The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-10-07
Stort Home Front
Pledge Compoign
Continued from page u


something terms of our Govern
ment's program of rationing and
price control
Your government has taken two
important steps to eliminate in
creases in food prices and to assure
every one a fair share of food. Es-
sential foods have been rationed.
Top legal prices have been estab-
lished on practically every essential
food item in the family market
basket These are wartime prices
for your community
The new price plan for food now
provides the consumer with def
mite dollars and cents price ceilings
for items totalling nearly go per
cent of the entire cost of living.
Americans on the Home Front
are at battle today with one of the
most dangerous forces our country
has had to face in this war, or in
any other war
The ranks of these forces include
part time Americans-tho who put
personal gain above personal pa
triotism.
If these selfish individuals are al
lowed to operate unhampered and
unchecked, they will wreck our
economic structure and run our
cost of living up TO unheard of
heights
President Roosevelt has aimed a
powerful blow against these dan
gerous forces by directing the Of
flee Of Price Administration to es-
tablish definite controls against
runaway prices He has said again
and again. I'VE must hold the hnei'
But-the main responsibility for
holding the line lies with the
American people They. and they
alone, can smash the inflationary
spiral and assure a fair share of
food for every one. They, and they
alone, can keep the cost of living
doWn-within reasonable limits.
To do this-Americans every
where are being asked to make and
to keep this Home Front Pledge.
There are fewer goods to buy and
more money to buy them with. s.
We can use all of our higher in
comes to scramble to get them
Or we can put our higher incomes
to work at speeding victory
The choice is ours-the responsible
ity is ours,
mo one straw may break cam
els back, but there is always last
straw. We cannot afford to take
further chances in relaxing the line.
We have already taken too many.
President Roosevelt, April 8. 1913
The COMMUNICATIVE top prices
will simplify retail regulations for
the storekeeper and the housewife
and will make the consumer part
ner in the enforcement of wartime
price ceilings
! A consumer who pays above the
ceiling price is encouraging the
black market and impeding the wal
effort.
Keeping prices under control i.
the peoples personal responsibility
their individual actions, multi
piled by similar actions of thousand.
of others, either can create rising
/ prices or can promote economic sta
bility, speed victory, and help en-
sure the full attainment Of the ben
efits of the peace to come.
Price control has ALREADY demon.
starated its effectiveness in help.
ing keep down the cost of living
As an example of the degree Il
which prices have been controlled
the cost-of-living index rose at ;
rate of Is per cent year from De
cember l94l-the month Pearl Har-
Dor was attacked-until May 1912
when the General Maximum Pric,
Regulation was put into effect
From May 1912 to April 1913, it ha
risen at the rate of 712 per cent
year.
The astronomical growth of tota
wars demand for goods and service
is illustrated in the following fig
ures.
In 1939-we spent Ia billions TO
war goods and services.
In 1943-it is estimated that w
shall spend 80 billions.
Advertise mr. Re FORGOTTEN