davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26
Stretching the Dollar

The trend in retailing has been toward lower distribution costs
and smaller margins of profit. As IN example, it was recently report
ported that overall MAKEUP in one city for grocery. meat and produce
dealers was as low as 1917 per cent, while operating costs ccons.
ed 8 per cent. j. - - a t@Es
All kinds of retailers have been studying ways and means OF ut
ting expenses and putting economies into effect. The chains have zen
leaders in the undertaking, and independents have followed the tend
This ;s stailinps rav of meeting the tough cost of living problem.
tt has no control over WHOLESALERS prices. What it caniand IS dongls
to reduce the spread between the price paid the manufacturer and the
price charged the consumer.
As a result, price increases have been less than would 'hef"iS
have been the case. That may not seem much Of a service to- consum-
ens who have been struggling to make shrinking dollars buy more. But
it has undoubtedly resulted in savnga great many billions OF dollars
for the American people. Retailing alone can't stop imitation but 1t
does help restrain it.
It is any mans guess when and if prices will come down. Recent
deveIonments indicate that there is little immediate hope tor reversing
the wage price spiral. But, regardless of what may happen retailing
will gvk the consumer the best possible return for his money.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

Pointing out that President Hoo
yer once referred to the islands as
an effective poorhouse," Senator
Butler said that it had been very
difficult to develop industries
there which would provide employ
ment and a reasonable standard
of living for the people. Since |
became chairman Of the Senate
Public Lands Committee SEN
ator Butler stated, we have been
trying to find additional sources
of income and employment for
the people of the islands. One
possibility is an expansion of the
tourist trade. The islands have a
wonderful climate and low costs,
and should attract v~acationists
from the inland if facilities can
be developed. Some additional
agricultural crops have also been
receiving consideration"
Last winter Senator Butler took
a party of Seniors and Congress
men to the islands for a brief in
spection tour.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26
The Fruits of Statism

One thing distinguishes AAmericsn economic doctrine from al
others. That is freedom Of opportunity under the coenpeunve sysem
In both Europe and South America competition IS rgldly reSulc'
ed bv government, by cartels and by other monopolEtlc forces. as
Russell orter writes in the New York Illness I'm contrast to the reia'-
i've freedom with which an American can find Work IT start d pus"'''
from one place to another or Introduce a new line i gooos y
such ouportunities exist abroad. Foreign trade ASSOCIATIONS OF Proouo'
prs wholesalers and retailers guard their vested interests jealousy
keeping out new members and keeping non-members out II business
in order TO prevent destructive competition. Trade unions JOIN with
trade associations to restrict competition. =.
This kind of monopoly, whether exerted by government OF by pri'
vate interests. inevitably paves way for socialism. The state regulates
more and more. Its fingers reach into every pie. Little by little II Dc
oins to expropriate businesses. 1t becomes the dominant influence IN
The economic life of the people. 1t becomes a major employer. ihe
onlv possible end result is some form of dictatorship. M
Furthermore. the American economic system IS the only nc
which has distributed its benefits to the masses of the people" In ne
sim state whether it be Of the Russian, German or Spanish Pattern Ie
men at the top possess Enormous powers, and profit accordingly.
ALL the rest of the nation struggles along on a subsistence OASIS
There is no opportunity to improve, to save to start an enterprise
Punishment for disseniers is swift and brutal.
That is the danger when government goes into business when gov
eminent Hampers with free enterprise and the free market wnen wi
aucracv reaches for more and more power. We have only to look
abroad to see the fruits of statism.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26
BysM

economic difficulties which they
and their families meet later in
life.
Despite these false beliefs
many works. have remained act
i've and confident. But other
workers have some times had
their self-respect badly weakened.
These are two ways in which
these incorrect ideas weaken the
labor movemnt:
~ They tend to make many
workers feel inferior and weak.
This lack of confidence stops
them from participating actively
in labor's fight "a person who
thinks he is weak fears that he
does not have the stuff to succeed
in doing things. Often, therefore.
he does not even try.)
~ Since these false beliefs
paint the worker as a stupid mar
row man, he does not want to be-
lieve that he is a worker. There
fore he dos not like to Join and be
active with other working people
Exploding these misconceptions
and emphasizing the workers
many good features will improve
his morale and feeling of strength
Developing a better regard for
himself and for other working
people will help in unionizing the
unorganized.
Unions should remove these
false beliefs and should demand
that the press. radio and the
movies give a real picture Of the
American working man. Building
his faith in himself develops the
worker as an individual and as
a union member.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

Here are some beliefs about
workers which have been definite
Iy proved false:
Workers have more prejudice
than other groups.
Even students of the problem
have long made the mistake OF
believing that race prejudice is
highest among the working pop
ulation. A Fortune survey Of 1889
which was undertaken at the re-
quest of the Carnegie Corporal
ion, blasted this popular miscept.
ion. 1t found that people with low
incomes had much less prejudice
than people with high incomes. A
much greater PERCENTAGE Of the
poor were opposed to segregat.
ion than were the wealthy. And
the lower income groups had did
the higher income groups.
The noted American criminalst,
DR.. Edwin H. Sutherland, has
shown that there are thousands Of
crimes committed daily which are
not punished. In many sections of
the business and financial world
such crimes as brides, tax evas
ion, Misrepresentation of mer-
chandise and unethical profession
al practices are considered part
of the game" Since people who
commit these crimes are seldom
brought to court and receive little
notice in the papers, the public
does not think of them as Grim.
inals.
Working men who are accused
of crimes do not have the means
with which to get around the law
They are more often punished an
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

and unfriendly deceit. They hate
imperialism, dictatorship and in.
equalities in the social order. They
love thruth and brotherliness, and
they cherish the spirit of indie
pendence. There is hope for the
future. Africa has a great zest
for living. The road may be
dreary, but they are marching to-
ward a new.
Present day Ltberian life pre-
serves the tradition and custom
of open hospitality.
Liberias future is not that of a
nation of dominant and depend
ent races.It is a future of econ
omic opportunity and justice-a
land where a Negro nation shall
demonstrate to other nations the
capacity for self government,
liberty and meritorious action.
President Tubman has invited
both prominent white and Negro
Americans to attend the ceremon-
les
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

dividuals. Yet, one out of every
eight workers in America in 1889
drew his salary from the govern
ment. Leaving the city and state
governments out of this picture.
it is estimated that one out of
every eight persons in the coun-
try IS on the federal payroll right
now in one form or another.
Need A STAND EIGHT aver
Policy age people together
one Of them gets a.
check regularly from Uncle Sam!l
Amazing isn't it? And remem-
Der, you are footing the bill. This
includes civilian employees, those
receiving old age assistance, vet
Grams, dependents of veterans,
those in the army, navy and
coast guard. This is a total Of
more than is million people re-,
ceiving monthly checks from the.
United States government.
This means that every seven
persons must supply a check for
the eighth each month. It is in,
deed a difficult task to decide
where to start cutting. But We
must, for our nation is in danger
If we do not, we shall be in the
position Of the Roman Empirey
which lasted only little more
than 400 years. Rome had too
many folks on her payroll. She
was soon dust.
1t is not easy to say: "Whoa!"
1t is difficult to get out from un-
der tax burdens once they're
yoked upon us. But we must
adopt a definite policy Of reduce
ing government expenditures. We
must free our industry, and in
vestment capital as well, from the
over-burden of taxes. We must
have genuine prosperity. And
when we keep asking the govern7
ment to spend, let us remember
that power-out-of-purse is SOON
power-out-of-h hand. It's an easy
but sure way to national ruin.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26
The Working
Of Democracy
BY RUTH TAYLOR

Impatient souls are apt to
grumble at the slow workings Of
democracy. They say it cannot
function properly and r all for
taking it apart and putting it
together again according to some
plan of their own. They speak Of
it as though it were but the blue
print of some intricate machine
witch, with clocklike precision,
should turn out articles alike to
the shading of a hair.
Democracy is not a blueprint or
overcome the slavery of want, the
a machine-not even a machine
in the political sense. Democracy
is the way of revolution by
evoluution.It is the only way TO
slavery of ignorance, the slavery
of Observation-Disclosures it be
of class, creed or color. In it lies
the solution to all of our problems
for democracy depends upon the
will of the people-which is but
the will and the courage of many
individuals banded together.
Democracy is the way of action
1t is not static. It's growth is slow
but never ceasing. 1t is not based
upon tradition alone. Democracy is
the way to do the things that
must be done. It must always
move ahead. Democracy is the
traffic rule of life. 1t adapts itself
to the exigencies of the road. Its
green and red lights are spaced
on the traffic changes Of the time.
Democracy is the way of justice
Racial or religious discrimination
class hatreds, group pressure are
all breaches of democracy, are
flaws in the road that must and
will be corrected in the course of
time. The way may be long and
hard but the democratic way will
prevail in the endi
Democracy being a way mad not
an arbitrary law has flaws
many of them. But those mistakes
are man made and can be correct
ed by the will of the majority.
What right the majority. Because
the majority wants free speech.
they must allow it to the minority
The right of argument and con-
version is open to the minority
and majority alike.
Democracy like Christianity is
a way that must be followed to
be proven. Democracy is a way of
life which stems from the in
diNdual. It is the method by
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

tinuing their education, but the
lack Of opportunity plus severe
financial hardships.
Here are some facts about the
owrker's strong interest in edu-
cation: Thousands of workers
have attended the adult education
programs offered by labor unions
and night schools. Labor organi-
cations have always been among
the strongest advocates of COM
pulsory free education. A Fortune
survey (Feb. 400 found that most
workers wanted to send their
children to college. And the fact
thousands of workers who are
y~veterans are going to school I'M
der the G. I. Bill is another proof
of the workers real interest in
learning.
Workers are bad parents.
An investigation by DR.. Allison
Davis and DR.. Robert ]. Havig-
hurst of the University Of Chicago
indicates that during early child.
hood, children of working class
families are allowed more free and
healthy expression of their basic
needs. Middle class praents place
their children under a ~stricter dis
cipline with more Illustration Of
their impulses than do lower class
parents"
The less strict discipline which
workers children receive is due to
neglect, for they also receive, for
the most part, more warmth. af
lection and emotional security
than do children of other classes.
As a results, they tend to be hap
pier and less tense UNFORTUNATELY
sometimes the good emotional
base which workers children re-
ceive may be counterbalanced by
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

their crimes more widely reported
by the newspapers. AS a rsults,
the public links crime with the
worker.
Workers are naturally lazy.
Workers may occasionally show
little ambition on the job, but not
because they are naturally lazy
Or Indifferent. Experts in indust.
trial relations have learned that
fear of unemployment and gen
raj insecurity are largely repon-
sible for whatever laziness being
fired. a worker very often may
have to loaf in oredr to keep his
job. Undoubtedly in times of
stress, workers do see in restict-
ion deliberately loafing) a
method of postponing the layoff"
(Dr. Stanley 3. Mathewson.
Restriction Of Out Among Unor.
gained Workers'O.
Another reason why the worker
may appear Indifferent to his job
is that he feels he has no way Of
being promoted or improving his
working conditions. Here the I'm.
ion worker is much better off. He
has spokesman who will take his
grievances to the employers. Also
union contracts often include pro
visions for promotion and pay in
crease. The union worker, on
the other hand, with no one to
speak up for him more readily
becomes Indifferent and ineffici
ent.
The findings of psychologists
indicate that workers are in no
way naturally inferior to other
groups of the population. It is
not lack of ability that has pre-
vented working people from con.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

July 26. Liberia will celebrate its
Tooth birthday as a free, indie
pendent nation.
Liberia is located on the GUM
ca Coast of Africa, between Ser
ra Leone and the Ivory Coast, and
runs $50 miles along the Atlantic
Coast. Liberia is about the size
of New York State, covering an
area of 43 1000 square miles, with
an estimated 1900, 900 population
but no census has ever been taken
Liberia is the only Negro Re-
public in Africa and with the eX-
ception of Haiti the only one in
the world. Both its establishment
an inand it's continued existence
as an Independent nation r ow-
ed to the United States.
In 1919, when the American Col
onization Society proposed to
establish settlements along the
coast of Liberia-the home of the
free-for freed Negro slaves. The
congress of the United States
passed an act authorizing Presi-
dent Monroe to send armed vess-
ais off the coast Of Africa to re-
cefve and resettle recaptured
Africans. The slaves were taken
from America and the British
West Indies. They were Of mixed
blood. and were sent back to Afri-
ca in the beginning of the 10 Gen.
fury. None of them knew what
part of Africa their forefathers
had come nor the language they
spoke, neither did any of them
remember the ways of Africa, and
because of these things, they
found themselves in a strange
world. For a long time they relied
on the hips stores and supplies
from aboard, wwhile they were
building their homesteds. On the
streets of Monrovia, which is the
capitol, ahmed after President
Monroe, they built houses which
r still standing today. They are
large two and three story rec
brick buildings with white pillars
and high pitched roofs. They laid
out plantations of sugar cane
fruits and vegetables.
Upon entering the harbor, ar
American gets a thrill of surprise
from the first glimpse of the flag
flying at the stern of the Custom
boat, because the flag Of Liberia
is in red and white stripes with a
blue field in the upper corner on
which is a single white star, an6
from a distance it looks very
much like an American flag.
Darkness comes quickly in Eli.
IBERIA. 1t is 50 near the equator
the days vary but little in length
throughout the year. On the
beaches he surf pounds high, and
! all day and all night, comes thu
roar and heavy boom of the
waves. Usually one gets az
customed to it. most people fine
it restful and refreshing at the
end of a hot day to sit and look
out over the sea, and enjoy the
GOODNESS of the night. The tropics
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26
Knockabout Chairs

If you have knockabout chairs in
the snnroom or on "sabbatical
leave" from the summer porch and
taeir appearance is not everything
you desire, consider making simple
sEpcnvers for them. Use strong fab
RIGS like ticking or oilcloth in fast
eolors. SO they can be tossed regu-
larly into the washing machine.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

DID YOU know that you're work
ing 10 days out of every month
for the government? Well, you
are. That is the extent to which
we have allowed activities of the
government to grow. Perhaps, as
a nation, we can see that the bust
ness OF government has expand
ed. But when we get to looking
at the books, the chances are we
lind a good deal more mushroom
ing than we imagined.
Look at this another way. If
you may be considered an aver
age person, you pay taxes at the
same rate as if your employer
paid you no wages ten days out
of each month, but instead paid
the check over to the government.
This comes from the fact that
right now federal, state, and local
taxes consume about one-third Of
all the dollars earned in the
United States. That's a burden
on u .necks that merits atten-
ton.
You Are NOW, DON'T think
Sharing you can get out of this
by pleading innocent.
You're just a wage Garner, you
say? Not a high-bracket man
who turns over three-fourths of
his net income to the govern
ment? Sure, you know the take
is high, but you say he's the man
who does the squawking? Listen.
While you may not be paying
directly your ten days of wages
to the government, you're paying
just the same. The bill is made
out every fiscal year, and you are
helping pay it. You are sharing
the burden of the costs of gov
eminent. 4
Where does all this money go,
you ask? Of course, we have a
lot of expenditures in govern
ment, besides paying salaries and
other kinds Of allowances to in
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26
LIBERIAN CENTENNIAL
BY LANcH ALICE RICH

are Always best in the evening
or very early in the morning; and
if n gets up eraly enuogh, the
glory of the sunrise will repay
one so much for the trouble. The
Pepper" birds gather in the trees
very eraly and chatter and make
so much noise no alarm clock is
ever needed. They awaken ever
one.
The NOR the history of Liberia
is studied the more one is i'm
pressed with the fortitude of the
Liberian Colonist. He knew moth
ing of the problem. before him
and as misguided and misled, but
through it all he couragcously
faced the dangers of fever, sun,
wild beasts and war with antag-
onistic tribesman.
The largest share Of credit for
what is happening in Liberia to-
day and in the last few yeyars.
belongs President w. v. S. Tub
man, who is fast becoming one Of
Africa's outstanding statesman.
He is leading. coaxing and push
ing his feudal country along the
royad of reyolution-by reform
with astonishing spyeed. The
measures he has already spon-
sored-such as votes for women
and income tax under which the
wealthy Liberians will have to
help pay for their country's de-
velopment-are nothing in CON-
parison with his further goal.
In 1914 President Tubman start
ed a term which will run until
1852. He greatly admired the late
President Roosevelt and rcsem-
bles him in many ways. He has
a great goal in view. He has spent
many months away from his
capital, walking, or hiding in
hammocks all through the hinter-
lands with the government offici-
ais. He has held council with all
his people. He wants to wipe out
lass differences, giving all of the
people equal rights, opportunities
and soial stats. He is trying to
get better education, medical help
greater enconomic opportunity
and more jutice. How far Liberia
will travel on the momentum of
the past two exciting years is un-
practicable. 1t is certain that Tub
mans progressive poles have I'M
leashed the powerful forces that
cannot stuffed back into the
| bottle.
The hisory of Liberia for the
last twenty years has been in
timately tied Up with Firestone
rubber interests, which claims to
operate the worlds largest rubber
| plantation.
| To day Liberia is important to
the United States in many ways.
Liberia contributed to the war eff
fort by supplying great quantities
of rubber and granting of air.
bases for the bomber, and ferry
| plane services. Liberia takes an
active part in the United Nations,
and maintains a diploma mission
in London, Paris and Washington.
| I wonder how anyone canimage
that European countries, which
have failed to control themselves
or live in peace to another coun-
try. Nobody can give what he
doesnot possess. Europe has no
peace. Europe is the scene of
greater chaos than is found in all
of the other continents. How, then
can we entrust millions of people
in Africa to the hands Of those
unable to manage their own af-
flares.
The entire continent is awake.
Like over-ripe fruits, the old
leaders r falling off the tree of
African national life, bewildered
New TYPES of leaders, who I'm
derstand themselves, such as
PRECEDENT Tubman, are rising I'D
These new leaders are impatient
of cowardice, Indifferent to fear
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

which he learns to live amicably
with his neighbor. 1t is the form
ula which civilized and free
people have found most useful in
working out the great problem Of
human relations.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

Timber cut during the growing
season requires prompt handling to
avoid deterioration from decay, in
sect attacks OF sap stains. extern
sion foresters report.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26
Gives A Lift

To give a lift to canned or cooked
dried fruit, squeeze orange or
grapefruit juice over the top just be-
fore serving.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26
Farm Production

From the top third of the nations
farms comes 80 per cent Of the total
production; from the other two
thirds. 20 per cent.
The Omaha guide., 1947-07-26

Democracy like Christianity is
a way that must be followed to
be proven. Democracy is a way of
life which stems from the in
diWdual. 1t is the method by
Eastern Connecticut news., 1947-02-15

by. employers - have declined sharply" the report stressed.
 Served the Public''
 Congress passed the Wagner Act to provide a peaceful alterna- tive to the costly strikes which had been fought over the denial of basic rights to union recognition and col lective bargaining. The statute has served the public by decreasing such strife.
 "The fundamental rights which Congress said should be the subject of Federal protection are no longer being bought at the price of eco- homie struggle"
 Foes of labor, however, are att tributing to the Wagner Act all strikes which occurred during the past year, the board asserted.
 Actually, these were chiefly
 concerned with "the subject of
 wages and conditions of em-
 -ployment," which are outside
 the province of the Wagner act
 the board made it clear. It cited the fact that during the war, many restraints were imposed on labor, and that "it is hardly sur prising that the close of the war should mean the release of ten sionS."
 Causes of 1946 Strife
 Abandonment of wage-price con- trols, a vast reshuffling of the na- tionss industrial workers, shut down of war plants, conversion problems galore and the rise in the cost of living naturally led to in- creased strife, the board pointed out. These were all issues outside the jurisdiction of the Wagner act, the report emphasized.
 When it comes to disputes over union recognition, "the custom of using the boards election machin- cry is now well established" the re- port said. It cited the fact that in the past year, nearly $500 cleo tions were conducted and that 30 percent of the 846, 900 workers eligi- ble to participate voted for unions.
 In the past Il years, the board held 3O,0OO such elections, covering 8,14O,OOO workers, and a similar