Milford chronicle., 1956-02-03
SHOULD YOU PAY YOUR NEIGHBOR'S s
RIIIS2


Suppose a commercial business in your
town sold some service or commodity to your
neighbor for less than its cost-and then de-
manded that you pay the difference and make
up the loss
That, you'll say, is absurd and impossible.
And so it is-in the case of a private enter
prise But it is rot only possible but COM
mon when the government provides COM.
.nercial services. ~
Parcel post is an excellent example. When
this service was started, in 1918, Congress
specified that it should be self-sustainlng,
should not unnecessarily compete with prl-
Vate transportation service, and should sup
plement, not supersede, private carriers.
Those were admirable and reasonable
specifcations-bu they certainly have not
been realized. The service has been conduct
ed on a belOw-cOst basis-at the expense of
all the taxpayers. 1t is estimated that the'
deficit, to the end of last year, was more than
$1,200,O00,000. During the 1947-51 period,
according to one reliable study, Tor every
dollar the shipper spent on parcel post, al
most AZ cents had to be ponied up by the
general taxpayer to meet the difference be-
Sween what the shipper paid and what it cost
10 provide the service. In the latter year,
Congress took certain corrective steps. How
ever, the service is still being operated at a
loss. The effect Of all this on taxpaying pri-
yate parcel services, which have no subsidies,
can be imagined.
The least government can do, when it
enters the realm of business, is to see to it
that the charges over all the costs-and that
the people who want and use service pay
the bin.
GEOPHYSICAL YEAR
Plans are now being prepared for one OF
the most comprehensive research projects IN
history. Scientists from 40 nations, includ-
ing the Soviet Union and the United Stares,,
win spend an 1S-month period beginning in
July on a concentrated study of the world in
0hich we live. During this period, officially
FAMED international Geophysical y ear, earth
and the space around it. as well as the effects
of sun spots and cosmic rays will be studied
Coordinated weather observations from
all parts of the globe for days and weeks at
time will be provided the scientists. From
this data, they will pe able to draw up the
worlds first detailed weather map from
which the interactions of weather conditions
can be observed.
During the International GeOphysical
Year, Americas man-made earth satellites
which will gather information on cosmic
rays, solar effects and conditions in the upper
reaches Of the atmosphere will be launched.
Some scientists will devote research to
study of the Pacific Ocean. Others will con-
centrate on the aurora borealis in an effort
to discover how it causes radio interference
Science may assemble great body OF
knowledge important to man during the In
ternational Geophysical Year At the very
least these studies may establish patterns foI
international research, which in itself is nc
mean accomplishment.
%~SoRS
HIS GREATNESS GROWS
January II was the 25Oth anniversary OF
the birth of Benjamin Franklin, whose
greatness as American patriot, diplomat
philosopher, grows with the years.
Franklin's was the only name signed tC
all four basic documents of our beginnings
The Declaration of Independence, the Treaty
of Alliance with France, the Treaty of Peace
with England and the Constitution.
Many of the principles he promulgated
have a particular significance for us today
He stood for local as against federal &C
ton; he urged that federal taxes be KEEP
down through thrift and economy. With al
his full activities in science and industry h
still found time, when asked, to engage il
public service for the good Of his country
He was a truly great American. Had w
followed more closely many OF his principle
the financial going for most of us would b
much easier now.