The Morning Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Okla.) 1919-1927, 1922-12-10

! lowed I'm tho path OF the pioneer,
but civilization was wrcsted from
! the wilderness by individual effort
We are now at period In our
| history, both as "A nation and as an
! Industry. when tho best qualities Of
| the frontiersmen, tho spirit of ad-'
venture ana achievement the lui-
tiative and resourCetulncss OF the
! American business man, are IN dan
ger OF suhmersion by rising tide
OF sociaiistic doctrine and immud-
crate state regulation, Less than a
! month ago We celebrated the anul-
Ncrsary of four years OF pcacc--fuur
years In which industry the world
over, in its endcavur TO return 20
normal has had to deal at every
turn with the question of state CON
. troll, or IN some countries with the
lack of state control That period
/ followed four years Of the urUHnt-
| cation of an our resources u the
service of our government against
the enemy We have there cone
trast which is sufficiently impr ut
to us, both AS citizens and
| ness men, 10 justify a few uut.. va
| lions on the subject Of the proper
limits OF governmental activities
especially as il is OF grave concern
TO the petroleum Industry today
What. FIRST can the state do for
us? What can we reasonably ask
II to doH We can look to the gov
ernment ~ our country to maintain
law and to render justice not for
getting that our ideas OF Justice
change from generation TO genera
ton aud that by orderly and coustl-
tutlonal process our syst"m II law
should change and develop CORE
spondingy. Now II inc government
is to carry out this task il must keep
Itself free ana 1t must keep itsolf
from being unduly burdened. It
must be free from preiud co and
bias; It must not be the organ OF a
single class or group. Il must be
free to act as arbitcr between con-
flicting groups and sections, un-
pledged and unpreIudiced. And It
| must not be burdcned with Lesser
tasks. II the time and energies Of
the men at the head Of the nation
are taken up with O. host OF govern
ment undertakings il too great a
proportion Of tho countrys industry
comes under centralized state con-
troll, those men have neither the
time nor the vigor required for .heir
more essential work.
We can look to the government
again TO assist In giving tho indiyid-
ual fair and full opportunity In
the race OF life. IL is not the buai-
ness OF the government 10 run the
race for the people; II Is its busi-
ness to train them to run the race.
and to hold fair field. Tho acid
test OF every proposed extension OF
state activity should be, will IL help
the average man TO help himself. or
Is II merely doing for him some
thing he could do for himself and
would be tho better for trying?
Again, we look TO the govern
ment to maintain tho legitimate in
tereSta OF American industry abroad.
1t Is not merely at home that tus-
tice must be done and equal oppor-
tunity assured. Frequently the ac-
tlon of other nations imperils gem
Cine American interests enterprises
vital TO the expansion OF our trade
and our prosperity.
I'm this field the American bust
ness man can confidently claim the
support OF hs government, although
he has not always received II I'm as
ample measure as have the business
communities Of European countries
nor as effectively as ne is receiving
II from our own government today.
American business men do not
ask that their government shoul1
provide the initiative II Ia their own
job to supply: they do not SIX their
government 10 use unfairly the great
power that this nation now exercises
In the decision of world policy: they
do not ask for any special privilege
for legitimate business or any sup
port for iliegitlmate business. They
ask that when American investors
have expended large sums IN doycl-
oping the resources Of other lands
taking the fair risks of failure from
economic causes that attend on all
new enterprises, they should not also
be exposed TO unfair political attack
and confisoatiOn either at home or
abroad There is nothing which will
so lne dlously lead to the disintcgra-
ton Of American trade influence
abroad as tho sapping OF the
strength OF Industry at home by the
exercise 70 the point OF confisration
OF the governments taxation power
Fortunately. with our growing stake
in foreign trade, public opinion and
governmental policy are coming to
reflect the changing situation.
1T is equally important TO CON
sideer what the state cannot do
for us, or should not try 10 do. There
Is perhaps more danger ~ the state
trying too much than too little. The
world Is suffering from an excess
Of state activity. This is seen on
the political side in the swollen and
exaggerated form taken by the spirit
OF nationalism, a healthy and CON
structlvo force within reasonab
limits. but an lntoIerant and mis-
chievous force when unchecked. II
Is seen on the economic side In the
sweeping experiments in govern
meut ownership ana government
control and government panaceus
for all ills which have been tried on