Evening star., 1933-02-10
BY WILLIAM FIELDING OGBURN,
Research Director Presidents Committee or
Recent Social Trends.

lens facing America.
BY WILLIAM FIELDING OGBURN,
Research Director, Presidents Committee on
Recent Social Trends.
written for the Associated Press)
The next battle-ground will not be on
the Marne or in the Philippines. The
great issues of the future-greater In
significance than the wars of nations
will be fought out between the forces of
government and the forces OF private
industry.
No blood is likely to be split, how
ever, for the further away from pow
erty we get, the less Is the danger OF
revolution, bloody or otherwise. The
weapons will be of the type Of the ballot
box and printed page, television and
talking books; the methods those OF the
advertiser and the lobbyist.
The probability is that many OF the
struggles will be very bitter. Our lesson
from the past points this way.
New Issues Complex.
Not all of the issues will be like those
OF Muscle Shoals or the regulation OF
the railroads. The issues will not be SO
simple as line between public and
private interests.
Public interests and private interests
are often the same, as in the Govern
ment's relation to currency. regu-
lated flow of credit is to the interest OF
both. Government can help In the
eradication of depressions.
The setting which Karl Marx or our
own progresSiveS gave to these issues
Is changing. This is particularly true
of the idea of property.
In agricultural times property meant
ownership of a farm, daily management
Of it and the enjoyment of its fruits
amid the sentiment of home life. Prop
erty today means shares Of stock and
dividends, but not management.
Technology Holds Hope.
So also, today, appropriation of some
body else's wealth or governmental
ownership are not the only ways OF
raising the standard of living. Tech
nology and management hold out new
hopes A high standard of living IN
the future would change the picture
The relationships Of government and
business are more complex now. The
problem is one of continuous series
of adjustments. Communism and
Fascism are not the only alternatives
Some of the factors involved are the
public utility idea, regulation, cooper
alton, elimination of profits, price hx-
ing. dictatorship, balance of powers
social services, taxation, grants in aid
etc. These can obviously be combined
in various ways in different fields at
different times.
Old Institutions Wane-
That this is the arena for the great
est issues before our Nation can be
said with assurance. In earlier times
the two great institutions, the family
and church, dominated the activities
of mankind. Wages, profits, produc-
ton. consumption were under the
family.
The church was part of the State,
dominated international relations, fos-
tered education, sponsored art and
often practiced healing.
But as these two institutions de-
clined in influence, two others-the
government and industry-grew in
power and controlled more and more
of mans behavior.
Before the World War the question
was "can government and industry
each so its own way alone?"
That question has been abandoned
The question of the future is, what will
the relationship be-?
TOMORROW: Good Government
Hoto To Get It?" The role of gouern-
ment, 1Uhether pe like it or not, has
been groWing through hard times and
good It's service for the citizens OF
our democracy are many and Ddried
1t not only protects us Uith armies and
police, but it gtues US education, rec
redtton and at times houses and feeds
US. Hot0 efficiently the Government
runs its business is OF immense impor-
tance not only to the taxpayer, but to
Everyone. and Prof. Ogburn discusses
! this problem in his nert article
fCOpyripht Ig331