The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1943-07-22
WNU Service, Union Trust Building
Washington, d. c.


Washington, D. c.
In the next few weeks decisions
will be reached which will affect the
length of the war and they will not
be made on the military fronts.
They will be made in small town
offices, leaning across fences. down
at the post office or the court house,
on front stoops, at the Elks club, IN
the lodge rooms and after meetin's
of one kind or another IN every
middlesex, village and farm IN the
country.
They will result from converse
tons between the congressman,
home to mend their 1914 fences,
and their constituents. The nation
faces a crisis on the home front,
Unless il is solved in the common
sense American way, it is going to
prolong the war months, and per-
haps longer. It's presence has al
ready delayed the capitulation OF It
ally. according to some Of the more
pessirnistic pessimists around
Washington,
AS success on the battlefront
grows, the efforts of those trying to
support a total war are being de-
feated on the home front.
Tue Events
Two events mark the low IN uni-
fed effort for victory. One was
when a reporter, with no evil IN
nuendo in his mind as far as !
know land | know the mani, asked
the President if he would make any
comment for background on the
statement that although things were
going we'll on the battlefront, they
we're not going so we'll on the ad-
ministration front (meaning home
'front.'. The President replied with a
castigation of the press and radio
Some of their representatives, ne
said, were encouraging government
tai friction. He could have given 9
blasting, rip-roaring answer Whlcf
would have encouraged the coun
try. AS it was, he made some O
the men whose job it is to lnterpre
the news to the country, too mac
to be objective.
The second event which marked
the nadir in shoulder-to-shoulder eft
fort on the home front was Wher
congress came within an eyelash o
killing the use of any and all subsi
dies which would have broken
wide hole in the anti-inflation dam
Let me state Immediately that | Oh
not believe that subsidies is the pan
acea for our imitation ills, but t
have wiped them out completely a
that time would have meant jerk
ing the one, webbing support w
did have right out from under tn
price-control structure.
Since then the President ha
perked up and taken positiv
stand and congress on secon
thought modified its berserk moo
and evolved a compromise.
Now it is up to the people.
the congressman are convinced tha
they can afford to 60 national an
not be defeated year from M
vember, if they are convinced thf
the people will support their vote
if they vote for what they think tn
country needs and not to suit tn
pressure groups that sit on the
desks all day, the crisis will pas
Crack-DoUn Necessary
The detectives are pretty clear
In the first place, the Presidel
has got to take the helm again. +
has got to crack down. He has e
to see that dissensions do not bres
out. He has got to see to it that tt
secretary Of the treasury comes Q
with a clear-cut tax and savin
program which will absorb the
flation dollars. Congress will ha'
to support that program.
The pressure groups whose pl
pose it is to get their membe
more money for products or wage
will have to be threttled. III
means that the administration h
to be tough. Congress will have
have courage. The people will ma
to support their elected represen
tives.
= The vast majority Of America
are perfectly willing to carry tn
share of the load. They are !
willing to make sacrifices II tn
believe someone else is getting
benefit and Sinking their sha
The farmer will work the skin
his hands and take meager rev;
if it's for the good of the coun
and the boy he spared to join
army. But not if somebody II