Evening star., 1922-06-02
Conscience in Business Is Char
acterized as Good Thing.

President Harding's appeal to the
business interests of the nation 10
insist on conscience in business mas
been indorsed by editors in the ap-
stract, but there has been Well de-
fined note Of criticism for other sug-
gestions with which he coupled ms
broader plan. This was particularly
true of his ship subsidy declaration.
There also was a belief, at ieast
among democratic and certain inde-
pendent newspapers. that the Presi-
dent was handicapped in his utter
ances by the attitude Of some OF MS
party associates who are character
lied as "stand-patters."
The Baltimore Sun. independent
democratic). desires to know bow
are we going to trade with all OF
the world when we put up a h,sh
tariff wall against the worids I'M
ports, and how are other nations go-
ing to trade with US if we disarimf-
nate against their trade? Commerce
is not a one-sided affair" 1t should
also be recalled. the Rochester
Herald (independenO points OUT
"heiped | to make effective the Lodge
f1libuster against the passage OF tne
bill to establish, as war necessity,
the very government-oWned meTcnant
marine he now comments WIN pas
sionate zeal. His record Tor aposIie
and uncertain" There also Is ques-
ton. the Sioux City Journal (repuo-
lican) thinks, whether IAN American
merchant marine can be estapiisneu
and supported without a SUBSIDY, YET
it might be-" because "a snip SUBSIDY
n
try." However, there will be cordial
agreement with the President In ms
declaration that an honest commerce
is the nations need, the Hartford
Times (democratic) believes, sus-
gesting that "f we are 10 nave ros q
perity, we also need a better and
broader outlook than now governs
leeislation" So far as the New YORK
World (democratic) is concerned, tne
human mind is hardly capable OF pro
ducing anything more absurd than
Harding" because "a President VINO
believes that there would have been
no world war IL the United states nao
had a larger merchant marine IS
capable of believing almost anything:
It Is due to the administrators
foreign policies that the foreign
trade Of the United States Is negli-
etble, the Dayton News (democraticl
points out, ihasmuch as "our ohclal
declination to associate ourselves
with any other country in program
Of rejuvenation and reconstruction
moved by economic affairs of nations
where our commercial and Industrial
leaders seek world trade. Why didn't
Mr.. Harding explain that with q mon
ster merchant marine, under present
conditions, the ships would have to
ho
independently Is convinced that "the
conscience that Mr.. Harding would
have business possess is domestic
conscience, not one brought into play
In foreign trade, inasmuch as he
defines his theory OF foreign trade as
tageously'> and buying only those
things we do not produce, frrespec--
tive Of the effect upon the fortunes of
those of whom we have habituaHy
been customers. 1t takes an optf-
mist to see commerce, Conscience ana
which the President paints them, be-
cause of the actual legislative pro-
gram afoot."
In view of the Presidents dinner
sessions with the steel men and the
railroad presidents. the Boise States
nsinr a better method than most
Presidents. He is shaping the minds
Of the men who shape the minds of
CORPORATIONS Less government in
business is his admitted aim. He
would like to have the corporations
do we'll by the public without expen-l
sfve and involving compulsfon. Mr..
Harding, perhaps as authorttatdvely
as any one else in the nation, Is able
to say that at this moment the coun-
try Is on the threshold OF new era;
that business Is reviving and Ameri-.
ca is finding itself" And because this
ii 80. and because 'ethe larger busi-
masses and manufacturing industries
have already adopted in the main the
voice of the conscience, the Birming-
nam News (democratic) says "they
have found satisfaction ana pront'
therein. It Sis no longer Business 10
business'-therebyi implying no heart
and no conscience. It Is Business
with q conscience which stands for
q. fnutuality Of interest and support
hAtWeen buyer, and seller
It is recalled by the Lynchburg
News (democratfc) that Mr.. Hard
ing and republican Congress- were
elected upon the assurances that both
would proceed at once to the task
az making things right at home. Yet.
fhey have done nothing to promote
fNat oonditionr-nothtng to redeem
their promises. A completely op-
poeite yiew, however, = uttered By
ND Provfdence Tribune (fndependent
republfcan), which declares That the
ssPreefd ent's address was ono that was
repIete with sound, hard common
fens6: he fenActs the opinions of'Aon-