Business competition under the free enterprise system has been highlyinstrumental in developing and maintaining America’s standard of living at a place of eminence in the world. We look to business and industry for jobs, payrolls, a big share of the tax revenue, and goods and services that we need for the necessities and luxuries of life. Yet polls and other indicators often picture business in a negative image. Rep. Edward J. Derwinski, R-lll., in a Congressional Record statement, said “an unfortunate negative attitude” too often has resulted in a perception of business as “an enemy of the public.” Reasons for the attitude are sometimes vague or misleading. In a column titled, “‘Big Bad Business,” syndicated writer William F. Buckley Jr. put his finger on one of them in a quote from Benjamin Stein’s book about Hollywood. Stein’s remark was that in the entire period he worked in the movie-TV capital, he never saw a script in which a businessman was favorably portrayed. That’s something to think about. Buckley also quoted Donald Rumsfeld, former high-levelwashington official now president of a pharmaceutical company, as saying that engaging in business in America is extremely difficult–“mostly because of government regulation, but government tends to reflect the public need.” Rumsfeld noted the difference in Japan and Germany “where the people think with pride about business.” Anti-business attitudes extending to authors and educators also were mentionenl by Buckley. This calls to mind results of some student polls of the past. A couple of years ago a poll of 24,000 teenagers listed in ”Who’s Who Among American High School Students” showed a strong attitude of suspician toward business, profits, advertising and free enterprise. That attitude wasn’t new. Nearly two decades ago a survey among high school students asked the question, “Who contributes most toward improved living standardsbusiness, govemment or union leaders?” Business ran a poor third. About the same time a poll by three midwestem universities reported 62 percent thought a worker should not produce all he can; 56 percent favored government regulation of all business; and 61 percent rejected the profit incentive as necessary to survival of gee enterprise. Somehow the business world must get its message across in a more effective manner. The schools might be one fertile field for the effort. The truth is that business and industry are indispensable in the American economy just as schools and colleges are indispensable in the educational and cultural field. They’re not perfect by any means and they have their problems and challenges. The road to success is paved with risks, heartaches, failures. But as an enterprise succeeds, it contributes positively to the economy. Many share the benefits. The public needs to understand this. As Rumsfeld said: ”lt’s crazy for society to be unfriendly in enterprise. lt’s damaging to the country and has contributed in a major way to today’s economic difficulties.”