Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1912-02-03
TO PROBE HIGH
COST Of Living
TAFT RECOMMENDS INTERNA-
TIONAL INQUIRY IN SPECIAL
MESSAGE TO CONGRESS.
WOULD invite ALL NATIONS
To Send Representatives 10 Confer
cncc 10 Find The Cause of High
Prices.

WASHINGTON. Feb. 2.-Prcsldent
TAFT In a message to congress today
urged an international inquiry into
the high cost of living, The president
asked authority TO invite the nations
Of the world 10 conference in this
city or elsewhere to make plans for
the investigation of the high prices
that have SO distressed the people of
the world
Mr., Taft also urged the appointment
of federal commission to make
searching inquiry into the subject Of
Industrial relations
Suggests International Conference.
For some years past said the
president, the high and steadily in
creasing cost of living has been a mat
ter of such grave public concern that
! deem it Of great public interest that
an international conference be pro-
posed at this time for the purpose of
preparing plans, to be submitted to the
various governments for an interna-
tional inquiry into the high cost Of liv-
Ing, its extent causes effects and
possible remedies
There is 10 doubt but that com
mission could be appointed of such un-
pr9judiced and impartial persons, eX-
perts in investigation of economic
facts, that a great deal Of very valua-
BILE light light could be shed upon the
reasons for the high prices that have
so distressed the people of the world,
an dinformation given upon which ac o.
ton might be taken to reduce the
cost of living.
Can Eind No Common BASE.
Those who have conducted iuves-
legations have found what the phe-
nomenon of rising prices is almost If
not quite general throughout the
world; but they are baffled in the
attempt 20 trace the causes by the i'm
possibility of making any accurate in
ternaiional comparisons This-is be-
cause In spite of the number Of inves-
legations already made, we are still
without adequate data and because
as yet no two countries estimate their
price levels on the same basis or by
the same methods"
AS TO the commission on industrial
relations, the president said:
Suggests Labor Investigation.
There should be an inquiry by the
federal government into the general
conditions of labor in the United
States, Notwithstanding the fact that
some of the remedies will lie with the
separate states. or even entirely out
side the sphere Of governmental activ-
ity, In the hands of private individuals
and of voluntary agencies. one legiti-
mate object of such an official investi-
cation and report is to enlighten and
inform public opinion, which of itself
will often induce or compel the reform
of unjust conditions or the abatement
or unreasonable demands.
Unquestionably the time Is now
ripe for a searching inquiry into the
subject of industrial relations which
shall he of official, authoritive. bal
anced and well rounded such as only
the federal government can success
fully undertake, The present wide.
spread interest in the subject makes
this an opportune time for an investi-
cation which in any event can not
long be postponed. It should be non.
partisan, comprehensive, thorough, pa.
tient aand courageous"