Andrew Mellon is a relatively newcomer to any list of America's super-rich, but he had long had the Midas touch, sharing it with the entire Mellon family, probably the richest clan that ever lived, Of Ulster descent, the family have been notable for a cold and ruthless efficiency reaching out from banks to oil and aluminium, In the 50 cor-parations bearing the Mellon name Andrew's share is reported to be valued at £500,000,000.
In Mellon's record the attribute of money making is subordinated to his Treasury post. Nothing can raise a sparkle in his chilly eyes more than a reference to his Secretaryship ài the greatest since Alexander Hamilton's. Among the Republicans: his financial necromancy has become legendary. Others do not share that opinion.
While he reduced the public debt by constantly under-estimating Government revenues he also kept putting. down the income tax, thereby, according to—the ' over-savings economists, inviting the 1929 crash.
Rockfeller is the philanthropist in excelsis. Devoted to his recently deceased father, he was independent enough to take issue with him in 1914, when the senior Rockefeller became involved in labour confit. Saul became Paul in that year, The younger Rockefeller, swaying his aging parent, assumed the role of almoner of the fabulous oil fortun John D., junior, has an even deeper religious strain than his father. A Baptist, he has dedicated his influence none the less to "the task of emphazing the basic trüths common to all denominations" in promoting effective ce-operation among. Christians of all creeds.
The old order, in so far as it relates to the benevolent despotism of individual oligarchs, still survives in the Fords and the Clu Ponts. Both stand rock-like against Rooseveltism. It is not the President's redistributionism that they object to, for no concerns approach theirs in the rewards paid.to their employees; it is redistributionism by law. In their feudal eyes the only distributionism ihat squares with the American system is redistributionism under their own paternal aegis.
Ford is the greatest individualist of them all. He is the lone wolf even in his antipathy to the. New Deal.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.