The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1919-08-07
HASTEN ACTION
UNDER MENACE
Of BIG STRIKE
Rail Workers See President
Again T~oday-Senate De-
bates Cost of Living Problem
Mary "Cures" Proposed.

bates Cost of Living Problem
Many s'Cures" Proposed.
Washington, Aug 5.-A delegation Of
American Federation of Labor officials,
led by Bert M. Jewell, of that orsanixa-
tons railway department, called en-
President Wilson this afternoon and
handed him a letter in which il was
declared that his plan for settlement
Of railawy workers wage demands is
"entirely inadequate"
Under Wilson's plan wage demands
OF 100000 rail workers would be re-
ceived and passed on by a commits
sion to be set up under a law yet to
be authorized by congress.
Washington. Aug. Machinery of
the United States government was be-
ing employed today, above all else to
bring donw the high cost of living.
AS government officials. including
President Wilson and the Senate
worked ON this problem. the menace of
a great labor movement, to take the
form of widespread strikes if prices
are not reduced, was increasing.
Debate owe the high cost of living
broke out in the Senate, taking prece-
dence over the Colombian treaty, which
had been scheduled for early consid-
Grafton. Before crowded galleries
a senators argued heatedly over
the reasons for high prices and how
best they shall be reduced.
Meanwhile, officials of the Federation
of Labor tried to keep in hand the rail-
way employees who are already going
on strike in protest against high
prices. To stop unauthorized strikes
of shopmen, officials named a commit
tee to frame a public statement to de-
nouEce Chicago leaders, who. they say,
have caused thousands to walk out pre-
ulature!y.
There was no him this afternoon of
what recommendations will be made to
the president n his cabinet by the
committee of government officials, in
Gliding Federal Trade Commissioner
Coiver and Rail Director Hines, which
was gathering information on the sit
uation, Wilson's recommendations to
congress, expected to be made soon,
probably will be based on this com
mittee's report.
Join in Demand.
-Four hundred and fifty thousand
thousand members of the Brotherhood
OF Railway Clerks. and freight handlers,
railway and station employees today
joined with other employees in demand
Ing That unless something be done ma
terlaily to reduce the cost of living our
wages must be raised to give us imrae-
diate relief"
- The demands have haor fro y,Sv,iftnH
to the railway administration.
The machinery of the department OF
Justice, it was learned, was in opera
tion to gather data to be used by the
committee OF government officials and
cabinet members in formulating the
plan 10 reduce prices which the presi-
dent, after comforting with his cabi-
net tomorrow, is expected to submit
to congress, possibly in the form of a
message
Senate Debates Problem.
Discussion of the high cost of living
was resumed in the Senate today.
Chairman Gronna, OF the agricultural
committee, announced that he had
called a committee meeting tomorrow
to discuss measures to reduce the cost
OF living. He said he had no remedy to
offer, but declared that increase OF
wage and decrease Of working hours
was not a panacea- nor would GOVERN
msnt ownership or control of utilities
solve the problem.
Relation of the price OF wheat to the
SSSs Vi living was debated by several
senator's. Mr.. Gronna denied that the
governments wheat price guarantee
causes undue prices for bread. He was
supported by Senators Kellogg and
Nelson, republicans, OF Minnesota, who
sa1d wheat was being sold far above
inc governments guarantee at the prin-
clpal terminals.
Senator Gronna declared that the
packers n all dealers in food products
never made more profits than they
d'd under the food administrations
during the war" Senator Kirby.
democrat, of Arkansas, asked il the
government grain corporation was not
now manipulating prices.
What is this man Barnes doing ?'
ha asked.
Mr.. Barnes has been criticised in al!
the wheat states Senator Gronna
answered for bearing down the price.
He has made every possible effort to
reduce prices"
oL1AAIII bdIO IL LQeTe was
proflteering the Sherman act afforded
opportunity to break it up. He
aaded that extravaganza by most per-
0 was one of present con-
|
Charges Extravaganza.
declaring that it is the cost Of high
!iving' instead of the high cost OF liv-
ing which is causing trouble in the
United States, Senator Smith, South
today told the Senate it's
Time to stop everybody running to
with a demsud for regulatory
to contro economic con-
slhish 9 automobiiing. moving
p,are shows and the pursuit OF pleas
ure generally are to blame for a good
ot n inequality between wages
and food prices.
Raps Retailers.
snator Smoot. urged the American
1fhN