The Long View.(Brief Article)(Column)

Great Moments from The Arthur Andersen Story

From page 78, "The 1920s: The Bull Charges"

. . . don't know what the term "overvalued" means in the first place. Shares, by our meticulous analysis and investigation, are, if anything, undervalued. In our capacity as the "Keeper of the Nation's Books," we can aver with unmitigated confidence that American business is in robust health, and that the 1930s will be a decade of unparalleled growth. Indeed, as early as the autumn of 1929, according to our forecast, the American economy should explode with prosperity . . .

From page 121, "The 1930s: The Weimar Miracle"

. . . leads us to our unqualified enthusiasm for the new government and its fiscal strength. Of course, the Great War damaged many of the businesses that built Kaiser Wilhelm's powerhouse, but the ink wasn't dry on the Versailles Treaty before the new government of Germany got down to the hard work of stabilizing and strengthening the currency, and we can report to you today that the German mark is the bedrock on which the future of Germany can be built. Our exhaustive audit of the country's finances makes us almost giddy with optimism . . .

From page 204, "The 1940s: Mr. Roosevelt's Lasting Legacy"

. . . from the statistical standpoint, then, there's nothing at all to worry about. The population will, as our research shows, continue to sustain the new Social Security Administration indefinitely. Using the latest actuarial information, and applying our well-known no-nonsense skepticism, we're confident that the Social Security Administration is built upon a granite-like financial foundation. Our advice to the Americans of the future is to forget saving for retirement-the Social Security Administration will provide all the savings necessary for a healthy and happy . . .