The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1910-02-24
LODGE TALKS ON
COST OF LIVING
Speaker Says Facts Will Be
Necessary in Probe
NO ONE TO BE FAVORED
Senator Lodge Speaks Before Newark
Board of Trade in Discussing In
ycstfgation of High Prices of
Food Products
NO ONE TO BE FAVORED

-NCNcih, ~. D., L Cpi udi o. oNe's iioe
opinions are to form the basis on which
the senate committee appointed to ina
quire into the prices of commodities and
rates of wages will act. This declaration
was made tonight by Senator Lodge of
Massachusetts of the committee, in ad-
dressing the Newark board of trade The
speaker further asserted that facts
would be collected and given out without
any reference to any preconceived ideas
and without regard as to what or whom
II will help or hurt. We will hew to the
line" he said, Cad let the chips fall
where they may
''The Importance a this inquiry cannot
be overestimated,'' he said. at is the in
tention of the committee TO make the in
quiry thoroughly and lay its results be-
fore the country at the earliest possible
moment.
1.-THE task of the committee is going
to be 4 difficult one," he thought and
he said, 'the questions involved ere
complicated and difficult in the highest
degree Personally he had given some
months to an investigation of these ques-
lions, he said, and the one fact of which
he had become certain was that the ques-
lions involved in the investigation were
extremely difficult and could not be set
tied or remedied off-hand in five min
utes," as some persons, he declared,
seemed to think.
After outlining in a general way the
method of procedure which the commit
tee will follow in conducting its inquiry
and giving a number of specific facks
which revealed some of the difficulties
the committee will have to face, Senator
Lodge said
That combinations to control thes ale
OF certain articles have in some in
stances advanced prices artifcially have
not personally the least doubt, but if /
am correct the facts which will be gath
cred by the committee will demonstrate
and will show evil and wrongdoing In
certain particular cases which we ought to
be able to reach. An example OF such
evils Is to be found in the case of meat
products and in the use Of cold storage to
prevent a normal decline Of prices which
your own grand july has been investigat-
ing. But many causes are at work affect
ing pTlceS ana VIC OOn I WIFI 10 jump az
conclusions or fancy that we can settle
these questions by stroke OF the pen
He said the committee will ''try to de-
termine whether the rise in prices was
sudden or has extended over a series OF
years; whether there has been advance
in world prices or whether the advance
Is confined to the United States; whether
wages and, IL possible. whether salaries,
which are most difficult to ascertain, has
x-itf, nrtcoQ nd IN what daurpp If
any; whether the tariff has raised prices.
whether prices in certain cases have been
artihcLally and wrongfully advanced by
combinations seeking inordinate profits,
and finally, we shall make IL comparison
between domestic and foreign wages and
prices"
Whatever the facts show will be
stated by the committee, said the sem
ator, without any attempt to black
en-, to whitewash or to mislead."
AS an illustration of the difficulties
which the committee will have to deal
with Senator Lodge took three articles
of wide consumption, all necessities of
life, raw cotton, refined petroleum and
sugar, and made comparison of their
changes In price and of their relation
to the tariff and trust questions.
Cotton is on the free list and has
been for half century" he said. 1T
is not controlled or handled by any
trust. Refined oil has been practical
ly and Is now absolutely on the Tree
list and its sale Is almost entirely con
trolled by the strongest best organ
lied and most relentless trust or cofA-
bination Of which we have known.
Sugar Is in the hands of trust or
combination and is highly protected
Neither the trusts NOR the tariff are
present in the case of cotton. The
trust is present and the tariff absent
in the case of oil. Both the tariff
and trust control are present in the
case of sugar.
Now. let US. consider the facts In
regard to the PRICES of these articles
Taking 100 as the basis in 1899, tho
advance In cotton has ranged from
81 to 81 points. 1t was So points high
err in 1908 than 1899 and 1t Is still
higher at the present time. Petrole UNI,
starting with 100 as the basis in 1899
has advanced s3 points in 10 years
Sugar during the same time has de-
clined 10 points.
II make no comment on these facts
and offer no opinions. I leave 1t to
you to point out tho cause Of the move
ment Of prices in these three articles
which will meet every case.
This Is not, a question nor II 1t a
time for reckless haste or violence.
said Senator Lodge In conclusion, but
1t is q time and occasion for frmness
and for Justice, for determination to
extirpate with relentless hand the