Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-02
SELF-RULED TRADE
POLICY IS PROMISED
CHAMBER BY KLEIN
Assistant Commerce Head
Condemns "PaternaIiStiC"
Business Interference.
ASSURES COOPERATION
is PRINCIPAL AIM NOW
Thinks Government Should Step in
When Monopoly Perils and Pri-
vate Control Is Not Feasible. =

Paternalistic interference with busi-
ness was vigorously condemned today
by DR.. Julius Klein, Assistant Secretary
of Commerce, who assured the United
States Chamber of Commerce at its
annual meeting that the Government
intends to stand by the business men of
the country in safeguarding the princi-
pal of cooperation which rules their
existing co-relations.
I'VE favor industrial self-regulation,
except where monopoly perils are so ap-
parent or public interests so large, that
unrestricted private control is not fea-
sible," DR.. Klein declared. I'VE believe
that business, acting on its own initi-
ative and guided. by the standard it
makes for itself, should be free of bu-
reaucratic interference"
DR.. Klein substituted for Secretary
Robert P. Lamont, who was unable to
address the convention because of ILL
ness and he aimed his remarks at the
broad subject of Government and
Business"
Small Business Affairs.
While the annual sessions of the
chamber have been devoted mainly this
week to the international problems af-
fecting "big business" it turned its at
tention earlier in the day to the affairs
of small business men and their hope
for future security.
J. Frank Grimes of Chicago, presi-
dent of the Independent GrocerS' Al
lance of America, sounded clarion
call for small business men to discard
the fallacy of time-worn methods and
seek an established future through the
methods Of mass cooperation.
Small business is not yet dead and
buried" he declared. True, it has been
badly man-handled because it has not
yet fully understood the principles of
mass operations" Once it grasps the
significance of such a business policy,
he predicted, a glorious future will un-
fold.
Referring to an assertion which he
said many bankers, legislators and mah-
ufacturers have made-that wholesalers
and independent retailers are in hope
less position-Mr. Grimes declared that
"a virulent case Of contagious hysteria
seems to be rampant"
Must Meet Competition.
Real progress will be made, he point
ed out, only when the small business
men understand that they must match
or excel formidable competitors through
greater efficiency, economy and modern
sales methods" Mass buying power
alone, he warned, will not solve all their
problems.
william Butterworth, president of the
national chamber, who also addressed
the joint session earlier today, urged
development of local organizations on
broad democratic principles. He said
old-time boosting" methods have been
practically abandoned for larger and
more specific objectives.
The ethics, standards and control of
the business interests of the country
rest in the hands of business men them
selves, DR.. Klein assured the Chamber.
Governmental paternalisn1, he declared,
represents one of the most bitterly
contested political and economic argu-
ments throughout history.
THE United States" he said, has set
its face definitely toward the goal of
business individualism, supplemented
by associated and cooperative effort,
which in turn is supplemented by
Governmental assistance.
Private Initiative Doctrine Accepted.
THE doctrine of private business in
itiatiVe is accepted in full by the ma
tional chamber of industrial and COM
mercial leaders" he explained, las also
in full by the Department of Commerce,
which is built only as an agency to aic
business.
"Yet there are times" he warned,
"when it seems as though business it
self will not follow the doctrine, for
constantly the Government is being
urged by private citizens to extend its
activities into the realm of business. /
I want to assure you that the Depart
ment of Commerce stands with the
Chamber of Commerce in safeguarding
the principle of cooperation instead of
interference with business"
DR.. Klein cited numbers of instances
to indicate that the Department of
Commerce is alive to the individualistic
philosophy of the American business
man and is ready at all times to pre-
vent the encroachment of Government
on business in any activity with which
it is legitimately concerned.
SmaII-Town WelI-Being.
National well-being hinges largely on
the prosperity of the many thousands
of small communities and large cities,
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