Milford chronicle., 1948-03-19

you were going across. Perhaps that's what
saved US all.
'Now think it over, both of you. And
I'll bet you are both still shaking in your
shoes. And please, for Gods sake, don't try
it again.
Who, after reading the above, can think
lightly of the careless driver who rushes
madly into trOuble-bringing death and de-
structiOn in his wake? This, indeed, is an
object lesson for safe driving.
WE ARE ENTERING period in which
Congress will have before it the difficult task
OF formulating new transportation policy
more suitable to current conditions legis-
lative undertaking which always brings to
the front social and political, as we'll as eco
nOmic questions, which must be argued anew
In the light of public interests as they are
now interpreted.
tmay not be generally realized that our
present transportation policy was, in large
part, designed to deal With a condition which
no longer exists. The railroads, which are
the most completely regulated of all indus
tries, were once almost the sole important
system OF land transportation. They are still
our most vital system by far-but they have
had to meet increasingly keen competition
from the air lines, the buses, and the motor
trucks. Some of their competitors have been
heavily subsidized, both directly and indi-
rectly The exact extent of that subsidy may
be debatable, but the fact that it exists is
not.
1t is of the utmost importance that new
transportation legislation shall afford a
workable and equitable program and regu-
latiOn for all forms of transport. That can
be paraphraSed by saying that no carrier
shall be favored-and, by the same token,
none shall be penalized. 1t is the principle
upon which COOrdinated transportation pol
icy, geared to the needs of the present and
future, rather than to the conditions of yes
terday, can be built. To formulate such a
policy will be big and complex job, and
Congress would do well to start now
ONE PERENNIAL ARGUMENT which
is used in the effort to impose compulsory
government health insurance on the country,
is that the high percentage of men rejected
by Selectlve Service during the war is proof
OF grave deficiency in the availability of
medical care
That hOary argument was fatty CONTRA
dicted before a Senate Committee by DR..
Maurice II. Friedman a consulting physi-
clan to the Veterans Administration.
First OF all, he pointed out that MANY of
the reflections were for reasons which have
no particular bearing on general health, such
as the loss of fingers and toes, and INSULT
clent height Second, more than half of the
defects listed by Selective Service are struc-
tural abnOrmalities, rather than diseases.
AmputatlOns are an example of that-and
an amputatiOn is obviously result of medi-
cal care, and not a lack of it. All in all, DR..
Friedman cOntended, the estimates made of
the number Of reflections actually due to in
adequate medical care are highly mislead-
ing, and are derived from an ANALYSIS of
technical medical problems by lay persons
altogether incompetent for such a task"
1t is said that not a single physician
even including those who favor comDulsOlv
health insurance-has appeared in support
OF the argument based on Selective Service
f!eJectlonS. That argument, in sum, is dub
lOuS IN the extreme, is weighted to diStOrt
the true picture and the causes behind it. and
should not be accepted by those whose duty
II is 10 examine the evidence and write medi-
cal legislation.
THE INCEST PEOPLE in the world live
IN the Western Hemisphere: No. /. The Uni
ted States, No. 2. The rest of the American
RepubllcS-pluS Canada and Alaska.
UnQef program to be presented at BO-
gotta, Colombia, the end of March, the inter
american system would become the "little
Onlted Nations" OF the Western Hemisphere.
All it's activities, including defense of the
hemisphere would be centered in the Pan
american Union, a splendid anchorage The
actlVltles would be carried out by a perma-
nent defense council, an economic and social
council and cultural council.
-, Latln-American Nations have been set
ting up new industries since the beginning
OF the last war. They want to continue this
industrial development. But, capital and
technical knOw-hOw are lacking in many of
the countries. The United States is the onlv
country in position to furnish them.
Their desire meets with general approv-
al from the Washington Administration and
private capital in the United States.