EXPERTS DISCUSS THE SHEARER CASE

Three authorities in their respective fields, when interviewed yesterday about the Shearer controversy, expressed widely divergent opinions of the validity and implications of the case. C. F. Taeusch, Ph.D. '20, and Associate Professor of Business Ethics at the Business School, found hopeful aspects in the situation, lauding particularly "the frank admission on the part of the officials of ship-building corporations that they made fools of themselves in sponsoring any such activities."

G. F. Doriot, Professor of Industrial Management at the Business School, welcomes the case, "inasmuch as it brought to light the tremendous amount of lobbying done in this country."

Navy Wants Peace

Captain B. B. Wygant, Professor of Naval Science and Tactics, declined to speak of the Shearer situation specifically, because he knew nothing about it excepting what he read in the newspapers, the frequent errors of whose reporting make him hesitate to commit himself. However, on the general subject of the proposed naval equality of Great Britain and the United States, Captain Wygant said that naval officers in general were in favor of any plan that would produce peace, "but perhaps naval officers more than others realize the sacrifices that are entailed by not being ready when any emergency may arise."

Frank Admissions Help

Associate Professor Taeusch said in full:

"The most hopeful feature of the Shearer situation is the frank admission on the part of the officials of ship-building corporations that they made fools of themselves in sponsoring any such activities. When business men can so frankly admit their mistakes, instead of attempting to flaunt public good will, it is quite evident that there is a basis for self-regulation in business, which will relieve the Church and the Law of some of its most difficult problems. Another example of this same trend in business is the divesting of the interests of the International Paper and Power Company from the ownership of such newspapers as the Boston Herald."

Professor Doriot declared his incompetence to speak impartially of the Shearer case because he approached it with a tremendous admiration for Sir William Wiseman, who is an intimate friend of his, but his full statement follows:

Minorities Lobby

"I welcome what has happened, inasmuch as it brought to light the tremendous amount of lobbying done in this country. The Bureau of Commerce at Washington should be able to make available to congressmen and senators in an impartial manner facts about the pending laws. I am opposed to lobbying, as it is practiced here in America, but I suppose it can hardly be avoided when there are only two major parties."

Speaking in a broader sense, taking the Shearer controversy more as a text than as an isolated case, Captain Wygant said:

"Naval officers in general are heartily in favor of the success of a conference which would bring about parity as between the navies of England and the United States, provided that due regard is given to any reasonable danger that might threaten from any other direction.