Milford chronicle., 1946-09-27

FIRE HAS STRUCK again in Milford and again
fate has decreed that our business section shall be
spared The disastrous blaze, and the total destruct
ion of the Plaza Theatre early Monday morning had
the makngs of demoraizing catastrophe When the
theatre building was erected in 1921 and opened in
1922, Milford citizens fearful that the building
was unsafe. AT that time outside inspectors were
brought in, and they certified its safety That
feeling was never totally disspated even though the
latest owners did much to strengthen the building.
Now that fire has wiped il OUT is the duty OF City
Council and all property in Milford to TO
it that any theatre structure which shall be
erected the site shall be fireproof poss
ibe, and amply strong reasonable safety to
the public. Certainly building of the height of
that destroyed this week needed Certainly it
be arranged that almost half of the seating
capacity is in the balcony Certainly any balcony
built in building must be of more fireproof
nature than the tinderbox construction used in the
destroyed old theatre. Milford needs modern
theatre-there is no question about that. But is
the time it that only building which shall
be unquestonably safe and of modern fireproof
structon shall be built. This written in critic
ism in any manner of the present owners or OF any
of their employees. They have done the best they
could TO make the Plaza Theatre safe and provide
it with all the safeguards against fire of which they
capable 1t is written solely with the idea of
awakening Milford residents and the patrons of our
create strong sentiment for the proper kind of
building if, and when it is rebuilt. The Chronicle
will fight with all its power eliminate any
size wood construction balcony in any theatre
building here. We ask the cooperation of all citizens
TO this end.
THE THANKS OF MILFORD is extended to
each of the fire companies from neighboring
towns which responded the call for assistance
L. l.
not belittling the Carlisle Fire Company in any man
ner when we say that without this outside aid the
story of the fire mg ght have been entirely different
We do not believe that ony fire company, no
matter how good, could have confined the blaze
within the theatre walls The blaze certainly demon
strated the need of modern ladder truck for fl ght
ing such fires. Dovers truck did much dem
that here in Milford. 1t IS 70 be
hoped that the Carlisle Fire Company may soon
provide our city with such piece of apparatus.
Let's be penny wise and pound foolish when this
of fire protection be considered. The
apparatus will money-and plenty of it, But
when the need comes it will property in loss in
just as direct ratio. Milford has been lucky-and
mean lucky, where the of fires is concern
ed. The time is here take inventory. Let's
look fire fighting requirements and if we
need any equipment, let's get it-now.
SoSS
lf1ENE ANE f1ONON1 MAINE D Tor gOOds
manufactured, and Sold by big business and small
business. One trouble is that the United States Gov
ernment has been too slow in getting up steam and
eectrifying "reconverson."
Our Nation "cry- -out-loud" against union
labor strikes by millions of workers. Go where you
may and you will hear our own people repeating the
same old question: "Why doesn't the Government
stop these strikes?
The answer is Politics. The politicians, particu
0f ,,,I Cor
gress determined to keep the so-called union la
Dor vote in their possession until after the polls clo
in November. This program is trag agc because current
problems are being solved-they are weakened.
The stock market slump is due to strikes, and re
strictons materials that make it impossible
for old and reliable major industries the de
mands for their products. The automobile ndustr,
expected to meet normal production in 1916
but it is doubtful about its reaching that goal befor
1913. The daily newspapers report the strikes ant
hod-up in the Merchant Marine, the trucking in
duStry, electrical goods, lumber, housing, and in othe
hundreds of directions including local grocery store
and butcher shops.
You do not have put spectacles your nos
to prove that labor troubles stalled production, o
that Government price-fixing forced many indus
tries TO operate at a loss
Food prices have been so high that the cost o
living has worked ways-forcing up the price
and opening the way for the black market war; Their
are several thousand OPA agents the countr
hunting for trouble. 1t is undoubtly fact that man
meat packers are unable to continue in business an
therefore they have been shutting down their plant
1t is perfectly obvious that the Office of Prie
Administration is flop. Even Chester Bowes coul
not stomach the job any longer.
More than hundred years ago, Henry Clay
speech the Senate made statement that fits II
situation in 1916. He said "By competition the tot
amount of the supply is increased, and by ncrea
of the supply competition in the sales an
this enables the TO buy At lower rates.
all human powers operating in the affairs of mankin
none is greater that that of competition
There is none of that wisdom in the present Ne
Deal