The evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1914-1922, 1915-10-22
Ebert H. Gary, Chairman of
U. S. Steel Corporation, Dis.
cusses Subject in Relation
to Big Business.
WHAT THE PUBLIC is
ENTITLED TO KNOW
Doubts if Anyone Ever Said
the Public Be Damned"
but Agrees the Big Ones
Often Thought 1t.

Cleveland. Ohio. oct. 2-.-Judgc
Ebert n. Gary. chairman OF the board
OF the United states steel corporation,
addressed the fall meeting Of he
American Iron and S.ecl institute
here today on the subject OF pub
lefty lie said in part:
The public be damned
Many FEARS since II was openly
charged that his expression was used
by "a business man of great promi-
aencc. There has been a prevalent
belief that the charge was based on
fac. ana II has caused a feeling OF
prejudice which has been exceedingly
harmful 10 the business interests Of
the country.
IL Is doubtful Il the statement was
ever made by any one OF great inn
portanCe, particularly by the gentle
man TO whom the same was a'tribut-
I'D. Whatever the truth may be Ia
regard to this well-advertlsed and
much-discusscd expression. Il Is no
doIb. true that he sentiment which
II conveys has In days gone ny existed
in the minds and actuatod the conduct
~ q considerable number of the lead
ing business men Of this country and
other countries during various per
iods or their history. lnclu1ed in his
class are men OF intelligence and in
nuencc in all the various departments
M industrial activity.
Withia a lev years. comparatively
speaking. We have listened to the ar
gumen.s OF distinguished business
men who insisted that II they violated
% rule OF law. II they withheld from
the public nothing which the law pos
lively and atirmativoly compelled
them 10 disclose. hey were without
fault. ever though a large portion OF
the public might be adversely affected
los q failure to reveal Information
which might be received In an official
cor hduciury capacity or as the result
or circumstances which gave to an
individual "a decided advantage over
others. Most Of Us know OF cases
whore officers or corporations have
acquired wealth by acting FOR them
selves 90 the prejudice Of others who
were Interested and were not in q pc.
sitio1 20 protect themselves bccaure
81 the lack OF publicity. Some have
dealt. 20 their Frcat advantage, In he
markets. OF the world upon advance
knowledge Of what might 0c exported
as d outcome OF conditions or facts
not generally known AT tho time and
before the facts we're communicated
over 10 tho other Stockholders They
Violated no rule of law and. probably
,n their opinions. no rule OF moral
conduct. This Is "a charitable View o.
take.
II has in the past been considered
JOS men Of prohity and high standing
that private corporations. 81 called.
1s distinguished from public OF quasi
public corporations, were literally pri-
t1.c and that the public had no groa %
or right. legal or moral to Inquire in
to tho affairs of tho corporation than
h mad 20 question he personal mat
tors % the individual or family.
some ines the management of cor-
pnr1tions. including the boards of d.
r%cctors, have withheld from the gen
crtnl public facts which directly
aitectcd the public interests. and even
though no rule Of law vas violated,
Vet widespread harm was done. In
many cases men ~ grea. prominence
and Influence have Decu totally indif-
icreut and defiant when Cousidcr.ug
he public welfare.
T. ls needless tu .ty that. because OF
this attitude on the par OF some OF
the business men, the whole rrateralty
has been seriously affected and has
suffered uulustly For a period ~
years Zig business 81 called. the good
with the bad, was HA.agunizcd TO an
extent which materially interrupted
it's normal ana Legitimate progress.
ana 10 is believed his was oCcnsioacd
90 part hy the suspicion created FROM
the failure tO take the puolic into
the confidence Of private enterprise su
far us practicable and proper.
The grcu- or public and private iu-
diylduais have been In the past co.,
FAR apart Tor the good OF both. Lac,
OF knowledge often breeds uuucCes.
sary ana hurtful antagonisms. and
many suffered even though thcy wer,
not personally at fault.
Principles Of Proper Publicity.
These casual rtmarks are prclim.
airy Go e brief lI- usslon ct the top.,
of publicity which is one OF the mos
important questions Of the day. Mupl
has been said and written upon IN.
subject during .br last few years. an,
apparently there nave been con'rar.
! opinions % Is believed, however
that there rs really not much differ
once In the minds OF intelligent an,
fair minded men as to what b. de-
sired. although loo the consideration
OF amy Important question there vii
be- found hose u' extreme views who
on me side or the other Will insis
upon that which is unreasonable Z
the public be- approached in a tat
spiri' 10 Will generally recipro,atc.
There are from time 10 time man
facts In private business. some I'd
greet import1uCr which cannot prop
"rly be made public ana ought not Z
Dee insisted upoH All who are pres
ON. know bv actual experience an.
c,oty other Intelligent person VII
recognize the fact. that in currer
business anoirs where competition
rsseutiai there are always q grea
variety of questions which must Z