Show eO c 4 J Imaginary But Imaginary But It May Come True In the year 1903 a young man in the United States conceived an for article much idea producing for producing on L needed by people in in all parts parta of the world He started manufacturing manufacturing manufacturing ing in a small way Later he got some worthless land and built a little factory As time went on he got other waste land and enlarged hit his factory Gradually a to town grew up around his bis enterprise In addition to the workmen he employed merchants lawyers doctors plumbers and others opportunity opportunity to start business of or their own to serve a growing community community ity A to generation passed and his in- in industry m- m in industry was employing men paying millions of or dollars in wag wag- wages wages wages es and taxes It was the lifeblood of a ci city of ol population But times had changed The man who built this industry had ac- ac accumulated accumulated ac accumulated cumulated great although ho he had always sold his product forthe for forthe forthe the lowest est possible profit return upon his capital lie became the target of or political attacks He lie was no longer looked upon as a bene bene- benefactor benefactor benefactor factor of or humanity who had en- en enabled enabled en enabled tens of thousands of persons to find profitable employment who had made possibly possible the building of thousands of or homes who had creat created ed cd happiness and raised the stan stan- standard standard standard dard of living in all parts of or the world A hue and cry that had been capitalistic raised against the called so-called capi capi- capi- capi system became popular political ammunition for vote vote-gath Bring ering Public confidence in private enterprise was undermined and public suspicion was gradually raised against this man who start start start- from ed-from small beginnings and amassed wealth in rendering a public service The Tho people were led to believe that he had robbed them In the tho year 1935 a candidate platform was elected to office on a plat plat- plat form that large fortunes must be broken up that there must be a redistribution of wealth that an employer could eat no more than an and therefore was en- en en titled entitled to no greater financial re- re re turn return Unrest was created among Labor trouble stared Factories were sd Profits dis- dis disappeared dis disappeared appeared and md the public suffered through delays in receiving necessary necessary sary products Several years cars passed The opera opera- tion operation of the manufacturers manufacturer's busi busi- business business business ness had been largely taken out of his hands bl which gave control of or it to men who had no investment investment in it and who had done nothing to build it it Then came tho the year 1940 The manufacturer was an old man His Initiative and ambition had been broken He was helped hedged he ged about wit with legislative restrictions prevented the exercise of ol his best t Judgment in his own industry His earnings were restricted to a point where he could barely pay the mounting tax bills of various kinds that were heaped upon him It was impossible for him to adjust to t the new order He felt it it would lead only to for his enterprises He felt that the service he could do for his country was to give it an object lesson of what the breaking up of fortunes and the called so-called re re distribution of wealth would mean to the people |