged Quickly into
another--that of ships--for to send 90.
600, 900 tons of food abroad as we must
in this current present year and to sup
ply large army over there and to
bring that army over here during the
year means ships and yet again ships,
and still more ships. and we have not
sufficient ships and shall not have for
some time to come to do these great
tasks ourselves.
Demand For Material.
On top of this there comes a grow
ing demand from those with whom we
have been associated in the war for
materials, tools and equipment with
which to rehabilitate wasted homes
and factories. These problems again
merge themselves into another as diff
fcult as any. namely. that of finance
The world owes US largely very
largely. We who were always debtors
until the war have now become credi-
tors on a colossal scale SO that the
nations owe us in one or aItther form
: about $40, 900. 600. 600. This very wealth
due us creates a problem. For how
can the nations pay, not only that they
need must buy and which we desire to
sell? There are certain simple ways
in which payment of debt can be made.
A debt may be paid by services. by
! cash, by goods. The nations of the
, world are not able to pay us cash. The
opportunity for services is only open
to part of them. not in sufficient part
, to those. They must pay us partly at
{ least in goods. Furthermore in order
a to pay what they owe they must be
3 careful not to acquire further great
debts, but rather to conserve their buy
r ing power in our own interest as well
y as theirs. Here lies the solution OF
the so-cal1ed embargo that Grea.
Britain has recently established con-
> corning which some complaint here
and there appears. 1t would not per-
haps be unfair to remind ourselves. ere
we complain OF this embargo, that we
. have ourselves recently established
4 n
: barge against certain lines of manu-
facturers in which Great britain and
I France have both done business with
us. 7 imagine that English and Scotch
! whfskey and ale manufacturers and the
! wine producers Of France have their
i own thoughts respecting the permanent
embargo we have placed against them
I and it would be we'll for us to reflect
? whether OF this fact which I do not
{ criticise, ought not in some measure al
: least to temper our thought when We
reflect upon what others have done.
= There is. however. nm essential dif
a ference between the two, The advo'
: Gates of our embargo would allege il
n to be made on moral grounds, needfu
4 for our welfare. Let that be. for the
v time. conceded. The embargo whct
: Great Britain has established is aisc
ION grounds necessary for her welfare
j, indeed for her safety. She owes ~
- something over $4,000, o00.fo0 Shouft
{ it be claimed that under these condi
. tions. with her industries III disorder
u and her earning power impaired, she
II should still be, not so much invited a:
: expected to continue large purchase!
II from us until such time as the neces
: sary arrangements for financing hel
e obligations had been completed
). What would be your outlook towart
a friendly concern at once n com
is the case with Great Britain. wht
under conditions of peculiar stress hat
come to owe YOU very largely? Would
you feel that such % time was one II
| which you should Insist upor thei
continued purchases on n great scale
knowing that the debtor was strivint
Ito rearrange his AFFAIRS. that he wal
,perfectly solvent and CAPABLE OF pay
ing and anxious to pay but needed Il
rearrango his finances? Would you
u I say, press goods upon him at such I
: time and complain II he were to sa,
to you that he preferred not ito bus
L largely for season? Would you no
D. rather feel that the conservatism
Il shown by refraining from large pur
n chases added to his credit. established
Q him more securely, and was the on
step that would most inspire you q
( confidence in him and led you to anti
L cipate continuance In tho future on I
i larger scale of the mutual relations
!. that had, in the past existed? r.
= Nations Like Individuals.
: Surely it needs no special insight t.
: understand that nations, like business
houses and like men, who have beer
under circumstances Of peculiar strain