The Washington herald., 1920-05-25
The Paramount Business of
Epery american Today

tcTnlnOlORy.
The problem must be solved step
by step. and IT will take time. 1t
Is certain that the relationship be-
be settled by any form of legal re-
preston, with the use of the Jail as
a means of enforcement.
Public opinion and good will are
the forces we must depend on for
enforcement OF the right sort of
settlements. Repression leads TO
the border of martyrdom and tends
to make for compulsory employ
ment and a compulsory wage and
also for compulsory profits.
No one doubts that the modern
consolidation of the employers over
large units of employees gives ev-
cry justification and right for the
organization of the employees SINH
larly into units for the exertion or
equality in bargaining powers.
Such organization has a right to
present its own representatives IN
bargaining but these representa-
tives must truly represent the en-
ployes- for whom they speak. On
the other hand there can be no le-
gal compulsion to join or not TO
join such an organization.
sociaII.n, In Europe ohserved.
And from my observation of So
cialism under it's various names at
work in Europe l am entirely con-
WINGED that enlightened self-inter-
est and not altruism Is the oniy
force that will survive in produc-
, ton. The vast masses of humanity
In Europe have long been cropping
for the method of nearer equality
Of opportunity and better distri-
Dutlon OF the results of Industrial
production. These groupings and
these attempts have in recent years
oeen dominated by MARKHAM Social
! Ism, developed in different degrees
OF intensity. Broadly. these revo-
| Iutlons have taken two forms: the
Bolshevik form, through which
there has been overnight communI-
zation OF all property, and second
| ly' the milder form OF legislative
naturalization of industry.
l believe We are now in position
10 take some stock of and to form
some Judgment as to the adequacy
OF these solutions for what / believe
every liberal minded man believes
is necessity-the better division
of industrial production.
| Durlng the war large measures
We're taken on both sides of the
front to secure the mobilization or
production and distribution to it's
maximum use in the struggle
There was effective specialization of
! vast sections of Industry. These
measures are being continued ana
extended today in many places bv
governments anxious to maintain
me stability of institutions even at
the sacrifice of economic safety. but
uhdcr the threat OF minorities Of
revolutionary action. Yet here
again the same prime weakness has
proved itself.
war Impulses Have Been Lost,
Ihe partial success of these meas
ures IN war. was due to the great
patriotic impulse of war. Those
VINO conducted these large opera
irons were men whose initiative
ana capacity had been selected by
the competitive system. These war
impulses have been lost, and these
organizations with constantly de-
creasing efficiency now face disas-
| tivity.
lnese decreases have immediate
results In costs, or the necessity of
governments to subsidize commodi-
ues-such as bread. There is no
petter example of this than the coal
INDUSTRY OF Europe. where. even
omittlng Russia, this production
mas fallen from a rate of 600 mil
lion-tons per annum At the armis-
uce 10 rate of $50 million tons
last August. The coal industry is
IN modern life the very life blood
OF the state; 1t has proved itself
the most susceptible among all the
industries to these influences. and
lts production today is at such an
epp as to jeopardize the entire So
sIai iabric, I am convinced that
the greatest proportion OF European
leaders otsSoci3lism realize to some
sHteht this bankruptcy and are to-
usy endeavoring to cover a retreat
with loud complaints as to the fail
ure from other causes. Neverthe-
less the realisation itself is a great
step and Is bringing the turn of the
uas' ana through II Europe is on
tne road to economic recOvery-if
she gets peace
the whole OF these various sorts
OF Socialism are based on one prI-
mary conception. and that is that
sne productivity of the human be-
ing can be maintained under the
impulse OF altruism and that the
seiectian the particular human
ior MS most productive perform
ahce can be made by some super
imposso bureaucracy. Their weak
ness Is the disregard of the
normal day-to-day primary impulse
OF the human animal, that is. self
interest-for himself or for his fam
NY ana home--with q certain addi-,
ZION OF aitruism varying with his
racial Instinct and his degree OF in
teliigence. They fail to take into ac-
count. also, that there is but one
snficienty selective agent for hu-