Evening star., 1933-01-25
ENIGMA DEVELOPS
IN TECHNOCRACY
Definition of Principles OF
., New Movement Impossible
After Split.
By the Associated Press.

by lNe ASSOCidleu fItSS
NEW YORK. January 25.-"What IS
technocracy?" The answer to that
now famous question becomes even
more of an enigma with the revolt
which has developed in technocracy's
ranks
Four men have been generally recog-
nized as technocracy's thinkers: How
ara Scott, the director; Walter Rau-
tenatrauch, head of the Department of
Industrial Engineering at Columbia
University; Frederick Ackerman, archi-
tect and economist, and BasSett Jones,
electrical engineer and mathematician.
With the resignation of Rauten-
strauch, Ackerman and Jones, tech
nocracy as the specific description of
group of men thinking along similar
lines now is confined purely to Scott
and his adherents. The lines along
which they are thinking are: That the
price system (Which is any social sys-
tern that measures value in money! Is
outmoded and must collapse; that q
principal factor which will make it col
lapse is an overwhelming and ever
growing burden of debt and that an
othcr. and perhaps a major, factor IS
the advance of the machine which must
throw men out of work if the machines
production is sold at a proflt-that is,
produced and distributed for personal
gain rather than purely for use by the
whole society.
No Longer Technocrats.
A statement answering What is tech
nocracy?" from the viewpoint Of the
three former leaders in the group now
is impossible because they are no longer
technocrats Rautenstrauch and Jones,
however, have announced that re-
search along lines similar to the for
mer research will continue at Columbia.
What is that research attempting to
find out? First, it is attempting TO
rather voluminous and accurate data
As to the growth of industry in the
last 100 years; the effects Of the march
of the machine (such as, Will it pro-
ducc chronic and inevitable mass un-
emrloyment?'') and finally, the effect
Of Gebt.
A. a matter of research, both sides
of the arugment appear to be pretty
much in agreement. Each is seeking
the faccs about the machine, debt. un-
employment and production. AS to the
implicat ons 20 be drawn from those
, facts, there is disagreement, at least.
insofar as the public presentation Of
such implications are concerned. The
Rcutenstrauch-Jone group announced
1t would seek the facts, and that any
theories drawn from the facts would
BE- presented and argued in the most
approved ana scientific manner.
It is the implications of technocracy
y which have aroused most OF the argu-
men. The oft-repeated statements
that an American need work only four
hours day and four days a week; that
he need work only between the ages Of
equivalent of $4,000 a year under
more efficient system; that $4,000 900 to
$4,000, ,0C0 men could do all the Ma
tions work II the most efficient avail
able methods were used-all of these,
Scott says. are in the nature OF SYM
bcls to indicate the possibilities of re-
juvenating the Nation.
Scott has said. in personal converse
ton, that such figures cited to awake
the Nation to its failure to obtain what
1t might have. He has said that these
things are not easily or quickly obtain
able He added that they cannot be
obtained under this system.
Denies Responsibility.
His foes argued that he used and al
lowed the use of such figures to imply
that technocracy actually promises these
fulfllments. Scott pointed out that he
was not responsible for the implications
which others drew from official remarks
made by him or other technocrats. OPP
ponents Immediately replied that per-
mitting these ideals to be held out as
capable of immediate accomplishment
was unscientif1c and unfair.
As to the future of technocracy, q
AS to the future of democracy, a per-
son closely associated with the organiza-
ton believes it will continue He holds
Scott has mission which Scott himself
cannot define, but that he will fulfill that
mission eVen though uncognizant of his
basic purpose, which, in this friends
words, is Ito act as a cetalyst in de-
veloping powerful and effectiv thinking
and acton in the reformation of So
ciety" This friend said technocracys
stati-t tic9l errors are numerous, but that
those errors are of minor Importance.