The Yellow Springs American, Volume 1, Numbers 1-22

t k. *,*. i n i o i i • • Salute To Coinpetilion A businessman has a plaque cma wall above his desk which reads as follows: "My competitors do more for me than my friends do ; my friends are too polite to point out my weaknesses, but my com­ petitors go to great expense to advertise them. "My competitors are efficient, dili­ gent and attentive; they make me search for ways to improve my products and services. "My competitors would take my busi­ ness away from me, if they could; this keeps me alert to hold what I have. "If I had no competitors I would be lazy* incompetent, inattentive; I need the discipline they enforce upon me. “ I salute my competitors; they have been good to me. God Bless them all!" Business competition takes m a n y forms. Sometimes it is in price. Other times it is in the quality of service. Other times still it is in some innovation which people find interesting and attractive. Whatever the form, competition—which exisits in its true state only in a free economy — is the greatest force for pro­ gress that exists. Happy Combination From the health standpoint, meat is a first class buy. The average American, according to a Department of Agriculture study, spends 24 per cent of his food budget for meat. The meat he gets in return for this ex­ penditure supplies 63 per cent of the ne­ cessary protein, 47 per cent of the ne­ cessary food iron, 28 per cent of the ne­ cessary phosphorous, 42 Per cent of the necessary vitamin B-l, 24 per cent of the necessary vitamin B-2, 79 per cent of the necessary niacin and substantial amounts of other B vitamins. The importance of substantial meat consumption to mental and physical vigor has been proved beyond question in recent years. Much was learned dur­ ing World War II, when it was found that the strength and endurance of American fighting men resulted in large part from the high meat content in the diet adopted by the services. And medi­ cal studies and experiments have shown that meat is of direct and lasting bene­ fit to people suffering from a long list of illnesses — including some that# in past days, were believed to require a diet containing little or no meat, Almost everyone. Likes meat » « and meat is good for almost Everyone. That makes a happy combination of circum­ stances. Lost lit The Shuffle Writing in tbe Oregon Voter on that eternal problem, taxation, Ralph T. Moore said, "The idea o f taking from each In accord with ability to pay , . . . was irresistible in the days when we had the rich to tax. But itjs losing its glam­ our in these days when tbe poor man finds that he is the fellow with the pre­ sumed ability to pay. Somehow the ability part has been lost in the shuffle. Only the pay part remains." The lowest federal income tax is 22.2 per cent and it applies only to taxable incomes Under $2,000. In other words,* those with extremely m o d e s t means must pay out almost a quarter of their taxable earnings to the U. S, Treasury •— and the rate rises very swiftly there­ after. All other taxes must be piled on top of this levy.-The great mases of the people have the most to gam from econ­ omy in government, “ The plain fact is that good govern­ ment comes from good men," — The Wall Street Journal THE GREENE COUNTY PRIMING CO* Jamestown Journal —* 4-9031 Cedarville Herald — 6*1711 .Yellow Springs American — 7-7740 GERALD H. COY ................... . Publisher Safc*erl»finn rale* ftt.SA per Ten* In ftreeate, f irk, MendrsWery, Fayette urn* Gllnfnn C m r * si elsewhere J3.M per rear, AdrertlMiag rates .apaa re*ae*t. t h e A m e r i c a n w a y ; ./ /• . . . . . , Behind The Scenes in American Business . . By Reynolds Knight Ever since World War II ended, annual battles over wage rates have been based on the contention that wages weren’t keeping up with prices. This year wages have stayed up and prices have receded. Even so, ibis does not mean that wage demands have been silenced. United Steelworkers demand a substantial raise, amount not specified. Benjamin Fairies* of U. S. Steel says there's nothing doing. United Auto Wo'rkers Insist that thfiirrdong contract with General Motors bo aUered td provide thatthe eost-of-llvlng escalator which carried wages Up shall bo disconnected before It takes them down again, t STEEL NEGOTIATIONS will probably decide the outcome once more. This Is because steel is vital to ail Industry, When steel costs - and steel prices* rise, other price rises become inevitable. The steel users simply tack on a little more and with it pacify their working forces. No other industry is In a similar kiy position. If the Fairies* stand is unyielding- and not a prelude, as some expect, to a 5-ccnt boost in hourly pay. we have probably seen the last general pay raise for a while. But not. possibly, the last big steel strike, FIGHTING PLASTICS—A trend toward greater use of piastre* In America’s combat airplanes Is reflected In Republic Aviation Gorp's. new F-84F Thtinderstreak, now being produced In volume at the company’s main plant in Farmingdale, N, Y, More than 1500 plastic parts -valued at dose to $7000- go into the sweptwing fighter-bomber. Ifi contrast to a figure of approxi­ mately 43500 for models In Republic’s Thumlerjct series. In addition to being lighter and stronger, plastic parts cost about a third as much as do mental ones to da the same job. Resultant savings, say Republic officials, will amount to millions yearly, * THINGS TO COME—A Maryland company has devised a water cut-off to fit between the business end of the hose and the water sprinkler, so you needn’t walk back to the faucet to shut it o f f , Nylon bearings replace steel bails in a new line of hinges. No rust, no squeak, no oiling „ , * Plastic of the polystyrene family makes a new guitar. First one cost 4360,000, yielded know-how sufficient to tnake later one* for $30 , . , Awkward server* of drink* will welcome A tray with eight cork-Hned well* tot the glasses , , , Now there’s a handbag with a light like a refrigerator. Goes on when yoi* open Ihe bag no you can see what’s inside, VITAL TO OUTPUT—A half-century of development has *cen Instalment buying become the essential mass financing underpin­ ning of American mass production. Economist* and business leaders Watch instalment loan totals as a barometer of financial well-being. Credit is healthy today, Arthur O, Dicta, president of C, I. T, Financial Corporation told stockholders at the recent annual meet­ ing, Despite the postwar boom, all consumer credit outstanding In January, 1041. Mr. Dicta said: ’’The majority of economist* as well as many government of­ ficials agree that the volume of instalment credit is not excessive.’* On consumer credit in general he observed: "If market* were restricted to customers who could pay cash for goods the economic* of mass production would largely disap­ pear , , , Prices of automobiles^ refrigerators, kitchen ranges and the like would be out of reach of most American families,” MUSICAL CHAIRS—A New York management firm found American companies since the war adding executives 40 per cent faster and losing them 2d per cent faster than they did in 1938-42, in a check of 100 companies In 14 industries. Reasons for leaving: First, to take bigger job. Second, to have bigger future. Third, ter*make more money. Fourth, fighting with old boss. One-sixth of the job leavers were simply laid off. The difference between those added and those departing Is •accounted for by industrial expansion and retirements and deaths, There still seems a lot of room for an agile job-seeker to find A scat in the’ shuffle, BITS O’ BUSINESS—Auto production fell 5 percent from the week of April 20 to that of April 27, but was still 52 per cent above the year-ago week , . , First-quarter profits of 27 major industries were 10 per cent ahead at last year's . , * Lenders said they would find more mortgage money now VA home loans yield 4V4 per cent . , . The National Bureau of Economic Research reports the rich have been getting poorer and the poor richer every year since 1939, thus spoiling a fine old gag. Who gets the children* now? J . . • I * Good Citizens In the highly competefcive retail field it* is a time-tried axiom that business goes where it is invited and stays where it is well treated. As part of their constant program of giving better service to customers many retailers, both chain and independent, are working with towns and cities in which they are located to help iron out the problems that harass* legions- of communities today. Anybody who has ever tried to park a car on a busy down­ town street can certainly appreciate the magnitude of the job to be done. This is just one more Way in which the local retailer, serving his own best interest, is a god citizen of the com­ munity. By helping his home town he helps himself. KeepAfterReds Criticism of the Un-American Activities Com­ mittee sounds hollow when set against the re­ cent statement of FBI Director J, Edgar Hoover. He said the Reds are busy in every field o f American activity, and that they are working mote intensively than ever. Unless we wish to brush off the alarms of one of the head men, we bad better be on our guard. This doesn’t mean we should Call everybody who disagrees with us a Communist. It does moan we can't afford to let critics stop such investigations, unless the critics offer a better method at ex­ posing subversives. After Mr, Hoover's warning we can see that an entire organization should not be condemned if evidences of Red influence are found in Its background. With few exceptions, such evidence is to be discovered in all our groups. Churches, schools, clubs, social, political, and educational organizations have been Infiltrated, and are still In danger. During the 30's many Intellectual Americans were beguiled Into becoming fellow traveler!' with Communists. Fabian Socialism was also trans­ planted here from England find thousands of our young people flocked to its banners, It Is to our everlasting shame* that so many were ready to desert our principles at the first hint of financial trouble. With magnificent re­ sources at our command, and an administration which moved quickly to improve conditions, thous­ ands o f men and women joined forces with g gang which is out to destroy our Government. In many respects, it is a black page in Ameri­ can history - * * Mrs, Walter Ferguson in Hrrif f a­ llaward Newspapers. OnTheirOwnDoorstep For the first time, weekly newspaper! have won the Pultizer prize for "disinterested and mi n* won the Fultizer prize for "disinterested and meritorious public service,” They are the White- viilfe (N, fti News Reporter and the Taber City <N. C.> Tribune. These papers were cited "for their smtess- ful campaign against the Kit Klux Rian, waged on their own doorstep at the risk of cttnttnic loss and personal danger, culminating in life con­ viction of ever loo Klansmen and an end to terror­ ism In their communities," We have often thought how easy it is for the editor of a big city daily to sit bark in hie easy chair and prescribe nostrums for aofial Mis in the hinterlands, and how difficult "it must t » Sot the country editor to take position* width hi knows in reason will subject him to finannal, If not physical, reprisal, The small town idiler deals not so much with intellectual abstnidiois as with his neighbors orf a personal basis. And so it seems to tis that tbe editors i f tho two weeklies in North Carolina have perfirmid in the finest traditions of a free press awt are fully deserving of the highest honor their ji.uy* naiistic colleagues nrc capable of conferring. Wo salute them for doing a good job "on their own doorstep,” That IS always the beat, but neldom the easiest, place for reform. - - - Toledo Blade