The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-05-03
RELIGIOUS POLL
URGES RADICAL
U. S. CHANGES
ChurChmen Vote for Move
to Left; Business Takes
Opposite View.
BY RUTH FINNEY
Times Special Writer


WASHINGTON, May 3.-The ad-
ministration had before it today a
demand from churchmen that il
move drastically toward the left.
Business, gathered here for the
annual session Of the United States
Chamber of Commerce. urged just as
strongly that the drift be toward
the right.
Twelve religious groups have just
completed poll of Protestant
ministers and Jewish Rabbis on
economic questions. Eighty-eigh
per cent of those responding believe
the United States should turn from
rugged individualism TO establish
ment Of . cooperative common
wealth"
To accomplish this a bare ma
lOrity, 81 per cent, would utilize
'drastically reformed capitalism. -
Another % per cent prefer Social
ism, and a large number of those
in the first group volunteer a lean
ing toward Socialism if the Roose-
welt program should fail to accom-
plish drastic reform.
Fascism Turned Down
Fascism received the smallest
number of votes-11l, though the
italian rather than the German
brand was mentioned on the ballot.
Communism had 1913 supporters. Of
the 1895 unable to classify their
preference according to the listed
alternatives, a majority described an
economic system tending toward So
cialsm.
Religious leaders of the future
are even more decided in their pref
erence for Socialism, a poll of semi
nary students showed. Ninety-f1ve
per cent of them voted for a CO.
operative commonwealth; 40 per cent
OF these voted to achieve it by So
cialism.
In the answers to five other
economic questions asked in the poll.
the trend among churchmen toward
greater governmental control over
wealth was equally pronounced.
They were asked if they favor the
drastic limitation. through taxes, of
the amount of wealth that an in
dlvldual may inherit. They answered
that they do. 1857 to 1854.
$4,000 Called Enough
On limitation, through income
taxes, of the annual income that
may be legally retained by an in
divldual they were almost as deter
mined. Several of them declared
that $4,000 is enough for any fam
lily to have in a year and a few
placed the limit at $4,000.
Each child born into the world
should have, nearly as possible, an
equal start, economically at least. +"
wrote one Presbyterian preacher. A
Methodist added: Inheritance of
large wealth perhaps carries with
1t more power than the old theory
of divine right of kings"
On government ownership and
operation of banks, the churchmen
were more hesitant. A majority of
them, 1920, voted for private own
ership, many calling for stricter
government supervision. Another
1914 were for government owner
ship, and $500 we're in doubt.
To bring about a more equal dis
tribution of the proceeds of indus
try, 1904 recommended national
unions of workers, 2,567 were for
company unions or none at all, and
SIP were uncertain.
Favor JObIess Insurance
Benevolent paternalism will not
solve a national problem" a Presby-
terrain who favored national unions
wrote. An EpiScopalian says Yes.
although I am aware of the limi-
tations of the American Federation
of Labor. A new organization
probably is necessary"
On the question of unemployment
insurance. the decisive majority
favoring it and the president of the
Chamber of Commerce, Henry I.
Hartman, were, for the first time,
almost in accord.
The churchmen voted 1928 to
26l7 for compulsory insurance
under government administration
Mr.. Hartman called for creation of
unemployment reserves under MIRA
codes Ito avoid the inequitable con-
ditions that arise when one state
acts and another does not"
Mr.. Harriman's general economic
program, however, as laid before the
chamber. was very far from that of
the churches. Urging that the
major functions of NRA and AAA
be continued. he added this does
not mean a regime of bureaucratic
control. but rather a regime of
orderly economic freedom in which
the industries themselves play their
responsible part"
In contrast to the church vote on
distribution of wealth through taxa
ton, Mr.. Hartman declared that
only 1900, 100000 of an s85 900,
100000 national income represented
return on capital in 1929, while S52,-
600 900 900 went to wage earnerS
S12.000000.00 to agriculture. and
S10,000000 to professional men.
Other chamber speakers called for
less government economic control.