The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-10-13


especially in those sections that not enjoying it,
because the same forces THAI brought prosperity
some can if properly applied bring prosperity to all
Let us turn memories back the life-span of
the average voters of today We project ourselves into
an era where bare living was the sole aim and
ambition of the ordinary American citizen when
Presidents were elected on slogan of full dinner
pail.
Plenty of plain food, roof over the head, and
fuel for the winter those the things to thank
God for the fruit of twelve hours of daily
toll. Bathtubs, electric lights, the theater, travel
were rare luxuries. The rubber tired buggy was
sign of affuence
The panic of 1907 was in the ofing, and success
sion of previous panics had periodically parayzed the
pocketbooks of the nation. America, economically,
stern and rock-bound proposition, and job-fear
haunted the heart of every who worked for
wages.
Game the dawn" of a The dawn broke
slowly. A decade or more slipped by while an infant
industry was growing great. Then, suddenly, Amer
lea was galvanized into new economic life by pio
neer in that industry. Henry Ford announced the
SIS day.
That one act produced a greater reaction on the
economic life of this country than any other in this
generation 1t put into actual effect and strange
philosophy, the philosophy of industrial success
through high wages of increased prosperity through
increased distribution of wealth; of improved
living standards through making it possible for the
worker to buy the thing he produced and to have
leisure through shorter hours, in which to use the
thing he bought.
In the meantimef Samuel Gompers, working along
different line, leading to the same goal higher
wages and shorter hours
What at first appeared paradoxcal came to be
OIL he of labor that
soldering on the job made for more jobs and higher
wages and of capital that increased profits came
through holding down or cutting wages, those ideas
regan to disappear. America had economic
Iision.
Vital factors in that great economic evolution
the scientists and the inventors.
Stand by ship today and watch the unloading;
see crane hauling material to the top OF sky
scraper; or watch work of excavation. Then in
duIge in some more retrospection.
Visualize in terms of stevedores and bod carriers
and sweaty men with picks and shovels the number
of human beings required to do what stationary
engines, steam shoves, and steel arms do today
American labor thought through the problem and
saw that those new labor saving devices did not de-
crease employment on the whole Whereas men might
be thrown out of in industry by the inven-
ton of laborsaving device demand for their serv-
ices at higher wages in another industry grew out OF
the change.
Great new industries came into being-the auto
mobile the radio rubber, the airpane, and the mo-
ton pictures-jont products of invention science
and the new point of view of labor and capital And
in turn those forces stimulated the whole vast
labyrinth Of industry The luxury OF yesterday be-
came the necessity of today.
Mass production" and turnover" and 'installment
buying" became par tot the vocabulary OF business
Whereas hard times were the result OF failure 10
produce enough, economic troubles no longer arose
from that cause. Instead, good times were assured
through stimulated consumption, and advertising and
all other forms of craftsmanship into new and
vital Importance as the creators Of the demand.
Intelligent spending suppanted hard and cal
Ioused thrift The Saturday half holiday and the
hve-day week added to the nations leisure and there
bv aided rather than retarded the growth of pros
perity.
In the three important divisions, coal, textiles,
and agriculture, the troubles that have been dark
cloud in the otherwise bright sky through over
production or er-consumption
Now what has all this do with the present pres
idential campaign?
Prosperity does not originate in politics. But
government which is politics, has been playing an
increasingly important part in prosperity. And for
that fact, one man is chiefly credited The man is
The part Hoover has been playing represents
something new under the That new thing is gov
eminent cooperation with industrynot mere govern
rnent regulation but voluntary governmental cooper
alton Assuming the secretaryShip of commerce when
that place was the least conspicuous of all cabinet
offices he has through application OF his ideas OF CO.
oneraton with industry saved millions upon millions
to American labor and American capital through the
elimination of waste and by speeding up of production
Hoover, more than any other man in public life
today has sensed the economic trend of things; has
grasped the paradox of prosperity through high wages
and shorter hours understands the forces that
contributing to our economic progress.
Elected President, he will bring the science
to bear in behalf of prospertys continued growth and
its expansion into those divisions of economic life
where prosperity has not yet appeared
Let us see how Hoover himself expresses that
understanding:
Behind every job is vast intricate, and deli
catey adjusted system Of interlocked industries
dependent upon skilled leadership. The forces of