The Bismarck tribune., 1931-09-14
Member of The Associated k,ress
(Official City, State and County
Newspaper
Foreign Representatives
SMALL, SPENCER, LEV1NGS
& BREWER
Uncorporated
CHICAGO NEW YORK BCss"ON


QncorpOrateO
CHICAGO NEW YORK BCss"ON
Fine But Meaningless
One of the most widely advocated
,ure-alls for present business condi-
lions IS the adoption of "A Plan"
Just what kind or how extensive q
plan Is needed is not clearly stated
and none of those advocating this
mysterious remedy seem to have the
formula for it. Nevertheless 1t Is q
fine bit of phrase-making to catch
The popular fancy. It only serves to
further stimulate those fond hopes
and vague dreamings which all of us
prefer to facing the cold, hard facts.
The demand for "A Plan" seems
TO be based largely upon the fact
that Soviet Russia has a widely-ad-
vertised five-year-plan. After that,
we are told, there will be 10-year-
plan, and after that another. The
result, according to the Soviet dream
ers, will be a Utopia which few per-
sons and few nations would be able
TO resist. If the fruit Of the COM
munistic tree is as pleasant to taste
as the Soviet propaganda about it is
TO the casual ear, then indeed the
world is headed straight for the
adoption of the Russian idea.
It will be long time, however, be-
fore that period arrives. More likely.
t will never arrive, for there are in
iications that changes in the Rus
sian system of government in recent
months and years have been away
from radicalism and toward the
same system which we have here. AS
the communists proceed with their
great experiment, they have adopted
more and more of the devices Of So
called capitalism. AS the populace
Of Russia becomes better educated
and more Intelligent, it IS probable
that they will adopt more.
| One of the things which has con-
tributed toward what success has
been achieved in Russia is the ig-
norance of the people. The Soviet
efforts toward education may prove
its own undoing and 1t is just al
probable that the system under
which we live will covert the Russian
people as that they will convert ours
After all, results. rather than prop
aganda, is the effective agent fol
conversion. The hungry man Is like
4 ly to try the system of his neighbol
with q full stomach rather than tina
of one Of his fellow sufferers. *
| far, America, with all her troubles, i
/ vastly better off than Russia ans
probably will remain so.
It has not been proved. therefore
that "A Plan" Is this nations cry
ing need Of the moment. There ar,
some things which should be baset
upon longtime view, of course
Problems Of taxation and publi
service should not be treated as o
4 temporary nature. Construction o
public works should be planned witt
an eve to tomorrow.
The suggestion that public con
struction should be deferred in goo'
times and reserve laid up so tina
it may be done in poor times ha
long been advocated but neve
. adopted.
And at best, regulation of publ
works would be only an infinitesma
part Of any plan designed to stabi
lize the business of the country. Any
one who sees in 1t a cure-all is mere
iy deluding himself.
David r. Houston, secretary Of ag
sriculture In the Wilson cabine
pushed an effective pin into tn
Plan" balloon recently when h
said:
What men, or group Of men, In
this country would know how to
direct all. or many, of the lead
ing activities Of this great ma
tion: and who Is so innocent as
to assume that. II they were to
make q plan. our people would
follow 1t, unless they could be
made slaves Certainly tho fed-
eral government could not for
mulate or direct such a plan. 1t
Is none too successful in dis
charging its constitutional furc-
tions. 1t cannot even run rou-
tine business like the postoffice
without huge deficit"
When one considers the vastne'
u America and the record Of tt
government In business he mu
stop and think Of what any gener
4 1plan" would entail and what
would do Il once placed into oper,
lion.
Most q u II We do that. win q