Mohave County miner., 1917-02-24
LET'S HAVE A REAL ONE!
THE Federal Trade Commission is about to start
investigation of the rise in food prices 1t has ask

T1HE Federal Trade Commission is about to start an
investigation of the rise in food prices 1t has asked
4 for appropriation of 100000 for that purpose
proposes to cover every side of the food situation.
Good Let hope at last we going to have real
investigation The country has confidence in the Federal
Trade Commission Now let's have the facts. Let's go
to the bottom-to the fundamentals really learn all
that can be learned about the subject.
The problem is legal and economic. The question of
whether there combinations restraint of trade must
be decided That has heretofore attracted the main aen
ton. Now it's time to go into the economic part
and go into it thoroughly Are the people being compelled
to pay too much for what they buy Nobody can answer
that until he say with reasonable approximation what
it costs to produce those things.
In fields the trade commission will find plenty of
data The packers for instance tell it exactly what it
costs them turn out their products Government aten-
ton has encouraged accurate cost accounting in their
But these fields limited In the biggest fields of all
the work will have be done from the ground I'D There
isn't farmer in Illinois who knows what it costs him to
put his product the market today. There isn't
manufacturer in ten who has accurate idea of what it
costs him to run his business.
Let the trade commission start literally "from the
ground up Let it start with the farmer and find what
production of everything from eggs to wheat and CATTLE
means IN terms of money and labor expenditure. He
doesn't know, and nobody else knows. Then let it follow
the product to consumption. Many people assume high
prices don't start until they reach large organza
on From the economic standpoint they just liable
to start at the beginning anywhere else Prices cannot
be permanently below the cost of production under any
circumstances.
The country is in the mood for an investigation that
continued furres about high prices that get nothing
cept possibly politician into Congress some other job
or into the newspapers 1t has had its fill of halfbaked
remedies that spring from attention to only half Of
the great problem Let's have investigation that will
enable the country see it steadily and see it whole 1t
would be cheap at 100000 or 100000.
The above editorial from the Chicago Herald of recent
date expresses in most thorough fashion the sentiments
OF the American people. For than a decade they
have heard much and talked greater deal more about
increasing cost of living Numerous Investigations
to determine the Of the increases have been started
but no good has from he with the result that
the public has assumed whats the use" attitude and
given up In disgust The investigation which the Federal
Trade Commission proposes to make being delayed
through the failure of Congress provide funds with
which to defray the cost of the inquiry according to adj
vices from Washington. Like the Chicago Herald the
Mohave Daily Miner thinks that 100000 or S4OOOOOOI
spent in making an honest to goodness probe, fixing
the responsibility and providing remedy would be
good business proposition However if the investigation
only to be farce, it would be useless to spend 81 to
make it. High cost of living is one of the problems facing
the American people today and be solved sooner
or later The sooner the better But for the love of
Mike" let's solve it and quit Kidding ourselves year after
year.