Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1933-07-06
GETTING DOWN TO
YOUTH LOOKS AT LIFE
(By Tom Noodle

magazine Oh controversy, WHO
frankly declares its opinion that
can best serve the public in this er
of confused council by giving con
WINGED opinion its day in court. L
the article, The Social Revolution
Edward G. Aswell, a young mar
looks at his world. lie finds tina
ever since the stock market crasl
which foretold the end of a falls,
prosperity and the end of the socia
doctrine of laissez fare, might,
forces have been Mt work shifting
the bases of our social and econom-
ic order.
He sees a future already begin.
ming to assume form on the ruins
of the past, a future indicating
new departure In human affairs. Hi
tells lis we are witnessing another
great, historic, bloodless revolution
So he dramatiZes the stirring events,
elimaxes and super climaxes in the
social and economic fields of this
day. He does not believe the coun-
Try will take the road to Moscow.
Walter Iippman is quoted as de-
claring the country has become con-
WINGED that Il very considerable mea-
sure Of social control yer eompet-
tive, individualistie, speculative &C.
onomic enterprise is necessary and
desirable. This conclusion Is agreee
10. 1t is then pointed ~. that mere
are only two institutions which can
express in any degree effective the
social conscience of Mankind. One
is the church, the other is the state.
The state. declares the author. can
much to check the ruthless ac-
quisitiye instincts of individuals
but it cannot remake an economic
system. That job is upto the state,
which, in the past, confined its ac-
wtivities of a restrictive nature to tbs
utilities the banks, the railroads and
what have you. The state was al
ways accused Of meddling.
Meantime private business hans
broken down. At least it has fallen
from the estate it occupied October
/, 1929, and fallen quite far. Per-
haps T.. 900, 900 men are out of
work. The depression has taught
the lesson that all business is, In a
very real sense, affected with a
public interest Mr.. Aswell's final
conclusions are most interesting. The
Herald gives them In full as he states
them. for they are thought-proyok-
ing in the extreme. He believes that
some of the reforms that will come
from the social revolution may be
set down as follows.
A fairly stable economic order,
with consumption geared TO produce
ton and the vicious curves of the
business cycle flattened out.
A large measure of national plan
An end to speculation.
A reduction in the hours OF labor
normally constitute a days
work.
A more leisurely. UNMARRIED and
lnhurried way Of life.
A new dignity for all kinds of
honest labor, whatever its nature.
High income taxes in the upper
brackets, and confiscatory taxes on
nheritances and excess profits.
Social condemnation of great for
unes.
A reservation Of the middle class
o its ofd position as the bulWark
# the nations integrity.
The extinction Of the late prevail
ng social compulsions which made
t seem necessary to keep up with
he Joneses.
A realization that debt, however
.cquired, and for whatever purpose,
3 dangerous.
A great improvement in the quail
ty and personnel of the government
Ase the rewards Of business
less tempting fewer prom
sing young men will become stock
brokers' and corporation lawyers,
md more of them will enter public
lie.
Similar gains for education, for
he arts and for these sciences which
will also become more attractive to
-oung men as business becomes less
o.
Last but not least, the cynical at
itudes Of business, with its tenu-
ncy to Identify virtue with success
md its custom of justifying amy
'ractice, however shady, SO long as
} pays, will cease to color the phil
of the American people.
Recently saysAswell, Il have
card several older men speak sadly
I the days that are gone and be-
1oan the changed in the world In
fhlch their ons will have to make
heir uncertain way. Not so the sons,
he men Of my generation. We re-
lie that the future will offer us
ass opportunity for quick wealth,
adventure Of d speculative kind
han our fathers knew. Ours will be
pportunity and adventure Of a diff
erent order. Just the other evening
was discussing this whole question
+ the social revolution with one Of
ny college classmates, who was in
Vail Street before the crash and In
he thick Of the competitive srug-
lie. He summed up the feelings OF
of us when hes aid: "What q
elief to feel that / no longer have
0 Justify my existence by getting
ich |"