The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-08-25
Leaf

Giving money away until money
itself loses all value is an ancient
device OF politicians in search Of
power. AS long as the money lasts,
the giver is popular and the recipi-
ents OF their bounty cheer for them.
Then money becomes devalued,
prices rise, taxes become unbear-
able, poverty a permanent state Of
society. This is the road to revo-
lution-and all revolutions began
where that road ended. The level
ing OF wealth is always downward.
All politicians invariably insist
that the devices they employ to
appease popular anger and to su-
gar-coat the bitter pill Of reality
are temporary and for good pur-
pose. No politician ever admits
that his motives, purposes and de-
signs are not justly moral and for
the good OF the people. And few
of them are insincere. Certainly
when Peter the Great fixed the des-
potism OF the Russian Cars, he
was certain that he was serving his
people Just as Frederick the Great
and subsequently Bismarck, who
established the type OF political so
cialism that developed into Hitlers
despotism, were sure that they
were serving the German people.
In England and the United States
despotism never took hold, although
Oliver Cromwell might have been
despot, and we have had here
presidents who were temperament
ally ready for autocratic rule. Des-
potism failed in the Anglo-SaXon
countries because the people pre-
ferred TO look after themselves.
The absolute guide Of the American
people has been: God helps those
who help themselves
The philosophy behind the Kill
gore Bill and whatever substitutes
appear for 1t. is the defeatist, hope
less concept that the United States
| cannot, will not, has no way TO
| create enough work in private il
dustry to provide jobs for the re-
turning soldiers and for the sur
plus employees OF government.
Those who favor the Kilgore philo-
sophy admit by implication, that
had there been no war, the eco
| nomic crisis in the United States
would have deepened. that 10000
900 persons would have been perm
anently unemployed and would
have had TO be supported In COM
parative idleness by the taxes ~
the rest OF the population; that this
condition would ultimately have ef'
fected a collapse OF the political.
economic and social system OF this
country and would have resulted in
the establishment here OF totali-
tartan government on the model OF
! Soviet Russia This was the gen
eral position OF Earl Browder up
TO the moment that the Commun-
| lists became patriots in support or
Soviet Russia's participation in this
war.
But made.work, leaf-raking, boon
doggling is not good enough for
any American. 1t is indecent chari-
ty. Americans prefer to give 20
their government. not TO take from
IT, The laborer is worthy OF his
hire and should get as much for
his efforts as he can. But TO re-
ceive subsistence money from gov
eminent just to keep quiet, Is Il
demoralizing immoral destruction
OF the independence OF the indiyid-
ual.
Our responsibility is to make GER
tain that there is a job, working
Job for every American who wants
ia job that pays man for the
work he does and pays him well.
Bernard Baruch says that can be
done. He and John Hancock have
reported on how that can be done.
He and his associates are still
working In this direction. The po'
liticians fear his report because II
eliminates all the fraud OF perm
anent dependence upon govern
ment. They prefer system OF re-
lief which makes the relieved one
the spiritual slave to the giver.
|