The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1948-05-27
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Ta(HAEHRNRyY
~Wl.T TREE

Just recently a rather learned
author remarked that, looking at
our times and getting them in the
right perspective historically, the
thing that marks these times is
the determination Of the common
man TO achieve something Of de-
cency in living standards-and Sc
curity.
The remark is worth thought.
OF course we need to know what
we mean when we speak Of the
common man" and we need also
to define what we mean by "se
curity."
These words and phases may
mean one thing to Henry Wallace
and something else to Harry Tru-
man; they may mean one thing to
William Green and another to the
Salvation Army; and probably they
would.
In truth, much Of our political
economic and social thinking is
complicated by the fact that we use
many words and phrases that mean
different things to different per-
sons.
By and large, using definitions
not too loosely, nor yet too tightly,
the learned author seems to be cor
rect in his assumption. 1t would ac-
count for much that is going on to-
day.
Let US see about these two OBJ
jectiyes. Security perhaps can be
defined as containing assurance of
q job. with assurance of income;
the ability to have a suitable place
of abode; the right to be free from
kicking around generally, the feel
ing of being secure from want re-
garding material things; and, per-
haps above all, security Of status
among friends, associates and
neighbors. Many things go to max
ing up security of status, but all
of them must be had.
Long, long ago unions began
working away to carve a pathway
to security, building provisions,
step by step, often against great
odds, creating, year by year a
strength and a network of rules,
along with increasing wages, bet
ter working conditions and short
er work-week, all moving workers
along toward a closer approach to
something like security.
We know, within reasonable linn
its what we mean by security
but when we try to wrap up the
other provisions into a neat little
package labelled "definition" we
have much more difficult time.
What constituted decency of liv-
ing standards fifty years ago is
today wholly inadequate.
What constituted decency Of liv-
ing standards even ten years ago is
today inadequate.
What is acceptable to masses of
men and women as an adequate liv-
ing standard changes from year to
year.
Ny grandmother had dress
maker come to the hourse once a
year and make the clothing for her
for the year. Style was just as i'm
portant then as now, but it didn't
change as often.
In those day a farmer used a
wagon until it was worn out.
Today millions of girls and wo-
men are unhappy if they do not |
have dresses of a length right at |
the moment. Clothing in style is |
a large part of an acceptable stan
dard of living.
SO are many of the modern in
ventions. For example, radio is an
essential today; and so is a fair
ly decent automobile. If you say |
many do not have them, you mere
ly point up the argument. Many /
are not enjoying an acceptable
standard of living and to achieve it
is the hope of most of them.
But there never will be any stan
dard definition of what constitutes
the sum of things necessary to
such a standard, because the list
changes constantly.
Unless we are all blown up in
an atomic war, the day will come
when no family will believe its
standards acceptable unless there
S an atomic power plant in the
nome to operate the myriad devices
% make work easier and less.
Mankind has no goal to which
t looks and says to itself, "when
We achieve that we shall be happy |
and there will be no more to ask.
No, there is no end to the list Of
hings necessary to satisfaction,
ust because the human brain keeps
linking of new things. There is no
'inality, no end of aspiration, for
he race.
q 8;