Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1940-06-27
Il Might Be
| Wrong--BUT
by p. G. Stromberg

needed to look into the future
the immediate future-and see
for America and Americans only
supreme effort to become
practically self-sustaining. Look
ing at the economic side alone
we see our entry into new era
different from anything we
have known before. This new
life is here regardless of the
final outcome of the European
struggle. 1t is here because the
people are solidly behind pro-
gram of national defense which
will place this country second to
none in military and naval
equipment. This program means
the spending of BILLIONS OF
DOLLARS of which the recently
appropriated five billion is just
small beginning. This spend
ing program means that every
man and woman will feel the
pinch of new taxes and heavy
increases in established taxes.
It means that there will be no
let-up in the taxation for years.
On the other side it means en-
ployment and the possible off
setting of some of the tax ex-
penses. It means that in our
effort to become self-sustaining
we will be obliged to work out
new system of domestic
economy the likes Of which the
world has never seen. 1t means
that we must accomplish this
new economy while at the same
time retaining our high standard
of living. 1t means that we
Will have to tighten our belts
and probably cast aside some Of
the more abundant life ideals of
the national dreamers and really
go to work - not for thirty,
thirty-five or even forty hours
week but as the farmer always
has and still does : work early
or late until the job at hand is
finished. 1t means that we will
have compulsory, universal mill
tary training. This will serve
a two-fold purpose. First, it
will provide the training so es-
sential to the national defense
program; and, second, it will
furnish employment for great
number of young men who have
for years contributed to our en-
ployment problem. 1t means an
increase in our national debt to
limits never dreamed of. The
national debt will probably reach
double its present limit and by
the time it reaches ONE
HUNDRED THOUSAND MIL
LION DOLLARS we, of the
present generation, will be pass
ing on to the responsible Shout
ders of the future the greatest
financial burden the world has
ever known. 1t is only fair to
hope that by then some brilliant
mind will have discovered the
secret of public financing and
show the future how to wipe Off
that debt while still holding all
the gains.
IN THE PROCESS it might
be that we will at first reduce
the age for retirement for all,
first to SO, then to 60 and pos
sibly to an even younger age.
This will be necessary in order
to provide employment for the
youngsters. The Old Age Pen
sion feature of the Social Secur-
ity Program will never be
repealed. 1t will be added to
both in amount and in making
it available at a younger age.
Other social security features
might be altered and even
eliminated but never the old age
pension plan. The new era will
see the farmer assured of an in
come which will make it possible
for him to plan with some de-
gree of assurance. It might be
that he will be working under
governmental control but ne will
never be sold out because he has
surpluses on hand which ne
can't afford to harvest. The
government will buy these sur
pluses and make use of them.
One Of the greatest blunders OF
our national economy of the past
generation has been the fact
that we have had famine amidst
plenty. With the greatest sys-