Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-26
u. s. PROSPERITY CALLED "
myth" TO BUSINESS MEN
Many Merchants Declared Skeptical OF
Reports Showing Economic Gains
Throug hout Country.

The object Of this highly organized
craftsmanship Is to see that every avail
able dollar and. indeed. the dollar that
is not at present available, goes 70 the
expansion of trade by the purchase OF
something or other whether 1t Is vant-
ed on unwanted. II the want is not
there. it must be created. ::
With this result. broadly: That the
American bread winner has no sooner
attained an income Of. say, $4,000 a
year than he all but invariably finds
he is living on the scale Of $1,000. By
heroic efforts he expands his income
to SIS 900 only to find Immediately that
he is living on the scale Of six.
Somebody in the world Of salesman
ship would be falling grossly-and get
ting flred-if the increase were not
thus Immediately absorbed. Johnny
comes home from school crying be-
cause the neighbours child has laughed
at the inferior car that Johnny's father
drives. It Is the business Of the most
highly paid advertising experts and
psychologists Of the business world 10
see that fathers with last years cars
and mothers with last seasons hats
are laughed at. Mr. and Mrs. Rabbit
may resist for a time. but sooner or
later. through some joint in the arrnor
with which they may cIothe themselves
land the Rabbits are the worst hands
in the world at wearing that kind 81
armor), the system OF scientific sales
manship will get them.
Poverty From Wealth.
The system has performed this truly
great miracle: 1t has rendered e"en
these magnificent wages, salaries ard
incomes quite insufficient: it has made
poverty Of wealth. For the first thing
that one asks Of wealth. as the means
of the good life, is ease OF mind Sc
curity. freedom from Worry, anxiety
and debt. liberation from the sense o.
struggle. And this is exactly what the
high-powered craftsmanship has rer:-
dered impossible. The joo Of the sales
man is 10 see that no man with money
in hand has peace until he has parted
with it,
Not long since some economists I'M
oertook an investigation OF the INSTALL
ment buying and reported favorabsy
market, enabled factories TO sell their
goods. which in turn had provided
wages for further purchases. and SO OF
in neyer-e1dirg cycles. There had
been relatively few bad debts. and the
system was not breaking down IN a
financial sense. Blu. one item vas rcc
entered in the balance sheet. and that
was the added strain. anxiety and ter
sion which the system has. without any
sort Of doubt, added 70 millions o.
American bread winner.
II would be difficult item 70 ent1-
because you cannot measure IL: there
Is no thermometer which will take the
anxiety temperature OF the head Of The
81 vr-t-a ~ 80 -
TentS on a dozen new time purchases.
in which somehow he has become en-
tangled. are all overdue Yet his ova
position may well be dependent upon
extending that very system. He, 700.
may be a salesman dependent UPON
perSuading fellow Americans 20 buy
more than they can afford. The SIS
TEN cannot be- relaxed because q who,e
range Of industries would be IN QsIes-
street II It were. Each Is 6epenCsE.
upon the maintenance OF g degree OF
sales promotion from which al suffer
The foundations Of life are economic
Without certain minimum CT foS~d
shelter. warmth. one cannot live az a..
and in so fer as these fundamentals are
concerned. money IS the most important
thing in the world. Bu. The object ~
economics IS 70 ger rl5 OF the economic
life So sure ard plentiful that we $:ssI.
not have 10 think any more soou: thsl-,
and so Dc free 20 give some attention
70 life Itself
And that has hce2 rc:2.,:;zed y, Amer
lea. 81 least 10 the extent o. making ne
Americans the most generous and lsAS:
ayaricloUS peop!e ii the world. 81.
further effect Of this prosperity has hseD
70 make the means the end. These CITES
create vas: wealth. but il IS rcs enough
and under This system 0. perpetUaiiy sx-
pan6ing and scientifically stimulated
consumption. Ii never car b enough.
With every one. almost living oevG3
his means, the claims OF business" BE-
cocss more ard more ,r,s.Stoyst, No:Ai--
matters IL i. does not interfere w.tN
business, Crime, corruption. bad Ea,-
eminent, co2t reaIlv interfere VIII
business. Or nc. much, 50 vsr Sscg.j
one Very
Facets Of Business
\ cultivated American 81 cIy AZ
Qua,0t9nce Was asked 10 Sc;n 81 e.
gaalzat.o,l IL citizens IL his toE-r 20 r,,s
al end - political corruption. ES rs-
piled: Z calculate .ha. NY share " .he
ad6tic,,a, taxes which this cc<vrlctzcr
involves IS about $50 wear esrn
that By one days work II lc:ncj yS,Qr
organization should probably b called
upon 20 give y dozen days ~ nv time ~
the course Of The year Obviously II IS
Ear better business for IRE IL pay ~
$50 iatrer :hao - Spend sNs :, days
And that evidently IS how r,e<: cs
pEaSp>rouS America ayg,scS, ENt st.>
curious scale ~ values. this rS,AS.ve u
difference ~ certain evils : a.,s, r>,<, .:
the drive AID coCcSC.rSt!o;l .SSs,syasse
tr>on, tbs high tension. CSu$A. III ey
me system the mere Individual G,ssS,
s.aNs business supreme, As one A:..cs-
lean rus II, Things ard systems sre =,
ne saddle; business commands vs. snS
Ne are eecor,,s,g It's hsiy,SS$ plsryS:<"
II would b. ,rt;sr, perhaps. ~ say ts,st
bits stress which Is The means ~ .rSs-
Com and a tN.'l ncS~!S :. Ss~csv a.
least u. defeating IT'S cNis ends ~ max
,tlS q narccwr: life ana G>rcU.rS il g
freedom
sWVr.j ENlNr'Ses S~~eyN-~f