The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-07-25
CONDITIONS IN U. S., EUROPE
 SHOWS SHARP CONTRAST
July 9, 1888


 Editor, Waterbury Democrat:
 It may not be in human nature to remember how much we have accomplished, especially when the clouds of a depression hang over us. We are too apt to forget that of all people on earth, our industry has pushed us forward faster and farther than that of any other nation.
 President Coolidge, when a visitor exclaimed, Twill 1t never stop rain- ing!" replied, Tt always has,"
 It is for us to prove that what we have done once we can do again, regardless of clouds and storms, by going at 1t with the same reliance on the freedom of the individual to do his best.
 Let us consider some of the things which our American system of free enterprise has achieved in the past in advancing standards of living, compared with conditions existing in eight European countries.
 Gerard Swope, President of the General Electric Company in the March Atlantic Monthly" gives some of the results of his researches as to what our industrial condi- tions have made it possible to pur- chase here as compared with those in European countries.
 Rent: Tn the United States a man works on the average 2.2 months to pay his rent for one year, while in European countries, and for smaller and poorer homes, the time varies from two to four months.
 The economic survey of the League of Nations indicates that the aver age family in the United States oc- cupies four to five rooms, and in Europe two to three rooms.
 Food: One unit of each of five articles of food, such as milk, eggs, bread, butter and beef, which are essential to support life and working vigor, can be obtained in the United States for an average Of 17 hours of labor. In the European country having food costs nearest to ours, man must work 4 l-2 hours and in one country he must work 2 hours to obtain the same unit of food. Needless to say, the latter supports much lower stand ard of living.
 Going to Work: In order to motor to work, as many man does in the United States, he must labor 4 1-2 months to purchase an automobile, as against 8 1-2 months in the European country nearest to us in this respect; and in one country "A months. In the latter few ride in automobiles.
 Light: We consider an abundance of light and electrical energy as one of our first necessities, because nothing costing so little adds so much to our convenience and com- fort.
 In the United States it requires approximately 3.6 minutes of work to purchase one kilowatt hour of electric energy. In the European country ranking next to Us in cost of light, a man must work three times as long: and in one country 12 times as long to buy the same unit of electrical energy. In the United States about five hours of work at a wage of one cent . min- ute will purchase enough electrical energy to light five room house for one month and run an electrical refrigerator, pressing iron and radio. In one European country 8 man would labor about twelve times as long to purchase the light alone. He almost never would have radio or refrigerator.
 If in these European countries they have to labor 2. 3, 6 or IA times as long to obtain the Same kind of service as we do, should we not stop and consider whether we wish to give up the benefits obtained by our free American enterprise for what any of the European systems will provide7
 America has arrived where she IS by making her labor in every held more and more productive. Free enterprise. with the aids of science and intelligence, has contributed to the common benefit of those who would labor for abundance at lower costs. No country has ever demcn- strated that the theories of colles-