Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-12-10

nEWEY denounces the governmental feed
~ policies as peril 10 the supply of milk
and eggs due to unfed cows and chickens.
He lays the blame on "the economic policies
of the agencies of the national government"
What a difference if the word could be
changed to rational government!
The professor of marketing at Cornell
University-who is not one of the government
professors-s Leland Spencer. The New York
Times published long letter from him Nov.
16 Analysing the blunders of the bureaucrats
and protesting against the sabotaging of the
morale of the farmers by government
paternaism and red tape. He points out that
the cost would be much less if the price of
milk were allowed to rise to a normal level
instead of increasing the public debt by the
payment of subsidies
His scientific arguments were all elo-
quently urged as far back as August by the
Los Angeles attorney, Zach Lamar Cobb; who
had already begun bombarding the powers
that be with kilograms and letters but all in
vain.
Though Chester Bowles, general manager
of the OPA, wrote and admitted what ne
called "the squeeze on southern California
milk producers in September and forcsaw a
substantial decline in production because of
increased feed costs, he refused the slightest
increase in the price of retail milk and insisted
on the acceptance Of subsidies
THE very mention Of subsidies has been
j infuriating to the Americans who produce
things and the climax was reached this last
week when the House of Representatives voted
the abolition of the whole subsidy business
by overwhelming ma jorites. The Senate is
apt 10 follow suit.
The OPA arbitrarily imposed a ceiling on
the Los Angeles County Milk Producers and
this ceiling is from | TO cents quart
lower than the ceilings imposed on producers
in New York, Chicago and elsewhere. After
public hearing the director of agriculture for
California demanded an end to such dis
elimination. The OPA simply ignored the
demand.
As Cobb points out, there has been
steady and critical decrease in milk pro-
duction since June Every householder has
found difficulty in getting enough milk for
family necessities In at least one army camp,
and that one where aviation pilots are train
ing the milk consumption has been cut So per
cent
In the meanwhile, as Zach Cobb tee.
sraphed to Washington
THE OPA Is threatening criminal prose
cution of any distributor who pays farmer
the price which the California director of
agriculture feels necessary"
This is, Of course. in line with the policy
Of telling states whore they get off. They
simply get off.
THE acceptance Of subsidy is not 4 proper
i economic solution however attractive il
may look as a method Of getting votes Aad
in Cobbs words:
"Californan> do not want the owners Of
free enterprises converted to the status Of
beggars on probation. Woodrow Wilson won
World War | without augmentation Why
RECOMMENDATION now"
The answer is, Of course that the present
theory of government is that everything must
he regimented from the cradle to the grave:
and the milk bottles naturally come under
government supervision first.
The government is one vast patcrnalism
built on the assumption that papa knows
best. There is something about the climate
of Washington that fills civilian employe
with the ozone of A wisdom far superior TO
any intelligence that may be acquired by mere
experience.
While our armies and navies and air
forces are fighting to end the menace of those
who would destroy democracy from outside
our civilians at home must wage war on those
who believe in the preachment Of Harold
Laski and his followers: that democracy is
an outmoded way of life and should be junkcd
for something new.
When Gen. Patton exceeded his juris-
dicton and overruled medical officer and
Overpowered a private convalescent, he was
forced TO apologize and threatened with the
loss of his job. But most Of the bureaucrats.
having no legal authority for their power are
outside the law and above il, and they do not
have TO apologize to anybody for anything.