davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
MISSOULA PEOPLE
CHEATING SAMMEES
Food Regulations Disobeyed,
Thompson Says.

Tylar Thompson. head of the retail
merchants section OF the food admin
istration here. announces that Mis-
soula people who refuse to use the
wheat substitutes as suggested by the
fcod administration are not doing their
rart in the war.
Merchants have been instructed to
sell one pound of substitutes to every
three pounds OF wheat.
Butter and oatmeal have advanced
slightly in price the past week accord :
ing to a price list issued by the COM
mittee OF retail merchants representing
the food administration here. Butter
has gone up five cents while cornmeal
Is off the market at present
The prices. wholesale and retail fol-
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
Northern Pacific Man
Tells of French Life

Milton Boughton, a former clerk of
the Northern Pacific in the local Of
noes, but now of the Twenty fifth En-
sineers. has written to employees of the
road here concerning his experiences
IN France. He tells them that he has
plenty of money and that on pay day
ne oVerstayed his leave at a French
town and lost his pass for a 10. day De.
Rod.
The letter Is very much marked up by
the pencil of the censor.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09

France. Or. Foster has addressed more
than 40 audiences. In Chicago re-
Gently he spoke to 5000 persons, and
at the University of Michigan at Ann
Arbor 1000 cadets listened to his mes
sage.
First Hand Story Of War.
Not only was he accorded every op-
iortunity to learn of the conditions at
the front. but the French government
granted DR.. Foster the privilege of In
Ntstieating schools for wounded who
are learning new occupation to build
UP new lives; gave him entry to works
where the army back of the line Is
supporting the men in the trenches
He was in Paris when German fly
ing force conducted an air raid, and
saw the celebration of the anniversary
OF the Battle of the Marine. Dr. Foster
returned to this country in company
with Admiral Mayo.
President Sisson will introduce DR..
Foster to tonight's audience. Before
DR.. Sisson became state commissioner
Of education of Idaho. he was profes
sor of education at Reed college and
was intimately. associated with DR..
oster. the presidents of Reed.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
Billings Man Survives
When Tuscania Is Lost

Mccormick of Billings. who COM
manded troop A, Second Montana cav
airy at the Mexican border is one OF
the survivors OF the Tuscania, accord
ing to cablegram received here to-
night by his family.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
MRS. THOMPSON LEAVES.

Ma Tylar b. Thompson of Mis-
souln. member Of the state council
Of defense. has been called to Cali
fornia by the illness of a sister. She
will probably take her sister to Ken
lucky and may be gone for month
Of two.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
u. S. Wants RailrOaders
for Service at Front

The Rocky Mountain division. of the
Northern Pacific is expected to furnish
at least Is men of the quota Of 2s2 to be
supplied by the railroad for the Amer
tcan transportation army which will be
organized for service abroad. according
10 Information received here from ].
N. Hannaford. president of he system.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
HEADS BOISE DIOCESE.

Rome. Feb. S.-Pope Benedict has
appointed Monsignor Daniel NJ. Cor.
man. president of the Episcopal col.
fege of Dubuque as head of the diocese
of Boise City, Idaho.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09

l-imit of sugar. 10 pounds to city
buyers. % pounds to rural buyers;
flour, 40 pounds to city buyers. 9S
rounds to rural buyers)
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09

Grip Follows the Snow.
LAXATIVE BROMO QUINlNE Tab
let's taken in time will prevent grip. l..
W. GROVES signature on box soc.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
Service Flag Plans.

The service flag of the county o.
Missoula which the women of the
council are planning was definitely ar
ranged for at the meeting. The flag
VIII contain about 40 stars. Reta;ive
OF the men In the service ana school
children will be given the privilege Of
sewing on the stars. The n,y Will be
made in the high school building.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
Eioise Knowles COTTAGE.

Mrs. X. W. Jameson. dean OF women
OF the university. told the council that
plans had been completed for the CO.
operative cottage to be called the
Eloise Knowles cottage. The plan is
IN haze the cottage open for girls who
can live there. paying their expenses
on n cooperative basis and thus at
tend college. Monday the committee
In charge of the plan will begin can
wasting the city for n suitable house.
Mrs. Jameson also explained that DR..
Maria Sanford, who for 81 years mas
been teaching school in the state Of
Minnesota. will be in Missoula soon
and plans Were discussed for having
her appear before the council and
speak. DR.. Sisson places Miss San
ford beside Alice Freeman Palmer in
the educational world,
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
Womsn's Voc ationaI Congress-.

Miss Ruth McHaffie. president of
the Woman's league OF the university
spoke on the vocational convention
which Is to be held at the university
March s to 9. She asked that the
women of the city cooperate and try
to attend all the meetings, which will
DO addressed by one woman only and
winch Will aim to explain women's vo-
cations
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
Food Conservation Leader
Discusses Plans With
Council.
COUNTY SERVICE FLAG
Women Complete Prepare.
ton for Miss0ula Ensign;
Work Soon.

Mrs. Clara Bush. food conservation
administrator for Missoula county. who
has just returned from conference
with Professor Alfred Atkinson. state
food administrator ut Bohemian, was
the principal speaker at the meeting
Of the Missoula Womens Council Of
Defense which met yesterday after
noon in the chamber of, commerce
building.
In part she said: I'VE have a three
fold purpose in conserving the food.
We must save for our soldiers. our
allies and ourselves. France and Eng
land have sent word that they cannot
hold out and take part In the war II
We do not send them food Immediately.
II they go out we know our own men
must 70 In.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
Junior Red Cross Drive.

The work of the Junior Red Cross
was explained in detail in line with
the drive which Is to be made in the
Mtssoula schools from Lincoln's birth
day to Washingtons birthday. TIL.
organisation is open to all children
antt-the school buildings can be mad.
auxtliaries by having each child in the
school a paying member Of the or
ganization. The dues are % cents a
year. II a school is made an auxiliary
then the Red Cross emblem can be
raised over the schoolhouse. Plans are
being made to have the school children
OF the city earn the money with which
to nay their dues.
The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-02-09
Must Save systematically.

ITO save all that we can we have
Instituted the wheatless and meatless
days and meals and are conserving on
the fats and sugars. A wheatless meal
means that only 50 per cent wheat
flour or wheat flour products can be
used. War bread or Liberty bread is
bread which Is made from so per cent
wheat flour and Victory bread is bread
which Is made with five per cent wheat
flour substitutes.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24

Nhe
percentage iE G@ mvauhly

ing excess profits and restricting spec
ulation, there can be no such thing as q
"profiteer" Whether the existing laws
are such laws or not is not yet deter
mined. But this question need not be
discussed, for if they fall short in any
particulars Congress can and certainly
will correct them. Admittedly the
preparation Of an altogether just and
effective excess profits tax law is not
the easiest matter in the world Such
law must be SO drawn that it will ac-
complsh two rcsults-frst, it must
prevent large profits, and, second, it
must stimulate rather than retard pro-
duction. If it is so drastic that the
manufacturer Of war necessities cannot
realize profits enough to keep up his
plant, and possibly also expand it, then
it retards production. On the other
hand, if it is so lax that capital en-
ployed in war industries can make alb
normal profits without taking common
suratc risks, it will be unjust and bur-
densomc to every one excepting the
owners.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
War Greatly
Affects Demand

AS an abstract proposition, any ex-
cess profits tax is unscientilic. But the
fact that war almost simultaneously
increases the demand for certain prod
ucts immensely, and that the machinery
with which to meet this demand cannot
be called into existence instantane-
ously, but can be set in motion only
after several months, possibly year
or more, OF preparation, makes such n
law necessary as a wartime measure.
II war were permanent statc-that is.
II we were certain that we ware poine
to be at war acknowledgement a tax
would be unnecessary because in the
course of reasonably short time the
natural law Of supply and demand
would bring about such rclocations of
capital and realignments of business as
would eliminate all great INEQUALITIES
IN the matter Of profits realized from
different lines. But as war is not a
permanent state, capital is not at.
tractcd to industries That arc pccessarv
only in war time. The net rcsult ia
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24

guns, aeroplanes, ships, submarines and
great variety of other similar things
that are never owned in large quanti-
ties IN time Of peace by any one. Con-
scrlptlng wealth would not create these
things Conscripting wealth would
result only in bringing the government
into possession of certain parts Of the
land, buildings, machinery, mines, for
ests, farms, jewelry, works of art.
books, automobiles, and similar other
things of little or no use whatever 10
hight with, that go to make up the
wealth of the country In word,
actual CONSUMPTION Of wealth would re-
suit in nothing much except chaos and
new and multitudinous responsibilities
for the government.
Not . per cent of the wealth of HI.
nation is in the form of real money
not III per cent is in the form OF war
necessities, and not one-fifth of this
III per cent or less is in the form 80
war necessities that could be conscrint-
ed without starvation and incalculable
suffering to people who are anvth;n.
but rich. Actual CONSUMPTION of wealth
would not result in raising cnoupb w.r
material to keep the army roinc q
month. Wealthy people do not buv
shrapnel' uniforms, machine guns. am
pulahces and kindred things for in.
Vcstment purposes in times of peace
and so they do not have such things in
their possession in time of war. Such
people invest in land, buildings. indus
'rles' railroads, banks, mines. public
utilities and like things of fxed
character, things that make up the
permanent wealth Of the country. Con.
scripting wealth would be about as
helpful in Quitting the army as con-
scr'ptlng cigar store Indians would he
IN manning the guns. But the thought
behind the suggestion is NOT TINT
wealth. should be actually conscripted
IN the sense that men arc, but rather
that IN so far as is practical tho rich
should be made to pay the largest part
Oh the money cost Of the war. And
TINS Is just. We have seen that the
rich cannot be compelled to paw INV
appreclablc part of the energy md
hardship cost, so it is proper that thew
should bear disproportionntc share
OF the money cost. This the government
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24

, reason is there basis for this argu-
ment. During the Civil War prices
were allowed to find their natural
levels. And though we had at that
time neither an excess profits tax nor
a gold-based scientific currency such
as we have to-day, no one in the North
who was able and willing to work
went hungry. Prices rose to high
figures and behaved generally in an
unaccountable way, but wages fol-
lowed closely enough to prevent hard
ship, though, of course, there was COM
plant. Sugar rose from IL to Is cents !;
eggs from Is to 25 cents, and cheese
from 8 to 10 cents.
There was no uniformity. On gold
basis the average price of all COM
modities rose about 1875 per cent. But
incidentally they were not as high
even then as they were in the year
1916, the year before we entered the
present war. The same statement ap-
plies in a general way to wages. And the
net result was that the civilians of the
North as whole came through with out
real suffering, if not without discom
fort. And with a good banking and
currency system such as we have to-
day and an excess profits tax such as
We have to-day, they doubtless would
have come through quite comfortably.
True, the Civil War was a local war,
but the principle which governs is
the same in local war as in a world
war. 1t is the principle We commonly
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
War Does Not
Change Characters

Though, of course, there are excep-
lions. The general rule upon which
business has been conducted is to sell
at the highest price obtainable and buv
at the lowest at which goods of the
right quality can be had. And, gen.
orally speaking, no one departs very
widely from this rule. The man who
has labor to sell sells it in the highest
market; even sometimes he organizes
unions for the purpose Of advancing
wages. The college professor goes to
the college that pays him most, the
minister to the church that pays him
most, while the farmer, the manu-.
facturer and the dealer all seek the
highest market for their goods. This
is the general rule. No one ouarrels
with that rule much in time of peacc
Tor the net result of its general appli-
cation in time of peace is reasonably
Just. But war dsturbs matters.
AS matter of fairness we might
remind ourselves of few other ohy;.
o"o A">'o' lie 1SCC or war does not
change mems characters. There arc
no more men who are willing to take
advantage of their neighbors TODAY
than there we're before war was do
clared.
But this is little aside f rom Tho
real point. The real point is that
even If "profitecring" were indu,cod
IN as extensively and corruptlv as the
thoughtlcss like to believe, its net re- j..
suit, with comprehensive excess
profits tax law in force, would he
merely to turn money into the public
treasury to be used in prosecuting the
war
so the "profiteer" argument fall, Of
Its own weight
Next comes the argument that in
the absence Of price fixing prices will
rise so high that workingmen cannot
Keep themselves and their families
supplied with the necessarics of life
IN neither past experience nor logical
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24

that throughout the whole war period
certain industries will enjoy unusual
opportunities for money making, and to
offset this an excess profits tax is nee
essary. And as matter of justice
such tax should be made just as dras-
tic as it needs to be to prevent abnor-
NAL profit. Nothing could be more
monstrously unjust than for a certain
few people to be making abnormal
profit when the country as whole is
running at loss and the people as Il
whole are subjected to hardship. But
for the purposes Of this discussion it
may be assumed that Congress will see
to it that the excess profits tax law
prevents any such result. For Con-
gress easily and certainly can do this.
Thus we do not admit that the
"profiteer" is an argument
Unfortunately, there is widespread
misapprehcnsion as to the extent to
which "profteerng" as we now use the
word in its popular sense is made pos
sible by the fact of war, and also as to
the extent to which it is INDUCED by
those to whom war makes it possible.
But all of this, to put it mildly, is
rather thoughtless. The facts. of
course, are that the number of business
people to whom the war brings oppor-
tunities to make exorbitant profits is
few in proportion to the whole number
engaged, and that generally speaking,
those who do make unusual profits do
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
What Low
Prices Will Do

Price -fxing," as we use the words,
means keeping prices down. Keeping
prices down does not tend to make us
work more steadily OR buy things more
sparingly. 1t has the exactly opposite
tendency. If l am rather unambitious
sort and can earn enough by working
.our days to keep myself and family
reasonably comfortable for week.
which | can easily do if prices are low.
then the chances are that I will nor
work steadily. And il men are scarce
and Jobs plenty, the chances arc that
VIII rot be overly Industrious when I
do work. Or, if / am a careless and
improvident sort, / will spend abopt
all ! make, whatever it is, and use nm
and waste all the food, clothing and
"iner necessarics and luxuries nv
money VIII buy, and the lower oricc.
are the more | will use and waste.
In short, low prIccs relieve me Of the
necessity Of working hard all Of tho
lime and at the same time make it
easy for me TO waste necessities and
indulge in luxuries. They make it pos-
sibIc for me 10 loaf and waste. They
mako me produce less and waste more.
Or II am, say, man Of average en-
crgy, ambition and judgment, low
prices, though affecting me in Lesser
degree than they do the pronouncedIy
unambitious or the particularly i'm
proyident, will nevertheless affect me
IN the same general Nay. Or, again,
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
Price Fixing Pampe the Civilian Expense Of the Fighting Man

II am producer or manufacturer
low prices. by impairing the efficiency
OF my men, tend to decrease my out
put and at the same time, by denying
me the profit out Of which l might
otherwise expand that business, pre-
vent my increasing my output. They
tend to diminish the production of my
farm, my mine or my factory
Prlce-tixing certainly does not slim
ulate production or retard consumr-
ton On the contrary, it promptly, pos
itively and extensively retards produc-
ton and stimulates consumption. This
is in accordance with the natural law
of prices, the law of supply and de-
mand. High prices stimulate produc-
ton. Low prices retard it.
Price-fxing, then, because it retards
production instead of stimulating it,
and stimulates consumption instead of
rctarding it, becomes a serious draw
back rather than an aid in winning the
war. 1t not only fails to accomplish
the vital thing we now demand of every
new law and every new activity, but
it actually does the opposite. Witness
on the one hand the falling off in coal
production which followed the fixing
of coal prices last fall and the decrease
in steel production which followed the
coal shortage in December, and is still
continuing, and on the other the large
volume of non-esser'tials being sold in
every part of the country. SO it fails
to stand the test. 1t will not shorten
the war; rather it will lengthen it. 1t
will not save lives. Rather it will cost
them.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
Stay-at Home
Not the Issue

Does price-fxing help us to do this ?
Let us remember that we arc not ask
ing whether price fixing makes it easy
Tor the stay-at-home. That is a matter
of secondary Importance. The stay-at-
home is going to come through with a
whole skin, whatever happens; he is
going to get enough to eat and enough
10 wear to keep sound and we'll, what
ever happens. The question is, Does it
help us to muster, outfit, transport and
maintain this kind OF army, Does it
lessen the toll and risk Of the man who
goes out to fight?
II the answer to this question is yes
then it is good policy; but if no,
a bad one. That is about all there
IS to it.
As price-fixing affects the selection
Of the men who are to do the fight
ing only in the most indirect way, this
answer is to be looked for in it's effect
upon the country's ability to provide
The things the fighter needs in the
quantities in which he needs them.
The governments vaults may reek
with money, its balances in the banks
may represent enough money to ran
som fifty million kings, but it can
buy what doesn't exist 1t can't buy
the things it needs at ali until we the
people, the s'tay-at-horne people, pro-
duce them, and it can't do it then I'M
less We save as we'll as produce. Ordi-
narly, we ourselves consume about all
We produce about as fast as we pro-
duce it; that is, We either actually eat
It up or wear it out. or else transform
Il into permanent wealth." such as
buildings and the like. Now, to let the
government have what it needs we
must cut down our own consumption as
we'll as Increase our output
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
Has No Scientific
Economic Basis

AS pricc-nxine is fundamentally
wrong-that is, is in direct violation of
natural law-thcre is no scientific basjs
from which to figure what particular
price should be placed upon any given
commodity; there is no established
rule What the price should be is lust
a guess.
A new difficulty growing out of GER
tain price arises. Governmental au-
thorities change the price to eliminate
this difficulty, and then there are new
difficulties, or the authorities them
serves are thrown out Of Office and
their successors change the price to
SHOW that they know more than their
predecessors, and 80 create new diff
cultfes. Questions Of price become no.
iitical issues. Jones il elected to office
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-03-24
BY A. E. Adams
President First National Bank,
Youngstown, Ohio.

President First National Bank
Youngstown, Ohio.
Iron an article In Tho BANKERS Masazine)
" DETRIMENTAL interference
II with prices is serious matter
Prices are of the very essence
Of our economic life. They are not only
result of certain human activities and
desires and a barometer of certain
kinds of economic pressure, but they
are also, and more Importantly, the
cause of many Of our very most vital
activities. Indeed, they are one Of the
most potent of all the forces that move
in the economic life of the people.
Price-fxing, therefore, is subject Of
first Importance.
AS a whole, the American people
take it as a matter of course that price
fixing in war time is both necessary
and desirable. The opinion of the av-
erage man, when he takes the trouble
to form one, is that there can be no
possible question about the matter,
that prices positively and absolutely
must be kept down. Nevertheless, there
is grave doubt as to the soundness of
this belief, and in almost every COM
munity in the country there are
thoughtful men of experience who hold
it to be faulty. Even there are those
who go so far as to hold that the
price fixing feature of our present law
stands out conspicuously as the most
monumental blunder ever committed by
any Congress in the history of our
country; blunder so farreaching in
its probable effects that in the end it
sands of lives.
Let US examine the reasoning
through which this adverse opinion OF
price fixing is reached.
Does price-fixing help us to shorten
the war; That is the question. That
is the only question.
To win swiftly we must put an army
of millions of men on European soil
and back it up with such an abundance
of arms and ammunition as no army
ever had before, with the very last
pound and last yard and last bushel of
every kind of thing that any army can
use to advantage, with ships by the
thousands, with arplanes by the tens
Of thousands, with every least and
every greatest thing that human skill
can devise and human labor produce to
lessen risk and increase effectiveness.
1t is this kind OF army with this
kind Of backing that it is our boundcn
duty to send QUITO send out, to sup
port, and, yes, to quicken with the
knowledge that we at home are also
making sacrifices that really hurt. And
VIC are perfectly able to do this, and
do it quickly if we really get down to
business.