The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-01-08

her crops. only fhr VC,V S:nnuinp
apparently look for u swift reaction
from what economists describe as the
secondary phases of crisis and dcprcS-
siOns, the slow. painful and altogether
unDalatablc processes OF recovery
from industrial DISCRIMINATION and
reduced production. Without attempt
ing to make any hard and fast pre-
dlctionS, indeed with every DISPOSE
tiOn to keep OUT of the ranks of the
prophctS-whO are prOVerbially lack
ing in honor in their own country
ii may be well TO set dow few
facts which have IA bearing upon the
working out OF either of these fore
casts.
In the first place, it apparently
needs TO be again brought to the at
tentiOn of the fainthearted that this
country has so far come through
lightly from the troubles which have
bcset the world as the result of the
overwhelming ambition of German
militarists; that our present trade and
industrial troubles, due in part to our
own eXtravangances, are the natural
results of the antecedent causes, and
that it is best that the reckoning
camc as early as it did. In other
words, our condition might have been
whole lot worse--it is certainly a
great deal better than is the lot of our
European friends and allies. The in
dustrial worker may be idle in unpre-
cedented numbers and fraction OF
his 'pay (25 per cent perhaps) has
been cut, but he had an opportunity
TO prepare for the inevitable reac-
tlon, While the farmer, mourning the
rat returns of 1919, should not for
get that his money and crop returns
are better than in 1914, 1916 and 1916
which were not esteemed bad years
at the time. For the great mass OF
people Who did not directly gain by
eXtrdvagant wages or prices, the re-
turn to saner price levels is a nearly
unmiXed good, and all three of the
groups cited have the knowledge that
as result of readjustments, a dollar
goes and will go further than it did
In recent days Of socalled boundless
prosperity. The fact is that for a
while at least, business will need the
preset quiet period to recast it's ideas.
form new plans and prepare to put in
operation new and better conceptions
As put by one observer, the old fig
ures are blurred and new ones must
be prepared
1t is hardly to be hoped that the
present readjustment will not 20 far
enough to retire large number Of
those who in the past year and in un-
precedented numbers sought the pro-
fits of a business life with modicum
OF business equipment and defic-
lency OF ability to succeed. 1t might
be we'll If we were able to forget
some Of the events of our recent silk
shirt era" OF extravaganza were it
not for the lessons conveyed that in
the long run ability, education and
experience are also entitled to their
reward. Perhaps no better service
could be done the American business
man, wage Garner or farmer than to
hold up TO his eyes the example OF
battletorn France, which in it's pa
tient rebuilding of its shattered for
tunes, this year. shows a gain in it's
export trade comparing favorably
with all but the very largest gains
in our own. With the experience of
some past years of stress in mind,
one is inclined to look askance at ef-
forts of medicine men" Of both par
ties to offer patent nostrums to the
people in the belief that acts of con-
gress will arrest, delay or mitigate the
working out of the great natural fore
es now in operation. The patients
fever seems to have broken, and
there remains now the process OF
building UP his strength, for which
time and care arc the main requisites
666 quickly relieves q cold-Adut