The Leavenworth echo. [volume] (Leavenworth, Wash.) 1904-current, 1919-07-11
TINE TO CUT OUT THE SOB
STIFF

| NOW lHdi NtfIlduN Ids SlBHtu up
and the President has broken away
from Paris, isn't it high time to cut
out a good deal of this over-indul-
gence of fear concerning unemploy-
ment, the high cost of living, bolshe-
vism, /. w. W., and other terrors that
try to camouflage their lawlessness
and make this business of recon-
struction hum?
There is no minimizing the worth
of the achievements in our national
affairs, and those of the world; but
the human mind cannot forever dwell
upon the tragedies that cost ten mill
lion lives in battle, thirty million in
jured, and thousands made blind or
insane-and others made poor, and
some made rich.
How about tomorrow, as well as
yesterday? Industrial facts are wor-
thy of, and must be considered.
There are practically no business fail
ures occurring in the country; the
bank clearings are running about sew
enteen per cent over last years high
est totals. Even if prices are high
the cost of labor and the prices of
food stuffs furnish firm founda-
ton for the condition. Cotton is no
longer in the dumps, and it, like wool,
| is in the active class. Steel slumped
and suffered a real bump after the
war, but the human members of that
industry, including the ''men on the
job" ought to be able to take pro-
tracted vacations for a time as the
result of their era of prosperity. The
railroads are tagging in making their
purchases of steel, and the director
general is following the footpaths of
his predecessor in having arranged
for two-t thirds of billion dollars
from Uncle Sam to take up the def
icit, or slack of years operations,
and to provide for essentials in bet
terments and requirements of the
properties. But some day this mud
dlesome muddle occasioned by gov
eminent operation will end; and it
will be gala day for the nation when
private owners of railroads resume
charge and restore decrepit roadbeds
and rolling stock, and get the great
steel highways back to normal condi-
ton. But while the railroads are
down in low speed, the automobile
business is on high, and the steel men
are finding pretty good output for
their goods in that direction. Even
house building is on the gain, and
unemployment is not half as cerious
as some agencies would have one be-
lieve. Our conditions contrasted with
those that exist abroad should pro-
duce optimism of the keenest kind.
Raw materials and machinery are
lacking in the war zone, and millions
of men are idle in consequence, while
the discomfort that RACES is causing
further industrial stagnation because
workmen are demanding new sys-
TENS in industry that will furnish
them little taste of the democracy
that they have been dying for,
Ye Gods, we are a lucky race, and
our debts and debtors can easily be
forgiven, for the United States is
richer than it was before the war;
its manhood and womanhood have
been rejuvinated thru the short sea-
son of struggles that they have en-
dured. There are no longer British
syndicates owning our flour mills or
German syndicates owning our brew
cries, or British and German syndi-
Gates financing our railroads as in the
olden days. Uncle Sam is now the
chief banker of the world and all
civilized nations take off their hats
to us.
1t is time to feel little coclly over
our position in the affairs of the uni
Verse. Incidentally every community
that whoops it up in giving their re-
turning soldiers a big welcome, and
then goes on the way, battling for the
peaceful conquests of the future and
forgetting the sob-stuff, will make
progress towards the realization of a
world free for democracy's sake.
PROVIDE DUST BOXES FOR THE