The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-05-11
Timid Business Leaders

Business men constantly complain that politicians
are tmorous and muddled lot, unable to handle
practical issues IN a practical way. Now If we only
had business men running the governments Of the
world, things would be different, they say.
Judged by the international Chamber of Com
merce convention, Just finished in Washington and
the American Chamber of Commerce meeting two
wekes ago in Atlantic City, the business heads Of the
world have even less to offer in the way of leadership
than the politicians
Not even the VIGOROUSLY vague political party plat
submitted to the people Of this country every
four years can compete in evasye generalties with
the chamber resolutions
The international chamber resolutions seem all the
more colorless and futile when contrasted to the
vigorous statements of exceptional individual speakers
such as Colonel Hugh Cooper and Melvin A. Traylor
of the First National bank Of Chicago.
The resolution against tariff barriers was one Of
the weakest ever voted by the international chamber
despite the unchaenged testimony Of many speakers
that tariffs were among the chief causes of the world
depression.
The resolution on disarmament SO indefinite
that it was useless In asking "the governments OF
the world to reduce ornaments to the lowest possible
limit" the chamber apparently forgot that virtually
all governments now argue that their own arms al
ready have been reduced Ito the lowest possible limit
The chamber was very obvious in its refusal to
support any definite demand, such, for instance as
the general Is per cent cut for all nations proposed
by the Cecil group in England.
Afraid to deal frankly with the war debts and
reparatons ISSUE the chamber straddled. 1t rested
with the meaningless statement that the integrity of
international obligations lis not inconsistent with an
impartial examination of the effects of these obliga-
tons on international trade, if warranted by changed
economic conditions"
The chamber apparently does not consider that
world depression and 100000 unemployed consti-
tute sufficiently changed economic condition to war
rant such impartial examination
National budgets should be balanced, but without
tax increases, the chamber decided. How this I'M
likely though desirable miracle be performed was
matter on which the chamber had no specific ideas.
Such an important subject as Russian trade was
not touched at all.
Why should 1000 business leaders from thlrty-1lVe
countries meeting in the depths of the worlds worst
depression, be as lacking in courage and Intelligence
as their resolutions indicate?
President Hoover is to blame according to the
private view of various foreign delegates They say
he interviewed to have the American delegation pre-
vent frank resolutions on tariffs, debts repara-
tons, Russia and other subjects.
They cite the fact that julius Barnes head OF the
American chamber, attacked the tariff in his Atlantic
City speech ten days ago; but after seeing Hoover
he rather painfully recanted in his speech to the
international chamber.
They say that silas H Strawn, head of the Amer
lean delegation reversed his position regarding the
war debts resolution after visit to the White House
We do not doubt that Hoover was guilty OF po-
litical interference On the other hand we are sure
that European governments likewise brought pressure
on the European delegates.
But why these supposedly powerful and free bust
ness leaders of the world should act yes-men to
the White House and to the European governments
is not so easy to understand.
Our guess is that the Chambers of Commerce, ma
tional and international will not have much effect
on the world economic affairs until they are strong
enough to function without the dictation of partisan
governments.