The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1919-08-15
THE PRESIDENTS SPEECH.

cost Of living was as is always tue
case when the president writes, filled
with lofty sentiments and well round
ed periods. 1t did not, however, dis
cuss the fundamental causes of ex-
listing conditions. 1t suggested no
remedy that in practical application
is likely to materially change condi-
tions. Most of the presidents attention
was directed at "profteers" in food
and clothing and fuel He would rem
edy conditions by vigorous enforce
ment of existing laws against monop-
olies and asks for additional legisla-
ton and for further appropriations to
strengthen the arm of the law depart
ment of the government.
With all respect to the president,
however, even if all of his suggestions
were carried into effect, it is hardly
probable that the decrease in the
cost of living would be appreciable.
Even with hard and fast rules as to
margins of profit allowed on all trans
actions it is doubtful If the decrease
would amount to any very considera-
BILE percentage. The causes for exist
ing conditions are fundamental. The
Herald cannot share the presidents
optimistic declaration that most all of
our ills will be cured with the formal
exchange of notifications of the peace
treaty. The men of the world today
who are creating disturbances,
threatening the perpetuity of estab-
lished order, who seek change and
revolution for the mere sake of
change, are not going to be deferred
by the formality of a paper docu
ment. A very large portion of the
worlds population has seemingly lost
respect for written guarantees of law
and order and no paper or parchment
obligations are going to deter them
in their mad career.
The president did not call attention
to the fact that doubling of the ma
tons circulating medium. the impo-
sition of six times as much taxes on
the people, the increase by four and
'one-half times the circulating. medium
~ Lr,,,.nY1na,, on,nt,.i !, :, n IN o,,,
tributed to depreciation of the value
!. Of +. money r and tas laegsase IN the sost
OF things necessary to sustain life.
Nor did he lay the stress upon the
diminutions of the worlds power OF
production through the ravages ofwar
and the decrease in the hours of la
Dor that their impoi lance would seen
to warrant Fundamentally the one
and only sufficient remedy for existing
conditions is through an increase in
production, the production of food
stuffs, of wearing apparel, of fuel and
in short of the things that human
kind consider essential to their exist
ence in comfort
Respect for constituted authority, d
willingness upon the part of all to
make some sacrifices that the world
may be restored and the ravages of
war repaired, these are the things
that must be manifested by the peo-
pie if we are to make, any progress
toward a solution of our problems
Unquestionably these United States
are drunk with prosperity. Every
one is trying to get all that he can
but il existing order is to be destroy
ed, il communism and Socialism u 0
to succeed indivdualsm the people
will not long enjoy their prosperity.
The president eloquently appeals for
spberness, for calmness and for re-
straint. His words should find a
lodging place in the hearts of al true
Americans
One feature of the situation and
one that it seems to The Herald is of
fest Importance in any settlement OF
existing difficulties, is not touched
upon by the president<s He makes
no reference to the increasing Difficult
ties that beset the producing classes
of the country. Most of our clothing
and practically all of our food arc
produced upon the farms of America
The wool and the cotton and tho hides
from which our raimcnt and our shoes
are made come from the farms. In.
der existing conditions tho farm"rs
simply cannot produce these THINGS
and the food necessary to Supply
home demands and meet the draft
from exhausted Europe. The prosj.
dent, with fine show of humanity and
consideration for suffering peoples
that all right minded people must
commend. declares that it would he
unthinkable to withhold orr aid from
Europe. Hence we must continue to
produce on our farms abundance for
our own and export a large surplus
across the seas. All these supplies
must come from the farm It does