Milford chronicle., 1946-04-19
LAST DECEMBER'S FIRE LOSS Of

LAST DECENIBER'S FIRE LOSS of
nearly 9oO,OOO,OOO was the greatest this ma
tlon has experienced for any one month on
record, which makes this an appropriate time
to discuss ways OF safeguarding the lives and
property Of the nation
On ship at sea where mems lives de-
pend on discipline in case of fire or other
emergency, preparedness is achieved by post
ing instructions on the bulkheads where thev
can be read in spare moments and fixed in
the minds OF those who are concerned.
Would 1T not be a good plan to take a les
son from the sea and post vital instructions
IN homes and factories where all could read
them handily? No ship would put to sea with
out full instructions on how to combat fire
and other possible emergencies If the same
practice could be made universal on land.
living would be much safer.
Even child can be instrumental in saw
ing home in case Of fire if he is instructed
on how to use the fire extinguisher at the
crucial moment when the fire is still small
If the hazards Of fire were taken more seri-
ously, fewer lives would be lost. Like at sea.
there must be a man at the helm in the home.
and all members of the family must know
the seriousness Of fire and how to combat it.
II progress is to be made in reducing the an
nual toll OF death and destruction from fire
in this nation.
FREQUENTLY we are asked if it is true
that the rehabilitation programs has been
called off by the Army and Navy because of
developments in the European situation. The
recent controversy between Churchill and
Stain seemed to add flame to these rumors.
While these rumOrs persist in some quarters,
those in position to know say that no orders
slowing down the rehabilitation program
have been issued Army and Navy Public
Relations Offices have received nothing Off
cial on any change in the program to release
men from both the Army and Navy as quick
~ as possible. Unless there is a much more
serious turn IN international affairs, we GER
tanly cannot look for a Slackening of demo-
billzation. Congressman and Senators have
their eyes on the November elections. The
majority OF the people want rehabilitation
to continue at its present pace, and in an cleo
ton year OF all times, the members of Con-
greSS are very sensitive to what the people
want. 1t is reasonable to assume that any
attempt on the part of the Army or Navy to
slow up releases at this time would bring
forth yelp from Congress- with resultant
Legislation to continue the rehabilitation set
up. This the armed forces do not want. We
should not become too disturbed at these lu-
mors Treat them for just what they are
rumOrS.
LONG-RANGE THINKING FARMERS.
while riding the crest of boom demand for
their produce, believe that another Distress
ing era OF agricultural Surpluses lies ahead of
them. When the new surplus era arrives, the
farmers improved know how" may be part
ly to blame for Fastening its arrival. Short
OF help during war years, he learned to pro-
duce more food and meat per acre with mod
en mechanical farming methods Addition
al help is now streaming back from the arm
ed forces. New machinery should become
available in large quantities in the next wear
or SO. Hybrids and other improved seeds
promise him continually growing yields per
planting. This adds up to the fact that an
abrupt sackening of world demand wear or
two hence could catch the American farmer
holding very big sack with no place to
sell 1T. That does not mean that the average
farmer will turn Stacker on urgent requests
that he feed a large part of the world with
1916 crops and herds For, in addition to
being backed by Government guarantees of
near-parity for the first two postwar wears
he enjoys producing the safe maximum his
land will yield. His hope is that some method
OF permitting permanent full production will
be devised.
A NEW NATIONAL Wage-price policy
has been formally announced. 1t is to provide
quicker settlement of wage problems, give
price increases where hardship exists, and
encourage all-out production
To the person who is paying higher prices
and wages today than ever before, and who
is either not getting goods which have been
forced off the market by prohibitively low
prices, or who is getting an inferior quality
of goods which have to be manufactured down
to an artificial price standard, the talk about
holding the line" while announcement is
made OF new plans for adjusting wages and
prices upward, sounds like plav on words
and an insult to public intelligence