The Washington times., 1933-05-03
SELF CONTROL,
PROGRAM Of
CHAMBER
". S. Body Hints Substitute
For Black Bill; Leader
/. Voices Optimism

Working in cooperation with
President Roosevelt, leaders Of the
United States Chamber of Com
merce today are formulating a
plan to get the Government out
OF business, and to place business
In control Of its own affairs.
This was brought forcibly to
the front today in an address by
Gerard Swope, president Of the
General Electric Company.
The idea, gathered from Swope's
remarks and from businessmen at
tending the sessions, is to have
the Government supervise rather
than interfere with business.
Point Finely Drawn
The point is finely drawn, but
distinctly discernible to members
OF trade associations who want to
substitute a new measure to take
the place Of the Black 30-hour bill.
Swope, advising industry to
keep ahead Of public opinion, and
thus foreStall adverse legislation,
said:
"The only security for build
Ing permanently for the future
is by having industry as a
whole build up strong auto
nOmOus self-Tegulating organize
tiOn."
Former Mayor Joseph v. NC
Kee, Of New York, addressed q
luncheon meeting at the new
Willard Hotel, talking on the
task Of municipal and State
governments.
Depression Analysed
Henry I. Hartman, president of
the United States Chamber of
Commerce, today sounded a note
Of optimism in his address.
In an analysis of the cause
and effect Of the depression, Mr..
Hartman said:
II feel that the Nation is
moving forward to a sounder
and better social and economic
right, and that so years from
now the historian who reviews
Che events Of this tumuItuOus
decade will say that we have
passed safely, and on the whole
wisely, through EeriOd of
great industrial and economic
change"
Mr.. Hartman gave as his iudg-
ment that there is no such
thing in this country as a gen.
eral overproduction.
Backed by Figures
This statement, contrary to what
many people believe, was backed
up with the following statistics:
Certainly, with so per cent
OF our population living in in
adequate homes, with so per-
cent living without gas and
electric lights, with 40 per
cent having no bathrooms in
their houses, we must admit
that there are many human
wants in our own country that
should be satisfied"
He admitted that while there
was no general overproduction,
there has been overproduction in
particular lines, but he saw this
remedied by some of the meas
ureS now being advocated at the
White House.
For Better Banking
Advocating a better banking
system for the country. Mr..
Hartman limited that eventually
all classes of common carrier
transportation must come under
public regulation. This was con-
sidered to be a slap at the buses
engaged in competition with the
railroads.
While confeSsing to a fear of
initiation, because Of the difficulty
OF keeping control of it, Mr., Har-
riman said he recognized the need
OF higher prices and believed these
could be brought about through
the medium of the minimum
wage, minimum prices for basic
commodities, an elastic control of
the hours Of labor. He said:
Much will be done to raise
! the price level and restore the
prosperity of the country by
trade conferences in which bust
ness and labor Participate"