The sun., 1916-11-21

In the mornings mail II n letter
from II reader who asks for our ideas
on the subject of lay ing an embargo
On foodstnr>. He says:
Personally. I cannot see why an EN-.
barge should not . be put oi certain
things for instance. wheat. potatoes and
meat. The great cry has been in all the
newspapers. America First but It seems
TO me /; IL getting to be America Last
in this particular
Some days ago President WILSON
declared that liz wished every problem
OF government. foreign relations. for
example. as simple ns The ngri-
cultural problem. He suid:
in the future We have got 10 bring
more Of the area OF the United states
under cultivation than IL under cultiva-
ton now. We have got to Increase the
product at every point where II IL sus-
cep,lble of being Increased"
Again. .JosrPH iIARTIGAN. Commits
sluner Of Weighs and Measures in
this city. who has Just returned from
II countrywide study Of markers and
food prices. i quoted rs saying:
The American farmer and producer
liz on the offensive. lie has turned the
tables on the gamblers and spectators.
lie can choose his markets
and name his price. In the
urban communities the wage earners. the
saiaried people, are urging an embargo
on meats and foodstuffs In the country
distri is the farmer is talking and think
ing embargo on leather. lumber. steel.
farming implements, fertilizer. horses.
mules and clothes
The trouble with an embargo IL tbat
II brings abou, 50 many other conse-
auencps than the mes sought. Laying
an embargo To lower prices is II good
deal like blowing w a building IN the
heart Of n city To clear the site on
which II stands.
There Is very little doubt that an
embargo on wheat would send prices
toppllng, but what about the effect on
the raisers of wheat and their deepen.
dents, Of whom there are millions in
this country: An embargo on steel
might help the farmer. but what would
become of The thousands Of workers
employed In the steel industry. not to
speak Of those less directly lependen,
on steel earnings:
If an embargo is laid on ~foodstuffs
10 alleviate the lot 81 the wage Garner
what excuse can be given for not fot-
bidding the export If the things the
farmer needs. the supplies Of which
are growing smaller ana the prices for
which are growing higher? Aud II all
the embargoes desired by all the dlf-
ferent citizens Of this country were
laid we should have no export trade
at all: freight rates would collapse.
shipynrds would have to shut down.
factories would close their doors. after
supplying the home demand. and the
whole fabric OF American industry
would he destroyed at n blow.
The cost OF living Is the most vital
problem In the lives Of II majority Of
u people to-day. but 1t is also the
most obscure in Its causes and the
most difficult of solution, THr SrN
does not pretend to know how 1t can
he solved. No one knows.
We may talk about increasing our
farm production. but the farmer Ia
not going to double his crops II he
thinks there il danger Of prices drop.
ping to half. The farmer grumbles at
the increased costs Of fertilizers,
ploughs, horses AMI clothes. hut he
gets war prices for his grain. The
steel worker grumbles at the cost OF
food, but the war that makes food
high is giving him steady employment
at higher wages than ever. The sui.
ferer who has no compensation IL the
salnried man In the city Office. but his
income IL more stable than the farm.
er's and his employment IL steadier
than the steel makers, He has the
best Of II In such years ns 1913.
When Congress meets II IL likely
thar several agencies NJ the Govern.
m"nt will T set to work on this deli.
cate problem Of living costs. There
viii br rash proposals. Of which en-
burgess may be one; there will be 'in.
vcSllgat!ons' ana much pussyfoctinx
around. Something worth while may