The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-10-23
Condemns Rigid Censorship in Business Matters Be- fore Iron and Steel Insti- tute at Cleveland
MILLION DOLLARS FOR ADVERTISING
 IS PLEA OF JONES
Chicago Man Says Advertise ing Would Put New Life Into the Steel Business. CO-Operation Urged

Cleveland. o., october 2e-A million dollar advertising campaign. stimulating a demand for steel products and open Ing new selling fields, was urged as a cure for business Impressions by George H. Jones of Chicago before the Amer lean Iron and Steel Institute here to- day. Jones talked on Under Advertising of the Steel Business"
 This address and that of Judge Ebert II. Gary, president of the institute who spoke on Publicity in Business Meth ods featured todays session
 Jones urged cooperation among ths various steee manufacturers. declaring that the day when competition was tho life of trade had passed
 Judge Gary declared he did not agree with statements that this country may expect prolonged continuance of the great prosperity now experienced He said he believed however, that American industries would recover more quickly from the effects of the war than those of any other nation. He characterized the steee industry at present as very prosperous
 The public and corporations have known too little of each other in tho past for the good of both, he said.
 Publicity never has done as much harm s secrecy The corporation with q disposition to- publish whatever facts were proper to be known, without many exceptions. has been treated justly"
 The address m full was as follows:
 "The Public Be Damned" 'M'wy years since it was openly cbarse0 that this expression was used oy business man of great prominence | There has heeh a prevalent belief that the charge was based on fact and it has caused feeling of prejudice which has been exceedingly harmful to the business interests of the country.
 Tt is doubtful if the statement was ever made by any one of great impoi- tance, particularly by the gentleman to whom the same was attributed. What ever the truth may be In regard to this well advertised and much discussed ex- presson, t Is no doubt true that the sen. timent which 1t conveys has in days gone by existed in the minds and actuated the conduct of considerable number of the leading business men of this country and other countries during various periods of their history. Included in this class are men of intelligence and influence in all the various departments of industrial activity.
 Independent Action Within few years comparatively speaking, we have listened to the argu- ments of distinguished business men who insisted that if they violated no rule of law, If they withheld from the public nothing which the law positively and af- iirmatively compelled them to disclose, they were without fault. even though a large portion of the public might be ad- versely affected by q failure to reveal | t.,f. an official or fldhciary capacity. or as the result of circumstances which gave to an individual decided advantage over others. Most of us know of cases whery officers of corporations have acquired wealth by acting for themselves to tha prejudice of others who were interested and were not in position to protect themselves because of the lack of pub. icity. Some have dealt 10 their great advantage, in the markets of the world upon advance knowledge of what might be expected us the outcome of conditions or facts not generally known at the time and before the facts were communicated even to the other stockholders. They vio- lated no rule of law and. probably, m their opinions, no rule of moral conduct lThis is charitable view to takes
 Tt has in the past been considered by men of probity and high standing that private corporations so called, as distin- giished from public quasi public cor poratons were literally private and that the public had no greater right. legal or moral to inquire into the affairs of the corporation than 1t had to question ths personal matters of the individual or family. Sometimes the management of corporations, including the boards of di- rectors have withheld from the general public facts which directly affected the public interests, and even though no rue of law was violated, yet widespread harm
 I..F.L ls. .s.G prominence and influence have been to- tally indifferent and defiant when consld- ering the public welfare
 Tt is needless to say that, because of this attitude on the part of some of the business men. the whole fraternity has been seriously affected and has suffered unJustly For period of years big busI- ness, called. the good with the bad was antagonzed to an extent which ma terially interrupted its normal and legiti- mate progress. and 1t IS believed this was occasioned in part by the suspicion cre- ted from the failure to take the puhi. into the confidence of private enterprise SD far as practicable and proper. ''The general public and private indi- vlduals have been in the past too far apart for, the good of both. Lack of knowledge often breeds unnecessary and hurtful antasonisns. and many have suf- fcred even though they were not per- sonally at fault.
 Principles of Proper Publicity
 These casual remarks are prelimf- nary to brief discussion of the topic of publicity which Is one of the most important questions of the day Much has been said and written upon the sub ! ject during the last few years. and ap- parently there have been contrary opin- ions It is believed. however. that there Is really not much difference in the minds of intelligent and fair-minted men as to what is desired. although In the consideration of any important uuen- ton there will be found those of extreme view who. on one side or the other. will \ Insist upon that which Is unrea souab1o
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