The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1927-12-31
Big Business
BY N. d. COCHRAN


Cabling from New York to one of his London news
papers, Lord Rothermere deplores what he calls
Britains fatal blunder navy disarmament which
forced upon President Coolidge big navy program.
In describing the physical wonders of New York City,
he says:
Not even the dullest of men could look for the
first time these Alpine precpices of masonry with
out being deeply stirred Power wealth. energy tech
ncal efficiency richness of resources, confidence in
the future-nowhere the globe these ideas
expressed forciby in solid matter by this city
of giants-New York.
"Yet it is truism over here that New York is
not America Three million square miles of Contnu-
territory and 100000 of vigorous, ambitious
selfreIant, well-todo people must be added to the
mental image of this commercial financial and in
dustral capital of continent before one realizes what
is meant by the name United States"
have capitalized phrase for emphasis-"this
commercial financial and industrial capital of con-
tinent'-n order to point out how the seat of real
government has gradually passed from Washington,
the seat of political government, to New York. the
capital of the government of big business.
The people Of the United States take it for
granted that the seat of what they think is the
Government is still Washington D. G. That's what
school children have been taught for generations
They think OF but one government-political govern
ment Few Of the grown-ups, and probably none of
the children, know that there is another govern
ment-a super government that governs the political
government. 1t is the government Lord Rothermere
has in mind when he refers to New York City as
"the commercial financial and industrial capital of
a continent"
There is no purpose here to kick about it. Per-
sonally, think it is natural evolutionary process
that can't be stopped by political government 1t
been tried, to be sure. The Sherman antitrust law
practically the last powerful effort of political
government to stop government by organized COM
merce finance and industry. But the Sherman anti
trust law is practically dead letter today Little
business has become big business in spite Of it-and
the Federal Courts moving quietly along with
development. Congress itself is playing the game
Even the American Federation of Labor has evolved
h11ci
and file membership know it not.
The political idealism of Roosevelt and Wilson is
practically dead With the inauguration of Harding
began of SubServence of political government
to this powerful-one might truthfuly say ire
sStibe-government Aside from the efforts of little
group of diehard Progressves who appear to be MAX
ing last stand, fight is being made for what we
know as political government Whatever there is of
ldeallSm in government must be such dealism as or
ganzed big business itself may develop.
Thus lar little OF any such idealism has been
shown, though of it has A few captains of
commerce. finance and industry have shown that thev
have vision. These have seen that high wages and
low production cost can harmonic, and that peace
between organized business and organized labor is
more profitable for both than war. Some of them
have discovered that there Santa Claus in bust
ness and that justice to the worker is more eco
nomcal than handout from a paternalistic Christ
mas tree Some OF them have learned that Justice paws
There have been mistakes of course Big business
made mistake when it financed prohibition and
made possible 1t employed political tyranny rather
than economic education That policy has weakened
the control OF the churches the people and hence
weakened one of the most powerful influences bic
business has always counted on. However that won't
go on. The mistake will be rectifed and a saner
method of political control than the Anti-Saloon
League lobby will be found
This is not written in a fit of pessimism On the
whole, write in spirit of optimism There is a
greater incentive to practical deasm by intelligent
business than by poiticians-when it is learned that
what pays the office holder other seeker in votes
VIII pay the capitalist in dollars and cents
The popularity of two outstanding candidates for
President in 1928 indicates that the people themselves
are not hostile to big business because it is big The
distinction is rather between legitimate and ilegit
mate big business Governor Smith of York is very
popular and he has shown that he knows how to
protect popular rights without injury to legitimate
business. Secretary of Commerce Hoover appears to
see government in the same light. Vice President
Dawes belongs stnctively to another TYNE as banker
business man and politician