Milford chronicle., 1945-10-26

UuIulHS, DIS Ol OclODef 10, despite lQe IecfS
Of OPA and other agencies that prices will
skyrOcket. This is in line with true American
tradition. Agencies which controlled the ma
tionS activities during the war are bound to
develop a feeling that their services are in
dlSpensable IN peacetlme, and no matter when
controls are released they can figure up a
good 'emergency' argument for continuing
them.
As government throws OFF restraints, in
dusny and individuals face the obligation of
showing themselves capable of voluntary
control over their own actions to prevent
ln1atlOnalN prices. The people now have Il
chance to prove that they are intelligent
enough to conduct the affairs Of this nation,
as in the past, without government policing
to prevent price gOuging. 1t is probable that
price increases in some cases will be neccs-
sary to meet increased cost Of production.
On the other hand, it is just as probable that
mass production and distribution NAV in
many cases hold prices at current levels or
actually reduce them under the stimulus of
competition.
The nations leading retailers, including
chain store systems in all lines of activity
Will be powerful brake on any tendency to
unnecessarily initiate manufacturing costs.
The consumer and the retailer can refuse to
buy any article whose producers seek to take
undue advantage Of the demand for goods
Aside from all this, when the chips are
finally down it should be remembered that
III the long run the authoritarian system
winch price control represents must be abun-
dOned at any cost II representative govern
ment is to be preserved We are indeed a
tickle people if we let the stresses of imitation
destroy the free institutions of our Republic
EVEN IN NORMAL TIMES, uncontrol-
led tlfe takes 4 heavy toll of our human and
physical resources. During the war, fire men
aced the security of our armed forces. I'm
peace Ii menaceS the security of the WORKER
Individual esponsbility and the united ef-
Tort of all fire fighting agencies are necpS-
SalE 10 control this ever present DANGER
There have already been many disastrous
postwar fires IN industrial plants Everyone
is concerned with this because fires deprive
workers Of Jobs, and the primary objective
of the American people in days ahead will
be employment and production
The record Of vital statistics shows that
on an average, 10000 persons lose THEN lives
each year IN fires. And many times that mum
ber suffer incapacitating or painful burns
and injuries. Seven thousand Of these deaths
occur IN homes where more than 400 900
lleS were fepoflt|' ar. The victims of
theSe nome 1lreS an 11y women and chill
dlen.
During the last - months, America
burned SILL, ,223, 900 worth of propelty-thp
highest fire loss in II years. This huge ac-
cumulatOn of buildings and goods was vast
ed at time when the world is CRYING for all
kinds of food, clothing, building materials
and commodities of every kind. While Striy-
ing 10 conserve resources to produce and sun
ply the products for our own as well as othnr
natlOnS, our annual bonfire consumed nearly
hall billion dollars in property.
@o@
PARENTS, WIVES and sweethearts of
men IN the armed forces give voice fire.
quently because Of the apparently slow
methods being used by the Army and Navv
IN dlscharglng men from their respective
branches. Closer examination of the statis-
TICS would seem to indicate that these
charges are unfoundcd. 1t is interesting TO
note tAat Tor the period comprising the
mOnthS between the German collapse and
the japanese surrender the Army avpraped
l4l,OO0 men discharged each month. During
the same period the Navy monthly discharpe
rate was 23,3OO. AS of September 1915 the
monthly discharge rate in the Army had
jumped to total of 397 900, while the Navv
had increased its discharge to = monthIv
total of $4,000. Plans call for am ARMY
discharge each month beginning in January
1916, OF l,4OO,O0O while the NAVY plans to
icledHe 1oo,OOO monthly at that time Put
clig II IN another way the size of the armed
forces as of October was: Army. 7 350 000
men; Navy, 3,118,O00 men. AS of January
next, the Army plans to reduce it's strenpth
TO 4'2OO,0OO while the Navy strength at that
time Will be 2,64l,00O Carrying the figures
still further the Army plans to reduce its
total manpOWer to $50, 600 bv july | 1915
and the Navy hopes to have it's personnel
cut to total of $4,000 by that time. Con-
Sldering the fact that the Jap collapse came
months sooner than those planning the fight
against our enemies had thought possible,
win the result that plans for demobiiza-
tion had not been completed, it is surprising
that the men have been released as uuickIV
as has been done up to the present.
SOME PEOPLE, Of nsavory memory,
made money out of the war which our bovs
won won with their blood-and some other people
nelpeu Ihe conSclenceless black-malketeers
every time they Maid aVa,, 81 f1,Y \