The people's voice., 1942-02-27


complaints submit that collectively the business men and
all the proper parties which the blame rests
they look in the mirror while shaving primpng
suppose that year eighteen months ago, you
had read the following headlines:
GOVERNMENT CHARGES THAT
INDUSTRY DELAYS ARMAMENT
Surveys probable shortages in rubber aluminium,
copper and other Orders issued
enment procurement agencies to Immediately build
piles of all materials for normal civilian needs and for arma
ment production
Suppose the government had recognized that all of
these shortages materials would be found Suppose the
had also recognized that effective economy
Immediately operate at 100 cent of productive
capacity under profit private ownership SYSTEM which had
geared production scarcity high prices and big profits
Suppose all of this and that the government had decided to
stock piles of materials in unprecedented quantities for
possible and probable contingencies What would you Mr.
Business Man, you Mr. Average Consumer have said?
You would, without doubt have repeated vehemently all
the which the press owned controlled by Big
would have said and that would have been plenty
would have made present oures against shortages
causing priority distribution and sound like vague al
naudibe whisper Wha does the government mean by
going business? What do politicians know about
business? Haven't got great patriotic industrial leaders
who are prepared contingency Don't they know how
much material they have hand and always they have
enough for everyhing?" And ad infintum until with
the support funkey Big Business Congress- the
would have had to be changed and no
stock piles purchased Everything would have been
the foreghtedness of the big business operators as
it
man. neghbor He belongs church. He is
good czen doesn't drink gamble to and doesn't
beat his wife children He extends credit to the folks
universally he saunch supporter of the status AS
he greatest defender and buwark because
numerically strong and influential Aso let it be under
that he champion of Big Business and individually
enerans hopes of becoming of the select few classified
We venture with repdaon) the assertion that the
small business Glass; surpassed in ignorance OF
elementary economic fundamentals only by most of the big
business and politicians if to take their ex
and programs indicative of their sincere
opinions such questions Apparently of them have
thought the prevailing scarcity system under the
operation of which, the making of profits possible Produc
of profits to them unthnkable thing
and about increased production they
know that this would have lowered their
profits.
might be called to the attention of the small business
the who ardent OF the status
quo the press of the country is giving them minor
when first became concerned about the po
stories the industrial that there
was no danger shortages that industry always
pared to do part etc. ad nfnitum ad
press generally in the position with respect
shortages of material that regard to the horror stories
Russia and the failure of its which pubczed
profuse period of and which has now been
definitely and concusivey tissue OF propaganda es
Now all talk about sacrifices of which
avoided had not been tied to the profit
system. III
So when you looking for goat to blame, my good
friends and just take into account
responsibility for present conditions In democracy
such as all share the blame for the short
comngs economic social and political systems 1t might
remember also that there mo split
milk, and provide against spillng any more. 81