The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-10-03
BY DAVID LAWRENCE
(Copyright, 1891

approach he used which makes his
latest speech the most encouraging
to business and finance that he has
delivered since entering the White
House more than eighteen months ago.
Mr.. Roosevelt revealed that the
criticism which has been made Of
some Of his policies has struck home.
And, even II, all along, he has intend
ed, for example. to support the profit
system, the speech acts as o tonic
Of hope to those who previously had
seen no signs Of check to the spirit
Of reckless revolution rampant in
Washington.
The president was his true self, the
man who recognizes facts for what
they are, the man who sees that in
perennial conflict there Is no gain to
industrial or economic peace, the man
who realizes that the function Of gov
eminent Is to aid in an emergency, to
safeguard the public against abuses
and still to provide individual initia-
tive with the opportunity to earn .
fair profit.
There was, Of course. q little Of the
political, q little Of the language of
the stump, but this was Of negligible
importance alongside the broadguaged
recognition by the president of the
true role Of government In q nasio.:al
emergency.
Cites Root Quotation
Mr.. Roosevelt used the quotation
from Elihu Root-the archangel Of
conservatism-to prove to his opposi-
ton that emergency government Is
justified In theory as we'll as In prac-
tice. But the president has all along
miscalculated the proportion Of re-
dictionaries In the business world.
There are ten times more business
men who do not want to turn the clock
back than there are those who favor
or have favored a do-nothing or let-
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. policy.
Mr.. Roosevelt made the mistake at
Green Bay Of assuming that al busi-
ness men were opposed to the stand
ards Of conduct and ethics which he
has been so eloquently expounding.
For Mr.. Roosevelt has been unaware
Of the gains on this point he has made
with the business classes. He has, In
his latest utterance, spoken in tones
% friendly and SO appreciative Of the
practical side Of business with UNI
derstanding Of the friction and the
conflicts Of cur complicated econom-
ic mechanism-thath he will find bust
ness rally more and more to his side
as he adopts that style Of argument.
There Is, indeed, more to be gained
by moral suasion and the appeal for
cooperation that the president has
Just expressed than by breakdown
tactics or coercion or bludgeoning
with threats or epithets.
It Is regrettable, Of course. that the
president didn't make at Green Bay,
Wisconsin, last month the speech he
mode over the radio last Sunday
night. It would have saved time and
strengthened the morale Of the bust
ness world at q critical moment.
The significance Of Mr.. Roosevelt's
speech, however, Is that he did make
it and that he said enough to drive
away fears and apprehension Of state
Socialism. It will 60 down In the
history Of his public career as . turn
ing point. as an unequivocal declara-
ton Of American policy.
Not All Reactionaxies
Mr.. Roosevelt has by no means
come the whole distance. He cher
ishes still some unfortunate illusions.
One Is that all those who have rais-
ed the cry Of unconstitutionality are
merely "reactionary lawyers" or poll
ticians In the opposition. The presi-
dent would find, II he went down the
line In his own administration, that
there are some brain trust lawyers
who fear the decision Of the courts:
In feet, he would discover that the
NaA has had q studied policy Of try.
ing to avoid court tests as much Is
possible. This means that advant-
age Is being taken Of the fact that 1t
takes long time to get . decision on
constitutionality and, meanwhile,
abuses creep In and injustice Is done.
The presidents pledge that his adj
ministration viii seek to avoid per-
manent dole IS as important Is any
statement he has yet made on the
matter Of curbing government ex-
penditures. He couldn't resist the
IC1A0t6L4V41s VI VV04OSs w OSAO WS& VsAOO~
critics who have talked about lost
liberties" but, In the give-and-take
Of political battle. this is perhaps par
donable.
The vital thing is that, stripped Of
certain phrases which were doubtless
put there to hold the left wing in
line, and stripped Of certain other
phrases which might still make the
right wing nervous-such q the term
fair" profit. with its implications Of
government control Of profit-the
Roosevelt speech is an attempt to
reconcile conflict in our midst. It Is
. heroic effort to produce industrial
peace, to steer steady course in the
storm, to give hope to the discourage
ed and to unite . restless and uneasy
country behind leadership tolerant
of its critics and mindful Of the
fortnight points they have made. The
new deal is getting on.