The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-02-19
ARMOUR ASKSFOR
INDUSTRY FREEDOM

Armour made the first public speech
OF his life here yesterday at the
! Trans-Mississippi REIMBURSEMENT Con-
gress, taking as his subject. Getting
Back on the Highway OF Progress"
He said in part:
From where we stand now there
arc two roads. One of them leads
to Bolshevism and is unthinkable IN
the United States. The other road
leads to individual and corporate
freedom which is limited only by the
rights OF others.
The agitator cries out against a
return to the old order Of things.
/ There can be no such thing. 1t IS
going to be a new order of things.
There are a number OF schemes
having to do with Government AMI
the relations between capital and Ia
Dor that are just as visionary as the
scheme for the boat that would pro-
pei itself. 1 trust that the good sense
Of the American citizen will obviate
the possibility of unwise legislation
from well meaning men who have
no real knowledge Of the problems
involved.
Has Made Z. s. Rich.
Let US not forget, that, what the
indictments call the order of
things has made the United States
the richest Of nations The long,
straight highway Of human progress
is still inviting US onward and with
the help Of such leaders of thought
as are here congregated, we will get
back on that highway with the least
delay.
The road is a well marked one.
The first guide post says, faith in
business the second one, employ
ment for ALL and the third one,
gradual rcadjustment.'
''The presence here Of great GUAM
titles Of gold and the prospect that
our exports OF the future will add
to the supply causes a complication
which needs only be realized TO be
remedied.
There is no real cause for con-
Germ that labor costs nearly twice
what it did before the war The
true basis for the workers wage is
the cost of a decent living, and.
whether that cost be one dollar a
day or ten dollars a day, makes no
material difference.
Because there is no wall around
US and because we come in more or
less contact with the rest Of the
world our commodity values in the |
long run must approximate the world I
standards. And so I expect that grad |
ually money will become more vaIu- |
able and that a dollar will purchase I
more than it does now.
HoId-Baek Policy Fatal.
1T is a narrow vision that COM
pels a business man to hold back
on contemplated improvements or
expansion or investment. a hold
back policy would bring on the very
thing we seek to prevent-an indus
trial depression.
capital must not lie low till prices
come down and labor has nothing 20
gain through keeping the value of
the dollar at its present low level.
ave have had too much talk about
masses and classes and too little rec
ognition Of the truth that in the main
all men are very much alike The
man with the hoe is little different /
from the man OF wealth.
THE time has come when capital
must give more thought to the WORK
ers' problems and the worker must
be informed as to the problems OF
business and industry.
should Give Yanks Jobs.
Employment for all is essential in
the months to come. In my opinion
the Congress Of the United States /
should take steps TO provide the /
means for giving our returning SOL /
diers the opportunity to engage in
productive work. I think the matter /
is Of sufficient Importance to justify 1
an extra session Of the Congress IL |!
need be.
Il advocate the opening up Of Gov
eminent land and its apportionment |
soldiers who wish to enter
into productive work. With thou
sands of our returned soldiers pro-
6ucing new wealth from the soil, the
cost OF basic products would come
down and the whole cost OF living
would be lowered materially.
"A national program Of road max
ing will furnish employment for
thousands upon thousands of men.
The Harvesting OF unused water
power would give employment to
many more.
"A display OF patriotism, forbear-
ance and common sense on the part
Of capital and labor will enable this
country to go through the readjust-
ment period and go through il with
crrrF, cvvrca-u !