New-York tribune., 1919-11-26
Business Here
30 Per Cent Good,
Vauclain Declares
Tells Bond Club Members
Domestic Commerce Must
Come First; World De-
mand Exceeds Capacity

Samuel M. Vauclain. president of the
Baldwin Locomotive Works, yesterday
cautioned American business men
against thinking 800 much about trade
with Europe. In an address, under the
auspices of the Bond Club at the
bankers Club, he indicated that the
whole world lies open to American
commerce.
THE trade of the world is ours"
the speaker, who described himself as
a somewhat successful manufacturer
and not a professional economist, said:
do not depend upon trade with Eu-
rope. Do not glut your factories with
it. | would not accept for cash orders
from Europe in excess of % per cent
of our capacity were they offered to-
day"
After describing business conditions
in the United States as 90 per cent to
the good, the locomotive builder de-
clarcd: "The world now offers us in
hnitely more work than our population
could produce. provided facilities and
finance were forthcoming. Therefore,
it is for us to decide as to what per-
centage of our total productive power
we can spare to outsiders, or other ma
tions. Our financicrs should adjust
themselves to the needs of our home
industries, and be ready at all times
to finance them before offering foreign
nations large percentages of our home
savings to encourage business abroad.
American Business First
"American money, if saved, should
not be sent abroad if it is needed here
at home by our producers, and there
fore, foreign loans will, in my judg
ment, not be easily negotiated in this
country
Manufacturers should, however, be
placed in a position whereby they can
extend credit to all nations who come
here to buy. Our financial wizards
should make it possible and devise
ways and means whereby the savings Of
our working people can be retained
here to finance their e@orts, so that
the process can be repeated until we
become the workshop Of the world
In attempting further to demonstrate
that present conditions Justify whole
hearted optimism and no gloom Mr..
Nauclain referred to labor unrest.
you may think that our country is
greatly disturbed as to labor; forget
claimed. Get busy attending to your
own business and labor will follow
your example.
'The so-called workingman above all
desires to be az individual. not an
atom Of some organization, and there
fore, must be treated accordingly. So
called union labor is greatly in the
minority; any attempt on It's part to
set aside the fundamentals of this
great democracv of ours viii meet
with failure. That great road roller,
the common people, will place them
where they belong. The recent election
in Massachusetts has confirmed the
verdict rendered by the whole people
during the late war. This country has
nothing to fear from the wrongdocr,
no matter in what form he may appear.
II am not in favor of time clocks
or stop watches in an establishment
for workmen-it is not his duty to
record his movements-the foreman
or superintendent should attcLj to
that. Those in charge of men should
be at their posts at the same time, or
slightly before their subordinatcs-
example rather than time clocks makes
men reliable.
Plenty Of Business for All
"And now as to business. Yes, bust
ness is desired, and it is now at hand,
not only enough for the 100 600 600
souls in America but enough for an
other 100 900 600 souls if we had them.
All that you have to do is to take it
in hand, forget about the league of ma
tions, the railway bin. the next excess
profits tax law-forget about the dis
turbed labor conditions. create desire
to work and all viii embrace It,
"a revival Of business now depends
upon whether we shall lend our money
or our articles of production to our
European friends. If the former we
are doomed to grief if the latter pros
perlty Will be in our midst beyond our
present facilities, our labor Will be
content and the busybody will have lost
his occupation"