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Who Are the Violators? 



Most people think that the black market is a "dive" op- 

 erated by the "scum of the earth/' "crooks," "chiselers," 

 "scoundrels/' and "saboteurs." There is, of course, a cer- 

 tain number of such operators who have no consideration 

 whatever for the letter or spirit of the law. The fly-by- 

 nighter who tries anything he can get away with is of this 

 type. 



However, if the black market flourishes, violation becomes 

 widespread. The fly-by-nighter and the professional crook 

 are then joined by the legitimate businessmen who enter into 

 black-market operations as the price of survival. If consum- 

 ers feel that they are not being treated equitably, a point is 

 reached at which respectable folks participate in the black 

 market. 



Most farmers, most businessmen, and most consumers 

 are patriotic citizens who want to do their bit for the war 

 effort and live up to the letter and the spirit of the law. They 

 see others violate the law, however, and see the volume of 

 violations expand. Sooner or later they rationalize and be- 

 lieve that they should get the benefits from equal violations 

 and be on a par with other violators. Finally they make equal 

 violations of the law to obtain parity. 



Large and Small Operators 



Although they get little credit from the government, the 

 large handlers, the large processors, the big distributors, and 

 the chain grocers do their best to comply and carry out the 

 spirit and the letter of the law. There is a widespread belief 

 that the big, powerful corporations are the violators of the 

 laws, that they fight endlessly through the courts to protect 

 their profits. It is charged that they throw up clouds of vicious 

 propaganda to befog elementary issues. The big fellow goes 



