Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1919-12-15
THIS, THAT AND
THE OTHER
~ The Gossiper

During the course OF discussion, some
time ago. of the high cost of living, and
tho acute conditions brought about by the
continuing rise IN prices, some one re-
marked that the whole world WAS on a
Joy ride. Illustrative of this, he said
he had talked with one of the leading re-
tail merchants of a large city. who had
put ON sale IN the basement OF his
store, IN which shoes good shoes s-wcre
offered AT $50 pair But they went
begging | pstairs where he had ex-
pcnSlyc goods ON sale, he had so much
business he could not take care oi It.
hc people did not want cheap goods
That is typical of conditions here in
Wilmington Il wall bc remembered,
especially hv Councilman thrahamS and
his committee that the city went 10 the
trouble oi ordering whole carload ni
fpotstutfs from the government quarter
master at Baltimore. IL relieve what was
believed to hc a pressing need here Tor
rhcapcr things for the table " hen the
project was first hrachcl there was great
enthusiasm among some people and y
Mas believed that the cutlrc carload would
H., sold out M short order n last as
volunteers could hand It out and take III
ttc money and that = would Z" ~
daS time.
Bu' there was NJ ercai rush ne
first d9V : sale was pretty taIr. hut II then
b,.c,p +. drag and did drag along for
ttrr,. or four weeks before ne last oi me
carload VA, disposed of This Was hard
- understand rs the food Was govern
mont inspected. and guaranteed f. hc
g,ad B.,rau sold for - cents a pound
- L,,st % cents less per pound than II
ronld T., bought IN the stores Finally
Tho Commits, had "a solicit buyers from
among th, public institutions tnd the re-
itil merchants IN order To close Ip the
account with thu government
Nnd IN, parcels post sale PM On t,y tho
government met with the same KIND Of
reception from the suffering public
r, government sought 10 furnish relief,
hut the people refused to hc relieved.
During thc three DAYS parcels post sale
COO pcoplr ordered 20 the amount oi
at,a4t $1,000
" hat i the explanation Probably
il Is that the people. during the War.
l.ecamr 80 accustomed 10 Aigh prices
that ,hcv couldu break themselves Of
the habt when n opportunity offered
II seems 10 come A. rainra with hem to
pav high pricr~ a- i Is ~ th' dralrr~ in
oh4rgc Aul many II 'hr icarr~, al
the way from The man Who >rll> money
snd stock, and bonds aui real estate IN
lie lots. down to the street peidIcr most
.Ssslrc,ilv know haN u charge
\ovada,-. when thc a.~temo. c.,e~
bt, (. store hp ~aN~ - 'hr proprietor
ar cork what hr wants ha- It wrapped
in. .sks tie prlcc, pays Il and goes he
w,.y He doesn't even Az i there +
anvthing IN the same line cheaper mr.
4ne- he walk ont and ~ somewhere cl~e
to -, L hC can hnd better nIicc~
The war started The orgy y high prices
an8 Il seems there i 10 VA y call
halt The process i an endless cham
The coal miner and the steel worker and
the railroad employe and the shlp worker
snd the sailor, the lahorcr on public
works demand increase and Ct thcH
The farmer increases the Drlcg ioT W.tai
ne produces. The merchant increase
ih, prIcc 81 lis Coods there aTr ucrcas,
here. thcre. everyNhere RCni~ 81 -n
Those Who had increase, some tlr'e ~
t4n4 -hclr lly1nc costs increased, and w.
nand further increases IN wages j L
IL, 4 dog chasing hi~ tail nr Ike tsie caS,
al !. man and s prar running around
tree vou can TIL whether Tile h,ar +
chasing ,hc man " tic nAan eAI- NJ I he
ts.r