Show and You Contributing to the Bicentennial T t By Jack Wooldridge Com Corn General Manager I U. U S. S Chamber of or Commerce Now that the Bicentennial celebration Is underway you may be wondering what wha t your part In it may be In a sense every American sill The people are the nation so each person will actually be a sponsor a participant par par- and a guest Almost everybody will want to participate par participate in some som way but there are so many things planned that tha t tIt it may be difficult to choose just what you'd like to todo do THE TIlE PROBLEM is particularly particularly par par- difficult for businesses which are being asked to contribute money time and effort to all sorts of projects Its It's undoubtedly true that some businesses might commercialize commercialize commercialize com com- on the Bicentennial spirit That's unfortunate but they ey will probably represent a small minority MOST BUSINESSES want to contribute something worthwhile worthwhile worthwhile wor wor- to their communities and the national Bicentennial spirit A reflection of that willingness is typified In A Bicentennial Declaration being sponsored by the executives of a good many large companies as well as leaders of civic and other organizations It was sparked by John D. D R Rockefeller ck feller III Chairman of the National Committee for the Bicentennial Era and says in part There is high inspiration to tobe tobe be found in inthe the great ideals that created our country The phrases that have been worn smooth by use have fresh and urgent meaning for us today today- government by consent of the governed the blessings of liberty all men are created equal a na nation tion of laws The Bicentennial can and must become a time to celebrate those ideals and to celebrate them in the profound sense of renewal and rededication Our great experiment in democracy will surely erode unless' unless the Bicentennial Era becomes a t time when we we once again assert the primacy of individual initiative in moving our country forward Governmental units at all aU levels must play a vigorous part But the primary responsibility lies with the people not with government Let each of us acting alone and andIn andin andin in groups take our own Initiatives STATE AND local chambers of commerce as well as trade and professional associations are deeply involved in Bicentennial Bicentennial Bicentennial tennial projects the Some-the California Chamber of Commerce Commerce Com merce for example have example have suggested criteria businesses might use in supporting Bicentennial projects Among other things the California Chamber recommends recommends mends that business consider 1 Does the project have long- long lasting qualities 2 Will it be of Interest or benefit to the greatest percentage v of population and 3 Are the goals of the project f sound YOU CAN contrast those goals and criteria with those of an organization which calls itself the Peoples Bicentennial Commission Some of the language about honoring our ideals is similar but the message is quite different For example the publication Common Sense carries this message A new monarchy has grown grownup up in America royalists- royalists Americas America's giant corporations- corporations make King George look like a petty tyrant Their massive power pervades pervades pervades per per- vades every aspect of American life life from from the aisles of the supermarket to the halls of Congress Its time to challenge the stranglehold that the corporate monarchs exert over the l life e of our country says Were planning a birthday party this country will not forget A second American Revolution for our country's Anniversary The goal of that revolution is to destroy the corporations considers the new monarchy Considering th the standard of living our economic system has provided fol all all of of us us its it's difficult dif dif- difficult difficult to understand how anyone particularly businesses could possibly support a philosophy like that |