PALMER ALASKA
CARL RASMUSSEN.EDITOR • ~
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WILL TOTAL MOBILIZATION WIN
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Yearly.
The President of the United States has asked Congress to enact a law
provideing for the authority to mobilize the total wealth, labar and
recources of the Nation for prosecution of the war, this has been one of
the hot questions that Commentators has frequently said; would, notbe-brot
out by the President,because of its possiable implications and opposi
tion by powerful political opponents. However much to the suprise of the
timid politicians and doubtful progressives the President came out for
the measure in no uncertain manner.
This suggestion can hardly be called a New Leal measure, because it wof
first worked out and presented to the people of the U.S. by the American
Legion about eighteen years ago, so that Congress can rest assured that
it has been investigated and reccomended by the largest and most influen
tial Patriotic orgizination in the Nation. At the time that it was pres
ented by the Legion., the lately returned service men, had been investi
gating the causes of unfair and detrimental practices in the prosec Lion
of 7/orId "nr I, and after due thought,the.total mobilization plan, then
called the Univeraal Service Act was suggested in the event that another
War embroiled the Nation in conflict.Congress and the Adminstration did
not see fit to cqnsider the plan or adopt it at -that time and we hove
heard very little about It since that time, so it may seem to be some
thing new to most of the' people today.
Just what will be done about this plan by Congress is doubtful,and we
are wondering just how many of the members of the orginization that first
sponsored it, will support it tod^y. That there will be powerful oppisi
tion in Congress, can not bo doubted, however it will be difficult to
explain this oppisition from a patroitie standpoint, but greater hurdl s
have been jumped by our politicians and no doubt they will be able to
get over this one.
■"No doubt the large financial and industrial interests will be in favor
of placelng workers in a position where they will be required to work
where they are directed to do so by governmental authority and where thej
will have to accept the wages and working conditions imposed upon them
without the right to quit or strike if dissatisfied, on the other hand,
no doubt, the powerful labor unions will be favorable to the restrictions
placed on capital and the limitation of profits, along,.with control of
prices of commodities that they will have to purchase. But neither will
voluntarily accept any restrictions upon themselves, ^ach side will,no
doubt forget that any one exists but themselves and the dvog fight will
be on for the supression of the bill to authorize,the plan.
The forgotten man will be the service men in the trenches and the farmer
who will not ’ battle on the home front, but who will have to carry on
while the mad dogs fight the battle out. Yes it will be interesting to
watch the battle,and we have our own private opinion about the out'-rne.
But anyway it indicates that the President has not not forgotten about
the conflict on the home front and that he is thinking about the overall
welfare of the nation and the Yi/orldand not about any petty political
matters that should be forgotten until the main conflict is over, it is
up to Congress now to say what shall be done about it, the President has
spoken and both sides understand the issues at stake.