Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-09-27
A REAL "WAR" AFTER THE WAR
By Otto H.. Kahn

100000 were confscated, as has been urged
by some, the resulting sum would barely
cover our war expenditures for one month?
Do you know that II all incomes above even
10000 were taken and distributed among
those earning less than 10000 the result,
as far as ] can figure out, would be that
the aggregate income Of those receiving that
distribution would be increased barely 10
per cent?
VTNHE menace which ! see Is not in the
i deliberate will of the people. but in the
fact that under the emotional stress of war
tendencies are tolerated and modes Of thought
and action permitted to gain a footing unop-
posed, which are apt to create very serious
problems upon the return of normal condi-
tions.
Government in its very essence is the
negation' of competition. 1t is. by the very
fact Of its being. whatever its name or kind,
the monopoly of monopolies. 1t cannot but
be affected with those shortcomings which
spring from the absence Of competition. and
the exercise Of monopoly.
Why. then, should a people which rightly
discountenances monopoly and rightly be-
lieves in the principles of competition enlarge
the operations of governmental agencies
further than Is required for the recognized
purposes which a free government is meant
to serve?
From governmental paternalism to social
ism is not a very long step.
The menace, however, of, bureaucratism
and socialistic paternalism. with their insid-
ious effect upon the very fiber and marrow
of the race, confronts us now.
- While bureaucracy and efficiency can go
= together under an autocratic regime, 1t Is
Impossible in the very nature of things for
bureaucracy to go together with efficiency
in a democra.r. Nor. Indeed, can paternal-
ism and liberty exist side by side. .
THE history of our railroads in the last
i ten years shows the effect Of paternalistic
control.
The theory of governmental regulation and
supervision was entirely all right. No fair
minded man would quarrel with that. But
the practical application of that theory was
wholly at fault and in defiance of both eco
nomic law and common sense. 1t was bound
to lead to a crisis. 1t is not the railroads
that have broken down, 1t Is our railroad
legislation and commissions which havS
broken down.
The Government, in the emergency of war,
probably wisely and. in view of the pre-
vailing circumstances, necessarily has as
sumed the operation of the railroads, The
director general of railroads.. rightly and
courageously, proceeded to do Immediately
that which the railroads for years had again
and again asked in vain to be permitted to
do-only more so. '' -
TIME picture of bureaucratic paternalism
i fastening its shackles upon a nation
which went to war to preserve liberty Is not
a fanciful one. Through the accident of war
paternalism at present rules supreme. That
is inevitable in wartime. The one and SUI
preme task before the nation is to win the
war. No personal or business consideration
must be permitted to stand in the way of
the necessities of that task, and no one must
for one moment hesitate to submit to them.
1t would be a tragedy. II 1t were to be
permitted, that while our boys are fighting
for liberty the great and splendid structure
of ordered and enlightened freedom and COW
eEanted individual rights which was handed
down TO all Americans should be invaded by
that most insidious foe of liberty. paternal.
ism, with its allies and close relatives, bu-
reaucracy and socialism.