The Kevin review. [volume] (Kevin, Mont.) 1922-1929, 1924-01-10
WHY INDUSTRY IS
misunderstood
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.

the People, He Says.
The modern industrial system Is a
bottom a cooperative organization, Blu
this fact is obscured by the complies
ity Of huge enterprises, George E. Rot
erts, noted authority on business an
finance, declared in a recent speed
before the American Bankers AssOcia
ton Convention at Atlantic City, N. J
1.-THE primitive man knew that tn.
harder he worked the more he woult
have" Mr.. Roberts said. when a mai
exchanged work with a neighbor ht
had the whole transaction under
his eyes. But when a man works
with thousands Of others for
great corporation he doesn't see any
definite relationship between what he
does and what he gets. He doesn'
know whether he is getting a fail
and he suspects not.
1.-THE modern industrial system Is
essentially cooperative, but you can
not have effective cooperation with.
Out understanding. Because people do
rot see the industrial organization as
q whole we have the tendency for so
ciety to break up into groups and
blocs and unions and organizations of
one kind and another, many of whom
are trying to advance their own inter-
ests at the expense Of society as a
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.
BoIshevism 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 will happen everywhere
unless there is a development of the
capacity of people to work together
and understand each other.
"In it's final form the revolution H.
Russia vas against what is called the
ca~pitalistic system, or the private own
ership of property and direction of in
dustry. The results of the revolution
are 80 calamitous in Russia as to give
a check to revolutionary tendencies in
other countries. Yet the economic
principles Of Bolshevism are influence
ing public opinion more or less every
where.
"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 the
demand is for equality in possessions,
equality in incomes, equality in the
management Of industrial affairs.
is no argument against the as
pirations of men for better social con-
economic fallacies. One re.
to the employment and service
Of private capital. Men read about
rast sums of wealth belonging to indi.
viduals, and think Of these sums as
exclusively TO the owners. In
fact wealth employed in production
or the public market is rendering
to the entire community, no
natter who owns it.
1.-THE whole radical argument is like
claiming that nobody ever got any
benefit from the development of the
engine but the owners of steam
Engines. OF course, the theory only
reeds to be stated for the fallacy to
,e apparent. The mar who works for
7ages is benefited by every investment
# capital which increases and cheap,
MS the supply of the things for which
is wages are spent.
The Service Of Capital
at is a fundamental truth that all
Productive property although privately
wned, is part Of the equipment of SO.
'The progress of the past has been 3
ccomplished under the individualistic ,
The theory of this system is
lat every one shall have for his own,
S nearly as may be, that which re-
Its from his own efforts. 1t is a sys-
IN calculated to stimulate the initia'
call out the energies and develop
le ability of each individual. He Is
as to his undertakings; there are
0 restrictions except that he must
eek his own gains by activities that
e ~serviceable to the community as a
hole, and he is inspired to labor, not
IMPLY by the desire for personal adj
but by the desire to provide
+ loved ones, by the impulse to self
,prossion, to realize and develop his
ltural abilities, and by the ambition
achieve, to win distinction and to
service.
at does not promise equality. I'm
S. there is equality In production, in
rvice, in effort, In resolution and in
lf-denial, why should there be equal
2 in the division Of results?
1.-THE justification OF 1ndividualism,
'wever, is not merely in what it al
to the superior individual, Tut in =
Q results that inure to all. 1t is in -
e interest Of all to secure the most
organization, the most efec- /,
= - H. a