Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-03-16
New York. March ie

u
I Indications oi' the end. ON the contra
/ ~. they promise 10 ron inue some
months longer at least. and the more
calmly and cOurageously they are ae'
eepted. the better aud the quicker
their settlement. Worldwide upheava'
is AT work here as elsewhere; and i'm.
rortant establishments. international
and domestic, must be anticipated be
fore normal stability is restored. The
war, Of course. is the first object oi
anxiety President Wilson is steadfast.
ly pursuing a conservative course M
the hope of avoiding conflict with Ger
many At the same time he is deter
mined to protect American rights n;
sea, though still undecided whether he
will arm or convoy American merchant
vessels. Meanwhile the government is
taking advantage Of the delay to pre-
pare for eventualities. The disgracctul
/ episode in the senate ut the close Gl
congress had one excellent result; IT
1 demonstrated that the country was
overwhelmingly behind the president
and il also exposed the sources of dis
affection. For several days there has
been a comparative absence of irritat
ing eveuts, especially as the submarine
campaign proved not as serious as
threatened. In consequence there has
been a partial subsistence of the war
like feeling so pronounced at the close
of last month. Growing strength OF the
allies and declining resistance among
the central powers also encourages
hopes of an carly end of the war. II
would not be prudent, however, TO IN
ldulge such expectations too freely; the
German fighting spirit being far from
Exhausted, even if resources are i'm
haired A sense of relief is felt at the
adjournment of congress. With public
feeling i'm such an intlammatory state
rs now exists, open discussion or IN
Iternati0nal relations seems highly un
desirable and dangerous. In such
situation the country is in better hands
than of congress, so long as only the
latter body can declare war. Unfortu
Inately large amount of necessary leg
slation was left undone, and an extra
session viii doubtless be necessary tC
tide over affairs between now ano
next December.
A great deal of discussion is current
especially among the politicians, con
icerning high prices and the high cost
Iof living. circumstances considered
this agitation is both natural and prop
err. Unhappily the issue is befogged as
Iusual with misinformation and preju
dice The condition must be admitted
Ibut the remedies offered are contus
ling and impractical. All sorts of pa
ternalistic nostrums are projected
many of them of highly sociaistl'
mature These include government prlc'
fixing, and government ownership o
control in some form or another. I'M
socialistic tendency has received tire
mendous push from the wide extension
of government activities in Europe IN
cited bv war necessities. Great Brltall
for instance. the home of industrla
freedom, assumed control of shipping
railroads, distribution of wheat, sugar
cotton. wool, rubber, copper, coal an
many other necessities. These move
menfs were distinctly socialistic, an
there has been considerable fear 0
their continuance after the war; pu
whine justified as solely war measur
they are working unsatisfactory an
proving that the government does no
equal private enterprise IN either EN-
cheney or economy, Following foreig
EXAMPLES, our government is making
MANY ventures into the same field; an
should we be drawn into war, gov
ernment control, if not ownership, WI
certainly be exercised upon niue
/ Larger scale than now. Thus far non
1 of the foreign governments, not eve
| The British, has succeeded in prevent
ing high prices by these means; an
/ in spifc of strenuous, even harsh pre-
yentive methods, food prices and a
other commodity prices have scared
1 extraordinary heights, The failures 0
I foreion Governments in this respec
I should provide a much need lesson !
economics, for they prove to the M
that prices are sill governed by IN
unaltcrablc law of supply and demah'
and more, that the most powerful GOV
crnments in the world are unable I
nreyeut. though they may modify, It
ancration for the time being only. In
real cause for high prices, whether
food or other products is war; 0pil.
twelve million men have turned tnei
energies from production TO des'ru'
tion, and many millions more are en
ploved in making destructive nun
tions instead OF tilling the son d"
providing the ordinary neeessltlts
Efe The resultant scarcity OF laoO
iora commodities inevitably forces hlS
or wares and higher prices III ever
direction In some instances TINS Scar'
fv has been intensified by short crol
nv arrangement of transportation, D
sIcrnlafion and by the huge was'
ITbich war induces, No genuine rene
CON he eXpectcd until the war ends, 9