Page Six
THE PILOT, Southern Pines and Aberdeen, North Carolina
Friday, November 22, 1935.
Shfttt Trend Toward Concentration
of Industrial Power Continue?
Ralph l*age Calls For Some Un
biased Thinking in Solving
Economic Problem
By Kalph W. PuRe
The greatest service that anyone
could render the people of the United
States would be to establish a de
tached and indifferent agency to pre
sent facts unflavored with conclu
sions and to clarify issues without
taking sides.
One present difficulty is to get any
clear statement of anycne's position.
Let's take some undisputed facts
and see if any clear issues are lined
up behind them.
Individual proprietors, individual
owners of farms, all forms of person
al enterprise are rapidly disappearing
in the United States. The trend of
events has been steadily putting all
industry into the hands of big cor
porations, thus concentrating all econ
omic f)ower in the hands of financiers
or of self perpetuating boards of di
rectors.
Now that is a fact.
It is not usually stated as a fact.
It is assorted with abuse or denied
with violence.
Independent Ownership Less
But it is a fact. Within 60 years,
according to some figures, the num
ber of the independent owner clauss
has diminished from 80 percent to 20
percent of the population. Within the
same time a very small number of
very large corporations have gained
control of more than half of our na
tional industrial business.
Now all this may be an excellent
thing.
Or it may be a bad thing.
But we ought to admit the fact,
and then proceed to decide whether
we want this process to go on.
If we want it to go on, we should
decide whether we wish this concen
trated control to be regulated or to
proceed without let or hinderance.
These facts and these decisions are
the critical ones now before the pub
lic. Most of the other so-called issues
are simply small items of this main
question, or distortions of the ques
tion.
It is suggested that a holding
company controlling ten other hold
ing companies is not by nature any
thing like an individual man conduct
ing a small business.
That is a fact.
It should be recognized.
Its rights, its motives, its relation
with other people, its effect upon our
economy and government, its obliga
tions and responsibilities are in no-
Orchids Raised Here
One of Largest Plants in
South Maintained by Judge
William A. Way
One of the interesting sights of
the Sandhills to visitors as well as
residents are the orchid green
houses of Judge William A. Way
in Knollwcod. This is one of the
largest plants for the raising of
orchids in the south. The green
houses are open to visitors on pay
ment of a small fee which goes
to the Kiwanis Club’s Charity
Fund.
wise comparable to that of a village
blacksmith.
So when we talk of the "liberty”
of an individual and the “liberty” of
a monopoly, we talk nonsense if we
use the same terms and conceptions.
This does not at all mean that the
best interest of the United States
may not be served by combining all
our business into great holding com
pany controls.
But it does mean that every one is
entitled to know that that is what
the fuss is about.
Combines Regarded Inevitable
And it would seem that those who
believe this desirable should flatly
admit the fact, and flatly defend the
process, with or without regulation
as ein adjunct.
It would be equally frank if those
who object to the process should dis
close how on earth we are to go back
to the individual proprietor in this
age of mEiss production.
If it be admitted that the process
is inevitable, then it would appear
that abuse of the successful opera
tors is out of place. The old America
has given place to the new. What was
America in 1890 is no longer Ameri
ca in 1935.
Does the Constitution prevent the
regulation of this new development?
Does human nature render such
regulation impotent?
Does sound economic theory destine
the American people to be ruled by
great aggregations of power whether
they want It or not?
Those seem to be side issues of the
same prevailing question.
Even the great debate about Fed
eral dictation and centralization'
would appear to be merely a debate
on a corollary to the main issue. The
Government is the only agency that
can either check, correct or regulate
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CATHERINE
Inferior Decorator
draperies
aiipapers
Work Skop
HoniselioM Stops
Oitizen’s BanL BuiMing
Soutliern Pines
Xelepkone 5611
Famed Writers Call
Southern Pines Home
James Boyd, the Burts, Miss
Sanborn, Almet Jenks and
Others in Colony
James Boyd, author cf “Drums,”
“Marching On,” “Long Hunt” and
“Roll River;” Struthers Burt, whose
‘Delectable Mountains,” “Dude Wran
gler,” “Festival,” "They Could Not
Sleep,” and numerous other books
have brought fame; Katharine New-
lin Burt, author of a long list of
books and magazine stories; Ruth
Burr Sanborn, writer of many suc
cessful stories and author of a re
cently published book, "Murder on
the Aphrodite;” Almet Jenks, regu
lar contributor to the Saturday Eve
ning Post; Maude Parker, prom
inent writer of magazine arti
cles; Lawrence B. Smith, author of
hunting and shooting books, and a
number of other luminaries of the lit
erary world make their winter homes
in Southern Pines. Judge Robert W.
Winston of Durham, biographer of
Robert E. Lee, spends much time
here in the winter.
The close proximity of the Sand
hills to New York publishing houses,
and the peace and quiet of the com
munity for concentrated work make
this an ideal spot for the writing fra
ternity, with tlie result that a size
able colony has sprung up in the
Weymouth Heights section.
ST.\PLE PEACH CROP FOR
NEXT FIVE YEARS FOBEC.\ST
A staple peach crop for the next
five years is predicted by the Agri
culture Department.
A forecast of future peach condi
tions said there might be a slight
decline in the number of bearing
trees, but offsetting factors were bet
ter care of commercial orchards and
improved growing conditions.
The reports said a moderate in
crease in supply would not cause
market surpluses. It added, however,
that in some districts of the South,
a rather large proportion of the trees
are peist their prime. In other South
ern districts, it was said, there are
many very young trees, and these to
gether with the better care that or
chards are receiving are expected to
maintain production in the South in
the next five years near the 1931-
1935 level.
LATEST FILM FEATURES
FOR MOVIE FANS HERE
this inevitable result of modern tech
nics and finance.
Consequently, any limitation of the
extension of the concentration of
economic power can only be met by
centralization and extension of the
power of government.
Now no Individual’s opinion in this
issue is of much consequence.
But it would certainly clear the air
if we were not continually asked t*
confuse the era of the pioneer with
theera of the steel corporation, and
the rights of small business with the
rights of national organizations.
The thing to do is to met the ques
tion squarely on the facts. Cut out
the abuse of big executives. They
are the most capable men we have.
That’s what everybody wants to be.
Cut out abuse of the inevitable. But
admit the question, and argue or
vote on the merits of the proposition.
And admit also that if we are to re
vert to the era of the small proprie
tor it can only be done by a major
operation; and if the concentration of
industry is to be controlled by the
people, that, in exact proportion as
it is to be controlled, the power of
the Federal Government must be ex
tended.
The Carolina Theatre, Southern
Pines, has more first-run feature
films than any small town theatre in
the country.
The Carolina Theatre In Southern
Pines shows the best in motion pic
tures, with two programs a week,
each running three nights, with Tues
day and Saturday matinees. The man
ager of the Carolina, Charles W.
Picquet, is president of the Theatre
Owners’ Association of North and
South Carolina and vice president of
the National Theatre Owners’ As
sociation and through his influ
ence in the industry ia able to pro
vide the newest film treats for his
clientele. Mr. Picquet also operates
the Carolina Theatre in Pinehurst.
Both houses are modern and comfor
table, with the latest in sound equip
ment.
SOUTHERN PINES LIBR.\RY IS
OPEN DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY
There are eight 18-hole golf
courses within a radius of seven
miles of Southern Pines.
The Southern Piries Men’s Club has
two roque courts and frequent touj^-
naments.
Soledo Safes, Small, Cheap and Ab
solutely fireproof at Hayes.’
The Southern Pines Library locat
ed in the Municipal building in the
City Park has a large and finely se
lected stock of the latest fiction in
addition to the classes, and is open
to visitors on week days, the hours
being from 10:00 a. m. to 12:00 m
and from 2:00 to 5:00 p. m. Eugene
C. Stevens is ^)resident and Mrs.
Park Fisher, librarian. A small fee is
charged for the loan of books.
Christmas ana Greeting cards for
all occasions at Hayes’.
FOR SALE
IN
Weymouth Estate
Several beautiful lots, about one
acre in size, in Pines and Dog
woods, serviced by town w^ater,
electricity and telephone.
Eugene C. Stevens
Sales Representative
SouHhern Pines North Carolina
On a clear day you can see seven
counties from the observation tower
H near Mount Hope Cemetery, South-
EVERYTHING for the BUILDER
FROM THE
Brick in the Basement
TO THE
Paint in the Parlor
CEMENT PLASTER
FRAMING LUMBER
INTERIOR TRIM
TILE
OUR CABINET SHOP
NATURAL GAS
makes
for cooking
Window and Door
Clean—
Screens
Economical
to fit the opening
Always there
Breakfast Nooks
Over 150
Trellis
Enthusiastic users
Bookcases
in the Sandhills
Boats
Prefer this fuel
. A PAINT FOR EVERY PURPOSE
We buy in quantities and base our prices according’ly
\
Southern Pines Warehouses
West Broad Street
Southern Pines
NOTARY PUBLIC
PUBLIC STENOGRAPHER
JOHN S. RUGGLES AGENCY
A NATIVE OF SOUTHERN PINES BY FORTUNE — LIVING HERE CONTINUOUSILY BY CHOICE, WE AN
TICIPATE REMAINING PERMANENTLY WITH SATISFACTION. YOUR PATRONAGE IS MOST EARN
ESTLY SOLICITED WITH ASSURANCE OF OUR UTMOST EFFORT TO MERIT YOUR CONSIDERATION.
Real Estate
Insurance
TELEPHONE 5721
SOUTHERN PINES, N. C.
3R0AD STREET
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