Nationalization? No!

Do you think the U.S. Government should or should not own the Banks? Railroads? Coal mines?

After putting that question to "a typical cross section of voters across the country," the Gallup poll announced this week that pro-nationalization sentiment in the U.S. is weaker today than at any time since the poll began making surveys on the subject back in 1936. Percentages favoring Government ownership:

Banks Railroads Coal Mines 1936 36% 30% 27% 1945 27% 24% 29% 1949 22% 22% 25% 1953 14% 14% 15%

Democrats like nationalization better than Republicans do. But a European would be astonished to learn how small the difference is; e.g., 16% of Democrats think the Government should own the coal mines, 12% of Republicans.

Education and occupation make a considerable difference. Nationalization has less appeal for those who went to college than for those who did not. Percentages favoring coal-mine nationalization: college, 10%; high school, 13%; grade school, 20%. White-collar workers favor Government ownership less than farmers do; farmers less than manual workers.

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