Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1943-12-14
Menyle Stanley Rukeyser Tells
Problems of q New World
Following the second nstalnent address Mer7ye Stanley
ukeyser before the Illinois SaUings and Loan League:

ing, If we bring taxes under CONTROL if We
recognize the fundamental and long u
character of the inAatonary process throty
which we have been passing, and begin to
deal with it constructivey what then? What
then is the promise of American life after this
war?
Can We, even then give any encourage
ment to our young people or should we have
to join the Jeremiahs and say nothing but
dire distress is ahead?
l think not, my friends | think if we
keep the ingredients which make for national
greatness at work in the products of the flu
ture, we can go upwards and EDWARDS after
THIS war, because we are paying for this
war as we go in terms of real goods and
services, and we are pulling in our belts now
We are showing forbearance now.
We civilians are standing aside now, in
1943, and letting the federal government take
90 per cent of all the goods and services pro-
duced as means of waging the war, carrying
out end-lease and other operations
THAT is Donald Nelson's figure, not nv
own. SO, say, the forbearance is taking
place NOW currently, and if we were not con-
fusing the issue with the money count, we
would be over the troubles when the fighting
stops.
But, instead of doing that, we pay man
for 100 per cent of his time. but we confiscate
90 per cent of the product. The producer gets
money wages for 100 per cent of the product
money which is claim for goods-but only
40 per cent of the product is available for
civilians.
The theorists characterize the difference
as the inflationary gap. They propose TO
fret
through the sale of bonds, and third. possihAr
through forced saving if necessary. and
those things don't work, they may coniscate
the difference through initiation, which is a
hidden device.
1t would be much better 10 approach the
sacrifice in all candor, and say to our fellow
citzens-to say Churchill said. "All I can
promise you Is blood, sweat and tears" and
explain that 1t is necessary TO take 90 per
cent OF everything, and that means-you would
nave TO work three days out of FIVE for Uncle
Sam FOR THE DURATION.
Initiation enables political smanagers TO
run in opposite directions at the same time
and do mutually inconsistent work. II enables
them 10 take so per cent of the goods neces-
sary to total warfare and yet say to workers
and to farmers, you are getting the highest
wages and income in the history of this coun-
try"
TWO years ago before the national income
got so big, | spent few minutes telling
you why the national income methods of COM
putting the national income. were fallacious.
According TO methods of counting the same
tning twice the more the government spends.
the bigger the national income becomes.
If the national income were a true
me of at al
currently enjoying the greatest rise of ma.
terial well being we have ever had: instead
we're short of butter all types of mechanical
comfort goods. meats and other products.
The reason we are short is that we are taking
up TO so per cent for purposes of winning the
war and properly.
l am not crticizing that All I am
criticizng is the confusion Of the money count
winch leaves the plain citizen unaware II
what is taking place. Except for the C
phcations of financial policy. we could 20 uS-
wards and EDWARDS after the war because we
have been paying for the war in goods and
services as we 60
0F COURSE, at the end Of the war We will
~ be short of many things. Wen have
nll-up Doom. IL Is poor reason 10 be pros
porous because we are short of things II
that were the longtime criteria, China and
India would be the greatest countries in the
world. But our future can be bright in spite
OF the episodes through which we are passing.
II we make our economic decisions intelli-
gently and face the facts of initiation and
stop them, if we stop excessive government
spending and resultant ruinous taxation.
We must also challenge at the end Of
the war the prevailing initiation of thought
which is to the fact that the United States
is so rich and powerful it can feed and clothe
and provide for all children of God in all
countries, and run the destinies of all men
In other words if we recognize our
LIMITATIONS and recognize the nature Of
our economy after this war, we can again
go upwards and EDWARDS.