Weekly journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1908-1929, 1915-11-17
COST Of WAR IS
BEING PAID BY
CONSUMERS
IS P TT ED" PROSPERITY
NOT BENEFITTING THE
PEOPLE OF THE U. s..
AS A WHOLE.

NEW YORK, Nov. 16-City dwell
ers are not finding the comfort OF
lower prices in increased receipts of
iood stuffs. Never has there been
such volume of farm products pour
cd into this city. The staples are
coming in by the train load; smaller
crops and other products in carload
after carload. The freight terminal
facilities OF the trunk lines are over
taxed by the tremendous influx OF
catables. Yet prices for city con-
sumers are going higher and yet high
er. The reason? It's easy. The
great shipments OF farm products
never come into the local market at
all New York. these days. is just
way station on the route to Europe.
The food supplies are being shipped
there to feed the armies of the Allies
and New Workers in this year of
agricultural plenty. are paying war
prices for their food supplies. True,
there are profits Tor some, big pro-
fits. but indirect taxation Upon all.
Nor is this the only economic ef
feet OF the war. Wages in the in
dustries engaged in supplying the
Allies are steadily going up and the
hours OF labor are being cut down.
while in other industries there is more
o. less stagnation. SO prosperity is
unbalanced. and leaders in industry
are beginning to look forward to the
reckoning that will come after this
intoxication OF war orders The
morning after will find enlarged
and expensive plants idle and over
stocked with high-paid labor and the
adjustment to conditions OF normal
trade will be painful alike to capital
and to labor. While Wall Street is
deliriously skyrocketing munitions
stocks, war brides" as they are
called, the more conservative are be-
ginning to look out for the falling
o. the sticks.
And those who permit themselves
to see ahead are beginning to think
seriously OF the warning given by
George w Perkins as TO the neces-
sity OF this country to be prepared,
when the war ends, to meet the com
petition OF the flood Of foreign made
goods that will pour into our markets
when the soldiers get back to their
mills and shops.
The solution, obviously. is tariff
based on the actual needs of each in
dusty. as Mr.. Perkins shows. But
how in the name OF commonsense are
we to get such tariff under our
present system OF Congressional
log-rolling. Hence the increasing
demand that the tariff be taken out
OF politics and that its adjustment to
real needs be vested in non-partisan
tariff commission. a permanent body
OF experts, always on the job and
ready to deal with each trade emer-
gency as ii arises.
And peace may not be so far off
II is asserted with great confidence
that terms nave been formulated and
will be communicated to President
Wilson and to King Alfonzo-terms
on which Germany would be willing
10 open negotiations. 1t used to be
the defeated nation that sued for
peace, while the victors proudly bore
on, feigning to be unwilling to stop
the murderous business OF fighting
But why. indeed should not the
victors be big enough to make the
first offer OF terms? Why should not
Germany, proved valiant at arms, be
brave enough to risk Inc jeers OF her
foes and to propose peace?
However sucn proposition may
b. misinterpreted, however Great
Britain may feign that it is her dear
est wish to fight on and on. there is
no doubt that her sanest leaders have
their ears to the ground listening
eagerly for this rumored proposition
from Berlin This is realized in
financial circles here. where the real
extent of the failure OF the Anglo
French loan is we'll known. The out
ward and visible sign OF this failure
is the fact that sterling exchange is
lower than it has been for over a
month.
1t is curious. by the way, how the
phrases run in the reports OF the
stock exchange In view of better
strategic conditions" the market is
up. Conditions being less favor
able" quotations are down. 1t does
not seem to occur TO the writers to
designate for which OF the belliger-
ents conditions are better or less
favorable The fact is that Wall
Street looks on European conditions
I 1