The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1943-08-19

Now if you children will be good
until Saturday night III take you to a
show.
With this patronizing attitude the
adults of this nation have been in
formed of the possibility Of lifting
the driving ban. "If You observe the
restrictions on pleasure driving the
balance of this month, We'll give YOU
a little extra gas and you can use it
any way you want
These tactics are just a sample of
the general trend in attitude Of those
who are put in authority in govern
mental agencies.
How long will the people continue
to accept this way of living without
exercising their right at the voting
booth? Not very long, we predict.
1t is not only those connected with
gasoline restrictions. The War Produc-
ton Board has sent out a form letter
from Washington. to be used by city
officials in notifying water users
when there is a shortage. Of course
city councilmen wouldn't be expected
to know how to tell people to stop
sprinkling lawns or gardens, or wash
ing automobiles in case the water
supply became scarce. SO the director
of Office Of War utilities, since he APP
parently doesn't have anything else to
do but draw his salary, gets d brain
storm and composes form letter, and
considers he has saved the nation
from a water shortage.
If this keeps up you can expect an
executive order next month, notifying
the taxpayers that "All citizens. eff
fective this date, will wear overshoes
when it rains, in a nationwide effort
to prevent wet feet that would en-
danger the health Of the home front.
1t is also urged that citizens keep
clean hankies on their persons at all
times and give at least one good hard
blow each morning and evening, to
keep all necessary passages open for
deep breathing" This order wouldn't
apply to Pittsburgh, Grafton, or Balti-
more, which are unrationed areas for
SMOKE and cinders. |
f u "*@
The Editor has received letter
concerning our front-page editorial
of ia few weeks ago in which we
stated that Mussolini's methods of die
tatprship government were being
somewhat followed by our present
chief executive, and that he was con-
tinqally attempting to usurp more and
more power from the judicial and
legislative branches Of government.
The writer figured we got it from
some political agency and he asserted
it was in VERY POOR TASTE" to
publish such a comparison between
the President and the hated fascist
leader, posing the question rs it
pau iOllN VI Ni0C " u " II cav
among our people such bitterness
against the head of our government ~
In reply, the editorial was composed
in this office and for a very definite
pulpose-to show the trend of those
in power toward dictatorship govern
ment when millions Of our boys were
in the service fighting to preserve
democracy-just the opposite.
To whom, then, should the charge
Of poor taste apply? Is it not very
poor taste for president, who is COM
mander-in-chief Of democracy, to at
tempt to bring about so many changes
by executive order instead of going
through regular legislative channels :?
Authentic articles have revealed that
more than 500 executive orders have
been issued on various matters that
previous to the present administra-
ton, were the responsibility of the
Congress.
The responsibility for such poor
taste doesn't lie with this office. We
were merely pointing out the poor
taste" Of those in authority. And we
repeat, there is familiar pattern be
tween Mussolini's fallen government
and the attempts Of our leaders.
###
People have been wondering about
this, ESQ don't blame me- They
wonder just what the three-car gar
age will be used for on the high
school property in rear of the Home
Economics building.
They wonder why the Farm Secur-
ity Administration Gust small po-
tato in the large field of government
agencies) should be listed in the
phone book as the "U. S. Department
Of Agriculture"
They wonder why young people,
when a playground is made available
to them through much expense and
much effort, should tamper with nuts
and bolts on the equipment, and
throw mud and debris on the slide, and
otherwise destroy property They
wonder if it is home training, or
rather the lack of it, or just plain
devilment on the part of the young
sters in spite Of home training.