Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1947-08-01
CLEMENT ATTLEE, the head of Brit

CLEMENT AIILEE, the mead OF BTU
aims Labor Government, recently expressed
concern over the attitude of some self-de-
scribed liberals who seem willing to limit
and perhaps abrogate Individual liberties if
that will help them attain their economic and
theological ends. Mr.. Attlee intimated that
left-wingerS of this stripe can be found in
the ranks of his Labor Party, and warned
that every precaution must be taken to pro-
tect basic freedoms in time of great eco
nomic and social change.
The Prime Minister is to be cOngratu-
lated on this courageous stand. But what he
did not say is that the creation of super
government, such as England is on the verge
of adopting, which dominates every phase
of a nations life, inevitably paves the way
for the destruction of liberty and oppression
of the people The British Labor govern
ment is itself case in point. No one believes
that Mr.. Attlee or his immediate, staff seek.
to break down the freedoms which BritOnS
earned through bloody centuries. They are
sincere believers in the rights of the indi-
vidual But the principles upon which the
Labor governments main policies are built
are direct threat to those rights and free
doms. The enormous powers which the gov
eminent has taken for itself, if eXerted by
officials with a tOtalitarian mentality, could
be used to destroy representative govern
enterprise and result in the creation of dcta-
tOrship.
Men pass, but principles remain. The
Russian revolution was fought in the name
of liberty, and the works of Lenin the leader,
constantly affirm the need for freedom. But
other men came to power, and every concept
of freedom was perverted and Violated. The
rallying cry of Hitler, it should be remember
ed, was liberty and democracy. It's practical
result was the concentration camp.
The only safeguard a free people can
have is government of limited powers,
which is never permitted to dominate the
economic life of the nation. Once govern
ment decides who shall work and who shall
not, once it controls all the purse strings,
once it becomes mass employer, the end of
individual freedom is in sight. Most of Eu-
rope is now miserable example of that fact.
5000
ONE THING DISTINGUISHES Ameri-
can economic doctrine from all others. That
is freedom of opportunity under the COM
petitiye system.
In both Europe and South America COM
petition is rigidly restricted by government
by cartels and by other monopoliStic forces
AS Russell Porter writes in the New York
Times, SIN contrast to the relative freedom
with which an American can find work or
start a business, move from one place to
another, or introduce a new line of goods
:. no such opportunities exist abroad.
Foreign trade associations of producers,
wholesalers and retailers guard their vested
interests jealousy, keeping out new mem
bers and keeping non-memberS out of bust
ness norder to prevent destructive COM
petition. Trade unions join with trade asso-
Citations to restrict competition"
This kind of monopoly, whether exerted
hNYn hVYT
evitably paves the way for socialism. The
state regulates more and more. It's fingers
reach into every pie. Little by little it be-
gins to appropriate businesses. 1t becomes
the dominant influence in the economic life
of the people. 1t becomes q major employer
The only possible end result is some form of
dictatorship.
Furthermore, the American economic
system is the only one which has distributed
its benefits to the masses of the people. In
the Observation-Disclosures it be of the Rus
sian, German or Spanish pattern-the men
at the top possess enormous powers, and
profit accordingly.
All the rest of the nation struggles along
on a subsistence basis. There is no Oppor-
tunity to improve, to save, to start an enter
prise. Punishment for dissenters is swift
and brutal.
That is the danger when government
goes into DuSlneSS-Wfen government tam
pers with free enterprise and the free mar
ket-when bureaucracy reaches for more
and more power. We have only to look
abroad to see the fruits of statism.
5000
JOHN L. LEWIS AND his United Mine
workers have apparently lost enthusiasm fol-
strikes; otherwise, the new contract with
Northern coal operators which provided that
the miners would return to work Immediately
would not have been signed so promptly.
Of course, we aren't through with strikes
but make no mistake about it: the new La
Dor Law has put the fear of the Almighty in.
to Labor union bosses.