The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1915-12-23

scale, Capital was unwilling.
therefore, TO embark on any new
enterprises and was forced tol
adopt policy OF marking time.
/ The outbreak OF the war built
hieh tariff wall around this couu.
try Europe had To turn her atten.
ton instantly from manufacturing
goods that can be sold abroad In
/ times Of peace 10 manufacturing
war materials for use IN her erea
internal struggle Hundreds OF
thousands OF men Mere taken out
LOT her factories and pat into her
armies
Idle Men Find Jobs
In addition to this she found
herself compelled TO come 10 rs for
war supplies. Her orders for these
supplies set our idle factories Mt
work and re.employed our men
who we're walking the streets.
seeking work. so that during the
last six months we have seen
large percentage ~ our idle men
put 10 work on What We call war
orders from Europe
This. or course. IL purely a TEN.
IpoFary condition. some day the
war win probably as sud
denly ~ Il began then tho men
who are in the armies ~ Eurup.
today will go hack TO their faeto-
ries. and AZ approximately tho same
! moment Europc'S demand on - for
war supplies will largely cease
/ The men that Europe puts hack in.
10 her factories will go 20 work
manufacturing the things that she
was selling ps ~ successfully IN
der the Wilson tariff when tho war
broke out. And our men wiii have
to 80 TO work in factories that will
he engaged IN manufacturing only
such things as arc consumed I'm
tines ~ peace
Europe's Gold Here
Ideutieally the same conditions
I will prevail that existed when the
war broke out. plus another OK
Itremely important factor that dId
not exist ~ that time. viz. We wili
have very large amount 81 Eu.
fopes Eoid. Europe viii Of necea
slty make every possible effort 20
get back that gold. aud she Nill
find that her easiest way-in fact.
laimost her only wsy-Wii lie In
the direction OF selling Va manu-.
featured goods al prices low
enough to win hack tho gold ahc
has lost.
This will require her TO use
men In her factories AZ low
wages. but those men will not
consider II hardship 60 es.
change the trenches. where
they have been working for
few cents a day. or short ra-
tons. for factories where they
Will get better wages. beds 20
sleep on. protection for their
lives ard three meals a day.
On the other hand. our men
over here will consider i.
hardship 20 give up the high
wages they are now getting for
making war materials and &C
eept lower wages for making
materials used In times OF
peace.
II seems 20 me that fhiH phaNe
OF the matter is ~ tho utmost I'm
portance to our laborinF classes.
and II our government we're alive
TO this situation and eager to look
after the welfare OF It's laborlng
tclasses. h would at this very mo-
ment be taking some action to pre-
vent this impending catastrophe
In my judgment. one OF tho
ways TO prevent It ia by immedi-
ately giving us permanent. OK
pert. non-partisAn tariff commits
sion. which will be in constant ses.
sion. taking up the tariff item hy
item. without regard to whether II
should be high or low. and purely
on the basis of what Is equitable
and right for all parties concerned
and what is proper reciprocity with
other countries Such a commits.
sion should he made permanent. Il
should he given full power to lnvcs.
tignte and recommend Bchedulea to
congress; It should be given all
the power possible under our con.
stitutlon, and should be put I'm such
a position toward tho public that
It's opinions. when announced.
would carry so much weight that
congress could scarcely refuse to-
enact them into law.
Tariff Troubles
During the last 30 years We have
had five or six reyisions OF the tar.
M by politicians. on n political
basis. for political advantage. Each
time we have had business upheav.
ais. severe losses In trade and thou.
sands of men out Of work. Is al
not high time that we learned our
lesson and took the tariff out or
politics thru the creation OF an in.
dependent. non-partisan tariff com.
mission?
| On tho corporation question VIC
arc also lamentably weak. At this
time, when we should be reaching
out 10 all parts OF tho world with
great, strong. industrial orRnniza.
lions, We are marking time. wait.
ing, waiting, waiting for the su.
preme court TO interpret tho Sher.
man law thru some one OF the sew
eral suits before f., so that we Gun
find out how business on n largo
scale can he done legally I'm this
country And this marking time is