The midland journal., 1946-09-27
lZOOZNC
YII AAEAD /
BY GEORGE S. BENSON
~ PresidtHf--J4aSdlxe College
Seany. .AsksKas
A Nations Good

1CuIlcIilCIl VI L06 CONTINENTAL
Congress, who years ago made
some important decisions for us,
today deserve a vote of confidence.
Will we keep the form of govern
ment they outlined and set up for
us or do we change to something
like that in Britain, France or Rus
sia? Let us make our decision
on a basis of results. If we don't
make it soon somebody will make
it for us.
Selecting our course ourselves,
doing so wisely and soon Is ex-
tremely important. Small items of
business can be bungled today and
corrected tomorrow; but not this
one. II the United States should
once 60 collectivist completely, it
would never be a republic again
until people who live now are for
gotten. There are no practice
shots; we make this decision once,
and that's how 1t will be.
A Nations Brains
In comparing the American sys-
tenn with any socialistic plan, one
point must be held In mind con-
stantly; Freedom to think. Nothing
is more valuable than good ideas
and everybody has them. Nobody
has corner on them. Where any
person is free to get ideas and put
them to work at his own risk, good
ones come to light in hurry and
are put to work in way that helps
everybody; that's democracy.
Under any socialistic system of
central planning, only few are con-
sidered worthy to think. They have
ideas occasionally, of course, but do
not try them out at their own risk.
They put them to work on a big
scale at the nations risk. By this
system the whole people must suf-
fer for the blunders of a few. That's
collectivism, and the differences
show up clearly in general prosper
ity.
A Nations Income
America is the most prosper
GUS country on earth. At the last
check, national income in the Unit
ed States was equal to that of the
six next highest countries; nation
al income being the grand total of
what everybody earns. Under the.
American system, incomes are diff
ferent; some higher than others but
all high. In socialist countries in
comes are more alike, uniformly
low.
Americas national enemies cry
out against capitalism in tones
that make the word sound like a |
dread disease. At least, under the
American system, accumulated
wealth is used rather than boarded. |
Savings in America are invested in
machinery to help workers produce
more and earn more. Where profits
are unlawful, dividends are impos-
sible, production and wages both
low.
A Nations Progress
Let me illustrate what the Amer
lean system is worth to the world:
Solomon, King of Israel, and George
Washington, the first President of
the United States, lived about alike.
They rode in horse-drawn vehicles,
wore hand-loomed clothes, used ami
NAL oil for light and wood for fuel.
They lived nearly 5000 years apart.
Think what you have now and re-
member that Washington died less
than $50 years ago.
The system of private enterprise
has many critics. Students in mod
ern colleges and high schools are
able glibly to point out defects in
Americas manner of life. Admit
tedly, it is not perfect because moth
ing is perfect that is made up Of
imperfect people. Just the same,
when the time comes to choose a
successful system, pick one that
makes the average man richer.