THE PUBLIC MUST PAY

Voicing the now well formulated opinion of approximately 25,000,000 readers, editors of leading newspapers and farm journals throughout the country, voted almost unanimously against the policy of the national government in fixing prices, regulating profits, and attempting to establish standards of business competition. As representatives of communities from all parts of the nation, they vehemently opposed many of the aspects of the economic legislation inaugurated by the administration.

Coming in contact with every phase of public and private life, their opinion on current problems should be given weight. When they state by a vote of 4270 to 358 that public opinion in their communities is definitely opposed to any considerable increase in the national debt, the administration should be wary of imposing further taxes or increasing to any great extent the already heavy burden borne on wearying shoulders. Their overwhelming condemnation of government restriction of crops, government control of private business, and the policy of exempting the new federal agencies from the civil service rules, should be taken as fair evidence of the temper of public opinion. They realize that no government can restrict involving the expenditure of over six billion dollars a year while the revenue barely totals four billions. Cognizant of the fact that no legislative process can repeal the old law of supply and demand, they find it impossible to support policies involving the fixing of prices on both agricultural and manufactured products, and the arbitrary establishment of minimum wages. Profits are recognized by many as essential to business progress and so they refuse to support the government in its attempts to regulate them.

At this period when the N.R.A. is being radically reformed, when the entire administration is contemplating changes in policy, this outright statement of twelve thousand editors assumes major significance. Taxpayers look to the Capitol uncertainly and with a growing feeling of indignation. Burdened now with heavy taxes a greater increase might break their weary backs and a policy of inflation would only aggravate their financial plight. Fearfully they justly ask where is the money coming from to support such expensive administrative policies and they know that sooner or later they must pay and pay.