Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-23
THE USES OF ADvERsTY

We are all familiar with the welt established philosophy which teaches the sweet uses of diversity, the discipline of poverty and the virtues of economy and thrift, writes George E. Roberts in The Nations Business. We know that | the strength of the oak is not to be had in tree of quick growth, that sure re- this general law of balance and com pensation govern throughout nature and in human affairs, and yet we a.e all inclined to be rebellious when caught disregarding the law and subject to the penalties. We don's look forward hope fully to the benefits of diversity; or ap- preciate the discipline of poverty while | we are getting it. Even of convinced | of the value of such discipline in his own | experience a man seldom has the resp lution to compel his son to 20 through l 1t.
 All of this does not signify insincerity in the individual or that the philosophy of the teachings is at fault; 1t only shows the truth of the saying that men are but children of larger growth; ifhey want to do what they like rather than what the rules prescribe. even If they
 know in their hearts that the rules
 are right. They want to be excepted from the application of the rules
 The progress of society is by hard ~work. intelligent planning, and thrift
 thrift in saving out of today's produc-
 tion something that will help increase
 production tomorrow. If we keep this
 idea of production always in mind. and
 recognize that the common welfare is
 advanced in this way and no other, we would avoid many mistakes.
 Our chief troubles came through 1 want of common understanding of econ
 omic principles and of the real harmony of interests between all classes. Elmer | son said that the measure of civiIiza- | tion was found in facility of associa- l tion"-that is. in the ability of people 1 to understand each other, get along to- | gether and work together for common | ends.
 i When we think about it we will real | ize that it is not an easy matter for | people to get along together harmoni- | ously, trusting one another and com posing their differences in good feeling. We know from our every day experiences, disagreements develop in every kind of | an organization. including the churNhes ! where people are supposed to be disin- terested. The fact is that we have a race inheritance Of suspicion, and con- I fidence in one another is a plant of slow | growth. Unfortunately, it gets nipped
 down to the roots occasionally by frost
 bite, and these setbacks are hard to overcome.
 This fundamental difficulty about get.
 ting along together needs to be always
 kept in mind in deliberating over oui
 social troubles. Appreciation of it sfows
 the problem in it's true proportions and at the same time, teaches us to be pa.
 tient with it.
 : Our modern industrial system is et highly organized that 1t is easily t11rowT
 out of balance. Each of us is doing som,
 one thing and exchanging products O services with the others. We are de pendent upon the others to make wha
 we want and to take what we make T payment. And it is a great, voluntary 1 scheme; it is up to each person to fn: , his own place in the system and follow 7 his own policies. No wonder t is de f ranged occasionally.
 We have developed this system be
 cause 1t yields larger results to every body than the old system of househol' I industry, where the wool grown on tn farm was spun and made into cloth. an ? clothes in the family; and evNrythin was either self-made or provided in tn T neighborhood by a simple exchange c work that everybody understood. I'll
 | present OI LllS country Cd1 l l not be supported in the state of com 2 fort to which it is accustomed withou organized industry and the use of cap
 ital.
 We have given up the primitive inde
 pendence for gains that are to be ha by becoming specialists with an exchang -' of services. It is a far more efficien Q Q system of industry, but it makes u dependent upon each other and intel . . ested in each others efficiency, welfar and purchasing power. The success ( the system depends upon general ur y derstanding of it's cooperative characte n It requires greater intelligence in tt l. citizenship, and not only greater iAtell j. gence but higher sense of mutual ot # legations, in short higher ciVfliza IS ton.
 One of the most important things
 understand is that monsy Ia n1ei . convenience in accomplishing the e, change of goods and services; our re s' compensation is in the products and SC | vices of others. It must be possible v v make these exchanges on fairly stab 7s aNd regular basis or the whole syste T. is thrown into confusion. The occ! | pations must be in balance, so that u - money income of each will enable 1t 'e buy the products of others. The DE oi of the workers in any occupation al e- not be raised or lowered without a Ve fecting employment and compensation lt the workers in the other occupations. 'e see that clearly illustrated in the gener CT paralysis which has followed the loss re i ,.aao,,+ 7,an+hs Eyarvbod1, is i1+ereet IT. in maintaining that state of equilibriu ne throughout industry which keeps ever se' body at work and results in the large