Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-10-23

spirit-a force proceeding from the deep
realization that economic freedom can
not be sacrificed II political freedom Is
to be preserved. Even II governmental
control of business could give us more
ef1iciency instead of less efficiency the
Fundamental objection to it would re.
main unaltered and undated.
Equality Would BE Lost.
1T would destroy political equality.
II would increase rather than decrease
abuse and corruption. It would stifie
initiative and invention. 1t would un-
dermine the development Of leadership.
1t would cramp and cripple the mental
and spiritual energies OF our people. 1t
would extinguiSh equality and oppor-
tunity. It would dry up the spirit OF
liberty and progress For these reasons
primarily. it must be resisted. For a
hundred and nifty years liberalism has
found its true spirit IN the American
system, not In the European systems.
II do not wish to be misunderstood
in this statement. l am defining a gen.
eral policy. 1t does not mean that our
Government Is to part with one iota of
its national resources without complete
protection to the public interest
have already stated that where the
Government is engaged In public works
for purposes Of flood control, OF naviga-
ton, Of irrigation, Of scientific research
or national defense or In pioneering q
new art 1t will at times necessarily
produce power or commodities as o by
product. But they must be . by.prod-
uct of the major purpose, not the major
purpose itself.
Nor do I wish to be misinterpreted
as believing that the United States Is
free for all and devil take the hindmost.
The very essence Of equality of oppor-
tunity and Of American individualiSm
is that there shall be no domination
by any group or combination In this Re.
public. whether 1t be business or pclit-
ical On the contrary, 1t demands eco
social justice. 1t is no system Of laissez
faire.
Has Seen Proof Of Charge.
IT feel deeply on this subject, because
during the war I had some practical
experience with governmental operation
and control. / have witnessed, not only
at home but abroad, the many failures
of government in business. have seen
its tyrannieS, its injustices, its destruc-
ton of Self-government, its undermin-
ing of the very instincts which carry
our people forward to progress. / have
witnessed the lack of advance, the low
cred standards of living, the depressed
spirits of people working under such q
system My objection is based not upon
theory or upon failure to recognize
wrong or abuse, but know the adop.
ton of such methods would strike at
the very roots Of American life and
would destroy the very basis Of Aneri-
can progress
Our people have the right to know
whether we can continue to solve our
great problems without abandonment Of
our American system ! know We can.
We have demonstrated that our system
is responsive enough to meet any new
and intricate development In our eco
non1ic and business life. We have DEM
onstrated that we can meet any eco
nomic problem and still maintain our
democracy as master In its own house,
and that we can at the same time pre-
serve equality Of opportunity and indi-
vidual freedom.
Refers to Big Business.
I'm the last so years we have discov-
cred that mass production will produce
articles for us at half the cost they re-
quired previously. We have seen the
resultant growth OF large units Of pro-
duction and distribution. This is big
business Many businesses must be
bigger, for our tools are bigger, our
country is bigger. We now build a
single dynamo of hundred thousand
horsepower. Even Is years ago that
would have been a big business all by
itself Yet today advance In production
requires that we set 10 Of these units
together In row.
THE American people from bitter
experience have rightful fear that
great business units might be used to
dominate our industrial life and by
illegal and unethical practices destroy
equality of opportunity.
Years ago the Republican admins
tration established the principle that
such evils could be corrected by reglla-
ton. It developed methods by which
abuses could be prevented while the
full value Of induStrial progress could
be retained FOR Tn Uuhiic 10 Insisted