The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-08-01

toughest jobs. When man takes
the oath of office from the Chief
Justice and goes to live in the White
House, he accepts duties and respon-
sibilities which will be with him every
waking minute of his time.
The next president will take on an
even tougher job than the great ma
jority of his predecessors have faced.
He will take office in time of world
crisis and national emergency. And as
soon as he sits down at his desk he
will have to grapple with problems
whose solution is known to no one.
He will have to be prepared to deal
with changes and trends which men
ace all that the United States has
created since the Revolution, and
which threaten the very foundations
Iof our system of government.
The next presidents most immedi-
ate problem will be that Of national
defense. 1t is apparent that we will
be able to produce little that is tan
gible, so far as defense is concerned,
this year. 1t takes time for a great
nation to switch from a peace econ
omy to war economy. The ground
work for workable program is being
laid now, but difficult bottlenecks eX-
lst. And we start the defense pro-
gram under the definite handicap of a
$45,000,0 100000 national debt largely
built up during the last eight years.
There is possibility that the debt
will reach and perhaps pass the $70,-
0O,000,000 mark before we are DONE
Even so, the defense problem, vital
as it is, is perhaps the simplest of
the next presidents jobs-few ques-
ton that we will find some way to
produce any pay for the guns and air
planes and battleships we must have.
Before him will be other problems, far
PREACHING and immensely difficult,
which must eventually be solved. And
here are few of them:
There is the problem of trade. To-
Iday Hitler dominates the continent
tomorrow he may dominate all
Europe And Hitler does not deal in
money, which means dealing in gold.
He deals, instead, in barter. His
economy goes back to the most primi-
tive Of economic systems. He says, in
leffect, 81 have coal that you need
you have machines that | need so
we will trade them" The task Of the
United States will be to either meet
Hitler's terms, which would involve a
veritable economic revolution here, or
to force him to meet our traditional
trade policy-which few economists
believe he will be willing or able to
do.
There is the problem of agriculture,
which is related to the problem of
trade. We have spent immense sums
in the name of farm relief, and it
is apparent thasTwe have gotten lit
tie of durable worth in return. Today
the problem grows graver, as our for
eign markets disappear. There is a
certainty that Europe will want and
need more of the produce of our farms
! and ranches-but there is also the
certainty that Europe will be unable
to pay for it. The next president, sit
ting in his ornate office, will have to
seek a way out, and whichever way
he turns there will be gigantic bar
riers between him and success.
There is the problem of unemploy-
ment, coupled with the problem of re-
lief. The defense program will make
many jobs, but it does not look as if
| it will take care of the millions of
unskiled and little-skilled men and
women who today are supported in
one way or another by government.
In some important lines there is a
serious shortage of workmen-many
willing hands reach out for jobs, but
they are not adequate to perform the
tasks. Training people for highly
skilled work takes long time, and it
also takes facilities which do not now
exist in sufficient quantity.
There is the problem of the Amer
lean standard Of living. Whatever we
spend for national defense-fifteen
billion, twenty billion, thirty billion
must eventually come out of the peo-
Piles pockets. Perhaps fifteen per
cent Of the national income will now
be devoted to armament, in addition
to possible debt increases. That means
that we will have fifteen per cent less
to spend for housing, food, clothing
Ientertainment-al the luxuries and
necessities. The next president will
undoubtedly attempt to increase our
national income sufficiently to make
up for this-but, so far as we can see
now, he is forcdoomed to at least par
'Itial failure. 1t is almost universally
lagreed that the standard Of living
} must sutfer-that Americans will eat
!, cheaper food, live in cheaper homes
,Ispend less for subsistence and for
pleasure.
There is the long-range problem OF
the effects of war and war prepared
mess on the entire economic structure
y The factory that is built to make
shells is either worthless when the
: emergency is over, or must undergo
a costly revamping process. War
rItlme boomS, in other words, produce