The Detroit tribune. (Detroit, Mich.) 1935-1966, 1955-07-16
First Socialist Experiment: IVA

hHSk SVShOBSS IN ROHuBsSNss
Extension of Remark. of HON RALPH W.
In The House of Representatives
Wednesday February ls. 1855
MR.. cWINN. Mr.. Speaker we have had 70 years Of
experience with first socialist expsrmenthat much
tovtsd IVA have been criticized for ehsrseterrns IVA
soeiaste However opinion conforms with that OF the
authorities The Chattanooga TENN Times Of February IS,
1884, quotes Norman Thomas as saying
The IVA is the only genuinely soease act lin the New
Desl)-s flower in the midst Of weeds.
IVA is owned and operated by the United States Govern
ren that is TO say IVA communal pvbIie-owned
property acquired by taking private property amounting TO 81
billion mostly from the people Of Al States for the alleged
communal benefit OF the people in parts OF other States
Such immoral taking Of private property fails in the
end TO blight people who take it, The proof is already
in Tennessee She has suffered reduction in prodve
and therefore in the webeins of her
people tho advent Of IVA
The United States Chamber Of Commerce has compared
Tennessee with 10 Southeastern States which private
power In 1890 before the advent Of IVA the population Of
Tennessee ranked fourth among the 10 States In 1850 she
still ranked fourth.
In 1888. Just year prior 10 operation Of IVA. the
espts from farm marketing ranked tennessee fifth while in
1850 she dropped TO eighth place.
The retail sales payroll in 1895 put Tennessee in third
place; in l94a she had dropped TO fifth place
Retail sales IN 1922 HAD TENNESSEE IN second place;
in lo48 she had dropped TO fifth.
value added by manufacture Tennessee ranked third
in 1885, fourth in 947 In gross postal receipts she ranked
third in 1898; down TO fourth in 1851.
In all the cafegores examined Tennessee has fallen be-
hind productivity only has improved
her rank among her neishboring States and that
capita income and capita paid But that
caused by subsidies and doe paid by the United States Gov
ernmen not from improved production One hundred and
eight million dollars have gone down there annually mostly
from other States pay 1875 IVA employees average
of nearly $4,000 apiece plus millions in does granted by the
Federal Government Without the Federal payroll and svb
dies and dos Tennessee would have enjoyed increase
per capita but would have suffered serious decline
She is taxester and growing producer
pared TO the other States.
The most startling failure of IVA is that IL does pro-
dvee sufficient power for the people So IVA
will be able selling electricity at half price. TO enough
expand the Of growing community That's
why Tennessee growth is slowed up There is shortage.
What value is owpreed electricity when il be had
price? This is the universal characteristic Of socialism
everywhere
Besides all this, IVA is completely exempt from all
taxes II does not contribute dime national defense
toward the salaries of the President and the Congress
that does all these nice things for IT, Finally IVA made
ashamed by the complaints Of the local people the adjoining
municipalities that educated the IVA children provided police
and streets and hauled away their garbage free Of
Them So IVA eondeseended TO volunteer TO make eonrbv
ton Of about Of should toward the expenses
il had thrust its neghbors But may decide 10 quit any
time.
Had IVA paid at the rate paid by private
power companies for the fiscal year ending June 90 1883
such would have amounted 10 about $50 mon result
ing in loss in operations of about $57 million II IVA were
required to interest the appropriations granted
Congress that loss would have been increased by another $4
million, which figure does not include the $40 million
for amortization Thus IVA honest business
enterprise, its books June 80, 1853, would show
credit balance Of SIG million but deficit balance Of SCI mil
lon Yet with that deficit epresenns subsidy paid
by the Nations taxpayers the IVA system produce
enough cheap satisfy the demands OF the
II was designed TO
IL of natha
the country where private companies The svppes The
for this that the private power companies being
sound and honest business principles have anticipated
increased demand for electrical energy At this time the pri.
vsfs companies undertaking SIS billion sxpsn-
sion program Of their facilities.
The original for the law creating IVA, viz 10
floods and 70 aid navigation the Tennessee River
turned out 70 he Joke and fraud Of extensive proper
fions Instead Of stopping floods II has actually permanently
(ContinSed next column Top