Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1945-11-01
II Might Be
|Wrong--But
p. G. STROMBERG

conference called for next week
there is hope that the hold-up in
postwar activity will be ended.
During the entire period of
the war Especially following the
time when Al
President lied victory be-
Humans gan to appear
Appeal imminent) there
developed a feel
ing of confidence on the part of
the American public that there
would be an era of prosperity in
the postwar years far beyond
anything our people had ever
known. And it is right here
with us. The public was not
misled. Unbounded business lies
ahead for big and little firms
as well as unparalleled employ
ment for all the people. Pres
sure to go ahead is so tremen-
dous that it is difficult to re-
strain and yet there is posi-
bility that the great pentup
energy is being dealt a death
blow by the unwillingness of
labor and management to get
together.
Labor is entitled to an in
crease. Business is justified in
granting an increase. Neither
side is justified in injuring our
future prosperity. President
Truman told management that
labor is entitled
Labor to an increase
Entitled To and he told
Increase labor that they
bear "stern
responsibility" with the public in
carrying on their collective bar
gaining.
This argument on such large
scale brings to the fore those
facts of our American economy
which reach our homes every
day. Whether or not we feel
that the issues interest US we
should know that whatever the
outcome, our individual fortunes
are involved. There is a new
era being inaugurated in Amer
lea. This era will be known in
history when our spirit of de-
nhocracy was put to the test. We
can never return to the condi-
tons which existed following
the first world war. We can
never run our Federal Govern
ment on budget approximat-
ing the budgets of the Harding
and Coolidge Administrations.
Our economy was first affected
by the New Deal and later by
the great sums of money spent
on the war.
This country has demonstrated
to the world that we have un-
limited wealth. and ability to
Aproduce for the waging Of war.
Ke have yet to prove to the
ID that we are capable of
lding this wealth and pro-
ductivity for the benefit Of our
people during peacetime. Wen
never again know when young
people just out
Strikes, of high school
LOckOuts and college seek
Destructive work at the pal
try prefer of
IS to $40 weekly. We have
learned that the people who
spend money to keep the ma
/. chinery of both Government and
industry moving are the people
in the lower income brackets.
Only through these people being
employed at fair incomes will
the business of this country be
able TO carry on for the employ
ment Of the millions seeking
work. And only through full
employment will the Government
collect enough money to keep up
the necessary public expendi-
lures while at the same time
pay Interest on the huge nation
al debt and gradually reduce
this debt to a point where there
Is some hope for future gener-
lions.
Strikes and lockouts are de-
structive. Too many innocent
citizens are hurt to argue that
our Government has no right to
insist on peaceful settlement Of
disputes. Those who hayesetud-
led our economy agree that we