Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-10-06
Council of Defense on High Cost
of Living,


The United States council Of national de
tense. composed of the secretaries of war. navy
interior, agriculture, commerce and labor, ha
made a careful investigation of the high-cost
of-living problem, and finds:
That the nations productive powers
have not been fully utilized since the
armistice.
That too few goods notably the neces-
stiles of life, have been produced, and
that even some of these goods have been
withheld from the market, and therefore
from the people.
That the high cost Of living Is due m
part to unavoidable wsr-waste and in
crease of money and credit.
That there has been and is consider
able prohteering, Intentional and unin-
territorial
The council believes that the rem
edies for the situation are:
To produce more goods, and to pro
duce them in proportion to the needs OF
the people.
To stamp out profteering and stop
unnecessary boarding.
To enforce vigorously present laws
and promptly to enact such further laws
as are necessary to prevent and punish
profteering and needless boarding.
To bring about better cooperation and
method in distributing and marketing
goods.
To keep both producer and consumer
fully informed az to what goods are
needed and as to what supplies are
available so tina. production may an
ticipate the country's demands.
Goods and not money are the means OF life
Better standards OF living are impossible with
out producing more goods Man cannot con
sumo what has not been produced.
At the wars end our allies had desperate
need OF the essentials OF life We have had
TO share our resources with them, but this
drain will gradually lessen. Insofar as oul
shortage OF goods is due to this cause we car
wen afford to be patient.
It is inst as essential that we have patience
with the economic situation here at home. The
process of production requires time If pro
duction is rapidly increased, vastly improved
conditions will prevail in America when the
results of present and future labor begin tc
appear.
sential between retailer. wholesaler and pro-
Queer, as it is between employer and employe
One group Of producers cannot wait on an
other group. The manufacturer the farmer
the distributor must each Immediately assume
his part of the burden and enter upon bis task
The nation cannot afford curtailment Of goods
vital to the people.
On American business rests a grave respon-
sibility for efficient cooperation in bringing
about full and proportionate production On
American labor rests an equally grave respon-
sibility to attain maximum unit production and
uninterrupted distribution of goods il
labor itself is not to suffer from further rises
in the cost of living.
The entire nation-producer. distributor
and consumer alike-should return to the unity
that won the war. Group interest and undue
personal gain must give way to the good of the
whole nation if the situation is to be squarely
met
Our common duty now, fully much as in
the war. is to work and to save. In the words
Of the president in his address to the country
On Aug. 25, 1919. only by increasing produc-
ton, ard by rigid economy and saving on the
part OF the people. can we hope for large de-
creases in the burdensome cost OF living which
now weighs US down"
Work. save, cooperate, produce