The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1919-09-12
HIGH PRICES
BLAME RESTS
UPON WILSON
CROWD TOLD
Senator Johnson Declares
President Has Failed to Give
Attention to Pressing Do
mestic Problem.
ATTACKS LEAGUE PLAN

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. Sept. -. -
Senator Hiram V. Johnson, Of Caltfor-
MIA, Republican, continuing his speech
making campaign in the Middle West
in opposition to the ratification Of the
League Of Nations covenant, in an
address here Thursday night declared
that if responsibility for the high cost
of living rests upon any agency or
man, it rests upon the present ma
tional administration and Woodrow
Wilson.
president Wilson adds to his fear
some harsh names, appeals to our ma
terial interests, and even taxes the
two months that the league and treaty
have been before the American pub
lie and the senate with the high cost
Of living" said Senator Johnson.
He conveniently forgets the eight
months he spent abroad, secretly
pledging our resources and our man
power to European and Asiatic gov
ernments. The two months of discus
sion by our public and our senate in
the open of what he discussed secret
ly for eight months has had, of course.
no bearing upon, and the reasonable
discussion in the future cannot effect
PosSioly tue uiSu Cosl VI LFiHS' Ae
declared.
Falls to Touch Problem.
IF any single person can be charged
with responsibility for the high cost
of living that man is Woodrow Will
son. The living costs in December
and January last were substantially
what they are today. Mr.. Wilson then
had exactly the same laws he now
invokes.
HE had neither time nor inclination
to deal with the problem then prac-
ticelly as acute as it Ia now. He never
even touched the subject, except pat
ronizingly, and as an ephemeral Ill
Of no consequence, or importance. He
makes it's solution depend now upon
the immediate ratification of his treaty.
He would frighten us by a cheap
and specious statement, devoid OF
economic logic, and wanting in any
sound reason. He covers his own der
election by an unfCunded counter
charge. Remember his address to
congress Of December 2.
The minute we knew the armistice
to have been signed we took the har-
ness. 1t is surprising how speedily
the process Of return to a peace foot
ing has moved In the three weeks
since the ngnLlNg stopped.
Statement Is Quoted.
When President Wilson had ample
time for action last December and
might have prevented the subsequent
continuance of high prices, these are
mis- words:
Our public does not wait to be
coached and led. Any leading strings
we might seek to place them in
speedily would become intangled
hopelessly, because they would pay
no attention TO them and go their own
way. The American business man is
of quick initiative.'
AT that time we had a competent
Federal Food Administration. COM
pletely organized throughout the ma
tion. Mr.. Wilson deliberately scrap
ped this vast organization, which
might have removed a part, at least,
OF the causes of high prices.
Now, months after he has dis
missed the Federal and state agencies
he is calling them together again to
deal with the question.
The ratification of the treaty may
increase exports, but increase in ex-
ports will not reduce prices at home.
If responsibility for the high cost of
living rests upon any agency or man,
it rests upon the present Administra-
ton and Woodrow Wilson"
Article x Discussed.
Speaking of Article X Of the cove
nant OF the league. Senator Johnson,
after quoting President Wilson's In
depreciation Of the section, said:
at makes America underwrite ev-
cry territorial grab of every other ma
ton, every wrong and injustice done
nations, every bargain by which hu.
man beings have been handed about
from one sovereignty to another, eN
cry violation of natural rights and self
determination. every oppression Of the
strong over the weak.
'Naively the President remarks
that secret treaties hamperad him at
the Peace Conference and embar'
rassed the whole settlement
"Inferentially. he comedies the
wickedness of those secret treaties
but he was neither hampered nor EN-.
barrassed to such a degree as 10
cause him to stand manfully and cour
ageously for his oft-expressed prin
ciples.
Not only did he abandon his prin.
ciples and abjectly surrender his
idealism, but he became part of the
secret treaties he denounced when he
united in making them the basis of
action at Paris"