The mirror., 1916-10-19

the nOur DAY to railroad men.
Putting aside the question of
| whether or not the enactment of this
piece of Legislation was political
measure. one cannot help but feel that
it is a reflection of the views held by
great majority of working people.
If the adult spends 33 percent of
his lifetime in sleep, another 33 per
cent in work, there remains but "a per-
cent or eight hours per dav. Deduct
ing time for eating aud the prerara-
tion for work, there remains a possible
four and one-balf hours for entertain
ment, family duties, self-inslruction.
Surely man was intended by his Max
er to enjoy the delights of home and
the beauties of living things planted
here for his pleasure, for at least few
hours daily.
The adoption of a universal g.
hour day as maximum, has been
proved successful in other countries,
why not here? OF course there is al
ways oprosition to any proposal affect
ing society at large; but no one will
deny the justice of men In demanding
at least sufficient time to become ac-
quainted with their own families be.
fore sending them out to fight their
own battles.
The high cost of living" problem
grows more acute every day. APP
parently the national prosperity we
are led to believe we are enjoying at
present, is the sort of prosperity that
benefits the affiuent minority rather
than the hard.up majority.
A few days ago Chicago bakers
decided to increase the cost of five.
cent loaf of bread to six cents. This
announcement was followed by the
dlctum of Denver bakers that from
October 2nd all prices of bakery goods
will be fifty per cent higher than here
tOfOre. When will the upward trend
of prices of food necessities stop? We
cry at the undemocratic practices of
some foreign countries in regulating
the selling price of food necessities to
the people. Apparently their expert
ence of many centuries of government
has taught them that the powerful
minority will reduce the powerless
majority to the verge of economic revO.
luton unless checked bv govern
mental reeulauons 1t looks as though
We are about to discover that demo
cratic America faces the same prob
lem of economic reAijus,ment.
While the skilled working mans
wages have increased to some extent
owing to the benefits of organization.
how about the larger class of working
people who are between the opposing
elements of controlling wealth and or.
ganlzed labor? What of the clerks.
professional people and small trades
men, who form the great middle class
in America? They are the buffer be-
tween the two great opposing forces,
capital and organized labor. When
capital increases the price of COM
modify. or organized labor increases
the price of It's labor. the buffer has to
absorb the added cost of the product.
Sooner or later every civilized
country has had to some extent at least.
to regulate the prices of raw products
essential to life. Then. and only then,
the element that grows over wealthy
through it's ability to corner" and
control the raw materials will lose it's
incentive to speculate--with the re-
snlt that the law of supply and demand
will once more be in control.
The big nations of Europe had
hardly entered a state of war when
each Immediately stopped the busi-
ness of speculation IN grain and all
food necessities. AS result the pric
es of most edibles. though much higher
than In normal times, are only 80 in
proportion to supply and demand.
Present high prices are be cause of ac.
tual shortage of supply-not by manip-