The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1944-06-26
Forgotten Americans
These Days s N'g gzo 9ti e. soHo1sxr

II the Republican party desires
to be really useful. its resolutions
committee might consider the
plight of the forgotten Americans.
This fellow is not an Anglo-Ameri-
can or a Franco american or an
Irish-American or a Jewish Ameri-
can. He is just plain American
citizen. He has one country, one
loyalty. one citizenship.
He is a lawyer. a doctor. an edi-
tor a small retailer, a small manu-
facturer, a principal in a school, a
travelling salesman-in a word. he
belongs to the great American mid
die class. Sometimes. he is called
the white collar class.
He buys most OF the books and
magazines sold in this country.
His wife belongs to most OF the
women's clubs. He owns an insur-
ance policy and very often his own
home. He makes up the member
ship OF the Rotary, Kiwanis. Lions
and other service clubs. He con-
tributes to community chests. He
buys war DondS.
But he is not organized into Ia
Dor unions or class pressure
groups. As an American, he re-
mains an individualist and does not
pay for protection, except as he
pays taxes and sends his son to
war. He obeys the law and makes
no special deals with politicians.
He and his wife vote on election
day but they have not organized to
deliver votes wholesale nor does
he control any funds that can be
used in an election campaign.
This middle-class citizens Is
thinking person but he does not
join in demonstrative mobs. He
is being squeezed to death. His
salary is frozen yet prices are rls-
ing. He works harder than ever
adding to his burdens tasks that
fall upon his because of manpow-
er shortages; yet no matter what
he earns, most of II disappears in
higher costs of living and taxes.
The OPA tells him there is a cell
ing price; his wife shows him her
bills. He wants to help in the war;
he is loyal TO his government;
toasts his president, but he gets
socked regularly by WLB, WPB,
NLRB, OES and similar govern
ment agencies. He has discover
ed that he does not count. He Is
a small man in big world.
Nobody represents him. His
plight has been described to per
lection in that surprisingly salty
novel, Mr.. G. Strings Along by
Robert Wilder in whic hthe tribula-
tions of a small middle-class manu-
facturer is earned to its logical
conclusion. think he goes nuts.
The Republican party might with
| advantage to itself and the coun-
try speak up for this middle-class
American citizen. II he ever got
sufficiently angry and conscious Of
his powers. he would speak up for
himself and sharply and he would
prove to minority pressure groups
that this is still the United States
of America. The Republican par
ty might note that fact at this con-
vention. 1t might recognize that
Joe Doakes, feed and grain dealer
on Main St..-any main Streets
as important in the life of the
American people as De Gaulle ana
Joe Stain and even Winston
Churchill 1t is Americans who
count. And our politicians some
times forget that it is Americans
who count. And our politicians
sometimes forget that it is Ameri-
cans who vote for them.
And there is another point to
make about this middle-class Ameri.
can folk. They call themselves lib
erals but they are really extremely
conservative. They believe in God.
flag and country. They like every
ne, innovation but they like even
more, everything that is hallowed
by time and tradition. They enjoy
the radio but they also like good
old-fashioned hymn singing in
church. They hate wars but Will
fight in one without demanding 10
know why. They might be pro-
British one year and pro-Russian