Evening star., 1923-07-29
BY THOMAS IL. MARSHALL.
Former Vice PPesident Of the
United States.

United States.
ONEST men contemplating
- their surroundings, whether
near or remote, are ever
seeking ways in which to
lift the better up to best. Within
certain limitations this is well. 1t Is
not good for q people to be too con-
tent. for progress may then cease.
On the other hand, general discon-
tent is just as bad. On many of the
walks of life it Is perfectly safe to
experiment in going in this. that or
the other direction, but not on all.
There Is no universal rule of economic
life or social order which can be pre-
scented as infallible in it's workings.
Irrigation Ia a life-giver to the arid
plains Of. the west, but to proclaim
irrigation as an unvarytng law for
the worlds agriculture would be the
height OF folly.
We are vain enough to imagine that
we are living in u scientific age, but
is our economic life as hooked up
with governmental activities and po-
litical theories so very scientific? A
scientist discovers what he believes
to be a cure for some disease, but he
does not put 1t on the market at once.
He tries the effect of 1t, first. upon
some animal. He frequently admits
that his discovery is experimental
and refrains from demanding that HIS
cure shall be made compulsory. The
beauty about this sort OF science is
that you can take IL or let 1t alone
you can try 1t and stop it il 1t doesn't
do any good.
Unfortunately. in the business and
economic life of the people, there are
too many doctors who are not pur-
suing scientific methods. They are not
first trying their remedies on the dog.
before giving the people a chance to
take them. They are saying upon
mere theory that they have discov-
cred a cure-all. and they are demand
ing that it's use be made compulsory.
While it is true that the law Of the
land is not permanent and legisla- :
tive reforms are repealabie, attempts
TO apply seemingly sound principles
to the entire country. may wreak un-
In our lawmaking might be valuable.
Political doctors may we'll join them
selves together for the purpose of
experimenting upon economic the
ories. and the rest of US may stand
around and await the reaction, but
until all the people are quite assured
that the reaction Is the thing sought
by them. 1t will be well, so far as the
law of the land Is concerned. to let
the old order stand. Experiments
tion may be wise or unwtse. and not
necessarily vicious. Bad results may
now from the best devised theories
and most altruistic purposes. 1t is
only at the practical test that real
value is ascertainable.
Many large corporations in America
are erecting model villages and fur
nishing to their employees model, sani-
tary homes in which to live at a rea-
sonable rental. They are erecting
schoolhouses and employing the mos,
competent teachers for the young
They are building hospitals, equip
ping them with the appliances OF
modern surgery, and examining the
eyes and noses. the teeth, and the
tonsils of all the children. They are
erecting churches and supplying min
listers, building Y. NJ. C.. AS, furnish
ing Fairgrounds. opening up movie
picture shows-in short. Surrounding
their men and women with comforts
and luxuries.
1t is a great and valuable experi-
ment In the economic life of these
people and the industries that they
serve. At first blush one is inclined