Milford chronicle., 1946-10-11


minoritics, but rarely about the protection of the
rights of the majority The rights of the majority to
the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness should not
be at the mercy of 4 militant minority such as we
witness today Labor has been taught in the last
twelve years that they have only rights and privileges
and practically responsibilities to the communirv
With sympathy for the rights and dignity of
the worker, he must remember that no individual
right is higher than the right of the whole people
to the pursuit of life, liberty and happiness If he
interrupts that right he destroys the purpose OF
those patriots who established the Bill of Rights
~>~o&~
MANUFACTURERS RETAILERS distributors
and others involved accepted the continuation of
OPA in its present modified form with good grace |
Many of them believed that it would have been
wiser to abandon the bureau, and let the normal
machinery of supply and demand take care of the
price situation But, despite this, the great bulk of
them have coopcratcd with OpA to the full IN
seeking carry the provisions of the law
Even SO, it is apparent that OPA cannot and
holding the price line. Cost of production
of everything, whether VIC like it or not continues
to rise, and that be reflected in the cost TO
tho buyer. We learning, for example, that We
cannot have record public debt ard record wages
and prcwar prices the same time. When OPA does
attempt to force prices below their natural lcvc>
i'll the of meat supplies dwindc in the show
cases of the legitimate, law-lbdinG StorcSlnd flow
in abundance into eager black market channels
What all this adds up to is that the natural
forces of supply and demand can't long be avoided
In free market, prices will eventually find their
level, whatever THAI may be 1t will hc level
based upon production, upon consumer desire, upon
wage scales upon material and operating COSTS upon
compctition and upon all the other factors which
come into play in farm and factory and continue ON
down tho line to the store where the ultimate Gust
makes his purchase And the sooner VIC return
to that free market, the better off will be
1t obviously the desire of Congress that this
return be made quickly. 1t revived OPA with great
reluctance, partly because of pressure from the ad-
minstration, and partly because it believed that
comp pctc dccOntrol was not sound now. But its
creation of the dccontro board with powers superior
those of the OPA Administrator, showed clearly
what it planned. That expressed mandate must be
carried
SIMPLE PRECAUTIONS against the possibility
of fire lives and property from dcstruction-
precautions which simple they may seem actu-
ally unnecessary. But The National Board of Fire
Underwriters emphasizes the importance of such
in its untiring effort cut down frc loss
1t recognizes that the effective force in fight
ing fire is sincere desire on the part of the public
cooperate in eliminating every possible fire haz-
ard.
Some OF the simple precautions that depend on
each individual Proper insulation around stoves;
the use Of fuses instead of pennies in the fuse box;
closing OF doors and windows to shut off possible
drafts when leaving dwellings safeguarding fires
left in houses against spreading curtains, furniture
and ntlammablc fixtures; destroy ny refuse which IS
potential producer of instantaneous combustion;
placing electric irons something metallic instead
of the cloth ironing board. These and countless
other safety measures depend upon individual action
Such safeguards indispensable if we arc to
reduce the tremendous annual fire loss suffered by
this country. The great proportion Of fires results
from failure adhere the smp lest precautions
Thousands of lives arc lost and millions of dollars
worth of property is destroyed every year because
of individual negligence laziness i'll cooperating tc
prevent fire. Simple precautions may save any on,
of us from being tho victim of fire. Why shirk a
duty that takes little time and may prevent untoIc
loss and suffering?
IT'S VERY HUMAN FAILING to take ii
out on tho merchant when you can't find what vo,
want in But the countrys retailers dcscrv,
large share of consumer compassion.
The typical store today finds itself bcSicgcd II,
eager buyers time when it has little to sell, be
strikes and shortages are holding up produc
ton of all those marvellous postwar gadrct> VIC wcr,
supposed to have coming. Experienced, courteous
employees arc hard TO find, despite the all time hgI
III wages. The merchant goes to bed night aitc
night with his head throbbng from the compc\ an,
endless reports he make to the income tax oG
Gals and other agencies of government. He docsr
know from one day to tho what OPA polio,
1 will hc. And he's faced with price problem owe
which he has control.
Despite all this, American retailing has pcrlormc,
suprcmc y we'll 1t has stretched supplies so that L
I many people possible get share. 1t has manage,
keep good standards of service gong and is grad
$ ualy bcttcrinG them. 1t has done everything in it
power to limit price increases. 1t is providing yo
! with what you fast it can get the good,
a All tho way from the big chains the ltd
corner store, retailing has performed service it ca
bc proud Of. The consumer be certain that n
country earth has retail industry as efficient ,
JUST WHAT do the people Of the world thin
when they read reports the effect that of tn