Evening journal., 1919-12-11


was TO destroy and be destroyed. The
diversion OF our energies from the pro-
/ duciiOn Of useful, lasting commodities
to the manufacture Of material for q
tremendous bonfire has brought about
strange situation in which we find
ourselves rich in gold but poor in the
goods for which gold is merely an cX-
change medium.
The principal cure production, the
creation by hard work and honest eff
fort Of the goods that we were too
busy 10 produce while the war was on.
II is only through production ard the
accumulation OF a stock Of marketable
commodities that we can successfully
re-enter the field OF commerce and hold
our own amid the intensified rivalries
Of postwar trade.
The progress OF the nations that were
at war toward the goal Of normal pro-
ductiOn seems to be i'm inverse proper
ton TO their facilities for resuming
production France and England, VIII.
lost more heavily than America, are
wider awake because their losses were
tangible and a sort that even the dull
est mind can comprehend. And Ger
many. the heaviest loser OF all. j.
even more active in her efforts TO gel
back 20 normal. The reaSOn is simple.
The average German, the workman and
the peasant, upon whom production
primarily depends, realizes that his
country needs his services. The ire
mendOus burdens imposed on Germany
by the peace treaty set a task upon the
Germans which at once impressed their
minds and their imaginatiOns. They
have set themselves to work. impatien:
to pay of their debts as soon as pos
sible, and their tasks have taken their
minds ofrtrivial difficulties and discords
such as are keeping America idle.
A noted German engineer said q few
weeks ago that the obligation imposed
upon Germany % rebuild the devastated
areas OF France and Belgium has pro-
vlded an artificial stimulus for German
Industry that was sOrely needed In
times OF general lelhargy knowing
that only by hard work and serious ap-
pllcatiOn their nation can be ecOnOmi
cally revived. the German workman mas
expressed himself as willing to work
ten hours a day and has agreed TO give
an extra hour Of his time 10 help wipe
out his countrys debt he is giving
20 his fatherand what Is more yalu-
able than gold, the productive LABOR
That constitutes the basis of all wealth.
Meanwhile America IS marking time
though the rest Of the world is hasten
ing 90 make up for the losses of war.
Instead Of prOductiveness we have leth-
argy and a continual procession Of
strikes caused by z vague spirit Of
unrest which ignores vital needs ard
chases after ra'nb0Ws In add ton TO
The unprecedented current demand for
goods Of all kinds on .he part of Amer
can buyers, a large part OF ihc outside
wOrid stands ready to buy whatever sc
an produce The opportunity for world
trade, so long sought, is here. h0i
production is tagging instead OF IL
"a easing TO meet the demand. Fr1n3r,
after he hardest efforts in her own
behalf. has finally come 60 realiza-
t.on that she needs the help OF Amerl-
can business men to restore her pro-
war prosperity. Captain Hector Fran
chomme, one Of ihe leading manuilc-
turers OF Lille, was recently quoted as
saying:
"We have lost In destroyed building
alone iOJ00000O9O francs worlS OF
~ AHEllf NfAil 'AttAi =" panty AfA 49,
before the war was Only
1 .5OOOOOOOO francs. Now. with lack +
material. labor and monry. it is much
less than that So, il we try 20 d.
TINS work alone 10 will take us m0r7
thar ten years to restore conditions as
they existed prior to 1914 in this on
item of rebuilding destroyed homes ana
far,Cries. We must have cement-many
thousand tons Of it-frOm America, al
Sc building hardware. steel, wood.
furniture and many other
things
When the arm'stlce was signed
America faced. a future OF extraordinary .
oi LO- tunity. 4 year has passed in /
r. Mich other nations have made prog /
reSs while we stod stll Where viii /
tie second anniversary Of the d'mistice
0Id uS2