Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-13
IN LABOR CIRCLES

The workingmen OF washington are ex-
pressing serious concern over the pre-
vailing high prices of foodstuffs. At the
meetings of labor unions 1t Is pointed ont
that the prices of some staples are
practically prohibitive, and that Ito the
worker with a large family to support
the battle for existence is becoming
desperate one. Labor leaders are dis
cussing the problem of life with much
earnestneSs and are praying that Con-
gress' and the President may find a solu-
ton to IL.
In the current issue of the Trades
Unionist the editor Sam DeNedrey, says
under the headline, High Prices Are a
Live Issue:
Since the committee of the United
mony on the matter of high prices prac-
tically all that has been offered is d.
rectly related to food prices. Everybody
has been complaining about the high cost
of meats of all kinds, and this is prob
ably the reason why the committee has
given its first attention to the things we
eat or used to eat when prices would
permit.
During the past week represents tives
of the big cattle raisers of the west have
been before the committee and they
frankly told them that there was no use
for the people of the United States to
think of ever getting any more cheap
beef. Along with this startling state
why beef would not be cheap In the
future. The remarkable thing about the
testimony is that they did not blame the
big packers for. the increase in the prices
of beef On the contrary the cattlemen
who raise young steers which are SOLD
to farmers In the middle west states
for the purpose of fattening are of the
opinion that the lame for present high
prices of beef and other meat products
should De put upon these farmers who
fQffon cattle for the market And IL
Goes. The cattle raiser blames the
farmer, the farmer says it's the high
price of corn. the packer claims that
mis- prices are not unreasonable when
you consider the high price he pays the
farmer and last of all the retailer who
comes in contact with the consumer finds
it easy to cast all the blame on the
packer.
There is a pretty strong feeling that
the investigation of the Senate committee
will amount to little more than a white
wash the interests that are responsible
for the high prices Of some Of the neces-
brought out information which will be
of great value in the final determination
of the veXed question. The testimony so
far has established the fact that the
price of butter is fixed by the Elgin Board
of Trade and furthermore, that the cold
storage companies play very important
part in regulating the prices of poultry
and eggs.
1T is to be hoped that when the COM
mittee reaches that part of its investi-
CATION which relates to the prices of cot
tons, woolens and other textiles and
clothing we will get more real facts re-
garding the particular elements that are
responsible for the increased prices and
cheaper quality of the things we must
use for wearing apparel and In furnish
ing our homes. During the discussion In
cident to the consideration Of the AID
rich-Payne tariff bill it was shown that
numerous highly protected cotton fac
tories in New England and I'm the south
are declaring dividends ranging from 20
to 60 per cent. The Senate committee
will, of course, go to the bottom of all
these matters and tell to consumers who
is to blame forsthe high prices demand
ed for the things we eat and wear. The
report will not be complete unless the
cost of shoes is gone into; therefore. we
may expect to get new information re-
garding the cause of the advance in the
price of footwear. In this case also some
say il is the packers, but the Senate
committee is onto its job and doubtless
will set us right on the matter
Word comes from New York that In
terna tional President Andrew G. Hughes
of the Coopers' Union has secured a gem
eral union arbitration agreement from
the Cooperage Employers Association.
and the International union has won its
contention for an increase in wages for
The new agreement and wage increase
will go into effect June 1.
In order to encourage the purchase Of
homes by married members, the Marble
Workers Union Of San Francisco has
decided to give each buyer so toward
the price.
The Painters and Decorators Union in
Germany recently celebrated its twenty
fifth anniversary. having been organized
as centralized union in December. 1854.
when the membership was under one
thousand The union now has 10000
members In the Is years It has had to
fight 694 disputes. with total expenda-
ture of about $375.O0O
The total income Of the Cigarmakerg'
International Union of America for the
last wear was $S28 496.s7. The benedto
paid for the year were $563, S3S34.
The combined ages Of sixteen weavers
employed in the handloom shawl weaving
of Tillicoultry, Scotland,
firm total LOSS years.
Harry Simpson Of Woodland, nesr
Frostburg, Nd, and J. A. Ashby Of nh
Garden were killed near Monongah by =
and Ohio nassau 1ar froi