Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 81, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1920 — NATION WITHOUT A BREADLINE [ARTICLE]

NATION WITHOUT A BREADLINE

“At this hour, from the Atlantic to .the Pacific, there is not a bread line or public soup kitchen.” The foregoing quoted words were uttered by George M- Reyonlds, president of the Continental and Commercial National bank of Chicago, perhaps the second largest banking institution in the country. Mr. Reynolds was talking to a staff correspondent of the Washington Star, who was visiting Chicago to ascertain the business situation and to gain the views of thoughtful men upon the treaty, politics and kindred subjects. George M. Reynolds is a Republican dnd in recent years has been a heavy contributor to the Republican campaign fund. But his quoted words indicate that he is not so much a partisan that he will not admit an obvious truth, which

is that America never was so prosperous.

It is not to be supposed that Mr. Reynolds intended to deprive the Republican political leaders of their old-time campaign cry that Republican success uneans the full dinner pail. The fact is, however, he did that very thing and it is significant that within a few days after the appearance of the Reynolds interview Republican chieftains announced the full dinner pall would not be numbered among the G. O. P, slogans in 1920. “The great mass of the people are prosperous and contented,” was another utterance the Washitagton Star correspondent credited to Mr. Reynolds. Proof of this fact was found on Christmas day w*hen charitable organizations throughout the nation were unable to muster hardly a corporal’s guard to partake of bounteous spreads provided for the poor. Commenting upon the absence of the bread-line, the New York World, in a Christmas editorial, said: “Not in many years, if ever, has the number of ihotmeless and destitute persons been so small as this winter. It is an encouraging condition. Plenty of work and good pay is the general rule. With few exceptions, the cases of idleness are those who refuse opportunities to work or belong to the class of chronic lazy whom neither pride nor self-respect can urge to earn a decent living. Short of bad health or hard luck, the man out of a job and walking the streets can hope for little sympathy.”