Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-08-04
COUNTRY AROUSED
BY FOOD QUESTION
Washington Officials Realizing
Nation Demands Immediate
Price Lowering.
INTERESTS OPPOSE ACTION
Packers and Others Join to Fight
Campaign to Reduce Cost
of Living.
ny J. FRED EsSARY.

WASHINGTON. August 3.-Thc high
cost OF living in this country is be-
coming the most acute problem with
which the Federal government has TO
deal. and little by little tho officials
IN this city. from the President down.
are becoming convinced that the Amcri-
can people are Infinitely more concerned
ordinary articles Of food and and cIothing % INK
e9an over treaties OF peace. leagues
other, international question.
And II is an unfortunate circum.
stance that neither Of the great politi-
cal parties has program OF leg!sla
tion with which TO meet this question.
IL president Wilson has any definite
plan OF affording relief. he has never
~ the Republican leaders have any.
Inl1E TO offer they are carefully con
Gfealing fsa the fact. The truth is. the
I@rnm @ any proposal that promises or
even tends TO control or to depress the
cost OF living.
Packers Oppose Moves.
Eyery concrete move that Is mad.
TO lift the burden of excessive prices
is met with instant opposition foom
sane SON quarter Ter Take the case of the
PARTISAN federal Trade :" Com on ndn sio =
Win outrageous price manipulation'
\ Democra,ic Department OF Arricui-
com mission. y Republican Senator
from Iowa pleads with a Repubiican
n"nate ,'ca TO go into the question. and IL
TO the vast packin house Industry.
hut that same Senate turns deaf ga r
to Mr., Kenyon. He is allowed to speak
be denied him. but that is as far a.
he gets
soad, Take another case. a Democratic
partrnent possessed OF more than a
quartz ~ r, OF billion of dollars worth
Sn,horl9y a. sorP,as to '9e1 se bssa He has
people of the country, but The pscl<ere sTe
ana the Gamers and other special in :
tesssts d;rs 81 persuade him that it would be
olsa strous 10 dump this vast quantity
Oh iood products on the market.
"BiE Five" Put Up Howl.
De m oralization" would follow. thew
Wh,ned. VIII Prices would be dislocated
snSercIy s" he'r G"n omIs BUSINESS would suffer
they argued. for the War Departmen; uD
10 10 go INTO competition with the pri-
this. AS able as he is in many e,' ro. ro.
spects. and as far-seeing as he has
SnGwn s,n1s himself to be. still he failed td
be to hold these provisions.
y Republican House Of Representa-
majority % supeortse of iSe By an oyerwhe!mins
has stepped in and by formal ac.ion
demands that the Secretary o. War
sSe sSe Ws- Rs sqprp;ns pdnus food supplies which
At that. a handful Of Democ@rs,ee @ va M"ra
short-sighted enough to hsht this
measure ,ha,! and would have defeated 1t If
Another instance might be cited. The
Price OF coal has steadily advanced
SINCE The. armistice signing put the
fuel administration practically ou, Of
business
New Prices Threaten.
Even higher prices arc now threat
tnea. as nc country faces a shortage
III III. coal production during the coming
winter In the House a Democratic
congressman from Alabama has pro-
posed full End sea rching INQUIRY inio
me whole fuel situation. In the
Sens'e Ssm 1sas. Republican Senator from
Nv Jersey has proposed the same
.nl1s. Eut neither of these mon ha :
and aInpe sarata gent ss SO far. Both the House
ma tter as they would upon poison
Whatever Indifference there is
upon this question is shared eoualiv
eye, me .,;', I've poiitical parties. What
that might. affect the cost Of .io Iivin II
must be visited alike upon Rennhii7
cans and Democrats Neither par,v
!, ia IS a ponEy f; In this connection unless
10 poiicy OF obstruction Neither
cores forward with an ilnperativo d..
,hand that profiteers be curbed: ,hat
ha he uis1ointed economics OF the country
eNtortion. "s aiiist
Wilson Is Aroused.
10 true that President Wilson has
~ ~ pecothe somewhat aroused as
ais ale ,,u, ,Gomn!aints from the country have
out overwhelmed him. He has a,
aoc'ed ina the Department OF Justice
mo me case OF the packers and
nronoss, mss called upon his Cabinet for
ploposa!s which will aid him in d.
4 tternlhing upon a course OF action Pr,
ne seems not to have proceeded hayrnd
M rna., Co, ne has outlined TO the country
upon Conercsms am or or acton; He has called
Nv I'm, IN other words. the leadership
, H might have assumed in meatir = =
ms h, question has not been assumed
dhe position of Congress is no lsss
the iio; The present majorities in
montho. ttousc and Senate clamorcd loudly
tho hoionS ms ago for AN extra session maj
me I'M, cost Of living might be dealt witb
,t;. Wti;.hout delay. More was heard on
+ IT, ~ n.ufe man about all other domes-
&c matters at that time.
Good Campaign Material.
VT is as evident as day)jrhi tb.t ,ho
G6finhpatgn 6inh ns, Of 1870 is ccntcrcd about the
ihisn ,hs cosl OF living to greater extent
other issues. And Knowing this ,o Ia
lrue. II is surprising that ono or thc
81 IIher or both Of the political parties
and now. The party that can offee nTe
most in this direction. either in re.
SUITS hn actually achieved or promises to
Will nc dDle 10 mai
an irresistible appeal to millions Of
American people.
ana yet the party leaders seem NJ
terry obl1vious to the DoSsibilIties of
lhlS situation. The opportunity 10
make vast army OF friends by pro-
cessive profit takers is being alIowod
TO pass as thing of no moment. The
nolitical capital to be made through
wise legislation upon this question is
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