The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-01-29
AUTOCRACY PERIL
MENACES NATION
Or, D tier Says Lo2g2r LuTk|
IN Political 1hzcHaes.
OFFICEHOL0ERS Are TYRAaT{
Educator, Mentioned For President
Flags Federal Trade Commission as
Prosecutor.

Philadelphia, Jan. 29-A call tc
arms against the building up of
bureaucracy of autocratic oficehold.
ers and inspectors in the federal gov
eminent at Washington was sounded
by DR.. Nicholas Murray Butler presi.
dent of Columbia University, in an
address before the chamber of com.
merce luncheon az the Bellevue STRAIT.
ford Hotel
Doctor Butler, whose words have
special interest because he has been
mentioned as Il possible candidate foI
the Republican nomination of preSi.
dent, epitomized his views in this
warning 20 his audience Of business
men:
Guard against the building up Of
huge political machines in order tC
maintain and increase the points OF
contact between government and bust.
ness.
The unchecked development OF
huge political machines" he said
would in time completely alter the
American form Of government and
revolutioniZe American business. Il
is perfectly easy by following such
a course as outlined to transfer Il de,
mocracy into an autocracy of Office,
holders and inspectors. NOminally.
this autOcracy would represent and
carry out the will of the people, but
actually it would be a tyranny of an
ffice-holding class"
Concerning the industrial situation
Doctor Butler warned that 1--WE can
not tolerate having any class or group
economically submerged, for it can
withhold its cooperation and threaten
the life of the nation" Upon the
other hand, the doctor declared just
as emphaticaIly there is nothing to
arbitrate between the public ard any
section of the public" The new court
of industrial relations, in Kansas, he
Isaid, points the way to Il solution of
the difficulties. THE new Kansas law"
he said, makes no attempt TO make
a man work against his will; but il
does recognize a conspiracy when
large groups combine 20 force the pub.
lie will"
He made a new contribution to the
capital and labor problem when he
suggested the establishment of Il conf
mission on industrial relations which
should represent the public a'oue."
Discussing the necessity of clearing
away uncertainties in public policy
that hamper business, he said:
eve have at the present time fed
eral trade commission appointed pur-
suant to the provisions of a statute
which might easily be so administer
ed as to do great good. The federal
trade commission has, however, utter
ly misconstrued its proper functions,
and has preferred to prosecute BUSH
ness rather than to protect and devel-
op it. The cheaply won applause
which is sure 20 follow the violent de-
nunciation of somebody or something
for an alleged wrong has been pre-
ferred to the much more solid and
lasting approval of an intelligent peo-
pie that would follow upon construc-
tive acts which should indicate how
the business of the country might be
better and more wisely developed.
1T is little short of pathetic, after
some of the best brains in the nation
have organized and set on foot a great
industrial undertaking which engages
the cooperation Of thousands of men
and women, reduces the cost of pro-
duction Of some staple article, and be-
gins to extend American trade into
new lands, to find it summarily
brought to book as a criminal by the
attorney general Of the United States
or by the United States district at
torney in some judicial district.
"The course Of wisdom and of prog
ress would be for the commission to
hear the plans Of those who propose
to develop an undertaking of this
sort; to point out in advance what
would be considered unfair business
practices and what would not; to indi-
cate the line where monopoly would
be held to begin, and which therefore
mus. not be crossed; and then to send
the new undertaking on its way with
the full knowledge and cooperation
of the federal trade commission, with
which, thereafter, the undertaking
should stand in the closest possible
relations"
Such policy by the commission,
Doctor Butler said, would simply re-
peat in the field Of industry the pre-
else policy which the government has
followed with extraordinary success