Evening star., 1928-05-08

cline to recognize as a member OF the
profession of business, and trade asso-
Citations will decline To receive into tnelf
ranks. or will eXpel. an individual or an
organization that willfully violates the
fundamental principles upon which
sound business rests. or that persists In
ignoring the decencies of business inter-
course and beSmatters all business with
the slime Of corruption or with the
muck of unclean practices.
Much has been said and written OF
late of the betrayal Of public trusts by
those in high places All such must be
voters To whom they are accountable.
l have neither the time nor the dispo-
sition to deal with them here.
Would Purge Profession.
"The present concern Of business Is
TO cast the beam out of its own eye
TO purge itself of those Corrupters Of
public servants whose moral turpirude
in making possible the betrayal Of r
public trust is even greater than that
of those whom they would debauCh and
to put the ban Of outlawry upon those
who have a contempt for the public
interest. those who have a contempt for
the Government that affords protection
w tltIl dIN W tIlth pIUptltS dIlu tiiOHt
who have a contempt for our institu-
tions OF justice. Organized business will
have the courage and the sound judg-
ment 10 cast out these defilers of the
institution OF business both in its own
interest and in the interest Of the pub
lie. which In turn will be quick to brand
the offenders with the contempt which
they richly deserve
Leaving all public agents entirely out
Of the picture and dealing solely with
the shortcomings Of its own members,
business is here concerned with purg-
ing Its profession not only of the prin-
cipal offenders but of those accessories.
either before or after the fact. who.
unmindful of the public interest in
volved and Of their duties to the public
are guilty OF suppression OF the truth
which the public has a right to know.
1T Is the function Of government 10
deal with crime. But there Is a twilight
zone between acts which are Illegal and
criminal on the one hand and acts
which are simply immoral on the other
Those whose conduct falls within this
zone. whose acts. while within the law.
are repugnant TO the public interest.
must be branded as social outlaws.
We are here concerned In awaken
ing the seemingly dormant business
conscienceS of many of the stockholders
OF corporations who through nom
action impliedly place the seal OF their
approval on the acts Of their offending
agents, All such owe it 10 themselves
| to the profession of business and 10 the
Government publicly 10 repudate those
who misrepresent them
They cannot accept the profits fiow-
ing from corruption and escape the
moral stigma which inheres In such
profits. Neither can they permit those
who act for them personally to prof,
through corrupt corporate transactions
or shield others who do.
The decentralization OF legitimate
business that sometimes follows con-
eresstonal Investigations. Judge Parker
said can largely be avoided by bust
ness doing It's own investigating
Turning 10 unemployment, he said IL
was UP 10 business to find work for
/ those released through mechanical i'm
provements and seasonal industries.
! The idea that there Is an inreconcil-
! able conflict between the farming and
/ business interests has been exploded. he
| declared, adding. The local chambers
OF commerce already are PLAYING. and
VIII continue to play. an ever increasing
part in cooperating with organized and
nnorganized farmers in finding sound
| solutions for their problems"
| Wheeler Portrait Unveiled.
| Al the meeting this morning a por-
trait OF Harry Wheeler OF Illinois. FIRST
/ president OF the chamber was unveiled
The portrait will be hung in the board
room. Tribute 10 Mr. Wheeler's work In
organizing the chamber was paid By
James Francis Burke.
| Mr. Wheeler, In brief address urgec
| that the chamber broaden It's activities
We have reached the point where We
should cooperate with the other or
ganizations which have 10 do with
national prosperity" he said.