Evening star., 1939-11-18
Owen Young Differs
With Forecasters Of
Slump in Spring
Retiring Head of 6. E.
Sees Domestic Need
Underlying Upturn
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Nov. 18-Tall,
freckled Owen D. Young, who yes
ter,iay announced his retirement
from the craftsmanship of the Gen
eral Electric Co., believes actual
domestic need underlies the general
business squirt in the United States.
Differing with economic observers
who have predicted sharp slump
In the spring, Mr. Young said in an
interview that "a large part" of
domestic activity is based not on
preparations to handle war orders,
but on needs deferred by uncertainty
as to what would happen in Europe.
II have heard many people say
the fall upturn in general business,
especially in machine tools and fac
tory equipment. represented efforts
OF industrial companies to put their
plants in order, to handle the de-
mand which might come from
Europe if the war long continued -
Mr.. Young said.
II do not agree with this. 1t is
true that American business activity
has spurted ahead since the war
started, but a large part of the
orders placed the past couple months
actually represent commitments de-
ferred the past year or so by the
uncertainty seen in those months
leading up to the war declaration.
Sees No Collapse.
There may be some tapering of
activity in the spring, once these
heavy deferred orders are filled, but
do not think we will witness any
outright collapse in industrial op-
erations unless adverse influences,
now unseen. appear"
Mr.. Young followed his own rule
that man should retire at IS" in
announcing he would resign the
General Electric Craftsmanship Jan
uary l. Gerard SWope will retire as
president on the same date, although
both will continue as directors.
Mr.. Young expressed the opinion
that labor troubles which now plague
operations of scattered plants sooner
or later will disappear, with con-
cessions by both arrangements and
workers.
General Electric, he pointed out,
took the view years ago that cor
porate enterprise was a partnership
of capital, management, employees
and the public. He recalled that
some 20 years ago the General Elec-
trio management recognized labor
unions, and that with this manage
ment-employe experience, the tram
sltlon to operation under supervision
of the National Labor Relations Act
had been accomplished quickly and
easily, without difficulties or disputes.
To Spend Much Time on Farm,
When he relinquishes his General
Electric chairmanship, Mr.. Young
plans to devote his time to outside
activities" He expects to spend
much of his time on his 1,5OO-acre
farm at Van Hornesville, N. Y.
where he was born, and where he
has a dairy breeding herd of 200
thoroughbred Holstein cattle.
At Van Hornesville also is the
school which he built for the farm
children of the locality, and in which
he takes an active interest. About
400 children attend the school, which
has grades ranging from primary
classes through high school. Nine.
Curie, while Mr.. Young's guest in
this country years ago, personally
designed the schools chemistry
labora tory
We've just started some studies
at the school, Mr.. Young said. I'VE
think that children who get the
right food become better students.
and later better citizens. We're
going to watch the diets of the chill
dren and find out"