Milford chronicle., 1956-05-18
The Age We Live In


Americans have a weakness for
hanging A name on anything with
a hook to hold it. Especially on
events of little Importance, except
to a handful of fellows who have
an axe to grind and Ito mix our
metaphors) a bill of goods to sell
But, sometimes, we wonder If we
haven't missed seeing the forest
for the trees.
We are so busy inventing screw
ball names for meaningless days
and weeks and months, we have
missed coming a properly decrip-
tive name for the Age we're living
I'm.
The Ice Age was just what the
name implies. One big refrigerator!
The Stone Age was when our
hairy ancestors used tools and
weapons of stone. Or maybe they
just threw rocksl The Bronze and
Iron Ages also were what their
names indicate: tools, instruments
and weapons of bronze or iron. And
no one has to explain where the
MtCuluc VI LlCShAtN <15C 6OL Ito
name.
Currently it seems to be a toss
up whether we are on the brink of
the Electronic or Atomic Age.
Whatever the name, II isn't here
yet, and may not arrive quite so
quickly as some people think
The point is, what Age is this?
The one we're living and coughing
in right now? Wed like to put forth
a name for consideration.
THE STAINLESS STEEL AGE.
We're convinced that's the name
80 or 40 generations in the future
are going to use to describe this
Age. There'll be plenty of stainless
steel around then as evidence, since
this metal is practically indestruc-
tible.
Give the ladies credit, they dis
covered it first, grabbing it for
their kitchen equipment and uten-
sils. It's easy-cleaning qualities
have done as much as washing
machines to tighten the house
wives work.
The girls gave it glamour, too,
bringing it out of the kitchen and
into the dining room as beautiful
fiatware and serving pieces; and
into the livingroom as coffee table
tops, candy dishes, and the like.
Today it's everywhere. Every
automobile on the market has
pounds of it, inside and out. Most
car owners aren't aware it is on
their autos, but it's easy to spot
OF all the nice shiny trim on your
car when you buy it, the stuff that
stays that way is stainless steel.
The trim that peels, cracks and
pits after a few months or a year,
that's something else.
There isn't a town of any size
that hasn't got it right on Main
St.-in store fronts and counters;
banks are especially fond of it be-
cause it's permanently rich lustre
gives a prosperous air. In Pitts
burgh, Chicago and New York City
they either have or will have en-
tire buildings-skyscrapers-with
walls of stainless steel. These
DuliulISS dI6 sure W SlNG LnC
pyramids a run for longevity.
The entire dairy industry de-
pends on It. Food, chemical. petro-
leum. textile and other industries
could not exist as they are today
with out vital equipment of stain
less steel.
Aviation is turning to 1t for
strength with lightness. 1t seems |
certain the rocket and trip-to-the-
moon boys are going to use stain
less steel, too. It's the answer to
the tremendous friction-heat of
space travel speeds. Probably the
nter-continental missile, If it's
ever perfected, will have a sheath
OF this metal.
Stainless steel is as typical of
our Age as anything could be. 1t
passes the test of being univer-
sally used for tools, implements
and weapons. And. equally i'm
nortant. it is not a gift of Mother
Nature. but q man-made-material
"a product of the ingenuity of our
Ace. made TO outlast man.
Since we are living in the Stain