Milford chronicle., 1960-01-01
THE END OF THE YEAR

THE END OF THE YEAR
Looking back over 1859, as 1860 pre-
sents itself, one must admit it was an un-
usually Observation-Disclosures year.
The greatest conflict in the world today
is, of course, that between the communist
theology and the democratic. The two most
powerful proponents of these respective sys-
TENS are the Union of Soviet Socialist Re-
publics and the United States.
Therefore, when the ruler of Moscow S
200,000,000 visits the United States and
confers with the President of the United
States, this is a significant event, judged by
any standard. If progress results from this
meeting, then it will have been one of the
most momentous meetings Of history.
In 1859, too, President Eisenhower trav-
eled extensively. He flew to Europe on sew
eral occasions and conferred with the lead
ers of allied nations. Moreover, he agreed in
1859 to go to Russia, in 1860, and this, and
his meetings with Nikita Khrushchev, some
what Gained the Berlin crisis.
In the field of international relations,
then, 1859 produced some hopeS-which are
yet to be fulfilled.
From the domestic standpoint, it was a
year of improving business and year of
moral disillusiOnment 1t almost seemed,
during 1859, that, one after another, the
things we had believed in were being proven
phony or faxed. That ranged from television
programs to outstanding personalities, to
entertainment figures, and even to govern
ment officials 1t was year, too, when many
Americans felt acute anxiety because of their
fear that the United States was drifting fur
ther behind the Russians in the rocket and
missiles field
In summary, then, it could be said that
1859 was a year which produced hopes, dis
illusionment, fears and misgivings The
prayer for the new year, 1860, is that the
hopes for peace are justified and produce
fruit.
If such progress is achieved in 1860, then
along with the good business year expected,
1860 could be an even more memorable year
in the eyes of the historians.
$S@$%
NO TIME FOR DOING
One looks forward to 1860 with zestful
hope, and all that. Ring out the old, ring in
the new. The scenery on the other side of
the mountain will assuredly be more splend-
i'd than the scenery on view in 1859.
But wait. This year 1960-it's presi-
Dental year. Anyone who has already
grown a. trifie weary of speeches and polls
and political maneuvering and jockeying for
position in the nomination sweepstakes
might as we'll know that these have been
merely the preliminaries. The worst, alas,
is yet to come.
January, February, March, April, May,
June-speeches, handshaking, creamed chic
ken banquets, rallies for the dear old party (;
it seems like more than flesh could bear.
Then the conventions. And then those last
agitated, frantic, momentous weeks of charge
and counter-charge and promises and yet
more promises, even unto the first Tuesday
after the first Monday in November.
Politics is exciting, all right. The demo-
cratic machinery by which the people of this
favored land choose their leaders is wond-
rous and greatly to be priced. All the same,
1860 is going to be long year, and the poor
citizen is not going to have much time for
gazing off into the middle distance.
WE STILL LOOK TO THE IRON HORSE
Enormous changes have taken place in
the weapons and techniques of war, with the
development of missiles, rockets, jet planes,
nuclear-powered submarines and so on.
But certain military principles have not
changed-and one of those principles has to
do with defense transportation in an emer-
gency. Today, as yesterday, the military
people look to the railroads as the prime
source of that transportation.
Owen r. Jones, deputy assistant direc-
tor for transportation of the Office of Civil
and Defense Mobilization has dealt with this.
He said, in part "By the simple action of
adding cars-to trains, the rails possess an
ability to expand loadability without large
auulClOnS OF manpOWer ana 1uel.
"This has major significance for any time
of emergency when these two commodities
will be at premium.
''Just as they do in peacetime, rails will
be looked to for the handling of the bulk of
industrial goods and products necessary to
supply the nation, get it back on its feet, and
build our productivity to the status required
to prosecute the war effort"
New means of transportation have come
into being, and provide valuable services.
But none can take the place of the Iron
Horse. We look to him for the really big
ond hoe;o horI;pc ,ohc IN bofb orJ