Milford chronicle., 1943-02-26
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lcourtesy 1ndustriaI News RevIewl

By an ironic twist of circum-
stances, modern war proves beyond
argument that individual initiative
is the key to victory and progress.
Captain Eddie Rickenhacker says:
Once you put boy in foXhOle,
he is on his own. Once you drop a
parachute trooper behind the en-
emy's lines, he is on his own. The
youth in the cockpit of a fighter.
in a tank, on a commando raid, is
always on his own. The rugged
individualist, as Il political sym
Dol, may have few friends. but God
help us if we cant recreate him on
the battlefield and the factory
floor" The nation that does not
have rugged individualism on its
side will lose the war This stark
truth must come as a shock to the
political sharpshooters who have
been busy right here in our own
country kicking the props from
under a system that was founded
on the supremacy of the individual
Captain Rickenbacker is a product
of that system. He fought as a
soldier, willing to give his life that
the system might live. He helped
to pioneer the automobile and avi-
alton industries. He has time and
again taken chances, as soldier
and as a businessman, because he
could envisage a bright future. not
Just for himself. but for his family
and all the other families of Amer
lea. The future he has pictured
through the years has not taken
its lustre merely from the pros
pect of comfort and security. Ed
die Rickenbacker is a typical rug
ged individualist. For him there is
no future unless his right to take
risks, to think up new ideas. to do
things on his own hook and reap
fair reward, is safeguaTded and
encouraged. The United States was
built by men like Rickenbacker.
They came across the plains in
Ox-drawn wagons. fought Indians,
dug in the earth for gold, develop
ed farms. They discovered, invent
ed and produced their way to the
highest standard of living in the
world. At the present moment.
they are the men and women who
own, operate and work the coal and
metal mines, oil wells, power
plants, railroads and factories that
are turning out the weapons for |
other rugged individualists' on
the battlefront, who will win this !
war. Above all else. this war is be-
ing fought to keep the future bright |
for the descendants of these mil
lions who believe in themselves as
Those who think and |
act otherwise are running contrary |
to the character and tradition of
this country.
/S|S/
History shows that military de- |
feat is usually preceded by a col
lapse on the home front. Such col
lapse inevitably follows a break
down in the supply of civilian ne
cessities. Nothing is more essen |
Iial to the successful conclusion of |
a war than an efficient distribution
system to meet civilian needs. This |
country has such a system. Hun !
1reds of thousands of retail mer
chants scattered throughout every
county in the United States. are
day and night to have
food. clothes. and all commodities,
always available for the civilian
Through their various
trade organizations, they are CO.
operating with government in all
phases of the price stabiliZation
and rationing problems. They are
spending millions of advertising
dollars explaining to consumers the
need for regulatory measures and
how to comply with them. Where
gaps in the rules exist. the mer-
chants often ask voluntary cooper
alton of customers to prevent hard
ship. Who has not seen the make
shift placards requesting consum-
ers to limit their purchases of GER
-ain items? Government rulings
cannot possibly cover every emer-
any more than they can
soften the grim realities
or the merchant. Consumers sell
lOm see evidence of these realities.
they don't stop to think that back
If the cheerful exterior of the mod
srn store are sleepless nights for
that must cope with
of complicated rules,
price squeezes, labor
shortages, staggering taxes and
,ther problems without precedent.
L is doubtful if the public, or most !
fully realized the vital
character of service which the dis
ribution industry was destined to !
ender in a total war economy. But
hey are finding out now. And when
he war is over. it would be sur
,rising indeed if the old political
ssue of chain versus independent
torres was resurrected. 1t has at [
asst been proved more powerfully
han words can express that both !
re needed by consumers.