The Barnwell people-sentinel. (Barnwell, S.C.) 1925-current, April 22, 1926, Image 6
THE BARNWELL PEOPLE-SENTINEI^ BARNWELL, SOUTH CAROLINA
THURSDAY APRIL 22ND, IftM
Taking the Profit
\
By BERNARD M. BARUCH
Reprinted from The Atlantic Monthly.
[The February issue 0/ the Atlantic for 19iS carried a paper by Mr. Sisley
1 Huddleston dealing with the general ««$/erl 0/ “iofcing the pro/H out of war”
which Mr. Huddleston called "An American Plan for Peace.” The flrst^uoted
phrase was put into the language by the War Industries Board toward the
(piose of the World War through its efforts to eliminate all war profits. Mr.
Huddleston’s article came to the attention of Mr. Bernard M. Baruch, chair-
i nwin of the War Industries Board and administrator of the non-profit plan,
and (as he writes us), since it seemed to indicate a growing interest in the
I idea induced him to invoice practical means to bring about a ]full compre-
1 hension of taking the profit out of tear in the various great countries of the
world To this end he responded to a suggestion of Mr. Owen D„ Young, of
i the Page School of International Relations at Johns Hopkins University, that
he establish a course of lectures there to expound the War Industries Board
plan in detail. Later he will proceed to make similar arrangements at leading
universities in Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. Agreeing
with Mr. Baruch that the subject calls for public knowledge and discussion,
« was natural for the Atlantic to tum to him for the following paper.—Tb*
Eoitoss or Th« Atlantic Monthlt.]
War wae once described as Prus-
■U’s most profitable Industry.
It Deeds only a scant examination of
history to learn that other countries
were open to the same Indictment.
The methods of the Robber Barons
did not pass with the end of feudal
ism. Annexation by conquest did not
cease. But when America entered the
W9rld War President Wilson fathered
a doctrine that shall always gorern
ns—that never a foot of territory
would be added to our boundaries by
force.
So, as America has taken the lead
toward making Impossible national
profit through war, It too may be
America’s privilege to point the way
toward making Impossible individual
profit through war. To take the profit
out of war is to take a long step to
ward creating an economic detesta
tion of war. The experience of th#
United States in the World War af
fords a basis for the belief that the
j>lan herein discussed Is practical. In
tact, it is more than a belief—it is a
certainty, although not widely known.
The world is such a busy place, and
the radius e! human activity has been
rials, transportation, housing, and so
forth. On top of that there prevailed
the demands of the Shipping Board,
with the slogan that ships would win
the war, and of the Food Administra
tion, with the slogan that food would
win the war. Further, there was the
Railroad Administration with its need
for materiar and labor, and finally
there was the feverish quest for labor
and supplies on the part of the muni
tion makers—all competing for labor,
money, materials, transportation, fuel,
power, and each insisting on the
greater imporUnce of its activity. All
this while the labor supply was being
lessened by the flow of men inte the
Army.
While an endeavor was being made
to bring order out of chaos, the great
undertaking had to go on. Men, ships,
munitions, food, material, had to be
provided. Old organisations, bureaus
and traditions had to be met and
changed, but not destroyed until the
new was set up. The wonder of it all
Is, net that there were so many mis
takes, but that so much was accom
plished.
At the time we entered the war*
price*-were at th'elr ’peak, and tending
•p grfsatly.enlarged becatue of modem i higher because of the war’s insatiable
Inventions, that It Is not strange that I demands. The problem was not alone
there are but few people who are con
versant with what was quietly but
•ffectlvely taking place In this coun
try lb the mobilization and use of its
material resources In the World War
—a process that would have eventual
ly eliminated all Improper profits.
Strength Is given to the public ad
vocacy of Industrial mobilzation made
by both President Harding and Presi
dent Coolidge—Mr. Coolldge as re
cently as last Octot^r In his Omaha
speech to the American Legion—by
the fact that the plan they advocated
as a part of the regular national war
agencies had once been set up and
successfully operated under the War
Industries Board.
Preceding the President's recent
clear exposition of this subject, some
degree of public interest had been en
gendered by an exchange of letters be
tween Owen D. Young (of Dawes plan
fame), In behalf of the Walter Hines
Page School of- International Rela
tions. and the writer. The corre
spondence resulted in the establish
ment of lectures at the Page School
(of Johns Hopkins University) on this
theme. Previously the Atlantic Month
ly printed an article by Sisley Huddle
ston, who pointed out that Europe saw
grqat strides toward peace in the
American Idea of “taking the profit
out of war" in a systematic way. His
basic reference was to the plan of the
War Industrie; Board
The resources of a country might
be referred, to as the five M’s: (1)
man power; (2) money: (3) main-
tanance or, food: A (4> material re
source* (Including raw materials,
manufacturing facilities, transporta
tion, fuel and power); and (5) morale.
The Intelligence with wjiich the first
four are directed and co-ordinated as
U whole will determine the fifth, the
morale of the community.
In the war emergency it early be
came evident to those who were
charged with the responsibility of
mobilizing the resources that there
was a just sentiment among the peo
ple against profiteering. Profiteering
might be willful and profit making
might be involuntary; but, whatever
Itfl form, there was a Just determina
tion it should cease. So It became
accessary to fix prices where the sup-
»»y was limited.
Wherever the government created a
shortage by lta_demands. prices were
fixed, not only for the Army, Navy and
the Allies, but for the civilian popula
tion as well. And in addition to price
fixing on w ar essentials (such as steel,
wool, copper, and so forth), the bal-
aace, after the war program had been
filled, was rationed or distributed ac
cording to the priority needs cf the
Various civilian demands. In other
words, where the price of the ji.odnct
cf an Industry was fixed that industry
had to deliver the part which the gov
ernment did not need to the civilian
population, not in the way the indus
try chose, but as the government di-
tpeted.
. It must be remembered that when
the war came there was no adequate
preparation. Indeed. It is doubted by
the beat authorities whether any ef
fective form of preparation then
known would have been of much avail
la view cf the widespread and engulf
ing result* of the war and the lack of
kncwlcdg* of the Various instruments
fit destruction which were being de
vised and which it became necessary
tn combat.
Oof own Army hid several divisions
pampaling one with another for male-
to secure the materials and labor and
to stop the confusion, but to do it in
such a way that the morale of the peo-
pld would be maintained. The prices
of some things, like steel and copper,
were fixed far below prevailing rates,
and the wages of labor In those indus
tries were standardized. The more
highly organized an Industry, the
easier it was to arrange. Order did
not commence to appear until the
Army tunneled its needs through one
man sitting with a section of the War
Industries Board and unUl the Navy,
Shipping Board,„ Allies and Railroad
Administration did likewise. Each de
partment satisfied its requirements
through a central authoritative body.
This was called the War Industries
Board, controlling and directing all
materials and co-ordinating through
Its chairmafi the whole system of gov
ernmental and civilian supply and de
mand. It was created by executive
order In March of the year 1918.
Briefly, this board endeavored to
mobilize the industries of America so
! <^*1 the fighting forces of the Allied
and associated nations could draw
from the United States—the last res
ervoir of men. materials and money—
the things needed for the winning of
the war at the time the things were
needed and with the least dislocation
of Industry and the least disturbance
of the civilian population.
II
The War Industries Board was or
ganized like any other supervisory
committee, with a chairman, vice
chftiftnan. members in charge of va
rious activities, bureau chiefs and sub
ordinate workers.—R surveyed and
sought to arrange the whole Industrial
war field under the' plenary powers
conferred by the President and the
Congress. How well it did this Is a
story for others to tell. What it did
is the basis of the plan I am here
drawing.
It was comparatively easy to fix
prices and to distribute materials, and
Indeed to stabilize the wages of labor
In those industries .in which prices
were fixed. The labor situation, how
ever, became increasingly difficult,
particularly when General Crowder
found It necessary to withdraw men
for the proposed campaign of 1919
after 4.000,000 soldiers had already
been taken.
Much has been said about the profi
teering of labor. It is an uxjust accu
sation. It is only fair to say that this
condition was primarily brought about
through the inexperience of the organ
ization within our own governmental
departments and by the furious bid
ding of munitions makers and ship
builders for services. That situation,
together with the increased prices of,
the thtagg that labor had to buy'with
the results of its work, made it inevi
table ihat labor muat gat higher
wages. 1
So It became evident that the price
fixing program had to go even fur
ther, and the War Industries Board,
when the Armistice came, was pro
ceeding with a campaign to fix the
prices of all the basic things that la
bor had to buy. Some had previously
been fixed. 1 speak Of labor In a much |
broader sense than manual labor, foi |
the unorganized so-called “white col- ,
lar" part of our community—clerks, I
teachers, government employes, pro
fessional men—were less able to meet
the situation than labor in the nar
rower sense. For the protection and
relief of each groups cerufc* gjans
wesv devised. To illnstrat»-f
Oce ot them provided that manufac
turers, Jobbers and reUllese of shoes
could make and Mil shoes only of a
specified quality at a Aged price, ef-
fective July, 1919. No one who did
not have n card ol the War tndnstries
Board in his window could Mil shoM,
and only the standardized shoes could
be sold. No jobber or manufacturer
would Mil shoes to anybody who did
not have this card. The shoes were
to be stamped Class A, B or C and had
to bq, of the quality prescribed and
bold at the price fixed. The country
wae so organized in every district that
there could be immediately reported
to Washington the name of any shoe
retailer who did not carry but the reg*
ulatloni of the War Industries Board
as to price and quality. Through re
strictions on his labor, moqey, raw
materials and transportation no man
ufacturer would have been permitted
to sell to any dealer violating the reg>
ulations. The Armistice stopped the
execution of this plan. —
Another plan of this nature: The
manufacturers of men’s and women’s
wearing apparel had in 1918 been call
ed to Washington, together with the
retailers of various goods, and notified
that regulations would have to be
made in regard" to retail prices and
standardization of clothing.
The rulings by the board were made
known through the Issuance of official
bulletins at Irregular intervals and
were widely dietributed- by the press,
which co-operated in this' most neces
sary work with a whole-hearted pur
pose that gave to the orders of the
War Industries Board the instant and
broad circulation they required.
Mr. Hoover already was doing much
to perfect his control of food products
and prices. There was also talk of
fixing rents, and In some cities this
was done.
If we were to start. In the event of
another war, at the place where we
were Industrially when the World War
ended, the President, acting through
an agency similar to the War Indus
tries Board, would have the right to
fix prices of all things as of a date
previous to the declaration of war
when there was a fair peace time rela
tionship among the. various activities
of the nation. It would be illegal to
buy, sell, serve or rent at any other
than these prices. Brakes wonld be
applied to every agency of inflation
before the hurtful process started. An
Intelligent control of the flow of jnen
Daring the Anal phase of the World
War no man or corporation or institu
tion could raise money without the
approval of the Capttal Issum Commit
tee of the Treasttry Department, which
committee ifi tare would not permit
the borrowing of money unleee the
War Industries Board approved the
use to which It was to be put ThuT
the City of New York was not permit-^
ted to spend 18,000.000 for the build
ing of schools. The City of Philadel
phia was prevented from making Im
provements that in peace time would
have been necessary, but in war time
were not Various states, counties
and cities, and a vast number of pri
vate concerns, were denied the use
of money and materials for purposes
not necessary for the winning of the
war. Each part of the community had
to adjust Its wants to the whole grant
undertaking.
(CONTINUED ON EIGHTH PAGE)
■(PROVED UNIFORM INTERNATIONAL
Lesson
(By REV. P. -B. FITZWATER, D.D.. Dmb
of tho Evening School, Moody Biblo In-
•tltute ol’Chicago.)
<(«. 1921 —
Waatern Newapapor Union.)
Lesson for April 25 ,
THE STORY OF CAIN AND ABEL
LESSON TEXT—Genesis 4:1-16.
GOLDEN TEXT—Am I my brothor’g
keeper?—Gen. 4:9. »
PRIMARY TOPIC —Cain Quarrels
with his Brother.
JUNIOR TOPIC—Cain Loses His Self-
Control.
INTERMEDIATE AND SENIOR TOP
IC—What Jealousy and Anirer Lead to.
YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULT TOP
IC—The Sin of Hate.
leads ns lo the conclusion that God
had taught IJW* necessity of offering
n Moody-, sacrifice, a vicarious sub
stitute, that acceptance with Him was
dependentupon the offering of a be
ing apart from themselves as their
enhetltate, which prefigured.,the atone
ment of Jesns Christ (Rom. 10:17).
IV. The Lord’s Attitude Toward
Bifr Offerings (vv. 4-11).
1. He accepted Abel’s offerings
(v. 4).
* ‘ ■’ t .
The reason for this acceptance was
not because of Abel’s goodness, but
because he recognized his need as a
sinner and by faith brought the
sacrifice which represented the sub
stitutionary offering of another in bis
stead (Heb. 11:4, Rom. 10:17).
2. He rejected OaIn’s? offering (v.'fl).
Hile was not because of the moral
badness of Cain,, but because he In
the energy of his self-will, brought the
fruit of his own toll.
H. Cain rebuked (w, ft, 71. v
Cain, having sullenly resented the
Lord’s, action, the Lord pnt a ques
tion of searching rebuke to •him. As
Be extended His mercy to Cain, so He
will give consideration to all who
forsake their self-will and approach
Him through the Lamb which was
slain. The sin offering Is lying at the
door of everyone.
.V. Cain Slays Absl (v. 8).
fie showed hypocritical friendship
for Abel (I Jnhn 3:2L to get a good
chance to IMs-strange that
the first murder grew out of the fl
recorded act of worship. This fl
murder was but a forecast of
oceanti of blood which have hfjNl *
In the name of religion. * /
VI. bod’a Judqmant Upon Ca
(w. 9-16).
Soon after Cain’s sin, God asked
Cain to account for Abel, Ms brother.
, Instead of confessing his guilt and
suing for pardon, he tried to lie out.
of It, even answering God with de
fiance, disputing His right to bring
him into judgment.
1. Unrequited toll.
The earth failed to respond in frult-
. fulness to Cain’s toiling.
2. A degraded outcast.
He was condemned to perpetual
exile. — ——— :
3. Banished from the present** of
God.
He not only was thrust out from
home and society, hut from the dfrine
presence. Cain realized the greatcesg
of his punishment, but showed no re
pentance of ills sin.
4. God set a mark upon him.
money, and- materials would -be- Im
posed, Instead of having the blind pan
1c heretofore ensuing on the first ap
pearance of the frantic demands of
war. The Draft Board would have be
fore it the rulings of the priority com
mittee, together with the estimated
needs of every business and profes
sion hi its relationship to the conduct
of the war, and men would he select
ed accordingly. The Draft Board
could more intelligently decide, with
the advice of the priority committee,
many of the problems with which it
would be faced. There would be no
sending of men to the trenches who
were needed for expert industrial war
work and then bringing them back
again. Businesses not necessary to
the winning of the war would be cur
tailed. The Draft Board would have
that information before it.
THh prices of all things being fixed,
the price fixing committee would make
any necessary adjustments, as was
done during Die war. Under the sys-
lem utied 11^1918 these prices were
made public and adjusted every three
months, so that any consumer or pro
ducer had his day in court when he
considered prices uhfair. Those who
complained that during the war prices
were too high had this ready recourse
to hand. *
In the meantime ail the industriee of
the country would have been mobilized
by the formation of committees repre
sentative of each industry a« was
done In the World War. Over them
would be placed a government direc
tor or commodity chief. The various
government departments would ap
point committees representing" their
requirements, so that on one commit
tee the resources of the nation would
be represented and on the other the
demands of the government. The gov
ernment director would stand between
to decide, in conjunction with the pri
ority committee, to what department
supplies should go.
Money would be controlled and di
rected like any ether resource. "Tak
ing thq profit out of war” is not
synonyfnous with "conscription of
wealth,” as It is.sometimes regarded.
The latter is a theoretical project, pro
hibited by our Constitution, contrary
to the spirit of our social and political
institutions, and impossible in prac
tice. Taking the profit out of war Is
an orderly and scientific development
of the economics and conduct of mod
ern war. necessary to the effective
mobilization of national resource* and
Indispensable to equalizing ’the bur
dens of war ahtong the armed and
civilian population. Bom of expe
rience and proved by practice, It re
moves some of the most destructive
concomitants of modern war—the con
fusion and waste incideat to war time
inflation.
This term "conacrlption of wealth,’’
need by so many, has created a hape
'among those of socialistic tendencies,
and a fear among those who, like me,
believe in our system baaed upon per
sonal Initiative and reward, of a tak
ing of money, without payment. Jor
the use of. State. Neither the hope
nor the fear Is justified by the recom
mendation herein contained oz hy^oue
experience In the jsrar; The use of
money should be controlled and di
rected in a national emergency. A
man should no more be permitted to
use his money as he wishes than he
should be permitted to nee the pro
duction of his mine, mil] or factory
exeapt through the general iapervle-
Ing agency. This was being dean to
ward the and at the war.
I. The Birth of Cain and Abel
(vv. 1 :2).
In obedience to God’s command to
multiply and replenish the earth, the
first childrens were born into the
world Iil the Wrth -of -
thought that the promise of Genesis
3:1. r i was in process of fulfillment,
and exclaimed. “I have gotten A man
from the Lord.” Soon afterwards
she gave birth to. Abel.,- Both sons
er The fail of our first parents and
their expulsion from.Edeu that they
brought forth children in the like
ness of their fallen nature. Through
the law of heredity this stream jot
corruption has been flowing on from
generation to generation.
II. The Respective Callings of Cain
and Abet (v. 2).
t’aiu was a tiller of the ground and
Abel n keeper of sheep. This shows
that the primitive employment of man
was .‘urrieulture and stork raising: In
fact, before tfie fall, man's occupa
tion was horffrlfTTure.
III. The Respective Offerings of
Cain and Abel (vv. rt.,4).
Both were worshipers; both
brought offerings- Gain of the tirst-
fruils of the ground and Ahei of the
firstlings of his flock. They both
-ecognlzed God and His claims upon
them. “The Lord bad respect unto
Abel and bis offerings, but not unto
Ualn." Why this difference? J« God a
respecter of persons? Was Abel bet
ter hy nature than Gain? By no means,
for there Is no difference (Rom. 3:22).
They both were horn outside of Eden,
therefore they both possessed the
same depraved nature. The answer
Is given In Hebrews 11:4—“By fj^th
Abel offered unto God a more ex-
ccMont sacrifice than Gain.” TMs
* at.
* -
•4
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freight and
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ELECTRIC REFRIGERATION
UC TE1HDHEY TO LEH11
Farm Loans 6 per cent., large amounts. Town prop
erty in Barnwell, residential and business, 7 per cent.
Loans procured promptly at lowest cost.
Allendale, Bamberg and Barnwell Counties.
THOMAS M. BOULWARE
Attornev-at-law
Barnwell, S. C.
Fire, Life, Sick and Accident Insurance
Bonds and Real Estate
’ We have for sale-278 acres known as the G. W. Green home
stead in Rosemary and Richland School districts. Two lots in
the town of Barnwell with buildings thereon, very desirable loca
tion. See us and get prices. Let us show you.
’
Barnwell Insurance Agency
Barnwell,
— t
*
— — — So. Car.
Superpower for South
<3 Power for Home and Store, Farm Factory and Public Buildings [>
A long stride toward progress has been made by a combination of producers for the distribution
e.’t.tric energy-. « ,
r —
The joining of resources and facilities of the Edtsto I'ublic Service’Company, (Denmark, S. C)
the Carolina Light and Power Company, (A'.ken, S. C.) and the Augusta-Aiken Railway and Elec
tric Corporation of Augusta, bring a guarantee to the .residents of this community that unlimited
power, at very favorable rates, will be available to do all sous of useful work for the farmer, the
houoawife the storekeeper and the manufacturer."
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\ i * r
4 - -' . • v* ;
The output of these three corporations is drawn from the streams of our -own neighbohojd—
Augusja alone piodueing 24,000 horsepower from the Savannah River. Added to this great volume
are all the steam plants that the central towns, which in the past., have been the sole fcwrce of
electric supply. By this modem arrangement, these steam equipments will be held in reserve, to be
used as auxiliaries, to be operated only at very infrequent intervals, when repairs may be needed to
th£ water wheels, or other branches of the service.
To anticipate future needs, and provide for the boundless commercial and agricultural activi
ty already awakened in this section, the Augusta-Aiken Railway and Electric Corporation Mias' re
cently completed a physical connection at Toccoa, Georgia, with the limitless supply of hydro , pow-er
generated in the five States, of Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, North and South Carolina, and distri
buted through the switch boards of the Geoigia Railway and Power Company at Atlanta.
• ' i . .
‘
. These a re the visible—the tangible evidence of the supreme faith shown by the managements
of these corporations in the business possibilities of the district in which they have spent, and are
spending, hundreds of thousands of dollars to provide the most important agent—the most needed
essential, for the development and„prpsjper;l,y of, A-favorahle seotion. that needs—but-thr^Work' and
faith of its citizens to achieve the. very limits of industrial success, commercial supremacy and
cultivated home life. .
" •" • V . T'
Augusta-Aiken Railway & Electric Corporation
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