The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-12-23
HOPE FOR A HAPPY CHRISTMAS
J. E. Jones

Washington, D. c., Dec. 20-An
investigating committee with sn ap-
preparation of 500 thousand dollars
is looking into the morals of mono
poles. The job contemplates a COM
plete study of the nations economic
system.
To begin with, there is a general
admission that monopoly may not
be monster, after all. That seems
to be case of giving the defendant
the benefit of doubt. The inquiry
may separate the sheep and goats.
DR.. Isador LIbin, United States
Commissioner of Labor Statistics,
told the Committee that the average
American family in the $3.50 class
was unable to swing itself. A little
boost of $3.50 a year for each fami-
ly, he said, would increase movie
admissions approximately $4,000
900 a year; and hypothetical in
crease of 50 day for each of the
100000 families would make
every industry prosperous because
there would be plenty of purchasing
power.
Most of the testimony during the
first week related to patents and
the automobile industry. The pat
ent system did not suffer, much un-
der the searching investigation.
Charles F. Kettering of General Mo-
tors, was a star witness.
May l say to you, Mr.. Ketter-
ing, interposed Senator O'Mahoney,
Chairman, that / feel very much
stimulated by your testimony
think good many of us here at
the Capital appreciate the fact that
the time has come, if we are to pre-
serve free government, when we
have got to discover the natural
laws which govern governments,
and how we can work in accord
with them"
Representative Sumner added:
"If we cannot preserve this govern
ment, all these big fortunes that are
being built up and all these me-
chanical Developments would be
mockery. Doctors will try out a
new idea on guinea pig first, and
they will be pretty cautious. or
course we are not"
Mr.. Kettering added about all the
human touch there was in the pro-
ceedings. He traced the progress OF
industry, and predicted that the
next half-century would be one of
unprecedented chronological and
scientific advancement; that the
next fifty years will witness greater
progress than ever before In the
history of industry.
With all this optimism being gen.
Grated in the governments legisla-
tive mills the people of our cOun-
try may have Happy Christmas.
Anvil-Chorus For Less Taxation
Ten billion, or make it eleven bill
lion That's the advance guess CT
government expenses for the coming
year. Chairman Eccles of the Fed
eral Reserve Board, says it is too
soon to cut down expenses since
that might cause relap se in bus
mess. Secretary of the Treasury
Morgenthau is a conservative on
spending. Members of the House
Appropriation Committee have al
ready made it known that there Is
little likelihood that government
expenses will be reduced.
The President has his defense pro-
gram Besides there is the relief
plan; agricultural problems, veter-
ans and social security benefits, the
forces, the works, administrations,
agencies, and the what-nots.
Little wonder that the anvil
chorus is a warning to slow down
the terrific rates of government
spending. No day passes without
mutterings of disapproval.
One-Way Policy
\ News dispatches from Lima by
leading American correspondents are
filled with references to the Good
Neighbor Policy as "a one-way po-
licy working from the north to the
south" with American capitalists
and investors unable to secure eth
er diplomatic action or force to
protect them from the confiscation
Of foreign owned properties by the
republics of the south.
Since Bolivia and Mexico have so
successfully resisted the American
envarnmant other I.atin-A merican
countries are anxious to follow the
same course, and in order to ease
the way a movement has gained
headway at Lima to defin-
itely establis President Roosevelt's
Policy through agreement that
would have the force of treaties,
and continue beyond Mr.. Roosevelt's