The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1945-07-16
THE coLLEcTIvlsT STATE

There are those in this country who
sincerely believe that the welfare of hu-
man beings can best be served through col
lectivist control
Benito Mussolini believed it. He sue
ceeded in persuading the Italian people
that his belief was valid. The fruition
brought neither contentment nor security.
Adolph Hitler believed it. Sixty million
Germans accepted his philosophy. Today
that which was the Reich is one vast pam
Drama of desolation.
This belief is the cardinal tenet of the
code of the japanese Emperor. Tokyo,
Yokohama and Osaka have been leveled
by flame.
We are trusting people. In some re-
spects we are gullible folk. 1t is essential
i'm these times that we be ruthlessly realis-
tic.
Communism, Facism, Nazism are not
mere matters of terms or definitions. They
result from establishment of centralized
controls and the operation of mechanisms
of administration. Unfortunately, in the de-
velopment of these mechanisms the insid-
iOuS Stcp ny SCcp pIOCCuuic may pooIPOiiC
recognition Of their real significance.
There have been introduced in the
United States Congress, Amendments to
the Social Security Act. They are known
as the Wagner Murray Dingell Bills. Most
Americans favor the expressed detectives
of some of the proposals. However, almost
hidden in the careful verbiage of the
Amendments is the cold steel move to
place in the hands of appointees of the
Federal Government sole and exclusive re-
sponsibility for the distribution of health
care for one hundred ten million people.
This service would consist of general med
ical, special medical, general dental, spec
ial dental, laboratory care, disqualification
and home nursing service. In no country has
machinery been established more sweeping
in it's provisions to serve the purpose of
Collectivist State
In the beginning the tax provisions
would create central fund of more than
Eight Billion Dollars annually. 1t is not
anticipated that this amount would even
approximate the total cost 1t is to be sup
plemented from General Revenue" Alert
editors have pointed out that our national
debt is approaching Three Hundred Billion
Dollars; that we are in the midst of war
only half won; that our economy could
not sustain this additional drain of from
Ten to Fifteen Billion Dollars each year.
The key principle of our Freedom of
Enterprise System is more jobs for more
men at maximum wages to provide ever
greater markets for the products of con-
stantly expanding industry. Editors have
drawn attention to the fact that the Wag-
ner-Murray -Dingell proposals are a direct
tax on employment. There would be a
minimum of Eight Billion Dollars yearly
less for consumers to spend for the poten-
tial output of our mines and factories and
farms. This, of necessity, would create a
downward spiral of production and fewer
jobs for workmen. These results, within
limits, would be inevitable. They might
be disastrous but they are not the really
important consideration.
The unparalleled progress and in
comparable achievements of the American
people are the result of sefrespect, individ-
ual initiative and self-reliance. When for
malized Security is substituted for self-re-
lance we forfeit the essence of the factor
that has been our strength When the in
centive for individual effort and thrift is
removed progress, as we have known it,
will be shifted into reverse.
1t may be possible that truly wise
and honest administration can reasonably
ration the food supply of a nation. Save
under truly totalitarian concept and con-
troll is it within reason to expect the effect
i've rationing of physician and hospital SER
vices for one hundred ten million people,
A vital difference should be kept in mind.
If the food rationing fails, it may mean
only that there are no steaks or pork chops
on dining room tables. If the doctor ra-
tioning fails, men and women and children
die. Human lives are the issue.
The WagnerMurray-D ingell Health