Evening star., 1939-12-08

nation and polem1cal discussion, puC
this year the platform promulgated
is a persuasive document OF eco
nomic reasoning which seeks to pre-
sent the facts about the ways IN
which regulatory action on the
part of Government can impede IN
dustrial progress. and ways and
means by which the workers OF
America can enjoy better incomes
and true social security.
This recognition of social respon-
sibility constitutes a new approach
toward the problems of the day and'
in effect, challenges other groups
interested in the national welfare to
present programs that also will In
sure the development of Americas
system of private enterprise on a
competitive basis.
Rejecting emphatically the idea OF
totalitarianism in Government or IN
industry or in labor or in finance,
the Congress of American Industry
places itself on record as favorlng
throughout Government ana
throughout the whole enonomlc
system the principle of democracy
and fair play to all.
Security Goal.
"The American citizen" says the
platform, wants an opportunity 10
earn the necessities of life and the
comforts and luxuries that go to
make life richer-not only material
necessities, but also the opportunity
to enjoy cultural and spiritual salts
factions. He wants to feel secure
in his liberties and for his person. IN
his lob and for his old age, in him.
self and for his family"
How to achieve these objectives
under a system of free enterprise
becomes the main theme OF the
platform, which, among other things,
calls on Americas businessmen
and industrial managers to play an
enlightened part in the strengthen
ing of Americas social and eco
nomic order.
Being opposed to any system OF
Government price-f1xing or any sys-
tenn of monopoly price-fixing, the
industrialist platform points out
that each business enterprise, IN
competing for the consumers dol
lar. must determine its own prices
and that the range Of discretionary
action is limited severely by factors
of cost, including many costs such
as taxes which are beyond manage
ment's control, and by the competi-
ton not only of like products but OF
other products as well.
Emphasis On Employment.
The emphasis given to "every
sound means to gain expansion IN
volume, resulting in the creation of
new employment and bringing more
capital into use" is significant Of
the whole trend of the platform
which outlines an economic philos-
ophy that is neither rightist nor
leftist, but simply the articulation
of the American method of doing
business since the foundation of the
Republic.
The discussion of surplus plant
capacity and of the need for making
equity capital available at reason
able costs are but a few of the
many points enveloping the legiti-
mate use of the profit motive and
the stimulus to efficient operations
which are set forth in the platform.
Reductions in cost by efflciencies
of production are introduced as
topics with the epigrammatic COM
ment that "in America, tools are
exploited-not men" and that our
whole industrial system is based on
the use of tools, their effective en-
ployment being lone secret OF our
national progress
The platform is sufficiently COM
prehensive to take In the whole
gamut of industrys relations with
the workers, the consumers, the in
vestors and the many interdepen-
dent elements of production and
distribution. The desirability Of good
wage rates is given as much atten-
ton as handling of labor problems
with emphasis on ways Of finding
q workable method for achieving
harmony"
Rights of Employe.
Detailed formulas are less impor-
tant than general principles of in