| OCR Text |
Show , IRONING OUT THE "PEAKS" IN OUR NATIONAL LIFE ;?y Jamrt . .m.i ' ;TV rti engineer any i.oi t of T ii.'ll it loin wr Its .1 city with f:,v!n'iiy to iii.ir..islni; a it.i nut j,:.ir.,: au.l hn nisi s'.op will be to plot ' A I'Utve, Takito; :('.! the information mjilal'lii iil'out the electrical supply or peanut demand ho will "opi esont op-editions op-editions from day to day by drawing line which fluctuates according to daily chances. Almost Invariably such a line, which Is teehnlcjrfly known as j "c.irv." will develoD unsuspected hills and hollows at definite- times of t!: week or month or year. The hills of unusual activity arc- known by en-fine', en-fine', s us "peaks." and the hollows s:e known as "valleys," atul It is good business to level off one and ill! In the other as much as possible by even distribution dis-tribution of the "load." War turns out to be largely a game of peaks. 'Wherever anything runs short or sots Into a jam you may be sure there Is a peak to be studied, understood un-derstood and leveled. Down In Florida for years It has been the habit oi the orange grower and truck farmer to wait until his crorR nearly ready to harvest and " jT wire his order for boxes or crates. ' Months ahead the box manufacturers had made up packages ready for hat f telegraph order and were waltins to print the grower's name and brand an the box ends hurriedly and ship his packages within a few hours. The railroads understood that without packages there could be no shipments of fruit and vegetables, so that they too were waiting: to speed the order along. It was so easy to get packages at the last moment that growers gave no thought whatever to that detail of rhelr industry. Manufacturers were In stiff competition for orders, and their salesmen waited on the grower and coddled him. Credits were so Ions that packages were about the last thing paid for after all the returns of the crop were in. Wartime Changes I But this year there is a change, j Labor is scarce and cannot be quickly assembled to rush out produce packages pack-ages during the short season when they are in demand. Money is scarce and interest high, so the box manufacturers manu-facturers find it difficult to finance their product in the old way. Uncle Sam stands ready to give them orders for quartermaster boxes, paid for. not months after they are sold, but in ten days. "War conditions drove the box manufacturers' of Florida together into ', an association. They studied their costs a-ind that very often their prod-.yszzs prod-.yszzs had been sold for less than the expense involve in making them, be-v be-v cause they did not really know their t "n?- The industry was saddled with I all e;s of unnecessary expense due I to - short manufacturing season and the necessity for borrowing money to 1 carry both packages and customers on the basis of long credits. Because 1 growers had been encouraged to switch -their orders from mill to mill each year on the slightest fluctuation in price manufacturers had hundreds of dollars tied up in printing plates, most-i most-i ly made to fill a single order and held ' on the chance of another order. In other words, the Florida box situation sit-uation under war pressure disclosed what war pressure is revealing in many other industries a peak repre- sentlng all the seasonal difficulties. ""T' V. I 1 If I wastes, bad business habits and ' V ViU I ' li world's supplies, these peaks are com-thoughtlessness com-thoughtlessness of years. So the more and more prominently and SU? (Tl, 11 Ing in for attention and popular corn-Florida corn-Florida boxmakers and Florida grow- for greater Intelligence In adjust- 1 1;VA J Jj I prehension and reform. Last fall, for ers are now working out an entirely m'nt- RKht the business world UN (pi V i IS, fi I example. New York State had a bump- new scheme of things. Manufacturers ls endeavoring to level off the sharp W A i S (.r c,.op of pe;ich In normai times are studying their costs and cutting Peas peculiar to the planting season. T I! this fruit would have been shipped to a down expenses and spreading their ac- Fpr 'ears the farmer and gardener N 311 few of the largest Eastern cities, caus- tivity over a longer period In the year have accustomed to waiting liA fi I lng glut9 and snoilage. while hun- to reduce overhead by keeping their ,,ntl1 the ,ast moment before ordering dreds of small towns and cities would mills running. Growers are being seed3' agricultural Implements, fer- 1 , . ,,ave ben nP!:iected in distribution, urged to place their orders for pack- tlllzer and similar materials. Investl- Y,- Such ,ack Qf systera haa been char. ages far In advance and to patronize 6atlon the '"dustries which supply -i' acteristic of our perishable foods for U . ,., . - . thcvA Ihillffc cllrtn-a tVif Ihalp n-V..-.l sentlng all the seasonal difficulties, wastes, bad business habits and thoughtlessness of years. So the Florida boxmakers and Florida growers grow-ers are now working out an entirely new scheme of things. Manufacturers are studying their costs and cutting down expenses and spreading their activity ac-tivity over a longer period in the year to reduce overhead by keeping their mills running. Growers are being urged to place their orders for packages pack-ages far in advance and to patronize the nearest mills to save railroad hauling. haul-ing. AH attention ls centered on the sharp peak of the package industry w-ith a view to pulling it down and leveling it off as much as possible as a distinct war service. Key to Situation Peaks take on new- aspects under war pressure. In many ways they come pretty near being the key to every war situation. In times of peace and plenty our business system not only handles peak loads adequately, ad-equately, but very often seeks to build them up asa business stimulant the holiday shopping and summer travel peaks, for example. iJut war calls for such enormous diversions of industry into new channels that peaks cannot be tolerated. The public, with easy-going habits of years, defers its Christmas Christ-mas shopping or August vacation until the list moment, expecting that the system will do its thinking and providing provid-ing as usual. But it gets a stiff jolt, for the system ls now busy on war work and Christmas and vacation service must be strictly rationed, if not de- . nied, in many cases. Month by month the business world and the public generally are learning to make better adjustments to war. Last April they started on the big war job with the slogan "Business as L'sual," little realizing how unusual war business was really going to be. Month by month, however, the business busi-ness world and the public have discovered dis-covered shortage In this commodity and congestion in that industry, and been forced to come together for better bet-ter understanding and teamwork. Each adjustment has accomplished two purposes. pur-poses. First, helped relieve that particular shortage or congestion, and, second, pulled people together and taught them new kinks in the big national na-tional game of leveling war peaks. As we go on these peaks will stand out more and more prominently and call for greater intelligence in adjustment. adjust-ment. Right now the business world Is endeavoring to level off the sharp peajes peculiar to the planting season. For years the farmer and gardener have been accustomed to waiting until the last moment before ordering seeds, agricultural Implements, fertilizer fer-tilizer and similar materials. Investigation Investi-gation In the industries which supply these things shows that their whole year's business is arranged with the spring peak in view. Materials are bought up months In advance and stored or manufactured in anticipation of the spring rush. All the labor difficulties of such Industries are rooted in the spring peaks, which make the workers' jobs seasonal and enforce idleness part of the year. Factories Fac-tories being run only part time are w-eighed down with unreasonable overhead over-head charges, and there is a heavy burden of finance to be borne in the purchase and carrying of material and finished products, which manufacturer, manufac-turer, merchant-and banker are always al-ways anxiously shifting from one to the other, according to changing conditions con-ditions or supply, demand and money rate. This year, with scarcity of material, ma-terial, men and money, plus war activities ac-tivities and transportation congestion, and the need for increased agricultural agricul-tural production on top of that, every bit of Intelligence in those industries must be centered on teamwork to puil down the peaks. Otherwise- there will never be enough stuff to go round. Changing Habits So months ago the men who make fertilizer and supply agricultural implements im-plements and lime and seeds took steps to enlist the public in an early-ordering early-ordering movement. Habits of years had to be changed and in many cases suspicion overcome. It has been difficult to persuade the farmer that unless he ordered Implements ahead there might be none obtainable when planting plant-ing time cams. It has been even more difficult to convince the implement imple-ment dealer that manufacturers were honestly trying to ration out a .short supply of equipment and needed the dealer's help; long accustomed to dominate the dealer as a buyer, th dealer has suspected some new device of the seller to load him up with im- To meet peak difficulties we need alert, vigorous team play Make everv personal andbusine? adjustment ad-justment you possibly can plements and Impose unjust burdens of finance and storage upon him. But as fast as people catch this particular drift of war and realize that they must help bear each other's business burdens, bur-dens, adjustments are made more rapidly and easily. Neglected Peaks For years the big stockyards in Chicago Chi-cago have suffered from peaks due to unsystematic shipments ,rf live stock. On certain days of the week receipts of cattle and hogs have been so great that packing-house facilities were overtaxed, over-taxed, animals injured and killed in the hurry of handling heavy arrivals in a few hours, and prices subjected to unnecessary fluctuations, and for years every one familiar with basic conditions in this industry have dreamed of a golden age when daily-shipments daily-shipments might be regulated by some equitable scheme. And now, lo! war has brought something approaching this golden age overnight in a zone system of shipments enforced by the Government, under whien certain livestock-producing sections are required to make shipments on certain days in the week, adjusting arrivals to facilities facili-ties in a sane way, enabling the packing pack-ing plants to run on more orderly-schedules, orderly-schedules, eliminating much of the damage and loss due to hurry and overcrowding and bringing" gTeater stability of prices. Much of the cost of living is due to neglected peaks In food production and marketing, and now that war has made food a critical problem with systems sys-tems of rationing to ake out the world's supplies, these peaks are coming com-ing In for attention and popular comprehension com-prehension and reform. Last fall, for example, Xew- York State had a bumper bump-er crop of peaches. In normal times this fruit would have been shipped to a few of the largest Eastern cities, causing caus-ing gluts and spoilage, while hundreds hun-dreds of small towns and cities would have been neglected in distribution. Such lack of system has been characteristic char-acteristic of our perishable foods for years. But war made it necessary to deal with the problem In a big, broad way, along new lines. , Newspapers all over the East were supplied with facts two weeks before the harvest was due, and advised housewives to place orders or-ders for peaches with their grocers In advance so that the latter might have time to order in turn. The railroads got cars ready and canvassed the peach-growing districts to ascertain how many would be needed in each section. Instructions were Issued for heavy loading of cars to utilize railroad rail-road facilities to the greatest extent, and arrangements were made to distribute dis-tribute the peaches to all the smaller cities and towns instead of concentrating concen-trating in a few big centers, and also to ship them as far west as Chicago and as far south as Washington. Weather brought an unforeseen crisis a sudden warm spell ripened the big crop all at once, making it necessary to pick, pack and ship the fruit under pressure and difficulties. Despite this handicap, however, Intelligent teamwork team-work to pull down the peach peak brought its results and the entire crop was gathered, marketed and canned with an efficiency that broke all records. rec-ords. Points for Propagandists There is plenty of evidence that the enemy understands the Importance of peaks in war activities, for much of the enemy disturbance and propa ganda in our midst have been directed to aggravating peak troubles. Agitators Agi-tators have been especially successful in the TVest. a region where peak problems have long been acute. The West has only four general industries agriculture, mining, lumbering and fishing. These Industries are all -sharply seasonal, giving occupation to workers only part of the year, and with year to year fluctuations in supply sup-ply and demand, which still further affe'-t work and v.-:iv,''-s. Population in the West Is too snLxil to provido he-'tllhy drnand tor manufactured goods, so that this s. ctlon of the country coun-try lacks the stabilizing influence of tho Eastern factories. Distances are so gr"at In this territory that d!s-tilbution d!s-tilbution of goods Is co.-.tly and quantities quan-tities are rot large enough to furnish a basis for table mercantile trade on Eastern lines. Seasonal work and alternating al-ternating periods of activity and Idleness Idle-ness du to the fluctuations in farming, farm-ing, mining, lumbering and fishing make peaks an ever-pre.-;nt factor In every business and every family's livelihood. live-lihood. Tills c.-.uses a certain amount of discontent and unrest, and when any enerny agitation began to seek out the vulnerable places in the nation it quickly swept across the continent and got busy with its mischi'jf-maklr.g in the West, where per k conditions offered of-fered the best opportunities for the mischief-maker. Look into any war task or difficulty and this same factor is found ;eaks. It may be a great national problem like transportation, or a community problem like housing of war workers, or a seasonal problem like coal, or a purely individual disturbance in one's occupation or family food supply. No matter at the bottom of the situation somewhere will be found a peak to be tackled and eliminated by understanding understand-ing and teamwork. And in just the degree that we are willing to help level the peaks we are going to get ready-to ready-to win the war. And by the time we have won it we shall have formed a new and very valuable national habit that of quickly reacting to a peak situation and making adjustments Intelligently, In-telligently, cheerfully and to some extent ex-tent automatically. Key Words of War " aks" is one of the key words of It ranks with "men," "money," "stiiiis," "munitions' and "food." These latter key words have become fairly weil known and understood the last ten months, and now the nation is learning to view war from the standpoint stand-point of peaks. Modern war seems to be one-tenth fighting and nine-tenths national economic education. Military efficiency is a reflection of industrial efficiency, and industrial efficiency re-fleets re-fleets a balanced adjustment of human energies to a more or less unbalanced planet with its fluctuations in season, weather, supply, demand, work, Idleness, Idle-ness, intelligence, education, Ignorance, thriftlessness, and all the other well-known well-known hman longcomings and shortcomings. short-comings. These elements in fche industrial j ituation we have with us always, like the poor, but it apparently takes the high light of war to throw them out in sharp relief so they may be seen by every one. And not every p?Te sees them immediately, and, th-irefore, war becomes strictly a national educational proce, with everybody going to the same school to learn the same lessons. Ordinary peaceful routine is disturbed and often rlestroyed. Peak are- thruwt 1 up into economic life with the violence of volcanoes rising from the ocean ; bottom. people are thrown out of their routine, made to suffer. They j turn upon each other, blame the man higher up or lower down for this strange new distur'oance In business or livelihood capital complains that labor Is not fighting the war, the con- J surr.er complains of the farmer, the farmer reproaches the distributor, the distributor blames the railroads, the J railroads blame the Government. In- ( vestigations follow and then comes or- - ganizatlon, teamwork, the patching A up of parish feuds and a recognition j that something unaccustomed, gigan- j tic and absolutely impersonal ls at a work that these are the effects of great, new economic forces, national and international, and that nobody In particular ls to blame, that everybody .: is under very much the eame stresses, and that the thing to do Is to first follow the engineer's plan of 4 plotting the curve and clearly visual- ij izing the peaks and valleys, and then by understanding and teamwork malt- H ing the best possible adjustment. , ; National Duty So to te primer of elementary war words a E this one PEAKS' A little word in tself like "food" or "men" or ' "money," but a word of far-reachins significance, representing something which is likely to crop up in your daily affairs almost any time or anywhere, just as the word "food" crops up at the breakfast table and in the sugar , bowl. It may be the great, grim na- tional peak of fuel calling for adjustments adjust-ments that transcend class and means throwing into a clear white light the carelessness and waste of the'' past, both Individual and national, as vividly viv-idly as the day of judgment, or it may ' be a purely local peak of personal inconvenience in-convenience manifest in the tardy delivery de-livery of dinner necessities by the grocer or butcher. To understand . these peaks, big and little, ls a na j tional service wartime duty. Each week and month will bring its new ones, with sharp alternatives; now fuel, then fertilizer or garden hose, and again sugar or fruit jars or breakfast break-fast bacon or refrigerator ammonia or orange boxes, or what not. To provide money for war we practice prac-tice thrift; to provide food, self-denial; to furnish men there must be patriotic sacrifices; and to meet peak difficulties difficul-ties we need alert, vigorous team play, a keen eye to see peaks wherever they are thrust upland a quick comprehension comprehen-sion of the best way to deal with them, and the even temperr of the good athlete ath-lete accepting the rough-and-tumble knocks of the game without animosity. This is the real first aid In many a war difficulty that will come to you during the next few months. Understand Under-stand it. Locate the peak or obey the signal when the word is passed, to you by- others and lay off of It by maJS-Ing maJS-Ing every personal and business adjustment ad-justment that you possibly can. |
