The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1921-01-20
CHARLESTON SCORES
IN CAPITOL FIGHT
Business Men Want
Economic Council
Under Mr., Harding

BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(Copyr.Eht b. To .ntelil%encer

Washington. Jan. iE-EeIuINS pGS'-
ness men wu-t Warcca Harding on his
assumption OF ;uc pres ,dency 20 create
an informal economic council or cabinet
with which he could consult on kgisla-
tiou and other aui.c.es ot government
chat affect the nations business.
The coUnc. would be unofficial and
responsible uU!y t. N" chlet executive
who could. OF course. accept or reject
Inc suggestions made The function of
the council would he purely advisory.
The !dcJ grows out Of the splendid use
wMich tNs g0VcrNmNNt IWN0e dNTing tNe
war OF Just such advisory bodies.
business men OF prominence who
have been discussing the !dcN were a.
first inclined 20 take X 70 Marion but
they concluded that il was something
that could juSc rs well be taken up
after Mr.. Ha-ang IS !nauSur3ced Inc
princNpal argument which IS made IN
behalf OF an economic council IS tAat
congress- shortly Will begin 10 revise the
,ariH. Political pressure Will be brought
2, hr9- Nv ~,.,t.nv- pI tGc country and
by individuals whose particular inter
eSts are Il.s.-,ci. No one agency ~oULu
be :ns.iucd. il = couteuded TO look at
the tariff question fro INA national as
pect. considering particularly the AFFECT
Of the ba. a u whole on the fore!Sh
trade OF tho country "r !ntcrua !ionat eN-
change. From whom would Mr.. Hard
ln- Se able 20 set an unbiased ana
national poiu: Of View on The tArin:
tn. tariff comm .Ssion and members OF
tile uuaSCc and ways and means com
r,ittces OF congress would be absorbed
in the scientific application OF tariff
rules and formulas Thus the purely
business point Of view as reelected III
;u,. n,;iua.,t business organizations or
the country and the banking world
might so uarcpCcSe3tcd.
An Advisory Council
Eut the authors q: the :deI-and a
r,nrg them are mva OF .ui!U&nce IN the
b,,uk.rg and business worid--do not ask
that the Couuc.l Gc W.Jd" up solely Oh
business men. They Su-Eest that rep
resentaJiYeS OF .ynrr aul US agriculture
as we'll IS L.StaSu.~hCd economists
shall SIT on the advisory counc! and De
called into session wheEeEer the pres
ldent has any particular proo.eH OF
which he wants advice or judgment.
Many dispute has arisen in the past
over the probable effects OF legislation
and while some members OF congress
have contended tnat = particular bill
would help foreign trade others nave
argued that :, would hurt. There has
beeo no group OF disinteIested indhVld-
nails with 4 business viewpoint to whoIn
a president could turn for an authori'd-
tive opinion or investigation NO presi-
asnt knows all about business and IN
the past chief executives have reLea
upon q few friends some OF whom nave
given good advice and some or whom
have rnnocently given had advice. Many
business men who see bad piece OIL
legislation IN the making are either ZOO
hrsv or 100 modest 20 write the pres.-
dent or 20 call ON him and point out the
flaws. The pro and con OF business
legislation IS usually fousn; ouY by the
particular inteyests who are adversely
affected and very Uc;.e noise IS TaGc
nv The large number OF people who
Nigh, be hereGtled. Even such " pow
ertu: institution as the chamber OF cof:-
nercc Of the United States IS made up
Of q varied iui Cs Interests and x IS
not always advisable f1C tac executives
OF that orgHn:Znti"" 70 commit tAem-
selves without "a referendum or MEM
hers--a process :aIt IS satisfactory
when 4 concrete proposal is voted upon
but wu:c!, doc, ~; help 50 much "He"
legislation ~ :ar process OF conStruc-
t,o, and advice is needed from day 20
day as 70 a variety Of changing phases.
Another Reason
Another reason advanced by thoS"
nroDoS.n.. an er,uon,ic cabinet or couA-
eli IS ,ha, Washington IS full OF organ
izations OF manufacturers, labor unions
and agricultural organizations. Each
rclls conyreSs wha, ought 20 be done
and implies pOl:t:ca. pressure Il lis aa-
,tra - rot .ak.n Congress Is pulled
frnrc one SIDE 20 the other and uSu3!Ly
: glad when the CNi"t executive steps
In inI pu,s his font down 50 "1rd tnat
l1e members Of congress IS NOT hold TO
HAM. for t.....-.. 10 crafty IN" organ
CATIONS ;hl; have held the club over
htn l:u, Ua,sss l." we're "c" posi-"
tho rrcS,drn. would not be n posi-
t;rr 20 crappl" with these came organ
lzat!ons who would naturally appeal TO
G:U,.
/, . n: i1."udcI that the advisory
body shall publish is advice and put
the members 90 i"e ,oUI.c., IN emoaT-
ASSN .us.t.ru> e: ;aCy happened 70
&c aGy.-.. wa.,n mrD n their own
line ot business didn't like. lut It is
tn-r-GrG ~, ''." ;.-"S.i-ut should nave
IN. r,.,, hcr"-it 90 a.. ths a&v!'c thar u
gr.rnr,.n. 1nI l.~.ainrT~tc.! body REP
resentat!ye OF NmesAca0 business enter
p~,s, and ..lhor An. .."~.'U';HTe' Snat Dc
ah,a 20 ciye him 50 that T." may draw
his own conclusions an! :vI1'" his own
nol;,,,.S w.:uou; being cu'ni".'i 10 rely
on perso,.,l friends who's" r'.HeS may
=. exrr,irrt bI, w#"-@ eNi''T:"""c AMI
judgement .aS $n often in the pas;
Drovad !uOarC,!atp