The sun., 1918-11-23
PEACE AND PRICES.
An Economic Parable.

To THE EDITOR OF THE SUN--Sir: Once
upon a time there was fertile island
called Usona. Its people had their
farms and flour mills. their spinning
wheels and looms. flocks, woods, gold,
silver copper and iron and everything
needful for their comfort and happiness.
One day an argosy laden with gold cast
anchor In the bay. The sailors came
ashore and bought half the grain and
raiment of the island and slaughtered
many OF the cattle and fowls, for which
they paid double price. Those who had
sold, now being rich, bought linen from
the women at the spinning wheels, cloth
from the weavers, boots from the
cobblers, giving much gold. The argo-
nauts too wanted these things and paid
twice over what the rich had paid, They
bought more and more the while plant
ing no corn. digging no copper, raising
no herds, but consuming all that for
which they paid.
They were all -ich and prosperous,
and all the time they were rolling in
wealth they did not notice that their
food was dwlndling, their raiment wear
ing out, their roofs getting leaky, their
herds growing smaller. Presently they
found that the only way TO get enough
to eat and to keep warm and to keep
out tho rain was TO pay out more
and more gold, and business got better
and better, flourishlng as never before.
Finally no ono would sell because he
had nothing to spare but gold, so the
man who had more OF the gold than the
rest paid fabulous sums TO obtain food
and clothing for himself and family.
Soon many of the Islanders we2e in dis
tress True, they were rich" beyond
their fondest dreams. but their riches
were worth little.
One day sail hove In sight and the
islanders could discern at the prov the
name Peace" At once some of the
shrewd ones who had some food and
wool and leather left began to sell what
they had boarded for themselves and
wives and children because. quoth they.
with all this gold We can buy twice as
much from yon traders, we can go
hungry and SILVER for a few hours.
Presently the traders cast anchor. much
to the Joy of the people.
What have you to SELF" shouted the
Islanders
I'VE have come to buy" came back
the answer. I'VE want food and raj
ment and will give you much gold"
But. captain bold, a:e there no other
ships to Gomez"
I'VE passed many OF them, some
loaded with food and warm clothes. but
they did not need to come SO far as your
| beautiful isle OF Usona. Some stopped
at Inglaterra. some at Erin, some at
Scotia, others at Borussia. or Allemania,
| and at the boot shaped land. In all of
which there is even greater need than
here. Why should they come thousand
, leagues when fortune lies SO near?"
I'VE will pay them more, we'll take
the surplus"
The others will pay what you will,
there is no surplus. Abide your souls
in patience. It will be years before
your halcyon days return, the days when
money was scarce and wealth was plen-
| tiful, when few had money to throw
around but all had enough to eat and
keep warm. Do not mistake money for
wealth. You cannot eat it. you cannot
wear ii, you cannot make shelter out OF
| it, It will not carry you about"
So both the islanders and the traders
were IN dire want and n few who had
kept their food and wool and cattle and
| fowls but had no gold were the -ich OF
the isle though not a farthng in the
purse. They could get all the money
they wanted at any time by parting with
share of their possessions.
CHARLES VEIN
New York, November %.