Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1912-03-14
GIVES DATA ON
COST OF LIVING
President Sends voIuminous Report
to Congress.
GATHERED BY OUR CONSULS
Investigation In Foreign Countries
Shows That Much Unrest Eklsts--
information VIII Help Con.
sumers Solve Important
Problem.

Washington. II For number OF
months the state department has been
investigating through the consular
agents the subject OF the increased
cost of living. The president today
transmitted this voluminous report to
congress together with the following
special message on the subject:
To the Senate and House OF Repre-
sentatives:
I transmit herewith q letter from
the acting secretary of state with &C
companying data on cooperation ana
the cost OF living in certain foreign
countries.
The popular demand for informa'
ton OF this character apparently was
based on the belief that some remedy
or partial relief might be found for
the growing burdens of the high cost
of living. The immediate result OF
the injuries instituted by the de-
partment of state through the con-
suIar officers was to accentuate the
fact that the increase In the prices
Of the common necessities OF life 10
worldwide and that 1t Is an absorbing
question with the cooperative asso-
citation as well as with the mass OF
consumers as individuals. Multiplied
evidences of the universal restless
ness under this condition are given.
Wages DO Not Keep Pace.
Intelligence gathered and presented
by the cooperative societies SHOVE
that even where there has been an
advance in wages the percentage has
not kept pace with the rise in the
cost OF food supplies. This dispropor'
ton in many cases is so marked as to
be sSartling.
The information collected and col
lated by the department Of state is
comprehensive and is permanent
contribution to the history OF the eff
forts of producers and consumers, but
more especially of consumers, to solve
for themselves the economic prob
lens of production, distribution, and
consumption. II the cooperative as
sociations which have been in exist
ence for half a century and more have
not been able to determine the fSnda
mental causes Of the increased coat OF
living or to retard the advance, the
student of social progress at ieast
may derive instruction from the ac'
count of the associations and their
influence on the we'll being of their
members.
Case for Experiment.
How far the system Of cooperative
organization which hourishes in vari-
GUS European countries may be adapt
ed to our highly organized and indi-
vidualistic social organization may
perhaps only be determined by ex-
pertinent and in any case the expert
ment must be of a voluntary charac-
ter. The practical information con-
tanned in the reports Of the consular
officers undoubtedly will be of much
value to those who are seeking to
work out this problem for themselves
by means of similar associations.
In my message OF February 2 rec
commended an international commits
sion to look into the cause for the
high prices OF the necessitiee of life
and the possible remedies. Should
such a commission be authorized BY
congress the relation Of the co-opera'
tive societies to this subject would be
OF great Interest and the reports OF
the consular officers would have ad'
ditional utility.
VIM. H. TAFT.