The daily Nome industrial worker., 1917-04-09
HIGH COSTS.

ly one of the most impressive lm- ! mediate results of the declaration of war against Germany by the | United States, will be the intensifi- l cation of the higher costs of living. 1 They will still more highly aviate.
 While President Wilson's message | 10 Congress in advising "co-opera- tion in council and action with the l Entente Powers, indicates that he had a view the sending of troops to i Europe. it is as yet a by no means settled matter. So the main hrst result ot this declaration of war will | be the protection oi shipping in the Atlantic lanes so that the | boat attacks may be reduced to minl- l mum
 The only thing that that has kept soaring costs within the vision ot our strained eyes has been the diftl- cuIty in moving supplies to Europe. The divers have had the result of reducing tonnage anG compelling
  only for tremendous profits. This resulted ill stocks being congested, held back, and perishables being disposed Of The price kept within reasonable bounds as far as might be on this account.
 Accordingly when the American navy is used to protect shipping and affords the steamers more or less immunity from attack, supplies will leave the United States more freely to Europe and the supply here will diminish accordingly. When the supply diminishes in re- lation to the demand the price in cends: that is an inyariable rule.
 Another thing that ought to make people feel good is the fact that money is to be loaned the Entente Allies. That money will come back here and will buy the supplies which are needed, but upon which threatened credit had been reluctant to spend a diminishing gold supply! This will in turn place these millions in competition with the purchasing uower of the American consuming folk. and the result will be that be tween them, the one prepared to pay the highest price gets the food, the clothing and the other needs.
 All these things are inevitable and there are only two ways where by such a condition can be pre- vented doing a hardship to the poor er masses who in this war as in peace will be the goats. That these two ways will present themselves to the consideration of the law givers may he or may be not cor rect
 The worker buys his grub from his wages When the grub goes up, his wages must also go up or he goes without. So when prices be- gin soaring out of sight the oni! way that the worker can overtake them is by his wages being in creased in exact proportion. That has never yet been done. What has been done is that the wags went up a little while prices of other conmo- dities than labor, went up whole lot. Besides. it is not likely that wages will be regulated by Con gress. because when wages are set up by artificial schedules. the prices immediately rise to meet that increase and the result is that We get mo forrader"
 The other way of overcoming the difficulty is by the government tax ing charge Of the food and clothing question completely and seeing that everyone in the country has enough to eat. The propriety of seeing the American people ted themselves before those of other na- tions from the supplies produced in America by American residents would seem to suggest itself feadi- lv enough and doubtless would be agreed to as just the thing were il not for the fact, that few of the good people of America have been, are and will continue making pro fits from the procedure of selling what Americans need to other na- tions which also need. " f'
 It is a much more easily permitt- ed condition that many should go short than that any business should have it's profits curtaiied. At least it would appear so from the general anxiety to say nothing and