The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-11-21
Killing to Cure
Killing to Cure
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Those who attack the capitalist
system often go back TO the guild
OF the Middle Ages TO discover the
-fections which they miss In our
world. They point to the machine
a. the monster that destroyed a
moral society In which poverty was
constant by law and.the great mass
OF the people of all countries were
shackled by the slavery OF feudal.
ism. Their difficulty is that they
recognize the disease of the CAPT
talist syste.L bu- none OF its ad-
vantages; they fail to realize that
a woman may be beautiful though
nearsighted.. We do not shoot the
W 'esome creature for being near
sighted; We fit glasses TO her eyes.
The principal defects of the capt.
talist system are:
/. No matter how nationalistic
an economy may be, the movement
of goods, services and money must
be international. But varying lev
els Of human culture produce varie-
ties OF standards of living and
therefore wage scales. Steps are
taken ENTHUSIASTICALLY to prevent
the lower priced goods and services
from destroying the standards OF a
higher-waged country. This dis
turbs world economy, produces
crises, unemployment, poverty
with their concomitants, Statism
and even war.
This problem requires solution
before peace can be restored to
the world, but 1t cannot be solved
outside the capitalist system except
by the acceptance of a state-con-
trolled or even owned economy.
This type OF state is called totali-
tartan no matter what it's guise. II
quickly solves its problems by en-
Shaving its own people and as many
others as II can conquer. 1t does
revert to the Middle Ages; II
recreates serfdom-slavery to the
State.
2. The social value OF the capt.
talist system is equality Of econ
omic opportunity and the legally
guaranteed rights Of each indivi-
dual. Nevertheless. the advance
of science and engineering tends
to lessen equality OF opportunity
because larger units OF production
become inevitable. In the early
stages of capitalist development,
a blacksmith could become
founder and build himself into a
man of extraordinary vealth. When
a single machine. comparable to a
sewing machine in dressmaking
establishment, costs sc0.600 600 to
construct and put into production.
1t Is obviously impossible for
foreman to become the owner OF
such plant. He can, OF course.
own stock in the company that
owns the business. but his holding
will be small comnared to thu total.
There are COMPANIES in the United
States with a quarter Of million
owners.
Opportunity then Is within larger
rather than in individu-
al small enterprises. But that is
not altogether a wholesome condi-
ton within the capitalist system,
which must always prevent COM
binations of production which while
not monopolitic--a LEGAL term var
iorslv Interpreted at different times
may be so overwhelming as to
invite government control OF the
economic process.
Here then Is a problem OF regu-
lation. but not one which involves
reducing steel mills to fornderies
or huge synthetic chemical nlants
to village alchemists. Regulation,
often involving some iniustices. is
preferable to government owner
ship of production 18th its limita.
tons upon human ingenuity.
3. The motive force OF capital.
ism Is competition. Those who
fall for half truths regard competi.
ton as wasteful. Why, they ask,
should there be six breakfast foods
whei one will suffice; why have
four brands of cigarettes when one
will do? Why have taste? Why
have needs? Why have desires?