Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1945-09-14

ANY RATIONINC and prce-fXng bureau such
the OPA is bound to be unpopular even though the
public may admit its necessity in great emergencies
1t would seem as if OPA has often gone out OF its
way to create grievances and has often refused
long periods of time to correct its mistakes to the
detrment of the producer and the consumer
Particularly in the retail field has this been in
evidence. And now. time when OPA says. our
pricing policy must be flexible, and, Above every
thing else it must Sbe administered with speed and
efficiency" it is dealing body blow to the retail
trade
The United States remains the one great nation
with production and distribution under the owner
ship and management of private citizens. Thanks TO
this system. our farmers and factories, our retailers
and workers tens of millions OF them can make a
living independent of government AS long as they
do that they need never fear political oppres-
sion The privilege of earning living unsupported
by government handouts and resultant poHtlcal
"persuason," is the key to freedom The people oil
Europe have thrown away this key. Even i'll England
and France the KEY is being turned to govern
Let's not throw away the key to freedom in our
own country Private enterprise, which socialism
destroys, may have its drawbacks. But its short
cOmings can always be corrected. Private enterprise
is the source of independent Jobs for employer aIO
employee alike. AS long private enterprise eN
lists government payrolls can be kept to healthy
minimum, and tell ottcialism To g" +" hl"|rs
without fear of the consequences
po@
OPA hlstifes it's action grounds of imitation
control But its idea of holding down costs seems t.
be at the retail end not at the production end, int
which go all the increases i'll labor. material am
taxation charges which raise consumer prices
Its cost absorption" theory penalties tn" lhrI
chant who was selling the lowest possibl" mari
mp and who has the least chance to absorb increase
production costs Initiation will never be stopped b
discouraging distribution and. therefore. production
Retailers have shown their books to OPA in Pre-
testing its suueeze on them to cover up higher cost
for labor and Materials They say that IN
method of price control is merely attempt
make them pay all the increased cost for encou
aging civilian goods production Merchants sta
that they will not have sufficient margin left to al
sorb increased production costs for merchandise
order to permit government price controllers to no
the line against consumer increases.
The only thing that will hold down prices is It
industry and labor and Congress which includes II
tax collector to enter into cooperative program
call halt to increases in which they have all i
dulged and are indulging. Neither OPA. nor Il
Federal government nor all the kings horses al
all the kings men can long save the consumer fro
inevitably inflated costs unless this is done.
OPA's cost absorption theories are so much Il
air when they try to apply the brakes at the ret
counter 1t would not take Il very smart child
figure this out. There will never be volume prodt
ton and sales which hold down costs. under su
policy.
9o@
THE TERMINATION OF THE WAR did
: bring clean-cut victory to the United Nations.
,I,in ti..l
i sion for which the fought. is less in t
dence today than at any previous time not eXclud
the era OF Hitler The United States now stands ale
u .l..,r - il,l md