342mADISONaVENUE,nE4WyORK17.N.Y WALTER J. MURPHY, Editor
Democratic Industrialism DAVID
E. LILIENTHAL,
former
chairman of
the
Atomic Energy Commission, speaking at the dinner which marked t h e opening of t h e 24th Exposition of Chemical Industries in Philadelphia, coined an expression that 'will b e used frequently in the future. "The security of democratic industrialism," said ?vir. Lilienthal, "will have as its theme and purpose &he development of the individual, and an everincreasing measure of freedom and opportunity to develop according to his own talents, aspirations, and willingness to carry t h e responsibilities of a free snan." Emphasizing that h e w a s not denying the importance of the creation of physical wealth as the foundation of a good society, t h e honored guest of the IPliiladelphia Section of t h e AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY praised the chemical profession and the -chemical industry for its innumerable contributions ^to medicine, agriculture and nutrition, metallurgy, -transportation, military security, and virtually every other phase of modern life. T h e chemical industry, he stated, has indeed become a symbol of the American standard of living. But a higher standard of living m u s t not b e taken as an end in itself, he pointed out, explaining: "I think w e are coming to recognize that it is not enough to turn in splendid records in our chemical laboratories, not enough to perfect n e w processes or h a n g up new sales records. W e need to develop a sense of w h a t the whole purpose and end and theme of American technology is, if it is to serve the American future as well as it should; and if we are to get the greatest satisfaction out of our daily chores in t h e making of a living." The test of industrialism as Mr. Lilienthal sees it is not whether it can a d d to the quantity of goods, but whether it can a d d to the quality of life. W e certainly agree with him when h e expresses the firm belief that this is the test b y which history will judge the worth a n d greatness of our contemporary civilization. If technology and industrialism are to fulfill their proper role they must not only b e productive and fruitful, but they must strengthen t h e basic American conviction that ties us together in a common
bond that gives integrity and significance to our separate lives, that gives our country a dynamic fighting faith, beside which t h e cause of Communism becomes pallid, dehumanized, and transitory. This kind of creed as enunciated by the keynoter at the recent chemical show was not the kind of philosophy that the rugged business man of a few decades past usually believed in. T o d a y , however, a large majority of leaders of industry endeavor to follow the theme of "democratic individualism." Certainly w e have n o t reached t h e millenium b u t there is, as Mr. Lilienthal pointed out, heartening progress towards the goal. Among t h e items of evidence he cited are: industrialism's concern for the individual's physical safety, in contrast to the conditions of a generation ago; industrialism's study of and attention to the needs of individuals in their conditions of work a n d relations to their felloe workers a n d supervisors; industrialism's new type of top leadership—men who no longer look upon themselves as having arbitrary p o w e r over employees; industrialism's contributions to education, including the humanities; industrialism's growing acceptance of an obligation to help the Government, not only in wartime b u t "as one means of strengthening democratic institutions at all times." Mr. Lilienthal also pointed to industrialism's contributions in the field of design and architecture and support of the arts a n d music; industrialism's emphasis upon research, "a recognition of the human reason and rationality versus m e r e exploitation and power"; industrialism's effort in consumer research and advertising to find out what people want; a n d industrialism's contribution toward judging men upon their merits as men, not u p o n the color of their skins or their religious or racial origins. These advances have in most instances been m a d e the hard way b u t considerable progress has been achieved. W e are pleased to note that Mr. Lilienthal b e lieves the chemical profession and industry—the advance guard of technology—are potent forces in bringing into being t h e emerging society of "democratic industrialism." Collectively w e can feel proud of this contribution to our fellow m e n and to society.
