The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-10

MO other single theme, except perhaps
1 Y that of Efe and death, is currently
engaging the thoughts and the pens of so
many earnest seekers as that impending
Tor not, as one prefersl social chsnge that
is broadly termed the Industrial Revolu-
ton.
They are all a. it, from the Gawdsakers,
who want to know why we don't do some
thing about it, to the Bolsheviki, who
know just what they want to do about it,
if not why. Every one seems agreed on
the main theme, that the relations of La
Dor and Capital Ito use rather inaecu-
rate but familiar termsl are going to be
somehow different from what they were
before the war. At this point the COM
mentators quite unanimously part com
pany. Some would put a stop to any such
nonsense before it gets any further; some
would go the whole distance and turn over
all industries and business to the prole-
tariat forthwith
Between these are the middle-of-the-
roadsters; they are the ones who realize
that there is a serious problem in process
of solution, and who are trying to con-
tribute to make the readjustment as pain
less and as equitable as possible for all
concerned
II.
1t al makes interesting reading and
much of it would be important as well
were if not for the fashion such situations
have in America of Strengthening them
selves out with a minimum of outside as
sistance. That is one of the handicaps
writers confront in making books on
timely topics. IT takes quite some time TO
write even small book; few authors can
do it under three or four weeks and many
take even longer. And it Is always an
moving, when one has discovered a revo-
luton in the act Of impending and goes
home to write 4 book about it and warn
people, to find, when the book is finished,
that the revolution has already happened.
Of course one could stick around and
watch the revolution revolve, but then all
there would be to write about would be
things that really hapenned. And it is 50
much more interesting, and easier: to write
about the things that are going to happen.
Perhaps this is too fippant tone to
use In introducing the serious and per-
fectly well meaning gentlemen who are
responsible for the latest group of books
dealing with the Great Problem. 1t does
seem, however, to an innocent bystander,
who has been getting it where the inno-
cent bystander usually does whenever there
is a rumpus going on, as though all the
revolutions on the schedule had done most
of their revolving before either the police
or the reporters arrived.
But whether it has already arrived or is
still up the track somewhere, the underly-
ing causes of the industrial revolution, the
historical background of the conditions
that it is now sought to remedy, are quite
adequately set forth In Glenn Franks
The Politics Of Industry. Mr.. Frank sees,
as the inevitable outcome of the new
NOrlu IecoSHIlOn VI InuuStIldI enIeiPilS
as the foundation stone of our modern
democracy, the shifting Of political lead
ership from the realm of what we now
term "politics" to the field Of business
itself. He looks for a decided reaction
from central control Of business, industry,
agriculture, education and other social
functions, a deeentralizing of statesman
ship and the removal of Government i'm
posed barriers to industrial and social
progress.
at took the excessive war-induced cen
tralization of economic and industrial
functions in the hand of the Government
TO dramatic the essential fallacy of try"
ing TO substitute the politician for the
engineer aud executive" he says. "An