Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1949-02-04

ment in the Soviet leadership which
felt it was better to try to get along
with us.
The explanation of the contro-
versey among Russian economists
is this: Soviet foreign policy,
specifically maintenance of the
cold war, is supposed to be based on
a belief that the United States is
headed directly toward another de-
preston. This "bust" will so sap
our strength that all the Soviets
will have to do is take us over with
little or no real military struggle.
(The revolt of the proletariat).
Well be too down and out to help
anti-communist Europe. The anti
Communist countries will fall east
ly into Communist control. Then
we can be beaten largely by infil-
tration, fifth column faction COM
mittees" and other methods be-
cause there will be general un-
employment, discomfort and general
chaos.
This belief is based on the
teachings Of Marx and Lenin
that capitalism is bound to de-
strOy itself because it produces
"boom and bust" cycles which
grow increasingly worse, and
therefore, it is impossible for
capitalistic country to try to do
anything permanent for the
masses to increase their stand
ard of living.
Now, however, along comes VAR
ga, introducing a new argument.
He argues that by adopting mea-
sures which he describes as "state
socialism" any major depression
in the United States can be pre-
vented or at least postponed for 10
or 20 years. If this thesis were
accepted by the Soviets it would be
wiser to cooperate with the United
States and other non-Communist
countries, rather than to take for
granted that our economic system
as well as theirs is going to con-
tinue for some time. On that
theory it would be to the Soviet's
interests, for the present at least,
for the Kremlin and the White
House to play ball.
What are the measures of Estate
socialism" Varga is talking about?
The various social and welfare
proposals like expanded social
security, national health insurance,
federal aid to education, under.
takings like the Tennessee Valley
Authority and the many other re-
forms which started under the New
Deal, and which President Truman
now urges should be carried for
ward or expanded.
In the early part of the Presi-
dents state of the union message
he announced in popular language
the underlying theory of his admin
istration. He said:
1--WE have rejected the dis
credited theory that the for
tunes of the Nation should be
in the hands of the privileged
few. We have Abandoned the
'trickle-down' concept of nation
al prosperity. Instead, we be-
live that our economic system
should rest on democratic
foundation and that wealth
should be created for the benefit
of ALL"
Whether or not the majority of
the people have rejected that theory
remains to be seen. There are still
many people, who believe that no
country can be prosperous unless
it is strong at the top and that it
cannot be strong at the top, that
business and industry cannot pros
per, unless free enterprise have the
widest liberty possible. That capital
should be encouraged by the in
centive of profit to take risks and
challenge competition. That gov
eminent interference destroys the
initiative which has made the coun-
try great. That once business is
unshackled by federal bureaucracy,
the benefits flow (not trickle) down
and spread out to benefit the whole
people.
The National Association of State
Chambers of Commerce, one of
hundred business organizations
testifying against a bill which
would permit the IVA to build
a new steam plant at Johnsonville,
said:
a.. this government cannot
continue much longer to aid in
tn growth of tax-exempt or gov
ernment-owned enterprises, this
narrowing the nations tax base,
without throwing greater bur-
dens upon the remainder of the
taxpayers and without grad
ually strangling free enterprise
to DEATH"