Milford chronicle., 1947-03-28
THE PRESENT NAVY SPONSORED

1fE NAV -OfONOOhED
expedition to Antarctica, under the command
of Rear Admiral Byrd, who pioneered scien-
tiic research in that vast region is signifi-
cant Illustration of the enormous changes
that are taking place in the world. 1t is a
distinct possibility that, if another war
comes, it may be fought in part in the arctic
and antarctic The current expedition, there
fore, is designed to test men and machines
under simulated combat conditions in eX
tremely unfavorable weather and terrain.
And it is further designed to carry on metal
lurgical, meteorological and other eXplora-
tiOns which may prove to have great econo-
mic as well as military Importance.
Some discoveries of moment have been
made. 1t has been found, for instance, that
the combat efficiency of man declines about
per cent for every degree of temperature
below zero. At so below, therefore, his eff
cheney is reduced to nOthing-all his mental
and physical processes must be devoted to
the basic job of keeping alive.
1t has also been found that weapons re-
acted differently in the antarctic under eX-
treme cold than they reacted under artificial
test conditions at the same temperatures. Ap-
parently there is a different chemical reac
tiOn when cold is prolonged as against when
it is of only brief duration.
The expedition is distinct contribution
to hemisphere defense-and the facts pro-
duced will help make possible the lOng-range
planning which is the principal duty of our
military establishments in time of peace.
SSo~>
CECIL B. DEMILLE, the we'll known
producer and director of motion pictures and
radio shows, recently appeared before the
Senate Committee on Labor and Public Wei
fare to testify against the closed shop. He
examined the principles involved from every
point of view and exposed their dangers and
fallaceS. The heart of what he said is found
in this paragraph:
"A closed shop union, able to deprive a
man of the right to work, is in sense more
powerful than government itself. The gov
ernment does not claim the power to take
away a mans right to work, unless he has
been convicted of crime after fair trial and
due process of law. When the government
puts man in prison. it assumes the respon-
sibility for keeping him alive, at least, with
food and medical care-aS well as Shelter A
closed shop union takes no such responsible
ity for a member who has incurred its dis
pleasure. AS far as the union is concerned,
he is left with the Fight to starve The
right to work is only one of the Constitution
al rights which the closed shop, by its very
nature, tends to invade"
The closed shop which denies non-union
basic abuse from which all labor abuses STEM
All other labor problems are, by comparison
minor and subsidiary to it. And it is a harsh
commentary on the political mind that good
many members of Congress, including some
of the Republican leaders, seem to be Waver.
ing and avoiding this basic issue. These men
apparently, have their eyes firmly fixed OF
the elections of next year; they dream of the
glories of the White House, and they are
afraid of Offending" labor Bosses Sucl
pussyfooting is now offending" the Ameri
can people. The mandate of last years elec
tiOns was an unequivocal demand by the peo
pie that the monopoly powers of the unions
be ended That can be done by abolishing tn,
closed shop, which represents monopoly a
its worst
EVERY SO SECONDS A FIRE break
out in the United States Every two minute
an American dwelling catches fire. Ever
fifty minutes someone dies in fire OF iron
burns.
These grim truths were recently aire
over the radio, by State Fire Marshal McCOl
mack of Tennessee, who spoke on one of tn
weekly nationwide broadcasts sponsored b
the National Board of Fire Underwriters.
Mr.. Mccormack further observed thu
: nearly 1000 fires occur in homes alone eac
day-and a total of more than $4,000 fire
happen in this country annually. Ninet
per cent of all these fires are the result
some careless act. Careless use of matcht
and smoking" he said, account for 80 pc
cent of all fires -. Defective electric wirin
and appliances, faulty cooking and heatir
stoves, and carelessness with gasoline ar
= other infammable liquids account for 46 pt
cent mOren'
At the end, MI. Mccormack urged his Ii
teners to organize their own fire-preventiC
= programs to correct the common hazards
Il fires in homes. This is the very essence
: fire control. National and community car
: palgnS, vital as they are, cannot do the who
/. job. The problem of fire prevention com
y down to every home and every resident wit
in it. And that is simply way of sayil
that the problem of fire prevention com
1t down to you.
- ONE THING is CERTAIN: A new pr
e gram of Federal labor legislation intend
= to create sensible cooperation between lab