Evening star., 1943-03-25
Crawford Predicts Postwar
Boom in Trade Board Address
NAM Head Warns Industry Must Lead Way
Unfettered by Government Restrictions

Frederick C. Crawford, president
of the National Association of Man.
ufacturers, last night predicted {
postwar prosperity through private
enterprise, but asserted the people
will demand framework" through
the Government, through which
business may expand and develop.
If allowed to function on its own
without too strict governmental re.
strictions and laws to discourage in
vestment, business and industry vii
surely prosper at the wars end, he
declared
Speaking at the monthly meeting
Of the Washington Board of Trade
In the Mayflower Hotel on the topic
Full Employment Through Free
Enterprise" Mr.. Crawford con
demned rigid Government control
unreasonable taxes and "unwise
spending of public funds" These
factors, he declared, are hindrances
to business.
ID. c. Officials Attend.
Attending the affair were District
officials. the majority of the mem
bers of the Senate and House Dis
trict Committees and other distin-
euished guests. A feature of the oc.
caSlon was the presentation oi
awards to policemen and firemen for
acts of heroism. Clark Griffith
president of the Washington base
ball club and Ossie Bluege. it's man
ager, were guests and speakers.
In his address. Mr.. Crawford de-
clared far-reaching regulations ol
business by Government must 90
asserting: Government must return
to the role of umpire, but no longer
try to run the bases"
| The speakersdeveloped the thought
that freedom of enterprise, unham-
pered by regulations, has been the
kepnote of the principle of freedom
in this country, asserting: "Aneri-
can business is freedom asserting
itself"
Mr.. Crawford attacked Govern.
ment spending, declaring: Private
enterprise has to be careful II
spending or it would go out of busi.
ness" adding, There is no such
care exercised by the Government.
Elements of Prosperity.
There are four broad economic
ingredients that make for postwar
prosperity" said Mr.. Crawford, in.
cluding purchasing power, a de.
mand for goods, the productive
capacity to turn out the goods ano
an adequate labor force"
Add to these four elements" ht
said, "a healthy political and socia
environment, and prosperity, in tht
sense of job for every one able
and willing to work at good wage.
and under good working conditions
is assured"
He said that at the end of 1914,
we will have the greatest accumu.
lated backlog of purchasing powel
in our history. individuals will hole
more than $4,000, 100000 of Wa
bonds Immediately convertible int
cash. Added to this gigantic sun
will be another S8,000000,00 O
potential installment credit"
Mr.. Crawford also predicted tht
| greatest demand for goods in ou
history" asserting, There will be /;
deferred demand for 100000 au
tomobiles, for 100000 privat,
houses, for 100000 radios. Ac
| tually," he said, there is almost NJ
limit to the amount of goods TIT
/ public will want to buy and be ablt
to buy in the postwar period"
McLachlen Presides.
L. p McLachlen, president of tht
Board of Trade, declared the grouI
was deeply grateful to Chairman
Randolph of the House District Com
mittee, and Representative Dirksen
Republican, of Illinois, minority
member of the committee for the
House. having recently passed the
revised Unemployment Compensa.
ton Act, which has now gone to tn,
Senate. He also expressed grateful.
ness to the bills author Represent
ative McGehee, Democrat, of Missis.
/ Sippi, also member of the COM
mittee.
Mr. McLaChlen announced that 6
| luncheon, under sponsorship of the
Board of Trade, will be held in honor
CT the Washington baseball club OF
April IA in the MayfloWer Hotel
Mr.. McLachlen introduced guests
| except the members of the Houst
/ District Committee, who, in turn
were introduced by Mr.. Randolph.
/ Robert V. Fleming. chairman Of
the Commissioners Committee Of
| Awards, read the citations an;
| praised the firemen and policemen
who received them. He called or
Police Supt. Edward j. Kelly to hant
the awards to the policemen and or
Fire Chief S. T. Porter to give then
/ to the firemen.
Receive Awards.
Those who received the award.
and their acts for which they were
| given were as follows:
FNt. Ernest j. Mueller, NO. 4 Truck
/ Company, Fire Department. golt
medal, for carrying an unconSciou
woman from a burning building OF
February 4, 1912, while firemel
/ played two streams of water on hin
! to protect him from flames.
Pvt William r. Cryer, No. % En-
gine Company, silver medal, TO
! carrying an unconscious man from
a burning building on April 9, 1912