The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-06-15
NEWSPAPERS OPINIONS
LOOK BEFORE YOU HIT


Our old friend monopoly is about to take an
other wordy beating from the politicians. In all
o,,r star-spangled history more durable whipping
b6y has never been found. When other issues lose
their magic, it is always possible to denounce mo-
usuolies trusts banks. corporations or some other
variety of organized business
Monopoly in the politicians lingo, merely means
LARGE business Actual monopoly does not exist IN
the United States except where authorized by law.
The Constitution provides for patents. which give
To inventors monopoly rights to their inventions.
The statutes give railroads and other utilities GER
tain monopoly rights purely for public convenience.
These legally authorized monopoles are regulated
almost to the point of strangulation by state and
national commissions.
The politicians are not talking about public utili-
tics or patents when they denounce monopolies.
They merely have in mind business organizations.
The politicians assume that we, as voters, dislike
large business concerns. They promise to make the
government an ally of those of us who compel
ing with larger rivals. go.
The politicians have never been willing to take
the trouble to understand the problems they offered
To- solve. There is no indication of any effort on
the part of the to understand the facts
with which suggested laws are to deal. Ger
talnly neither Congress the Administration has
made any thorough inquiry. Like the previous
antitrust laws this seasons crop has been impro-
vsed Politicians still rely heavily on lastminute
inspiration.
The obvious facts about American business are
simple enough. The essential contributions of
American business to the world are mass produc-
tion and mass consumption.
Mass production means large business organiza-
tons. You don't find mass production in one-man
shops. Maybe the politicians are right in thinking
that mass production is unpopular with majority
Of the voters. Also. maybe they are wrong
lit is fairly sure that automobiles are popular
More than twenty-eight million motorcars are reg
istered in the United States. We have nearly three
f6urths of the worlds automobiles.
Automobile manufacture is big business, the
biggest in the United States and in the world TO,
that matter American manufacturers produce the
best cars made and sell them at the lowest prices
THE immense of automobiles by Americans
Of all income classes, including those on relief is
possible only because of mass production. If we
outlaw mass production, automobiles will be the
Injuries of the few, not the possessions of the
many. We will hardly permit the politicians te
take away. our motorcars.
What are the other large businesses that MIGHT
cdneeivaby be outlawed if the anti-big-business
crusade were to be taken seriously?
The electrical industry is highly orean;zed A
few great corporations produce vast nronortior
of the: electrical utilities We use oh.
The American girl is the best dressed inbabtan,
OF the globe. She gets her clothes her shoes he,
hats and all of the gadgets that enhance orr oowr
sense OF weil-being from highly organized business
The establishments that produce clothes for wo
men are smaller and more numerous than those
That make mOtOrcarS or radios hut -