The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-10-01

cussed to some degree at least, OBJ
ceive no consideration for publicatio
WILL 1T HAPPEN IN THE
UNITED sTATEs7
There has been world trend to
minimize the Importance of the indi-
vidual and to magnify the Importance
Of the state This must inevitably re-
suit in loss of our personal liberty
and our initiative. Even in this coun-
try there has been growth in phi
losophy that would have us believe
we have outgrown the American way
of life; that government bureaus and
super agencies can plan for and di-
rect the individual better than he can
for himself or herself; a philosophy
which tells young people that the
| frontiers of opportunity their fathers
and forefathers enjoyed have gone,
and that the government planning is
their only hope. We hear private and
business enterprise maligned, the cap
| italistic system abused and challenged
while new, strange and untried ways
of doing things are praised 1t is now
time to ask the purpose of this sap
ping of our American traditions, our
American way of doing things.
Who are these terrible capitalists?
Why, bless you, and every one who
saves a dollar and invests it. A CAPT
talist is any man, woman or child who
save their dollars and put them to
work; who has a right, and uses that
right to invest it in any property, or
in any legitimate business, which he
or she believes will be profitable. For
over $50 years the United States has
been land of tens of millions of CAPT
talists, whose money has helped to
develop both small and large bust
nesses and industries, particularly the
small industry or business. Ask any
of the great industrial firms or cor
porations how many of their share
holders own only 100 shares or less
of the stock in their institution and
the answer will be that in nearly all
cases these small individual holders
will far outnumber all the rest of
them put together.
Initiative and private enterprise
country the highest living standard in
the whole world Have these from
tiers disappeared? Listen to the re-
search engineers and the production
geniuses of American industry who
today are bringing us nearer victory
in this mechanical war They see
ahead of us frontiers of accomplish
ment that promise not only better liv-
ing for us but also for the whole
world, if opportunity is not stifIed, if
rewards are not denied, if achieve
ment is encouraged and if govern
ment keeps its hands out of business
and Industrial enterprise that can and
has been handled capaby by private
citizens.
Some of our congressional leaders
have pointed out the threat to the in
dividual, to his opportunity for self
government and to private enterprise
because of the growth of government |
by edict and bureaucratic directives.
Only an informed and aroused public |
can stop this unhealthy growth, |
which, as in some countries of this
world, has made the individual moth
ing but cipher or nothing of value |
or consequence. Let no one believe |
any government has magic enough to |
give a whole of something for moth
ing Let us take lesson from what |
is now taking place in the conquered
countries of Europe whose peoples
are now the victims of vain and false
promises by irresponsible leaders in
government, then resolve that it shall
not happen to us in these United
States w. F. RUEGSEGGER.
The Peoples Voice
Helena, Montana
Dear Editor:
The above letter appeared in Daily
inter- Lake of Kalispell on July End.
n view of your liberal wish to print
10Th sides 1 submit same and my
eply.
In the past SO years (of which Mr..
speaks) the United States
las expanded by the sweat of the
ons of toll as well as by the money
# capitalists. Vast enterprises have
,rown up, our forests have been
Numbered to further enrich the mil
ionaires who bought them for a song
r acquired title by a direct grant
rom the government Our mineral !
nd oil and railroads have passed into J
he hands of the mighty who ever I
earn for more. Our power resources |
re in the hands of a few wealthy l
antilles whose fascistic tendencies
re one of our greatest potential dan I
ers. We felt the taste of a great i
over grab, locally, when Flathead t
alley was almost sold out to the P
over interests down the river. b
You speak of free" enterprise. p