Milford chronicle., 1947-02-07
1T is A GOOD THING to remember tha


electricity is in more universal use than any
place in the world, was brought about by the
courage and initiative of individuals.
In recognition of one man who did more
to provide electric service for the world than
any other the Thomas A. Edison Centennial
will be celebrated throughout the country
February II, by electric power companies,
professional societies, electric leagues and
other business civic, and educational organ
izatiOns.
1t is no exaggeratiOn to say that Thomas
Edison made possible more appliances to
Tighten work and provide amusement than
any other individual. After Edison conceived
an invention, industry pioneered the way
IN making its use practical and economical
for the average citizen 1t would be impOS-
Slble to estimate the benefits flowing to man
kind as a result Of EdisOn'S imagination The
ramlicatiOnS of the use of electricity after
his perfection Of the incandescent lamp in
1879 are too varied to enumerate.
The Edison Centennial is Il fitting tribute
TO the man who made electric service for the
world possible. BY the same token, it reflects
credit ON the individuals and companies who
provide electric service at cost within the
reach of every pocketb0Ok
The record Of EdisOns achievements is q
testimonial of what the United States stands
for-OppOrtunity-no limit on the exercise
of talent and initiative
When you turn an electric switch on Feb
ruary ii, play your phOnOgraph, see a motion
picture, or enjoy any one of the countless
uses OF electricity, pause a moment and think
OF Thomas Edison, a typical American who
made these things possible.
1T WOULD BE A DARING man indeed
who would state categorically that the peak
n ,i,o
prices IN general are due for an Immediate
and substantial downturn. But the about
imitation that some forecast when OPA yao-
lShed into the shadows has certainly not Oc-
curfed-and IN some very important fields.
including foods, degree of price stability
has been reached.
The good sense of most consumers is in
part responsible for this-more and more of
them have turned away from articles which
they considered excessively priced. An in
crease IN the supply of goods has also helped.
And, finally, the attitude of retail distribu
ton toward consumer problems has been of
unreasonable value.
The typical retailer works on the prin-
clple that main duty is to protect consumer
purchasing power so far as he can-and to
sell honest merchandise at fair price. This
is true OF chains and independents, variety
stores ana department stores. Long before
OPA, retailers voluntarily held prices down
when there was no law to prevent them from
profteerlng to their hearts content. All
curing the war, retailers opposed boarding
ana other lntlatlonary influences. And since
the war ended, they have led in efforts to
keep prices from running wild.
We are beginning to see the success of
theSe efforts now, as more and better goods
how into the stores. No one knows what the
normal price structure" of the future will
be, or what relation it will bear to 1871 or
any other year But we can feel confident
That American productive methods, plus eff
clency and competition in retailing, will give
the consumer maximum protection against
exploitation
WHEN CONGRESS GETS down to the
vital business of considering WAYS and means
10 reduce government expenses, establishing
long-range problem of orderly bond retire
ment, and to eventually cut taxes, il should
take searching look at one of the least
necessary Federal eXtravagances-the gov
ernment-subsdized, tax-free electric power
systems which dot the country from east 10
west and north to south
The hackers and employees of these social
lZed enterprises will make a determined
dflVe 1or enormous appropriations for the
CONSTRUCTION or new power lines and generat-
ing facilities, on the old grounds that power
shortages are imminent. And that is where
Congress must use its investigating powers.
1t can be stated categorically that these
projects 40 not, will not, and cannot, pro-
vide anything that would not be provided by
regulated, privately Financed, heavily-taxed
private utilities-if those utilities we're al
lowed to go ahead with the assurance that
they would be permitted to keep on doing
rlxoL
by the electric industry, in the face of many
obstacles. The industry is now involved in
the greatest rural electrifcation program in
history. 1t is, further, planning to greatly
increase its generating facilities this year.
And it is providing service at record-low
rates in spite of record-high wages and ma
terial costs and taxes.
The attitude of Congress should be a
simple one: Not one penny will be appro-
prlated for new tax-exempt government
owned power facilities in any area where
private utilities arc ah1o tO do +bo ;ob