The Freeman 1972 - The Ludwig von Mises Institute

1972 THE EDUCATIONAL DILEMMA 3651960's. Only the divorce of governmentfrom academic responsibilitywill prevent institutions ofhigher learning from becomingcompletely politicized and theirinmates reduced to cogs in atotalitarianized political machine.Education is, largely, the businessof stimulating rigorous intellectualdiscipline. But it mustlimit itself to intellectual disciplineand should not impose thediscipline of any political party, ofany religious group, or even of anynational state unless it is plainlyadvertised as such and is thereforeknown to be serving necessarilyas a part of the indoctrinatingapparatus of that party, group, orstate. I)r WAS A SLUMLORD. Here is how rcame to be one.r was born 69 years ago. rlearned the craft (maybe the art)of cabinet-making in my nativeland, Hungary. This would havebeen my 50th year of workingactively, creating in wood manythings of lasting beauty. My nameis well-known and well-respectedin the trade.About 20 years ago r bought asmall factory building in EastHarlem, at 508 East 117th Street,where r worked together with myteam of 10 to 12 men. Withchanges, improvements and additionalconstruction, the factorycost me about $65,000.A few years after I bought thebuilding, the adjoining building,© 1972 by The New York Times Company.Reprinted by permission from The New YorkTimes, January 30, 1972.No. 510, was offered to me at abargain price because it was inpoor repair. With the idea of expandingmy workshop into it, orusing the lot for parking, I boughtit. For $12,500 in cash r becamethe owner of a four-family house.The four families living in thehouse are all decent working people.To my knowledge they do notneed and never asked for charity,public help or assistance. Yet thelaw forces me to give them shelterand heat at a lower price than myown cost.For several years now my cashexpenses have exceeded my incomeby about 25 per cent, and thiswithout interest or amortizationpayments on the mortgage.The building was in poor repairwhen I bought it. By now it is thefavored hunting ground of everycity inspector.