To do these things, and to do them adequately, will require the men in the industry to take the attitude of statesmen and not of selfish exploiters.  It means they must tax themselves liberally, generously.  It means that they must think of themselves as trustees for a Public as wide as the world.

Please give my regards to the members of the Institute.  Cordially yours,

FRANKLIN K. LANE

TO E. C. BRADLEY

Washington, October 2, 1919

My dear Bradley,—­ ...  I have all along said that the treaty could not be ratified without some interpretive reservations.  I think that the President will see that, although he sees clearly, as I do, that these interpretations are already in the treaty itself, but on a question of construction two men may honestly differ.  The whole damn thing has gotten into the maelstrom of politics, of the nastiest partisanship, when it ought to have been lifted up into the clearer air of good sense and national dignity. ...

Hoover can be elected.  He came home modestly and made a splendid speech.  We need a man of great administrative ability and of supreme sanity who can lead us into quiet waters, if there are any.

...  We have imported, with our labor, their discontent, and the theories which are founded upon it to obtain the price.  But the American workingman is a sensible fellow, when he can have the chance to think without being overwhelmed by fear, and he will realize that his betterment in a material way must come through his own individual growth and the growth of the conscience of the people who believe in a square deal.  The serious thing in the whole situation, to my mind, is the fact that so many workingmen seem to accept the idea that they are of a fixed class; that they can not move out of their present conditions; that they want always to remain as employees and have no hope of becoming superintendents, employers, managers, or capitalists; and therefore think that their only prospect is in bettering their condition as a part of a class.  Great propaganda should be carried on to show how false this is and how much demand there is for men of ability.

With warm regards, old man, I am cordially yours,

FRANKLIN K. LANE

TO MRS. LOUISE HERRICK WALL

Washington, Friday, [October 10, 1919]

My dear Mrs. Wall,—­We heard through Ned of the Commodore’s death, and you can realize how shocked and terribly grieved we were, and still are.

Poor dear girl, there is nothing anyone can say that will help even a little bit.  Every word of appreciation makes the loss more serious.  And you need no one to tell you that he was loved by us, and every single person who really knew him.  He was to me Christlike, beautiful, gentle, wise and noble.  Since that first day, nearly thirty years ago on Grays Harbor, I have known him as one of the rare spirits of the world, and Anne and I have loved him deeply.  Surely he must live on, and we must all see him again!