Show THE VOICE OF BUSINESS The Attack on Business By fly ARCH N N. N BOOTH executive vice president t of the Chamber of Commerce of the United States business Is under attack You no doubt know this What you yon 1 0 may not know Is U that this attack which Initially came from individuals individual Is now organized It Is U growing In Intensity and leading leadin to and condemnation which threaten to undermine the basic foundations foun found of the com competitive market tem tern The attack Is not confined to big rom coma panics It tt Is against all aU Industry large and small and all types of business business and and even the professions The aim seems to be to alienate the worker stockholder and the public from private enterprise and make the consumer con cons sumer feel that he Is being neglected and that new products are deliberately manufactured In an Inferior fashion The attack portrays businessmen as greedy and uncaring and uncaring and corporations as M unresponsive to consumer complaints Tf If this attack succeeds the foes of or private enterprise will wreck a system that has hns clone dono more than any other In Inthe inthe inthe the world to meet the needs of the people Sources of Criticism Com Complaint plaint and discontent arise from three thre broad areas 1 The continuing problem of Inflation People feel they are arc not getting value for their money 2 2 The environmental crusade Pollution Pollution Pol lution comes out of factories owned factories owned by business 3 3 The wave of consumerism Some consumer complaints are valid But too many of them are irresponsible All AU con cons tribute to an atmosphere of suspicion and lind distrust toward business The organized critics of business work these three fields to the limit They are sophisticated In using the law taw and the political processes to gain ln their end ends For Tor some reason the most disquieting come from front perfectly respectable elements of society The college campus the pulpit intellectual and literary jour lour nals pals and politicians In most of these groups the participation is only by In ins Yet they are aro often offen the most articulate articulate- and prolific in their writing and speaking What's What the tha Answer The overriding need as I t see It Is for forthe forthe forthe the thinking thinking people of the country to recognize that the ultimate Issue may be survival of the private enterprise system and all that it means to the strength and prosperity of the nation There Is need for a better understanding understand understand- ing of what Is back ck of the criticisms And there is need to ensure that all aU sides In the controversy get a fair fall hearing hearin Th There re is need for constructive self self- examination on the part of business to determine ne whether there may be some grounds for the criticisms And if so ask the required ired Improvements American industry is based on ins Integrity Integrity In In- on quality of goods fair dealing and range long good will wilt Not on ery cry We must create a spirit of mutual confidence confidence con con- between business and consumers America can ca'n can solve almost any of its problems if it can keep its immensely productive economic system in good working order But if damage is brought to this wondrous machine we are in deep trouble |