Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1925-12-11
WOULD DRIVE j. S.
OUT OF INDUSTRY
Federal Competition With
Private Business to Be
Fought by Leaders.

/. TUuyIlt ny IcducIS.
| Four nutsta nding declarations OF
! purpose attacking Government compe-
! tition with private enterprise as ulti-
mately presaRing establishment OF n
socialiStic state and the ultimate de
struction Of all individual opportu-
! nifty were adopted by the Conference
! on Government I'm Industry at the
! closing meeting of a two-day session
! at the Hotel Washington today.
! Carrying the emphatic opposition OF
organized business to Government
/ competition. represented at the meet
f, tnss by delegates from more than 100
! different industries. the statement Of
purpose adopted by the conference
| provides for prompt opposition to any
: move by the legislative branch to In
crease Government encroachment on
| business and urges other radical meas
ures.
! The statements in the declaration
! of purpose are:
| To disseminate among the people
! correct information AZ 10 the extent.
! cost and results Of governmental en-
/ terprises.
To urge that in all Government
operations there shall be eSta blished a
| recognized and adequate system Of
| cost accounting, and that all existing
! prohibitions against rewarding labor
! on merit and efficiency be aba ndoned.
To inform the people that govern
/ lnent IN business means the establish
meni of socialistiC state and the ulti-
mate destruction of all individual OPP
! portunity.
! To oppose every existing or pro-
/ posed intrusion by Government into
! the proper field of business enter
! prise"
Provides for Preparation.
The conference, before adjournment
/ early this afternoon. provided for its
! perpetuation az a continuing body to
| maintain Offices in Washington and TO
| meet once year. Eleven members of
! the executive committee. to serve as
steering orga nization for the confer
| ence, were elected.
II also adopted a statement of
! principle which set forth that gov
eminent and industry must be pro
! tected against the assau lts OF those
! VII" would destroy both by confusing
! the functions Of each" and calling
! upon every citizen 10 take stand
! SduareiN upon the proposition that
! American democracy is founded upon
the private ownership OF property and
| maintained by the private enterprise
! tons, The statement also declared
| that when government displeces
! private business. the loss In taxes as
we'll as the excessive cost of oDerat fon
is leNled upon property and business
which survives" adding that the ma
tional defense is best and most eco
nomically served by private business
| enterprises which may be converted
To war purposes in case of emergency -
a lHE
petition with business were made to-
DAY before the conference discussed
us continuing purposes and principles
len reasons why Government ship
| yards cannot compete with privately
operated shlpyards on the economic
side were given by William r. Fergu.
son. representing the Council OF Amer
! lean Shipbuilders. He mentioned
/ among them lack of incentive among
| Government shipyard workers. higher
pay AS compared with private indus.
try, lack OF continuous policy. large
turnover in the executive personnel
and centralized authority in Washing
cal operations.
Oppose ShipbuiIding.
The Government imposes no penalty
| upon Itself for loss in operation. and
| lncurs no penalty for overtime in CON
| Stfuctlon work, as opposed to the pen
altles imposed upon private shipya rds
| MIR. Ferguson said. adding that all ad-
ditional costs are ultimately borne bv
| the taxpayer.
The evils OF Government competi-
ton that have multiplied over a period
or years cannot be corrected in few
days. j. r. EdRerton. president of the
| National Association of Manufacture
said. We are going TO take a long
time 10 cure them. 1t needs hard
work and sustained interest. We
can't put a poultice on this thing and
drive the trouble in. II needs correc-
ton at the source.
f. II. Duff. representing the Amer
lean Ship Owners Association. told the
conference that private ship owners
want the Government 10 get out of the
shipping business as soon rs possible
citing several cases OF Government
competition which. he declared, were
directly against the interests of pri-
waite business.
Would Welcome Study.
Government would welcome a sane
study of the entire question of Gov
eminent competition in business Sec
rotary Hoover told the conference
yesterday afternoon.
have a good deal of difficulty estab-
fishing any very precise lines of prin-
ciples on the question of Government
in business" he said One sideIight
on it is that the demands that the
Government shall get into business to
a large degree come from the business
| world itself The desire to regulate
the other fellow seems inherent in
the human heart"
| Government authority was forced to
intervene against fraud and unfair
prac tice in business. he continued. and
with the gradual recognition in public
utilities service that competition was
wa steful, monopoly had been allowed
but had to be regulated. When the
volume of necessary public works and
iustifable welfare service also was
considered, he added limitation of the
governments activity seemed dificult.
But what / feel that most people
refer to when they talk of the Govern
ment business" he concluded. lis that
they do not wish the Federal Govern
| ment to engage itself in buying of
commodities, or services for resale.
and that they do want the Govern
ment to procure services and COM
moditieS for its own use by competi-
tive bidding from the business world
| | believe there are some points where
the Federal Government could reduce
it's business activities"