Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-02-27
Government
Inconsidera+e
Of Civilians
Car Ere ezine Order
Act Of Cruelty
BY HUGH S. JOHNSON

commented on the atroclouS
injustice of the governments
freezing" in the 10000 dealers
hands some 300 odd thousands
of new cars and light trucks
which they held for sale to their
customers.
Now comes OPA with a plan
to let the dealers sell 43 per cent
of their cars in equal monthly
quotas spread over three months.
They must apparently hold the
other 81 per cent and spread
their sale over the rest of the
year.
This liberal" ration, the an
nouncement says, is TO provide
a small reserve for the conven-
fence of government and 10
q cushion the terrible impact OF
the sudden Stoppage on automo-
bile dealers.
THAT is almost like adding a
l. taunt TO an injury. Very few
dealers pay for their whole
stock in cash. A lot of il is con-
tinuouSly in hook 10 finance
company on a floor plan" usu-
ally on short term credit. Al
most every sale is accompanied
by a "trade-ln' and a consider
able part of the dealers invest
ment is tied up in used cars.
They are also partly frozen.
Care of both used and new
cars, some depreciation. the ex-
penSes of doing business, hous-
ing and eventually paying the
debt for them, also hang over
the dealers heads. The carry
ing charges" alone USUALLY figure
at from $40 10 S25 a month a
car-or did when l was in that
business, and, later. when l
again saw the inside Of II in
NRA.
NOV, all this freezing bust
ness wholly and solely
for -tiIe- benefit OF the govern
ment, as the announcement
shows. There is no ''liberality'
10 the dealer except in prolong-
ing his agony. ON the contrary
il might save his own financial
life if he could sell this little
Snag Of cars tomorrow.
These automobiles arc COM
plete and finished They will
use up no more strategic ma
tcrial Hardly a single digesti-
bic excuse has been offered for
the cruel. arbitrary freezing or
der. II will throw hundreds OF
thousands of employees out OF
employment and ruin tens Of
thousands Of small employers.
If the government needs 10
have those cars carried in a re-
serve pool. why doesn't il buy
{ them or al least assume the
charges for carrying them. II
would cost nothing in the long
run and an advance of less than
half a billion dollars now.
IT WOULD aid the morale OF
Il a million disgruntled citizens
who feel cheated by their own
government for which they stand
ready 10 make any reasonable
sacrifice.
But this is unreasonable The
government has no more right
10 confScate tho capital Of these
people by this slow process Of
Strangulation without compenSa
ton than il would have to reach
into your bank account and take
il over by a more rapid grab.
The almost utter disregard by
this war administration OF the
rights Of these citizens mate
rally differs just here from that
Of 1917 and 1918. Then. by the
Presidents precept. the war
agencies we're warned over and
over again that il was a prin-
cipal part Of their duty 10 pre-
serve civilian morale against
unnecessary restrictions.
MOT A price was fixed for
~ government purchases with
out applying the same price TO
the associated powers and 10 all
the people OF the United States.
Not a harsh and restrictive step
was taken that its effect on the
general public was not conSid-
cred and reported 10 the Presi-
dent in advance.
This time. we have an office
of civilian supply. too. but did
you ever hear of its doing any
thing along that line? ] never
did and III bet you have for
gotten who is responsible for il :?
Well il is Mr.. Henderson. chief
Of the Office Of Price Admins
tratlon who is author also OF
this CONSUMPTION by freezing.
Maybe he just hasn't got
around 10 this angle. Otherwise.
/ think he has done one Of the
best and bravest Jobs in the
whole outfit-aS was here pre-
dicted. But he'd better begin to
give some attention TO the other
half OF his job or he'll have
more trouble than even he can
handle.
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