Finally, much better commercial statistics are needed, and for collecting them and reporting the outlook, government organization is required comparable in range and methods to the weather bureau.
It cannot be expected, however, that financial crises, in the sense of general readjustments of prices downward from time to time, ever can be completely abolished.

There will always be changes in general industrial conditions calling for reevaluation of the existing sources of income; and in this process there will always be a tendency to rhythmic swing like that of a river, which carries the stream of prices now on this side of the valley, now on that.

But this fluctuation of general prices surely can be so greatly moderated in magnitude and in evil results as to make the word "crisis" almost a misnomer.

It is toward the attainment of this irreducible minimum of uncertainty and disaster in business that efforts should be directed.
[Footnote 1: On the way these affect private profits see Vol.

I, pp.
340, 341 (and references there given in note), 348 ff.