Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-16
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acceptance of the former theory of
cycles. Mr. Hoover outlined the pro-
gram. The national business survey
conference, which he suggested, has en-
deavored to carry 1t forward.
Mark Sullivan, a trained observer Of
events and the historian of the eco
nomic trends of the twentieth century,
has recently expressed Herald Tribune
Magazine, March 2, 1890 q thought
that has been In my mind throughout
this Winter. I quote:
Preventers Never Given Credit.
1.-THE averters and preventers in his
ktory never by any chance get the credit
due them. The statesmen who kept
their peoples at peace are forgotten; 1t
is the Napoleons who drag their peoples
through war that history celebrates
Had there been in Europe in 1914 a
statesman who prevented the World
War hardly any American today would
know his name. No one of sor.1e ~
million mothers in the wc:ld would
think Of him and be grateful to him as
man who kept her son alive. Imagi-
| nation rarely grasps the might-have-
been. The World War made famous q
score of Fochs and Haigs; the averting
Of that war would have made no one
! famous. And so Mr.. Hoover is most
unlikely to get the credit for what he
averted last November-the distresseS
we are not experiencing today"
Such eloquence is not ordinarily in
| the makeup of a business man, and so
unhesitatingly borrow Mr.. Sullivan's
words to voice my own feelings. The
| tremendous importance Of what Is, "
compared to what might have been,
does not require demonstration. The
necessity of equilibrium in our economic
| system did not come into Mr.. Hoover's
mind automatically when this crisis ap-
peared. He had given voice to 1t on
other occasions As far back as PreSi-
! dent Harding'S unemployment confer
| ence of 1921, of which he was the dy-
! manic leader, he was preaching the
desirability of planning our governmental
expansion for long periods in the future
to prepare for periodical recessions II
business. Little by little that idea had
permeated the consciousness OF public
| leaders in all branches of government
Nation, state and city. When he made
his appeal to the States in November
the response was immediate.
For eight years as Secretary OF Com
merce he had convinced American bust
ness that team play with the Govern
ment was worth while. Out OF thu
Harding conference of 1921 there came
three national surveys, all directed a
the single object Of assuring employ
Iment and removing the fear of unem.
ployment. First was the study Of bust
ness cycles, made in 1922 and 1928
Next came a survey Of recent economic
changes, which began in 1923 undel
Mr.. HooverS Craftsmanship, and which
was completed just q year ago, on TIT
eve of his inauguration. These surveys
were the genesis of the Hoover plar
which went into operation last Novem
Der. And team play was the elemen
stressed In all three.
Team Play Is Heartening.
There is nothing more hearteninI
in recent American history than TIT
sort of team play we have had thi
Winter. I might cite first what tn
Government itself has done. Through
the Treasury Department came the rec
concentrations for a tax reduction o
$3.50, 100000, which undoubtedly Stimu
lated business at q critical hour. Tn
Department Of Agriculture, which ad
ministers the Federal road building ap
preparations, cut q few miles Of red tap
and made Immediately available to tn
States large sums which were put u
work at once. Construction has beer
under way in the Southern States al
during the Winter and in the North thu
highway programs will begin at tn,
earliest date on record. t-...
Otter branches of the Federal Govern
ment, under the direction of the Presi
dent, rallied to do their bit. The De
partment of Commerce modified tn,
authorities of States and cities to ad
vance their construction programs. Tn
Department of Justice expedited tn,
legal steps necessary to make site
available for public buildings. Archi