Vernon Parish Democrat. (Leesville, La.) 1917-193?, 1919-07-05
THE NATIONAL CAPITAL
(By J. E. JOnes)
CIDDY HEIGHTS OF NECESSITIES

Price levels on foodstuffs tumbled
twelve per cent between December,
1918, and the close of March. Even
at that, the increase in these prices
over 1913 still remained IS per cent
The extra Y per cent represented a
sort of excitement" period and lasted
for only few weeks.
The figures are from the Bureau of
Labor statistics. They show that for
the above period that flour scared 1906
per cent; bacon, | 10 per cent; lard,
ia per cent; corn meal, 1870 per
cent; sugar, 90 per cent; potatoes,
per cent. A mans budget of cloth
ing with cost prices for 1913 and 1919,
shows an increase of 80 per cent. The
articles in the budget include suit,
an overcoat, shirts shoes, stockings,
nightshirts, collars. hats, gloves. A
Woman's budget of clothing with cost
prices for the same period shows an
increase of IS per cent. The articles
enumerated include coat, suit, dress
es, skirts, waists. aprons. shoes, over
corsets, hosiery, corsets, underwear,
nightgowns, hats and gloves.
In view of these astounding figures,
why should one kick about a little
thing like paying two cents for a one
cent newspaper, an advance of 100 per
cent, especially when it offers the hope
that there may be found in it an intel
ligent editorial condemning the in
creased railroad rates, amounting, ac-
cording to the Railroad Administration,
to less than Is per cent? Or there
may be a red-hot roast on traction
companies that are looking for SIX or
seven cent fare. The editorial writer
may even attempt to prove that it
makes no difference that materials
have advanced from so to 90 per cent
He surely will repeat the truism that
labor under the collective bargaining
system is getting only what it deserves,
and no more than has been contem-
plated by the arrangement Of the Unit
ed States Government and the Peace
Conference.
NEW IDEALS OF JUSTICE
Secretary Of Commence Redfield has
taken large fall out of the leaders of
capital who are still lingering among
the flesh pots of Egypt" whom, he
says, have made no progress towards
the ,Jfomised land" He puts them in
the same class with those who speak
plain words, in order to prove that
tIe social structure in America is so
adverse to the good of the toiler that
no course is possible save to destroy
It. and that social war is the remedy.
Mr.. Redfield has no respect for the
views of those who believe that there
exists capitalistic class who sit in
oppression upon the vast mass of man
kind and hold them down that they
may fatten at their cost and no one
extends a helping hand to lift them
up; that there is no such thing as
progress out of poverty and that our
evolution, such as it is, is so slow and
and so cruel that it must needs be
altered by revolution ere the average
man will have his chance" The Sec
rotary says that there is no place where
the answers can be found to all such
tommyrot. which is not only advoca-
ted by the radicals who are generally
condemned, but by the "parlor intel
Iectuals." and the Lounge lizards.
He gives the valuable advice to those
who believe that America is going to
the bow-wows that they should visN
the factories. where men are busy,
where speeches are not made and
radical editors do not trouble"
Where is the industrial leader who
argues now in favor of reducing the
wages of American labor" asks Mr.
Redheld; who gives this reply: Is moi
the silence from a thousand industrie;
more potent than the shrieks of few
agitatorsp In way which makes nc
noise industries are moving on; steac
lily. as every financial authority states
the country is settling itself down tc
the assurance that matters are getting
stabilized; but they are not being stab
iIized because labor is being cut.
BIG QUESTIONS MUST
BE HONESTLY MET
1t is pretty good ADVICE when ;
Cabinet member tells his country mer
that, America expects capital to for
get 20 dwell upon its rights and tt
siiss. more of its opportunities o
leadership; she expects labor, waivini
no rights. to recognize in candor thu