The midland journal., 1942-04-24
NOT LIKE THE OLD DAYS
BY J. e. Jones

BY j. Il. Jones
Washington, d. c., April 20--The
controls exercised by the Govern
ment over business workers, and in
dividuals are unparalleled in the his
tory of the nation. Twenty-Five years
ago the public was introduced to a
food administration, regulated rail-
roads, rationed sugar, rent control
and a few restrictions that were
considered tough at the time.
The Government had another at
tack of control during the first
Administration of President Roose-
welt, at which time the National
Recovery Administration and the
Agricultural Adjustment Admins
tration led the people around by
their ears, until the alphabetical
NRA and the AAA folded up.
Now we have so many things to
worry about that rubber tires, high
way transportation, labor strikes
and price ceilings are only part of
the confusion.
The Government is running big
war--and worrying little civilians
about typewriters, business ma
chimes, chairs, wastepaper baskets,
shaving cream, oil heating, pants
cuffs, and hundreds of articles from
appliances to zinc. Free enterprise
is putting up hard struggle.
We are told that 1t is all part of
the battle to win the war and prac-
tically every mother and her sons
are standing behind the Government
and backing this "all-out" PROPOSE
ton to crush our enemies.
Down in Washington, D. c., there
is as much controversy over war
measures as anywhere else in the
United States. The Capital is the
heart and center of fighting ma
tion. But people do not ignore the
fact that besides winning the war
we must not neglect winning the
peace.
Francis B. Sayre, High Commits
sioner to the PHILIPPINES, recently
escaped from Corrigedor, and your
correspondent was heartened to
hear him predict victory for Amer
lea in the Pacific. But, he said,
america hasn't woke up, YETI.
Isn't that because big questions like
strikes, rubber, transportation, and
restrictions on ordinary civilian life
are tossed out promiscously by
brain-trusters who are allowed to
run wild by the Administration?
Wars, like politics, make strange
bedfellows. This war is not like the
former ones--but every American
expects to win 1t.
Smaller Communitiese Hard Hit
Restrictions on the manufacturing
of necessary civilian goods Is pro-
ducing very serious results in small
er towns, cities and communities
throughout the United States. Most
of the small industrial establish
ments are finding it impossible to
readjust their affairs SO that they
can take war contract.
Statesmen who have handled re-
stricted goods are hunting new ways
to make living.
Reports from all over the country
show that the manufacturing Of
wide variety Of necessary civilian
goods is becoming demoralized be-
cause raw materials such as steel,
metals and other products cannot be
secured. Thus, the peacetime war
has been begging down dangerously.
The Sugar Shortage
In 1941 United States beet-sugar
producers were required to reduce
their acreage by an average Of 17%
Previous cuts In cane-sugar pro-
luction were continued. At the
same time the Maritime Commits
sion was being whipped up to build
more ships, while sugar interests
and Washington planners were try
ing to bring in sugar from Latin
America.
In short, the crops of beet and
cane sugar in the United States and
Puerto Rico were cut last year.
100000 tons. In Puerto Rico, 300,-
600 tons Of cane sugar was never
harvested, because 1t was called an
excessive quota.
About 100000 tons of
Philippine and Hawaiian sugar has
been lost. So, 1t appears that most Of
the sugar shortage is directly charg-
eable to poor planning under Gov
eminent control" schemes.
Ship Ahoy!
Big question in the Navy con-
Germs the. best way Of operating
American merchant ships. in order
to save them from being sunk by
anomv arhmarfnea Very faw of