Norwich bulletin., 1917-06-15
Labor to Wage War
 on High Prices
DIRECTED BY SAMUEL GOMPERS,
 PRESIDENT A. F. OF L.
FOR QUICK ACTION
Calls Upon All Organized Bodies to Communicate With President Wilson and Their Respective Senators and Congressmen.

Washington, June 14. - Organized labor was called upon formally by the American Federation of Labor today to get behind the campaign for enact ment of the administration legislation by July l. All unions were urged in letter by President Gompers to press their congressman for prompt action. MT. Gompers said:
 Since the war wages have not kept pace with the increasing cost of liv- ing, they have remained practically stationary while prices have mOrt than doubled. The only practical way 10 increase the spending incomes of all is to decrease the cost of living.
 Danger of Hunger.
 "A grave danger confronts the ger, which unless our government takes immediate and effective action to prevent will portend greater injury than the threat of the foreign foe.
 Abnormal conditions eXist-the or dinary checks of competition have disappeared Food speculators are gambling on the peoples necessities. We must devise new machinery to meet tremendous vital needs. We will have to establish economic agencies to control food so that the people may be insured subsistence. The problem strikes at the very roots of life.
 This is a problem that has strong appeal to the whole nation. Legisla- tion cannot be accomplished without persistent, intellisently directly efforts of all
 To Protect the People.
 "The proposed legislation does not set up a food dictatorship. It does not purpose to ration the people, but attempts to protect the people against seculation by rational practical means.
 Tn order to secure the fullest bene- fits from the Lever bill it must be made law before July l. Every work ker who wishes lower prices of the necessities of life can be helpful in securing the immediate enactment of the Lever bill. The following sugges- tions are made to those who wish to help:
 Communicate With congressmen.
 Let every trade union, every cen tral body, every state fedora tion of labor, every international organization take official action upon this matter and communicate that to your reSpec- tive conSressmen in the house of rep resentatives, your senators and to the president of the United States.
 Tn addition to this formal official action let every individual member of the organized labor movement write a personal letter CT send some com munication to his or her representa- tive and senator Ask your friends to take similar action, ask all organ ized bodies within your locality to ex- press to their representative at the national capital their desire for the lIlHleulaIe passage or ie2lSIatlOn that will reduce the cost of the necessities of life. Present the matter to your local government-c council, town administrators or whatever the agen- cy may be called.
 Need of Immediate Action.
 The need of immediate. effective | action is demonstrated by the fact l that the worlds grain crop is serious l ly below normal. The wheat crop in l this country is even smaller than that | of last year, and we are confronted | with the gigantic task of feeding our | allies and maintaining our own army and civilian population.
 Hungry Men Cannot Fight
 ''The war cannot be fought by hun gry men, The work necessary ct maintain the continuity of this nat on cannot be done by starving peOl Ie Food administration is effective, as IS demonstrated by the fact that bread 1 Italy than it is in this country and this even when we ship the grain to Belgium from which their lower priced i bread is made.
 You are urged to act immediately to make known your need and your desires to those who are charged with the responsibility of creating agen- cies by which sufficient food will be assured to this nation and to those fighting the worlds war for human freedom.
 Favors the Lever Bill.
 Press home upon all the necessity that the Lever bill should be on the 1 statute books beforeJuly1."
 The food control bill was attacked n the senate today by Senator Reed, who declared it would confer arbi- rary and despotic power on Mir. Hoo- Ter, disturb business and hamper. { commerce. The bill will be taken up gain in the house Monday.