Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-01-17
HOUSEWIVES TO ASSIST
CAMPAIGN TO STEM TIDE OF
HIGH PRICES.
thrust League Appeals to
Ranks of Labor-Cardinal
Gibbons Approves.

In its efforts to stem the rising tide
OF high prices for foodstuffs, the recent
~ organized National Anti-Food Trust
League will rely principally on the CO.
operation of the housewives of the coun
try. Where men have failed women viii
succeed, as announced by President
Scharf Saturday evening, has already
been adopted as one of the fixed principles
of the league, and steps are already well
under way for organizing the great mum
her of women in Washington and else
where who have made inquiry as to the
purposes and proposed plan of action OF
the league Names Of women are being
tors in the various sections Of the city
and also for state. county and city direc-
tors throughout the country
Next to the housewives of the coun-
try. the league expects the greatest as
Sistance from the great body of organiz-
ed wage workers of the country. The
laboring man. it is declared, feels the
rise in prices in food more than any
other class of citizen, and the league
hopes to take advantage of the good
organization of the labor unions. La
boring men are already joining the league
in large numbers, and regular organizers
Will soon ne appointed by John Is. Col
poys of the executive committee OF the
Ieasuc. IT is thought they will have
little difficulty in inducing the labor
unions throughout the country to join
the league en- naSSe.
Cardinal in Sympathy.
Cardinal Gibbons who was in Washing
ton yesterday, expressed hearty sympathy
with the object of the anti-food trust
campaign.
Il feel" said the cardinal. that some
thing ought to be done to correct this evil
Though I have keenly felt the results
Of the present high prices of living, yet
have been unable to analyze the causes.
For a long time l have noticed that
prices of supplies of all kinds seemed
gradually to be getting higher and higher
put while I have thought over the mat
ter, do not know just what causes the
advance in prices. OF one thing ! am
certain, prices of necessarics have not
kept pace with wages-that is. wages have
rot increased in proportion to the in
creased cost of living.
Something must be wrong with eco
nomic conditions in the country when
wages and salaries remain the same,
while at the same time food supplies con-
tinue to increase in price.
Something evidently is wrong when
many of the commonest necessities In
foods are priced at such enormous fig
ureS.
Views on Boycott.
DO YOU indorse the movement launch
ed Saturday in this city by the Anti
Food Trust League to boycott through
out the United States by its members any
article of food which they may believe
is too high in price, the cardinal was
asked.
Il must say that I haven't gone far
enough into the subject to express an
opinion on the new organization he re-
piled. but something of the kind. it
seems to me, would have the result which
the consumers are seeking to accom-
plish.
Most of the prices for food products
are clearly out of all reason. and one
thing is certain. the people cannot go on
paying such prices when they are not
earning any larger incomes.
You can say for me that heartily in
dorse any movement which will tend to
reduce the cost of living for the masses
of the people of this country.
"There is no doubt that some kind of
corrective steps will have to be taken in
regard to the present high price of liv-
ing"