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The Commoner.
MAY 23, 1913
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account the nature of man, just as foolishly as
for a foundry superintendent to ignore the
quality of his iron. Efficiency is not, as soma.,
suppose, a means of enlarging your output to
give you greater profits taken out of greater
exertion on the part of your workmen. That is
merely a selfish and one-sided strenuousness
that will not last. A friend has recently de
clined three good offers to take charge of de
veloping efficiency in as many factories, be
cause the purpose was to get more out of the
men and for the owners to keep it all. Effi
ciency, indeed, should mean industrial success,
but will not unless it means industrial equity
too. -Part of the conquest of himself that the
efficient manager must make is to get rid of
distorted views, such as looking at the rate of
wages rather than at the result of wages, or
regarding wages as an expense instead of be
ing an investment, or the fear of paying too
much lest perhaps the vorkingman earn liberal
ly, or the spirit of antagonism against him who
seeks that relief from physical strain and from
narrow circumstances that we all think normal
to ourselves. A man in a neighboring state in
creased after study the output of one article
from 24 to 200 daily without extra labor. Does
one wonder that another manufacturer was will
ing to give him double the salary he was receiv
ing? Some days ago I met a maker of machinery
who told me that one of his men was earning
$12 a day, and that by reason of his skill in
handling a large tool he had brought the piece
work cost of certain finishing work to a very
low point; and this enlightened employer spoke
of his great satisfaction in the earning power of
the man, and was too wise to think he would
gain aught by cutting the piece-work rate. The
output of a shop depends for the highest effi
ciency more on the human factor in it than upon
its equipment, its methods or its supervision.
Good machines, good methods, good direction,
good management are all themselves partly effi
cient, but only the working in accord with the
laws on which men and women are created in
fully sufficient.
We face, as a business proposition, fn the fac
tores in which wo are interested, a certain re
duction of the rates in our tariff schedules.
"What shall we do about it? Many of our effi
cient shops have nothing "to fear, for they are
already" meeting European competition on Its
own ground. Those who produce the eleven
hundred millions of manufactured goods we
annually sell abroad have little about which to
worry. But some among us have been educated
to believe in their own inability to stand alone,
and some there are whose inefficiency is such
as to make this possible. Cries of woe and wails
of dread ascend from certain backward indus
tries; but if you will examine the list of the
silent, you will find it contains our choicest
and best. It seems indicated clearly to us all
that during the coming six or" eight months "we
should search our own ways to learn if thoy
be wise or no; that every wasteful and ineffi
cient process should-' be stopped; that every
needless burden habit or neglect has left-be
thrown off; that .we cast away every weight, in
cluding the pernicious falsehood that low-priced
labor is the cheapest producer. Then with
keen, accurate insight into our own plants, well
equipped, well manned, well led, we may face
the world of commerce not only unafraid, but
with a strength and a serene self-confidence to
which we have thus far been strangers.
THE PEACE PLAN
Houston (Tex.) Post: In the matter of stat
ing a proposition so as to bring out its strongest
features, Mr. Bryan has few peers in this or any
other country. .The logic of any statement he
submits is strengthened in the impression it
'makes by a ready flow o.f euphonious words that
with irresistible force concentrate tho attention
upon the very features he has chosen to empha
size. In his discussion recently at a dinner given
in New York in honor of the foreign members
of the international conference that is arrang
ing the celebration of 100 years of peaco among
English speaking peoples, he urged in behalf
of the peace plan offered by President Wilson
to all nations .that "It contemplates time for
investigation and deliberation, and this," he, said,
"makes the possibility of war remote."
In further extension of his remarks on the
'subject, he said: "It Is the purpose of this
plan to close upthe. gap and to leave no ques
tion to become a pause of wan It Is the belief
of tho president- that when the treaties have
been made between this nation and' other na
tions, severally, by which there will be investi
gations before hostilities begin, that war will
become practically impossible. The time that
will bo allowed gives a chanco for tho separation
of questions of fact from questions of honor, and
It gives a chanco also for tho operation of pub
lic opinion, which is increasingly for poaco. It
is tho hope of thoso who believe In tho plan
that when it is adopted botweon this nation
and other nations, it will then bo adopted by
other nations between themselves until all na
tions of the earth will be knit togothor by theso
agreements and tho peoplo will know war no
more."
The force and plausibility of this argument is
not to be lightly considered. In thoory it works
out beautifully. It is an easy matter to arouse
the popular passions of a peoplo to a white
heat under charges of invasion of their na
tional rights by a foroign country; henco any
plan which has for its object the prevention of
undue haste in resorting to hostilities while tho
subjects in" controversy aro being investigated
to eliminate misunderstandings, will, as Mr.
Bryan says, give public opinion tirao for reflec
tion, and when reason assorts it sway passion
loses its force.
But, as a rule, wars aro not so much tho
'result of misunderstandings as between na
tions, but rather of conditions arising out of
misunderstandings on their part of thoso
economic laws which make for truo national
progress. It is because of a failuro to observo
these that national animosities are engendered,
and. upon slight provocation aTc easily fanned
into flame, which being renewed from time to
time by the addition of fresh fuel, becomo so
inveterato that diplomacy fiffds Itself powerless
to avert a recourso to arms to give vent to tho
"war spirit" so strongly Implanted In the
human breast.
While agreements among nations, not com
promising of their respective interests, for tho
maintenance of peace are properly to ho on
couraged, it may be affirmatively stated that
the surest basis for permanent world-wide peace
is for the nations to stop exploiting their sub
jects by oppressive taxation and the support of
policies which "robs thomouth of labor of the
bread wtiich it has justly earned," thus break
ing down those indefenslblo systems for whoso
maintenance, 'there- is. the constant incentive to
aggress Upon tho rights of other nations in tho
strugglo for territorial "and comrtiorcial aggrandizement.
GOOD SIGNS
There are many good signs these days and
among them is tho proof that men are growing
moro conslderato of ono another, more tolerant
of one another's opinions and more appreciative
of one another's efforts. Senator Konyon of
Iowa, is a republican, but ho does not hesitate
to recognize the good work of President Wilson.
A dispatch to the Sioux Cty (la.) Journal
says:
Senator Kenyon has arrived at homo on his
way bck to Washington from the Jefferson me
morial dedication, full of praise for President
Wilson, and enthusiastic over federal aid for
good roads which is now consuming much of
his attention. "Good roads are more important
than the tariff," he declared. Of President Wil
son ho said: "President Wilson is determined
that the party pledge of a reduction in the tariff
be carried out. While ono may not be in accord
with his opinions, yet one can not help but see
that he is sincere and conscientious in his effort
to serve his country. Ho is not allowing any
political influence to thwart him in his selec
tion of men for public office whom ho believes
to be the best for the place."
MR. BRYAN IN PENNSYLVANIA
Mr. Bryan visited the capital of Pennsylvania
May 13. A Harrisburg dispatch gives this ac
count of his visit: Secretary of State William
J. Bryan addressed tho Pennsylvania legislature
this afternoon on the distinction between demo
cratic democracy and aristocracy.
He predicted that before another general
election, the presidential primary would bo so
general that there would be no need to hold
national conventions and that presidential
nominees would be named not by party leaders
or bosses but by tho people;
Secretary Bryan came hero to speak at tho
Jefferson anniversary dinner of the Central
Democratic club of Harrisburg and "was invited
to address the legislature.
"Jefferson, a century ago, spoke of two par
ties," he said, "one was the democratic party
and the other the aristocratic party. The demo
cratic paTty is that party which tries to bring
the government aear the people aad tke aristo
cratic party is that which deslroo to restrain and
obstruct popular government.
"It is important to know whether tho logln
lativo reprcsontntivo is holding to the demo
cratic idea or to tho aristocratic idea. It is a
sottlod principle of this country that a platform
is binding upon every man that runs on that
platform. Somo mon vlolato platforms because
they suy they can not violate their conscience.
"No man should vlolato his conscience, but
that does not mean that he should vloluto hin
party platform. It means that his conscionco
should bogln to work before ho is elected and
not afterward. A man who violates a party
platform and betrays his party and tho peoplo,
Is a worse criminal than the man who embozzles
money.
"The day of the boHs Is gone. Tho people
will write their own platforms heroaftor and
send ther own representatives to the legislative
halls."
A TIMELY QUESTION
The Commoner invites spoctal attonllon to
tho following lottor, written by a well known
Nobraska newspapor man. The writer of this
articlo states the theory correctly when ho says
that the idea of tho homestead law is to make
it pasy to secure a farm. The case cited by Mr.
Konnedy is so plainly unjust to individuals as
woll as to public welfare that the policy should
bo so changod as to meet cases llko this:
Omaha, Nob., May 11. Editor Conunonor:
Why does Undo Sam mako It hard for citizens
to get a homestead when tho idoa and theory
of the law is to mako it easy to socure a farm?
Not that it will bo of any personal assistance
in the cane I call attontion to, but in tho hope
that those who follow may have it made easier,
is this letter written.
The writer is tho father of a boy twenty-two
years old. He is a city-bred boy whose lifo am
bition is to be a farmer. To prepare him for his
chosen avocation, Allen Konnedy was sent to
tho agricultural school at Lincoln, Neb. This
last winter was his third year in school.
In October, 1911, this boy drew a number In
tho Rosebud land drawing in Milletto county,
South Dakota, and filed on a quarter section of
land In September, 1912. The regulations re
quired that ho' establish residence on tho land
in six months from date of filing, or March
2, 19J3.
While at school this last winter ho wrote
tho land office, reciting the fact that he was
an agricultural school student in his third
year; that ho wished to finish tho term, which
ended about April 20, 191.1; and asked that a
GO-day extension of time be given him In which
to establish residence, or until May 2, 191.'$, In
order that he might finish his school term. With
this request was proper certification by school
authorities that the boy was a student in his
third year, etc.
Tho request was donled.
He either had to give up the farm or give up
tho school. So he gave up tho school at tho
end of the first semester, In January, and wasted
his time waiting till the middle of February to
go up to his homestead to establish residence
March 2.
Instead of finishing his agricultural schooling
in four years the ruling of the land office people
at Washington makes it necessary for him to
consume five years.
And yet I read over and over again In in
numerable publications tho cry of "back to na
ture," "back to the farm," "Uncle Sam gives
every man a chanco," die, while the red tape
brigade at Washington works overtime looking
for petty larceny obstructions to put in tho
way of those who do try to get a farm.
Instead of permitting this boy to stay In
school and finish his studies the land office red
tapers forced him to go out on the prairie and
sit sucking his thumbs.
Father will have to dig five instead of four
years for tho .money to pay for this boy's educa
tion; the boy has lost faith in his Undo Sam;
and the red tape department at Washington has
preserved its dignity. But, just tho same, I
know that In this Instance Uncle Sam has made
it hard, instead of easy, for this Omaha boy to
get a farm. Why? F. A. KENNEDY.
GOOD COMPANY
The Hartford (Conn.) Courant has some un
kind references to Senator Kern of Indiana, but
in tho same issue in which the Courant criticises
the Indiana democrat, it condemns President
Wilson, Senator La Follette and L. D. Bran
dels. Senator Ken has at least the satisfac
tion of knowing tkat the Connecticut newspaper
put kirn in ditiglsfce4 company.
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