The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1916-12-21

message, thereby obtaining a general
review of the relations between the
government and the country will there
fore be disappointed with President
Wilson's rather brief communication
which declares upon only three i'm
portant points of Legislation. He re-
views his recommendation for passage
Of measures TO prevent a nationwide
strike and asks for immediate proyis-
ion for the enlargement and admins
tratiye reorganization Of the Inter
state Commerce Commission "in order
that the Commission may be enabled
TO deal with the many great and var
ious duties now deVolving upon it with
a promptness and t~horoushncss which
are, with its present constitution and
means Of action practically impos-
sible." The President also recon.
mends Legislation to remove the diff
culties that exist in the nature of OBJ
staclcs to foreign trade. Besides this,
he asks for new legislation with refer
ence to Porto Rico.
That is the legislative program up
TO date, and the congress accepts it as
coming in the manner Of instruction
from the President. The members may
be expected to get busy along these
important lines.
The High Cost of Living
That prices in articles of food are
no longer governed by supply and de
mand appears to be generally accepted
by those who have looked into the
problem, surrounding the high cost Of
living. The boycott has been effectual
for brief periods in some of the large
cities. But the boycott, as a rule,
Furnishes the retail dealer, and he is
rarely to blame for the high prices he
is obliged to charge his customers.
Unquestionably "the great prosper
ity" incident to the war is responsible
for the high prices of necessities,
which are causing so much suffering
among the common people. In Wash
ington there is lots of talk about in
yestigations," and among the legisla-
tion that is gaining in favor is that
which proposes an embargo on food
stuffs. 1t is expected that the Presi-
dent will call upon congress in the
very near future for some kind of
affirmative-and possibly radical legis-
lation, with reference to the fabulous
prices now being charged for stand
ard articles of food and merchandise.
That the situation is not only becom-
ing worse every week must be clear
to everyone who is obliged to husband
their financial resources. Emphasis
of this fact is found in the National
Capital Itself where the number of rob
berries and hold-ups have been greater
during the past month than during any !
previous time In history. The Depart
ment of Justice, the Federal Trade
Commission, and other branches of
the Federal Government are reaching
out in the direction of some of the men
who have been unwarrantedly boost
ing prices; and ii is to be expected
that they will make it very hot for a
few operators who have a corner on
certain products. However, it is not
to be expected that punitive punish
ment at this time will succeed in reach
ing the underlying conditions. Amer
lea has been getting its profits from
the bodies and souls Of the European
nations. and the time has come, as
w. Service relates in his great
poem, when this country must pay
the bill" Many proposals have been
laid before congress, and an attempt is
being made in many directions to get