Evening star., 1934-12-09
Member Of the Associated Press.
The Individual Remains.

The Individual Remains.
Secretary Wallace of the Depart
ment of Agriculture, speaking before
the World Alliance for International
Fellowship Through the Churches, in
New York, called upon the rich people
Of this country to produce some plan
looking to more equal division Of
wealth. He said that in 1929 the
$4,000 families In the United States
with the greatest incomes received as
much as did the II 100000 families with
the least incomes. He admitted that
many Of these wealthy families have
lost money in the depression of the
past four years, but insisted that most
of them still have far more than they
can possibly use. ''The measure of
their service to society,"" he said, sis
the skill with which they use their
surplus above personal consumptive
needs" 1t is his contention that the
men of these wealthy families control
or influence the decisions of all the
great corporations of the land, that
employ vast numbers of persons, and
his criticism is that they have never
united on a question of broad-gauged
social policy. They have, on the other
hand, united almost unanimously to
oppose proposals brought forward by
agriculture or labor.
Secretary Wallace would be quick
TO admit that not all proposals brought
forward by agriculture and labor are
necessarily sound. On the other hand,
many of the proposals advanced by
these two great groups have been
beneficial and many OF them have
been adopted and put into effect. de-
spite the opposition of the class upon
which Mr.. Wallace is now calling for
q broader view. Some of the pro-
posals to aid agriculture are in the
experimental stage now and some of
them, supported by Mr.. Wallace have
been under heavy fire. The proof
Of the pudding is in the eating. The
Secretary of Agriculture should not
be too greatly aroused If there Is
reluctance on the part Of many people
In this country to abandon principles
which have carried the Nation to
great peaks of prosperity and happi-
ness in the past.
The American system has made
many persons wealthy. At the same
time it has provided a higher living
standard for the men who work on
farm and in factory than has been
found in any other nation of the
world. For four years the times have
been out of joint. The living stand
ards of the workers have been lowered
because of loss of jobs and loss of pay.
Too great concentration Of wealth in
the hands of the few, as Mr.. Wallace
contends, is not in the interests of the
whole people. His argument that
means must be found for greater
distribution of wealth will have many
supporters. A concentration of too
great power in the central government
to deal with all the activities and
aspirations of the people, however,
would be as unfortunate for a people
that loves its freedom as too great
concentration of wealth.
Mr.. Wallace charged that the
wealthy have produced nothing more
profound than catch phrases which
demand return to the gold standard
and a balanced budget. A balanced
budget Is not something at which to
sneer, whether 1t Is demanded by
man of wealth or another of less
wealth. If Mr. Waliace's point of
view is to be accepted, the day of
individual effort is past and must be
succeeded by the day of cooperation.
There still, however, remains the in
dividual. To eradicate the instinct
Of the individual to make money for
himself would require surgeon more
skillfuI than Mr.. Wallace. And yet
there IS much in what the Secretary
Of Agriculture has suggested, that
there must be greater willingness to
share this wealth with others. 1t
has been said in the past that Amer
leans go from shirt sleeves to shirt
sleeves in three generations. Certainly
many American families have had
their ups and downs, and will doubt
less continue to do SO. Finding a
dead level for them, an economic pat
{av,, mill ho M oocv fock