Evening star., 1934-08-24
.L|DERTYLEAGUE !
BUSINESS GUARD
New Organization viii Di-
rect First Efforts to
Eliminate Abuses.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


ment Just announced as the American
Liberty League. 1t is a movement to
repel the advances OF dangerous ex-
Fermentation. 1t is non-partisan in
the sense that it win support Demo-
Gratis or Republicans VINO are willing
to respect the Constitution and the
rights of the citizen. 1t will oppose
those who want to disregard such
rights.
In some respects. the movement Is
the most significant since the Roose-
For it means the beginning of con-
stitutional bloc in America, those who
will rally against all efforts by cir
convention or subterfuge to emascu-
late the Constitution.
There have been farm blocs and
labor blocs and veterans blocs, but
this is the first time the constitutional
bloc has shown itself.
Prominent Men Join Move.
Business men, as well as men prom
inent in public life, have identified
themselves with the movement ire
spective of party. 1t is mistake TO
assume that the idea is merely to OPP
pose the new deal or to set up hostil-
ity to the President
On the contrary, it Is intended to
fight the forces that have been en-
deavoring to sway Mr. Roosevelt to
an extreme left position The Pres
ident probably will derive certain ad-
vantages from the battle. For one
thing, any drive to balance the bud
get and produce public sentiment in
favor of a better fiscal situation will
be helpful to Mr.. Roosevelt as against
the onslaughtS of the infiationiSts or
those who would follow such a radical
program as that outlined by Senator
La Toilette of Wisconsin.
The leaders in the American Liberty
League laid their plans before the
President in advance. They assured
him of their desire to uphold certain
PRINCIPLES. The President is reported
to have expressed himself as favoTins
the expression by the group In ques-
ton of its views, especially with the
idea of helping produce q satisfactory
sentiment behind budget balancing.
It will, Of course, be noted that men
like John W. Davis and Alfred Z.
Smith, on the one hand, and James
WadSworth and Nathan Miller OF New
York, coming, as they do. from the
conservative wings of the Democratic
and Republican parties, would not
become a part of q Nationwide move
ment unless they believed something
vital was at stake in American history.
But, apart from these men, who
have been in the political lmelight.
are men who have achieved success
in business, men who have large re-
sponSihilities 10 stockholders and
bondholders and who have been cay
ing that they could not make plans
or commitments unless the sancttty
CT contracts were to be observed and
unless there could be some definite
knowledge Of whether property rights
were to be respected or destroyed.
A. r. Of L. May BE Ally.
II would not be surprising n
firm ally Of the American Liberty
League would be found in the Amer
ican Federation of Labor.
That organization. apart from con-
troversies over wages or working rules,
has always taken the position that
sound business conditions must pre-
vail If there Is to be continued en-
ployment. The federation has, In re-
cent years, therefore. joined In the
effort to revise antitrust laws
AS q matter of fact the American
Liberty League is somewhat the out
growth of an idea first sponsored two
years ago by E. F. Hutton Of New
York who believed that business men
should be organized into federation
Just as Is labor or any other group.
While it is often said that business
is organized, the truth Is 1t isn't.
There are many trade associations,
but there is no single federation which
embraces all business organizations.
or which attempts to develop a voting
strength as does the American Legion
or the American Federation of Labor.
The American Liberty League may
not at this time intend TO organize
in every State and congressional dis
trict, but in the end, 1t will find that
the only language the politicians un-
derStand is votes, and that II business
wants a voice in Government, it must
talk the language of voting power.
Hearing Sought for Business.
For the moment, the American Lib
erty League is confining itself to
the idea of obtaining a respectful
HooriVr fnr htT<innSx T1VVyfv1y the Ia xt
year and half business has been
abused almost daily.
"All lines of business activity"
said Mr.. Hutton today. ARE now
thought of in terms of questioned
honesty. BY the acts of few, business
as a whole has been condemned.
The responsibility for the acts Of Q
few should not be placed upon Sthe
vast majority who are Of unquesticnedi |
honesty.
Business as whole has been in
articulate. l sincerely hope that from
time to time we can hear the voice
of the business man with constitute
tive suggestions. All we want is
proper legislation that does not In
terfere with honest endeavors in re-
spect to the activities of business. ANY
legislation which interferes with the
activities of industry naturally stops
the employment of labor Business
wants to proceed. There must be CO.
operation between business and Gov
ernment. We hope the American
Liberty League will assist in getting
us the hearing we deserve"