The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-05


 and every misdemeanor on the calendar of crime Hoarders, pro- titeers, gougers, chiselers and racke- teerS of all kinds have chance to get their and get the other fellows too, in wartime. Overcoming the temptation to give in to this nasti- ness is what can restore the char acter of America to it's best. I While unconscionable war pick ings are good, there is premium on meanness, as there is in all boomtimes. To put something over on someone else is considered smart. But once let the country get in 8 tough spot, once let token bomb ing or air raid hit the mainland and a different scale of values appears on the book of etiquette. Sharing, sacrifice, neighborliness and fair l dealing then become the virtues. WHAT WILL YOU DO? To quit pitching warm-up round- house generalities tend to slam few specific strikes over the plate, catch these:
 Are you going to hoard sugar or are you going to get along on less than your ration?
 When the rationing books are passed out, will you make an honest return on your family-or will you cheat a little to find ways to get more than your share? When your tires wear out, will iyou walk to the bus line-or will Iyou pay premium price to some tire bootleggers or fence for slipping you couple of hot ones?
 If you're a merchant, will you mark up the prices of stocks on your shelves just because the next con- signment is going to cost you more or will you do your bit to prevent imitation by keeping your prices as low as possible?
 If you're landlord, will you raise the rent just because houses or apartments or rooms are getting scarce-or will you keep your pre- vious rates?
 If you're in the supply business will you make side deals through false statements on invoices-or will you keep honest books?
 If you're a manufacturer, will you conceal price increases by lowering the quality of your product-or will you reduce prices where substitu- tions of cheaper materials make that possible?
 If the stuff you buy or sell is under government price regulations, will you abide by those ceilings-or will you find ways to beat the ImaXimums by hidden bonuses or commissioners?
 If your raw materials are under priorities control, will you abide by those limitationS-or will you con- ceal inventories, take care of your old customers and thumb your nose at the government? Will you stick to business as usual as long as you car-or get out after the war business and convert sooner than you thought you could?
 Will you dodge the draft-or do your duty?
 If you're more used to your coun- try on technical job, will you stick at it-or go have fun?
 IT'S EVERYONE WAR
 If you're in a war production plant. will you slow down, go on strike or otherwise jack the job or will you give it everything you have?
 If you're an employer making such profits you can't sleep good nights, will you ask the government to lrenegotiate your contractor will you keep on trying to live with your guilty conscience?
 If you're in the government, will you serve your country-or will you keep on playing politics?
 Will you do your bit for the Red Cross or the USO or the OCD-or will you fritter away your spare time like social parasite?
 Enough?
 The point is that this is a war for everyone, and not just the other fellow and the other gal. And if this sounds a little bit like the old peutonic philosophy that war is an ennobling institution, cauterizing the soul with White-hot fire, may be it is.
 There are some people who fear the United States may not be able to outproduce the axis unless the U s. living standard is reduced to level as low as that in Germany or Soviet Russia.
 It's possible.