The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-05-21
NO PROBLEM TOO BIG
FOR AMERICAN PEOPLE

The congress can well afford to occupy itself With the con-
sideration OF the vital problems to which President Wilson di-
rected attention in his message. The people generally are indif-
terent to partisan politics, and it must appear obvious that short
cuts to political advantage will be Of little avail in the face of the
meet the pressing economic needs developed and produced largely
by the burden of war, and the altered conditions which we must
face with the coming OF peace,
1t is a physical i~mpoSsibilty for this country to return to
and adopt the policies and practices that obtained before the war,
The whole economic fabric of the nation has undergone a COM
plete change in the past two years, During the period OF the
war our thoughts and minds were conferred on a single objective,
that most necessary and vital need for winning the war. not only
to win it early, but to win it dccisively, and, il possible, perna-
nently.
With the nation united as it had never been before. and with
its energies and talents devoted to the performance OF that one
vast undertaking, all other problems-some that had only iri-
tated and vexed us and others that under different conditions
might have been worthy Of the best thought Of the statesmen
were abandoned for all time or temporarily forgotten, Certainly
we took no thought OF them in the face Of an issue of so much
more vital consequence, and as time went on some of them,
through the healing influence OF time, solved themselves, and the
lesser evils died Of sheer neglect; whereas, had circumstances been
different. they might have survived to confront us daily through
the careful nurture OF constant agitation.
The problems to which the president very wisely has directed
the attention of the congress are not strange or new in name or
theory, but the changed aspect of our economic and industrial lite
is so complete that their application must be considered with ref
crence to an adjustment with a different order from that which
produced them or which was in existence when they came into
being.
There may be some difficulty encountered in the early solu-
ton Of the problems to which the congress and the country as
we'll must devote intelligent and patriotic consideration, to the
end that our bearings shall be so evenly and smoothly balanced
d"d NJuStSd Hl tN hdtbH NAY loNN w W hS hN'tIhl "T
a huge piece Of mechanism SO finely and deity correlated as to
challenge the admiration of the world,
That we shall succeed, as our leaders in the past have shown
US how well they could succeed, is a native conviction the Ameri-
can people are happily possessed OF, and does not permit OF a
reasonable doubt, even on the part of those not overly given to
optimism. The American people are not path-seekers, They are
trail blazers. Other and more timid people may find assurance
and delight in the observance OF age-old precedents and in follow
ing the beaten paths not only made historic but sacred by an
tiquity, but the American people have their Chief delight and the
greatest opportunity for the exercise of initiative in blazing
through the unknown, whether it be the unexplorcd wilderness or
the uncharted sea OF commerce.
To the American mind there is no insurmountable obstacle
in the entire realm of legitimate enterprise. They are fortunately
possessed OF the faculty OF adjusting themselves to conditions as
they are found, without frettine themselves into a fury because
the conditions are not to their liking.
In the past two years this country has accomplished so many
things of incomprehensible magnitude that peace-time problems
must appear small if not insignificant by comparison. We have
the means, we have the material and the ability to accomplish
anything worthy to be attempted.
The war has brought us some valuable lessons that we shall
apply as the occasion demands. Our people have struggled ant
sacrificed, but they have been crowned with victory and brough
TO their knees in humility. The world will beware Of the nation
that prays while it fights, and it may be depended on not to g
far wrong.