Omaha daily bee., 1922-05-19
Country on
Threshold
of New Era
--President Harding
"Busincss Rcviving and Coun.
try Finding ITSELF" Hard.
ing Tells Members Of
US. C.. Of C..
Urges Merchant Marine

Washington. May is.-President
Harding. speaking before the Cham
her OF Commerce OF the United
States, declared that the country "at
this very moment Is on the thrcsh-
hold OF a new era: that business Is
reyiving and the country is finding
ITSELF The government, he said,
was greatly interested in restoration
OF normal world business and eco
nomie conditions and he added that
there was no disposition on his part
10 hold aloof from other nations.
American industry. however, he said.
should not be destroyed TO bald
up the commerce OF other lands.
The president theclarcd there was
not one constructive thought in the
mind OF the administration at the
present time which took rank over
that Of a desire TO establish frmly
and successfully an American mer-
chant marine. He doubted, he said,
il the world war would have occur
rcd had the United States possessed
a merchant marine commensurate
with its commercial importance.
Basis Of Civilization.
If there is any one realization"
he said. which fixes itself more
firmly than another in the mind OF
one charged with great responsible
". il is the conviction that the busi-
ness life OF the republic is the reflex
OF al! its good fortunes. 1t think
! can venture to say that commerce
and civilization go hand III hand ana
we're il not for commerce there
would be no civilization.
From the viewpoint OF one IN
authority and having responsibility
comes another consideration. Com
merce finds its place in all our con.
siderations. Undoubtedly It had
much to do with the bringing about
OF the world war and think l can
saw lust as confidently that it was
never once forgotten in the nego-
tiations OF peace. 1t is SO mextrica-
bly associated with all we do that
commerce is always foremost IN the
life Of any people
I'VE in America-l am sure 1t IS
not unscenly to say it-arc COM
ncrcially 4 great people and we
ought to bd, God blessed US most
beautifully in resources. In the citi..
zenship OF this republic is the blend
OF every people in the world, almost
and l like to say | believe we are
unexcellcd in genius. we are incom-
parable in our industry and we have
the talent and the determination -
the righteous determination-to b
commercially one OF the foremost ma
tons OF the world.
Commerce With Conscience.
This aspiration to excel is ever
ar impclling one because we have
learned from our, observations OF So
c,,ai and civic fife that from the
great golden stream of commerce
flows everything " life worth while.
Ii it were not for this golden stream
that comes from exchanges. from
productivity and exchanges, there
would be little education, there would
be less OF art. there would be few
of the finer attainments which make
{ fife worth while.
while | am speaking very briefly,
wish to speak, ladies and gentle
men, for commerce with a con-
science.
IF were to bring only one adj
mcnition to you I would like to
charge you men and women of in
fluencc and responsibility with the
task of eliminating from American
commerce those who do not have
conscience. whose conscienceless
practices bring that criticism which
sometimes attends our American &C
tivities,
Something has been said, and !
think opportunity, that we vant q
period in America with less govern.
ment in business and more business
in government. If the commerce o.
America we're always conscientiou.
thefe never would be single ex
cuse for government in American
business.
Must Consider Masses.
There is not AN agency in Ameri
can life which can SO quickly put al
cnd to abuses and offcnses in Ameri
can commerce as those who are con
spicuous in the leadership of thai
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