The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1938-02-10
The Little Man" Speaks
Washington, Feb.

The Little Man" Speaks
Washington, Feb. 5.
Just who among the Roosevelt ad-
visers conceived the idea of following
his various conferences with the Big
Business leaders by bringing to Wash
ington some 800 and more of little
business men," to advise with the
President on the state of the nation, is
not known.
1t may have been Secretary Roper or
it may have been some member of the
White House elmer circle" which, by
the way does not include Mr.. Roper.
Or it easily may have been the Presi-
dents own idea. He has that kind But
whoever had it performed public SER
vice, though certainly not quite the
sort intended. One of the favorite
Rooseveltian conceptions, enunciated
by himself over the radio and at many
press conference; echoed and elab-
GRATED upon by his subordinates of the
Ickes-Jackson type; proclaimed by
New Deal Senators and harped upon
by Administration publicity agents,
is that there is in the country hand
full of sinister big business men who,
inherently vicious and greedy for
gain, are against the Roosevelt poll
cies. On the other hand, the Small
business man" is sound and fine. He
has greatly profited, it is held, thru
Administration policies; is strongly
for them and very grateful to the
President.
That has been the claim. That has
been the doctrine laid down in the
White House and taken up by the
spokesman. To such an extent has it
been reiterated that great many
people who ought to have known bet
ter were impressed. There seemed no
way to refute the idea or disprove the
claim. At least, there was none until
they brought the little business man"
down here and gave him chance to
express himself. 1t then was revealed
that the "little business man." in
neither his ideas nor his emotions, diff
fered in any way from the Big Bust
ness men. He was, it is true, good
deal hotter in the collar and lot more
violent in expressing his views, but he
was distinctly for the same things and
against the same things.
*#*
There is no doubt that this was
something of a surprise to the White
House advisers and the White House
incumbent, which none of the face
saving gestures so hurriedly made
was quite sufficient to disguise. They
had repeated so often and so emphat-
ically that Mr.. Roosevelt was the
friend of the "little fellow" and that
the "little fellows" were all with him
that they had gotten to believe it
themselves. In consequence, when the
"little fellows" made it clear that they
are not only intensely disturbed but
extremely indignant over the Admin
istration's treatment of business in
the past; it's present threatening atti
tude and its suggestions for further
legislation, it left the sponsors of the
'1ittle business mems" visit slightly
off balence.
1t is true the Resolutions" we're
greatly toned down before they were
taken to the President and that there
was no belligerency about their pres
entation by the selected committee of
ten. 1t is true, too, good deal of
journalistic fun was poked at the
gathering and, as was natural, the few
who created the most disorder were
featured, rather than the quiet and
solid majority. That always happens.
None of this, however, altered the fact
that the 'little business man" wanted
Mr.. Roosevelt to stop doing number
of things he has been doing and to do
number of things he has not been
doing. And, on both counts these