The Rathdrum tribune. (Rathdrum, Idaho) 1903-1963, 1924-01-11
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.

0 The modern industrial system Is at
0 bottom cooperative organzat ton, but
this fact Is obscured by the complex
! 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.
The primitive man knew that the
harder he worked the more he would
have" Mr.. Roberts said. when a man
exchanged work with a neighbor he
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't
know whether he Is getting a fair
share Of the industrial results or not,
and he suspects not
The modern industrial system is
essentially cooperative, but you can.
not have effective cooperation with |
out 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 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
The extremity of social disorgan.
ixatlon has been seen in Russia, where
mas been enacted the greatest tragedy | !
IN tho history Of the world. What hap
pened there will happen everywhere
unless there is 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 |
'apitalistfc system, or the private own
'rship OF property and direction of in.
lustry. The results Of the revolution n
re 30 calamitous in Russia as to give
check to revolutionary tendencies in
thor countries. Yet the economic
rinciples Of Bolshevism are infiuenc.
ls pubic opinion more or less every.
here.
Tho motive behind all this agita.
on Is the desire to establish equality.
ne social struggles of the past have
zen Tor political equality Now the
,mand is for equality In possessions.
luality In incomes, equality in the
anagement OF Industrial affairs.
here Is no argument against the as.
rations OF men for better social con. d.
lions, but radical ideas result from T
rtain economic fallacies. One re.
les to the employment and service III
private capital. Men read about III
st sums OF wealth belonging to indi. r
luals, and think OF these sums az ~,
voted exclusively TO the owners. In or,
u wealth employed in production tul
the public market is rendering on
vice to the entire community. no mo
tier who owns It,
The whole radical argument Is like
tming that nobody ever got snv
eht from the development OF the
am engine but the owners OF steam
ines or course, the theory only
DIS TO be stated for the fallacv to
apparent. The man who works for
es is benefited by every investment
apItal which increases aud chean. "
the supply of the things for which
self
INC service OF Capital ity Il
Is fundamental truth that all ct
uctive property although privately howe
ed, is part of the equipment Of so. lows
!, by which its wants are supplied the I
he progress of the past has been the Il
u phsned under the individualistic effect
'in' me theory Of this system is tive 1
every one shall have for his own sible
early as may be, that which re. by ad
from his own efforts. It Is svs- equal
calculated to stimulate the initja. any
can out the energies and deyeIon judge.
unity OF each individual. He 1, dcatio
IS to his undertakings; there are
'stricuons except that he must
nis own gains by activities thar Car
'rViceable to the community as a NAA
; and he Is inspired to labor. mot Is otter
by the desire for personal ad. TIM IT, me
So out by the desire to provide have q
req ones. by the impulse to self. bearing
sion, 70 realize and develop his stroyed
= aoiiiles, and by the ambition HALL
leve, to win distinction and ~ o oS w INA.
service. Cstsrs
|Oes not promis. ec,.,,. - has bee
1