The Washington times., 1912-02-02


prices that have 10 distressed the pec-
pie OF the world and Information given
upon which action might be taken to
reduce reduce the cost Of living. The very
and Bonds Commission indicates how
useful an Investigation of this kind can
be when undertaken by men who have
had adequate experiences IN economic
judgment correctly to apply sound prin-
ciples to the facts found.
For. some years past the high and
steadily increasing cost OF living has
been matter OF such grave public
interest that an international confer
ence be proposed at this time for the
purpose Of preparing plans. to be sub
mitted to the various governments. for
an an. international , inquiry into the high
fects, and possible remedies. / there
fore recommend that, to enable the
President to invite foreign governments
to such a conference to be held at
provide an appropriation, not to exceed
$4,000. to defray the expenses OF prep
aration and Of participation by the
United States,
Foreign Examples.
The numerous Investigations on the
subject, official or other. already made
In various countries. such as Austria,
Belgium. Canada, Denmark. France,
Germany. Great Britain. italy. the
Netherlands. and the United States.
have themselves strongly demonstrated
the need of further study of world
wide scope. Those who have conduct
ed these Investigations have found that
the phenomenon OF rising prices IL al
most IL not quite. general. throughout
the world; but they are baffed in the
attempt to trace the causes by the i'm
possibility Of making any accurate in
ternational comparisons. This is be-
vestigations 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
As already indicated. the preliminary
conference itself would entail q COM
paratively small expense, and most of
the subsequent Investigations for which
ried out by existing bureaus in this
and other governments as part of their
regular work and would require little,
II any. additional appropriations for
such bureaus.
Industrial Relations.
The extraordinary growth Of industry
In the past two decades and its revolu-
tionary changes have raised new and
vital questions as to the relations be-
tween employers and wage earners
which have become matters Of pressing
public concern. These questions have
been somewhat obscured by the pro-
found changes in the relations between
competing producers and producers as
a class and consumers-in other words,
by the changes which. among other re-
suits, have given rise to what is COM
monty called the trust problem. The
large-scale production characteristic OF
modern industry, however, involves the
one set OF relations no less than the
other. Any interruption to the normal
and peaceful relations between employ
or and wage Garner involves public dis
comfort and In many cases public dis
aster Such Interruptions become, there
fore, quite as much a matter OF pub
lie concern as restraint OF trade or
monopoly.
Industrial relations concern the public
Tor double reason. We are directly in
trrested in the maintenance OF peaceful
aud stable Industrial conditions for the
sake OF our own comfort and we'll
being: but s"ciety Is equally interested.
n its sovereign lyle capacity. in seeing
maintaining justic. and fair dealing
between any classes Of citizens whose
cconcn,ic interests may seem to clash.
Railway strikes on such a scale rs has
in England, a strike of-ccsl-mine work.
ers such as we have more than once
witnessed I'm this country. and such a
wholesale relinqnishing Of q public serv-
i'e as that OF the street cleaners re-
Gently in New York. illustrate the Sc
riors danger to public well being and
the inadeauacy Of The existing social
currences OF to adjust them on any
equita bio and permanent basis after
they have arisen.
Easy-Going Confidence.
In spite Of the frequency with which
we are exposed to these dangers and in
spite Of the absence Of provision for
dealing with them. we continue to as
sumo with easy going confidence that
in each new case. somehow or other
the parties to the dispute will find
some solution which will bo agreeable
to themselves and consistent with the
public interest. We all see the grave
objections to strikes and lockouts. how
cases and we are ready to critictse
the more extreme phases of the indus
trial conflict such as boycotts and
but we leave the situation
such that Industrial disputes lead in
evttably to a state Of Industrial war
to the two conbatants. No more clumsy
or expensive method OF determining the
rate Of wages and the hours ard condt-
tions OF labor could veil be devised.
The successful operation Of the Erd-
man act as between interstate rail-
roads and their employees shows how