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EDITORIALAS WE APPROACH 1946As the people of Thomasville face the beginning of the year 1946 they should be thankful that the nation has concluded its wars with far less loss of American lives than looked probable as the year 1945 began. ;The rapid demobilization of our armed forces has enabled many servicemen to return to their families and the process continues to promise an early return of ouf service men to civilian life. This poses serious problems for the veterans and for the communities to which they return and we hope that the end of 1946 will reveal that adequate attention has been paid to this matter.Last year, at this time, the Germans were in the midst of their great drive in* to Belgium, with many Americans suffering misgivings as to what'might be ahead. Luckily the enemy offensive was pushed to a conclusion that came earlier and easier than appeared pof^ible.The war with Japan, fought largely by naval forces, reached its climax with the capture of Okinawa and the blasting of Japanese cities by planes and warships. The great advances scored by naval and aerial operations made unnecessary the invasion that was being rapidly prepared for the home islands of Japan and saved the lives of thousands of our fighting men.On the home front the inconveniences of the war period are rapidly disappearing with rationing a thing of the past for the most part. The threat of inflation continues to menace the fundamental prosperity of the future and it will have to be'met during the coming twelve months. Certain essential controls must be maintained or the economic history of 1946 will prove to be the forerunner of a dismaj plunge into a depression of great magnitude.On the hopeful side is the organization of the United Nations, which promises that peace is possible if the nations sincerely and unselfishly cooperate. The United States has reversed its decision following the last World War and is wholeheartedly supporting the international as* sociation of nations which may, in time,* develop into something like the government of the United States, but including nations instead of colonies.While we have referred to national and international issues the great question of the year, about to begin, is what it holds in store for individuals who read this article. There is no certain answer because it all depends upon what the individual does for himself or herself. We hope that our readers will make 1946 a banner year in their lives but the job is strictly up to them.The Thomasville Press promises to give the same service it has attempted to render the people of this section in the past. We hope that some of the factors that have prevented the development of our plans will disappear and that we will l)e able to print more news and publish a better newspaper than ever before.In conclusion, we hope that every readerwill enjoy a happy and prosperous yearPAGEand that, in retrospective view, we 1 able to consider 1946 a banner year. Let'sgolIT’S STILL STATE MEDICINEThe President has asked for what the headlines call. *'A law to force insuring of the nation's health.” In the debate which is sure to ensue over this proposal, proponents and opponents will be listed categorically as either liberals or reactionaries—if you are for it you are liberal; if you are against parts of it, you are a reactionary. Tens of thousands of hard working doctors who are doing their utmost to carry forward America's high medical and health standards but who oppose certain parts of the President's program, will be termed reactionary.And yet is it reactionary to point out that when the state compels every individual to contribute a part of his earnings towards support of a public undertaking, that undertaking must inevitably become the property of the state ? When the federal government forces a person to sus-cribe to a prepaid medical system sponsored by the government, is there any other name for it but “state medicine?” Likewise, is it reactionary to point out the obvious contradiction in the statement that patients will have a free choice of doctors, but doctors will not be compelled to join the program? Suppose the doctor you want is not a member of the state medical system? Indications are that many doctors will not permit themselves to be put on the government payroll unless forced to do so. In other words, in order to have your free choice you may have to pay your medical bill twice—once to the government for a doctor you don't want and again to the doctor of your actual choice.These are some of the questions the “reactionaries are concerned about.WARNING MUST HAVE MEANINGWhile the war with Japan was raging, the State Department warned the Japan-: ese that all officers and men who participated in inhuman and wicked measures against Allied captives and civilians would be brought to judgment.In less than four months after the surrender of Japan, the first trial of a Japanese war criminal ended in Manila with a verdict of guilty for General Tomoyr Yamashita, the “Tiger of Malaya and the conqueror of Singapore.During the last eleven months of the war Yamashita was in command of Japanese forces in the Philippines. He was charged with one hundred twenty-three specific acts, involving more than 57,000 deaths. While not accused of ordering a-trocities, the Japanese commander was charged with failing to halt atrocities which, as a commander, he should have been aware of.There should be no doubt whatever in the minds of Americans as to the guilt of this officer. The five-man military commission, which heard the stories of massacre, mui'der, rape and torture, did not hesitate to render a verdict of guilty.There is no reason whatever to suspect that the judgement was passed upon anything except the evidence presented.While it is not pleasant to consider the execution of any person even the leader of enemy forces, the United Statse, ami other allied nations, have an obligation of honor which they owe to their nationals who suffered at the hands of brutal militarists. There should be no silly sentimentalism in this country to retard the determined efforts of our officials to apprehend suspected enemy officers for the purpose of trial and punishment upon conviction.During the course of the war this country and other allied nations could not protect their men and women who fell into the hands of our enemies. Ail that was possible was the warning that the governments repeatedly addressed to our brutal foes. For the sake of the future, it is absolutely necessary that the world understand that the warnings have been implemented and that the guilty have been, or will be, punished. The hanging of the guilty may be unpleasant business but it will serve to protect Americans throughout the world in the years to come.SELLING SURPLUS SHIPSWe see by the newspapers that the Maritime Commission recently received bids for the American President Lines, peacetime operators of world-wide and trans-Pacific passenger and freight routes.The bids varied from $5,000,000 to $8,-611,266. The bidders agreed to maintain the scheduled pre-war services.We are not familiar with the facts in connection with the proposed sale, but, in view of the scandalous sale of ships and shipping lines after the first World War and the great number of surplus ships now owned by the Government,^ let us hope there will be no repetition of the type of salesmanship that followed the last war.-o-•The ladder to fame has many dangerous rungsA fortune awaits the inventor of the noiseless bark.Confidentially, the gossip that you hear is not importantThe lazy man is convinced that hot weather explains everything.It is surprising how much time one thinks he wTill have next month.Not every time a politician calls a reporter a liar are the facts wrong.People who bet on horses are not as smart as horses who do not bet on people.Whenever food becomes scarce everybody appreciates the work of the farmers.THE THOMASVILLE PRESSEstablished 1S04__FRIDAY, DECEMBER 28, 1945.Entered at the Post Office at Thomasville Georgia, as ^second class mail matt^Subscription Rate: $1.00 a year. Advertising Rates on ApplicationCards of Thanks, Obituaries, Resolutions, Notices, aad all matters not strictly News will b*(barged for at regular advertising1 rates.
Newspaper Details
Thomasville Press
Thomasville, Georgia, US
Fri, Dec 28, 1945
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Ephraim R.
GA, USA 11 Jul 2018
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