Evening star., 1934-02-23
INITIATIVE SAFE,
G. ". CLASS TOLD.
Dr.. MouIton Discusses Fed.
eraI Supervision, as IFS
Are Graduated.

Development of the individual initi-
ative need not be arrested by the in
creased governmental supervision that
marks the current treno in organized
society. DR.. Harold Glenn Moulton.
president Of Brookings Institution, de-
clared in the commencement address
at the Winter convocation Of George
Washington University last night in
Constitution Hall.
Following his address, DR.. Moulton
was awarded the honorary degree of
doctor of laws by George Washington
University through its president, Dr.
Floyd Heck Marvin. The convocation
marked the graduation of ITS students
OF the university.
DR.. Moulton traced the development
OF organized society from the age Of
feudalism, on through its disintegra-
tion IN the fifteenth and sixteenth
centuries to the establishment of the
so-called "mercantilist system" which
aourlshed in the eighteenth century.
Between 1859 and 1850, DR.. Mouton
reviewed. new changes occurred under
which man looked to the individual
citizen rather than to the Government
as the true source of power"
Strides in Science.
The idea came to prevail" he de-
clared, that, II the individual we're
free to develop his own potentialities
in fullest measure, the Nation, which
consists of individuals, would, in like
measure, become afflucnt and power.
full"
Under this individual system great
strides were made in the fields of
science in the discovery of many of
the laws Of nature. These laws in
turn exerted great influence on man
by inspiring realization that human
beings were likely to be subject to nat
ural laws just as other creations in
nature were subject. This philosophy,
Dr.. Moulton said. led to repeal of in
Vulnerable laws restricting individual
freedom and initiative, and industry
and trade were relieved of multitude
of hampering regulations. These
changes led to establishment of a
science of society,""
After his review on changes which
brought about the system which
recognized the individual as the most
important factor in society, DR.. Moul-
ton cited the swing back to the Gov
eminent as directing force in eco
nomic activity-the current trend.
The reasons for this swing, he said,
are first: The extraordinary economic
power which that system in its flower
ing days placed in the hands of the
relatively few; second, "the failure
of an economic system which operates
in response to the decisions of indi-
vidual business men in quest of profits
to afford continuous employment
either to labor or to capital" and
third. international complications"
Effects Ultimate Test.
Commenting upon the new system,
Dr.. Moulton said:
The ultimate test of any system Of
economics and government is its effect
upon the lives Of individuals. Will 1t
in the long run generate and strength
en- those creative qualities upon which
the individual and social progress de-
pend, and will the results of progress
find the widest possible dissemination
among the masses of mankind?"
Specific fear that the present trend
will "paralyze" individual initiative,
DR.. Moulton said, is not necessarily
we'll founded.
1T does not seem to me- he said,
that the development of the indi-
vidual need necessarily be arrested.
1t is, I believe. possible to extend
greatly the field of Government super
vision-over industrial codes, for ex-
ample-without destroying the neces-
sary incentives to progress. It is pos
sible to place competition on a new
plane without abolishing it. We may
establish new boundaries within which
private initiative shall operate by es-
tablishing on the one hand minimum
standards to which all members of a
trade must conform, and, on the
other, by preventing the extremes
which have so often characterized the
system Of unrestricted private initia-
tive. 1t is gratifying to observe that
in connection with the comprehensive
pan in which our own Government
has recently been interested this fun
damental consideration has not been
ignored"
In comforting the honorary degree
OF doctor Of laws on DR.. Moulton, DR..
Marvin cited him as director and
friend OF economic research, counsellor
to officers Of state, scholar of high
intellectual purpose, ever alert to
strive for the fulfillment of the social
need that the Nation might be rich"
Invocation and Dexrees.
The exercises were opened by the
invocation of Rev. Paul Sperry.
In his own address to the univer-
sity's graduates, DR.. Marvin declared
that change is normal and that the
past is always a part of the present,
that the seasoned and tried beams
of yesterdays social structure will bear
the burdens Of today's, even with cer-
tain new extensions and embellish-