Evening star., 1944-08-15

OF prosperity. Lowe" "ee"'
But it seems to me this laudable
desire is likely to fail OF achieve
ment unless we are capable Of
changing some Of our habits Of
thought. We haven't changed them
much during the war.
One reason may be that life has
been SO much as usual in America
during this greatest and most dew
astating of wars. We've had to give
up little, as private citizens, except
a portion of our gasoline and we've
given that up only because we could
not get it. Nowhere else in the
world in these years of stupendous
slaughter and destruction has life
been like that we've been enjoying:
nothing like 1t in the lands of our
allies or our enemies.
Can We Afford 1t?
We've had time and the money
to entertain ourselves and to be
entertained by professionals. We
haven't had to bother much about
thinking. 1t has been the best
baseball year In American history
from the standpoint of gate re-
ceipts: even the minor leagues are
flouriShing as never before. 1t has
been the greatest year in motion
pictures, from the standpoint of
attendance. 1t has been one of the
greatest years for the summer re-
sorts, Notwithstanding the persistent
pleas of the Government that peo-
pie use the railroads as little as
possible. All this is fine, If we can
AFFORD it, and maybe we can.
The question is how long we can
continue to afford it, The answer
is: as long as there is a market for
goods and services. When the Gov
ernment goes out OF the market for
war goods maybe the plants switch
Ing over to peace goods will find
the demand for their products suf-
ficient to keep business at a high
level. but nobody seems very con-
fident of this. Everybody agrees,
on the other hand, that If the Gov
ernment were to remain in the mar
ket as a big customer there would
be work and wages and business
for all.
That would involve q program of
public works and OF national self
improvement beyond anything we
have been willing to contemplate in
the past. 1t would involve a will
lingness to spend money to improve
life in this country on the same
scale that We spend it to destroy
life in other countries. II would in
volve undertaking to make Amer
lea over"
There was a Whitney of horse
laughter from coast to coast when
Rex Tugwell used that phrase back
IN 1882. Rex was just dreamer, we
said.
Some Optimistic Figures.
Henry J. Kaiser has picked up
the idea now and is trying to sell
1t to the country. Henry was recoe-
nized as a practical man before the
war and has been considered super
practical since. Maybe we will not
laugh at him 1t is hard to believe,
however. that he and others with
similar ideas will have much sue
cess unless there is a change in our
habits of thought. There hasn't
been much change under the impact
OF war and it requires real optimism
to believe there will be under the
impact Of peace.
Still, II anyone wishes to become
optimistic. here are a few figures
that may help. Income payments to
individuals in the United States rose
from SIS ,000, 600 900 in 1912 to $l42,-
600 900 900 in 1943, and the figure for
this year is expected to be around
$l55 ,000, 900. 900. OF that e142, ,000,-
600. 900 in 1943, direct taxes took only
$4,000 ,000,0 900, and Of the remainder,
$9l ,000, 900 900 were spent and $685.
900 .000. 900 saved The proportion Of
savings. 1t Is indicated, will be larger
this year.
With all this money kicking
around or being put safely away, it
seems to be generally agreed that
the American people will be able to
pay of our huge war debit busi-
ness keeps up.
Business will keep up If the Gov
ernment is in the market for goods
and services on large scale. And