The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-08-06
WILSON CALLED ON
TOCUT HIGH PRICES
Riddick's Resolution Opposes
Passing the Problem to
Congfess.
ADMINISTRATION BLAMED
Grain Corporation Charged
With Proflteering in Sales
Of Wheat.
Special DsspatoA TO Tnr suN.

Special DsspafoA to THr Sun.
WASHINGTON, Aug. b.--The Wilson
Administration has forced the cost Of
living up and nov. although the execu-
| tive departments have ample authority
to act. the President lie trying to pass
the buck to Congress. Representative
Riddick CMon) declared in a statement
to the House to-day. He introduced
resolution requesting the Administration
| to use tho ,3cwers already granted, which
he considers ample. 10 relieve the
people OF the United States from ex-
ploitation by profiteers and from high
! living costs imposed by Administration
measures before asking Congress for adj
ditional legislation which would be
powerless to remedy the situation"
Mr.. Riddick pointed out that although
high costs have existed for several years
! President Wilson or any of his de-
| partments did not move a finger to
stop the carnival Of exploitation until
Congress aroused them to the necessity"
Representative McCulloch (Ohio) sub
mitted letters TO the House showing that
| the Wilson administration itself through
the United States Grain Corporation IL
| profiteering in wheat. RE exhibited lrt-
| ters from Julius H. Barnes head of the
Grain Corporation. admitting that profits
as high as IT cents bushel in some
| Instances has been made on wheat the
corporation bought from farmers at
$2.26 a bushel and resold to millers.
Says Wilson Is Passing Buck.
| u desire to say that the Presidents
recent utterances on this subject con-
eel t,.tA ntA A..
buck" said Mr.. Riddlck. president
Wilson seeks to use against the Repub-
lican party certain abuses for which
charge he and his Administration are
directly, personally and officially re-
| sponsfble in 30 far as governmental ac-
ton Is concerned
Nearly seven years ago President
4 Wilson and his party came into COM
plete control of the executive and legis-
| lative branches OF government on the
| claim that the country was In the hands
| OF tho piutoerats and profiteers. BY
4 laws curbiag monopoly and introducing
the new freedom and by bringing back
| the Government to that simplicity and
| economy BETTING n democratic Govern
ment,' they said they were going to lift
the burden Of high living costs and
high governmental costs from the backs
of the American people.
Nov after six years OF complete con-
troll of Government by the party that
was out to smash plutocracy and the
high cost of living President Wilson
comes to a Republican Congress less
than three months old with the confess
sion that legislation for the curbing of
the profiteer Is yet to be enacted
1T is in the knowledge OF every
American citizen that the profitesring 10
suddenly discovered by the President ia
no new thing. but that VIGOROUSLY ard
fiAgrantiy II has~been going on for
nearly i've years without the slightest
effort being made either by President
Wilson or by his Democratic Congress
to prevent It.
Dlames Waste and Extravasance.
The biggest contribution to high liv-
ing costs has been the waste and ex-
travaganc of the Administration, still
continued. Money has been poured out
as IL the chief object OF the Administra-
lion was to spend all the money Of all
the people OF this country over and over
again. The country Is hlled with monu-
nneats to a saturnAlia of spending the
ike OF which never before was dreamed
Of In all the history Of frenzied finance
The Government payroll has been
swollen to gigantic proportions. Hun.
dreds OF millions of dollars have been
wasted in cost plus and similar con.
tracts which have placed a premium on
waste. War supplies have been pur.
chased at the sellers prices and at the
waste not merely Of millions but billions
1--WE have been draining the American
market for staples to eeed the next
friends OF the Administration all over
| the globe and overlooking suffering here
at home That process continues with q
: constantly mounting volume OF export,
which costs the American people 50 ir
: added prices for every dollar realised
: from our sales abroad. Meanwhile W,
I are permitting our own markets to b,
5 invaded by foreign manufactured articles
!, to an extent which will soon cause
] slowing down OF American industry.
Tho vast gums borrowed from IN,
8 people by the Government. with the con
D seQuent huge Issues OF securities couple,
II with tho operations OF the Federal Re
{ serve Board, have inflated our currenc,
I until we have not merely the SO cen
dollar Mr.. Bryan cried for. but q dolla
{ that has come to look like 30 cents.
= I'VE have politicalized the railroad
o and raised passenger and freight rate
: to point that would have caused
popular uprising had the roads been 4
private hands. OF course all this in
crease In railroad rates has been loade
on the high cost OF living 1t is a par
of the endless chain OF price hcisting b
the present Administration. And yet W
are now told that one way to correc
the high cost Of living is to boost thes
: rates still higher.
mot only have the people had to pa
: increased transportation rates, but "
> have a billion dollar def,it on aocoun
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