Milford chronicle., 1950-07-14
THE PEOPLES VIEWS

THE PEOPLES VIEWS
A recent Gallup poll indicated that the
of the people favor law stronger
than the Taft-Hartley Act-a sentiment
which undoubtedly reflects growing public
concern over strikes that weaken the cOun-
try Now another survey, conducted by the
Psychological Corporation, under the dlrec-
ton of DR.. Henry G.. Link shows that ma
iority of the people also believe that the coal
miners were definitely harmed by the last
strike Personal interviews were conducted
in $500 homes scattered through 1872 COM
munities from coast to coast. One question
asked was: "Do YOU think that John L. Lewis
and the coal miners, in the long run, were
more benefited or more harmed by the recent
strike settlement?" SiXty-SiX per cent ans
Wered "mOre harmed" as against % per
cent who felt the miners had benefited, with
the balance uncertain. Even in union homes,
81 per cent said that the strike was more
harmful, compared to 81 per cent who
thought that the benefits OutWeighed the
damages. Another question asked was: DO
you think the coal mines should be taken
over and run by the gOvernment?' This so
luton to GOALS problem has been suggested
by a few shOrt-sighted people, and the social
lists are always whOOping it up. However, the
opinion of those pOlled was Overwhelmingly
against it. Only 20 per cent said yes, while
SO per cent answered no, and IL per cent
were uncertain. The proportions were prac-
tically the same in both union and nOn-unlOn
families 1t is clear that the American peO-
pie want a healthy, competitive, privately
owned coal industry. And labOrs eXcesses
are doing the cause of labor great damage.
DEFEND PRESS FREEDOM
Erwin D. Canham, editor of the Christian
Science Monitor, told the international Fed
Grafton of Newspaper Editors, meeting in
Rome, that proposed United Nations treaty
NAV damage rather than defend press free
dom. He said there was a danger Of an in
ternatiOnal agreement limiting and restrict
ing freedom of the press instead OF lowering
the barriers to such freedom, and described
as Fantastic" a proposed ban on the publl-
cation of news considered offensive to nation
al pride and dignity-a device, incidentally,
to which dictatOrs always resort when they
want to hide the truth. JOhan van de Kieft
of Holland said: "There is remarkable
press situation in Argentina. NeWsprlnt is
distributed by the government, and because
of the sO-called shortage, the government dis
tributes only to government papers and not
to opposition papers. This is most peculiar
way to get rid of the opposition. 1t is only one
case of many in the world today, but 1t is
necessary that we oppose restrictions on the
able that some members of the UN WOulC
like nothing more than high-sOunding, care
fully camOuf1aged treaty that would destroy
the free press. And it is certainly aXiOmati
that newspaper people in those cOuntrie
which still have press freedom fight will
every possible weapon to defend it. A fire.
press is q peoples greatest protection agains
tyranny and injustice whether imposed b,
government, business, labor or any Othe
group. When a free press is destroyed al
other basic freedoms are destroyed with it.
5000
SHARPER COMPETITION"
A bulletin issued by the National AssOca
tion of Food Chains observes, "AlOng wit
forecasts of continuing good business com
evidences of sharper competition -cOmpet
tiOn that generally emphasizes service to Gus
TONER'S" The chain systems it adds, cOntiT
ue to remodel older type stores to make ther
more attractive to the buyer. What make
this interesting is the emphasis on compel
tion No force on earth does as much
create progress. In this particular cas-
neither the chains nor any other type
store is spending the large sum of none
needed for modernizatiOn just for the fun
it. They are spending it because cOmpetitiV
= conditions make it necessary. No merchal
can just stand still and hope to prosper
= some aggressive, up-tOAthe-minute compel
. tor down the street will get his trade if
) does. He has to keep on doing a better j
in every possible way. In a regimented &c
nOmy, by contrast, where government max
: all the decisions and real competition dOes1
n exist, there is no need to be progressN
a Producers and distributors alike are bound
e political red tape They just follow whatev
: rules are in effect at the moment, and the
q is nothing the ill-served consumer can
< about it. In every town in the country, ret
stores of all kinds and sizes are a visual {
J. ample of what competition does. Their {
e. pealing show windows and full shelves n
, resent the fruits of the finest economic S.
le TENS the world has ever known.