Harvard Business School - Yearbook (Boston, MA)

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Dann vid is Message T0 THE CLASSES OF l949 A D l950 Every day it is becoming increasingly clear that we are engaged in a war of ideas-a war of ideals. Democracy and Totalitarianism are the adversaries. The stakes are high. Almost everyone believes that it will be a long conflict, unless a shooting war is resorted to in a futile attempt to resolve the conflict more quickly. There is obviously some Possibility, we hope a remote possibility, of a shoot- ing war within a relatively short time. In that event, we must face the conflict with the physical and ideological equipment we now have. Long-range prep- arations for success in the battle of ideas would have little bearing on the out- come of an immediate shooting war. If, as we hope, war can be averted, we nevertheless face a long-continuing struggle throughout the world for men's minds and, indeed, for men's souls. The ideas opposed in this underlying struggle flnd their expression in a conflict of systems-of methods through which society makes its decisions in economid social and political matters. The test of these systems lies in their effectiveness as instruments for attaining the human satisfactions which are the goals of any society. It seems to me that, as in so many instances of conflict, the best defense is a strong offense. In this conflict of systems, the best way to preserve our system is to make it work. It is obviously everybody's responsibility to do his part to make it work. However, by the very nature of the system, the businessman has especially heavy responsibilities. He must understand them, he must be prepared to meet them. To me the brightest ray of hope in these troubled times is my flrm belief that the businessman can and will measure up to the task. It is not easy-we have a lot to learn-but it can be done. ll

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Peace and prosperity are American ideals. The average American seeks sta- bility, a secure and pleasant home, and the chance for his kids to go to a decent school and get a better job than he has. Today in 1949 these goals seem remote to him. His hopes that the United Nations might secure peace have waned. He knows now that success from the United Nations, at best, will be a slow and tortuous pro- cess. He sees free governments, one-by- one, falling to the force and subterfuge of aggressive communism, yet he has to reconcile his much-valued civil rights with subversive propaganda. He wonders whether Big Business or Big Labor threatens his job and future. He votes for Harry Truman, because he wants a Fair Deal, but he still lacks faith in po- litical parties, promising much, yet psycho- logically geared to the past. He fears a technology, advanced by war-time achieve- ment to a point beyond his understanding. He asks, Will science be a means for im- proving my lot, or will it be misused ? These ideas are over-simplified, but their reality casts the shadow of confusion and doubt over America's political theory and economic system. Theories and sys- tems have no claim to immortality unless they satisfy the living demands of their citizens.