ABSTRACT
"The function of our government is political— not economic", says the National Association of Manufacturers in its "Platform of American Industry" (1924). Organized labor entirely agrees that "Government must keep out of the production and distribution of commodities and services"— but Herbert Hoover and the capitalist spokesmen generally interpret this to mean that there must be no real government control over industry. The foundation of labor's thought is undoubtedly that existing government should not and cannot "take over the task" of operating industry and must "keep out of the production and distribution of commodities and services". Organized labor and agriculture agree that this service is legitimate if carried on within the limits of the public welfare. The precedent for this principle lies in the special legislation and governmental aid so long extended and still extended to "business"— in so far as such aid has been recognized by other economic groups as legitimate.
