Consumers: Toward a Just Marketplace

Consumerism—Upton Sinclair and Rachel Carson would be glad to know —is a healthy development that is here to stay.

In these words, President Nixon last week introduced a message to Congress outlining his "buyer's bill of rights." The authors of The Jungle and Silent Spring, in fact, had less to do with the message than a man who was not mentioned: Ralph Nader. Nixon's address testified to the growing power of consumerism, and of Nader, the lone crusader who has become the leader of the consumer movement.

Provided that Congress approves and allocates...