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THE government AS A merchandiser some montis months ago in connection with the muscle shoals cle electric ciric de the tennessee valley congress created the electric home and farm authority to sell electric ranges refrigerators and other appliances to residents of that area at very low prices and on extremely liberal terms it is ia now announced that for the first time in history the united states government through this authority has employed an advertising agent the announcement says that the program which started in the middle of may is a designed to sell an idea greater use of power by homeowners home owners space advertising will not be used at least at the beginning the government will operate fixed and traveling show rooms for appliances and will attempt to create demand forthe for foe the appliances through booklets and through work in schools and libraries as well as stores this Is a promotional program similar to sales efforts of private utilities which have been objected to by state and federal commissions on the grcen grounds ds that the cost of extensive advertising and publicity should not come out of rate payers funds the question is being asked as to who wil stand the cost the rate payers or general taxpayers who do not no even have access to the service the government can easily become the greatest retailer in th world in competition with every ever private store if it can sell electric appliances it could li kewis sell shoes and furniture and seal ing ng wax it could use its vast purchasing power and credit baci itice gitles and tax exemption to literally I 1 destroy present day private privat merchandising methods no business can compete with government only time will tell how bucl the liability accepted by the government in financing electric appliances ances on long term daymen plans will cost the taxpayer looking at the project from the standpoint of sound business busine ss sound economics sound government or fair dealing toward private business it particularly encouraging to the average citizen |
