Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-12-01
Steinkrous Calls on Business
To Crusade for American Way


The Nations businessmen today
had a challenge to put up sitter
fight against the forces that are
"propagandizing" the American
people away from the American
way of life"
In an address before almost 800
members of the Washington Board
of Trade last night in the May
flower Hotel. Herman Steinkraus,
president Of the United States
Chamber of Commerce. warned,
II fear very much that the propa-
ganda is taking hold" and called
on trade organizations all over
the United States to combat that
propaganda and see that the
American people get the truth"
For a number of years." Mr..
|Steinkraus told the dinner meet
ing. marking the midpoint Of the
boards week-long celebration OF
its Goth anniversary. business
has been under attack as respon-
sible for most of our financial
troubles" The attack from some
quarters. he said. has been ''di-
rected with a view to substituting
theological theories for our tested
American system"
Young Praises Board,
Mr.. Steinkraus' message" was
UNDERSIGNED by Commissioner John
Russell Young. who praised in
particular the work Of the Board
of Trade here since its birth In
1889. In its cooperation with
the District government. he said:
IT don't think we could get
along without the help Of the
Washington Board Of Trade"
Terming businessmen largely
the architects Of our destiny" Mr..
Steinkraus continued: Without
the holiness and imaginativeness
Of their enterprise, without the
freedom to do and experiment and
build. we would still be moving by
horse and buggy and bathing on
Saturday night in crude wash
tubs"
Business, he said. land not only
big business" but the items Of
thousands Of inconspicuous but
able businessmen whom you sell
dom If ever read or hear about"
has "a splendid story to tell.
1--WE can be justly proud OF our
contribution to human affairs" he
said. "Yet it is a sad fact. but
true, that. despite all our modern
means of giving information to
the public. - the mass of our
citizens have somehow not re-
ceived q right understanding Of
our American economic system.
Public Suspects Lies.
Recent surveys, the Chamber Of
Commerce head pointed out, show
that only Al per cent Of Americans
believe that corporations tell the
truth about their profits. The
others think the corporations just
iie." In other polls. he said, the
majority felt q fair profit for
business would be at least 10 per
cent.
Don't you think it is about
time declared Mr.. Steinkraus.
that businessmen began to let the
public known better ways than
have hitherto been tried-that. on
the average, industry considers it
self fortunate-in war or peace
If it clears half as much as the
10 per cent profit the people seem
to feel is fair?"
The worker who doesn't under
stand the facts about business and
its profits. asserted Mr.. Stein
kraus, becomes practically a |
pushover for any one who comes |
along with propaganda against
management and capitalism.
. These propagandists are not
necessarily Communists. So-called
intellectuals and politicians can
be just as harmful. Certain left
wing labor leaders want to present
our economic system in q dark
light to make themselves look i'm
portant in the eyes of their mem
berS."
Mr.. Steinkraus, who also Is
president Of the Bridgeport Brass
Co., attacked In particular q movie
Aim, Men Against Money" which
he said Is being shown by Ger
tain labor union and which pic
lures business AS giant octo-