Evening star., 1946-10-31
Letters to The Star
Doubts Duty of Government
To Manage Economy

SSS~AO ~ AA$ 0$S~A
Doubts Duty Of Government
To MANAGE Economy
To the Editor Of The Star:
The ST. Louis Post Dispatch Of Oc-
tober 8 contained an editorial which says
that only one person in five knows that
the American Bill Of Rights consists
OF the first 10 amendments to the Fed
eral Constitution.
One sometimes is prompted to wonder
whether our oft vaunted and taunted
leaders of Government are, themselves
aware of the Bill Of Rights. ! confess
my own painful realization Of woeful
ignorance on the subject when,
prompted by the aforementioned edi-
torial, read and considered the first
10 amendments to the Constitution.
did not see The Stars editorial
purportedly asserting that the failure"
of price control was due to lack Of pub
lie support-with which editorial Wal
ter /. Weed DIETER to the editor, Oc-
tober 19) took issue: Therefore have
not the advantage Of knowing exactly
what 1t was with which Mr.. Weed took
issue. But from the letter 1t appears
that gentleman sides with the view ex-
pressed by President Truman when he
stopped regrettably to sling bit OF po-
litical mud In the direction OF Senator
Taft who is credited with the doubtful
feat of swaying majority Of the MEM
bers of Congress on the subject OF price
control.
am impressed with the dangerous
tendency among us all. collectively and
individually, to expend our energies
uselessly, attempting to run every one
else's business. So many Of us have
matters all worked out-if only we
could persuade the next guy to do what
we think should be done!
find in the Bill of Rights nothing
which gives to the Federal Government
the right to dictate to me, to my en-
ployer or to his competitor, what his
business shall be, how he shall operate
it, what price he may charge, or how
much profit he may be allowed. Such
things cannot be controlled by our
present system of government. Such
things are controlled land, I believe,
rightly so) by those individuals with
which business is transacted, from the
employe who does the work straight
through the cycle Of economy to the
individual who purchases the product
or the service.
There are those among us-and, un-
fortunately, many Of them hold high
believe that this control is function
Of Government. There are ways to put
that collection of ideas into practice
In a workable form; but to do SO would
necessitate changing our form Of gov
ernment. Among the several ways by
which this change may be brought
about are the initiative and referendum
process originating with the people at
large, and the less desirable but more
quickly effective armed rebellion. I'm
sure the latter method would bring glee
to the inhabitants of the Kremlin
whether the resulting Government was
patterned after Communism or any Of
the myriad other isns available.
I'd like to see an end to all this child
ish backbiting prattle about who's to
blame for what and why. How is it
possible for intelligent men to waste
effort trying to blame some one in
dividual or group for fault which Is
universally attributable to you, me, Mr..
Weed, Mr.. Truman. the bellhop at the
Statler, the corporation executive, the
lady next door, the school teacher who
taught us to read and write, the radio
announcers describing the virtues of q
nonexistent soap. and the ministers
who preached from the pulpits of the
churches / didn't attend last Sunday?
Is 1t the function of our Government
to dictate the methods used In our econ
omy? believe 1t is designed rather
to enable our economy to function to
the fullest advantage for all with a
minimum of interference.
There Is simple way out of our
dilemma. Granted, it isn't easy. But
1t will work provided We give it honest
effort. Like charity, the successful
working ~of our system of economy be-
gins with each Of us getting his own
house in order-frst! When you
and and the next fellow take the
proper care Of our own personal affairs,
well discover that this, our newest
system of economy, initiated in the
era which brought us our independ-
ence from King George III, will work.
MATT LEMEN.
An Answer to Mr.. Sherwood.
To the Editor OF The Star:
notice that Miss Ingrid Bergman and
Mr. Rnhert Sherwood neither Of uhnr,,