The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1934-01-05
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National Topics Interpreted "a fTT7TYS&
by William Bruckart k0<r6TT

Is moving, private enterprises OF va
rious kinds win be driven out Of OK
istence by q government agency.
Then, the Public Works administra-
ton turned down a loan that was
sought the other day by the city OF
Fort Worth, Texas, with which 70
build q municipal power plant What
has happened since, do not know,
but the reason for the, first refusal
was that the Fort Worth folks had not
made rate schedules lower for their
projected plant than were charged
by private interests
There are numerous examples avail
able, but the import Of each Is the
same And they all give rise 10 the
question: ought the government OF the
United States subsidize, directly or
Indirectly, such developments, drive
out private business and then make up
the difference from the general tax
payers Of the country? From this
vantage point, il looks TO be decidedly
questionable as form Of public works
even in the guise Of relief. Politicians
who support that sort Of thing, / be
neve. VIII wish sometime they had
not done so.
History does repeat itself!
In the days before you and ] were
young, Maggie, the
History system of barter was
P~,.ot. the only means OF
selling or buying the
things the folks of those days needed
or desired / do not suppose, how
ever, that they ever thought the Amer
TEN Of barter by which q commodity
would be traded for a human being.
Yet, that is just what has happened
in this day Of so-ca1led high civiliza-
ton.
1t seems that Samuel insult, the Chi
cagoan, who had built up quite big
business in city light and power plants
and other utilities, is still in Greece.
Some Of the folks in Chicago would
like TO talk 10 Mr.. Insult Or, rather,
they would like 10 put him on wit
ness stand before judge and jury and
then ask him questions. So II was
natural that they should seek the
aid Of the government ST Wash
fngton in their efforts TO persuade
the government Of Greece to help
Mr. insult over the boundary line
of their country. Greece did not join
so readily with that plan, because Mr..
insult was regarded by the Greeks as
q nice man. Now, here is where his
try repeats.
There came day when prohibition
was repealed. At the same time, there
was a shortage in the United States
of certain kinds Of wine which Greece
could supply. But Greece was not
which could be made under our rules
of the game only under a quota fixed
by our government There was some
direct word spoken here in Washing
ton TO the minister Of Greece. II ap-
pears that an understanding was
reached. Greece was placed on the
quota list for $4,000 gallons Of wine
and Mr.. Insult hereafter may not ind
Greece such a pleasant haven.
OF course. / do not profess TO know
what went on In the private CONVEX
sations that preceded the action by
the federal alcohol control admins
tration in placing Greece on the quota
list. But do know the conversations
were not all about the wine quota.
And l have heard subsequently that
the American government expects
eventually TO have Mr.. insult return to
the United States so that his ideas
about the fallen utility empire can be
heard
An incident at the treasury day
or two before Christmas distressed me