The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1949-03-17
THE GREAT
GAME OF
POLITICS
By FRANK R. KENT.
Copyright by The Baltimore Sun ana
reprinted in The Republican by per
mission.

Eeverv time the charge Is made
hat the Truman program is heading
rs straight toward the socialistir
state. indignant denials come from
Administration publicist-all of them
Of the professional liberals variety.
These insist-and may believe-that
naturalization of industry or any
other form of socialism is alien to the
Truman mind and soul.
For example, the inspired sugges-
ion in the Presidents message OF
Government entrance into the steel
business is soothingly said to have no
.iim purpose behind it. Despite Sena-
tor Murray's modest bill to appropri-
ate $4,000, 0G0,OO0 to further such
project. we are authoritatively told
that nothing will happen A SINH
ar statement is made about the
Presidents "health insurance" bill. 1t
is say White House spokesman,
shocking misrepresentation to label
this humane and high-minded' plan
an effort to "socialize medicine"
A .guments along the same lines are
used to explain the militant, if some
time muddled, partially of the new
,abor Secretary, Mr. Maurice Tobin,
for the labor bosses; the plans hugely
to expand the social security system;
the refusal to look the Federal fiscal
facts in the face, and the utterly in
defensible piling of 100000 more
civilian employees on the Government
pay roll in less than year. None of
this, it is declared, is with the idea of
altering the American way of life or
undermining the system of private
enterprise. All Mr.. Truman is doing
is obeying the "mandate" of the last
election. The private enterprise sys-
tenn has no firmer friend than he-so
they say.
All of which makes more notable
the so-called Economic Sterilization
Act of 1919" recently introduced in
Congress and strongly backed by the
Administration This bill makes alb
surd the assurance that no steps are
contemplated toward further Govern
ment control of industry. In describ-
ing it. the New York Times declares
that "as a combination of political eX-
pedicncy and arrogant economic plan
mig the measure seems calculated to
ALLEVIATE the support of everyone who
believes the American system Of free
enterprise is not philosophy that
you doff with a change Of weather, a
change of seasons or even change
in the political complexion of the Adj
ministration.
If encated, it would give the Presi-
dent control over private business
never before seriously suggested in a
time of peace. Under il he could fix
prices and wages, regulate profits,
put into effect priorities and al
locations and use Government money
TO expand production. 1t is, in fact,
the most thorough going control over
industry proposal ever advanced.
With the power conferred on the
President therein, private ownership
Of industry would exist only to the
degree the Government chose to let
i. exist. 1t is not surprising that bust
ess men who have graspcd the true
purpose of the bill should be shocked.
L is not surprising that those who
lave read it Understandings should
lie baffled and bewldered as to the
real character of this Admins
ttation's economic advisers
Certainly, no one who voted for Mr.
Truman last November could have be-
leved he was voting for this sort of
thing Certainly, no mandate" to so