The sun., 1919-08-05
The Government Dia Il; the Gov
eminent Must Undo It.

The Government Dfd II; the Gov
eminent Must Undo 1t.
This cost Of living horror to be
driven out Of the fields of American
bounty needs only to be seen with q
clear vision and grappled with hon.
sstly and stoutly. The cold fact. the
plain, fiat truth, the one and ali Of the
whole matter is that the United States
Government itself rs responsible for
the insufferable burden which Il
crushing the American people; the
United States Government must take
the responsibility for lifting it. The
United States Government did the
wrong; the United States Government
must undo 1t.
The Government itself, with its in
creased freight and passenger rates,
increased the direct and straight out
cost of living of the American people
by a full billion of dollars a year
and more. To this must be added at
least another half billion of dollars in
taxes TO make up the Governments
railroad operating deficit. The Gov
eminent Itself, with its increased tele-
phone, telegraph, cable and postal
rates, increased the direct and straight
out cost of living Of the American peo-
pie several hundred millions Of dollars
more.
So that in the matter Of its own
public service operation alone the
Government itself increased the cost
of living of the American people not
less than a full two billions. of dollars
q year.
The Government itself, with its
fixed price of wheat on the basis of
$226 to the farmer and much more to
the consumer. increased the direct and
straight out cost of living Of the Amer
lean people by a full billion Of dollars
a year on the 900 000, 900 bushels con-
kumed at home out of about ]. 900, 0O0,-
600 bushels raised. The Government it.
self, with Its driving up of corn along
with wheat to 81 and more a bushel
on 2,5O0,OO0,OO0 bushels consumed in
rnising and fattening our food ami
mails increased the direct and straight
out cost of living of the American
people from four to five billions of dol
lars a year.
So that In the matter of only these
chief grain products the Government
itself increased the cost of living Of
the American people by all Of six bill
ions Of dollars a year.
The Government itself, with its war
and other special taxes, Increased the
direct and straight out cost of living
Of the American people by upward Of
eight billions of dollars.
So, without taking into account the
cumulative effect Of such increased
costs, passing from one hand to an
other, the Government itself increased
the direct and straight out cost of
living Of the American people on those
foregoing items alone-public service
BY two billions, grain products by six
billions and taxes by eight billions
full sixteen billions Of dollars a year.
In the whole United States there
are some 25.000.0 900 families. The
United States Government itself. then.
with fits sixteen billions of dollars
slapped upon the 25,O00,OOO families,
Increased the direct and straight out
cost Of living Of the average American
family $64O q year.
Before we get down to the finer de-
tails of whiting or the minor Items
Of this nations stupendously increased
cost Of living let us begin with tho
reduction where the monstrous in
crease began-the Government itself
Let the Government slash its expendi-
lures, and that will come OF the cost
Of living Of the American people. Let
the Government offer freely it's vast
wheat supply-so vast that half of IL
cannot be consumed here and so vast
that If the foreign markets could con-
sumo the other half there are not
ships enough to transport Il across
the seas-and put II on our market
at normal and reasonable price; ana
that will come of the cost Of living Of
the American people.
Wheat down will carry corn down.
Corn down will carry beef and NUT
ton and pork and poultry down, and
II viii carry milk, butter and cheese
down. These products down will
carry all food costs, all costs of living,
down. All costs of living down, labor
can fare better on a moderate wage
than 1t now fares on an immoderate
wage The railroads and other public
service agencies can fare better ON
moderate rates than they now fare on