Evening star., 1931-04-23
PLAN SEEN FUTURE
NEED OF BUSINESS
Economists and Leaders
Agree Definite Preparation
Will Improve Conditions.
BY J. r. BRACKETT,

Associated Press Business Writer.
NEW YORK, April 23.-The Ameri-
can business giant, in an economic bog,
may be lifted to the paths of orderly
production by master planning OF Its
future endeavors.
In the confusion surrounding dis
cussions of business conditions there
have been spasmodic suggestions for
some super-planning agency to regu-
late-by suggestion or by absolute con-
acknowledgements in all branches of
of experts, the Associated Press re-
, quested dozen business leaders and
economists throughout the United
States to give their opinions.
Most of those queried regard some
sort of master planning of the future
endeavors of industry as essential to
| full progress.
Instead of blindly stumbling toward
progress with duplication of effort and
disregard of production and demand,
these experts see value in some sort
of national body which would bring
about cooperation so that no more
would be produced than could be used: ::
so that factories would not be built
when there was no stable market for
their products; so that 5000, 900 work
ers could work.
Value Not in Rules.
"It Is consistent with our develop
ment," says Julius H. Barnes, chairman
Of the United States Chamber of Com
merce, that there should be a coun-
Gil 70 consider large questions of ma
tional policy, but its value would lie not
in the arbitrary regulation and control
OF industry and consumption, but in
giving intelligence to voluntary effort
on the part of business management to
do more effectively the common task of
meeting national wants and desires"
The idea of national plan would not
necessarily involve rigid restraint of
business, these experts believe 1t
would mean that a route would be laid
out. in which every business unit would
cooperate to avoid the pitfalls of a
trial and error process.
"Old systems and old ideas have
ended in futility," says Prof R. G. Tug
well. author and departmental repre-
sentative of the Columbia Economics
Department, New York. Something
new is needed; and the vast interest
which has been aroused by the notion of
master-planning indicates that this may
be our next great social experiment"
A national economic council could be
composed entirely of business, or both
could function with legal authority or
merely as an advisory body; it could be
set up by the voluntary action Of either
government or business or both, or it
could be set up by legislation, in the
various conceptions submitted.
Time Ripe for Planning
THE time is now ripe for National
planning" says DR.. Ernest Minor Pat
terSon, president of the American
Academy Of Political and Social Sci
e1ce and professor at the Wharton
School of Finance of the University
of Pennsylvania.
Our experiences of the last 8 months
are a forceful reminder that our eco
nomic and social machinery will not
operate of itself. Guidance will be
increasingly necessary If a repetition
of such disasters, or perhaps worse
ones, is to be avoided"
Prof Frank D. Graham. writer and
member of Princeton Universitys eco
nomic staff: without a National plan
we shall no doubt muddle along, though
with increasing stress and strain, with
unanswered challenges, with poverty In
the midst of riches. with insecurity,
fear and conflict. But If we want
better social and economic order, we
must plan for it."
DR.. Ernest L. Bogart, president of the
American Economics Association and
professor of economics at the Uni
versity of illinois, sees an existing in
terdependence IN the economic order
that to some extent brings about CO.
operative cndeavor. He sees increased
production as a positive gain. and finds
Embellishments in production and in
eQual1ties in distribution as the re-
mainder problems.
No Change in Decade.
For the solution of the first" he
says, I'VE need more knowledge and
educated leaders who will be guided by
it. For the second We shall probably
have to invoke the power of the state
TO supplement private justice. 1t has
taken 300 years for the American Ma
ton to reach its present position. No
change is going to be made over night.
The next century will probably see i'm
portant changes, but scarcely the next
decade"
During the past 10 years" says Prof
Charles a, Gulick, noted commentator
and member of the economics depart
ment of the University of California,
There has been increasing recognition
of the fact that comprehensive re-
vision of the economic structure of
America is necessary"
The idea that unregulated indivi-
dualism will automatically promote even
business prosperity" says Prof. Frank
II. knight, writer and professor of
economics at the University of Chicago,
mot to mention other phases of social
Well-being, without any conscious plan
ming or coordination, anywhere is
surely discredited by experience.
The only feasible thing is a pro-
gram of piecemeal Improvements and
corrections, Prof A. c. Whitaker,
member of Leland Stanford Universitys
economies staff, holds Our national
record in finding and carrying out such
program is not half bad"