The Elbert County tribune., 1919-08-16
U. S. Must Hold World Steady.

U. S. Must Hold World Steady.
We. and we almost alone. now hold the
world steady. Upon our steadfastness and
self-possession depend the affairs of ma
tions everywhere. 1t Is In this supreme
crisis-this crisis for all mankind--that
American must prove her mettle.
In the presence of world confused. dis
tracted. she must show herself self-pos-
sessed self-contained. capable of sober
and effective action. She saved Europe
by her action in arms; she must now save
1t by her action In peace.
In saving Europe she will save herself
as she did upon the battlehelds of the
war. The calmness and capacity with
which she deals with and masters the
problems Of peace will be the final test
and proof of her place among the peoples
of the world.
And II only in our own interest. we
must help the people overseas. Europe Is
our biggest customer. We must keep her
going or thousands OF our shops and
scores OF our mines must close. There is
no such thing as letting her go to ruin
without ourselves sharing in the disaster
In such circumstances. face to face
with such tests, passion must be discard
ed. Passion and a disregard for the
rights OF others have no place in the
counsels OF free people. We need light.
not heat. In these solemn times of self
examination and saving action.
Must Be No Threats.
There must be no threats. Let there be
only Intelligent counsel. and let the best
reasons win. not the strongest brute
force. The world has just destroyed the
arbitrary force of a military junta 1t
will live under no other. All that is ar
bitrary and coerclve is in the discard.
Those who seek to employ II only prepare
their own destruction.
We cannot hastily and overnight revo-
lutionize all the processes of our eco
nomic life. We shall not attempt to do
so. These are days of deep excitement
and Of extravagant speech. but with US
these are things of the surface.
Everyone who Is in real touch with the
silent masses OF our great people knows
that the old strong fiber and steady self
control are still there. firm against vio-
lence or any distempered action that
would throw their affairs into confusion.
| am serenely confident that they will
readily find themselves. no matter what
the circumstances. and that they will ad-
dress themselves to the tasks of peace
with the same devotion and the same
stalwart preference for what is right that
they displayed to the admiration of the
whole world In the midst of war.
Sinister Influences at Work.
And / enter another confident hope.
have spoken today chiefly of measures
of imperative regulation and legal com
pulsion, of prosecutions and the sharp
correction of selfish processes; and these
no doubt are necessary.
But there are other forces that we may
count on besides those resident in the
department of Justice. We have Just
fully awakened to what has been going
on and to the influences. many of them
very selfish and sinister, that have been
producing high prices and imposing an
intolerable burden on the mass of our
people.
To have brought 1t all into the open
will accomplish the greater part of the
result we seek.
l appeal with entire confidence to
our producers. our middlemen and our
merchants to deal fairly with the peo-
pie. 1t is their opportunity to show
that they comprehend. that they in
tend to act justly. and that they have
the public interest sincerely at heart.
And 1 have doubt that house
keepers all over the country. and ev-
eryone who buys the things he daily
stands in need of will presently exer-
else greater vigilance. more
thoughtful economy. more discrimi-
mating care as to the market in which
he buys or the merchant with whom
he traded than he has hitherto exer-
cised.
Labor Must Consider.
believe. too. that the more ex-
treme leaders of organized labor will
presently yield to a sober second
thought. and like the great mass oi
their associates. think and act like
true Americans. They will see thai
strikes undertaken at this critical time
are certain to make matters worse
not better-worse for them and fol
everybody else.
The worst thing. the most fata
thing-that can be done now is to stoI
or interrupt production. or to interfer,
with the distribution of goods by tn,
railways and the shipping of the
country.
We are all involved in the dis
tressing results OF the high cost o
living and we must unite. not divide
to correct it.
There are many things that ough
to be corrected in the relations be
tween capital and labor. in respec
of wages and conditions of labor ant
other things even more far-reaching
and 1. for one. am ready to go intt
conference about these matter will
any group of my fellow countrymer
who know what they are talking abou
and are willing to remedy existing
conditions by frank counsel rather
than by violent contest
General Interest First.
No remedy is possible while men ar
in temper. and there can be no set
tlement which does not have as it