Why is it that the top-flight men in our big industries seem to be the only ones carrying the ball for free enterprise? We don’t think they are any smarter than the average businessman—and we don’t think they speak or write much better, except for a few obvious exceptions.
We have checked the names of some of the leading executives in the Nation’s most successful industries who have written articles appearing in SURPLUS RECORD boosting the free enterprise system. They include Irving S. Olds, Clifford F. Hood, James S. Knowlson, Gwilym A. Price, Ernest T. Weir, Meyer Kestnbaum, Harry E. Humphreys, Jr., Clarence B. Randall, and a host of others.
We think that when top executives in U. S. Steel, Westinghouse, U. S. Rubber, Hart-Schaffner & Marx, National Steel, Stewart-Warner, and many more, can take time to lead the attack against the various ‘isms, Mr. Average Citizen can do likewise. Perhaps he can’t operate on such a big scale, but he certainly can offer as much fearlessness and fervor.
Mr. John Q. Manager of the Howdy-Podner Manufacturing Company can do an effective job among his own men and neighbors because the local community knows that he is a sincere American. They know his reputation for fair treatment to his employees, they know his record in World War I or II, and they know he has never been taken in by any pink-fringe organizations. In short, his whole life breeds confidence! John Q.’s word carries a lot more weight in his own community than that of any abstract tycoon in the business or financial world.
In our twenty-five years’ publishing experience, we have come to know several hundred men and women who have been singularly successful in business or industry, and they all have been unalterably opposed to anything with a socialistic tinge.
Our friends tell us that we are doing a swell job in printing articles like “Freedom Needs A Soapbox, Too,” and “Why Kill the Goose?” But, as far as we can determine, these friends of ours are not doing anything to follow through.
This complacency is traceable to a variety of sources. First off, practically everyone thinks that his own business or job is so enveloping that he hasn’t time to plug the system which has been so good to him. Other excuses vary from the “We aren’t writers—We aren’t speakers” group to the “George can do it better” gang.
Obviously, there are not enough Georges to carry the ball. It will take all the Georges—plus all the Toms and Dicks—to stem the socialistic tide which is directed by so-called intellectuals, theorists, star-gazers, and the planners whose knowledge is based upon anything but practical experience.
In our crusade for the American way of life, we have seldom come across a more astute appraisal of present-day problems than we recently received in a letter from Mr. W. G. Vollmer, author of “Freedom Needs A Soapbox, Too” and president of the Texas and Pacific Railway. He said, in part:
“It is going to take an ever-increasing number of people who are willing to take the time to crusade for our American brand of freedom and liberty, to stem the swelling tide towards governmental paternalism.”
The balance of this letter appears on page 19 of this issue, and we recommend that you read it.
