Evening star., 1923-02-17
PR0SPEROUSERA
/ NEAR, SAYS FALL
Retiring Interior Secretary
. Sees Industrial Activity
; lust Around Corner.
GLAD TO LEAVE OFFICE
Also Observes That Court Of Pub.
lie Opinion. Though Harsh,
Mostly Is Just.

Speaking at the banquet of the
American Electric Railway Associa
ton at the New Willard Hotel last
night, SecrtaTy of the Interior Fall
gave what was regarded as his swan
song, in view OF his approaching re-
tirement from the cabinet on March
4. Mr.. Fall took the opportunity to
make some observations on public
life and of conditions confronting the
United States, emphasizing that he
was making the observations from
the advantageous position OF one who
was retiring voluntarily.
At the same time he read 4 message
from President Harding conveying to
the organization the chief executives
expression OF personal regards and
giving the assurance of my contin-
uinG interest in the welfare of the
great industry which is represented
by the convention"
Secretary Fall in his address re-
rerred to the early Christian martyrs
antering the arena to make n Roman
holiday and their greeting to the
emperor and said:
Happy mt Prospect.
Despite some mtsgivinGs as to
whether a politician Is entitled to
classify himself with the meek and
ioWly Christians or with the rough
Eecked -barbarians OF the gladia-
torial arena, I shall venture, here on
the eve OF my political dissolution, to
adopt the same greeting: We who are
about TO die, salute YOU l have read
that the Christian martyrs frequently
were so reConciled to their fate. sn
assured Of the happiness awaiting
them that they would burst into the
singing OF hymns following the grim
Nn ttnsy. e ehDf
ancient tale OF religious faith may be
accepted. then l feel entitled to claS-
stfy myself with tho martyrs; for I
confess 70 Ii grateful sense OF salts
faction A. contemplate my ap-
preaching political demise.
II have spent Il considerable share
Of my life il one sort or another OF
political service. ana have no diSpoai-
ton now to pretend that 1 have not
enjoyed Il. / am convinced of the
genuine attractions which are offer
ed by the public service to one who is
willing TO take its career on the
terms our presert-day political l.fs
makes possible.
Confidence in Public.
"A good many years Of more or
less philosophical observation of
public life has gone far to convince
me that your public man is likely
to be appreciated just about as much
rs he deserves. and. as a rule. con-
siderably less than he thinks he de-
serves. On the whole, l have consider
able confidence in the rough justice
Of public verdicts on public servants
and their careers ] am not sure that
this philosophy will he completely
satisfactory to the large and lugubri-
Gus community OF lame ducks. But,
going back TO the Roman arena, we
may suspect also that the verdict OF
Thumbs down often made dis
cnctly unfavorabie impression on the
performers there.
Whether in our own country or
in others. there never has been a
time when the public was SO exact
ting in ITS attitude toward its SER
wants, as Il is to-day. There never
was a tine when the critic on the
criticize than he can find IN these
days. Today the tendency Is not
only to criticize public servant for
any act of omission or of commits
With being actuated by ulterior mo-
tives, or motives of personal or pure
ly selfish interest
Life Now More Complex.
The problems OF public life are
nowadays more complex, more difficult
% chart. than they have ever been.
There are. we may fairly say. no local
s related to everything else, every
where. During the war, we all con-
WINGED ourselves that the world would
never again be as it was before; and
[ guess We were right to that extent.
But more than four years have
passed since the wars end, and we
haven't yet notion what sort OF
world are going to have.
Incidentally, l want to say that I
know one country. and one govern
simple advice III the last two
years; aiming to get it's people and
its plant back TO work; trying to In
crease its income and reduce It's
outgo: seeking to insure itself
against wars and the menace of
capital instead of fiat money; trying
10 lessen the burden of armament;
finding tasks-useful, worth while
.asks-for people who formerly were
die; encouraging trade and industry,
seeking TO open new markets, refus-
ing TO get entangled with others who
have not yet found that the war is
over.
Prosperity at Hand.
That country is the United States
Of America, and it has been setting a
mighty good example Of quiet, hum
drum, safe and sensible management
Of a nations affairs. Nothing spec
racuiar has been done. but taxes are
lower, the danger Of war in the
Pacific has been removed, four or
fve million workers who two years
ago were out Of jobs are now in jobs,
and more labor is needed than can be
found; the cost OF living hasn't been
much reduced. but the number Of
people who can pay that cost has
been increased powerfully; the huge
government debt has not been reduced
much. but it's increase has been stop
ned and we can see ahead the time
when It's progressive reduction will
ba a fixed part of the national pro-
gram; the labor question has not
been permanently settled and. thank
God. IT never will be-this side Of the
millennium, but it has been changed to
a question Of finding enough work to
keep the people busy and fed, and,
finally, everybody knows that right
now the country is facing period Of
great industrial activity and uni
IL