Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-23
Small Man
Still Not
Considered
Ne " De al Does Not
Act in Fine
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

BY HUH -. JOnNSON
TIiIS is another column about
u the slaughter of the inno-
cents that is as sure as sunrise
10 happen in this country as
the vast war production with
its arbitrary priorities goes for
ward into full blast.
/ mean the widespread de-
struction of the little fellow IN
business and the jobs of his
employees.
The pressure is only beginning
to be felt but the program has
only started. When it gets into
full swing the casualties are
going TO run into the tens Of
thousands and the justified
squawking will create universal
sympathy and probably uni
versal soreness which is bad
for both unity and confidence IN
governmental management.
Farming out of war orders
by the big fellows is Just a mus
tard plaster, first because most
of these establishments are not
equipped 10 take them and sec
0nd because il slows production,
reduces quality, increases cost
and will be done with reluctance
and half heart by those under
a stern responsibility for results
in military and naval supply.
THE problem rarely arose
L during World War ], be-
cause the demand was much
less since this possibility had
been foreSeen and provided for
and because much Of technical
military manufacture was con-
tracted for abroad We furnish
ing replacement raw material
1t is all different now. We are
the arsenal OF dcmocraCy-ln-
Guiding Russia and China.
II is high time before the
slaughter commences 20 con-
slider means 10 Offset the
destruction and the creation
here OF tho greatest monopoliS-
ne concentration OF business
this country has ever known.
The bearing Of tho sacrifice
is not like taxes, assessed ON
ability to~pay. principle Of
relative equality and leaving the
bulk of small business IN both
manufacture and sale at least
alive.
Now il is literally TO be wiped
out on no rule of equality what
ever but because government
administration will simply per-
nit these people no supplies
with which to carry on their
business.
1t is a difficult problem but
not without precedent. For Ccn-
turtles in the law of the sea there
has been a principle call-cf the
rule Of general average II has
varied as among different mari
time nations and at different
times. 1t offers complications
and only recently in the last
80 cars-has II become more
uniform throughout the world
Still il is complicated and not
10 be compressed into a single
principle.
But generally speaking it is
something like this When a
ship is in distress and some Of
| her cargo has 10 be jettiSonod
tthrown overheard 10 save the
rest. or when there is a fire and
the sea has TO be Let in on some
of the cargo TO keep all from
being destroyed. or when the
ship itself has TO he run ashore
to prevent loss Of the whole
cargo and in several similar cir
cumstanceS, the loss 20 the own
erS of the destroyed freight is
not permitted 10 fall solely upon
/ its owners.
An attempt is made 20 aver
age the loss over all the owners
of all the cargo saved by this
sacrifice Of the owners Of the
destroyed cargo.
TT SEEMS 10 me that the prin-
L ciple and its application are
similar TO the misfortune
we are about TO meet and that
thought should be Immediately
given 10 this or some other APP
plication OF the ancient rule OF
Justice 10 the brand new circum-
stances in which We arc bound
TO find ourselves.
There is a dangerous, il slowly
rising. resentment growing up m
this country already over the
airy. unplanned and arbitrary
application Of harsh SaCrificial
laws by men unframed in their
application and apparently heed
less of their destructive effects
Can't this administration ever
learn 10 act in time 10 avert or
cushion unnecessary and unfair
war burdens?
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