Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-09-06

vanceS. This Is the soul Of ad-
vancing civilization. When men tell
you this is the privilege of the few
they challenge your intelligence. 1t
is the opportunity Of all. Not all
avail themselves, but the opportunity
beckons.
What's the Explanation7
have seen this city grow from
the village Of 1000 to the city of
10000. I know the men who are the
captains of industry and the COM
manders of trade and the leaders in
finance. I have associated with the
head of one great concern when he
was toiling for rs cents day as u
youth in the shops, / have seen an
other at the bench, and still another
when trying to make the pay envel-
ope meet his obligations. I know one
bank leader as the boy who swept
out and did the chores, another as a
dollarless farmer boy, another as a
struggling youth no moro favored
than the poorest boy. What's the
explanation? Industry. thrift, love
of work. interest in their tasks, am
bition to get on.
I wish I could plant the gospel Of
loyalty to work and interest IN &C
complishment It is the ambition
to succeed, the determination to do
the most and hest---these speed men
on to the heights. The pity Is that
we do not have enough of 1t under
modern conditions There Is too
much mechanical grind, too little
contact between employer and en-
ploye, too little understanding OF
their mutually If interest and their
Joint triumph In success. | hail with
equal satisfaction the workman who
has pride in the factory and It's out
put and the employer who has pride
and sympathetic interest in his work
men, | want to stress the need of
pride. There Is little enough to in
I want to magnify all there is. And
above all else ] want American work.
men to feel that American products
are the best In the world, There is
only touch OF satisfaction Mo say
our output is biggest, but IT, sets the
heart aElow to proclaim Americas
output is the best.
lnsistent Thought Of the Day.
The insistent thought of the day Is
To add to this profit to widen the
difference between mere cost and the
wage received. All the influence and
the organization In the world viii
not eaualize living cost among a
hundred millions. Rentals, until
home owning becomes more wide
spread--as | hope Ii will become
widespread--vary according to To-
callties and conditions. The wage
scale which contemplates a rental
cost in one place might be wholly In
adequate to meet the cost in another,
and nationalized scale would work
an Injustice. This point was deyel-
oped in the recent railway contro-
versies, and proved some very real
grievances which the people had not
dreamed.
This brings me to the subject of
railway legislation, and the enact
ment OF the Cummins- Eseh bill re-
storing the railways to the lawful
owners. We owed 1t to the railway
owners TO restore their property,
seized for war service, Just as we
owe the return OF the peoples money
invested In government loans. In
free and thoughtful America we do
not take advantage OF wars tumult
to change the regular order OF things.
am well aware that many earnest
railway workers and advocates OF
the socialist plan preferred to take
the railroads and put them under
the operation OF the employees. but
that was not keeping faith with
America or American promises. We
were honor bound to make the re-
turn. ! favored 1t for the additional
reason that do not believe In gov
eminent ownership.
Governments Hands Full.
The government must do many
things. but it has enough to do with
out invading the field Of private ac-
tiyity, not, at any rate. until govern
ment demonstrates its capacity for
efficiency.
do not pretend to say the rail-
way act is perfect, indeed, know 1t
is not. But congress was dealing
with a problem of first Importance.
and it had to speed the legislation.
There was the conflict OF many
minds as 1t was right there should
be, and the final act was compro-
mise. Nevertheless. believe it to be
a good law. and, cordially supported
1t. Many railway labor leaders have
cried out against 1t, but / can only
nv FIR, k. Id
mental objections to the release OF
government operation.
It does not guarantee dividends,
1t limits them. It did make a six
months guarantee, but that was to
enable the stupehdous financing for
rehabilitation. There was no ample
upkeep during the war, and the pub
lie is suffering today from railway
inadequacy.
The government has held, COM
mission control over financing, rate
making and all that concernss the
shipping public, and has made work
ing conditions and wages matters OF
concern to government itself. Rail-
way workers are made preferred
class. ana government has singled
out railway workers to see that their
Just treatment is a matter Of public
pledge. This is progress.
Sorry For Its Passing.
Lam sorry the old, intimate con-
tact between employer and employe
Is gone. When there was intimate
touch there was little or rare mis-
understanding. wish we could have
the intimacy restored. not in the old
way. but thru a joint committee Of
employers and employees, not to run
the business, but to promote and
maintain the mutually Of interest
and the fullest understanding. Here
in lies the surest remedy for most OF
our ills. Nay. more, will put II
more strongly, I have spoken the
preventive-the understanding which
prevents disputes. or settles them on
t.