The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-11-20

necessary projects. 1t is to be hoped
that these evidences Of unselfishness
are not to be lost, now that the war
Is over. To sink once more into the
old rut and routine would be nothing
short of national calamity.
1.-THE soldier now returning home
should attempt to realize fully that
even before the war conditions in
America were not always Of the best.
In a wealthy and rapidly developing
country, such as ours, serious prob
lens are constantly arising. These
! have to be met and solved. With the
coming on of the war and our ulti-
mate entrance into it, many of these
problems became more acute. The
industries, the shops, the manufac-
turing plants, the farms, the Offices,
the professions, the schools, lost
heavily to the demands of war from
! their best men. Trade suffered. Boys,
men of advanced years, girls and
women, gladly stepped forward to
fill the places left vacant But the
activities in production and manu-
facture and trade and commerce
could not be carried on as in normal
times. In many instances the short
age of labor spelled stagnation in
/ business or the rotting of crop in
the field; and withdrawal of patron
age caused many a concern to close
! its doors.
when the armistce was signed
! the American people were planning
on continuation of the war for an
other year and half All surplus
moneys were withdrawn and con-
verted into Liberty bonds, Thrift
Stamps and War Securities. For lack
of money, building operations, at the
request of the government, practical
ly ceased in city, town and country.
Investments were not sought. There
was little activity in the transfer of
city property or farming lands, i'm
mediately on the signing Of the ar
mistice some considerable advance
was made in building operations. Ex-
cavations untouched many months
saw renewed operations. Building
began on foundations or walls that
/ had remained for months a few feet
! above ground and contracts were let
| for new buildings. The closing of
peace terms June % saw activities
| increase still further. Now in many
lines orders for materials and equip
ment cannot be filled. But it may be
six months, year, even longer be-
fore we can hope for the return to the
normal With the return to America
of so many hundreds of thousands of
! soldiers and with the abrupt stop put
to war activity work at home, the
Job problem is not an easy one. Ev-
cry effort is now being made by the
people in America to take care OF
the returning soldier. Beneficial laws
have been enacted by various state
legislatures. Large employers of la
Dor are endeavoring in every way to
so reshape their business as to take
back into their employ the men who
were formerly with them.
But the law of supply and demand
has in America never been fully
solved. Grains or fruits or vegetables
grown in one part of the country
may rot on the ground for want of
help to care for the crop. At the
same time in another part OF the
country there are hundreds Of idle
men seeking work. Mechanics or
statesmen or stenographers or teach.
ers may apply in vain for positions
in one section while loud cry goes
up for help in another place. We
are handicapped by false and in
adequate economic system. The
problems Of distribution and the field
of the so-called middle-man have
never been fully worked out. AS a
result the producer is charged with
securing too great return for his out.
put. The producer in turn charges
the retailer with demanding exorbi,
tant prices, or the middle-man or
combine of acting in restraint OF
trade. The carrying concerns are
questioned as to their motives, and
the whole reacts upon the consumer
Men move from place to place on
the vain theory that the grass in the
other fellows pasture is greener than
in their own. Plans now on foot
through the various labor bureaus and
social agencies should result in an
ultimate adjustment of this situation
to the satisfaction of all concerned.
at is inevitable that a period OF in
activity, of depression and readJust
ment, follow the war. Such period
has followed every great war. In the
present instance, the length of this
period is to be determined largely by
the returning soldier. His attitude
in helping to right wrong conditions
and his desire for fair play should
; tend to sweep away the profiteer o.
the one hand, and on the other, the
all too large number of men who
would overturn established govern
ment to serve their own selfish ends
men to whom ideas of law and ordel
and social solidarity are as foreigF
as is understanding of the true prin
| Acoor{co picv, Tho nroH fooI