The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-11-21
AMERICAS GREED
GRAVE DANGER IN
JAMES, 0A|N|ON
Member of Farmers Industrial
Conference Says Europe Is
Antagonized. While We Are
Unorganized and Provoking

That the safety Of the United States
now is more gravely menaced than It
was little more than a year ago, be-
fore the signing Of the armistice, was
one Of the striking statements made
by George r. James, in an address on
the industrial situation at the weekly
forum luncheon of the Chamber OF
Commerce at 1890 O'Clock Friday aft
efnoon.
This situation, Mr.. James explained
Is the result of the unorganized condi-
tion into which the country has lapsed
since the signing Of the armistice, the
spirit OF greed which now dominates the
thoughts and actions Of the people and
the defeat of the ratification Of the
league of nations by the United States
senate, "repudiatng all our promises
and obligations to the other nations Of
the world" 7"
"Our government has ceased to func-
ton" Mr.. James said. THE recoros of
congress show that. The great mili-
tarX machine which we built up to con-
quer Germany has been disslpated and
you could hardly pay volunteer TO
join new army. We are acknowledged
to be the richest nation Of the world,
While the nations of Europe are bank
rupt, we have almost immeasurable re-
sources and we are saying to them that
we are going to make them pay what
ever we please for our products, These
Europeans have no money to buy the
commodities which they need and must
have, and are we not tempting them
to come over here and take them
Why, believe that If Germany and
Japan should decide to combine and at
tack us today they could have us licked
before Saturday night. We are In the
same grave danger from such nations
that rich man would be from a gang
Of starving men who see him enjoying
all the luxuries of life. Aren't such
men always tempted to take section
Of lead pipe and go after the rich man
and get what they want?"
Mr., James declared that the "Amer-
lean people have gone on spree OF
profteering- A little over year ago,
he said, I'VE were all strongly central
lzed and organized for the ACCOMPLISH
ment of one purpose, the winning OF
the war But since the signing OF the
armistioe We have ceased to think about
any service to the nation or to one an
other. Our motto now Ia; Give as
little as we can and get as much as
we can Such an attitude as this Ii
Getting to the question OF remedies
for the dangerous debaueh of selfish
ness, Mr. James declared that the
American people must entirely reverse
their attitude. "The idea Of exploit
ing our fellow men must be renounced,
he said, "the people must develop n
new conscience Of servoice, They must
acknowledge the law that no safe profit
may be had except by real service "a
society. They must learn again to give
true values in return for that which
they gel"
MIR. James spoke as an authority on
the Industrial situation OF national pro-
portions, He has only recently returned
from Washington where he served on
the recent Industrial conference In the
public group Of that body, which grouT
was made UP Of the appointees of Pres
ident Wilson
He also served on the war industries
board during the war and later on the
committee named by the secretary OF
the interior to aid the industries Of the
nation In returning the nations business
| to peace basis.
The speaker took time during his ad
dress to refer to Senator Shields atti-
tude to the peace treaty, zone Johr
K Shields has betrayed his trust" hC
said, and ] want to heartily commend
| the action of the Cotton exchange Ii
demanding Senator Shislds' resigna-
| ton"