The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-03-11

sublime sacrifice for country and not
one penny Of war profit shall inure to
the benefit of private individual
corporation or combination, but all
above the normal flow into the de-
Tense chest of the nation. There is
something inherently wrong, some
thing out of accord with the ideals
of representative democracy, when
one portion of our citizenship turns
its activity to private gain amid de-
fensive war while another is fighting,
sacrificing or dying for national pre-
servation.
Unity of Spirit and Purpose.
Out of such universal service will
come a new unity of spirit and pur-
pose, a new confidence and consecra-
ton, which would make our defense
impregnable, our triumph assured.
Then we should have little or no dis
organization of our economic indus
trial and commercial systems at home
no staggering war debts, no swollen
fortunes to flout the sacrifices of our
soldiers, no excuse for sedition, no
pitiable slackerism, no outrages of
treason. Envy and jealousy would
have no soil for their menacing de-
velopment and revolution would be
without the passion which engenders
It,
| A regret for the mistakes of yes
terday must not, however, blind us
to the tasks of today. War never
left such an aftermath. There has
been staggering loss of life and mea-
sureless wastage of materials. Ma
tons are still cropping for return to
stable ways. Discouraging indebted
ness confronts us like all the war-torn
nations, and these obligations must
be provided for. No civilization can
survive reputation.
We can reduce the abnormal ex-
penditures and we will. We can
strike at war taxation and we must.
We must face the grim necessity
with full knowledge that the task
is to be solved and we must proceed
with a full realization that no stat
ute enacted by man can repeal the
memorable laws of nature. Our most |
dangerous tendency is to expect too |
much of government and at the same |
time do for it too little.
We contemplate the immediate |
task of putting our public household |
in order. We need a rigid and yet |
sane economy, combined with fiscal
justice, and it must be attended by |
individual prudence and thrift, which
are so essential to this trying hour
and reassuring for the future.
Reflection of Wars Reaction.
The business world reflects the
disturbance of wars reaction. Here
in flows the lifeblood of material ex-
istsnce. The economic mechanism is
intricate and its parts interdependent,
and has suffered the shocks and jars
incident to abnormal demands, credit
mutations and price upheavals. The
normal balances have been impaired,
the channels of distribution have been
clogged, the relations of labor and
management have been strained. We
must seek the readjustment with care
and courage. Our people must give
and take. Prices must reflect the
receding fever of war activities Per-
haps we never shall know the old
level of wage again, because war IN
readjusts compensations, and
the necessaries of life will show their
relationship, but we must
strive for normally to reach stability.
All the penalties will not be light nor
evenly distributed.
There is no way of making them
so. There is no instant step from ;
to order. We must face
condition of grim reality, charge off
our losses and start afresh. 1t is the
oldest lesson of civilization. l would
like Government to do all 1t can to
them. In understanding, in !
of interest, in concern for S
The common good our tasks will be
solved.
No altered system will work
Any wild experiment will I
,nly add to the confusion, Our best e
lies in efficient admins
ration of our own system. o
From Destruction to Production .
The forward course of the business b
.ycle is unmistakable. Peoples are v
urning from destruction to, produc-
ion. Industry has sensed the chang r
ID order and our own people are {
urning to resume their normal on n
yard way. The call is for productive A
america to go on. know that Con- p
ress and the Administration will ia il
or every wise Government policy to I
i'd the resumption and encourage b
ontinued progress. 81