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Show The Great American Issue The American people will soon be face to face with a much more important issue than any decided in the 1932 election. It is the issue of complete government control, as opposed to a competitive, free and open market economy. We have always had the latter, with some important restrictions. restric-tions. In the period immediately following the inauguration of the present national administration, we had so many pressing problems that the big issue was left in the background back-ground We had a bank crisis, panicky industry, bankrupt agriculture, the gold problem Political leaders hesitated to point out the major issue for fear of weakening the president's presi-dent's position Now that is all changed and the leaders are : : , commencing to call our attention to the signposts along the road It is generally accepted by economists that the worst of this depression is definitely past. The low point came in the summer of 1932. World business has improved since that time. This being true, we may now turn our minds to serious consideration of the really important issues. Dr. Rexford Tugwell, the acknowledged leader of the left-wing liberals in the administration, has said : "It can be said we have turned our backs on competition." Well, have we done so? Do we wish to do this? Clarence Darrow has charged that NRA means "monopoly "monop-oly sustained by government," and there is certainly much evidence to support his view. He calls for "socialization," and brands competition as "savage, .wolfish, relentless and unfair." Do we agree? Strong support comes from administration leaders for ; a universal, compulsory, 32-hour working week Does America want it? A national magazine is conducting a poll asking citizens citi-zens this question : "Do you approve on the whole of the Roosevelt first-year record?" The results prove conclusively conclusive-ly that the president still holds his popularity and that his great ability is recognized. But the results do not give a clear cross-section of American opinion on the chief issue: individualism versus collectivism. ! The leadership of the president is not at stake now, but soon the people must decide if they prefer the doctrines of , the officialdom which is constantly reaching out for more arid more power over American life. Shall we surrender our freedom of action, our individualism,, individ-ualism,, our independent rights, in return for a promise of government to feed us and clothe us and keep us amused? I Or do we prefer to assume some of the responsibility for J ourselves in the hope of bettering our condition by individual individ-ual effort? In making their decision the American people will keep the lessons of history well in mind. These teach us that time and again governments have stolen away individual rights in return for the promise of security. In every in-ntance in-ntance the individuals have had to fight to regain their rights after government has failed to fulfill its pledges. Down thru the ages that people has been strongest, happiest hap-piest and contributed most to progress that has steadfastly refused to surrender its liberties. |