THE PERQUIMANS WEEKLY, HERTFORD, N. C., FRIDAY, AUGUST 20, 1948.
PAGE THREE
Worker In U. S. Gets More
Than The Workers Of Russia
It is- rather difficult to measure
the purchasing; .power. of money in
various countries ,but it is possible,
sometimes, to estimate the. labor nec
essary to secure funds for the pur
chase of specific articles.
Figures prepared by the U. S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that
the worker in Russia, despite all
claims, is in a bad way, compared to
American workers. Here are some
examples: .
' A wool suit for a man, if available,
would .cost . the average Russian a
little more than twelve weeks' work,
but the average worker in this coun
try can get one of high quality for
less than a week's pay.
1 A cotton dress for the Russian
worker's wife takes the pay of four
lays but, in this country, it would
cost a little over half a day's pay.
The same contrast is apparent in
'regard to food, with groceries cost
ing the Russian worker from five to
;hirty-eight times as much when
measured in hours of work. In fact,
the; living standard in Russia is
neager compared with that of the
average American.
3oviet Group Completely
Controls Danubian Parley
Before the war, the Danube River,
Which flows from the Black Forest in
Germany to the Black Sea, some 1,725
miles, was a busy waterway, carrying
industrial products to Eastern Europe
and food and raw materials to West
ern Europe.
Eighteen months ago, when the Big
Pour nations drafted the peace
treaties for. the Balkan nations, they
inserted a clause providing for free
tad equal navigation of the Danube
And agreed to hold a conference to
ivork out the technical details.
The Conference now going on in
Jugoslavia is supposed to carry out
this arrangement. At the present
time, the United States controls about
pne-fifth of the river and the rest of
the route is under the control of
Russia and her satellites. This
agreement between the Americans
imd the Russians has stopped
hrough-traffic. Whether a satisfac-
ory arrangement can be concluded
t the conference is Questionable.
It is interesting to note that Rus-
ia has' a majority of the votes! The
United States,' Great Britain and
France are expected to stand togeth-
r but the Russians will have the
backing of the six Danubian nations.
This means that the Russians will
have seven votes to three for the
Western nations.
Soviet Tactics At Geneva
Pozzies The Other Nations
The Soviet delegate, at a meeting
of the United Nations Economic and
Social Council in Geneva, Switzer
land, recently surprised the assembl
ed delegates by suggesting that Kus-
sia and the Western nations, not
withstanding the differences in ap
proach", must "endeavor to build up
a permanent platform' for European
recovery.
The Russian delegate urged that,
despite the differences between the
Western European countries and the
Soviet Union, efforts should be made
to find common ground in a busi
ness-like manner and that the Soviet
delegation is willing to go half-way
for the sake of achieving a common
agreement."
In addition, according to the under
standing of English and French in
terpreters, the Soviet delegate de
clared that "the Soviet Union has
never forgotten and will never for
get the great help it received from
the United States during the war."
The Russian move was rejected be
cause of the fact that his speech made
an issue over the European Recovery
Program and its interpretation by the
Russians. According to Williard L.
Thorpe, Assistant Secretary of State
for Economic Affairs, the real issue
was whether the Marshall Plan was
What the United States says it is or
what the Russians say it is.
Considerable speculation followed
the remarks of the Russian delegate,
with many observers believing that it
represented a "clear change in the
Russian line. Some thought it meant
hat the Russians are ready to rec
ognize the European Recovery Pro-
Tarn as a fait accompli and are,
herefore, willing to keep their ani
nosity out of the discussions on eco
lomic cooperation within Europe.
Others pointed out that there are
various evidences that the Polish,
Czechoslovak and Yugoslav govern
nents are increasingly insistent on
heir right to do business with the
western part of Europe, despite the
Soviet Union's ideological objections
o the manner in which the West is
rganizing itself under the stimulus
f the European Recovery Program.
Corroborations Important
When Spies Give Details
The testimony of Miss Elizabeth T.
Bentley, confessed Communist courier,
naming prominent officials as sources
of secret information, must be receiv
ed with reservations unless there are
some corroborating circumstances to
support her evidence.
The lady testified before the House
Committee on Un-American Activi
ties, naming names and telling of
meetings. She asserted that some
of those mentioned knew the informa
tion was destined for the Soviet Gov
ernment and that she "suspected"
that some of the others knew it. She
admitted that some were not aware
of the fact.
It is easy for anybody to take the
stand and testify to secret meetings
with other people. It is also easy for
anybody to say that somebody told her
that informations came from some
body else. If what the woman tes
tified to is the truth, it is very im
portant that there exists the possi
bility that she, a self-confessed Com
munist, at one time, likes publicity
and the spotlight.
Bigness, By Itself, Can
Wreck Capitalist System
The recent warning of the Federal
Trade Commission that unless some
thing is done to check the trend to
ward monopoly and great concentra
tions of economic power, "collectivism
will have triumphed over free enter
prise" is a conclusion which should
interest all Americans.
There is a tendency in economic
enterprises to consolidate competing
businesses for the purpose of lessen
ing competition. The objective is eas
ily discernible, the corporations have
the opportunity to reduce expenses by
eliminating some of the cost of com
petition and, if so minded, reduce
prices to the consuming public.
While this is possible, the exper
ience of the past tends to support the
belief that the prime purpose of such
mergers is to eliminate competition
solely for the purpose of enhancing
the profits of those who control the
giant corporations. Obviously, there
is a danger to free enterprise when
economic activity, in any particular
field, is under the control of a small
group who possess what amounts to
almost exclusive power in their field
of operation.
When the time comes that the
railroads, the utility companies, or
any other industrial enterprise, be
comes too big to be regulated by the
Government, the people of this coun
try will ' inevitably demand Govern
ment operation of the enterprises in
volved.
We favor the free enterprise sys
tem, but quite frankly say that if it
comes to a choice between control by
a group of profit-seeking individuals
and control by the Government, in
order to assure a reasonable supply
of necessary goods and services, at
a fair price, we would be for Govern
mental control.
It is not safe to permit those who
operate for profits to possess the
power of arbitrarily increasing their
profits. Bigness per se in any area
of enterprise, holds an element of
danger to free enterpirse and free
society. Economic bigness, it must
be admitted, at a certain point, sets
up power greater than any that
should be permitted in private hands.
Hard To Get The Facts
About E. R. P. In Europe
The United States is exhibiting an
unparalleled generosity when it taxes
the taxpayers of this country some
thing like ?5,000,000,000 a year in
order to 'put into effect the European
Recovery Program. . ,
The natural assumption is that the
European countries would be anxious
to get their economic houses in order,
providing an edequate and workable
monetary , exchange, and as fast as
possible, lowering their tariffs in or
der to duplicate a large free trade
area, like that in the United States.
(Continued on Page Six)
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