Milford chronicle., 1947-01-10

Lie SnOfl-nVed railroad strike is an
other case III pOint-the entire nation was
!mperlled, and suffered enormous inconven-
ience and loss. And a strike in such an in
dustry as coal, on which the bulk of power
companies and railroads depend for energy
and raw materials, is in all essence public
utility strike
10 shut down public utility is to threat
en- not only the livelihood but the very health
OF the people of the community. 1t is in eff
tect, declaration of war by a small group
OF men against the entire region affected.
1t cannot be tolerated. Congress must en-
act fair laws that will assure the security
OF utility services of all kinds against dis
ruptiOn.
. in A RECENT MAGAZINE article,
Senator Robert A. Taft, who will be among
the leaders of the next Congress, strongly
described the dangers inherent in the pend
ing Wagner-Murray-Ding public health
bill.
The measure would result in the creation
OF fund of three to five billion dollars a
year-some of which would be taken out of
workers earnings in the form of another
social security tax and some of which would
be provided by the Treasury. AS a result
ne wrote, The political patronage . would
be tremendous. To operate the machinery
required would take anywhere from 25O, 900
to 100000 employes-in addition to the
medical profession. More than $4,000, 900
cases would have to be checked every year
as basis for payment and statistical infor-
nation. Federal bureaus of this nature are
notor1ously inefficient, expensive and poiti-
cal. The medical bureau would have TO send
investigators into every home. 1t is hard
to conceive a measure which would more
surely lead to an all-pOWerful central gov
ernment than Federal compulsory health
Insurance."
Mr.. Taft commented on the claim that
medical service in this country is Inadequate.
and concluded "The health of the United
States dis q whole is as good as that of any
nation and better than that of most" He
conceded the need of additional medical aid.
by government, to people who honestly can
not pay for it, and is sponsoring bill TO
that effect. And he made this telling point {:
1.-The fundamental issue is whether the gov
ernment shall look after the INDECENT or
whether it shall look after the entire popula-
tiOn."
The Wagner-M r-Murray-Dingell bill is not
designed to help the needy alone 1t is on
the other hand, designed to regiment medi-
cine, and to take us a long step toward state
medicine, at an enormous cost both in coin
and in our basic liberties. 1t should be de-
feated
THE CHASTITY HOTEL fire in Allan
ia was the worst of a series of similar dis
asters. 1t was followed the next day by a
fire in a Saskatoon, Canada, hotel which
took eleven lives, and differed from the
Atlanta holocaust only in degree.
The causes of the recent hotel burnings
are not completely known. In all cases, the
fires started at night or in the early morn
ing and some time elapsed before alarms
were sent in and fire fighters arrived on the
scene. And in all cases the fires spread with
almost incredible rapidity and fire fighting
equipment in the buildings was either un-
used or was completely inadequate
1t seems certain that in some instances
local fire ordinances were either unenforced,
or OutmOded. For example, there seems to
have been no adequate provision for shutting
off areaways and elevator shafts became
chimneys through which fire and smoke
ragged unchecked throughout whole build
ing, almost instantly.
Every community should now take i'm
mediate steps to assure if possible that more
such horrible fires will not occur The first
step is the mOdernizatiOn and stiffening of
codes concerning building and the correc-
tlon OF lire hazards in existing buildings.
Sprinkler systems and fire doors which arc
essential in warehouses and factories, are
a hundred times more important in hotels
and buildings housing large numbers of peo-
pie. The second step is constant inspections
of public premises and rigid enforcement of
the law. 1t is too late to save those who
died horribly in Atlanta and Saskatoon.
What we can do is TO prevent such sacrifices
to carelessneSs and Indifference in the fu-
ture.
ONE 'WlSE MAN." who happens to-
live in Washington, d. c., declares that
merchants have been disturbed by head
aches but are shaking off their woozness.
and are now concerned about the welfare of
their wartime customers.
Everybody is beginning to work-even
father. There are plenty of jobs, and high
wages everywhere. In short, all classes of
people are holding heads higher, beginning
to think again.
What business men want and do not
want is being pretty thoroughly discussed
COnrppcC 1c