Norwich bulletin., 1920-07-10
AMERICA HELD IN CHAINS BY LITTLE MINDS

happened since it was submitted. It'1
 recommended cessation of ali construc-
 tion work, in the main ana also that lee
 cal government entities refrain from Or
 fering their securities for sale. Along
 comes the interstate Commerce Commis-
 sion and issues orders which in prevent
 the carrying out of construction pro-
 jects by making it impossible to trans
 port materials Now, if municipality
 goes to a bank and offers, say, hignway
 bonds for sale, what is more natural that for the bank to point out that it is foolish to issue the bonds when it is impossible to get materials
 There is more than one way of beating the devil around the stump The fed eral reserve board cannot legally instruct banks not to buy municipal bonds, but the government through it's various n1u- inequalities, can bring it about that a sit- uation exists which gives the banks good reason for not being enthusiastic about the bonds. If somebody, scuh as Secretary Houston. for instance, who Is heart and soul for this program of con traction, should happen to have given confidential advice not only to the federal | reserve board but to the interstate com merce commission as well, the doye-tai- ing would nGk be remarkable
 l MT Willard and other influential gen. tlemen who do not favor construction work at this time appear to have won a 1 great victory. Their view has been l adopted in Washington. Building opera ] tions are seasonal. Cut off the shipping | of supplies during the early summer
 months and you cut off construction en-
 tirely. What in effect has happened,
 therefore, is that by. arbitrary edict the good-roads program has been knocked in
 the head and the housing shortage is to continue acute for at least another winter. The rent-gougers may like that. ] You cannot. lasso America and tie it to a tree. You cannot put the business of this nation in straightjaeket and keep l IL there. You might as we'll try to stay the march of time itself as solennly to order that growth in America cease and
 come to an end, Why, we have Just taken into our lungs the first breath of
 maturity. We have felt the thrill of big
 ness and the lure of accomplishment as never before. There is everywhere in the
 land thirst for aehivement. The vision Of men has been extended. They see op- portunity everywhere about them and | they have the courage to seize it. That IS 1 wlS7 little men will be swept aside when ] they get in the way of progress whatever the present authority they exert. For 1 the truth is that the policy now dorninat- ing Washington is a little policy, utterly j ou of sympathy with American tradition. holding no promise of ultimate good and
 detrimental to the industry and prosperi- l ty of the nation that is certain to be overthroEn.
 Our criticism is not directed against 1 specific acts the details, so much as 1 against the entire attitude of mind the
 mental atmosphere. which has been per l A2ittsd to dominate Washington. It is the point of view that is fatal and it IS a point of view which cannot be al- 1 lowed to continue. The men in control 1 in Washington must learn to follow the 1 advice of J. P Morgan, the elder. and 1 be bulls on America" They are now l bears on America" and there is no room in this country for such people in places ] of high authority.