The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1921-09-18
FORCE rs NO REMEDY,

T
In looking a short way forward
I do not anticipate. therefore, the
catastrophe struggles with labor
that some predict.
The wage reductions Of 1871 have
now been accepted everywhere
with . good grace, which b credit.
able TO good sense. So long rs .
serious reduction In the real wage
Is avoidablc, doubt II the working
classes will upset the social struc-
ture In the hope to secure an In
crease. The events Of the last two
years have given us all great, deal
to think about. -
zone can only speak on these mat
tiers for the country one lives in;
but in England q rather cynical
conservation IL q far greater dan
ger Of the near future than q revo-
lutionary socialism. Idcalisms Of
many kinds are at discount, not
less in the Labor Party than else
where. We shall have to get back
to them gradually. with the help Of
our intellects as well as our good
Intentions. ri,
That men are not better off than
they are Is because there are too
many Of them. because their quail
ity Is inferior. because they and. the
earth together do not produce more,
and also because they have destroy
ed In war and still waste In prepar-
alton for It, too much Of the fruits
Of their toll. '-=irt "'s..'
The leaders Of the working classes
pursue . false path II they think
they can force . great deal more
than formerly out Of the business
man; or that there will be q great
deal moro to divide II they succeed
I'm abolishing him.
Far-reaching schemes Of social I'm
provement must solve. in conformity
with wisdom and with human ma.
ture. the problem Of Population, and
the Problem of Gain as a necessary
, incentive for effort. But in the
realm Of immediate action, the an
Gent doctrine Of Liberalism still
holds good. And this, In the Eng
lish conditions of today, which have,
however. their due analogies every.
where, should interpret to include
such projects as these:
a. Capital Levy would transfer
a part Of the burden Of taxation
from new enterprise and current
business, out Of which the active
elements Of society. working men
and business men alike. draw their
rewards. to idle old-won wealth.
(O General Disarmament is the
form, Of economy least injurious and
most worth while.
CD II Trade Unions, reversing
their recent policy. were to aim at
rendering the earnings Of the indi-
vidual as nearly approximate as
possible to the output and the ef-
fiency Of the individual. they would
call to the assistance OF production
the normal and not unworthy in
centives to work which nearly every
one feels. -...
az By freedom OF trade and inter-
national Intercourse and co-opera-
ton, the limited resources Of man,
kind could be employed to his best
advantage. ..r
% BY a reduction and control Of
the birthrate.. men might cease to
trample one another to the wall.
- t6) Add to these negative influ.
ences Health and Knowledge.
II Is in such ways. apart from
new resources Of organization, OF
invention and of nature. or a new
scheme Of society that the mate
rial condition of life can lie i'm!
proved. All the rest Is illusion.
But this is the first time In recent
But this Is the first time in recent
experience that the working,
classes have been forced to sur.
render a step forward which they
seemed to have won.
The retrogression has been ef.
fected more quickly and more
smoothly in the United States than
In England. But in England It
could never have taken place ex.
cent under the overwh elrninv y,ra.
sure Of the logic Of facts, and the
exhausting and disastrous strug.
giles Of the last six months were
probably an unavoidable episode