The Ely miner., 1937-12-09
Much Talk,
No Action

compliShed much.
The house ways and means COM
mittee, it is true, is making some
headway and a number of senators,
including the powerful Senator Har-
rison of Mississippi, are asserting
the necessity for a reversal of fed
eral policy. But, again, there is
much more talk than action, and in
the meantime the country's busi-
ness is sliding lower and lower.
The difficulty in the present situ-
alton and the thing that probably
has been more responsible for the
business slump than anything else
is that business heretofore has been
unable to tell what the federal gov
ernment is going to do. 1t has be-
come evident already that with a
somewhat changed atmosphere in
congress, there are many business
men who are more hopeful than
month ago. Business men, big
and little, are quick to note that
there are senators and representa-
tives who think the time has ar
rived for business to receive some
consideration. And it ought to be
added that unless business does
get some consideration, this current
depression is going to be as bad as
the last one. The federal govern
ment must give attention to the ag
ricultural problem and it must fit
that job into some consideration of
the other half of American life,
namely, the commerce and indus
try outside of agricultural life.
1t will be recalled that during the
first two years of President Roose-
velt's administration there was
flock of laws passed that were of
great value to the country. Many
of them were of a temporary char
acter and were enacted on that
basis. That would have been fine
if the administration had stopped
there. But it did not. The roam
ing herd of so-called thinkers who
were scattered far and wide in fed
eral jobs had to have their innings.
At least they thought they had to
have turn at bat. All of their pet
theories had to be tried out. The
result: many laws that were purely
experimental, dangerous, damaging
and a burden to business.
With many millions of others, /
expected at that time to see these
queer looking laws shaken down,
corrected, or repealed where it was
found necessary. That has not hap
pened. Again, the result: the coun-
try's business from the smallest
general store at cross roads or a
garage or a gasoline station to the
greatest corporation, like General
Motors or Pennsylvania railroad,
has had to suffer under the heavy
heel of the national government.
The reason that congress is show
ing signs of a movement that will
revise the tax structure is because
these smaller businesses out
through the country have now got
their fill of government red tape,
complex reports, visits of investi-
gators, new tax forms and levies,
or what have you. Those people
are making themselves heard here
in Washington.
So if congress takes some action
looking to fair deal for business,
just as it is quite determined to do
something for agriculture, l enter
tain no doubt about the response
it will get from the business inter-
ests. AS far as business has made
itself felt, it is apparently asking
only to be treated equitably with
labor. Every one knows that the
last three or four sessions of con-
gress have been frightened to death
every time a labor leader showed
up on Capitol hill. The reward given
congress was the c. I. o. sitdown
strikes, violence and a general
mess. The condition has left good
ly number of senators and repre-
sentatives a bad taste in their
mouths.
There is plenty of dirty linen in
the business closet. 1t has a hard
wash day ahead to
messing restore it to the
in Business respect of the bulk
of the people Bus
mess has been SNUG. 1t has thought
too little, in many instances, of it's
obligations to the public at large.
But surely there is a point beyond
which federal punishment ought not
90 since there is a responsibility
also in the other direction. Unless
business gets a reasonable chance
to stand on its own feet, how is
it going to re-employ workers and
reduce the relief rolls?
Every individual wants to earn
some money. He wants a return
for his labor. He dreams some day
of retirement, lay off when he
can watch the world go by. I can
see no reason why the federal
government should not encourage,
rather than discourage, such a
thing. 1t is the conviction of a
very great many, an increasing
number of people that the federal
government is messing too much
into business.
But aside from that phase. There
are a number of things happening
that are difficult to understand. At
a time when business is sliding off
like a SNOWFALL going down hill, the
President steps out and orders an
investigation by the federal trade
commission into "high prices" The
inquiry, of course, is directed at
monopoly. / have no doubt at all
that there will be blast from some
government official pretty soon in
which ''big business again will be
told it is crushing the ''little fellow"
and that the public is suffering from
the high prices maintained by
trust" There may be even a
fireSide chat because a Presidents S