Milford chronicle., 1947-04-11

The weekly newspapers of today have
doubled and trebled their circulation while
they doubled and trebled the amount of news
information and editorials treating with
public issues.
The freedom of the press is safe in the
hands of the local newspapers because those
papers as rule, not only publish "all the
news that is fit to print" but their columns
are open to controversial discussions of uues-
tlons in their own communities
The old Bard who wrote that MANY small
make great" likely was thinking about his
hometown local newspaper
fSoS&
THERE HAS BEEN some controversy
on the subject of closing retail stores certain
days of the week. Various authorities have
debated the pros and cons at length. The
statlSticians have come up with wage and
hour studies. But, in the long run, the issues
come sOlldly to the question of public custom
and public convenience
An interesting sidelight on this phase of
the problem was recently cast by the editor
OF the Appleton, Minnesota, Press who
wrote: 1T is none of my business, perhaps.
out 1t seems to me that the merchants of the
smaller communities and towns are taking 4
big chunk of pleasure out of life in their
communities by heading into a program of
closing their places of business on SATURDAY.
night. For local and rural residents, going
into town on Saturday night is an institution
OF as long standing as the Saturday night
bath, and as beneficial to improved social re-
latlons. There isn't anything can think of
at the moment that does as much for keeping
town and country contacts, which so many
talk of as important, on a sound basis"
The shopping habits of the American peo-
pie, like most SOclOecOnOmic habits, are estab-
Ilshed and ingrained. We are accustomed ia
Delng able to buy what we want when we
want 1T. We are used to the working sche-
dulles that have long been followed bv the vast
majority of retail stores of all kinds. A store.
like utility, is definitely public service in
stltutlon. Its main stock in trade is public
goodwill which is based on how we'll it
meets the public convenience
The typical retail worker certainly isn't
an exploited, overwOrked person. He puts in
reasonable hours, and his pay has continually
tended upward. Any plan which would
substantially alter the operation of retail
business must be weighed in the light of
what the public needs and expects.
5000
THE FREIGHT RATE INCREASE
granted the railroads few months ago. af
ter an exhaustive inquiry by the Interstate
Commerce Commission, will have small effect
on the cost of most commodities to the con-
sumner. That is the substance of discussion
on the rates prepared by the TRANSPORTATION
Division of the Office of Domestic Commerce
In the case of cotton, for instance. the in
creased rate on the raw material and the fin
lShed product together will probably add less
tnan one cent to the retail price of a shirt
Ihe same thing is true of wool and othe,
fabrics.
In the food field, the effect will be similar
The additional cost in New York of a can of
frult or vegetables shipped from California
will be less than one-third of cent, And ten
pounds OF potatoes shipped from Maine r.
New ofk VIII cost only about one cent more
The additional charges on manufactured
commodities also will be small in comparison
TO tne value of the finished product On auto.
MOBILES, to take an example in relatively
hlgh frelght-rate bracket, the increase viii
range between SIS and $40. This represents
IN most cases, less than one per cent of the
dellyered price of the car to the buver.
lhe cost increases will naturally be hiob.
est IN the case of materials, such as coal
whlch have low value in proportion to thei,
"elgnt Even there, however, the net in.
crease IN transportation costs is estimated 81
only per cent of the total fuel bill.
Inc average consumer, in short, will he
aHected hardly at all by the rate increases
ana tnoSe increases were absolutely unavoid.
aole II an industry performing a vital nublil
service, on which the entire commerce of the
hatlon depends, was to be kept healthy and
progressive, and able to meet todavs onorat
ing costs. . 'P0i az