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Music Trade Review -- © mbsi.org, arcade-museum.com -- digitized with support from namm.org
VOL LXVII. No. 25 Published Every Saturday by Edward Lyman BUI, Inc., at 373 ,4th Ave., New York. Dec. 21, 1918
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Mobilizing Industry for Peace
O
NE great lesson to be derived from the world war, on which the curtain is now descending", is that
it has brought the great creative and manufacturing forces of the nation into close harmony—into
a realization of their own power, when co-ordinated through associated effort, and it has also
emphasized to the world that in great crises American manufacturing resources are fitted to cope
with every demand made upon them whether in war or peace times.
Only a couple of years ago tons of paper, and ink by the thousand gallons, were used in glorification of
Teutonic efficiency. Most of the rhapsodies were exaggerated, and in many instances inaccurate, but they
were accepted to a great extent by a large number of Americans—who lacked faith in their own country—or
rather lacked the means to measure their ability to accomplish great things.
But during the past year it has been demonstrated in a most convincing and illuminative way that America
when put to the test can furnish in an incomparable manner the world's most efficient example of organized
effort.
American business men as individuals controlling privately managed enterprises of great magnitude have
shown themselves over and over again to possess ingenuity, adaptability to conditions, grasp of organization,
capacity to plan wisely, and ability to execute successfully, which mark them as indubitably the most efficient
executives in the world.
These qualities which have made America great were carried into the colossal business organization founded
and conducted by the Government to meet war demands, and American efficiency has been revealed afresh in
a manner to impress the world.. As in the management of private enterprises, American business men have
proven that when the demand is made upon them they can meet any problem, no matter how overwhelming,
and, acting together for the public good, successfully solve it.
No longer can it be said that Americans, while great in the management of private enterprises, are weak
and ineffective when called upon to act collectively on great national matters that affect the public good.
The mobilization of our industries for war purposes has been the wonder of the world, and it is now our
duty to mobilize our industries for peace and to utilize in this industrial campaign the methods that have won
out in war; in other words, a union of sentiment and action that will place American products in a foremost
position not only at home, but abroad.
As soon as the declaration of peace is formally signed, and as quick as contracts for war supplies are
fully vacated, we will have great plants throughout the country that can be utilized immediately for varied
purposes of manufacturing, enabling us to supply the world with American goods, at the same time giving
employment to the army of men who are returning from the pursuits of war to those of peace.
The war has in many ways given very exact lessons in real efficiency to our manufacturers, and a
continuance of the policy of basing all operations on sound and accurate information, which has been the practice
under the war regime, may be deemed advisable. The Department of Commerce and other institutions of Federal,
State and private management are now 7 so constituted as to be able to furnish commercial interests with important
'•data bearing upon the problems regarding trade at home and abroad that may come up for consideration.
The war has undoubtedly brought business and Government closer together. Those in authority in
Washington are showing a better spirit toward the functioning of big business and now seem more anxious
to co-operate than to tear down. In view of this let us seize the opportunity to encourage national industrial
mobilization for the purpose of promoting and expanding trade—a campaign of real preparedness which will
typify our national spirit and our willingness to put our capacity for organization and accomplishment-at the
disposal of our country.
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