The Washington times., 1932-12-19
'TECHNOCRACY'
RISES AS NEW
!. DOCTRINE

v -
NEW YORK, Dec. 19 UN.So.
Formal explanation of the worlds
newest governmental idea, tech
nocracy, which has aroused a
hurricane of controversy in recent
weeks, will be made next week
at the annual mid-winter meeting
of the American Association for
the Advancement of Science in
Atlantic City.
This first formal presentation
of the theory to the association,
which has the largest scientific
membership of any in the world,
will be made by Prof. Walter
Hautenstraugh, of Columbia Uni
versity, he said today from his
New Jersey home.
One of 350 Members
Prof. Hautenstraugh, Of the
university'S industrial engineer
ing department, is one Of the
$50 eminent men of the world
who now call themselves "techno
crats," after completing a series
of industrial studies, chiefly III
this country.
The word "technocrat" is used
in the same sense that Demo
crat" uses the word 10 signify
he believes in the principles OF
democracy, or "monarchlst"
uses his term to denote his be-
lief in a monarchial form of
government.
The technocrats say technoc-
racy has developed over the past
100 years, and particularly in
the last 80 years, until now it
stands as a series of imr1utable
facts which will force mankind,
but chiefly American and Europe,
to scrap all Democratic, mon
archist, and dictatorial forms OF
government.
They claim further that this
scrapping of democracy must be-
gin in this country within the
next 18 months to five years.
Their Fundamental Tenet
Among the fundamental tenets
of the technocrats is the conten-
ton that the 'prica system" OF
distributing or producing COM
modities must end, not for any
temporary period, but forever
because machine and power pro-
duction has reached such a pitch
that a minor fraction Of avail
able man power in any mecha-
nized country can over-Supply all
normal commodity wants.
Out Of their 12-year study of
conditions in this. country the
technocrats have emerged with
data to support these conten-
tionS:
THAT the terrific rush of
fnechanizatiOn of our CiviliZa-
tion and the vast increased
energy output rate per man on
this continent IAN increase of
S,766,OOO times in the -Iast 80
years.. has plunged the entire
continent into the closing days
of an era.
THAT we now have no room
for so per cent of Our14 100000
unemployed even if our fac
tories were operating at 1929
peak production.
THAT at the present down.
ward rate we will have G5.OOO,-
900 unemployed by 1884, with
out taking into account any
acceleratiOn from disorder"
4.HOUR-DAY, 4.DAY-WEEK
The above three paragraphs
are direct quotations from the
second article on technocracy,
published in the current issue of
the new outlook, edited by for
mer Gov. Alfred e. Smith.
The technocrats estimate, from
studies Of plant and power re-
sources in this country, that
available workmen' in this coun-
try. employed four hours a day
four days a week, could supply
every normal want Of the popu-
Iation.
They seek to show that under
the present price system" how
ever, this prosperity and comfort
is withheld from the great ma
jority because Of the salary sys-
tenn of unemployment and the
competitive methods of commodity
distribution.
They claim most articles, such
as razor blades, automobiles,
shoes and clothing. are deliber-
ately made of shoddy stuff and
poor materials so that more of
these articles may be sold and
the constant demand" be kept
up to a level where dividends
can be paid.
They claim that with present
scientific knowledge applied seri-
ously shoes could be made to
wear two to three years: clothes
for five or six years: automobiles
for 10 years. and razor blades
for a lifetime.
RirneU Center PL1U