The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-01-05
HOUSE OPENS FIGHT
Begins Campaign Against
High Cost of Living.
DOUGLAS OFFERS SOLUTION
Representative from OhiO PrOpOunds
New TheOry-HuIrs Resolution AE-
thOrizes Congress 10 Investigate
Conditions and settle Difficulties.
speech a Plea for Wage-eaFners.

Members of Congress who insist that
the salary Of $500 year which they now
receive does not go as far as their OLD
salary OF 5000 did few years ago are
snuch agitated over the rapidly Increasing
prices OF the necessities of life.
This subject promises to be talked about
in the House and the Senate this year
more than any other one thing Undoubt-
eddy Joint commission viii be appointed
90 Investigate. Whether all the talk and
all the investigating will result In any
thing tangible remains to be seen.
Huh Offers Resolution.
There was something doing in this mat
ter al the Capitol yesterday. Representa-
tive Hull, Of Tennessee, introduced a con-
current resolution for an investigation OF
the subject by a committee of twelve
seven Representatives and FIVE Senators
directed to go into all phases of the sub
sect.
II is said, however, that when Congress
does Investigate the subject it viii be on
the initiative of Republican resolution.
Mr. Hull is an unreconstructed Democrat
But the most interesting development in
the high-price problem at the Capitol was
a carefully prepared speech bya Repre-
sentative Douglas, OF Ohio. the gentleman
who succeeded that eminent statistician
and prognosticator. Charles Henry GrOs-
Veaor.
Ever since Mr., Douglas was attending
q performance in the Metropolitan opera
House. New York, and a paiaof perfectly
good opera glasses fell from the third
balcony and bounced of his head he has
been deeply interested in all problems re-
Quiring profound thought He has given
a great deal OF thought to this subject.
and yesterday turned loose the result in
OF 7,0O0-word speech.
Has Unique Theory
Mr.. Douglas has q theory that he
thinks would settle this high-price propo-
sition. He believes that if country life
could he made sufficiently attractive 10
Intelligent men and women. farmhouses
fitted with open plumbing. pianolas. and
mission wood furniture. and the land
toned up and made TO yield 800 bushels
of potatoes TO the acre where twenty now
grow, a great many worthy people who
now exc out a precarious existence laying
brick and driving hacks end running
trolley cars would beat it for the country
and proceed to get wealthy.
This in its turn would result in greatly
increasing the production of all the ne
cessities of life, which. in volume. have
fallen behind the steadily increasing per-
centsge Of population.
He had an imposing array of figures
TO present to the House yesterday to
prove that while the population of the
United States has been jumping ahead
By leaps and bounds for the last twenty
years. the production of cattle, hogs.
sheep, grain, potatoes, and other meat
and vegetable staples had fallen behind.
Now. Mr.. Douglas solution of this
hsh-price proposition is extremely SIM
pie. An that is necessary. in his opin-
ion, is for the House Committee on Agri-
culture. instead of demanding $4,000 600.
as was the case last year. for running
the agricultural branch of the govern
ment. to demand $llSOOO0OO or upward.
and for the committees on Naval Affairs
and Military Affairs to pat the soft
pedal on DreadnOught building and coast
defense planning.
He frankly says he thinks it is more
important for wOrkingmen in the United
States TO be well fed than for this gov
eminent to be prepared, absolutely, to
blow the daylights out of any other ma
ton that get fresh with us.
Mr. Douglas disclaimed any idea OF
being an alarmist. but said it was well
known to every member Of the House and
10 the head Of every family throughout
the land that the prices of food products,
especially Of farm products, had risen
and were still rising out of all proper
ton TO any increase in wages or salaries
ard to an extent that was bringing ac-
tual suffering TO many millions of peo-
ME