The Brunswick news., 1916-12-07
The Problem of High Living.

NhiiStidH ethlcs, was lne standard III
mans dealings with man, the world
would see conditions Il has never
t q Ees med Of AA4foreover, 6tabrigtf wOufd
most likely blow his trumpet in q
hurry. and the millennium would
come down upon us with a rush. Mar
cannot now expect to have his prob
lens solved on the grounds Of ethics
cannot expect absolute unselfishness
Therefore. we have divers food in
vestigations, inflated costs, and such
| Consider, for instance, the food
shortage now existing in New York.
Investigations have proved one rea-
son, and a very potent reason for the
high price Of egbs, for example is due
to the speculative middle men. Just
suppose the men who handled the
eggs and other food products, would
be content to make a reasonable and
just profit; would never try to get
anything more than a just income
from their undertakings, and after
getting a just return upon his own in
vestment, be willing to let that other
fellow have show. The food prob
lem would straightway begin to be
solved. Quite true there is shortage
OF original supply in many instances.
But the fact of the shortage, in itself
and by itself, does not tell the whole
story. The men who handle the prod
ucts are trying to get all they can out
Of their transactions. The ultimate
consumer must look out for himself.
That's what the other fellow is do
ing.
In view of the fact that ethics and
economies, ethics and merchandising
are not always one and the same, it
behooves the average man, the CON
sumner. to study carefully conditions
which confront him and seek some
equitable solution. We must have GER
tain laws. They will always be neces-
sary. Only in an ideal nation in
which every citizen is an ideal citizen
such a nation as well never exist
| would protective laws be unnecessary.
AS long as men are men, such as
/ they are now, there must be laws for
protection laws to prevent much
manipulation and speculation, and
sundry other laws. But laws too fall
short of the mark. Ethics will not
solve the problems, and neither will
laws. The ultimate consumer finds
himself up against it" again
There is yet field open to him,
however. That field is he practice
of thrift, frugality, economy. common
sense or whatever you ch >ose to
style it, II the average household
were conducted along scientific lines
if the average person would practice
frugality wherever possible and com
patible with principle and selfrespect
many a high cost problem would dis
appear. The American People are
wastefuL Our land has been one oi
wealth and today is extremely veal
thy. The standards OF living go ur
continually, and so do the prices OF
the things upon which we live.
II would be difficult to find home
where there : not some waste. Foi
those who can afford to waste, there
is nothing serious to come of this fact
But many a waster cannot afford 1t
We have all heard time and again
the statement that the average
French family could live well off OF
what the average American family
wastes. That means that the French
know the value of food, know how tt
produce the maximum results from
minimum supplies. II means, too
that they are careful in their market
ing. They have plenty to eat, but no
too much. The same frugality applied
to American homes would result in {
reduction in tho cost of living. 1
would also result in more efficiency
for Americans are apt to eat to'
much and, what is worse, to eat foo'
not we'll selected for particular sea
son, or not adapted to the particula
needs of the eater,
The telephone as a medium for pui