Evening star., 1938-02-04
THE POLITICAL
MILL
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.


Little business" as distinguished from
Dig business" called into conference
with Department Of Commerce officials
and finally with President Roosevelt,
has shown itself on all fours with its
bigger brothers in recommendations to
improve conditions. The committee
representing the 800 "little business"
men who came to Warrington to take
part In the conference called primarily
Tor tax relief, for amendment or repeal
OF the Wagner Labor Relations Act, for
= cessation Of attacks upon business by
spokesmen Of the administration and
for statement by the President reassur-
Ing to business. The conference as was
adoption OF some plan making 1t easier
for little business to obtain loans.
4 X
The agenda prepared by the officials
Of the Department of Commerce for the
little business" conference had failed
to include either the subject OF taxation
or the question of labor relations. 1t was
apparent from the start Of the confer
ence, however, that the delegates-if
they may be SO called-had other ideas
In mind. They attacked the undistri-
buted surplus tax and demanded its re-
peal, and also the capital gains tax.
They showed very clearly that they
wanted some relief from the present pro-
visions of the Labor Relations Act.
1t Is apparent from the discussions and
the resolutions adopted that business
men, whether big or little, feel pretty
much the same way about many of the
New Deal measures-and about the size
Of the New Deal spending. It is clear
that business, whether big or little, wants
to be "let alone" and freed from the fear
of further governmental influence and
control. One recommendation was that
plans for Federal regulation of wages
and hours be abandoned.
Now that the President has before him
the recommendations of little business
which certainly have been made with
more publicity than the recommended
tions made by the representatives Of the
bigger businesses-the Chief Executive
may be said to have a picture Of what
Is in the minds Of business as whole. In
addressing the country hereafter on the
business situation. it may be more diff
cult to di1erentiate between the various
groups Of business.
The recommendations Of the little
business conference expressed a belief
that fundamental conditions are sound
and that business would prosper and
unemployment be relieved II business is
relieved from the fear Of further undue
Government interference" This has a
familiar ring. 1t may not be what the
administration likes to hear, but there
1t Is There was another sentence that had
q punch, also. Beneficial results would be
attained. it said, upon the definite as
surance by our President by means Of q
radio fire-side chat that the policy Of
the Government would be to cooperate
with and help all business 60 back to
work." The emphasis, apparently, was
upon the word ALI
There are three things which business,
big and little, has recommended. Re-
duction of big spending programs by the
Government to prevent running the
country further into debt and calling
eventually for greater taxation: elimina-
ton Of certain taxes which business feels
to be very burdensome, and amendment
or repeal of the Wagner Labor Relations
Act. 1t has sounded its opposition to
Federal regulation of wages and hours.
Whether these objectives. if trans
lated into accomplishments, would relieve
the situation and increase employment
as their sponsors declare or not, the
political exigencies appear to be bar.
With congressional election coming
on-and an election that may have con-
siderable signiflcance-it is exceedingly
doubtful that the administration will
give up its spending programs. or anger
labor by clamping down with amend
ments to the Wagner Act which busi-
ness is demanding, or abandon its taxing
principles.
The thing looks like an impasse. The
New Dealers have been convinced that
the way to make things better was to
give the Government more and more
control over business. They have edu-
| Gated labor along these lines. They have
believed in the plan of pump printing
by the expenditure Of huge sums of
money by the Federal Government. A
right about face does not seem likely
And yet something must be done. 1t is.
Of course possible that if the admins
tration does not bring forth any more
legislation affecting business. and if
business does improve as is predicted in
many quarters. there will be no adverse
political effects disclosed at the polls
next November. The elections have been
won by the New Dealers in the last four
years when conditions were gradually
growing better. But If conditions grow
worse, look out for squalls.
- X 4 X
Controlled production, to prevent sur
pluses and falling market prices, has
been q fetish with some of the more
prominent New Dealers. They have an
idea that controlled production should
come through measure Of Government
control. That idea for agriculture has
been written into law in the past-and
is about to be so written again on even
more drastic lines. The New Dealers
have played around with the idea of
controlling industrial production, but so
far-if the old N. R. A. is eliminated
there has been nothing tangible ad-
vanced. One group of New Dealers
suggests some kind of long range agree
ments in industry to limit production
the President himself has broached the
matter, though only tentatively. But
along comes Robert H. jackson, recently
| appointed solicitor general, to denounce
such plan and to call for stronger anti
trust laws. The thing does not make
sense, and leaves industry uncertain
what to expect.
The only thing so far discernible is
that the administration has not yet de-
veloped Its business policy; that the
President has not yet definite program.
1t does seem that business council,
composed Of men in whom the President