OCR Text |
Show A Visit with a Neighboring Editor I went away from town the other day and visited with an editor, who will remain nameless. His reaction re-action to the trend of the times was interesting, and very informative. His views are worth repeating. Said he: "I have been wrong politically for eighteen eigh-teen years. The trend of the times is unmistakable, and I am going to fall in line a great change in my life. We are going toward greater1 and greater centralization, both state and nationally. Hereafter Hereaf-ter I shall not oppose it. Direcives from our capital city, rules and regimentation from Washington. It is on, and but little voice left to the people. "Our trend is surely 'red,' left wing, and to the left I am going. Hereafter I shall stand for national ownership of all transportation, all public utilities, of every kind telephone, electric lights and power, pow-er, even trucking; hospitals, no private ownership of them; no priviate ownership of water; none of dealers who handle farm or agricultural products, the processor to be under government ownership, and not individual; I shall ask for subsidy at public expense of every angle of output, butter, milk, the beet crop, the hay crop all! "I shall , support increase in payment to labor no matter what disparity that makes with comparative compara-tive income to farmers let 'em organize and put on the pressure, and get what they want. I shall ask for high wages but, take it away from 'em pronto on higher and higher taxes. The 'take-home' money mon-ey will always be what it was, but they will appear to earn double what they did. "I shall oppose churches of any kind in business, or as owners, however adroitly put into effect, of any industrial establishment. I shall support government gov-ernment in business, even to the closing up of the font of private ownership. I shall support every labor movement, no matter how unjust. I shall actually act-ually favor in public print the cause of communists. commun-ists. In other words, I am going the full limit of the trend of the times." Now I think I caught him in a moment of bad hu- mor, rather petulant maybe' a burr under his tail that day. But he is cm intelligent man, well read, and has made a nice little minor success of his business. bus-iness. Above all, he is an observer. Whether we can endorse his views or whether we can't, it is the trend of the times to the left, a great deal of Russia, lots of John L. Lewis less of rugged individualism, and the masses championed champion-ed in every phase. In other words, "Jump on the band wagon" and ride with the boys. No more individual in-dividual foot slogging for him. A cushioned seat in the driver's cab. Radical? Admittedly so. Alarming? Who said it wasn't? But just what the 'thousands are thinking, and until we change, the only course well received. I would .have been very happy indeed to have met him in more sane a mood; but he spoke his full mind as of that day. He can see that his course is popular, that it is in line with what is happening, and that we as a state and as a nation are headed that way. So why be alone? Why resist the greater great-er force? Those who hold such views are riding pretty, and opponents to that viewpoint, in the dog house. ' ' Have any of my readers a wish to make comment on his viewpoint? Limited space is at their disposal. dispos-al. Set forth your views. |