The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1917-08-06
Bad Business" Will Get
Better Because the People
Begin To Understand

the kind OF business mat Is meant
when business" is attacked. as il is
sometimes-for instance, by this news
paper.
Absolutely no enlightenment is needed
by the kind Of business" that is attack
cd. which is really easy of identification
because It is always first and loudest to
shout that the attacks are hurting bust
ness.
II seeks to give the impression (this
kind Of business" does) that when II IL
hit and shown up and branded, ALL
business must suffer.
When a burglar is sent 70 prison
other burglars suffer. Of course.
But the man who is earning his living
by hard work and the sweat Of his bro"
doesn't sufrer-HE is benefited.
There Is one less burglar that ne
knows Of against whom to protect him
self'and his pay envelope that he carries
home on Saturday night.
When ILLEGTTIMATE business" IS
shown up. legislated against or thrown
into Jail. as the case might be but seldom
is. LEGITIMATE business does not SUI
fer
LEGITIMATE business is BENZ
FITTED.
War is going to show up illegitimate
business.
1t is beginning to show il up already
Legitimate business is business that
aims to take the life out OF trade by
sitting competition. that seeks thru
illegal monopoly to fatten itself while It's
competitor weakens and wastes away.
Legitimate business is business that
exacts the last drop Of blood from the
consumer at one end and from labor az
the other.
Illegitimate business, business that IS
attacked by newspapers which it does
not own or control or buy with advertis-
ing, and which is made the target Of our
lawmakers and district attorneys Offices,
is CROOKED business, CRIMINAL
business.
Wherever it shows itself during this
war it will be easy to spot and Will be
come, therefore, generally known, and
DECENT, FAIR, LEGITIMATE, LIVE
AND-LET-LIvE business will benefit.
The term big business" is often in
terpreted as used in disparagement, De-
cause offending business. as a rule, is
big business. but it is not in its Big
NESS that it offends.
There is good big business" and bad
big business"
E. T. Bedford, who grew up with the
Standard Oil Co. and is now president of
the Corn Products Refining company has
in an article in The New York Times
which is rather remarkable at this time,
when men of large interests are so ret
icent about expressing their innermost
thoughts.
The gist of Mr.. Bedford's line Of
thought may be fairly gathered from the
following two paragraphs from his ar
ticle:
Size and efficiency should not be regarded
es criminal IN themselves. Government restric.
ton OF business abuses. not OF legitimate activ.
ity. should be operated by simple machinery and
based on laws which business can under.
stand.
In my opinion the attitude OF the American
people toward the great corporations has chang
ed very materially for the better in recent years,
and the realization that large industrial units
required for the doing Of large things r.
very general. There have been excesses IN
public action against large corporations. but
think n is safe 20 rely the essential fairness
and the essential intelligence OF the American
people TO see that the corporations which observe
the law and the principles OF fairness In bust.
dealing shall receive fair treatment. both 40
a matter OF principle and a matter OF national
interest
Does it not simmer down, in fact, 70
this:
There is a better understanding be-
tween the people and business because
certain business has seen the handwrit-
Eng OH the wall and has come to realize
the advantage in taking the public into
its confidence?
The war will prove great boon both
TO the people and business because it will
enable both to see even more clearly and
with better understanding.