Evening star., 1938-06-23

eHortS TO BRING ABOUT an under
standing between business and Gov
ernment has been begun. The trouble
= Is that these conversations are con-
Quoted by subordinate officials and do
not commit President Roosevelt to
any particular line of action.
The procedure has become some
what stereotyped. A group of ad-
ministration conservatives" acting as
peacemakers or mediators bring down
10 Washington some of the more lib
era-minded business men. Introduced
into the circle are some of the left
vingers' here. The business men
Of the liberal group feel pleased over
these evidences of conciliatory
psprit and promise to go back to New
York, Chicago and the other business
and financial centers to do some
persuading of their fellow business
\nen. But unfortunately the latter
re not enchanted by the Washington
miles and have had their fingers
burned before so they adopt an atti-
tuGcAof skepticism. The unfortunate
truth is they don't trust the Roose-
velt administration
Elliott Talks on Confidence.
Are these the thoughts only of the
opposition to the New Deal? Not at
al. Even President Roosevelts own
son, Elliott Roosevelt, has been max
ing a series OF radio speeches pointing
! out why business lacks confidence In
Government. Though Elliott Roose-
yeAI speeches have not been made
IN Answer to his fellow Texan. Repre-
sentative Sam Rayburn, Democratic
leader Of the House of Representa-
uves, they might well have been. For
the other day Mr. Rayburn asked on
the radio:
What put the fear into the people
with money to spend, to make en-
plovment and to carry on industry?
The President and the Congress have
made a dlligent and sustained effort
TO encourage private spending. No
Re, kmendation of the President or
elrANment of Congress in the last
u months have had anything in
them. it appears to me. that should
have frightened capital"
Mr.. Rayburn evidently never heard
ot the P. w. A. program to finance
Government competition with a $l2.-
400 ,000, 900 public utility industry and
he apparently never realized the ef-
sect OF the pump printing" program
and the unbalanced budgets on the
minds Of the investors But let Elliott
Roosevelt do the explaining. Surely he
eannot be accused Of hate for the
6ministration nor is he an economic
1s'alist nor is he kept" by Wall
treet as the New Dealers are fond
( saying about anybody who has
he temerity to disagree with them.
bays Elliott Roosevelt about the re-
lent indictment of Oil company execu-
ives:
The companies were indicted for
violation of the antitrust laws over
year ago. The violations which they
we're accused of was getting together
(ll the companies doing business in a
(lven area and setting q price on a
barrel Of oil or gasoline under which
he small independent refinery could
make profit and remain in compe-
sition with the larger concerns. This
method Of getting together had been
started in days of the national emerg-
ency when the N. R. A. was first
set up.
Wanted Standards Maintained.
when the N. R. A. was declared
VT institutional. the President of the
UnNed States addressed the people in
radio broadcast urging all business
voluntarily to hold to the plans laid
down by N. r. A. to insure that
the little man might remain in
standards as set forth under the
N, R. A. should not be cut back to
the old wage standards.
Acting on that plea, the oil in
dustry continued to operate as it
had done in the past under the N. r.
A, code, which had been written for
II, TSometime later the officials of
these companies were indicted on
criminal charges of having violated
the antitrust laws of the United
States. Those in charge Of the prose-
fution failed to see any advantage
N keeping the little man alive, so
today many refineries throughout the
Qhited States are closed.
Some Of these refineries entered
he field before the advent of these
uTe major oil companies but because
tsls Government ruling. today they
ust pass from the picture. a victim
Government department which
part OF an administration which has
zen dedicated to solving the problems
the little business men throughout
1r country.
Surely there is something some
~here that can be found which will
I'D these men and these businesses
which after all have formed the back.
hone OF the business enterprises of our
Nation. from being forced to the wall
because Of law which took no coz
nbAnce of the special problems exist
ing throughout the oil industry. The
people OF the United States hope and
pray for ways and means to be found
TO aid business enterprise and not
TO defeat it. After all, big men and
little men alike throughout the
country are only too willing to put
their shoulders to the wheel to bring
about a reconstruction of our ma
tional prosperity. ="
Thus Elliott Roosevelt has put his
finger on the reason why his own plea
for more cooperation between Gov
ernment and business does not sue