Milford chronicle., 1954-04-09


1t has long been Communist hope that
the capitalist nations most particularly the
United States, would be ravaged from with
in by economic upheavals and the resulting
social unrest
Now evidence is appearing that the shoe
may be on the other foot-and that the
: Soviet Union and her satellites are facing
very serious internal problems of an eco
nomic and social nature.
In a speech made in mid-March, Director
Harold E. Stassen of the Foreign Opera
tions Administration said: "There are in
creasing reports indicating real economic
trouble inside the Iron Curtain. They
have taken millions of their people and
placed them at sub-Standard conditions un-
der Veritable slave labor. i. They have
pulled down these groups while they make
tremendous effort to make some improve
ment in living conditions of a minority.
That very process is starting to show very
real strains and cracks and stresses" Now
u. S. News & World Report has featured an
article, based on reports from Bonn, Lon
don and Washington, which sums up the
available evidence.
The article bears the unequivoca title,
Depression Hits Communist Empire" 1t
observes, "People throughout the Communist
empire are ill-nourished ill-clad, ill-hOused.
In the satellites they are obviously restless.
Prosperity is not to be found anywhere with
in the Communist realm"
This, in the magazines view, is largely,
the consequence of breakdown in planning.
Communism has gone about to develop
heavy industry, and has, neglected consumer
industry. And the upShOt, says u. S. News,
is ruined fields, short crops, shortages of
food, clothing and housing; famine and gen
eral misery Workers, underfed and without
promise of reward, have little incentive to
produce"
Some figures tell a revealing story in
themselves. Since 1916, before the revOlu-
ton, Russia's human population has increas-
ed 40 per cent-but her livestock population,
which is an excellent barometer of the food
situation, has actually declined by three per
cent. Since 1887, Russian industrial pro-
ductiOn has more than doubled, a consider
able achievement. But the consumers share
has gone down and dOwn-where it amount
ed to AZ per cent of the total in 1897, it was
but % per cent last year.
If the u. S. News survey is correct, the
economic blight is intense everywhere-in
Poland, Hungary, Rumania, and in CZechO-
slovakia which, prior to communication. was
self-sufhcient in food and also was highly
advanced and prosperous industrial power
Czech coal production a vital element, has
gone to pot primarily because of the poor
food and housing allowed the miners. Strong
efforts have been made to bring production
up, but 1t seems to be a case where even
Communist methods can't get blood out of
turnip. In China, there are famine cOndi-
tlOnS. Famine is nothing new to that vast
land, but the Reds had promised to prevent
it.
It is significant that top Russian Off
clals from MalenkOv down. in speeches made
tor internal consumption are promising all
kinds of Improvements in the living stand
ards OF the masses. Soon, they say there
will be more food, more and better goods of
all kinds, more medical services, and so on
They are appealing to the peoples loyalty
and patriotism. This, in itself, certainly
shows that there are grave troubles back of
the Curtain.
REMEDY FOR DECLINES IN BUSINESS
In a recent address, Herbert Hoover
found no reason to fear or anticipate an
other major depression. He described the
destructive economic forces and weaknesses
that resulted in the collapse Of the 30s, and
said there is no parallel condition now.
Then he made this important statement:
believe that due to scientific discovery, in
VentlOn and improvement of production
methods, our present industrial plants can
support the present standard of living of our
people and, beyond that, can produce some
surpluses. 1t is these surpluses plus some
dehydrated optimism, that are worrying the
situation today.
And like everybody else, have a rem
edy. My remedy follows the proposal of
President EisenhOWer-tha if necessary we
should reduce taxes in such fashion as to
increase theb uying power of all the people,
50 that they can absorb the surplus and thus
lift the whole level of the standard of living
another stage. The surest route to that end
IS to reduce government expenses and thus
reduce taxes
In other words, the key to good times is
consumption. And the way to maintain and
increase consumption is to let the people
keep more Of their earnings to buy things
with.