Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-05
MEN AND MONEY
BY NJ. S. Rukeyscr.
tCopyright. 1927

High local and State tax rates are
gradually driving progressive business
men to take a more active interest in
politics.
The movement is still in it's early
stages, but in several communities
definite results have already been OBJ
tanned.
On the Pacific Coast. DIR. Milbank
Johnson of the Pacific Mutual Life In
surance Co., at Los Angeles, is arous-
ing business men to challenge public
sure that every dollar spent Is pro-
ductive. DIR. Johnson's association
makes independent studies of pro-
posed public improvements and fire.
quently makes valuable suggestions.
The mere knowledge that an outside
agency Is checking UP on estimates is
itself a factor making for prudence on
the part of public officials.
Business Men Cooperate.
On the otl er side of the continent
In Baltimore, Nd, business men have
been effective In actively cooperating
with the city government. Some OF
the principal business institutions OF
the city, at the suggestion of.William
]. Casey, vice president of the CONT
mental Trust Co., lent their experts to
the city for the purpose of developing
an economy program, With the sup
port of the mayor, the so-called eff
ficiency committee undertook to re-
organize the city government ana
place it on a business basis. The In
ception of the idea took place four
years ago. The new machinery
checked the advancing tax rate, and
started a downward movement. Al
ready So cents has been taken from
the tax rate.
These initial tangible results OF the
awakening of business men and imam
ciers to their civic responsibilities ana
opportunities make especially timely
the query of Frank r. Kent, Balti-
more editor, in the Nations Business.
as to whether the business man is a
boob in politics.
Thinks He's q Boob.
Mr.. Kent thinks he is, saying: THE
business man in Chicago, as in New
York and in every other great city, Is
really a boob. There isn't any other
way of explaining his utter neglect or
a thing as vital, as general, as in
evitable, as politics.
"The great industrial corporations,
the railroads, the banks and business
houses upon which the prosperity OF
the country is concededly based-the
management of these concerns closely
watch every payment to see that full
value is received. They scrutinize cost
sheets with extraordinary concentra-
ton and care. They plug up leaks,
keep a vigilant eye on the overhead.
They labor necessarily at ways and
means of cutting costs. They go to
the source of every expenditure and
make Ii a matter of pride---even the
richest of them-to cut out waste, to
eliminate extravaganza, to promote
efficiency and economy in production,
tor get at the bottom of every outgoing
dollar.
'They do all this with every dollar
to save the tax dollar
In spite of the lamentations of the
moralists. II. j. Kenner, manager of
the Better Business Bureau of New
York City, is authority for the asser-
ton that the good name of CONNER
cial New York has been enhanced
materially during the last year.
Mr. Kenner believes that the i'm
provement springs from the day to
day activities of the better business
movement 'for accuracy and fair
play in the distribution of merchan-
disc" The bureau in eleven months
found out that in / sol cases of alleged
inaccuracy or unfair practices in mer-
chandising at least so per cent of the
complaints were justified.
Business throughout the country
has been rousing itself to clean house,
and free itself from sales resistance
caused by Dragging and deception.