Evening star., 1947-01-06

To-Day that as the new year pe
ldpoint of stoppages and worker
1000 workers, were in effect. 4
zers. Idleness from strikes in Il
comparable period of 1945.
reduce employment and purchasing
power.
In an effort to assure full op-
portunity and free competition to
business we will vigorously enforce
the ANTITRUST laws. There is much
the Congress can do to cooperate
and assist in this program.
To strengthen and enforce the
laws that regulate business prac-
tices is not enough. Enforcement
must be supplemented by positive
measures Of aid to new enterprises.
Government assistance, research
programs and credit powers should
be designed and used to promote
the growth Of new firms and new
industries. Assistance to small busi-
ness is particularly important at
this time, when thousands of vet
Grams who are potential business
and industrial leaders are beginning
their careers.
We should also give special at
tention to the decentralization Of
industry and the development Of
areas that are now underindustrial-
lied.
Aggressive Housing Policy
Is Third Major Policy.
The third major policy is also
of great Importance to the national
economy-an aggressive program to
encourage home construction. The
first Federal program to relieve the
veterans housing shortage was an
nounced in February, 1916. In 1946
1,000,0 900 family housing units have
been. put under construction and
more than 665,000 units have
already been completed. The rate
of expansion in construction has
broken all records.
In the coming year the number Of
dwelling units built will approach, If
not surpass, the top construction
year of 1926. The primary respon-
sibility to deliver housing at reason
able prices that veterans can afford
rests with private industry and labor.
The Government will continue to ex-
pedite the flow of key building ma
terials, to limit non-residential con-
struction, and to give financial sup
port where it will do the most good.
Measures to stimulate rental hous-
ing and new types of housing con-
struction will receive special en-
pl1asis.
To reach our long-range goal Of
adequate housing for all our people,
comprehensive housing legislation is
required, similar to the nom
partisan bill passed by the Senate
last year. At minimum, such leg
islation should open the way for re-
building the blighted areas Of our
cities and should establish positive
incentives for the investment Of bill
lions of dollars of private capital in
large-scale rental housing projects.
It should provide for the improve
ment of housing In rural areas and
for the construction, over a four
year period, of half a million units
of public low-rental housing. It
should authorize q single peacetime
Federal housing agency to assure
efficient use Of our resources on the
vast housing front.
Balancing Of Budget
Another Great Objective.
The fourth major policy has to
do with balancing the budget. In
a prosperous period, such as the
present one, the budget Of the
Federal Government should be bal
anced. Prudent management of
public finance requires that we
begin the process Of reducing the
debt. The budget which I shall
submit to you this week has small
margin of surplus. In the Budget
Message I am making recommenda-
tions which, If accepted, will re-
suit in substantially larger sur
plus which should be applied to
debt retirement. One Of these
recommendations Is that the Con-
gress take early action to continue
throughout the next fiscal year
the war excise tax rates which,
under the present law, will expire
on June 80, 1947.
Expenditures relating to the war
are still high. Considerable sums
are required to alleviate world
famine and suffering. Aid to vet
erans will continue at a peak level,
The world situation Is such that
large military expenditures are re-
quired. Interest on the public debt
and certain other costs are irreduc-
ihle. For these reasons have nad
to practice stringent economy In
preparing the budget: and ] hope
that the Congress will cooperate
in this program OF economy.
Agriculture's Transition,
Also Must Be Considered.
The fifth major policy has to dc
with the welfare Of our farm popu-
lation.
Production Of food reached record
heights In 1916. Much of our tre-
mendous grain crop can readily be
sold abroad and thus win become no
threat In our domestic markets. But
in the next few years American agr-
riculture can face the same dangers
it did after World War I. In the
early 20s the Nation failed to main
tain outlets for the new productive
capacity of our agricultural plant.
It failed to provide means to protect
the farmer while he adjusted his
acreage to peacetime demands.
The result we all remember too
well. Farm production stayed up
while demand and prices fell, In con-
trast with industry where prices
stayed up and output declined.
Farm surpluses piled up. and dis
aster followed.
We must make sure Of meeting
the problems which we failed to
meet after thee first World War.
Present laws give considerable sta-
Il