The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1940-06-13

WHdI liilS COulLTy Is UeSlIiIllllS W
do is to change from a peace economy
Ito military economy. That involves
|readjustments which apparently few
las yet thoroughly understand. When
the Nazis came to power in postwar
Germany the slogan was, "Guns, not
butter" The result of the ruthless
application of that slogan was stead
lily declining standard of living and
according to unprejudiced authorizes
la serious decline in the general stand
ard of public health. More and more
|of the national income went for state
|purposes-less and less was left in the
hands of the people. To lesser ex-
tent, all the European nations, which
have been on war footing for many
years, have undergone the same eXpe-
rience. And now it looks as if we are
to undergo it too.
This doesn't mean that the United
States will follow the same road as
the Nazis. We are far richer coun-
try, possessed of resources which no
European power can equal. There is
no question now of devoting 60 per
cent of our national income (Which is
the proportion being spent in Ger
many for military purposes. But it
does mean, unless the commentators
are wrong, that all factors in our ma
tional life will be called upon to make
serious sacrifices to the end that we
be made as secure as possible from
successful invasion. 1t means that we
will have fewer luxuries, fewer dol
lars to spend as individuals, in order
that we may have more airplanes,
tanks, battleships, and the other i'm
plements Of defense.
A number of important columnists,
led by influential Walter Lippman,
have been criticizing the President for
what they regard as lack of frank
ness in informing the people just how
much they will have to sacrifice to
create an adequate defense establish
ment. And the events of the last few
weeks have certainly produced plenty
of food for grim thought. The Presi-
dent has greatly revised upward his
original requests for defense appro-
priations, and Congress seems prac-
tically united in favor of putting his
general plan into effect. 1t has be-
come obvious that defense isn't just
a matter of adding billion or two to
the military budgets. Untold billions
will be required-and on top of that,
all of the energies of the nation will
have to be devoted to turning the dol
lars into needed weapons. 1t is esti-
mated by competent military men that
the $4,000 warplane plan alone would
cost better than $3,000,000, 0,000-and
that the same amount would have to
be spent annually for maintenance and
replacement.
The President has observed that the
defense drive should not be accompa-
MED by reduction in the laborer's
working standards and that essential
social objectives need not be shelved.
Few of the commentators seem to
completely agree with that. They are
generally convinced that labor will
have to sacrifice some of it's late gains,
even as industry will have to sacrifice
profits. They feel that domestic re-
form must be at least temporarily for
gotten-that the goal now must be
iron-handed productive efficiency. 1t
is a fact that abroad, in the demo-
cratic as well as the totalitarian pow
ers, it has long been necessary to sub
&c ia, |
to the interest of the nation. In
France, for instance, the working day
has been raised from eight to twelve
hours.
The commentators also feel certain
that the American people are today
united and are willing to make the
necessary sacrifices for a non-political
defense program that will achieve re-
suits with minimum waste of time
and money. A very substantial in
crease in both direct and indirect taxes
seems inevitable-the moderate tax
increases recently proposed in Con-
gress are regarded as just the begin
ming. The standard of living, as a
consequence, must certainly drop.
There is less and less informed talk
Of America going to war abroad--we
have our hands full in this hemis-
phere. We are at peace, but we are
moving toward a war footing. Almost
none doubt the necessity of this, but
relatively few as yet know what it in
wolves. We aren't going to have to
give up our butter to buy guns-but,
symbolically speaking, it seems GER
tain that we will have less butter.
Nominating time is close, and the
political picture gradually clears.
There seems little question but what
Mr.. Roosevelt can be renominated for
a third term if he wishes. He will
have close to half of the delegates
pledged to him when the convention
"Opens. And, in every primary, he has
beaten all other contenders by tre-
mendous margins.
On the Republican side, the Dewey
candidacy has apparently slipped Sc
riously. Few think he has a chance.
Taft and Vandenberg are the leading
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