Albuquerque evening herald. [volume] (Albuquerque, New Mexico) 1911-1914, 1912-02-02
NATIONS OF WORLD
SHOULD INQUIRE
INTO HIGH COST
Of LIVING
President Taft in Message to
Congress Urges That Such
Movement Be Started by
This Nation.
EXPERTS ARE BAFFLED
TO FIND REAL CAUSE



AN international inquiry into the high
cost OF living The president asked
authority Ca invite the nations OF the
world 20 q conference In this city or
elsewhere 10 make plans for the in
Nestgauon OF the high prices that
have 80 distressed the people OF the
world.
Mr.. Taft also urged the appoint
mcnt of a federal commission TO make
searching inquiry into the subject Of
industrial relations"
For some years past" said the
president. "the high and steadily In
creasng cost OF living has been mat
ter Of such grave concern that deem
.it OF great public interest lhat an in
ternationai conference be proposed at
this time Tor the purpose at prepar-
ng plans, TO be submitted To the vur-
ious governments, for an international
nuuiry into the high cost OF living.
So extent, causes. effects. and posi-
Bile remedies.
There ~ no doubt but that a COM
mission could be appointed Of such
unprcjudiced ANA impartial persons.
experts in investigation OF economic
facts. that a great deal OF very valu-
able Hight could bee shed upon tho rea-
son for the high prices that have so
distressed the people OF the world,
and Information given upon which ac-
ton might be taken To reduce the
cost OF living.
Those who have conducted inVes-
tIeations have found that the phenom-
enon OF rising prices is almost n not
quite general throughout the world;
but they are baffled in the attempt 10
trace the causes hy the impossibllity
of making any accurate international
comparisons This b because. in spite
OF the number OF Investigations al
ready made we are still without ade-
quate data aud because as yet no two
countries estimate their price levels
on tho same basis or by the same
methods.
AZ 20 the commission on Industrial
relations. the president said
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 viii lie with
/ the separate states, or even entirely
| uutsidr the sphere OF governmental
activity in the hands % private indi-
yiduals and OF voluntary agencies.
| one legitimate object OF such an OFF,
| cial Investigation and report Is 10 en-
| tighten and inform public opinion,
/ which 81 itself will often induce or
| compel the reform OF unjust condi-
| tlOns or the abatement OF unrcasOn-
able demands,
"Unquestionablg the time is now
| ripe for a searching Inquiry into the
/ subject OF industrial relations which
shall be official, authoritative. ball
/ anced and well grounded. such as
only the federal government can sue
| cessfully undertake. The present
widespread interest In the subject
makes this an opportunc time for an
invostig CATION which in any event can
not long be postponed. II should be
! nonpartlFan, comprehensive, thor
uuRh. patient and courageous"
The presidents messagc on the high
cest ~ living says:
IntaFnat lOnal Commission on the cost
tiF Of living.
Thert has been strong movement
| among economists business men and
| others Interested in economic inVcsti-
| CATION 80 secure the appointment Of
| an International commission 90 look
| into tho cause for the high prices OF
| the necessities OF me- There is no
doubt but that commission could be
appointed of such unprecedented ana
impartial persons, experts in lnyesti-
CATION Of economic facts, that great
deni Of very valuable light could Doe
shed upon the reasons for the high
prices that have so distressed the peo-
pic of the world, and Information
given upon which action might be
taken to reduce the cost OF living The
very satisfactory report OF the rail-
way stocks ana bonds commission IN
dicates how useful an Investigation ~
| this kind can be- when undertaken hy
men Whe have had adequate expert
onco IN economic Inquiries and % Lowell
headodnoss and Judgment correctly Ia
apply sound principles Ga the mctS
| found.
For some years past the high ana
| steadily increasing cost Of living mas
| been a matter of such grave public
concern that ! deem it of great public
interest that an international confer
cncc be- proposed at this time for the
/ purpose of preparing plans. to be SUD
! mitted Co the various governments
| for AN international inquiry into the
| high cost of living, its extent, causes,
| effects ana possible remedies. ]
! therefore recommend that 90 enable
| the president 90 invite foreign govern
ments 10 such "a conference. 90 be held
/ al Washin ION or elsewhere. the cone
gross provide an appropriation, not 20
exceed SEQ 900. 90 dcfray tho expenses
of preparation and OF participation hy
| the United states.
Tho numerous lnyrstlgations on the
subject. official or other, already
made ln various countries tsuch aa
/ Austrln, Belgium, canada, Denmark
France. Germany Great Britain lthN,
the Netherlands and the United
gtates) have themselves strongly aem-
onstrated the need of further study of
/ worldwide scope Thnse who have
conducted these investigations have
found that tho phenomenon Of rising
prices o. almost " not quite general
throughout the world but they are
hnfflod in tho attempt to trace the