Evening star., 1932-01-13
us .S.DESPOT|SM HIT
BY CAPITAL EDITOR
Thorpe Warns Auto Leaders.
Growing Bureaucracy
Is Menace.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, January 13.-Merle
Thorpe, editor of Nations Business,
last night told the National Automobile
Chamber of Commerce that America
may not be ION the road to Moscow" "
but that the freedom of every citizen
is being assailed by the new deSpotlsm
that plaques every democracy-'the
despotism of Government"
And" said Thorpe, Il will venture
TO predict that if governmental bureauc-
racy embarks on direct Federal aid for
the unemployed we shall not see better
times for a period Of years. and then
only after political revolution, or
worse"
His speech was at the annual banquet
of the automobile group at the Com
modore Hotel There were more than
1900 motor executives present, most of
them happy because largely increased
attendance at the 1892 auto show, now
in progress at Grand Central Palace,
seemed to augur better times.
Warns Against New Tax.
Just before he spoke, Alyan Mac
Auley, president of the group had
struck what he called a serious note"
warning the automobile men they must
fight a proposed Federal tax Of 5 per
cent on the wholesale price OF auto
mobiles.
1T is a most iniquitous tax" said
Macauley land there is just one thing
that can stop it. Every man here must
constitute himself a committee Of one
to bring the pressure of facts, fairness
and eXpediency upon every member OF
Congress"
Thorpe took his first cue from the
Macauley address, asserting the rev.
enueS proposed to be raised by the
motor sales tax would be covered by
the more than 5000 100000" that
would be saved if the Federal Govern
ment adopted stringent economy meas
ures.
He assailed governmental paternal-
ism. THE great Federal Government
now tells us what to eat, what to wear.
how to build and furnish our homes"
he said.
Foresees Real Danger"
'"The business man." he asserted. "is
falling progressively under political
administration. And it is a real
danger"
rs there a railroad president in the
Middle West who will dare to criticize
the Government when he knows there
are 10000, 900 bushels Of wheat in st.
Paul that must be moved-on rail-
roads-Some time, somewhere?"
Tonight's dinner was the principal
social event of the auto show, at which
gate receipts for the first three days
have showed a 40 per cent rise over
last year.
Numerous trade groups which as
sembled for luncheons, special meetings
and other functions, riveted attention
on the nations problems.
Export managers of the Automobile
Chamber of Commerce adopted reso-
luton calling for reciprocal tariff
revision by all nations to help restore
employment and bring back domestic
prosperity.
The resolution asserted that such
action would provide foreign n2tions
with money to pay for American goods
and lead to an automatic reduction in
consumer prices without jeopardizing
producers profits or rewards to labor.
Specific recommendations will be made
tomorrow.
Cord Scores Lobbyist.
L. Cord, president of the Auburn
Automobile Co, told 800 of his Eastern
distributors and dealers that IAN orgy
of spending has extended into every
department of government" and that
ito avoid a national crisis governmental
expenses must be reduced at once.
And I don't mean by 10 per cent"
he added "Governmental expenses
can and must be cut by so per cent"
Cord said he did not believe govern
mental extravaganza and high taxes
are caused 80 much by corrupt public
officials as by highly organized, clam
oring minorities."
Lobbying" he said, 'tin Washington
and other legislative centers, has be-
come q studious art and those organi-
Eations which exert the most pressure
obtain first recognition"