The Washington herald., 1921-02-16
Quarrels would not last long if the
fault was only on one side.
La Rochefoucauld.
Two Ways To An End.

@NE of the greatest evils Of these modern
days is half-baked legislation. There is a
- growing tendency to regulate every human
effort, every human activity every competitive
service, by law.
1t is forgotten that these all interlace so closely
that they react one upon another, depend one
upon the other, that one be separated for
helpful regulation without first tracing its threads
through all the rest to distinguish relations and
effects.
Moreover, such tracing will discover that the
whole pattern is constantly changing in ways which
will probably make what is helpful today distinct
handicap tomorrow.
This whole tendency to regulation of all kinds
IS distinctly product of Socialism. 1t is yielding
piecemeal to Socialist theories. 1t is effort to
satisfy, combat Socialism by going part way.
Yet if Socialism is wrong in its fundamentals if
it is mistake to substitute ndividualism, individ-
ual effort initiative and development by State &C
tion, to do by law instead of by this other means,
then this yielding is going the wrong way.
1t is attempt to get result by the wrong
method. 1t is throwing to a dog bone which does
not Satisfy its hunger and merely strengthens its
jaws and sharpens its teeth.
Most fortunately there is growing counter
tendency which is combating this effort to do by
law what be done more wisely, effectively and
iIcNibly BY those forces that make up ntcrlocked
industries
The first to appreciate this better way and to
combat the legislative way, strangely enough, is
organized labor. The labor unions fight every bit
OF legislation which would involve them. They de-
mand freedom OF action to work out their own sal
vation, their own distinctive betterments and So
called rights which rights are simply those OF every
individual citizen related to the greatest good Of
the most
But others are coming to this same attitude.
There is a distinct movement away from legisla-
tive regulation through the process Of curing the
evils complained of by the joint combined CO.
operative action Of those involved in the industry
or service itself.
In his testimony before the House Agriculture
Committee, Mr.. Julius H. Barnes proposed this
method OF curing the evils OF grain trading and at
the same time providing interlocking instrument
Of cooperation and understanding with the grain
producers.
The engineers by joint action through their as
socztions, are proposing this thing for indus
try in all its ramihcations, in its wastes Of produc-
ton, its relation to labor, its contact with the pub
lie and its operations within itself,
This was the actual meat in the address OF Mr..
Herbert Hoover before the Federated American
Engineering Societies. Almost the entire problem
oi the correction Of economic evils by cooperative
effort without resort to legislation is covered by
their program. 1t is one of individuasm against
Socialism
1t is substituting development along right ways
of economic justice and economic conservation of
energy by voluntary rather athan legisativey en-
forced action. 1t would seem but common sense
that this is the right way if the United States is to
develop along those ways proposed by its institu-
tions Of government and the ideals of its founders.