Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-08-01
800 Si1vis Shopmen Go Out on Strike
WILSON DROPS
LEAGUE TO HIT
COST OF LIVING
May Leave Ratification
Up to Senate While He
Fights Prices.
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

/ Copyright, 1919, by The Argus.)
Washington. d. c., Aug. L.
President Wilson is finding a stone
wall opposition in the senate to ac-
/ ceptance of the peace treaty with
out reservations but he is begin
ming to be concerned about another
situation which appears to be
closer to the minds of the Amer
/ lean people now than abstract mat
ters of foreign policy. 1t is the high
cost of living, also race riots, also
! domestic labor problems.
Few things have carried more
significance in recent months here
than the visit of the Brotherhood of
Locomotive Engineers to the White
house warning the president that
unless the cost of living were re-
duced they would be obliged to ask
for higher wages. Agitators have
been making inroads in the ranks Of
labor by using the cost of living as
a means of stirring up discomfort
with the existing order. Profiteer-
ing has been going on since the
federal government relinQuished
control of food products through
the food administration and other
agencies.
The president was so impressed
by the statement made to him by
the delegation from the Brother
hood of Locomotive Engineers that
he carried II copies of the mem
orandum back to the executive Of
fees from his study in the White
house and directed that they be
given to the press. 1t was stated by
White house officials that the presi-
dent was giving deep and thought
full consideration" to the question
of the high cost of living.
For several weeks there has been
much talk about the issue. Investi-
eating committees have been ap-
pointed to look into the high prices
in the national capital itself. Sen
ator Capper Of Kansas. who is
noted for his close contact with the
public opinion of the west, has been
writing and talking OF the high cost
Of living for several weeks.
The full momentum OF the agita-
ton has reached the president now
that he is back at the White house
seeing callers. But it is said Mr..
Wilson had no idea that the con
dition had grown so acute. Indeed.
among the reasons now given for
the Dostponement OF the presidents
western trip are not merely his
weakened physical condition, which
is more of a factor than the pub
lie suspects, but the urgent neces-
sity of clearing up certain domes-
tic problems like the cost of liV-
ing.
What can the government do?
There are plenty of laws on the
statute books to prevent combina- !
tions in restraint of trade and to !
prevent agreements to keep prices |
at fixed levels. The president could |
invoke many powers vested in him |
by congress during the war, for /
until the senate ratifies the peace !
treaty these powers are still in the |
hands of the executive.
Friends of the president insist I
that one of the reasons why the /
opponents of the League of Nations /
are gaining ground is because the |
people generally are in an irritable
mood and want their domestic
problems, which were neglected
during Mr.. Wilson's absence, to
get prompt attention. 1t would
seem. therefore, that as promptly
as the president finished confer
ring with the individual senators
and had exhausted every argument
At his command to secure a ratif-
cation of the treaty, he might feel
justified in leaving the pact entire
" to the senate, where the respon-
sibility for the acceptance or re-
lection of the treaty now rests.
The president, according to some
If his advisors, would feel war
'snted in making a public state
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