Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-03-28
BY HUGH s. JOHNSON

I IKE it or hate it, we are in a
- new era. Nobody woke up
on New Years Day. 600 a. d.,
yawned. stretched and said,
"Now we enter the Middle Ages
and half a millennium of night
over western civilization" any
more than, at the end of his as
tonishing 100 days, Napoleon
could say. Now I'm going out
to fight the Battle of Waterloo
and end major war in Europe
for a century
Events formerly m d at
a slower pace and change was
too gradual to foresge. IT IS not
so today.
Our own situation is a case in
point. All YOU have to do is 10
look at the current appropria-
tons of this Congress, the cor
poration tax returns for 1910
and our declared policy in this
war. to know that everything of
the foundation of what we have
known as American is as GER
tainly gone with the wind as the
Scarlet O'Hara's Georgia after
ShermanS march TO the sea.
DECENTLY federal money au-
~ thoriZationS alone for the
building of instruments of de-
struction will approximate 40
billions, or more than the net
cost to us of the World War or
than the assessed valuation of
all property in all states west of
the Mississippi RiVer-and it is
generally conceded that we have
not even begun to spend money
on this effort.
Without any of the new and
confiScatory taxes that are sure
To come, corporation reports for
1910 are making it clear that
taxes are taking out of earnings,
on an average, an amount equal
TO the net return on capital and,
IN some cases, pretty close to
half the amount of the pay rolls
for labor-in the case of General
Motors for example. AZ per cent.
B. c. Forbes figures that yearly
telephone taxes amount to $11
per outlet to the subscriber.
Thus everybody is nicked-
capital, labor, consumerS-and
you amt seen nothing yet.
IN INTERNATIONAL affairs
Il our century and a half of
independence is over. We have
engaged, with one hand, TO
destroy on the continent of
Europe the greatest military
landpower the world has ever
known and with the other hand
to hold in check on the far side
of the world the greatest mill
tary and naval power that ever
arose in Asia. In addition we
have entered a crusade to abol-
iSh want and fear everywhere
in the world
All this it is bootleSs TO bewail
or even to ask. how did we
get that way" 1t certainly
came upon us suddenly. Few
suspected and none admitted
that we were even headed in
such a direction, or so many
directions, as late as election
day, 1910.
Indeed we were assured by
both candidates that we were
not. Now both are vieing with
each other for leadership in
taking us as rapidly as possible
toward these unknown goals.
Unknown" is surely the word.
Our only experience in this
direction in 1917 and 1918 was
insignificant compared with this.
Disappointing and diSillusioning
as 1t was, it cant be taken as a
guide or precedent We are full
sail in Stygian darkness into an
unchartered sea.
NOBODY can predict the turn
~ of revolutionary events 90
days ahead and no prudent per-
son would try. We are too far
on our way to think of turning
back. After all, it is no occasion
for the lamentations of any self
appointed jeremiah.
We got where we are BY
meeting new things boldly.
From the days of the Pilgrims
-and-all-1he other small, weak
pioneer bands. facing westward
on the edge of a bowling wilder
ness of continental extent. our
fate and fortune has been the
conquest of the unknown.
We are far better off than
they. We still have. and shall
continue TO have. the greatest
resources of earth-the richest
land, the best industrial plant
and 100000 of the people
and their children and the
children'S children of the men
who made it so.
1t IS time for courage and
action and not for repining. but
don't let anybody tell you that
II IS all not new. 1t is the real
New Deal--a New Deal for the
whole cock-eyed world and we
have underwritten it. The gent
who started the new thought
movement in California. years
ago, called himself, DIR. Neweye
Newee New. That's us-or we.
If you insist on grammar.
Distributed by King Features synd IN
Republication 10 whole or in part