Report From the Editor

One of the big mysteries to me has been to find an accurate way to decipher the modern nomenclature now common in Government Communiqués to the business community. Such words as cooperation, voluntary, Federal guidelines, billion, non-taxable income, planning, etc. It reminds us of the harried fleet administrator who recently asked the local car dealer the price of a model. "Don't worry," he said, "it's competitive!" Competitive with what?

Of course it is generally assumed that the dealer meant similar models of other manufacturer's products. But what about the competition from government? What about new meanings for those old words?

After going over the old and new meaning for each of the words above it became apparent that they all point to a single, ominous, and un-American translation which, our Federal Constitution notwithstanding means interference in private enterprise by a power-usurping force to near strangulation of business as we knew it just a decade ago. In short, Government Interference.

Let's examine the words above by example, bearing in mind that the real translation in modern nomenclature is "government interference"-sometimes softened with the secondary meaning: "Meddling." But the meanings in translation still negate government of, by and for the people, and is a contradictory force acting to the detriment of the free enterprise system.

Cooperation. New translation: That which is exacted from the business community by government; a form of obedience; coercion. Example: With wages advancing, taxes increasing, and cost of production rising, the aluminum industry raised prices a half cent per pound. This still was considerably below the base price of aluminum four years ago. Evidently the Federal government felt it was immoral for producers of a vital commodity to adjust prices so that the publicly owned corporations would make a profit for their stockholders. They branded the move as inflationary and dumped 300,000 tons of aluminum from the national stockpile into the open market as a demonstration to the aluminum industry that coercion works when there is a lack of obedience after cooperation has been asked to shop inflation and rising prices on soft money, (not industry created), but is in fact, government created. This is not unlike the police state tactics used against the steel industry executives who were routed out of their beds that pre-dawn morning FBI agents were enlisted as the president's personal messenger boys to insure attendance at a meeting to voice his disapproval at a similarly justified steel price intense.

Voluntary. An atmosphere of contingent force which emanates from government's "suggestions"; requisite action to bureaucratic edict. Example: Two school children whose parents didn't want them to take part in the Chester, Pa., "voluntary" lunch program, Federally subsidized, were required to eat in the lunchroom and pay the 35cents  whether they at the school lunch or not. Refusal to pay for an unwanted and unnecessary lunch resulted in dismissal. Rather than risk loss of Federal Funds to subsidize the program. Cash above kids!

Federal Guidelines. Bureaucratic arbitration which establishes "voluntary" prices for products produced in the free enterprise system and over which the producer has lost control. (see "cooperation")

Billion. A fad word bandied about in sub-committee meetings until a larger designation becomes vogue. Billion dollar savings require a deposit of one dollar per minute, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for 1902 years. Starting January 1, 1966 on this basis, you will save a billion dollars by 11:59:59 December 31, in the year 3868. The next step is trillion. At $10 per SECOND on the same basis, the year would be 5136-31 centuries hence. Examples of waste, graft, foolish and unnecessary expenditures of billions need not be cited since they fill the daily papers.

Non-taxable income. Another word for non-existent. If it moves to or from a citizen it is taxed coming, going, or both, and while sitting in a bank, invested in a company, paying off your home, or filling the company car tank.

Planning. The elimination of self guidance in favor of a more capable and more influential group of non-acquaintances who know better how to run business and personal life than the individual. Example-700,000 older citizens who were eligible for Medicare (short for mediocre-result of government welfare planning to equate everything to one level), and who, in effect, repudiated the pet project of the welfare state click by refusing to sign up.

Federal task forces lurk around every corner trying to find a way to spend money on welfare whether it is wanted or not, and on stifling free enterprise with newly coined antonyms. "We're competitive", the dealer says. "So what, bush leaguer?" the fleet man says. We've got bigger problems-much bigger problems. A dollar a minute until 3868. Going the other way we would have had to start in the year 64 A.D., We've got to put a stop to this----"

To which I pessimistically add: "If we had started in 1932 by reading the Constitution.....