The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-12-24
EVERYBODY WANTS HIS.
All Sorts of Work Costs Dear in These
Trouhlous DAYS

It is long way from the European
| battlefield to an Oregon huckleberry
patch. \ prominent magazine several
weeks ago ingenuously illustrated that
| fact III an anecdote. 1t concerned an
| Indian who had year after year ped
/ died huckleberries in Oregon at fixed
| price q bucket. This year, 50 the story
ran. the price was up.
| Are huckleherries scarcer this year
than last? Does il require any more
work TO pick them? DO YOU have to
90 further for them?' and similar
| questions We're asked of the Indian by
an interested housewife
No.
''T'hen why do You charge more? :
she inquired.
" Huh. Damn bic war in Europe, =
was the Indian 5 reply.
We all laughed over the story. But
why did we laugh?
The price OF shave is now about
to 20 to 90 cents. It takes no more
time for the barber to shave a man
than it did year ago. Every man
may be bristling with righteous indig-
nation over Prussian ruthlessnesS, but
his bristling does not dull the razor
Rents have not vet gone up. Soap is
still firm.
The carpenter can saw board ii
two inst as quick as he ever could
It requires no more labor to drive :
nail than if ever did. The shinvar(
employe can riyet steel plate with
out more than the accustomed exer
ton, and the motorman finds il NJ
more difficult to grind the controlle
pV k. l.,
). quo ante.
! Tie grocer, the butcher. the milk
: man, the shoe merchant and the cloth
. Ter have Just rendered their month";,
: accounts. 1t is q touchv subject.
grows touchier every month. 1t IS on
~ short while ago that we were re
: ioicing that the farmer was gettin
: such high prices for his wheat and cat
: tie and sheep. 1t was all right INIT
the increase was handed down to tn
ultimate consumer. The ultimate col
sumcr was not working any harde
y than he had Observation-Disclosures wer
= Just as plentiful But he had to hav
II more money with which to buy fou
: and meat, and shoe leather and mil
=" for the babies.
:. 1t spread into every branch Of indu
j try. Even the farm laborcr now
gcttin" more, although he handles til
y plow and the binder with the san
:. facility As OF wore. The circle has q
> back to the farm in the shape of hig
wages and higher cost of everythin
the farmer uses. There is on long,
= much money in s. wheat
>" To what heights Of living cost v
would rise were it not for food Co
Ut troll nobody can say. Probably huckl
'i berries would sell by the dozen al
- every man would require the compar
u Of bank messenger when he visitt
ne the barber.
"a Few persons would work for none
n il il were not for the things they nee
IT. or want that money will buy. We ca
~ not consistently measure the wage IA
on the old standards. / is not a que
u tlon Of what a man once did for IL
n lar, but one OF the purchasing power
Id the dollar. When that is upset the &c
monte system Is upset. Let u fond
hope that the new basis has now ber
reached and that each employment W
Soon get its Just dues without reeour
h. to disorder. There is work to he don
no There are armies 10 maintain and m
at nltions. The nation is spending b
n lions for war. and meanwhile it mu
al. keep itself in productive trim. Y
ve cannot do that on starvation wae,
he There is 4 damn big war in Europe
ms -Oregon;an.