Perth Amboy evening news., 1922-05-18
KIND OF COOPERATION THAT COUNTS

Oh WHO was lOAdl IL WIN u ~ q PpSimooN III NJ
minds Of the people. With the American troops finally with
drawn from the Rhine and with a German ambassador for
mally welcomed at Washington, it was to be supposed that
the war was over for good and that all bitterness had passed.
There were doubts and suspicious in those days that SEER
foolish TO us now and most of us are only too ready to
forget that we ever entertained them.
But there is nothing too mental or low for the politician
who is desperately trying TO make political capital to bolster
up a weak position on the ~un-American side of an important
issue. til the attitude of the demagogue appealing to popu-
lar passions and ~preiudices at the expense of honest business
and faithful service.
1t is not surprising, therefore, that in the debate now
and reckless, unsubstantiated statements are made in the
heat of the argument that may be taken for what they are
worth by those within the hearing of the speaker, but when
spread broadcast throughout the country and the people,
unaroused by the passion of the debate, read from the cold
type in the quiet of their homes what has been said, it does
untold harm.
One of Perth Amboy's leading industries, the Roessler
& Hasslacher Chemical Company, has been the victim of
such an attack within the past week or two and it is crafty
ing to see the way men of influence in the community, who
are in no way directly identified with the concern, have
received. kilograms from the president of the Chamber OF
Gessf,erce and from The state senator from Middlesex were
read into the records of the United States senate by Senator
Edge yesterday refuting some of the statements made on
the floor of the senate showing to the world that these
false attacks and insinuations cannot go unchallenged.
The Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company does
not need to be defended on any account in this community.
Its loyalty and good faith has never been questioned here
and it is well known that not only were the leaders of that
company actively engaged in every kind of war work at
home for the furtherance of the American cause, but many
of them had sons wearing the uniform of Uncle Sam.
AS TO profits made during the war, Thomas w. Miller,
who is the alien property custodian, in a letter TO the
Roessler & Hasslacher Chemical Company, says: my atten-
ito is also called to the statement contained in the brief filed
by your opponents purporting to be a quotation from The
report of my predecessor, Honorable A. Mitchell Palmer,
stating that your company had a capitalization of 800, 900,
made fabulous profits, and for five years before entrance
into the war, averaged over 5000 in dividends annually. If
this statement was made with reference to your corporation,
/ find it to be absolutely incorrect.
II am advised that the financial affairs Of your COM
pany were examined by certified public accountants acting
in behalf of the alien property custodian, and that their re-
ports show that the dividends earned and paid by your COM
pany during the past six years averaged annually about
371hT on the capital of your company amounting to 81 ,3O0,-
900 and on the basis of its capital and surplus or invested
assets, averaged approximately 1870 per annum for said
period"
1t seems that the charges made against the Roessler &
Hasslacher Chemical Company came originally from COM
pettors who were anxious to ruin the business of the Local
concern for their own gain. 1t is gratifying TO realize thai
their efforts have failed. 81
But the thing that appeals to us most, realizing the true
standing and reliability of the Roessler & Hasslacher Chem
ical Company, is the attitude of the leading citizens OF Perth
Amboy outside that concern getting behind this industry
and defending il against false accusations. 1t shows Perth
Amboy as a unit interested in the welfare of its industries
and giving them the support and cooperation that counts
Instead of being only too ready to join in the hue and cry as
if glorying in the chance to get something on" a local in
dustry, the attitude is that of making common cause with
the concern attacked and using every means within the
power of the city to set the true facts before the country.
Perth Amboy can readily sympathize with the Roessle
& Hasslacher Chemical Company in its effort to have a tariff
nut on its products sufficiently high to warrant protection
against the cheap competition from Germany. Such a tariff
Is the only salvation of many of our important concerns an
ii is to be hoped that the demagogue in congress will not b
able to stife these American Industries 1t shows the RICH
spirit when the city, through its representative men, take
up the cause of the concerns located here on the groun'
that what is TO their advantage is also to the advantage o
NE whole city and that anything Perth Amboy as a city cal
40 70 help them, will gladly be done.