Evening star., 1934-08-27
BUSINESS FINDS
VOICE IN LEAGUE
Political Significance Stress
Hides Economic Aim of
New Body.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.


sitive about the formation OF the
American Liberty League. He ought
not to be, Of course, because the
movement is aimed more at the ire
sponsible radicals than at him, and,
indeed, the league wants Mr.. Roose-
velt's cooperation.
But it is natural for the President
to be somewhat apprehensive. When
Jouett Shouse walked in to explain
the proposed league to Mr.. Roosevelt
it was difficult to forget that, little
more than two years ago Mr.. Shouse
and former Gov. Smith were the
spearheads of opposition to the
Roosevelt nomination.
Also, it doubtless hurt bit to have
an organization frankly announce
that it was to crusade for the Con-
Stitution when Mr.. Roosevelt is sworn
to uphold and defend the Constitu-
ton.
Many Things Happening.
But what the President may not
realize is that lots of things have
been happening since the whipper-
snapper type of public official began
kicking business men around and
since the breakdown" days of N.
r. A. began killing off businesses by
threatening removal Of Blue Eagles
and other punishments really not
provided for in the law or in the Con-
Stitution.
For nearly a year and half busi-
h TN1o nv of q h1Jc of
the hands of officials of high rank as
we'll as low And when Mr.. Roose-
velt went West and made common
cause with the La Follettes and then
delivered the Green Bay speech ac-
cusing all business of holding views
which have long been discarded by
most of them it was not surprising
that they should feel it was about
time for business to organize if for
no other reason than to get respect
full hearing.
Politics Held Overstressed.
The truth of the matter is that
the political side of the American
Liberty League has probably been
given too much emphasis, when, as
a matter of fact, the purpose of the
organization is to carry on a cam
paign of education in sound eco
nomics.
Mr.. Roosevelt's chiding remark that
the league was all right as far as
it went, but that it should think
of some of the other problems of
human society was, of course, only
another way of saying that the Pres
ident felt he had to be somewhat
radical in these days of chaos in the
world, but the answer to Mr.. Roose-
velt is that there are plenty of
blocs hereabouts agitating for all the
other constitutional rights and priv
ileges and lot more that are not
in the Constitution either.
Hence, the Liberty League doesn't
need to take in any more territory.
The American Federation of Labor is
looking out for the workingman and
the American Legion is looking out for
the veterans and the thousand and
one associations for this or that are
taking care of all the other legislative
demands know nto man.
More Jobs Wanted.
Business men, Of course, feel that
there will be more jobs for the un-
employed, more work for everybody,
higher wages and more revenue for
the small investor If we have sound
economic system than if we do not.
Business men also feel that the av-
erage man and woman will suffer
hardships if currency imitation de-
velopS out of unsound fiscal policies
and reckless spending.
The cost of living is going up and
wages are not rising fast enough to
keep pace. The answer that business
makes is that economic progress Is
being retarded by experiments that
are unsound and by restrictions that
are chiefly the fanaticism of So
cialiStic-minded persons and do not
constitute sound programs that will
bring recovery.
The American Liberty League is the
most significant uprising in the busi-
ness world which has come in our
times. 1t is not realignment of po-
litical parties, because the men high
in the Republican and Democratic
ranks who are in the movement to
not regard it as a political move.
Tactics Are Familiar.
The tactics are the same as those
used by blocs heretofore-an enlist
ment of persons in both parties and
effective campaigning for or against
candidates who happen to be in favor
nf
case may be.
Minority blocs have dominated ma
jority votes before. The Anti-Saloon
League was the first to use this
strategy. The repeal of prohibition
was brought about through exactly
the same process by the Association
Against the Prohibition Amendment.
If all the people voted in elections,
the power of minority blocs would
be reduced to a minimum. But a
bloc, if well financed and
intelligently directed, can sway pub
lie opinion in congressional districts
and defeat candidates or elect them,
according to the blocs demands.
The Liberty League has, as its
main purpose, the election of candi-
dates to Congress who shall, among
other things, oppose currency inf1a-
tion and unsound fiscal policies. Mr..
Roosevelt will be helped by such
campaign. In fact, it probably will
turn out that the American Liberty
League will aid in consolidating senti-
ment against those in Congress who
would force the President, if they
could, to an extreme left position.
Influence Can Be Strong.
And, if the league is successful in
millions of members, the
chances are its influence will be felt