The coastland times. [volume] (Mnateo [i.e. Manteo], N.C.) 1947-1959, 1953-01-23
BEST YEARS
AHEAD
BY George Peck

Most Americans feel confident
that the Eisenhower victory will
be a tonic to an America which
has been dosed with the wrong kind
of medicine for the past 20 years.
Even many of those who do not
have that sublime confidence, hope
that when Ike takes over there will
be a refreshing change in the NOR
al, business and economic climate
at Washington.
AS for this columnist, any ling
ering doubt he may have enter
tanned as to Eisenhower's intent
and capacity to really clean up
"the mess" at Washington, van
ished with the President-e elects
choice of men and women to help
him apply the water, soap and dis
infectant. To resort to the venacu-
lar, Ike "has picked him a Cabi-
net"
Four main factors have entered
into and made possible the putting
together of what gives promise of
being the best Cabinet with which
any American president has been
able to surround himself:
1. The Eisenhower determine
ton to surround himself with the
best.
2. The Eisenhower ability to ses-
lect the best.
8. Ike has been able to convince
those whom he invited into his
Cabinet that a real purge is to
take place along the Potomac; that
peddling of influence by public
officials is to end; that mink is
once again to be regarded as just
a beautiful fur and not as a SYM
boil of political sin and corruption;
and that public office will once
again become a public trust. To
sum up this factor, it will once
again be respectable to be a public
servant.
4. Never before has a Republi-
can president been in such a stra-
tegic position to convince his cab
met choices that they should ac-
cept the proffered assignment.
Twenty years of unfriendly atti-
tude by Washington toward bust
ness has finally convinced top bus
mess executives that if the Ameri-
can Capitalistic System is to be
saved, they must sacrifice them
selves on the altar of public SER
vice. Without the punishment and
RECOMMENDATION to which business
has been subjected sisnce the ad-
vent of the New Deal, it is hardly
conceivable that men like Charles
E. Wilson and George M. Hum
phrey would have taken leave of
their lucrative positions at the
top of General Motors and the M.
A. Hanna Company, to enter gov
eminent service at such personal
financial sacrifice. That they have
answered the call of General Eisen-
hover to serve in his Cabinet,
bears eloquent testimony to their
wisdom and patriotism. We should
appreciate and applaud their will
ingness to give of themselves SO
unselfishly.
However, excellent as is the Ad-
ministration and Cabinet which
will go into action at Washington
on January 20, they will not be
able to do the job alone. These
patriotic Americans must have the
cooperation and wholehearted sup
port of all of US. For instance,
if government finance is to be plac-
ed on a more realistic basis and
sound dollar restored and main
tanned, raids on the Treasury must
cease. Pressure groups seeking
government aid for pet projects
must be stoutly resisted.
AS to veterans, they should, of
course, be given fair treatment,
and generous provisions be made
for the disabled. However, even
here, it is obvious that the entire
program should be reviewed, be-
cause in the long run the veterans
themselves will be taxed to pay
the heavy load involved in benefit
payments.
Until such time as the threat
of war emergency is over, all of
us in all regions of the country
should insist upon a moratorium on
non-essential subsidies and grants
which in the aggregate amount to
many billion dollars per year.
Yes, we have elected fine pres
ident, and he. in turn, has selected
an excellent Cabinet. But, as pre-
viously stated, they will need your
help and mine if the prophecy of
General Eisenhower is to be full
filled. Said He: &c. Americas
best years are ahead. There street
ches before us the prospect of
peaceful, secure, happy, prosperous
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