Evening star., 1921-01-19
COUNCIL
TOADW|SE HARDING
ON BUSINESS URGED
Leading Business Men Advo'
cate Body Responsible
Only to President.
COULD CONSIDER TARIFF
FROM NATIONAL ASPECT
Supporters Believe Members Would
Give New President Unbiased
View of Issues.

Give New President Unbiased
View of Issues.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Leading business men want Warren
Harding on his assumption of the
presidency to Great an informal eco
nomic council or cabinet, with which
he could consult on legislation and
other policies of government that az
feet the nations business.
The council would be unofficial and
responsible only to the chief execu-
tive. who could, of course, accept or
reject the suggestions made. The
function of the council would be pure
ly advisory. The idea grows out OF
the splendid use which the govern
ment made during the war OF just
such advisory bodies.
Business men of prominence VINO
have been discussing the idea were at
first inclined to take it to Marion
but they concluded that 1t was some
thing that could just as well be taken
up after Mr.. Harding is inaugurateo'
The principal argument which IS
made in behalf of an economic coun-
ell is that Congress shortly VIII oe,
gin to revise the tariff. Political
pressure will be brought to bear by
sections of the country and by inol-
viduals whose particular interests are
affected.
No one agency would be inclined:
it is contended. to look at the tartH
question from a national aspect. con
sidering particularly the erect .oaa OF q
of the country or internationa! e1-
change. From whom would Mr.. Hard,
ing be able to get an unbiased ano :,
national point Of view on the tarln
The tariff commi ssion and members
Of the finance and ways and means
committees Of Congress would be ab.
sorbed in the scientific application OF
tariff rules and formulas. Thus, the
purely business point OF view. as re-
f1ected in the national business or
ganizations Of the country and the
sented.
suxEest .Csaiitfsa Bely.
4 But the authors Of the idea---and
among them are men OF infiuence in
the hsnkink and business worid-do
solely: Of business men. They suggest
Of aGfiehltufe, a. we'll 40 df1fsa 6uiSh-
ed economists. shah cit on the ad-
vlsofy cotinci1 and be called into
any. particular problem on which he
wants advice or Judgment.
Many q dispute has arisen in the
past over the probable effects Of
legislation and while some members
particular bill would help foreign
trade others have argued that It
would hurt. There has been no group
OF disinterested individuals with .
business viewpoint to whom, a Presi-
dent could turn for an authoritative
dent knows all about business. and in
the past chief executives have relied
upon q few friends some Of whom
have given good advice and some of
whom have innocently given bad ad-
vice. Many business men who see a
ing are either too busy or too modest
to write the President or to call on
him and point out the flaws. The
pro and con Of business legislation is
usually fought out by the particular
interests who who, are adversely affected.
large number of people who might
be benefited. Even such powerful
institution as the Chamber Of Com
merce Of the United States Is made
up Of a varied lot Of interests. and
It is not always advisable for the
commit themselves without a referen-
dunn of members-a process that is
satisfactory when concrete proposal
is voted upon, but which does not help
SO much when legislation is in the
process Of construction and advice
variety Of changing phases
Coneress Pulled About.
Another. reason advanced by those
proposing an economic cabinet or
council is that Washington is full of
organizations Of manufacturers. labor
unions and agricultural organizations.
Each tells Congress what ought to be
done and implies political pressure II
its advice is not taken. Congress is
pulled from one side to the other and
usually is glad when the chief execu-
tive steps in and puts his foot down
so hard that the member of Congress
is not held to blame for failure to
crafty the organizations that have
he were well posted. the President
would not be in a position to grapple
with these same organizations, who
would naturally appeal to him. 1t Is
not intended that the advisory body
shall publish its advice and put the
members Of the council in embarrass-
ing positions II they happened to give
advice which men in their own line OF
business did not like. But 1t Is in
tended that the President should have
the full benefit Of all the advicesthat
a competent and disinterested body.
representative of American business
enterprise and labor and agriculture,
shall be able to give him, SO that he
may draw his own conclusions and
frame his own policies without being
compelled to rely on personal friends,
whose motives may be excellent but
whose experience and judgment has
SO often in the past proved made