The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-03-03
PAYING FOR THE WAR
BY, Scott Nearing.

Europe must pay for this war;" is
a sentiment as frequently met with as
1t Is uninte1ligcnt. Europe will help
to pay for the war, of course, but the
burden vii rest very heavily upon the
people of the United States.
The American people are telling
themselves that they are prosperous
because wages are high and work is
steady. AS matter of fact. there has
not been a time in years when the av-
erage American has been compelled
to work as hard for the simple neces-
saries of life as during this present
winter.
Some Americans are prosperous
The real estate owners, the bankers,
the merchants, and the manufacturers
are making money land over fist
They have something to sell, prices
ar, high, and they reap their reward
Unfortunately. for the country, the
property owners and industrial lead
ers are in the minority. The great
majority Of people - the country are
wage-earners and clerks-the bulk of
that vast body of workers "who make
the mistake of having the demand in
stead of the supply" For them the
present situation is full of peril.
The latest monthly review of the
United States Bureau of Labor sta
tistics reports upon the advance in
food prices from November Is. 1915,
to November Is, 1916. OF the twenty
seven articles listed all but two-cof-
fee and tea-have advanced in price.
The greatest increase is shown by po-
tatoes which have more than doubled
The next most rapid increase is shown
by beans which are three-fourths
again as high as they were a year
ago. The prices of most meats have
r.s,n greatly and therc has been a
considerable advance in the price of
cereals. The increase in the price of
all articles combined is about 25 per
cent.
There is no way in which the food
bill Of the United States may be COM
puted accurately, but roughly the 20
million families in the country proba-
b. spend on an average So a week for
food. The increase of rs per cent in
the cost of food would therefore add
81 a week per family; 40 million dol
lars a week for all of the families,
or two billions a year to the food bill
Of the people of the United States.
There is no way to compute the
added cost to the people of this coun-
try of rent, fuel, clothing and the like.
The point can be made, however,
with the food item alone. The total
European war debt to date is about
SO billions, which will carry an inter-
est charge of little ever billions a
year. The increase in the food bill
of the American people during 1916,
If continued for one year, amounts to
like amount. In other words, the
increase in food costs, paid by the
American people this last year is equal
to the total interest charge upon the
European war debt.
But" you say, the war is still
going on"
True, and the prices of foods are
still going up. The American people
are under another disadvantage The
European war debt must be carried
by a population of about 400 millions.
The increase in food costs of the
United States, an amount equal to the
interest on the European war debt,
must be carried by 100 millions of
people,
IT it is true that Europe must pay
for this war;" what are we paying for
here in Americao