davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
BABSON Discusses Frefabricated Houses

automobile engineers and manufac-
turers hold. the key to the solution
of the housing problem. The here
tOfore prevalent idea that each fam
lily must build a different house is
crazy. This is one reason why
bricklayers, carpenters, electri-
clans, and painters have us by the
throat.
OF course, houses should not be
alike any more than are automo-
biles. Houses should be different
sizes, differently arranged, and diff
ferent colors; but so are autOmO-
biles. am told that over one hun
dred different automobile models
are on the market today in twelve
different colors. Certainly, we all
should be able to select a house
which suits us from one hundred
different designs in twelve colors.
CARPENTERS NEED NOT
WORRY
There still will be plenty of re-
pair work and remodeling to keep
local carpenters and painters busy
Therefore, to have Mr.. Reuther, the
president of one of our most power.
full Labor Unions, come out in
favor of factory built homes is &
tremendous event. If he will figh
for this program, as he fought fol
others, the housing problem will
soon be solved.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22

have been instrumental in making
new houses expensive. These codes
make the building of a prefabricat-
ed house, with electric wires and
plumbing pipes all installed, i'm
possible. These cannot be inspect
ed by local politicians, as they are
hidden in the cement studs. This
prevents the erection Of factory
built houses which are our only
hope.
CELLARS AND INSPECTORS
The original purpose of a cellar
was to serve as a place to keep
vegetables, fruits, cider, ETC., free
from freezing during the cold win
ter. Then, when coal stoves began
to be installed, the cellar was used
to store wood and coal. Now, with
oil and gas heating, these cellars
are no longer of use. $1,000 can be
saved by forgetting them. $4,000
more can be saved by the use OF
modern building codes, and reason
able building inspectors.
At last, building inspectors and
old-fashioned codes have run afow
of the big shots of the labor move
ment. Hence, for the first time
see a real chance of John @. Public
getting better house for less mon
ey. This is most important even
] and has great possibilities.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
REUTHER'S REVOLUTIONARY
SUGGESTION

INL I1GO - AEfOLOII
SUGGESTION
Here is what Walter P. Reuther,
President of the United Auto Work
ers, said in Detroit, February IL:
"The housing industry is the most
antiquated in the country. 1t is not
able to provide the necessary hous-
ing to meet the demands of the
100000 new families created an
nually. The answer to the whole
problem is mass production and
use Of the men and ideas which car
ried the country through the war.
"We have the know-how to split
atoms and make plane which can
go 500 miles per hour, but that
know-how never has been applied
to housing. I propose the estab-
lishment of a National Authority to
handle conversion of certain idle
airplane plants to make prefabri-
Gated houses, and at the same time
keep personnel trained in aircraft
production. Construction labor
would not suffer from mass produc-
tion. Instead, it would be relieved
of the fear of seasonal unemploy-
ment.
HOUSES VS.. AUTOMOBILES
! Mr.. Reuther's statement especial
ly interests me because of his con
nection with the automobile indus
! try. ] have always claimed that thu
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
the =
HOME q
TOun s.
MpOR7ER
q ysl %! 81
Parties Losing Unity
On WASHINGTON

" CTION of the 81st congress to
"a this time indicates to your
Home Town Reporter that there is
little vestige of party responsibility
left in the congress. AS matter Of
fact the vote on the Rankin veter-
ans pension bill indicates there is
little courage or personal response
bility, at least in the face of retalia-
ton by powerful groups.
On the Rankin bill here's what
happened. On one motion which
would have killed the bill on
standing vote. the house voted l54
to l39 to kin the measure. On
teller vote on another motion which
would also have killed it. they
voted 1853 to 154 to kill it. But not
an hour later when they were nn.
on a spot for an official vote which
would go in the Congressional
Record. they flip-flopped and re-
fused to kill the bill 223 to 1877.
Then the next day. after few
heads had been cracked and two
members changed their vote, the
house by 2O8 to 2O7 tally, voted to
send the bill back to committee,
which although it does not actually
kill the bill, definitely defers &C.
5 ton.
Now these congressman ap-
parentIy had convictions, but
when it came to getting them
into the record they refused to
accept the responsibility, of
voting to kill this measure
which would have saddled bill
lions of dollars onto the tax
payers.
The Republicans in congress ar
split three ways. Sen. Robert A
Taft of Ohio leads a small bu
powerful conservative group. Ser
ators Lodge, of Massachusetts, an
Tobey, of New Hampshire, head u
a liberal group. A strong reaction
ary group is headed by Senate
Wherry of Nebraska and Bricke
of Ohio. In the Democratic camI
the administration forces are led b
Sen. Scott Lucas, of Illinois, 8
majority leader. The Dixiecr;
group is headed by Senator Russo
of Georgia. A liberal or so-calle
New Deal group is headed by sue
men as Senators Pepper, Of Florid
Murray of Montana, and Humphri'
of Minnesota.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
RIGHTS MUST BE EARNED

The General Assembly of the United Ma
tions has officially stressed rights which are
theoretically owed the individual by the
state, such as the right to rest and leisure,
protection against unemployment, housing
and medical care and other forms of social
security We believe the United Nations is
tackling the whole question of human rights
wrong end first What the world really
needs is a Declaration of Human RESPONSE
bility! People need to learn that they cannot
expect something for nothing. Furthermore,
self-government falls when majority fails
to realize that they must contribute as much
as they take out For example, the impossible
economic situation in France today is the
result of the people demanding more of the
government than they give. 1t is high time
we return to the simple philosophy of will
ingness to work. One great difficulty that
must be met by the trainers of any United
Nations declaration of policy is that they
must satisfy scores of nations and govern
ments which subscribe to every kind and
form of political theory. However, the peO-
sples of the free countries, the United States
included, have gone a long. way down the
deadly path that leads to complete govern.
mental domination of our lives. The gimme
spirit has reached tragic proportions AnC
so has the idea that government owes Us
protection against every possible exlgency
Rights must be earned through the exercis
ing of responsibility. In a free country, the
people support their government, and give
it orders In dictatorship, the government
takes over the people, and gives them orders
The distinction is that simple.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
a NEW TAX WRINKLE

Robert A. Taft turned new light on the
proposal for compulsory Federal health in
surance. He said it is tax and not insur-
ance and that, 'The very term compulsory
insurance is a contradiction, for insurance
is free act by which man pay certain
definite sums in order to receive protection
or. benefits worth, according to actuarial
computations, approximately what he pays.
If he is compelled to pay something to the
government, that is tax, and he has to ac-
cept in return exactly what the government
gives him, or fails to give him. Further
more, the proposed payroll deduction is a
tax because the benefit promised has no rela-
tion, or very remote relation, to the amount
of the payments made. "Thus, a man with a
salary of 1000 and family of five will pay
perhaps $40 year for services to his entire
family, and a man with $4,000 a year, but
unmarried, pays perhaps $120 for services
to himself only. This is principle of taxa
tion, and not of insurance" A compulsory
government health tax leaves the individual
no choice. He is compelled by law to accep
government medicine because he cannot af
ford to also subscribe to existing systems fo
voluntary prepayment for medical care.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
THE BUYERS MARKET

Merchants are finding that goods will not
move very rapidly unless price concessions
are offered. Consumers are proving to be as
hard customers as business purchasing
agents. To put the matter another way, in
most lines the buyers market has returned
with a vengeance. Retailing-as it has many
times in the past-is facing challenge. That
challenge is to offer what the customers want,
and to sell it at price which the customers
believe to be right. Modern retailing, in fact,
has been developed with that basic idea in
mind. The best merchant who ever lived
can't please everybody. But no other retail
system in the world has come as close to the
goal as ours. The successful merchant is an
expert in many fields. He must be able to
anticipate well ahead what people will want
the road to failure is lined with stocks of
goods that don't move off the shelves. He
must be wary and intelligent buyer. He
must keep constant eye out for waste and
ineficiency. He must pare his overhead costs
wherever possible, otherwise a more alert
store down the street will undersell him. He
must be something of psychologist, in that
he is constantly dealing with human fOibles,
preiudices and desires. The trend of retail
prices has been downward, as a general
thing. Many think, thatstrend will. continue
during the year, though no sharp breaks are
expected. Regardless of what happens, the
main task of the retailer, whether he runs
chain or an independent outlet, big store
or a small one, will be to sell at the lowest
cost consistent with safety. Price is not the
only consumer inducement, but it is the big
gest one to millions of people. The retailer:
search for greater efficiency and economy
must be endless.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22

creature comforts available to our
people everywhere in the land.
Best Way of Life
1--WE would have shown you work.
ers at their machines and benches,
and you could have learned for
yourselves the fact that American
workers as satisfied that the Amer
lean way of life is the best for
them.
You would have seen literally
acres of automobiles parked around
these plants, and every one of
them owned by workmen, In the
plants you would have seen mod
ern sanitary restroom convent
ences, engineered lighting, an6
clean, healthful cafeterias or din,
! ing rooms where employees eat anC
relax.
Industrial Areas
"Traversing even the humbles
residential districts in our eastern
industrial areas, you and your as
sociates would have observed tele
vision antennae atop a surprising
number of homes-while all o
them have at least one radio Sc
and an automobile at the curb il
front of, or in the garage behin
almost every single house.
"You would have seen typica
American homes; seen how eve
the most modest industrial famil
, pridefully has, as home common
places, things that are luxurie
anywhere else on earth-runnin
water, modern heating, bathrooms
radios, electric lights, electric re
frigerators, and other similar cor
= veniences.
Free Schools
f "You and your fellow delegate
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22

Soviet Delegates Refuse
Bid To See Freedom Work

would have seen free schools in
every community, free churches of
all denominations, free Libraries,
and free art galleries.
"But, of course, we would also
have shown you aspects of Ameri-
can life which cause us Industrial
lists and all patriotic Americans
much concern. For these less at
tractive facets of our national life
we should not have apologized, but
rather we would have bOasted that
even at their worst, they are almost
incomparably better than the best
that obtain, except for a favored
few, under any police state econ
Omy.
High Living Levels
"You would have been everlast-
ingly impressed, we believed, with
/ the fact that we here sin America
employers and employees alike
are determined to bring the minor
Eity of our people up to the high
living levels enjoyed by the great
/ majority Of Americans rather, thar
to drag the majority down to tht
minority standard.
Let us repeat that we regre
most sincerely that we shall be un
able to provide for the U. S. S. r
delegates the fullest possible dem
onstration of the benefits that fre,
J Americans enjoy under a system
which guarantees them OppOrtuni
ties for individual progress limite,
only by their individual wills an,
1 skills-and all within a capitals
economy.
1 American Way
1--WE regret your declinatiOn, par
= ticularly, because we believe sin
; cerely that the American way c
3 free men working, living, and pros
y pering together builds the will 70
: peace that is needed so sadly i
: this troubled world today, and 70
which the Cultural and Scientifi
Conference for World Peace pre-
S fesses to be seeking"
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22

Wallace F. Bennett, president of
the NAM, sent the invitation to the
Russian ambassador in Washing
ton. The ambassador turned it
over to the delegates and to DR..
Howard Shapley, conference chair
man, who relayed the refusal to
Mr.. Bennett.
Expresses Regreat
Mr.. Bennett replied to the Soviet
delegates, expressing regret that
the NAM will be unable to show
the Communists chow Americans
live, work, and benefit under the
American system.
'It is with sincere regret that
we have just learned from Dr.
Howard Shapley that your fear OF
the possibility that your govern
ment would disinterpret the pur-
pose of our proposal compels yor
and your fellow delegates to decline
the Associations invitation to visi
some of this country's importan
industrial areas and manufactur
/ ing plants, MT. benneIL Wrole.
American Standards
"We regret it because we hat
hoped to arrange an itinerary II
such an honest, cross-sectiOn fash
ion that your group would have ha'
an opportunity to see and to stud
how Americans, working and livin
in a free, individual enterprise sys
TEN, enjoy the highest standards Q
living and the greatest measure o
individual freedom of any peopl
on earth.
1--WE would have shown you NOR
than merely huge mills, factories
plants, and assembly lines for tn
production of the goods of peace
facilities for the production {
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
Thirty Years Ago
Taken from the 1919 Files Of The Milford Chronicle

The automobile owned by Gar
nder Williams of Milford was bad
ly damaged when it ran over the
side of the bridge at Swain's cause
way, located between Milford and
Lincoln, last Sunday night.
-
Next Monday evening, promises
to be little out of the ordinary
for members of Crystal Fount
Lodge, No. 10. Deputy Grand Mas
ter R. A. Derrickson with his staff
will install the newly elected Of
ficers for the ensuing term and
the Entertainment Committee have
arranged a very interesting pro-
gram of music and song. The
Refreshment Committee promise
to give the members surprise
also.
Major William Marshall, Jr., NJ
! d.. of the 59th Pioneer Infantry
has written from Boucq, France
to the effect that he has recovered
from his accident and has gone
with his outfit. Major Marshall II
an alumnus Of Delaware College il
the class of 1901 and received hi
NJ. D. degree from the Universit!
of Pennsylvania, in 1905. DR.. Mar
shalls home is in Milford and h
is the son of DR.. George William
Marshall of the class of 1874. TIL
latter was a highly honored turs
tee of Delaware College until tn
time of his death in 1915.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
New Wheat Pact
It's About Time

SARASOTA, Fla. = (AP) - No
inning Of any night game in the
majors can be started after 1880
a. M, local city time, the playing
rules committee agreed during a
recent meeting The phase "local
city time" replaces the words
war time."
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
Siam May Ban
Prostitutes

BANGKOK (P0 - Premier
Phibun Songkram said a bill would
be introduced in Parliament to
abolish licensed prostitution and
houses of prostitution. There are
95 licensed houses with 400 licens-
ed prostitutes in Siam. Before the
war there were 4O~licensed houses
and 200 prostitutes. The govern
ment receives about $1,000 a year
from the licenses.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
German DPS Going
To Australia

LEMGO. Germany sap Alb
out 1000 displaced persons a month
are being accepted for emigration
to Australia from the British zone
of Germany, the international refu-
gee organization announced.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22

Miss Emily Warren, who has
inst returned after a years ser
vice as an army nurse in the ad-
vance zone in France, is the guest
of Mr.. and Mrs. G. Marshall Town
send.
Grier R. Baynum, yoeman on the
L. S. S. VonSteuben, spent Thurs
day and Friday of last week with
his parents, Md. and Mrs. George
II. Baynum, after having returned
from his first trip across.
Mrs. Theo., S. CoulbOurn and
daughter, Myrtle, spent a few days
in New York last week with their
husband and father; Paymaste1
Colbourne of the U. S. S. VonSteu-
ben. that boat having just return
ed from Brest, France, with the
buckeye Division of troops from
Ohio.
Each spring the marshes along
the bayshore and rivers are burn
ed over so as to clear away tn
dead hay so that moving marshes
NAV be more easily cut next sum
mer. These fires may be seen dur
ing the month of April and at nigh
the Heavens reflect the flame
which cover miles in area.
Mrs. T. Earl Hudson entertain
ed for her two sons, Theodore an
Telforde Hudson, at a delightful
dance last Monday evening. 1t wa
one of the incest affairs of the sea
son and was greatly enjoyed b
everyone. Mrs. William c. Smit
and Mrs. c. d. Abbott acted a
patronesses. The guests were Miss
es Mary Grier, Helen Barrett, Re
ma Smith, Irma Pierce, Ruth Ora
per. Ruth Russell, Ethel Holzmul
Ter and Eleanor Vinyard; Messrt
John Nutter, Humes Grier, Tol
Draper, James Humes, Charlie
Abbott and Robert Pierce.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
British Washers Boom

LONDON - (AP) - British ex-
ports of electric washing machines
last year were more than 100 times
what they were 10 years before.
In 1898, they were valued at $$42.
coo. In 1948, they were S4,528, $3.50.
The Ministry of Supply, report
ing this, said the industry, almost
non-existent before the war, now
includes 16 companies.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22

BabsOn Park,
Mass, April 22-
G vernm e n t
building of mil
lions" of ne W
homes by local
carpenters a n d
bricklayers is not
tn e solution of
t h e h on sin g
p o b i e m. / n
fact, such a for
ced pro & r a m
would cause both
labor and mate
rial costs to go
oxxo, bsrhar o~1
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
Blind to Liberty

Association of Manufacturers to free Americans at
work in great industrial plants, Soviet delegates to
the Cultural and Scientific Conference in New York
fused the invitation because they sad of the possibility that
the Soviet "wOud msnterpret the purpose Of
the NANpS proposal.
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
MedIeOs al ODDS

Whether or not this congress will.
seriously consider the passage OF
the administration national health
program, including the compulsory
health insurance feature, is a mat
ter of conjecture. 1t may pass at
least a portion Of the measure. But
the entire question has been made
an important national issue which
may 60 over into the 1850 cam
paign. Your Home Town Reporter
took part in q panel discussion in
Baltimore recently on the question.
Also on the panel was a member OF
the CIO union, a Baltimore ply
sician representing the pro-insur-
ance group within the medical pro
fession, and another doctor to rep
resent the position of the medical
association against government in
surance. The latter doctor, how
ever, refused to take part in the
discussion. The explanation wa:
that the Baltimore county medica
society had ordered its member
not to take part in such discussions
e
The whole question is-HOw
sick is America and can individ-
uaIs afford to ray for it? One
survey shows that on any given
day at least seven million
Americans are absent from
their work because of some ill-
ness or disability. Lack Of medi-
cal care and proper facilities
for care are most fragrant In
rural areas. The taxpayers are
now paying something like two
billion dollars a year on health
with little improvement. The
proposed national health bill is
offered as a media for imprOv-
ing health, providing for media
of payment and a substitute for
much of the money now being
expended. The medical assOcia-
tiOn has beIatedIy offered
plan of its own which would in
: clude a department Of health
= with cabinet status. 1t is not
likely to pass.
Scheduled and unscheduled All
5 lines are in a bitter fight befoT
the civil aeronautics board. ScheC
t uled lines say their competition
/. excessive and cut-throat in the lari
er cities, so can't service smalle
! ones. Unscheduled flyers say th
. big lines want monopoly and al
= trying to regulate the smaller fe
g lows out of business. We think u
e CAB should decide one way or al
e other and not keep both sid'
dangling for months.
l. New Wheat Pact
= The new wheat agreement hi
d been signed by some 40 nation
e It is not as favorable as the pa
n offered in ls4s but provides t
is USA shall export not less than l
y million bushels Of wheat for TO
le years at a maximum price of 81.
m and a minimum of $3.50 the fiji
lie year: $I.4O the second; $l.SO I
s. third, and $l.2O the fourth ye;
ie Russia and Argentina did not part
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22
WHAT HOLDS BACK
BUILDING COSTS2

The answer is two-fold: (1) Lo-
cal labor leaders are responsible
for the high costs and poor quality
of new houses by limiting the hours
of work and the amount of work
done. (2) The public is responsible
for thinking that every family must
have custom-made house built by
local labor.
Labor leaders and building codes
Milford chronicle., 1949-04-22

hence further
check private building. The real
solution lies with good factory
built houses.
Evening star., 1949-01-30
Auto Dealers Elect
HuIIer Vice President

Fred L. Haller, president Of the
District Motor Co., has been elected
Evening star., 1949-01-30

vice president of the National Auto
mobile Dealers Association, which
has just concluded Q convention in
Los Angeles.
Evening star., 1949-01-30

he wired the Rev. Wallace j. Muir
ply, Baptist minister who is serving
as executive director Of the Proper
ty Owners, Inc, Of Tulsa.
IF court action is invited" the
Thomas telegram stated, then you
will have the opportunity, which
knocks but once, to make out a case
in favor of landlords. In any event,
Congressional committees have TAX
en- notice and will make an investi-
cation of the situation in order to
enact necessary amendments if they
are advisable"
Chicago Landlords Act.
In Chicago some 750 landlords
who said they own $4,000 rental units
voted overwhelmingly to withdraw
their property from the ren'tal mar
ket. the Associated Press reported.
Such a mass movement was de-
nounced by Chief Judge Edward S.
Schefler of Chicago Municipal
Court. He said it would indicate
they were not acting in good faith
as required by law" He added that
the courts would take all steps to
halt any such mass eviction move-
ment.'
Senators Lucas and Douglas,
Democrats. Of Illinois, Immediately
were asked by Jack A. Rosen, execu-
tive secretary of the Chicago Ten
ants Federation, to work for repeal
of the rent control law provision
allowing landlords to withdraw
property from the rental market.