Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1918-08-21
WHAT A CONGRESSMAN SEES
Sem,ceey Letter Touching the Washington Dong Per-
sonaLties Familiar to Phadephians
By J. Hampton Moore

regiment in 1917 The problem of get.
ting these md other young men back
to the American ranks is a delicate
one and requires careful negotiations.
In the case of Captain Prosper, whose
father, DIR. John A. Prosper, resides
at 2307 Frankford avenue, communica.
the American Red Cross in Switzer-
land.
MOT very cheerful news, this, but
~ George F. Miles, who built the
Florida East Coast Canal, which runs
by Colonel Ned Murphy's place down
along Bogue Sound, where "Corny"
Haggarty and a few other bright
Philadelphia lawyers disported last
winter, and which helps to drain the
Everglades where the former Mrs.
George Q. Horwtz, OF Stratford
stirred the natives by proving UP the
agricultural value of muck lands
tells us that more than 1900 carloads of
food crops were either plowed back
into the soil or abandoned by the
farmers. Cause of It? Lack of trans
portation facilities. 1t is explained
that Florida could supply fruit and
potatoes sufficient to clog the northern
markets. but. cars to carry perishable
commodities are not forthcoming and
the canals are not working. Have we
reason here for the soaring prices
of bananas, oranges and lemons?
THERE is a good deal of gossip
about the wool situation. It is
said that England is not likely to let
loose much Australian wool for Amer.
lean consumption. Manufacturing
clothiers who have been before the
war tax committee have let it be
known that there will be a decided
| increase in the retail price of clothing
| the coming autumn and that prices
will be still further advanced next
spring. We have been told that the
Slo suit of 1914 will go up to $+2 in
the spring Of 1919; that the 500 suit
of 1914 will advance to $45. and that
the $25 suit will go up to $50. There
are some very large clothing manu-
facturers in Philadelphia, including
the A. B. Kirschbaum Company
which may be able to throw additiona
light upon this subject. The prices
just quoted have no relation to tn,
custom trade: they deal with ready
made clothing exclusively. and arc
said to be made probable by reasol
Of the wool shortage, the high cost
Of labor. increased taxes and othel
war conditions. Perhaps King George
Of England is right in his determine
ton to wear out his last years clothes
as an eXemplar in economy.
A N IDEA G: the extent Of ou
"A American shipbuilding plans il
derived from an official statement re
ceived here from Charles Piez. vic'
president of the United States Ship
ping Board Emergency Fleet Corpo
ration. Including our extensive Della
ware River plants. the fleet corpora
tion. whose headquarters are now a
Philadelphia, is operating yards tina
employ approximately $4,000 mel
and women. Congress wanted t
know about the wages paid, and Mr.
Piez presents a schedule showing tn
range of wages in the Atlantic, Gul
and Great Lakes yards to be from
forty cents an hour, although that i
below the average. all the way up t,
S1.35. which is given to hammer AM
machine forgers in the blacksmith
shops. On the Pacific coast the ne
rates for certain mechanics is a littl
higher. Generally, the eighthour da.
is observed in the Government yards