The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1938-02-17

Entered q Second Glass matter,
ECONOMIC HIGHLIGHTS
The brief convention Of "little
business" men at Washington-call-
ed there at the request Of the Presi-
dent, who said that he wanted the
views of ordinary. run-of-the-mill
ustrialists-''began In turmoil
and finished the same way" as the
Portland Oregonian put 1t. Pro-
ceedings on the floor Of the con-
Vention took on the nature Of a
riot, with scores Of men all trying
to speak at the same time. AS a
result, newspaper headlines very
naturally treated the meeting as
something of a joke. This was un-
fortunate - for, after the leveler
heads among the delegates managed
to assume q measure Of control over
the rioters. and the convention was
divided into committees to deal with
specific questions, some reports
were produced and approved that
are of tremendous significance.
1t has long been an argument OF
administration spokesman that the
bulk of the opposition to New Deal
policies comes from big business
that Is, q group small in number
but large in wealth and influence.
These Spokesman have contended
that representative American small
business was and is solidly aligned
behind the administration and its
social and economic detectives. Up
to now, anyone could dispute that
contention, but it was impossible to
disprove it. The convention Of little
business men has gone q long way
toward indicating that their oppo-
sition Is equally as strong.
The convention was made up Of
men who are representative Of small
business sentiment In this country
the delegates came from all sec
lions of the country, and represented
concerns crossing anywhere from
$4,000 a year to 100000. BY and
large, the conventions final reports
contained direct and aggressive
criticism of the New Deal. Further
more, the New Deal policies they
criticized most zealously are precise
Iy the policies that have been con-
demned by large business. Examples:
The convention demanded the re-
peal of the undistributed profits tax
and radical modification of the cap
ital gains tax-the two taxes which,
according to big business, are
largely responsible for industrial
lethargy and the business slump.
IT demanded the repeal Of rigid
amendment Of the Wagner Act ma
tional Labor Relations Act) and the
passage Of a law to force labor UNI
ions to assume equal responsibility
with employers in carrying out
agreements demand which is
simply an echo of a long series of
similar demands made by big steel,
automobile and cher concerns.
1t demanded that government in
reference with business be ended
and advocated q policy of coopera-
ton in its place. Again. this is
something that large business has
been asking for four years.
These were the meatiest demands
made by the convention, aside from
the proposals of a less general ma
ture (such as that government make
Iow-interest loans to small BUSH
nesses) Further. speeches made on
the floor Of the convention were Oft
en- strongly critical of the admins
tration, and, in some cases, Of an
outright denunciatory character. In
brief. If, as it is supposed to be. this
convention was honestly representa-
tive of American industry on its
lower economic levels. the New Deal
is definitely unpopular. The con-
vention's reports have gone to the
White House. What effect they will
produce on the Presidential mind is
one big question of the moment.
Jackson VS.. Richberg in q fight
to a finish. The Battle of the Cen
tury."