The Cook County news-herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Cook County, Minn.) 1909-current, 1919-08-13
WILSON ASKS K CONGRESS
81 ss..s TO LOWER COST Of LIVING.

Says Only Temporary Relief Can Be
u obt ained Unit, Pe.ce Is 81
.> II - /, =. .y # :::S Assured. :sz@4 5ss
L The high cost Of living, or the cost
of high living - which. is it? The
former seems to be the question of
the day. In President Wilson's adj
dress to Congress he asks that that
body take Immediate action to bring
down the cost of the necessities Of
life; showing by convincing figures
lthat high prices We're not justified
by shortage of supplies. The follow
I ing are some of the quotations of his
lspeech: i ~.
"Some very interesting and con-
vincing facts with regard to stocks
on hand and the rise Of prices in the
face Of abundance have been dis
closed by the inquiries Of the depart
ment Of agriculture, the department
of labor, and the federal trade COM
mission. Disregarding the surplus
stock in the hands of the government
there was greater supply of food
Istuffs in this country on June 1st of
this year than at the same date last
year.
I "In the combined total of num-
ber of the most important foods in
dry and cold storage the excess is
quite 19 per cent. And yet prices
have risen. The supply of fresh eggs
on hand in June of this year, for ex-
ample, was greater by nearly 10 per
cent than the supply on hand at the
same time last year. Wholesale price
was 40 cents a dozen against 30 cents
a year ago. The stock of frozen
towels had increased more than 298
per cent and yet the price had risen
from 341a cents per pound to 371a
cents. The supply of creamery but
ter had increased 129 per cent and
the price from al to So cents per
pound. Canned corn had increased
in stock nearly 90 per cent and had
remained substantially the same in
price. In few food-stuffs the price
had declined but in nothing like the
proportion in which the, supply had
increased. - 81"
/. I'VE must, i think, frankly admit
Ethat thereeis no completes Immediate
remedy to be had from legisl lation
and executive action. The free proc
esses of supply and demand will not
operate of themselves and no legis.
latiWe or executive action can force
them into full and national operation
until there is peace. There is now
neither peace nor war. ALL the world
is waiting what unnerving
fear and haunting doubts who can
adequately say-waiting to know
when it 'comes-a peace in which
each nation shall shift for. themselves
as it can, or peace buttressed and
supported by the will and consent of
the nations that have the purpose
and power to do and enforce what is
right. Politically, economically and
socially, the world is ON the operat-
ing table and it has not been possible
to administer an anaesthetic. It; is
concious. It even watches the
capital operation upon which it
knows its hope of healthful life de-
pends. 1t can not think it's business
out or make plans or give intelligent
and provident direction to it's affairs
while in such a state. Where there
is no peace there can be no energy
or endeavor. There can be no con
fidence in industry, calculable basis
for credit, no confident buying cl
systematic selling, no certain pros
pect Of employment, no normal re
storation of business, no hopeful
attempt at reconstruction or the
proper Resembling of the dislocatet
elements of enterprise until peac,
has been established and as far a:
may be, guaranteed.
Europe will not, can not, recouI
} her capital or put her restless dis
: tracted people to work until sh
; knows exactly where she stands il
respect to peace, and what we will
: do is for her the chief question: upo1
} which her quietude of mind and con
+ fdence of purpose depend. : ~ T
|, f.. s'We must face the fact that ,n
less we help Europe to get back t.
. Eher normal life and production 1
choas will ensue which will be com
= Emunicated to this country. For th'
, present we must quic cken, not Stacker
} our own industry. We, and we alone
now hold the world steady. Upo1
I our steadfastness and self possession
depend the affairs Of nations every
.,,tl,o,,<. s r. ;es fhic c,I IYl1e,,nez oY-isiS-