Evening star., 1939-01-13
burke.HitsU.S.
Competition in
board..Speech
Washington Trade
Unit Hears Demand
For Labor Peace

Vic uACdU VI u1lAdlI IOVcIluIlcIlG
competition with private industry,
adjust unsatisfactory labor relations
and devise better tax structure.
The Senator, addressing several
hundred members of the Washing
ton Board of Trade, declared it is
important that President Roosevelt
be reminded of his campaign pledge
IN 1882, when he promised that this
dangerous kind of financing shall
be stopped and that rigid govern
mental economy shall be forced by
a stern and unremitting policy of
living within our income"
THAT was good sense in 1882"
Senator Burke asserted. 1T is good
sense today"
Declaring events of the past year
demonstrate that the people insist
upon legislative branch that will
do its own thinking and reach its
own decisions" Senator Burke
added:
I'VE will not be hearing so much
IN this Congress about the virtue
OF subservience in blindly following
a leader, no matter how popular
that leader may be. With an inde-
pendent Congress now taking its
place beside an independent judi
clary, there is hope for American
democracy"
Would Rout Security Fear.
The speaker said it is Congress
task to determine what specific gov
ernmental policies are responsible
for the loss of a feeling of security
which has checked the free flow of
private capital into productive en-
terprlse and resulted in widespread
unemployment.
Certainly there can be no liberal
investment of private savings in en-
terprlse when the prospective in
Vestor has no assurance that tomor-
row he will not find himself in direct
competition with his, own Govern
ment," he declared. The prudent
investor is willing to take his chance
IN a field where bis competitors fight
with weapons similar to his own.
But he knows that he does not COM
pete on equal terms with his Gov
ernment, for then he is meeting a
competitor who makes the rules
which all but itself must follow"
Saying that the declared objective
OF the National Labor Relations
Act was to diminish the cases of
labor disputes, Senator Burke as
serted that, under the present
method OF administering the law,
there is no chance for development
OF that friendly feeling of mutual
interest between workers and man
agement that must prevail if any
business venture is to have a chance
OF real and continued success"
There must be a restoration of
good Will and mutual respect and
confidence between those who work
In mill and factory and those who
provide the capital and management
necessary to make such a venture
succeed he said.
Sees Tax Assurances Needed.
On the subject of taxation, the
speaker said private capital will not
How freely into industry unless the
investor has some reasonable hone
that In the event of success all of
the gain will not be taken from him
IN the form OF taxes. It is clear, he
said, that the country will have high
taxes for a long time to come be-
cause the demands on local, State
and national treasures are so great
and the accumulated deficits so high
that a very substantial portion of
every dollar Of wealth created must
be turned over to Government to nav
bills.
1T is not alone excessive taxation
That in retarding the flow of private
capital into industry" he said. Even
more objectionable are unreasonable.
punitive taxes. However, he contin-
ued, Congress has responded to an
overwhelming public demand" and
enacted a vastly superior tax bill
mat will laid in the restoration of
confidence"
Pointing out that, with 7 per cent
OF the worlds population, the United
otates has accumulated, through the
system of free enterprise, almost so
per cent of the worlds wealth, Sen
ator Burke declared there is no evi-
uence OF any desire to weaken or
give up this system. and that eco
nomlc security can be secured
through democratic processes.
we hear talk about the 80 FAM
Ines from those who would stir up
CLASS hatred and make us believe
mat most of the wealth of the coun-
Cry Is concentrated in a few hands, :"
ne SAID. Yet of the nearly 10000, 900
families in this country, almost one
nan own their homes. Farm tenancy
Is one OF our problems, yet of the
o. ,l@o'oOo farms in this country more
than 3,5oo,00O are owned by the
farmers who operate them.
Sees Solution Under Democracy.
There is, to be sure, poverty, and
at present an appalling number of
unemployed. There are adjustments
70 be made. wrongs to be righted.
1et' so rapid and substantial has
Deen the growth of the country un-
oer our system of free enterprise, so
widespread the diffusion of wealth
ano We!I-being, that 1t Is a bold
crltlc who ventures to charge that
she program is fatally defective, that
II should be abandoned and a new
@ sIare made along the line of a
Planned and Government-controlled
economy. Whatever ills beset the
country can be cured under the
democratic process"
FRANCIS G. Addison. jr., president
OF the Board of Trade, presided at
sne meeting. Among the guests of
mono nonor introduced to the membership
We're Chairman Ross Collins of the
house Subcommittee on District Ap-
propriations, Justice R. A. Van ors-
oel, B. M. McKelway. MANAGING