The Greeneville daily sun. (Greeneville, Tenn.) 1918-1920, 1919-01-27

policies and requiring in its solution the highest degree
Of craftsmanship and the best thought of the country
Fraught though it be with the possibility of trouble and
national adversely it 81 entirely susceptible of solution
Let pessimts croak their dark forebodings the opmsts
of America win find safe channel among the dangerous
rocks which threaten the national prosperity.
From various industrial ceners come reports of sur
plus of labor certain states have requested the War De-
parment to demobze no troops within their borders
eept such live there fearing the others will elect to
main and overcrOwd the labor markets billion and half
of capital is tied up in informal government contracts
and to this extent delaying industry in its transition from
war to peace basis until they settled; in lines
capital appears hesiant in branching out apparently de-
tered by the uncertainty regarding taxes and the gen.
eral outlook.
And there is the everpresent and universal problem
Of high prices not only in the cost Of food but in all the
various factors which enter into the household accounts
Men of limited and fixed incomes who have managed to
tide the period of the war must know whether the in
creased cost of living has to stay and So they
must devise ways to meet it permanently.
These of the principal phases of the great do
nestle problem which now faces the United States and
the successful solution Of which hangs prosperity
of the nation for years come Are to despair and
leave the remedy to time, or shall grapple with the
situation in patriotic and intelligent manner? Shall
the American people admit their inability to cope with
the conditions that have arisen out of the and meey
brace themselves for an indefinite period of adversely?
The thought is an unworthy one.
What, then, is the remedy?
There is specific remedy for case of this kind; it
requires consistent course Of treatment with variety
of medicines The first effort should be devoted TO the
restoration of industry to its normal status for upon in
dustry depends principally the prosperity Of the nation
With capital proftably employed work is plentiful wages
are maintained at high standard and the population
having the satisfy their needs contented
Consequently every legitimate encouragement should be
extended to industry There should be retrenchment
public expenditures Taxes should be ghtened speed
lily possible and restraints should be made few
consistent with the public interest Get every mokestack
bechg forth its black banner and every wheel turning
1T full speed and you have gone far toward solving the
great domestic situation in the United States.
Every possible step should be taken to restore compe
tton AS quickly as may be the railroads should be
turned baeEto their owners of course under the con-
dtons found to be proper and JUST and told to bid for
raffc Wherever governmentfxed prices not
ary in order protect the people against exoron they
should be removed and producers urged compete for
business in the normal way No class, industry trade
section entitled to have its peculiar interests specially
considered at the expense of the general public If there
was justification for it while the was on-and no
ioubt there vast does not now exist unelss in excep
iona leases.
Inspire competition Urge business to the from
which withdrew when the demands of the war required
volume without regard to price. During the past two
have stimulated production in certain lines
of necessities by guaranteeing profitable price for the
producer In peace times the only guarantee the pro-
Queer asks favorable opportunity to compete for bust
ness upon fair basis. Give it to him.
There growing belief in this country that the United
States has been overorzanzed and overreguated that in
real to correct the abuses which formerly existed
have gone too far in the opposite direction That more
less of academic question, open to argument But
it is wel-established fact that when with brains and
capital the opportunity to produce profit they LEAP
at the chance willing compete for markets attractive
with dividends. And it is equally well established that
with commerce and industry engaged in this fol
business labor is in demand at good wages the homes of
the millions made comfortable and happy and pros
perty regns With the restoration Of normal competition
exorbtant prices will shrink within the bounds of reason
and the various elements of life will adjust themselves
to the conditions.
We are not going back to old standards With the
change in world politics have changes in social and
economic conditions which viii be permanent But the
old principles prevail and will hold in the future in the
past for they founded upon truth evolved from hui
experience. BY adapting these principles inteli
gently to the problems which confront it will be pos
sble to reach solution which viii launch America upon