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Show SCANNING THE WEEK'S NEWS of Main Street and the World Korean Conflict Is One Year Old; World War Nay Have Been Averted SOON, IF AT ALL A few days ago June 25 the Korean war was one year old. Today, after a year of fighting Communism in battle, the questions uppermost in the minds of most Americans is what are the chances for world peace? Is World War III nearer or more remote? A great many unknown factors and "ifs" arise with such questions. But there is a growing belief in the world today that a general war is more remote than a year ago. This reasoning is based mainly upon two points: (1) The free nations of the world are growing stronger every day; (2) the free world has demonstrated in deeds as well as words it will resist aggression. There is one fact that none of the free nations of the world is overlooking. over-looking. There is the possibility, in the face of the west's growing strength, that the Soviet Union realizes it must act soon, if at all. To wait would only give the west time to grow so strong that victory for Communism would be an impossibiliy. The Korean war seems to have accomplished several things. It brought to life the west's lagging plans to marshal military, political and economic resources to meet future aggression. And these moves may have served as a deterrent to ambitious aggressors. TEXAS TOUR Gen. Douglas MacArthur flew to Texas for a number of official receptions and speeches. For three days he preached his doctrine doc-trine of a realistic approach to far east problems. He went so far in a Dallas speech as to say "it is fantastically unrealistic to refuse to accept the fact that we are at war a bitter, savage and costly war." But the colorful general who has caused more controversy in a few months than many prominent figures do in a lifetime, departed from his main theme to take a slap at the domestic policies of the Truman administration. admin-istration. "There are those who seek to make the burden of taxation so great and the progressive increases so alarming that the spirit of adventure, tireless energy, and masterful initiative which built the material strength of the nation shall become stultified and inert," he said. "There are those who seek to make all men servants of the state." The departure from the main theme of his speeches since he returned to the United States increased speculation that the general may be planning plan-ning a political career despite his assertion he is not interested in entering politics. The Texas visit has been called a test for future political moves. GRAIN FOR INDIA The long delayed grain for India bill, lending India $190,000,000 on easy terms to buy to to 2,000,000 tons of U.S. wheat and other basic foodstuffs, was signed into law by President Truman. The bill was subject to months of heavy debate in congress before it was finally passed. Critics argued that India's opposition to some U.S. policies pol-icies in Korea made her an ill deserving beneficiary. Backers said it had a humanitarian purpose and, besides, it would help line up India with the western world as opposed to the Communist bloc. In the months of debate many forgot the fact that the food purchased by the loan will prevent famine in India. It was the only humane thing this nation could do. PRICE CONTROLS By the time this reaches print the defense production pro-duction act which gives the government the power to control prices, wages and rents may or may not have been extended. In all probability it will have, but it will not contain the broader powers as asked by President Truman. Special interests the cattle industry, landlords, the building industry and others have used every trick at their command to get amendments tacked to the act that would be to their advantage. As a result, the house banking committee voted tentatively to knock out two future price rollbacks on live cattle planned by the office of price stabilization. Also, the senate banking committee voted to renew and expand ex-pand the government's rent-control program. But the senate committee at the same time recommended a raise in some of the rent ceilings. The committee felt that a 20 per cent increase should be allowed in some areas. Many of these areas already had from 10 to 30 per cent increases in-creases above 1942 levels. As for, the house vote on beef rollbacks, it was a direct slap at the administration's beef policies. The vote was in the form of an amendment that would limit future price rollbacks on all agricultural commodities to 90 per cent of prices on May 19, 1951. Whatever its form, the new defense production act will be far from what President Truman asked. MACARTHUR HEARINGS Any day now the MacArthur hearings will close. It would be interesting to know what historians will make of the incident and read into the millions of words of testimony. No hearing or debate in American history ever caused so much comment com-ment in the big towns and the home towns of the nation. And possibly no incident in modern history, excepting World War II and the Korean war, received such coverage in the nation's press. It made good reading in dailies and small town newspapers alike. The debate may have been good for the nation, and certainly, was carried car-ried out in the best American tradition of free speech and thought. But there was one regretable aspect of the hearing. Our potential enemies now know the inner thoughts and reasoning of American foreign policy. Our policies are an open book to the entire world. RESERVISTS TO GO HOME Home town enlisted reservists not members of organized reserve or national guard units are going to be released by the army. Approximately 100,000 will be released in the next six months. There will be no "point system" or other inflexible standards to determine deter-mine the order in which the reservists are released. Each unit will set up its own standards, giving "primary consideration" to maintaining maximum effectiveness. But veterans who served 90 days or more during World War II are to be let out first under the general standards set up by the army. Reservists who have had previous military service other than World War II are to get second sec-ond priority. - ; , r ' l - ' r Truman Presented With 4-H Club Key Marjorit Nold, Savannah, Mo., and Richard Golob, Sunnyside, Wash., delegates to the 2st National 4-H Club Camp in the nation's na-tion's capital, present a 4-H club key to President Truman. Mora than 200 delegates from 48 states, U. S. territories, and seven nations na-tions attended the camp. |
