The Durant news. (Durant, Miss.) 1882-1985, 1940-08-22

ttuuSllAdJ lGduP1S are
showing themselves to be unworthy
of their country.
Congress rushed through legisla-
ton allowing fourteen billion dollars
to be spent for the defense Of this
country, to preserve personal
liberty Of every citizen therein, that
we may continue our way of living
and doing business.
Congress appropriated this money
in order that American business in
terests here and abroad would not be
molested. The program is aimed to
help us preserve u prestige in the
changing world, making it possible
for us to continue to live and do
business although totalitarian meth
DDS are already dominating Europe
and a large part of the world.
The preparedness is aimed to pre-
serve American business and Ameri-
can business methods and standards
as much at it is designed too preserve
the individual freedom of its 30, 0OO,-
900 citizens.
1t follows that it is just as impor-
tant to American Big Business to see
tthis country safe from invasion as
it is to the lowliest citizen who will
be called upon to risk his life in the
defense Of the country.
Big business, however, instead of
rallying to the cause and showing a
spirit Of cooperation is baking,
h,,N.an,,z fsnr.,,t ,+Ar, ga,
holding up army and navy orders
until they are guaranteed certain
things by the government. Chiefly a
mong these are more liberal profits
and guarantees by statute that taxa
ton will be at a minimum.
At the same time that Big Bust
ness is bowling for more profits 1t
is taking advantage of the national
crisis to demand certain things from
labor. 1t would accomplish as far as
possible the repeal of all legislation
gained during the Roosevelt admin
istration for labor such as wages and
hours.
In short, Big Business is showing
that it has no love or loyalty to
America whose system Of private en-
terprise is responsible for its growth
to the stature of Big Business.
National C~uardsmen
The President has already been
given the authority to direct the
lives of National Guardsmen during
this emergency. He has the authority
co send them out of this country for
active service anywhere in the West
ern hemisphere. In other words he
can use the National Guard to occupy
areas in South America if he sees
fit to do so.
The National Guard was organic
ed for state service only. 1t is not
supposed to be called out by the nat
ional government under n emer-
gency. Yet Congress has given the
President that power, superseding all
states rights.
CONSUMPTION Bill
Congress is wasting valuable time
arguing over a CONSUMPTION bill when
it should be acting. Certainly if this
country is in danger enough to need
fourteen billion dollars spent for
fighting equipment we must have
trained men to use it, if and when
the manufacturers turn it out. Ger
tainly we have no time to waste in
training an army since we don't have
one.
Presidential Power
Thus with our rapid advance to-
ward a totalitarian state, spending
billions to get a fighting army ready,
wholesale CONSUMPTION of manpower,
espec ally young man power, it seems
that the next step for our Congress
to undertake is to give the President
power to take over private business
and turn out what the army, navy
and air corps needs to get ready to
fight.
sent m~ule-headed policy then our
congressman should Immediately take
strong steps in this direction to get
what is needed, by force, if neces-
sary, from business.
Congress should have just as much
right to conscritt business as it does
the individual lives of its citizens.
Real sa 'rifices from both groups are
necessary if we are to be prepared to
defend ourselves.
When the people of this country
stand ready to support our present
expenditures for defense certainly
nothing should be allowed to stand
in the way of having those necessary
expenditures carried out at nee.
Not to do so is nothing short of
treason.
Totalitarian State
1t is paradoxical that in order for
us to continue to enjoy u freedom
and way of living hat we should have
to resort to totalitarian methods
temporarily.
In America, as in England, the ad-
option of these methods is only tenn
porary and democracy will be res
tored as soon as the emergency is
over. The pity of it rs that when the
Eodaral Government assume certain