Evening star., 1949-12-10
Letters to The Star
Resents What He Calls
Government SpOilati0n of Citizens

Resents What He Calls
| Government Spoilation of Citizens
| To the Editor Of The Star:
When a highwayman at the point OF
| gun compels contribution which he says
| he proposes to use for the alleviation OF
| suffering, this is not. or at any rate 1t
| formerly was not, considered sufficient
| reason for his appropriation OF another's
| property But is there any difference in
essential principle between the highwayman
| and the Government when it despoils cit
| liens by taxation to confer on other citizens
| what they want and are unable to pay for?
| Aside from consideration OF the principle
| involved it is sufficiently evident that the
| condition of millions Of unfortunates in
this country is largely due to the fact that
| for many years citizens have been solicited
| and induced by those who needed their
votes to look to and lean upon the Gov
ernment, in effect to become a lot OF pitiful
/ wretches void of self-reliance and self
respect.
| That the practice of taking from some to
| make life easier for others induces the
multiplication of the unfit and unworthy
| is beyond controversy, and that it grossly
| aggravates the condition it ostensibly seeks
to alleviate is equally beyond controversy.
If we had not wandered so far from the
| principles upon which our Government Is
UdScO tllcIc WOulO VIC dAAOA4& VCAJ A4AoSAA
| larger proportion of our citizens recog-
milton Of these obvious facts.
| Conditions in our country furnish con-
vincing evidence that there now is in the
body of society a regrettable lack Of under
standing and appreciation by individuals Of
their own rights and corresponding lack
Of proper respect for the ris.lts Of others.
Many. If left to choose. are not greatly
interested in making nice distinctions be-
tween mine and thine. and the popular es-
innate of values concerns itself practically
solely with material considerations.
| Consider some of the facts that demon
strate this wide lack of integrity. Consider
| the numerous incidents exhibiting to tho
entire country the stature and quality Of
| many Senators and Representatives and Of
officials generally, national or local. What
proportion Of them can be expected intelli-,
gently to appreciate and adhere to the
principles proclaimed In our Declaration OF
Independence, our Constitution and Bill Of
Rights?
Ancestors Forced to Be Self Reliant.
Circumstances compelled our early an
cestors in America to rely upon themselves
| in their struggle with nature. and what they
could not achieve by their own efforts or
in combination with others willingly asso-
ciated with them they lacked. Conditions
then compelled self-reliance, and self-re-
spect was its necessary consequence. We
cannot believe that among Americans of
that quality there was any indisposition to
to help unfortunates to help themselves
and in these circumstances those who fur
nish the assistance are in q position to
know the circumstances Of each case, and
the innate disposition to protect ones own
| interests prevents the imposition 80 shame
fully present where ostensible charity is
administered by Government through its
bureaucrats.
The obligation Of each citizen Is to provide
for himself and those dependent upon him
and he has no right whatever to exact for
private Or personal purposes any contribu-
| ton from other citizens, that Is by the state
or Government.
| But from the advent Of the New Deal all
| ages and both sexes have been sedulously
| begutled to look to and lean upon the Gov
eminent; and the Government, which pro-
duces nothing. confers gratuities upon the
| poor-spirited by the appropriation of money
Of which citizens have been despoiled
through taxation. applying 1t to the various
purposes that those who for the moment are
| In control OF the Government feel will buy
them votes and render them secure tn the
tenure Of their ONCE. Politicians Of all
| grades. liberal with other peoples money,
supply benefits for which the careful and
industrious work and save. responding to
the opportunities Of the shiftless, base, care
less, irresponsible. unprincipled and, in
numerous instances Of classes amply forti-
fed and able to provide for themselves but
who are not above contributing their votes
! and support to those who extend them
unwarranted favors at the expense of other
| citizens
Veritably: History is but the tiresome
| repetition Of one story. Persons and classes
! have sought to win possession Of the power
OF the state in order to live at ease on the
earnings Of Others"
VOICE IN THE WILDERNESS.
Urges That Personal shopping Be Postponed
| Until Christmas Shopping Il Over
| To the Editor Of The Star:
By way of adding 4 new stanza to an old
song, I'd like to suggest that we not only
90 our Christmas shopping well ahead Of
the annual deadline, but postpone as much
OF our personal shopping as possible until
after Christmas.
Prices then will be lower, stores less
crowded, and our patronage at that time
VIII help to minimize unemployment when
| 1t most needs minimizing.
JACK FLoD1N.
| A Reader Argues
| That "Escalator" Il Dangerous
To the Editor OF The Star:
1t is well that In your editorial page of
! Sunday, December 4. you give two sides to
an economic and social problem confronting
the United States today. refer to your
editorial Good Times Are Hard to Beat"
and DR.. Harris essay "Escalator or Stair
| way?"
But anyone reading the editorial and
given to shallow thinking concerning the
| great increase in consumer income since
1899 must believe the country is immeas,r-
| ably better of today than 1t was before
| the war.
On the other hand, II one measures all
the plus and minus factors that enter into