davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1960-01-01
By ROSCOE and W. N FLEMING,

BY ROSCOE and-M--N.-f bEMMINAI
Denver
Should American farming be
a public utility, regulated by
the government in behalf OF
both consumers and farmers?
This is the new suggestion
made for discussion by DR.. Troy
j. Cauley, associate professor
of economics at the University
of Indiana, and author of one
of the best books about modern
farming: agriculture In An
Industrial Economy.
1t is one of several pre-196O ideas
being advanced. Others include post
marketing ("Brannan-plan") pay
ments; and the directly opposed idea
of removing all prices and controls,
and letting farmers sink or swim in
a ''free market.
Because of the dissatisfaction
with the present farm program,
such alternative ideas are begin
ming to clamor for public attention
as the national campaign nears. and
as farm income goes down.
What would farming as a public
utility" be? Well, in extreme form
farmer would be given a franchise
which would be negotiable or sal
able-to produce and sell specified
kinds and quantities of farm prod
ucts. Such franchises would be issued
by national commission or board
(which would be guided by a survey
of the needs of the nation and of the
world for American farm products"
FREE MARKET" CONCEPT
TOTALLY UNSUITED"
AS to the ''free market" idea, DIR.
Cauley points out that there isn't
major modern nation in which farm
ers operate in such a market. This
shows, he says, that the concept is
totally unsuited to the needs of mod
ern agriculture anywhere, and would
be disastrous.
A public utility, in the ordinary
sense, is a company supplying COM
munity service, under an exclusive
franchise. Examples are the tele-
phone. gas, and power companies.
But. having a monopoly, such utility
can't be cut loose to charge "aH the
traffic will BEAR. So the public reg
ulates it, to see that the utility's own
ers get a return on their investment
that is fair, but no more than fair.
At first glance, DR.. Cauley con-
cedes, such system seems wildly un-
suited to agriculture, the most COM
petitive of all major industries and
the one divided into the greatest !
of units. But he says, the
public utility concept has been ap-
piled to bring order and a certain
of prosperity to chaotically
competitive and low-income indus
tries, as well as monopolies. So he
sees no real reason it couldn't apply |
to agriculture.
In order that farmers can con-
tinue to supply food and fiber for
the nations needs, he says, they
need enough income to Cd buy
their proportionate share of urban
goods and services, CD pay pro-
portionate share of the cost of pub
lie services, and 90 acquire and
maintain ownership of the bulk of
farm property.
Farm prices are undesirably low
when they don't permit farmers to
10 these things. And the years have
proven that 'free market" doesn't \
give farmers enough income to do {
hem, he adds. J.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1960-01-01
HOW THE BREAK THE
SHACKLES

How can we steer our production
into channels of real need and thus
release productivity increase from
the shackles that presently bind it?
Two ways. First, we need more
emphasis on production to improve
the quality of American CIVILIZATION.
1t will take some public subsidy to
clear the slums. 1t will take public
money to build schools. Well, do we
want really higher standard of liv-
ing with greater productivity or only
a higher standard of gadgetry?
Second, we need more competi-
ton from businesses owned and con-
trolled by users and consumers of
their products. Not whole economy
like this. But a reasonable segment
say 1919 or 15@o-to restore and
revitalize competition, including price
competition; and to inject int the
economy businesses whose motivation
is not 121a9 % return on investment,
but meeting consumer needs at the
lowest economically sound price.
Such businesses build houses at
costs average families can afford.
They produce fertilizer at costs that
reduce farm production costs and in
crease net farm income. They can
process food products and distribute
them SO when farm prices go down,
so will prices charged consumers-a
thing which doesn't happen now. They
produce rural electricity at half what
used to be charged for it.
Such businesses have cut interest
rates on small loans to sixth of
what they once were.
And so on.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1960-01-01

Persons are to be loved; things are
to be used-REUEL HOWE.
The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1960-01-01
sO& OF OUR INDUSTRY
NOT COMPETITIVE

But in 800 Of our industry there
is no longer any real competition.
There's effective monopoly-effec-
tive enough so prices can be cad
ministered". that is fixed at a high
level to yield monopoly profits and
give the IL u % return on capital.
Furthermore, in order to maintain
such artificially high pricing the in
dustries have to maintain also a
scarcity of their goods. If abundance
were produced, the high prices could
MT be maintained.
So reason number one for decline
in our productivity is that our major
industries do not want full produc-
tivity because it would threaten their
administered price structure.
Reason number two is that the
only people who have achieved an
increase in productivity that beats
the Russians and everyone else all
hollow have been kicked in the face
for their efforts.
/ refer to farmers.
Labor Department statistics show
that from 1947 to 1858 while pro-
ductivity in non-farm industry was
going up 249o, production per man
hour in agriculture rose no less
than 900.
What happened?
With one voice the metropolitan
press has criticized farmers for pro-
ducing SURPRISES, has cried about
price supports, has preached to farm
ers about taking whatever price the
market would bring, has helped bring
about reductions in price supports
and has thereby only increased the
surplus and farm efficiency.
MILLION FAMILIES FORCED
OFF THE LAND
Meanwhile, farm income has sunk
to the lowest levels in years and a
million farm families have been
forced off the land.
Again, we don't get increased pro-
ductivity because we do not want it.
We reward, with quiet acquiescence
in its over-pricing, the industry that
restricts production. And we 'sre-
ward" with bankruptcy the agricul-
lure that always has and always will
produce as much as it can.
The third reason we don't get in
creased productivity is because we
Evening star., 1960-10-16
The u. S. Policy

The matter Of the islands has
been a dormant issue for more
than two years and everyone
seemed perfectly willing to let it
remain so. The Eisenhower policy,
backed by most Democrats and
Republicans, explicitly guarantees
that the United States will de-
fend Formosa and the Pescadores,
but is purposely vague about our
course Of action in the case of
Nationalist held Quemoy and
Mstsu, two small islands lying
close to the Chinese Communist
mainland.
But since the question was first
put-to Mr.. Kennedy-with per-
haps 70 million Americans watch
ing, 1t has dominated the cam
paign.
Each candidate has accused the
other Of advocating q policy which
would lead to war or retreat be-
fore Communist pressure. Each
has blasted the other for opinions
which each felt were implied by
his opponent. but which were not
actually stated.
Thus, Mr.. Nixon suggested that
Mr.. Kennedy would not fight for
Quemoy and Matsu in any eventu-
ality, that he wants to surrender
them to the Chinese Reds.
Evening star., 1960-10-16

thermore, he said that If an at
tack on Quemoy and Matsu was
a prelude to an attack on For
mosa and the Pescadores he would,
Of course, support the Nations
pledge to Chang Kai-shek to aid
the Nationalists. a..
MIR, Kennedy, however, advo-
Gates o course which still leaves
Mr.. Nixon a wide berth for attack.
He said be would seek to draw
a defense line in the Formosa
Strait which would not in
clude these rocks"-Quemoy and
MatSu. He would seek to persuade
Chang to remove his very sub
stantial forces from this "inde-
fensible" real estate.
AS for Mr.. Kennedy on Mr..
Nixon-he said that the Vice
President has suggested that we
should go to war If Quemoy and
Matsu were attacked, not neces-
sarily because they might be part
OF the defense of Formosa but
simply because they are free ter
ritory.
Mr.. Nixon doubtless gave this
impression to many persons dur
ing the second debate. although
he did not say it in so many
words. But in the third debate
on Thursday. he narrowed or
clarified his views. He indicated
that he, too, like President Eli
Senhower and Mr.. Kennedy, favors
going to war If an assault on the
offshore islands is determined to
be a preliminary to one on For
mOSa.
Evening star., 1960-10-16
THE NATIONAL SCENE
The UnWanted Issue Of the Islands

The QuemOy -Matsu tissue"
continued to held the Nations
attention last week after IL
dominated the third Nixon
Kennedy televisiOn debate.
Our West European allies, par
ticularly the British, have always
dreaded American presidential
campaigns. They have a fear
that something foolish or up
setting is bound to be said or
done.
Today. in a time of nuclear
nervousness when a slight mis-
calculation on the part of Wash
ington or Moscow could produce
cosmic suicide, the dread must
be worse.
Politics here, especially Of the
quadrennial variety, has at times
taken some weird, unfortunate
and dangerous turns. The battle
between Republican Vice Presi-
dent Nixon and Democratic Sen
ator Kennedy appears to be of
on such a detour now.
This came about when q re-
porter-panelist, during the Sec
ond Of the television debates be-
tween the candidates, raised the
question Of the defense Of the
Chinese offshore islands Of Que
moy and Matsu.
Evening star., 1960-10-16
Campaigns:
Second Men

The vice presidential candi-
dates last week stole a corner
of the political spotlight as they
sped and spoke along the cam
paign trail.
Most political experts would
agree that a vice presidential can
didate rarely has had significant
effect on the outcome of a presi-
dental election.
While 1860 may prove to be per-
fectly normal in this respect,
consensus Of the informed, after
the Democratic convention, was
that the selection Of Senator Lyn-
don B. johnson Of Texas as Sena-
tor Kennedy's running mate was
a master stroke which would save
the potentially rebellious South
and tip the national balance
against the Republicans.
The feeling was that Mr.. john
son added strength and maturity
to the ticket and would attract
sizable number Of votes Mr..
Kennedy might not otherwise get.
On the Republican side, the ex-
perts last July saw Henry Cabot
Lodge as strong running mate
for Vice President Nixon, but few
predicted he would add large
number of votes to the G. o. P.
column.
Today, on the basis of the cam
paign to date, the experts might
very well be inclined to switch
their estimates. Mr.. johnson has
had virtually no impact in the
North and far less than was ex-
pected in the South. Mr.. Lodge,
on the other hand, has scored
with his image Of the man who
spoke up to the Russians in the
limited Nations
Evening star., 1960-10-16
Peace Issue

For his part. the Senator has
taken up the debate eagerly, per-
haps feeling that 1t gives him a
chance to capture the peace issue.
He has emphasized repeatedly
contention that the Nixon policy
could lead to a nuclear war in
which we would have no allies.
His point: We could save the Off
sn5rc islands. or what was left
oclv by hitting Red
C'''na with atomic weapons.
Perhaps there will be no dis
Suading the candidates that the
Quemoy-Matsu debate has gone
far enough-too far-and that
the campaign ought to concen-
trate on other than what can be
considered a tactical matter Of
foreign-military policy.
Thoughtful Americans, includ-
ing many high State Department
and Pentagon officials, are aghast
at the development. Many think
it is the height Of folly to tele-
graph your intentions to the forces
Of international communism. Ger
tainly, as a general proposition,
Mr.. Eisenhower would agree. He
has, however, remained silent In
the specific instance. although the
White House yesterday restated
the Presidents view that it might
be necessary to protect the islands
as part Of the defense of Formosa
remains.
The third Nixon Kennedy de-
bate also produced clashes on de-
Evening star., 1960-10-16

emerging from Nikita's fascinat-
ing 25-day Sojourn in New York
that was plain enough to anyone
who remembered some Of his ear
lier pronouncementS on the cold
war:
. Every single gambit attempted
by Mr.. Khrushchev was aimed at
the United States, either directly
or indirectly;
Q There was definite pattern
Of disdain. and often contempt,
for the nations allied with the
United States; --....s--
. Major NATO allies, such as
Britain, were subjected to q
brusque and blatant brush-off:
Q The Soviet proposals on dis
armament, colonialism and re-
organization Of the United Ma
tions secretariat were all couched
in terms Of alleged United States
Evening star., 1960-10-16

domination of the international
organization machinery.
To many who have followed the
tortuous path of Soviet foreign
policy over the years Of the Khru-
shchev leadership, this all added
up to an understandable total:
Moscow still believes, and will
operate on the premise. that the
problems Of the cold war basic
ally are bilateral, and that direct
negotiations between the United
States and the Soviet Union are
the only means Of solving them.
Or. If such negotiations prove
impossible or unfruitful. then di-
rect warfare. between the same
two power giants must be the
horrifying alternative.
Allies, neutrals, satellites as
such. would in either case be
mere bystanders, or at best minor
Evening star., 1960-10-16
THE WEEK IN PERSPECTIVE
In Khrushchevs Wake: A Bi|atera| World?

On Thursday, Premier Khru-
: Shchev Of the Soviet Union new
: back to Moscow after Is days
!. Of the most astonishing per-
. f0rmance ever witnessed In the
. august chamber Of the United
Nations General Assembly.
When the historian Polonius
Subscribed. as q contemporary. the
final glorieS and the pervasive
! decay Of the Roman Empire. the
words at his command failed, he
: sadly admitted, to measure up to
his needs. What words, he asked
: plaintively, can describe the in
, deScribable?
: Nikita Sergeievitch KhruShchev,
chairman of the Council of Min
! listers of the Soviet Union, put
some 1000 experienced reporters
and writer's to the test for IS
days of unprecedented fiamboy-
ance before he took on Thursday
! for his capital aboard q Russian
TU-114 transport from Idlewild.
In the course Of his stay in
New York. the ebullient and un-
predictable Soviet Premier defled
convention, ignored protocol,
mixed uninhibited invective with
optimistic predictions, insulted
colleagues. praised Americans as
great people with warm hearts,"
referred indirectly to the Presi-
: dent Of the United States as q
fool, damned the United Nations
as a branch" Of the United
States. labeled U. N. Secretary
General Dag Hammarskjold q
"tool Of the colonialists and i'm
perialistS, banged his shoe on
his desk in disapproval Of Q
speech by a Filipino delegate, in
terrupted with arm-waving in
vective a formal address by the
British Prime Minister. predicted
catastrophe" as a result Of Amer
ican policy. and reiterated his
sublime faith that all would yet
he well.
Evening star., 1960-10-16

United Nations unless it could
be subjected to q total Soviet
vote;
2. He sought to associate the
United States with the colonial
ist" powers and thus to discredit
American influence in the newly
emerging African and Asian ma
tions;
8. He attempted, in line with
long standing Soviet foreign pol
icy. to drive wedge between the
United States and the North At
lantic Treaty Organization allies
any wedge on any issue, such as
disarmament. colonialism, q nu.
clear test ban, economic aid.
=. He thought to exploit, in
person. an unimaginative, unen-
terprising, frozen United States
foreign policy which continues in
the steps Of John Foster Dulles
Evening star., 1960-10-16
Cubo'sCose:
NoWdrn1er

The United States last week
circulated at the U. N. a point
?; by-pOint refutatiOn Of Cuban
charges Of American "aggres-
sion" against the Fidel Castro
regime. In Havana, the Castro
cabinet ordered the seizure and
naturalization of 1882 Cuban
owned business firms.
In q 10,000-word, detailed and
blunt document, the United States
told the U. N. Friday that Fidel
CaStro'S Cuba, with untrue and
distorted allegations" was delib-
erately sabotaging the traditional
friendly relations between the two
nations.
Nineteen separate sections COW
cred everything from minor to
major developments since the
bearded Fidelistas ousted Die
tator Fulgencio Batista in Jan
uary. 1859. The hard-hitting
refutation was prepared by the
State Department as a rejoinder
to the four-hour harangue deliv-
cred in the General Assembly by
Mr.. Castro himself early this
month. In effect, the United
States took the position that any,
thing that has happened to dam
age relations with Cuba has been
the direct result of a calculated
Castro policy.
Naturalization Of industry in
Cuba was extended Friday to in
clude 382 firms. including 20 more
United States-owned industries.
All banks, so textile factories, 8
railroads. II theater chains, II
coffee concerns, 13 department
stores, 16 rice mills and 6 dis
tilleries were ordered under state
control, as were los sugar mills,
Cuba's basic industry.
And the Castro firing squads
were busy again.
One American citizen was
among at least IL men shot
by firing squads near Santiago
after military trials. The execut-
ed men were charged with at
tempting armed invasion Of Cuba
in a counter-revolutionary expe-
dition. Additional members of
the fllibustering band are being
sought, Cuban officials said.
With United States attitudes
toward the Castro regime growing
sitter almost daily, it was being
predicted last week that a sweep
ing embargo on exports to the
island republic will be imposed
soon. The embargo is expected
to cover everything except medi-
cines and food, but will not affect
existing transportation facilities,
or exports to Cuba by other Latin
American nations.
Premier Castro's ranks suffered
another major detection last week
when DR.. Teresa CaSuso, a high
ranking member of Cuba's dele
cation to the U. NJ, quit her post.
She charged that Mr.. Castro, a
longtime friend, had established
a police state" that was "at war
with everybody"
Evening star., 1960-10-16

mestic issues. The opponents
almost appeared determined to
speak sharply to each other to
convince the public that they
espoused different policies. They
gave their views on these subjects:
Q Labor - Mr.. Nixon asserted
that Mr.. Kennedy favored COM
pulsory arbitration to settle major
strikes and drew blistering denial
from the Senator. The Vice Pres
ident promised to issue a white
paper" to back his charge. Each
proposed several new tools" for
the President to combat Nation
wide walkoutS.
o Spending-Mr. Kennedy denied
Mr.. Nixon's charge that his pro-
grams would increase the budget
by $18 billion. The Senator prom
ised to work for a balanced budget
and said deficit spending can only
be permitted during a war or
serious recession. He said his
farm program would be much less
costly than Mr.. Nixon's. The
Vice President rejoined with the
assertion that the Kennedy farm
proposals were the worst" and
most fantastic" in history and
would increase food prices Is
per cent.
. Oil depletiOn-Mr. Nixon came
out fatty for the continuance Of
the 271a per cent oil depletion
allowance-and doubtless gained
points in Texas where this mat
ter is of great interest. Mr.. Ken
nedy declared that all 124 COM
modities which have depletion al
lowances should be gone over in
detail" to make certain no one
is avoiding legitimate taxes.
. Prestige-Mr. Kennedy said
polls show that Americas prestige
has been slipping and he pointed
to the fact that the vote in the
Evening star., 1960-10-16

will settle down. in a more re-
laxed atmosphere, to work on the
problems at hand. The Political
Committee will take up two dis
armament proposals; One, by the
Soviet Union, for total general
and complete" disarmament; the
other. by the United States, Brit
ain and Italy, calling only for a
resumption in negotiations" for
disarmament. Both proposals pro-
vide for controls, but the Vests
plan asks step-by-stey controls
opposed by the Soviet bloc.
BY heavy majorities. the As
sembly has overridden Russian
protests and included the issues
Of Hungary'S occupation by Soviet
troops and Tibet's treatment at
the hands " Communist China
for debate. Mr.. Khrushchev's sin
gle vote victory was on his reso-
luton opposing colonialism any
where it exists. After considerable
confused Quarterbacking in the
United States-led camp, the West
decided to back the anti-colonial-
ism resolution in much the same
spirit as a politician praising
motherhood.
The Political Committee will
also take UP the Soviet charge of
United States aggression in the
U-2 and RB-47 "spy plane" Incl
dents. Also on the docket are po-
tentially explosive items such as
the Algerian revolt, South Africa's
racial segregation policies. and
eight other questions affecting
African states.
With the U. N. membership now
standing at SO (there were 50
members last SESSION. the role of
the so-called "neutralist" bloc is
expected to be immensely en-
hanced. Although Mr.. Khru-
Shchev lost his bid to replace the
Secretary-Genera with a trium-
virate, there is strong support
among the new member nations
and the neutralists generally for
some modification in the U. N.
structure. to- reflect more accu-
rately the shifts in world rela-
tionships since the Charter was
adopted in 1945. Significantly,
both India and Yugoslavia, lead
ing neutralist members, exhibited
strong tendency toward greater
independence of the Soviet bloc's
major stands in the Assembly thus
far,
Evening star., 1960-10-16
The Reasons Why

It was an exhibition that defied
any modern Polonius. and as the
Soviet Premier'S sleek plane dis
appeared in the mists to the east
from Queens. the efforts to ex-
plain his bizarre performance
were almost as legion as the acts
Of the performance itself.
Whatever his bluntness, his
earthly wisdom his disdain for
many of the amenities common
to the exercise Of diplomacy, no
one has ever accused the ex-
plosive Mr.. Khrushchev Of stu
pidity or naivete. He is q mas
ter politician who came from the
peasantry and the coal mines;
he is skillful infighter. q clever
tactician, o direct-action bouncer
for the house he represents.
Then why did he come to the
General Assembly to exhibit all
these abilities in a manner at
once fascinating and repelling?
Q What was his purpose?
Q Did he succeed?
. What did his behavior portend
for the future?
These and many other ques-
tions were the burdens on the
minds Of the reporters and COM
mentatorS whose mission is to in
terpret events for the information
Of the bewildered public. This
time the experts were as be-
wildered as anyone they were sup
posed to inform.
There were almost as many ex-
plantations for the KhruShchev
exhibition as there were explain
ers. There was. quite under
standably, a tendency among
Western diplomats and reporters
to claim that the Soviet leader
had over-reached himself, that
he had put on the burlesque of
a buffoon. that he had antag-
,onized rather than endeared the
neutral. uncommitted nations Of
the world with his incredible per-
formance.
Evening star., 1960-10-16
For Laos:
Soviet Aid?

With United States financial
and military aid to Laos sus-
pended, the Soviet Union last
week appeared ready and eager
to fill the need.
When the neutralist government
OF Premier Prince Souvanna
Phouma replaced the pro-Western
regime in Laos last August. one OF
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