-rLancaster Farming. Saturda
10
Responsibilities of Business
Predicting trends of the long-term future
is always a risky business. At the same
time, if we are to be prepared to meet the
needs of the nation, it is imperative that we
seek to predict to the best of our ability
what those needs will be, how rapidly they
will grow and how changing political,
economic and social conditions may affect
our ability to meet them.
A few months ago, Mr. J. Irwin Miller,
chairman of the board of the Cummins
Engine Company, Inc., took a look at some
of the changing conditions which he felt
would affect the role of business in
America between now and the end of the
century To start with, he observed that
the first obligation of a corporation is to
survive and make an adequate return for
its shareholders. The catch is that a
corporation can survive only“by serving
effectively and well some real current need
of the society in which it exists.. Societies
never stop changing and
needs never stop changing, and the
businesses which do not anticipate change
go broke, either rapidly or over time.”
There, in a nutshell, is the reason why the
U S free enterprise system can be counted
upon to remain responsive to the wishes of
its customers which, in the mass, add up to
‘‘society”or the "consumer.”
The changing pressures which Mr. Miller
foresees are many and varied. For
example, the US has a fixed amount of
land and a limited volume of natural
resources Set off against these assets we
have a growing population with the ex
pectation of a continually rising standard of
living Each of us will consume more as
time progresses Land use planning at the
national, state and local levels will in
tensify Both companies and individuals
will be told, to an increasing degree, how
they can use the land which they own.
Environmental restrictions will limit what
types of production can be undertaken in
certain areas and perhaps in the nation as
a whole Pollution control requirements
will increase the cost of production as will
rising costs of construction and raw
materials By 1985,” . college graduates
will outnumber those without a high-school
education in the US labor force.” This
Inflation Hits Everyone
Few, if any, budget messages submitted
to Congress by a President of the United
States have more forcefully advocated
governmental fiscal responsibility than did
President Nixon’s He declared his moves
for economy in government spending
reflected a “change in direction demanded
by the great majority of the American
people ” Skeptics who question
whether such a majority exists or whether,
when economy begins to pinch, it will fade
away should consider the action of the
American Farm Bureau Federation. The
president of the Farm Bureau, Mr William
J Kuhfuss, has emphasized in an Address
the reasons why farmers have, as
do all other citizens, a stake in bringing
government spending and consequent
inflation under control. He observed,“The
index of prices paid by farmers, in
terests! nd wage rates is now 440 percent of
its 1910-14 base Farm production expenses
in the first half of 1972 were estimated at
an annual rate of $46 billion, about $2
billion above 1971 Farm prices have not
kept pace with farm costs.” The Farm
Bureau official noted that from 1939 to 1972
there was a 40 fold increase m federal tax
revenues we still had a 1972 deficit of
$23 2 billion.
If inflation is to be con
trolled, citizens’ groups such as the
American Farm Bureau Federation will
have to make it clear that it must be
>ril 7. 1973
higher intellectual capacity is expected to
accelerate the pressure against such
things as repetitive, boring, dirty,
dangerous or psychologically unrewarding
employment. It is probable that we will
export to developing countries many of
these jobs which cannot be eliminated by
automation.
Many of the problems which the future
holds can be drastically modified one way
or the other by government action. Unless
federal spending is controlled for example,
the rate of inflation will be totally un
predictable and possibly ruinous. Unless
public policy encourages domestic
development of our natural resources, as
well as research to either augment the
supply or find substitutes for those
resources, we will be increasingly
dependent on foreign nations for the
sinews of our civilization. Oil and natural
gas provide an example of the situation in
which regulatory, price and tax restraints
have discouraged adequate domestic
development of basic natural resources
and fostered growing dependence on
foreign nations. Without compensating
action, this could flood the world with
dollars and destroy their value in world
tiade markets. Such policies must change.
As Mr. Miller puts it, “The miracle of
private business... is the speed and
flexibility with which it can react to almost
any new set of condi|ions." He believes
government should avoid regulatory
stifling of this ability to.change. Instead,
government should use it by providing tax
and other incentives to encourage
business action in line with the national
interest An era of great accomplishment
would be the reward of such a policy. The
problem is to substitute realism and long
range vision for the politics and short-run
self-interest that too often influence the
policy decisions of both government and
business. To the extent this can -be done,
we will vastly decisions of both government
and business. To the extent this can be
done, we will vastly enhance our ability to
create a future to our liking and preserve
the heritage of freedom that must remain
the destiny of the United States.
stopped at its source in the halls of
Congress where the spenders have out
numbered the savers for longer than most -
of us can remember.
BUCKHANNON, W. VA., RECORD: “A
certain national organization paid a team
of researchers more than $200,000 to
conduct a study of driver education across
the country After digging for facts,
assembling them, shuffling them, and then
recapitulating all reports, the researchers
turned in their conclusions. Two of the
basic findings were these - There isn’t any
real definition of good driving. And a fur
ther study is needed ”
CHESTER, ILL, HERALD TRIBUNE “To
hear political aspirants talk about their
opponents it would apear there is no
candidate worthy to be elected to any state
or national office. From the conditions
which are allowed to exist after the elec
tion, it sometimes appears there may have
been more than a gram of truth in what the
unsuccessful candidate said about his
opponent before the election.”
Grassroots
Opinions
XXX
§
I NOW IS
I THE TIME . ..
Max Smith
County Agr. Agent
Telephone 394-6851
To Keep Banker Informed
The use of credit in commercial
agriculture is becoming a more
important factor each year. Your
banker can best serve if he is kept
fully informed regarding the
farm operation and family
money metiers. The better your
banker knows the farm situation,
the more willing he may be to
make credit adjustments. An
invitation for the banker to visit
the farm might be very profitable
toward continued progress.
To Buy Feeder Pigs Carefully
The threat of another hog ’
cholera outbreak continues to
exist, as long as we have a high
hog population and considerable
traffic between farms and sales
events. Even though the Penn
sylvania cholera situation has
eased there is still risk present;
feeder pigs should be purchased
only with approved health_
papers. Pigs of unknown origin”
may be cheaper when purchased
but may bring disease and end up
very expensive. Garbage should
be well cooked,2l2 degrees for at
least 30 minutes, before being fed
to hogs. “CLOSED DOOR”
management may prevent
serious infections.
THE BUM RAP
Lesson for April 8,1973
Background Scripture Isaiah 52:13
through 53:12; Matthew 241-5,
24-29; I Polar 2-21-25.
Davatianal Reading: Psalms 22 1-8.
A convict in the state prison
was patiently listening to the
Chaplain explain the story Christ’s
arrest, trial, and crucifixion.
When the Chaplain had conclud
ed, the convict exclaimed; “Gee,
that was sure a bum rap!”
As a prisoner
he was particular
ly sensitive to the
injustice which
Jesus suffered on
that first Good
Friday. The con
vict was struck by
the fact that this
innocent man was
falsely accused.
victimized, and
made the scapegoat. He had seen
some “bum raps,” some grossly
unfair verdicts in his time, but
this man Jesus, it seemed, was the
most tragic of victims.
Our griefs, our sorrows
The convict was quite accurate
in his observation: the trial and
crucifixion are glaring examples
of injustice. Jesus had done noth
ing to deserve punishment. The
charges were trumped-up and he
was the victim of manipulation. In
order to convict him, people had
been bribed to lie about him and
his teachings. In the parlance of
the American underworld: “he
was framed."
Yet, not only was Jesus blame
less himself, but he was willing
to suffer for the sake of others.
The prophet Isaiah, man centuries
To Stop Panic Selling
In recent weeks we are aware
of the rapid changes in the beef
and hog market. It is difficult to
know when to sell or to keep on
feed. However, it is not a good
practice generally, to sell animals
under-finished and too high in
weight because of the fear of a
lower price ahead. In this case,
the feeder is sacrificing addition
efficient gain that usually means
greater profits. Also, the holding
of heavy, finished hogs or cattle
hoping for a higher market is also
risky. Feed conversion is lower,
production costs increase, and
many experiences have resulted
in a loss to the feeder. Sell when
weight and grade meets market
demand.
To Follow Directions
The proper use of many drugs
and pesticides depends upon
exact amounts, timing and
withholding periods. To do
anything else is jeopardizing the
product and asking for more
regulations. The following of
label instructions very carefully
should be stressed to every
farmer or custom applicator.
Chemicals have a definite place
in commercial agriculture, if
properly used, Don’t be guilty of
inviting penalties and additional
restrictions.
earlier, had caught this idea:
Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
But he was wounded for our
transgressions, he was bruised
for our iniquities .. . upon him
was the chastisement that made
us whole, and with his stripes
we are healed. All we like
sheep have gone astray; we
have turned every one to his
own way; and the Lord has laid
on him the iniquity of us all.
(53:4-6)
The suffering and death of
Jesus seem even more unjust
when we realize that Jesus suffer
ed for the sins of other people,
not his own. And we are among
those other people for whom he
suffered. He had to pay what was
really our debt. Most of us have a
hard enough time accepting the
suffering that is rightly ours, but
the thought of suffering for the
sake of someone else’s sins and
errors seems unthinkable.
Healed by His wounds
Yet, when we read Isaiah 53
and the gospels it becomes evi
dent that Jesus was not a victim.
Though he did not seek death, he
did accept it for the sake of all
men. When one willingly bears a
cross, he cannot be a victim of it;
instead he is a victor because he
has been unconquered by it.
Unlike so many who had been
handed a “bum rap,” the convict
saw that Jesus faced suffering
and death without bitterness; “He
was oppressed, and he was afflict
ed, yet he opened not his mouth”
(53:7). There was intense admira
tion from the convict for this man
Jesus.
Maybe, he concluded, that’s
what life is really all about; will
ingly, lovingly bearing someone
else’s “bum rap.”
dosed on outlines copyrighted by (ho
Division of Christian Education, National
Council of the Church** of Christ in the U.S.A.
Released by Community Prtss Service.)