Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-08-23
Eric Johnston, Sc, Dies;
Film, Business Leader

Eric Johnston, who as presi-
dent Of the Motion Picture As
ISOLATION Of America was a fer
vent international spokesman
for United States capitalism.
died last night at George
Washington University hospital
after o long illness.
He had been in critical con-
dition after it was discovered
two months ago upon his re-
turn from a European trip that
he had suffered a stroke.
Mr.. Johnston, Sc, started
from the bottom of the ladder
and rose to head four business
concerns. He served four times
as president of the United
States Chamber of Commerce
and was special emissary Tor
Presidents Roosevelt, Truman
and Eisenhower.
He was born in Washington,
the son Of a druggist. His
father moved West for his
health when Eric was an in
FAINT. The father died a short
time later Of tuberculosis.
Mr.. Johnston worked his way
through high school in Seattle,
Wash. and the University of
Washington.
Once Was Newsman
He worked as a newspaper
reporter, a longshoreman on
the Seattle docks. a college
librarian and, during summer
vacations, as q binder in the
wheat fields.
He was graduated as q law,
yer in 1917 but never practiced
law. After graduation, he re-
ceived a commission in the
Marine Corps.
A head injury suffered in
the Far East forced his retire.
ment from the Marines in 1922
and when he returned to Spo-
kane, Wash, doctors orders
were to stay out of doors as
much as possible.
He took a job selling vac
uurn cleaners for a small COM
pany. He and his mother in
vested some money In the
firm. She kept the books while
he sold door to door. In a year.
he owned the company and, in
10 years, he organized the Co.
lumbia Electrical and Manu-
featuring Co. CT Seattle, which
became the biggest Of its kind
in the Northwest.
Becomes Chamber President
BY 194l he was vice president
Of the United States Chamber Of
Commerce and a year later,
at 46, became the youngest
man ever to hold office as
chamber president.
He astounded the "old
guard" in the Chamber by
asking for an appointment
with President Roosevelt. Pres
idential secretaries allowed
five minutes but Mr.. Roosevelt
kept the dynamic Mr.. Johnston
for half an hour.
Mr.. johnson reasoned that
there should be no estrange-
ment between business and
Government because neither
could get along without the
other.
He wrote in 1919: Capital
ism went under in Europe, not
because capitalism as a sys-
TEN failed, but because the
European businessmen failed
capitalism. -.
1.-THE great challenge-the
great OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES the
American businessman today Is
to find new ways to diffuse the
benefits of capitalism among
more people.
IT am not talking about
sharing the wealth. I am talk
ing about creating new wealth
to share"
When he retired as president
of the Chamber of Commerce
in 1916, he appealed in his
valedictory address for a new
capitalism" that provided "de-
cent" minimum pay, annual
wages and profit-sharing.
Broad View Of Capitalism
His idea of capitalism was "a
competitive economic system
designed for the enrichment
of the many and not to make
q few men rich"
He noted that "other systems
say to their peoples, Give us
another 5 years or another 10
years or another is years and