The Challis messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1912-current, 1923-11-21
Geo. E. Roberts Tells How Co.
operative Character of Cor
porations Is 0bscured.
RADICAL AGITATION RESULTS
Maintenance of Present Industrial Sys-
tenn Necessary to Maintain Present
Standards of Comfort for All
the People, He Says.


ity of huge enterprises, George E. Rob
erts, noted authority on business and
finance, declared In recent speech
before the American Bankers Associa-
ton Convention at Atlantic City, N. J.
1.-THE primitive man knew that the
harder he worked the more he would
have" Mr.. Roberts said. when man
exchanged work with a neighbor he
had the whole transaction under
his eyes But when man works
with thousands of others for a
great corporation he doesn't see any
definite relationship between what he
does and what he gets. He doesn't
| know whether he Is getting a fair
share Of the Industrial results or not,
and he suspects not
1.-THE modern industrial system is
essentially cooperative, but you can
not have effective cooperation with
} oui understanding. Because people do
not see the industrial organization as
whole we have the tendency for So
ciety to break up into groups and
| blocs and unions and organizations or
| one kind and another, many OF whom
are trying to advance their own inter
ests at the expense of society as
whole The population OF this country
today could not be supported in the
state of comfort to which it is accus-
toned without the modern, specialized
organization.
Bolshevism In Russia
1.-THE extremity OF social disorgan-
ization has been seen in Russia, where
has been enacted the greatest tragedy
in the history of the world. What hap
pened there viii happen everywhere
unless there is a development OF the
capacity of people to work together
and understand each other.
"In its final form the revolution in
Russia was against what is called the
capitalistic system, or the private own
ership of property and direction Of In
dustry. The results OF the revolution
are SO calamitous in Russia as TO give
a check to revolutionary tendencies in
other countries. Yet the economic
principles of Bolshevism are influenc-
ing public opinion more or less every
where.
1.-THE motive behind all this agita-
ton is the desire to establish equality.
The social struggles OF the past have
been for political equality. Now thu
demand Is for equality In possessions,
equality in incomes, equality in the
management Of industrial affairs
r,Lo,, q, ~ o~<r,,~v,o,,f oooi,,o6 fhn a.
pirations of men for better social con-
ditions, but radical ideas result from
certain economic fallacies. One re-
lates to the employment and service
of private capital Men read about
vast sums Of wealth belonging to indi-
viduals, and think of these sums as
devoted exclusively 30 the owners. In
fact wealth employed in production
for the public market is rendering
service 10 the entire community, no
matter who owns It.
''The whole radical argument is like |
claiming that nobody ever got any |
benefit from the development Of the |
steam engine but the owners of steam |
engines. OF course, the theory only |
needs to be stated for the fallacy to |
be apparent. The man who works for |
wages is benefited by every investment
Of capital which increases and cheap
ems the supply Of the things for which
his wages are spent
The Service Of Capital
at Is a fundamental truth that all
productive property although privately
owned, is part OF the equipment Of So
ciety, by which its wants are supplied.
1.-The progress of the past has been
accom- plished under the individualistio
system. The theory of this system is
that every one shall have for his own,
as nearly as may be, that which re-
suits from his own efforts. It Is sys-
tenn calculated to stimulate the initia
tive, call out the energies and develop
the ability Of each individual. He is
tree as to his undertakings; there are
seek his own gains by activities that
ire ssrviceable to the community as a
whole, and he Is inspired to labor, not !
simply by the desire for personal ad
7antage, but by the desire to provide ]
or loved ones, by the impulse to self
,xpr0 ssion, to realize and develop his ]
natural abilities, and by the ambition
o achieve, to win distinction and to
ender service.
st does not promise equality. I'm
ess there is equality IN production, in
eryice, in effort, in resolution and in |
elf-denial why should there be equal !
ty in the division of results? 4
1.-THE justification Of individualism,
owever, is not merely in what it al :
ows to the superior individual, but in :
he results that inure to all. 1t is in {
he interest of all to secure the most
Elective organization, the most effec- 8
I've management and the largest pos :
Ible production. These cannot be had 4
y adopting the fiction that all have =
quail ability for any position, or by 4
ny other system than that which
ldges men by their individual quail 4
cations"
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