Evening star., 1938-10-16

should be done.
Consequently the only surprising as
pect of the Presidents delivery of the
message this year was the fact that he
did not choose TO do so personally,
but resurrected from the grave the
White House spokesman to serve as
his ambassador. None seems to know
exactly why Mr.. Roosevelt adopted
this medium of communication with
the country this year.
Perhaps the humor OF what Mr.
Roosevelt had to say was. this time,
even too much for him and he feared
he might not be able to keep . straight
face in urging that business come to
peace with the Government and that
labor and industry link arms in sweet
harmony
A Champion Name Caller.
Surely, Mr.. Roosevelt must realize
that whatever shortcomings he may
have. he could qualify as the cham
pion name-caller and epithet-hurler
among American President He has
easily outdistanced Teddy Roosevelt.
who set the previous record. The
epithets which Mr.. Roosevelt has
hurled at business and industry will
give q salty tinge to our political his
tories for many years to come.
Remember some OF the gentle ref
erences which Mr.. Roosevelt has ut
tered about business! Best known. Of
course, Is the economic royaliSt'
phrase But there are others. The
nrst inaugural address is spotted by
several which shine like mackerel in
the moonlight For instance, there
was the "unscrupulous moEey-chang-
ers" and then there was the phrase
that the economic structure broke
down because the rulers OF the ex-
change Of mankinds goods have failed,
through their own stubbornness and
their own incompetency." Then in
message to Congress was the boast
that we have earned the hatred Of
entrenched greed" In the same
message political puppets Of an
economic autocracy" appeared. Less
severe was the phrase at Atlanta: !:
Gentlemen in well-warmed and we'll
| stocked clubs"
There are 4 number OF others which
might be recalled But these will suf-
fice to show that Mr.. Roosevelt does
not need to give quarter when it
comes to calling nameA The thing
which gives him complete supremacy
in this field is the fact some OF his
aides are almost as good as he is.
Iekes' Tongue SHARP
Early in the New Deal it was thought
Gen. Hugh S. johnson had = rapier
tongue. But Secretary Harold L.
Ickes makes the former army oflcer' s
words sound like patter at 4 tea
party. For example, there was this
one Big business should wash In
strong disinfectants" Another Ickes
phrase which ranks high among
epithets reads: The Bourbons of
the so families who have brought
the rest OF the business men of the
United States under the terror OF
their domination" The word pluto
cracy," of course is Secretary 1ckes
| pet name for business and industry.
Solicitor General Robert H. Jackson
added "aristocratic anarchy to the
New Deal list OF epithets. He also is
the author of the economic oligarchy
of autocratic, self constituted and self
perpetuating groups" As a description
OF business. There were others in
that speech last December when Mr..
Jackson in one night talked himself
out OF a chance to be Governor Of
New York.
And after all that, M. Roosevelt
asks business to stop calling names
and rattling sabers! No wonder he
conveyed the message through the
White House spokesman.
Tongue Lashing Due.
Mr.. Roosevelt may nov talk about
cooperation between business and
Government. but If he runs true to
form he will give business another
tongue flashing a few weeks after the
election is over. As for cooperation,
is it not a two-way proposition?
Business and industry have tried again
and again to cooperate with the Roose-
welt administration, but their efforts
seldom have been reciprocated
The impasse between the White
House and the public utilities is q
case in point. Men within that
industry have on various occasions
undertaken to come to an understand
ing with the White House-have gone
far in the concessions they are willing
; to make. But the White House has
yet to meet them halfway On
occasion Mr.. Roosevelt has promised
cooperation and q cessation of admin
istration harassment Of business, as
he did in the famous breathing
spell" letter to Roy Howard. But
the promises never materilized.
Perhaps the reason Is that the
Roosevelt Administration must have
4 whipping boy to divert attention
from its Incompetence and failures.