El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-12-10
PRODUCTIVITY THE ONLY
THING THAT WILL AID THE COUNTRY

EVEN those skeptica persons who do not believe that
Il divinity gives trials and troubles for the
purpose Of teaching moral lessons admit that
indeed foolish people if did not nevertheless,
profit by such lessons learning in these post
war days
Leaving aside for the present the purely moral elements
Of present national experience, the economic lessons
be learned under three general heads These are
me necessity OF greater promotion the necessity OF more
efficient production and the necessity Of conservation
By increased production more is meant than the mere
growing Of vegetables As K NJ Roberts OF the chamber
OF commerce, put 1t interview the other day, farm
ing than the growing Of grain There are
farmers the forest and the we'll and miners
farmers the broader sense So many persons live IN
the cities and many live by gambling IN commodities
by work allied with distribution that the cost Of all
necessars produced the result Of the competition OF
markets for the products is out Of all proportion to the
profit derived by the producer the normal value Of the
products to the consumer
nonproductive activity much Of the energy engaged IN it.
TO actual productivity It would cut down the number Of
profits taken between producer and consumer without ma
ersv esseung the profit taken at the Of pToduc
ton the advantage Of decreasing substan
italy the the Of course the benefits Of
such diversion Of energy into productive channels BY
means Of increasing the number Of individuals engaged IN
production would be offset If the number Of hours each
individual devoted to productive work daily should con-
time decrease IN accord with the demands OF organized
workers today.
The second step toward economic recovery consists in
increasing the and quality Of what IS produced n
gven tine Il has been argued that if these two steps
we're carried out markets would be glutted with prod
ucs which would result in cheapeng Of both the product
followed over the entire earth there might be some ez
ctse for the argument Common sense tells US nothing
like this win ever be done the whole world Since
this is true America has everything to gain and nothing
to lose BY It
America has the world for a market. All Of the sur
Mus above our own needs produce for the next 80
years VIII be bought from by Europe alone As II IS
with surplus Of Owl, Europe IS drawing on our i
sere SIMPLY Sugar is notable instance Of this Eng
land IS taking from refinerss all Of the sugar she
needs while we are threatened with famine IN sweets
IS, then not only wise for Us to increase pI9ou'o
that we may supply the world out Of surplus, but thar
when the day comes that Europe is completely recuper
te5 and offering her products for sale we may have me
Advantage Of beng able to make delivery more promptly
and TO deliver better quality Of goods
Conservation hardly be discussed an economic
necessity without also referring to its moral aspects We
have become nation Of wasteTs- Prodigaity as na-
nal vice is greater than greed American people are
not greedy for gain that they may hoard it. but that they
nay spend It. Il Is notable that the American always
raises his standard Of living when his income IS increased
There nothing misery about him The tendency Of the
American to waste does injury when times are night
It is times ike these around that the tendency