The times-news., 1938-06-22
THE VICIOUS EFFECTS OF GOVERN.
MENT COMPETITION WITH
PRIVATE BUSINESS

PRIVATE BUSINESS
The clothing manufacturing industry OF
the country is sick and the political quacks
in Washington are proposing to prescribe
for it. ...
, Their first prescription will be dose OF
cash. money borrowed against the credit
of the tax payers of the nation. 1t is true
that the ten million dollars in this case
provided will be used to buy the products
of the clothing manufacturers, which will
then be distributed free to that portion of
the population unable or claiming to be,
to provide its own clothing.
So far so good The clothing manufac-
,turers or the wholesalers sell ten million
dollars worth of products and needy peo-
pile have some of their needs met and sup
piled by benevolent government. A large
proportion of the population, which sees
only the, surface of conditions and does not
look to the future with it's foreboding i'm
plicatiors, throws its hands and shouts
approval of 'humanitarianism"
: Let us proceed further with the exam
ination, however.
What is the matter with the clothing in
dustry of the nation?
1 No doubt there are several answers, all
of which have bearing on the problem.
There is general depression and recession,
which have affected the clothing business
along with other businesses of the country.
There are the unemployed, unable to
finance the purchase of clothing; and there
are the shiftless, loafers, those who have
never supported themselves and never ex-
pect to try. to, do, so. Then there are the
worthy poor, the unfortunate and afflicted
Business for the clothing industry is limit
ed from these sources, and yet these peo-
pie must have clothing and the central
government Santa Claus has been engaged
for several years in supplying it.
The National Association of Retail
Clothiers has gathered statistics to show
that more than 10, 900 WPA units are max
ing clothing in the nation and that more
than, loo, 900, 600 garments have been pro-
dueed, and, presumably, distributed to
people unable to purchase clothing for
themselves. At an average value of dol
Jar garment the value of this production
would amount to ten times the amount of
money the spenders proposes to appropri-
ate and invest insthe products of the cloth.
ing manufacturers.
NOW, the question arises, what effect
has this enormous WPA production in the
Clothing industry had on the business of
the private clothing manufacturing indus
try? Perhaps nobody can give an accurate
answer to the question, but it is something
to think about.
On the other hand, supporters of the
presentsystem will point out that the WPA
clothing manufacturing business supplies
employment for thousands who have. NO
work or means Of support Shall we lei
tnese people work or allow Santa Claus to
care for them in idleness?, This is a fai,
question, but it only further complicates
the study of a difficult problem.
There are, however, certain facts which
can be ascertained beyond the possibility
OF controversy in the study of this matter
One basic fact is that whenever anC
wherever the central government enter.
into competition with private industry anG
business, complications and. trouble arr
certain to result.
II, the government hires thousands O.
people to make products that compel,
with the private clothing industry, payin,
the:eosts with public money. and distribut