Evening star., 1962-04-30
CHAMBER
Continued From Page Al

cheers of members of Chambers
OF Commerce around the coun-
try were not overwhelming or
deafening."
He said he welcomed the
opportunity to convey his
thinking about the present and
future relationship Of Govern
ment and business and "pene-
trate the dust of controversy
which occasionally rises to
obscure the basic issues and
basic relationships"
Then the President reviewed
the interdependence of Govern
ment and business and en-
phasized his feelings that
business must prosper for the
Government to meet his objec-
tiveS.
Remark Brings Laughs
The President reviewed many
steps that his administration
has taken to foster expansion
OF business. which, he said, also
would mean more profits.
He brought a laugh from the
audience when he remarked
that, I'VE in Government have
a large stake in your profits. 4"
Mr.. Kennedy said that as
President his interest is in
fostering steps with business
and labor and through the
means of the Government to
bring about a widely expanding
economy without the tensions
of initiation and other dangers.
While he spoke in conciliatory
terms for the most part, the
President made it clear that he
would not hesitate to act when
ever the national interest has
been threatened. This is the
reason he gave for the steps
he took to force the steel price
rollback.
The President said his ad-
ministration shares the concern
OF businessmen about the cost
price squeeze. Then he related
the steps that the administra-
ton has supported to help bust
ness modernize its facilities and
become more competitive in the
world markets.
Defends Trust Laws
The President told the gather
ing that he did not consider
vigorous enforcement of the
antitrust laws as anti-business
Business, he said. must be
truly competitive" and the
Government must see that "the
realities of competition exist, as
we'll as the appearances"
The President emphasized
the need to reduce the outflow
of gold and improve this coun-
try's balance Of payments posi-
ton. For this reason, he said,
business must expand its trade
abroad.
Among the measures the
President cited as aiding busi-
ness was the proposed increased
depreciation allowance for busi-
ness now pending in Congress
He said he recognized that the
amount may not be sufficient,
But he added that it will cost
the Government 81 billion and
said this limitation was imposed
for budgetary reasons. 1t is an
ticipated that the measure will
bring in increased revenue in
later years as production in
creaseS.
He told the business leaders
that it was a question of mot
how we can divide the economic
pie, but how we can enlarge it.
Optimistic on Future
He painted an optimistic pic
ture of an economy in 1862
breaking all records but, he
added, I'VE must do better"
He appealed to business and
to labor to gather together" in
working for an expanding and
prosperous economy.
Just as there can be no
profits without prosperity" the
President said, there can be no
prosperity without profits"
In his keynote address, Mr..
Wagner declared that some of
the constitutional checks and
balances of the power of the
executive have eroded with the
years. He warned that further
orocioy, ooIIlJ 1ool fo Hdiotot tor