Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-11-27
BUSINESS CHIEFS
THINK WILSON
SIGHTS THEM
Presidents Attitude Toward Fl
nanciers Causes Fears for
Prosperity, Says Forbes.
BY 3. c. FORBES.

TiUSpciity, Days IoiueS'
BY 3. c. FORBES.
Could President Wilson exercise
restraint in dealing with corporation
problems without losing control of
Congress?
The financial world fears he will
be driven, by political eXigencies, to
smash business.
Said one Of Americas largest en-
ployers of labor the other day:
81 notice the President is con-
sulting such men as Representa-
tive Stanley and hear Pujo's in
fiuence with the President has
been very marked.
This is omnibus. It BODIES no
good to business or to workmen,
, for he who strikes at business
strikes at workmen.
Il don't like the outlook"
A financier of international repu-
tation, on the same day, said to me:
President Wilson has an mex
plicable adherence of meeting or
consulting men of large business
affairs, men who have to find en-
ployment for great bodies of
workers.
There are only two sets of
citizens, evidently, that Wilson
cares to see:
First, the original Wilson men,
and
Second, those who know abso-
lutely nothing about business or
finance or railroads or any cher
practical subject on which the
prosperity of the country de-
pends."
Financial and business leaders feel
very keenly that they are being os-
tracised by the White House, that
the Chief Executive of the United
States refuses to count nance In any
manner or form those upon whom de-
wolves the responsibility Of keeping
millions upon millions Of men and wo-
men in steady employment.
What is the reason for the Presi-
dents attitude? Is he actuated solely
by political motives? Is he planning
hook or by crook? Is his first con-
sideration the retention at any cost
of his own power over legislators?
These questions are being asked
with Increasing insistency as the day
draws near for the delivery of the
Presidents epochal message to Con-
gress.
Here is how certain financial au-
thorities put the situation
Wilson feels that, in order to re
tain the upper hand, he must go tc
extremes in dealing with business
interests. His dominating concern is
to keep in line the extremists of his
own party as well as Republican anc
Progressive extremists.
Wilson stands between two great
forces-the stand-pat Republicans or
one side and the Roosevelt Progress
sives on the other. The moment he
moves in the direction of the stand
patters, the Roosevelt Progressives
will get all the radical vote. AS Ions
as Wilson is sufficiently radical tc
keep the Progressives from growing
he is safe because he keeps his two
enemies divided.
Therefore, Wilson is bound to be
an extremist in dealing with the
business interests.
When he was a college president
and needed the support of wealthy
trustees of Princeton University, he
wrote Adrian Joline: "Oh, II W,
could only knock Bryan into cooked
hat" But the moment Wilson Wen
into politics he needed the support
of Bryan's following, and he then be-
gan to praise and fiatter Bryan.
Under such circumstances, VIVA
will next weeks message bring?
In my humble judgment the great
est, the guiding, the dominating con
sideration should be the welfare oI
the ninety and nine million citizens
whose bread is dependent upon theil
labor, upon the opportunity to work
If it should unhappily happen that
political strategems condemn millions
of men women and children to star
walton an awful account will have &c
be squared
After all a chance to work is not
among the least important things In
the world.