The Cairo bulletin., 1912-01-01
Living COST
CONTINUES TO
MOUNT HIGHER
Political and Scientific Leaders
Discuss Important
Problem
YALE PROFESSOR INTERESTED
W. N. Hayes Advocates New Plan
To Improve Human
Race
YALE PROFESSOR INTERESTED

wash'n"ton Decs 81 -yVashin~-
oon was stirred toGay by the cost Of
Nvin" problem Scientists. Senators
and executive officials of the govern
'nept turned their attention to the
high prices that are ever mounting
higher New interest was given to
the subject by the news from Rrock-
ton. MISS, that shoes are to advance
80 cents pair the first OF the year
and the information contained IN a
census bureau bulletin that notwith-
standing an increase in the number
of fowls in this country Of more than
1S per cent. in the past ten years the
average price Of fowl has increased
from "a cents to SO cents.
Governments Nav Art.
No action has been taken by the de-
partment Of Justice looking toward a
suit apairst shoe manufacturers un-
der the Sherman ANTITRUST law on
account of the theatened ircreaee
in the price of shoes. but the Of
flcials Of the Attorney Generals Of
fee admitted today that they were
keeping close watch on the situa-
ton. II 1t should appear that prices
are to bo raised as result of COM
bination such as is prohibited by the
law, the department is almost cer-
tain to act
1t was explained at the department
that it was upon complaint Of the
shoe manufacturers that the govern
ment hronght suit in Boston about
two weeks aeo for the dissolution Of
the shoe machinery trust. In pre-
pairing the bill in this case the Gov
ernment trust busters learned a
great deal about the shoe business
in general and it will not be hard
for them to follow Developments.
Senator Lodge, OF Massachusetts,,
Smoot, of Utah. Crawford of South
DAKOTA. and burton. of Ohio, all
Republicans. the first two being
members of the Senate Finance Com
mittee, Joined with members OF the
American Economic Association this
sfternoon In sptrited discussion
OF the question Of hioh prices. The
meeting was held in connection with
the convention OF the Association for
the Advancement OF Science. A plan
proposed BIZ Prof. Irving Fisher, head
of the Department of Economics of
Yale University, for an International
commission to investigate high
prices provoked -he debate.
Prof. Fishers Reasons
Here are the principal reasons
which were advanced by Prof Fisher
for the present prices:
Tariff legislation.
Trusts and combinations.
Increased production of gold.
Expansion of credit.
Enormous use of personal banks
checks "as a substitute for money. I"
Decrease fertility OF the soil.
Accompanying increase in the cost
NJ fertilizlne the soil.
Extension of the areas of produce
tion necessitating longer hauls to
the markets.
Increased cost of production.
Increased cost of farm products.
Growth In the use of cold storage
plants.
increase Of extravaganza and lux
nrious living.
Increase OF crime.
Insurance against sickness and ac-
cidents.
Pensions and workmen's compensa-
tion and similar legislation.
Increased cost of distribution.
Excludes Trusts and Tariff.
In the main the Senator'S agreed
with him, although In paper read to
another branch of the association,
Senator Burton excluded trusts and
the tariff from the list.
Senators Lodge, Smoot and Craw-
ford liked the idea OF having an in
ternational commission to study the
reason for the high cost of living.
They agreed with Prof Fisher that
the question was worldwide and
could not be solved by any investi-
CATION which might be confined to
Concluded on page six.