Omaha daily bee., 1922-05-19
Country on Verge
of New Business
Era, Harding Says
President Tells Members Of
u. 5. Chamber Of Commerce
Merchant Marine is
Necessary.

" hom there could be no pfoduetiyil,
on the one hand and little eonsump
ton on the other.
And l beg 10 remind YOU thai
the great world war. like every olhe,
war which preceded Il. but more not
ably the srea, world war. because
Of is inealeulable immensity. has lei'
a state in human affairs quite differ
ent from any that ever preceded Il
The war would have been q eomple,s
waste. 4, would have been an utter
sacrifice Of every effort. II We did moi
find the great human procession on
little higher plan than that which
|, followed before. And all Ameri'
can commerce must keep that in
mind. There never will be a time
when you can 60 back completely 10
the old order OF American industry
and exchanges in trade.
Il say this at the very momen,
when we are on the threshold oi
a new era. Undoubtedly there is
more than a mere business revival in
sight. Our country is finding itself
again. We a:e fundamentally righ,
and we do not intend ever to be dis
couraged for long time.
Business Reviving.
Business is reviving and We are
soon to resume our onward way and
! admonish you OF the larger rcspon-
sibility to keep in mind the new state
OF human affairs and the awakened
aspirations OF men.
Il do not think that any business
can permanently succeed that is not
honorable. do not think any enter
prise ought to succeed that is not
honorable. And if you will combine
honesty and honor. that enterprise
which makes such slogan will stand
unchallenged before the world.
"There is one fundamental that we
ought never forget. No law can ever
be enacted or any substitute ever
found for the reward OF merit. 1t
is the essence of our social life; it is
fundamental in our religious life. And
am quite sure that there can be no
abiding reward without merit and l
am equally sure that there can be but
little of merit without prospect OF
reward.
Not so very long ago there came
into the executive Office very dis
tinguished visitor, whose homeland is
Russia. He was talking OF conditions
existing there and expressing a hope
for its restoration to which we can
all cordially subscribe and he said:
Only One Way
"'Mr. President. it will never be
brought about until the existing sys-
te mis- abandoned He saidsH know
peasants of simple honesty and ready
industry who have heretofore always
been eager to work and produce but
under system where they retain
only that which is. necessary for their
subsistence and the surpluses are
taken from them, the inspiration to
produce has been destroyed. He
said Russia can never be restored
until the communistic idea is put
aside and rewards for. righteous hu-
man activity are restored to the citi-
zenship of that land
Il am happy to come today be-
cause this is merchant marine day
on your program. l am happy to
come because there is no one corr
structive thought in the. mind Of the
administration at the present time
which takes rank over that Of de-
sire to firmly and successfully .es-
tablish an American merchant ma
rine.
II do not know Of nation in the
world that ever attained eminence in
trade without it was enlinent as a
carrier of trade.
Unusual Situation.
1T is needless to tell body OF
business men and women that no
thoughtful producer turns to his
competitor for his deliveries and you
may apply this to nations. And just
now the American republic finds it.
self in an unusual situation. Out OF
the critical conditions existing dur
ing the world war we builded ships
and ships and ships. We expended
billions to enlarge our shipping to
meet the war need, and peace came
and found US the owners of the sec
ond largest tonnage in the world. We
found government in business, not
fortunately in business either, so far
as the merchant marine is concerned,
and so we are making the congress to
give US merchant marine law under
which we hope to put government
out of the shipping business and un-
der which we hope to put America
conspicuously on the pathway OF the
seas.
This is essential, not only for ex-
panding commerce, but it is exceed
ingly essential for American defense.
I hope the day will never come when
we must resort to war again. ! do
not believe we would have ever been
drawn into the war; I do not hesi-
tate to say ! doubht if there had ever
been world war. if America had,
prior to the war, commanded a ner-
chant marine commensurate with our
commercial importance in the world.
II hope to see the day come when
we shall have so encouraged Ameri-
can shipping that we may carry your
products under the American flag
with our messages of peace and'good
will to all the narts Of the world.
Must Be Right at Home.
~ know you are interested in
world restoration So is your gov
lernment. But beg to remind you
we must always be right at home
before we can be very helpful abroad
We do not mean to hold aloof; we
want to plav a great nations aye. a
great peoples part in the world !
don't know of anything that would
help more than to give the world an
example of commercial nation witt,
an abiding conscience. I wonder If
you understand just what I mean by
that
.Let me give you an example. We