The Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1904-1985, 1962-08-23
Just What Is This Thing Called Socialism?
(By Editor Curtis II. Mullen in the Madison County Herald)

cialism. Getting in, apparently, without
any clear cut lines as to- what is social
ism.
A few hints are being thrown out
as to what promoters of this new wrin-
kle have in mind. We are told, and we
quote, the purpose is to: Halt the
trend toward socialism of electric pow
er, agriculture, housing and medicine
which threaten to double the present
cost of government service"
Is the purpose of the new drive on
socialism to do away with the Rural
Electrification program in Mississippi
and elsewhere? Right here in Madison
County and in all other counties of this
state we have hundreds of families en-
joying the benefits, conveniences and
economy of electric power that would
not be theirs today if left to develop
ment by the various power companies.
And, every family, whether served
from a REA or company power line,
pays far less for electrical energy be-
cause of iva and REA programs.
What about our own Canton municipal
utilities? Most certainly they are as
~socialistic as any of the others. Should
we cease and desist an undertaking
that has proven so highly successful?
We have already commented on
the impossibility to return agriculture
to a buyer and seller system, so we are
lin the dark as to what the crusaders"
have in mind. We doubt if the propo-
nents of this new drive on socialism
would seriously advocate such a return
without numerous reservations.
And the housing stand is the most
curious of all. Two-thirds, perhaps
more, of all the homes that have been
built or bought for family living dur
ing the past decade have been financed
through government funds. And in this
%two-thirds there are certain to be many
of those signing the anti-socialistic
pledge and who have benefited from
housing programs. Do they want to
deny to others what has been beneficial
to themselves?
By medicine" as mentioned in the
quotation we suppose the attackers
mean medical care Or "medicare" as it
has become known in recent years.
Does this mean they want to deny old
and INDECENT people needed medical and
hospital care? Impartial Investigations
and surveys have revealed a shocking
need for more medical and hospital
service than now available to the I'M
fortunate. Are they to be denied?
Once you carefully consider what
is actually behind this particular cru
sade against socialism, it begins to lose
some of its lustre and in fact becomes
somewhat of a game pulling the other
fellows chestnuts out of the fire"
One does not have to be a socialism
enthusiast, and most certainly this
writer is not, to realize that many Of
the government programs adopted in
the past have been for the benefit Of
the people. Whether of a socialistic ma
ture or not, they have become a part of
u way of life and undoubtedly will
endure.
Do the crusaders want to abandon
all of them or even part of them? Who
is to decide what is good and what is
bad about such programs? What does
socialism actually mean under our pre-
sent American system of government?
Is it all bad? Should we abandon every
thing that is slightly tainted with the
socialism theory?
Yes, we would like to- know.