Evening star., 1946-03-07


pose, in the minds of these Congress
members. Patriotism? That's just
for wartime. Gratitude? Well, you
can't mix sentiment with business.
So all the Republicans present,
supported by a sufficient number of
Democrats, vote down one proposal
after another designed to keep with
in reason the profits Of the building
industries. Let 'em ride, say the
Congressman.
Attitude Is Common.
That attitude has been common
in Congress since the ending Of the
war. 1t has upset the Presidents
reconversion program all along the
line. 1t was responsible for appease-
ment tax legislation enacted last
autumn in the hope that, industry
would be persuaded to start the
wheels whirring.
Now, if you can believe the new
director of the Office of Domestic
Commerce, the appeasement has not
gone far enough. If you can believe
him-and it isn't eaSy-a lot of
Americas high-powered young in
dustrial executives are actually stag
ing a sit-down strike in protest
against the present tax laws. They
are sitting down in Florida, waiting
for the Government to see things
their way.
This startling observation came
out at a remarkable press confer
ence held by Secretary Wallace,
when he introduced the new di-
rector and invited reporters to ques-
ton him. (Note: Deeply embar-
rassed by what followed, the Secre-
tary did his best to dissociate himself
from his new assistants views.)
One of Avery's Executives.
The assistant is Albert J. Brown
ing. He was formerly one of Sewell
Avery's top executives in Montgom-
cry Ward & Co. He is addressed as
general" having been given that
rank by the War Department when
named to act as liaison with the
War Production Board. He is sup
posed to know lot about production
and what he says may be true.
What he said was that younger
executives are unwilling to step into
the shoes of retiring older men and
take on the big production jobs be-
cause high income taxes deprive
them of the incentive.
A puzzled reporter asked what had
become of these young executives.
The general replied that many of
them were in Florida.
X X
During a Senate committee hear
ing on labor legislation some weeks
ago Charles E. Wilson, president OF
General Motors. was on the stand
and having a very unhappy time
He had no answers for most of the
committees questions. This led
reporter to ask another GIN execu-
tive why the company didn't pay
Wilson'S $450,000 salary to Walter
Reuther, who seemed to know all
the answers. If Gen. Browning's
theory is correct, Mr.. Reuther
wouldn't take the job. He'd prefer
to keep his $4,000 CIO salary and
escape Cne nlgn income tax. For
it's true that Mr.. Wilson can't have
much more than 100000 left after
he's paid his taxes.
X X X
But I distrust the whole theory.
This talk of incentive, with its basic
doubt of native American decency,
to say nothing of initiative and en-
terprise, is heard every time any
legislation is proposed in the inter-
est of the people as whole. The
butchers won't butcher, the bakers
won't bake, the andlestick-makers
won't make, we are told, unless the
situation is so rigged that they can't
possibly lose.
But what happens when this
theory is ignored? What happens
is that the butchers, the bakers, the
candlestick-makers start scratching
in earnest, start demonstrating
their real initiative and enterprise.
And what happens further is that
most Of them, to their great surprise,
find themselves making more money