Evening Republican, Volume 59, Number 76, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 20 April 1917 — Hoarding of Supplies Throws Thousands Out of Work. [ARTICLE]

Hoarding of Supplies Throws Thousands Out of Work.

Washington, April 19.—Warning to the nation against a real danger in hysterical and ill advised economy and interference with normal pursuits of the people is given by Howard EL Coffin of the advisory commission of the Council of National Defense in a statement made public tonight as the first enterprise of the government’s new committee on public information Just returned from a trip through several middle western states, Mr. Coffin deplores the fact that conditions of unemployment and closed factories should arise as a result of indiscriminate efforts, public and private toward war time economies. “After nearly three years of refusal to take the European war and its 'lessons seriously,” Mr. Coffin said, “we suddenly launch forth in a most feverish activity to save the country over night. Patriotic organizations, almost without number, are milling around nosily, and while intentions are good, the results are often far from practical. Because of an impending and possible shortage of foodstuffs we have hysterical demands for economy in every line of human endeavor. Waste is bad, but an indiscriminating economy-is worse. Some states and municipalities are stopping road building and other public work. General business is being slowed down because of the emotional response of the trading nublic to these misguided campaigns for economy; reports show that some Deo-ple have begun to hoard food supplies, and thousands of workers are being thrown needlessly out of employment. All this is wrong. “Unemployment and closed factories, brought about through fitful and ill-advised campaigns for public and private economy, will prove a veritable foundation of quicksand for the serious work at band.”