Milford chronicle., 1961-08-25
KEEP ONE EYE AT HOME

FkIDA1, AUGUST 70, 1901
KEEP ONE EYE AT HOME
An ancient adage tells us that "When
the cats away the mice will play" A rough
paraphrase might go thus: when the at
tention of the majority of people is dis
tracted by far-off events, minority groups
have a chance for a field day.
That is certainly true at the present
time. Inevitably, in this period Of rising
world tension, we look affair: To Cuba, to
Latin America, as whole where our pO-
sition is the most precarious in century; to
Laos, to Africa, to Vietnam, to Berlin. But
we cannot afford to neglect the problems
that lie on our own doorstep.
The advocates of the welfare state, and
of the socializing processes that are part
of it, have never been more restless, eager,
dedicated and confident. In dozen diverse
fields ranging from medical care to a farm
program and to the production and dstri-
button of electric power, they have SPECIFIC
proposals which. one way or another, soon
err or later would give the government con-
troll direction ownership of the produc-
tive energies of this nation, and would sub
ject US all to the never-tender mercies OF
an incredibly vast bureaucracy. The cost in
treasure would be uncomfortable. The cost
in lost liberty, and the undermining of in
dividual charter, would be infinite.
Each Of us has two eyes. One must be
kept focused at home;
PROOF OF CAPABILITY
The dominant significance of the second
Project Mercury sub-orbital flight is that
it fully proves the capability of our space
team at this stage There could have been
a large element of luck in the successful
completion of one such flight. But doing vir-
tually the same thing again, though 1T scar
cely puts sub-orbtal manned flight in the
milk run" category, is a measure OF the
sound progress being made toward the mo-
ment of blast-of for the moon.
There is an intermediate step. Before
man can be sent to the moon, some true or
bitual flights similar to that OF Yuri Gag
arin must be made. The chances seem ex-
cellent that the success of Virgil /. Girls
SONS brief flip into space will encourage
Project Mercury officials to try a global
flight somewhat earlier than had originally
been planned. Things have gone so well
that additional sub-orbital flights may not
be made before an orbtal flight is under
taken.
The single flaw in the operation was the
sinking of the capsule. This will doubtless
prompt efforts to improve the recovery
technicues There seems to be no reason,
however, why failure to recover Grissom's
capsule should materially delay round
the-globe flight.
That is the next major venture. When
it is cOmpleted-and there is every reason
to be confident that it will be successfully
completed--the United States will have
more than caught up with Russia in this
field. Indeed, the apparently superior in
strumentatiOn Of u. 5. equipment means
that on completion of an orbital flight we
will be a step ahead of the competition
~No~>~
NEWBURGH'S RELIEF PLAN
In Newburgh, New York, city officials
finally tired of able-bodied loafers drawing
relief checks week after week and month
and month, when work was available and
the loafers simply preferred to loaf.
Officials in thousands of other U. 5.
towns and cities have tired of the same
spectacle. But in Newburgh, city officials did
something about it. They wrote tough
new welfare code, which denied relief pay
ments to anyone refusing available work
or who had left a job voluntarily.
The plan was praised by Senator Barry
Goldwater, of Arizona, who said:
"I'm tired Of professional chislers walk
ing up and down the streets who don't work
and who have no intention of working" But
from another high Republican came OppO-
sition to the Newburgh. Governor Nelson
Rockefeller Of New York had misgivings-
perhaps because of the tens of thousands in
New York City who want work and prefer
relief checks, but who vote and make much
noise as agitators.
The plan was backed up, indirectly by
Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare
Abraham Ribicot who said that cities had
the right to put able-bodied relief recipients
to work.
The Newburgh plan is only common
sense and is long overdue. We have been so
concerned with relief and so sincerely de-
sirous of helping those in genuine need that
the loafers and chislers have enjoyed field
day Unemployment relief is today as much
of racket as anything else, as a result.