The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1933-02-27
REFORM FOES
SICK DOCTORS,
SENATORS TOLD
Industrial Leaders Living
by TranSfuSionS From
Patients Is Claim.
Continued from Page One

robbed by trustees with little risk
that any big thief Will be sent to jail.
You have been deluged with the
advice Of those who have helped to
develop, and who have profited
hugely out of a political economic
system so viciously unjust as to be
destructive.
Although the conspicuous money
makers who presume to advise you
have proved their ability to make
themselves wealthy. it is far more
important for this committee to re-
alize that they have also proved
their ability to make millions of
people very poor. When they are
credited with paying large divi-
| dendS occasionally, they should be
debited with paying low wages reg
ularly.
Alibis Over production
"The architects of our monu-
mental skyscrapers are also the
builders of our Shiny slums. The
profits that are frozen in marble and
bronze were squeezed out of human
beings who labored and suffered and
made forced sacrifices of health and
comfort and happiness in order that
wealth might be accumulated in a
few hands.
The testimony of those who have
become trustees of the national
wealth, and trustees of the general
welfare, by exercising their acquisi-
tive powers, should be weighed, not
by the evidence of their success in
self-service, but by the proof of
their failure in public trusteeShip.
The excuse offered for this fail
ure is both uninteresting and I'M
true. Along with all our other trou-
bles we have an production of
ahbis; and the alibis of our Debated
big business men have become
nauseating to the American people.
/, Ignorant or Stupid
Either these big business men
do not know what to do, or they
won't do it. In either event they
should be denied the power which
they are unable or unworthy to
control. That should be the object
of any effective legislation.
Il submit that every conspicuous
leader of affairs who has appeared
before this committee and who has
attempted to justify the continu-
ance of the present political
economic system unchanged, with
it's present control unreformed
either is too ignorant of facts, too
stupid il comprehension, Or too
viciously selfish in his short
sighted philosophy to be worthy
of any attention in this time of
bitter need for honest. intelligent
and spirited planning for the
rehabilitation of our crumbling
civilization.
The present system of print
tive capitalism" he said, will not
serve present-day leeds, and Marx
ian socialism is not the logical or
probable successor.
Day for Greed Gene
But it should be apparent that
we have reached stage in the de-
velopment of human affairs where
it has become intolerable to have
our primitive capitalistic system
operated by selfish individualiSts en-
gagged in ruthless competition" he
said.
I'VE no longer can permit the
great public services, upon which
we all depend for the necessities
and ordinary comforts of life, to be
operated for the primary purpose of
satisfying individual ambition or
greed"
Richberg suggested the plan of a
reconstructed individuaist," who
knows that the production and dis
tributiOn Of the necessities and COM
mon comforts of life must be
planned and regulated so that a
certain minimum standard of living
can be obtained by all"
Program Is Proposed
The reconstructed individualist,"
he said, has learned that gambling
and profiteering in these COM
modities and services have become
crimes against his fellow men; and
that, if he seeks to make a living
or to acquire wealth out of such
operations, he is a public enemy
who deserves the same restraint
and punishment as that meted out
to embezzlers, forgers and counter
feiters"
Richberg proposed control of pro-
duction through a government
Of industries, set up with rep
resentation for managers, investors
and workers with the public inter-
est safeguarded.
A corporation tax should be adj
justed to absorb excessive earnings
on investment, he said.
He proposed direct relief, a system
Of credit to stimulate purchasing
power, and a national planning