Pierre weekly free press. (Pierre, S.D.) 1889-19??, 1917-06-28
UNION LABOR AND
THE FOOD LAW.

UNION LABOR AND
THE FOOD LAW
Assailing the governmental second
food measure designed to cut down
the high cost of living. Senator Sher-
man Of illinois attacked union labor
for advocating such a bill and declar-
clared that it was aimed especially at
the farmer who STUDS to lose mil
mons OF dollars this ,ear il the bill
goes through. He che.ges that .sthe
senate and house will pass anything
that any labor union endorsed and
endeavors to thrust upon them, right
lor wrong. Organized labor controls
legislation in this administration and
lthe last 1t dictates to senators.
while the farmers are nnorganized &
The charge that union labor Is con-
trolling legislation in this admits.
tration is 80 absurd that q reply u
hardly necessary. But it shows how
ridiculous men who are supposed to
possess intelligence little greater
than the average person can make
themselves, one question is sufficient:
why, if union labor dictated to con.
gress, should it wait until now to de-
mand legislation to combat the con-
stantiy soaring costs instead OF
months ago when the pinch was first
feltp" Union labor Is not trying to
establish dictatorship in America.
All it seeks is fair play. Organized
labor realizes that to fight the specu-
lator, it must have the backing Of
the government if results are to come
quickly. Union men also realize
that to protect their Interests they
must make their strength felt in.
Washington 1t makes no difference
whether the laborer or the farmer
demanded food regulation, Aserious
situation exists IN fact It mast be
met by stern laws. Union men in
demanding higher wages were not
seeking to ger control of all the
money in the country, but merely to
be able to maintain their standards
of living. 1t is unfair, therefore, to
demand action when the cost Of nec-
essaries OF life continue to soar when
wages have reached mere maximum.
1t the salary aud income Of the emf
nent Illinois senator we're insufficient
to maintain his standard of living,
we wonder how long it would take
him to ask the citizens Of the country
to provide the deficit. From the Illi-
nois senator's point Of view it is all
wrong to demand the opportunity to
live right.
Organized labor also resents the
charge that 1t is backing legislation
that will be detrimental to the far
mers, who, as Senator Sherman says.
are unorganized. Reasonable prices
for foodstnffs, as they reach the con-
snmer, will have little effect on the
prices paid to farmers for their prod
ucts. 1t is a we'll known fact that the
farmers today are not receiving the
prices for their products that the
consumer in thu city is forced to pay.
1t is the plan Of the government to
prevent, as far as possible, unneces--
sary handling of foodstnffs, which
will mean that the speculator will
necessarily be eliminated. The far
mer OF America is patriotic and does
not seek to take advantage of the
present situation to make 3 forum g .s
Like the laboring man sll he asks is
fair play. Elimination of the specn-
lator will not ipjure the farmer, it
will benefit him.
No one has heard a farmer or far
mers organization say aught against
the proposed government control Of
food prices and the distribution Of
foods They will not be affected ex-
.cept benelicially. tits the food gam
blers who are being heard from.
Some Of those fellows ID congress
who are opposing the bill think they
are pulling great political stunt.
Senator Kenyon. from the great agri-
cultural state Of Iowa, knows tho
farmers Of Iowa are not opposed to
the proposed legislation, knows the \
proposed legislation ID move III the
right direction and has put lais
shoulder to the wheel though II II 3
demo ocratic aadministrat alton bill and
he liz 9 Tepub lican.
N Il s,.a q a y II II !, - i !. IS e - 81