Evening star., 1949-07-01
Public Interest Suffers

Statesmen Held Needed
If Congress Is to Avert
Rising Crises Over World
By David Laurence
Curious goings-o -on-all in one
day-in the national scene.
Big unionism wields its sceptre
of monopoly and tells coal miners
they can work only three days a
week-a new kind of work stop
page.
Big Government says nothing
and does nothing about this but
announces it is prosecuting some
big businesses-Du Pont, General
Motors, United States Rubber-for
alleged monopoly.
Congress wants to do something
about big unionism-but the ad-
ministration Democrats say 1t
shall not be done.
The Nation wants economy but
neither the President nor the Con-
gress really wants to do anything
about it-and the last day OF the
fiscal year sees the Government
with a big deficit and with bigger
deficits yet to come.
Related to Big Politics.
This series of unpleasant con-
tradictions and paradoxes are
related to big politics.
Big money contributions In the
campaigns prevent objective han
ding of legislation. The large
business interests contribute heaV-
tly to the conservative side and
the labor unions contribute heavily
to q radical administration which
does their bidding.
Meanwhile, the public interest
suffers. Enforcement Of the law
is unequal and legislation is
sought by pressure groups 80 as to
give privileges and immunities to
one class of citizens at the expense
of another.
This is an era Of materialisn1 In
which the battle for materialistic
advantages transcends every other
consideration.
Maybe these clashes and rival
ries of interest are inevitable IN
q democracy where so many people
are Indifferent to the ways OF gov
ernment. Maybe. as so many leg
tslators themselves have said, the
people get the kind Of Congress
and Executive that they invite by
their indifference.
Sooner or later, however. these
things have a way Of catching up
and creating embarrassing crises.
If big business Is harassed and
split up, it will be unable to make
huge sums of tax money for the
Treasury of the United States. In
dividuals will have to pay billions
more in taxes.
II big unions are permitted to
regulate production, the days OF
fascism are brought nearer. For,
in the end, big business will want
the same privilege of limiting pro-
duction.
Time for Statesmen to Act.
If trade unions are not to be re-
strained and the objective amend
ments now proposed to the exist
ing labor laws are not enacted,
then the Nation will have nearly
q year more of intensified contro-
versy and increased antagonism
between labor and management
at a time when the world needs
the constructive influence Of the
American free-enterprise system.
If the Treasury goes into pc
riod of unbalanced budgets, 1t
means that the national debt must
rise and borrowings must be be-
gun. Who will buy the billions OF
bonds? What arguments will be
given the public as pressure to sell
Savings Bonds is increased and
the American people begin te
wonder how high the debt will &c
or what the dollar will be worth
some day when the securities are
paid?
These are momentous days in
the history of the republic. All
the world is depending on the
United States. The Soviets hope
for Americas economic collapse
Europe hopes for stronger
America to help in her reconstruc-
ton. England is in serious trouble
with a socialized government and
an economy on the brink of bank
ruptcy.
What time for power to be in
the hands of small men, petty
men, men who care only about
their personal political fortunes
and what 1850 will bring them
And what time for statesmen
men who are ready to take the
objective course and serve the
public interest! What a time once
more for the courage of the mar
tyrs willing to risk everything for
principle and an unself1sh cause !