The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-12-12

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Conservative Die. Hard Speaks
Insight into tho attitude Of Amer.
lean business leaders toward various
reforms which are being proposed BY
labor and other elements was given
by Alfred p. Sloan, IT., president o.
the General Motors Corporation. IL
an address Tuesday night before thu
Illinois Manufacturers association.
Mr.. Sloan, unquestionably, is one
Of the major prophets Of big bust.
ness. Were he to concede the desir.
ability or necessity Of the 30-houl
week or any similar change 1t would
mean the fall of a major battlement
in the fort Of conservatism. Unlike
Owen d. Young and some other bus.
mess greats, Sloan has never adopt.
ed any social advancement theories
although he speaks about them glibly
in his speech.
Thus it is not surprising that hi.
formula for prosperity Is lower prices
lower wages and longer working
hours. This Is 50 much at variance
both with general current thought
and the history Of the last 30 years
that his exposition Is worth atten-
ton.
It must be granted, first Of all, that
Mr.. Sloan seeks the same things fo1
America that Ill Of US do. He
phrases it thus: I'VE must maintain
the broadest possible spread between
income and the cost Of the necessitie.
Of life." In other words, economic
pressure must be taken off the back
Of the average American and his in.
come must be in excess Of his imme.
date needs, thus permitting more
leisure, Q higher standard Of living
and the attainment Of q greater
culture.
His idea in increasing rather than
shortening the hours Of labor Is that
1t win put more money into the en-
velopes Of those who are employed
thus establishing spread above the
purchasing power needed to buy
mere necessities. The worker would
thus b enabled to consume more
goods and use more services and this
would create jobs for others.
Lower wages are advocated In con-
nection with . scheme to lower the
real costs Of goods. the theory being
that It Is tho goods and services
which can b purchased with labor
rather than the monetary reward
which IS the real measure Of earn
ings.
Mr.. Sloan deals with the we'll
known problems Of plenty. assure,
the world that We would be silly e
restrict our inventive ana admins.
tratve genius and attempt to fore.
stall new innovations OF Z techuolog.
ical character which have done SC
much to cause the unemployment
problem. He sees real handicap t
recovery in the effort to raise price.
and wages. makes cagy criticism o.
tho efforts In that direction.
In the field Of labor, Mr.. sloar
advocates setting up works councils
recognizing that they will be imper.
feet and that industrial management,
viii have to learn how to treat them
fairly but that, over . period Of time
they win learn that it Is wise to do SO
Altogether. it Is IN address suct
. might have won applause from tn.
public back in the Taft administra.
ton. As It Is, one suspects that 4
viii be taken 1t face value only b,
such individuals Is are able to main,
tain . membership In the IllinoA
Manufacturers association and sim
liar organisations.
Mr.. Sloan may be right In hi
theories though there does seem /.
lot Of room for argument-but Their
u little to indicate that he speak
for tina general mass Of the people
In fact. il ssaps quite clear that h
doesn't. y.
On this basis. the speech Is impor
tant only in that It serves to indicat'
the defense which will be made /,
congress this winter against some o
the progressive legislation which vii
be presented for consideration.
Important This Year
Particular interest attaches to tn
~>nAkS~n - a ~s..A