Evening star., 1950-06-07
III. 5. Must Prevent
Depression 10 Foil
Reds, Truman Says

Reds, Truman Says
President Truman said last night
the most persuasive argument the
Communists have" is the 1929 de-
preston in this country.
1t is not, he declared, anything
Marx or Lenin ever wrote, or any,
thing Stain ever said" OF the de-
preston Mr.. Truman added:
And the Russians have been
waiting for another one ever since
Potsdam."
The President addressed about
500 persons attending the 36th an
nual conference banquet of the
Association of Better Business Bu-
reaus at the Shoreham Hotel.
That depression, Mr. Truman
continued, lis still used by the
Communists to shake the faith of
millions in the way of life this
Nation represents.
Must Never Happen.
IF we are to win the struggle
between freedom and communism,
we must be sure that we never let
such a depression happen again. !
believe that we can prevent it. I be-
lieve all groups in this country can
move forward together in steady
economic growth and progress"
The President got a laugh from
his audience by repeating a story
picked up on the recent westward
trip which illustrated, he said, the
unwillingpess of some to recog-
nize the Governments contribu-
tion to prosperity.
AS the story goes, an oldster
commented that he had voted for
Dewey in 1914 and 1948 and in
tended to vote for him again in
1852.
No Time for a Change.
"Why Dewey" he was asked.
well" he responded, IT voted
for him the last two times and
business has never been as good
as it is today"
MI. Truman said American
prosperity can continue to flourish
with Government help. like the
aids to small business he has
recommended.
Comparing the situation of cor
porate business in 1932-when 1t
lost more than SO billion-to the
present annual $18 billion profits,
after taxes" the President re-
marked:
That very same condition could
prevail today in Government, if
the people responsible for our tax
policy would act realistically to
meet changed conditions"
Hits Socialism Fears
Defending administration poll
cies from charges of creeping
socialism" the President accused
"reactionaries" of trying to fright
en- the people with a stepped up"
propaganda campaign this year.
Despite the fact that the poll
cies we have been following have
led not to disaster, but to progress
and prosperity" the country. is
being deluged' with this ';propa-
ganda," he said.
You know why, of course" Mr..
Truman interjected. "They still
don't believe 1948." 5r
He recalled that some people
talk longingly of the good old
days" in business, when tycoons
believed in the Divine right of
business.
But the depression wrecked the
idea, said Mr.. Truman, and today
people know that no single group
has the right to rule the whole
community"
Holds Action Necessary.
eat the same time that we have
been learning that private enter
prise must serve the public in
terest," he added. I'VE have also
been learning that action by the
Government is necessary at times
to help make the private enter
prise system work"
Earlier, the convention was told
that the No. headache Of Bet
ter Business Bureaus today is COM
plants of television sales and ad-
vertising.
Hugh r. Jackson of New York
said customers complain of exag-
gerated and sensationalized adver-
tising claims, buck passing be-
tween dealer and manufacturer
about which is responsible for re-
pair service, and high installa-
ton costs.
He added that some merchants
are Offering free sets of china as
come-ons and recently one store
promised free trip to Bermuda to
anyone buying a TV set.
"a Lot of Confusion"
A television industry Spokes-
man. James H. Carmine, executive
vice president of the Philco Corp.
blamed some Of the complaints
on "a lot of confusion in the
industry today" He said his firm
and other reputable companies are
doing everything possible to stamp
out unethical practices.
The convention scheduled no
business sessi%l today so as to give