The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-07-29
BY Merle Thorpe, in
Nations Business

Our postwar planning-and lab
agencies, public and private, are
engaged in charting our destiny
starts with the premise that We
must have a greatly increased bus
mess activity The figures for this
national income run all the way
from $500, 000,000,000 to S250000
600, 100000 Our top prewar year
was $4,000, 100000. The larger fig
ures are, therefore, impressive.
Most of the plans, if not all, leave
out one important factor. Business
activity does not lust happen. To
produce more of no matter what,
the Individual must be prodded, or
persuaded. Business is not self
starting The pressure upon prog
ress comes only from men of spirit,
with the enthusiasm to do, plus the
capacity to do.
Under our system of economic
freedom, we have developed a most
valuable asset-management. Man
ayers plan. inspire and direct the
energies of millions of US. They
have imaginations. So does the poet,
but managers have the courage of
imagination. They bring together
men, materials and markets They
keep the United States going con-
Germ They speed obsolescence.
They abhor stagnation They accel-
crate turnover. They create and con-
serve employment. They put over
alls on dollars. They are the walk
ing delegates of pay rolls, They
are the practical evangels of the
more abundant life.
Arrangements spirit and know
how should be. must be. encouraged
and developed if our business activ-
ity is to be doubled There is no
other way. The promise of after
the-War for us-and tie World-lies
in our sober cvaiMnt I Of the quail
ity of management II our recogni-
ton of it as a great national asset,
in an encouragement too often re
Gently denied. The test of any reg
ulation and restriction should be.
Will it cripple the arm of those up
on whom the pressure Of practical
progress dependSa
The manager is the symbol of
economic freedom-freedom of con-
sumner choice. The public official.
who is often tempted to restrict
management. is the symbol of po-
1itical free9om-freedom of the bal
lot. They are blood brothers. Each
depends on the electorate Each is
III Y1..tf,ar, IF v%aptt1
lar ability. Each should fight for
the democratic process which gives
him being. Political freedom and
economic freedom are Siamese
twins. They thrive OF suffer to-
gether. Each is the fine flower Of
the democratic process.
The glory Of American democracy
Is its freedom Of choice. Henry
Ford like all successful managers
was elected by the public no less
than was Franklin Roosevelt The
competency of the Ford manage
ment was passed upon by custom
er-voters hour by hour, day by day
Freedom Of choice makes of the
loWliast citizen a sovereign. He can
substitute any form of government
on earth for the American Consti-
tion he can throw the biggest cor
porauon into bankruptcy overnight
by Wins for lis competitors.
Delno cracy Goes rot claim per
fecticn nor docs CAPITALISM We
the urion Of the two has produced
here d society OF free men, who, II
turn, have created a material we'll
being, measured by so per cent o
the worlds wealth and 80 per cen
of its income, and yet with only 81,
Tei cent of its population.
here is a simple starting poin
for IL citizen who must pass upor
any National Plan for the future
Does it arbitrarily create a socia
and economic order to which tn,
individual vii, be moulded int,
subordination, or does II nrovid
for the making O. men and WON