The Washington herald., 1919-05-04
~ sIR ROBERT HORNE, M. p.

London, May 3-The country has,
during the last few months. been
passing through a time Of great in
dustfial vicissitude, and nobody, as
yet. has become accustomed to the
change from q state or war to our
present condition. which Is that Of
neither war nor peace
with the cessation OF hostllities
most people expected the arrival OF
the fnillennium-perhaps many Of Us
on political platforms helped to en-
, courage this expectation.
= Matters, however. have been very
much more difficult than even the
pessifnists among US could have i'm
agined
Peace has been greatly delayed.
and the fact that even, now we are
compelled to deal with a state OF war
necessarily suspends many Of the
normal operations OF peace
The consequence Is that mems
minds are in a state of turmoil: the
revival Of trade. which was expected,
has not taken place; the control ex-
ercised by the blockade on certain of
our Industries in which a large export
trade was carried on has exercised a
sitting effect; opportunities for en-
pleyment have been greatly mimi
mined. and the large amount OF IN
employment. which was the necessary
effect Of the cessation OF war indus
tries. has been greatly increased by
the state Of suspended animation In
which many OF our great industries
have remained.
Dfsasiet and Misgiving.
The result has been a degree Of un-
rest sufficient to occasion great dis
quiet and missiving.
Many factors have added to this con-
dition Of Industrial disturbances. While
1t Is true that most people in the coun-
try have suffered by the war. and
many, indeed. have been ruined. GER
tain classes OF business men. who hap
pened to be possessed either OF luck or
initiative In dealing with the COM
n1odities required for war. have great
ly prospered.
Large fortunes have been made by
some. and a considerable number of
people. who prior to the war were pos
sesssd OF comparatively small means,
sre now enjoying the benefits Of great
riches
Rightly or wrongly, 1t has created
in the minds Of great masses of our
people the suspicion. IL not the GER
tainty, that profteering has been rife
at the expense of the community in
the midst OF the agonies of war.
Many people. unfamiliar with the
way in which the country's finances
have been administered in the course
OF the war. have conceived the opinion
that a country which can spend so
much money on war can spend a
great deal more on the civilian popu-
lation In the betterment Of their con-
dition during times OF peace.
1t Is forgotten, or rather 1t is never
observed, that our present apparent
nnancial prosperity is purely artificial.
The state is living on borrowed
money. and the more il borrows.
whether for purposes Of peace or wal.
the worse the situation becomes.
The borrowing tends to create dear
er prices for all commodities: in
fisted credit lowers values and re-
duces the purchasing power of
every one of US. and every citizen.
be he poor or wealthy. Is compelled
to pay more for the necessities of
everyday life.
aBetterments- High Coat.
The "betterment" obtained under
such conditions Is paid for at an ex-
cessively high rate even by those
who are bettered.
The only true avenue to happier
conditions Is by increasing the
actual wealth of the country. and
that can only be achieved by the