Americus times-recorder., 1919-12-22

printed because of its Illuminating treatment of the
problem o6 reconstruction.)
During the war and right after, the world
was of the opinion that with the signing
of an armistice everyone would Immediately begin
reconstruction, though almost everyone used the
word in a different sense Some European coun-
tries thought that it meant making big touch on
America; some Americans thought it meant making
big loans to Europe that would finance undertak-
ings from which they would derive large profits,
and a lot of women thought that it meant rebuild
ing charity picturesquely. The reds of course,
have all along interpreted reconstruction in terms
of destruction
In its present state of mind the world will be-
leve anything except the facts do anything except
work The three wise men of the ages, Solomon,
Franklin and Lincoln, speak half-forgotten Ian
guage, But they said everything that there is to
say about reconstruction. The world needs not
only their homely common sense, but a taste of
Solomons rod Children are spoiled and lot of
their elders spoiling-and dispoiling
Reconstruction is problem of individuals be-
fore it is OF nations; of character before it is
of credits. Crooked thinking begets crooked
ethics and crooked business until finally we have
a nation on the loose.
Destruction is impefsonal. Statesmen de-
stroy country and stand from under. Mobs de-
stroy city and melt away. Reconstruction is per-
sonal. Not statesmen mobs, will reconstruct
the world but the individual. When enough men
think right individuals cities states and countries
will begin to think right. In the very act of pre-
pairing for it reconstruction will be accomplished
The world was not made in a day and it will
not be made over in one, except for the worse. Re-
construction is long, hard, personal job. Sooner
or later it must be taken in hand-and the later
the harder.
The basic proposition on which all theories
OF reconstruction must rest can be summed up in a
sentence. If it takes eight nine ten hours of
steady work to make the food and the goods neces-
sary to the support of an average family the time
IS coming when those who are working six and
seven hours, not at all, must work ten. twelve
and fourteen hours, starve. For beyond the
dayto-day requirements of the world there must
be certain dependable surplus, and the loafers
the job and those who will not take job have
already consumed that surplus in many countries
and have gnawed it down to the danger point in
others.
The real problems of reconstruction are in
your factory your Office, your block, your home
and probably in your family, your children and
yourself If you do not find them there you a
very unusual with an almost too perfect fam
lily. The statesmen cannot tell you half so much
about these problems in their speeches as you can
find out in frst-hand survey of your neighbor
hood.
In own survey talked, among Others
to the employment manager of large manufac-
turing concern. From two to three hundred appli-
cants for positions pass through his department
every day. Your first conclusion is of course that
there is surplus of labor; but, on the contrary,
there are good openings, in almost every depart
nent of this business, both Office and factory. More
competent men and women are needed every
where. This particular manager had just finished
interviewing two hundred 6-year old girls in an
effort to find who would start as an Office girl
at S 10 a week. with the prospect of an early pro-
motion to clerical work. He could not find one
among them who would take thv place not be-
cause they qualified for something better, but
because they wanted something better in spite Of
their lack of qualifications.
High pay for skill and intelligence is the best
spent money in business. But during the war
there was wild competition between our govern
mena activities and private enterprise for any kind
of labor and extravagant wages and salaries were
paid to the unskilled and the unintegent. Peace.
time industry cannot afford those salaries except
to people who know their business or are willing
70 learn it. Neither it afford the tremendous
labor turnover that results from employing these
res,Iees careless. Stacking incompetents.
Before the applicants for position usu