Evening star., 1934-10-09
40 PCT. ANSWER
EDITORS SURVEY
Proportion Making Replies
in Canvass Surpris-
ingIy Large.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

BY DAVID LAWRENCE.
Experience with missionaries OF
all kinds shows that 20 per cent
response out of the total letters sent
is usually considered excellent, espe-
cially when a large list is canvaSSed.
So the way in which the IL 900 editors
of the country answered the circular
queries of the National Industrial
Conference Board Is really remarkable.
A 40 per cent response announced
by the conference board means that
even if the other 60 per cent had
answered. the probabilities are that
the differences of opinion expressed
reflected almost identically in the re-
mainder
Thus the Literary Digest polls have
proved that a substantial cross Sec
ton of the electorate is fair indica-
ton of the attitude of the whole,
Not Wholly Conservative.
For these reasons, the results of
the ballot among the editors as 70
the state of public opinion on concrete
aspects of the New Deal will attract
widespread attention.
The overwhelming vote against
further increases in the public debt,
against the spoilS system in govern
ment, against the fixing of farm prices
or against Government control OF
private business is by no means an
indication, however, that the country
favorS wholly the conservative point
of view. For along with these are to
be noted a favorable vote for the
establishment by Government of
minimum wages, as well as maximum
working hours and a compulsory
system of old-age pensions.
Each of the editors was asked to
reflect. so far. as he could, the public
opinion of his community and not his
own likes or dislikes, and it is signifi-
cant that in 80 per cent of the cases,
where more than one reply was re-
ceived from a particular locality, the
opinions were in agreement.
Editors, Of course, are in a sense
experts in judging public opinion, for
they are every day faced with the
problem of making publications that
will sustain the readers interest or
support. 1t may be argued. indeed,
that the replies to the QUESTIONABLE
constitute an opinion of what the in
telligent voters of the country want
in the way of legislation and that
the editors have not taken account
of the undercurrentS Of radicaliSm
which have recently been built up
almost entirely by demogoguery or
by appeals to class or personal preju-
dice.
Minority Rule Seen.
Thus in California, where virtually
none of the newspapers supported Up
ton Sinclair, he won by a wide mar
gin the Democratic nomination. The
only explanation thus far that has
seemed to cover such a situation is
that the masses of voters do not vote
and that alert and active minorities,
especially in this instance the unom-
ployed, shift from one party to the
other, depending upon the liberality
of the promises or pledges made to
give them aid
The QUESTIONABLE of the confer
ence board was answered by editors
throughout the Nation, who undoubt-
edly endeavored to reflect the intelli-
gent opinion of their communities
and not the selfish and unintelligent
opinion of groups which would destroy
the State and the whole economic
structure, just so long as they were
able to get certain privileges and bene-
fits.
Still, it is an impressive fact that
in a QUESTIONABLE which reached from
coast to coast and included news
papers of every political belief and
Weeklies as well as dailies, there
should be such decisive vote
against unsound economic and social
doctrines.
1t is to be noted that the percentage
of replies from the Democratic, Re-
publican and independent groups CO.
incided fairly well with the different
proportions of the total publications
in the country holding these respec-
tive labels
Since the total circulation Of all
the publications which sent in replies
amounted to close to 25,000,000, it
may be said that the QUESTIONABLE
covers comprehensively the state of
American public opinion today.
Reaction ON Unions Startling.
The reaction of the country to COM
pulSory membership in labor unions
is perhaps the most startling of all
the tabulated results. For the vote
was somewhat more than "a per cent
against and less than per cent in
favor of the proposal. Almost the
same vote came on the question of
whether public opinion favors CON
troll of the management OF private
business enterprises by Government
bureaus or officials" which produced
a 93.6 per cent negative and 5.3 per
cent Affirmative vote, with l per cent
doubtful.
Such decisive replies, however, were
not given when Government super
vision of banking or power companies
was the basis of the questions. In
these instances the replies show
minority of from 20 to IS per cent
favorable to and a majority of from
so to rs per cent opposed 10 Govern
ment taking over banking" or to
Government competition with power
companies. On the broad subject of
Government competition with business
or industry as a whole, the vote was
overwhelming against and 3.6
per cent in favor. This shows that
the principle is far more unpopular
than the concrete application to in
stances where abuses have occurred
and that public sentiment apparently
doesn't think Government manage
ment of industry and business by
bureaucracy under the New Deal is
any better solution of economic ills
than under the old deal.
Copyright 1934)
IIJNHC AHHEpTc kp0I 0HY