Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-05

4N4I-A 4SAI14A%1 -
sound and fearless and beating in con-
fidence unfailing.
Amid it all we have riveted the gaze
of all civilization to the unselfishness
and the righteousness of representative
democracy, where our freedom never
has made offensive warfare. never has
sought territorial ACKNOWLEDGMENT
through force. never has turned to the
arbitrament of arms until reason had
been exhausted. When the govern
ments of earth shall have established
freedom like our own and shall have
sanctioned the pursuit of peace as We
have practiced it, I believe the last
sorrow and the final sacrifice of inter-
national warfare will have been writ
ten.
OUR SUPREME TASK
Our supreme task is the resumption
of our onward normal way. Recon-
struction, reimbursement, restoration
all these must follow. 1 would like to
have them. If it will tighten the spir-
it and add to the resolution with which
we take UP the task, let me repeat for
our nation. we shall give no people just
cause to make war upon US. We hold
no national prejudices, We entertain no
spirit of revenge. We do not hate. we
do not coyet, we dream Of no conquest.
nor boast of armed pfowess. Ply
If. despite this attitude, war Is again
forced upon us. ! earnestly hope way
may be found which will unity our in
dividual and collective strength and
consecrate all America. materially and
spiritually, body and soul. to national
defense. I can vision the ideal repuh
lic,. where every man and woman is
called under the flag for assignment to
duty, for whatever Service. military OF
civic, the individual is best fitted,
where we may call to universal service
every plant, agency or facility, all in
the sublime sacrifice for country and
rf,
to the benefit of private individual, cor
poration or, combination but all above
the normal shall flow into the defense
chest of the nation. There is some
of accord with the ideals OF representa-
tive democracy when one portion of
our citizenship turns its activity to pri-
vate gain amid defensive war while
another is fighting. sacrificing or dying
CT national preservation. --5 Il.
UNITY OF SPIRIT AND PURPOSE
Out of such universal service will
come new unity of spirit and pur
pose. 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. Industrial
and commercial systems at home, no
staggering war debts. no swollen for
tunes to fiout the sacrifices of our SOL
diers, no excuse for sedition, no pitt
able slackerism, no. outrages of treas
on, envy and jealousy would have no
soil for their menacing development and
revolution would be without the pas
sion which engenders it. =, - -
A regret for the mistakes of yester-
day must not, however. blind us to the
tasks of today. War never left. such
an aftermath There has been ,stagger-
ing loss of life and .measureless vast
age of materials. Nations are still
cropping for return to stable ways. Dis
couraging Indebtedness confronts US
III f1o TONY fyny,o - fh1t.1
obligations must be provided for. No
civilizat ton can survive Reputation.
We can reduce the abnormal expendi-
lures and We will. We. can strike at
face the grim necessity. with full
knowledge that the task is to be solved,
and we must proceed with a full feali-
cation that no statute enacted by man
ture.. 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 or
der. We need rigid and yet sane
economy, combined with nscal justice.
and it must be attended by individual
prudence and thrift which are SO es-
sential to this trying hour and reas-
REFLECTION OF WARS REACTION
The business world reflects the dis
turbance of wars reaction. Herein
flows the lie DloOQ or material exist
ence. The economic mechanism is in
tricate and its parts interdependerft
and has suffered the shocks and jars
incident to abnormal demands, credit
mutations and price upheavals. The
normal balances have been impair
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
talr hn rpu IN, O
fever of, war activities. Perhaps we
never shall know the. old levels of wage
again. because war invariably read
justs compensations ana the necessa-
ries of life will show their inseparable
relationship, but we must strive for
norrnalcy to reach stability. All the
penalties will not be light nor evenly
distributed. 81
There is no way of making them so.
There is no instant step from disorder
to order. We must face a condition of
grim reality, charge off our losses and
start afresh. 1t is the oldest lesson of
civilization. I would like government
to do all it can to mitigate them, in
understanding, in mutually of inter-
est in concern for the common good
our tasks will be solved. -
No altered system will work a mir
ache. Any wild experiment will only
add to the confusion. Our best assur-
ance lies in efficient administration of
our proven system.
FROM DESTRUCTION TO
PRODUCTION ~
The forward course of the business
cycle is unmistakable. Peoples are