Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1954-01-07
SENATE CLOAKROOM

1
off. The Associated Press dispatch
then goes on to state unemploy-
ment during November, 1858, was
up only 10000 compared with No
vember, 1952-and that the total
number of gainfully employed was
61,925,000. The Department of
Commerce reports this islands as
the highest annual volume of en-
ployment in the records"
To the average person, his fam
lily secruity is based on whether or
not he has a job-if he is working
and able to supply his family with
the necessities and some of the
luxuries of life, then his economic
position is secure.
How did the wage Garner fare?
Personal income to the American
people amounted to 1884 billion
five percent higher the Department
of Commerce reports than in 1862,
and the largest in our history.
Time Magazine in its end of the
year report related our economic
progress by saying that with only
7 per cent of the worlds popula-
ton, the U. S. turned out IS per
cent of the worlds manufactured
goods"
In material improvements Time
stated that ''In 1853 Americans
slipped behind the wheels of 6,00O,-
900 new cars (the second biggest
auto year on record) and drove off
over $4,000 miles of newroads
worth So billion. They put their
feet into 500 million pairs of new
shoes, walked into 100000 new
houses and apartments, spent
record $34.7 billion on construction
of all types. Housewives cleaned
their homes with more new vacuum
cleaners (3,OOO,OO0) than in 1862,
and washed their clothes with more
new washing machines (3,700,0OO);
to do the job, they bought a re-
cord $400 million worth of soap and
detergents. They sat down before
new TV sets 100000 VS.. 6,OO0,-
900 in 1952)-so many, in fact,
tn tat Vsets outnumbered tele-
phones in six U. S. Cities, and even
outnumbered bathtubs in one
(Chicago). They bought more food
CSC billion worthy than even before.
Per capita, Americans last year
ate more than their average weight
in meat alone-151 lbs, VS.. 144 lbs.
in 1852"
Does that sound like hard times?
Is it possible that nation capable
of producing 65 per cent of the
total manufactured goods in the
world with only seven per cent of
the worlds population could actu-
ally plunge into a state of moral
and economic depression in only a
few months?
What then are the possibilities
for 1954-what is behind the scare
headlines? The newspaper story
headed by Economists See Mild
Recession" goes on to state that
"Even if industrial production falls
as, much as five per cent below this
years record level, as some econo-
mists predict, they say it would
still leave 1854 as the second best
business year in the country's his
tory"
What fearful prediction! Actu-
ally if the worst happens 1854 will
be only the second best year in
our history!
The ability of the American peo-
pie to produce new goods, to con-
stantly provide new markets, to
raise this nation to the highest
standard of living on earth should
justify firm confidence in the fu-
ture.
The Secretary of Commerce ex-
pressed his optimism by saying,
mo one can contemplate this
nations intrinsic power-as en-
bodied in it's natural resources, in
dustrial know-how, machine ener-
gy, products, increasing aspira-
tions, growing population and
spiritual might of it's enterprising
people-without abiding faith in
Americas future. Our best days