The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1962-05-04
Big Steel's Gift

The United States Steel Corpora
tion has accomplished for the Presi
dent what neither his personal friends
nor congressional supporters have
been able to do since the early days
| of the new administration. The price
rise in steel has given the President
an opportunity to start moving once
again towards The New Frontier.
Certainly this was the last thought,
or purpose, of the Pittsburgh execu-
tives as they boosted steel prices. The
steel industry's actions in the eco
nomic realm have always had long
and far-reaching effects. AS of now
they seem likely to have equally i'm
portant political effects.
At the moment the steel compa-
MES resemble the "ultras'' in Algiers.
They are deeply involved in politics.
But they have no training in Or
understanding of politics, as Roger
Blough admitted. Steelmen, like many
other industrialists, spend too much
time talking to each other and err
roneously conclude that they know
what ''the people" think.
To their amazement the French
in Algeria have discovered that it
is DeGaulle who is the voice of
France. In this country no matter
who is in office, it is the President
of the United States, who is the
Voice of America, not the president
of United States Steel.
The isolation of important business
men from the mainstream of Ameri-
can sentiment comes at a time when
many liberal Democrats have found
less and less to like about domestic
administration policy.
Their discomfort has found expires
sion in variety of ways. Roy Will
kins of the NAACP was blunt about
it recently in discussing civil rights.
To a Washington audience he adj
vised the administration, eve have
come to collect on what you prom
ised us in 1902
On private VS.. public power the
rural electric co-operatives and the
American Power Association have
grown FESTIVE at the administration
reluctance to make the "new starts"
promised during the campaign. And
they are annoyed at what seems to
be a retreat by the Department of
Interior on some policies they thought
were already set.
Among many segments of Demo- |
Gratis, not just the liberals, there IS
4 view that it was mistake for |
Teddy Kennedy to run for the u. 6. |
Senate, starting at top rung on the |
political ladder. Another disappoint- |
nent has been the administration s |
to make a strong fight |
for federal aid to public schools.
Labor leaders are worried about
certain tax incentives being offered
20 business, coupled with hesitancy
IN what steps might reduce unem-
,loyment. The list of grievances was
ong and it was growing longer. While
here was no likelihood of an open
Freak, David Riesman, the Harvard
could say:
I'VE wish The ADMINISTRATION wen,
md l think we wish to work within
he two-party system. We are critical
tut we are not alienated. We are also
lot sanguine. But we are not wholly
Iisaffected, either
A handful of steel executives has
hanged the situation.
James MacGregor Burns quoted
FIX on his book "John Kennedy, A
Profile" as answering critics
f his liberalism"
"I'd be happy to tell them I'm not
liberal at all. l never Joined the
americans for Democratic Action y"
he American Veterans Committee.
IN not comfortable with those peo-
le".
But just as some people have
sked. "Where else is there for the
berals to go if they break with Ken
edy?" now the question can be
sked. "Where else is there for Ken
edy to go?" The steel companies (