Evening journal., 1919-01-30
II is in The Power of President
Wilson TO Cut The Cost of Living
tFrom the New York sun.'

Frank Morrison, secretary OF the
American Federation Of Labor, tells the
immigration Committee OF the House
Of Representatives that with the de-
mobilization Of the army I'VE are go
ing TO have bread lines in every in
dustrlal centre" That depends.
Demobillzation itself need give no
shock whatever 20 so vast an indus
trial field as ours. For one thing, the
returning troops are coming upon our
labor markets in tidal waves; they are
trckling in thousands Of different
rivuiets into thousands Of different
places. This will be the way for a long
time. For another thing, there is a
Job, generally speaking, waiting for
every able bodied soldier who had a
Job before he went into his country's
service. The mill or the factory, the
trading house or the bank, the print
ing plant or whatever il may be, is
glad enough and proud enough 10 take
care Of its returned soldiers-provided
the mill, the factory or whatever it
may be can itself keep on doing busi-
ness.
There is the whole question. n the
cause. consumers can't pay the prices
asked for steel, the steel mills cannot
give employment TO the returning sol
diers; they cannot continue the en-
ployment Of those now on the payrolls
The same thing is true OF the copper
mines, the textile wOrks-eyerything
In other words, to undertake 10 con-
tinue in times Of peace the abnormal
Industrial. commercial and financial
conditions OF war times Is folly; it is
an impOssibility
Mr.. Morrison and the other officers
Of the American Federation Of Labor
say at the same time that there must
be no wage changes that Will reduce
American standards Of living. We think
we know what they have In mind. II
we do. we agree with them, as every
thinking man must,
A dollar can be truly measured only
by what IL will do. A mans wage can
be truly measured only by what his
days labor can be converted into at
present as compared with some other
time. II wage Of $500 a day viii not
exchange for a man and his family into
as much and as good food, clothing,
ihIl dAll AIlb a. HIS MutI "a eo.oJ q ua1
formerly would, the 5000 is a lower
pay than the $500 was. On the other
hand, il usually there cannot be a re-
duction in commodity prices when the
dollar marks representing wages have
been multiplied and multiplied, thus
intensifying cost Of production, II the
pumping up first Of one and then Of
the other cannot cease, without the
momentary injury Of one or the other,
then capital must take the first step. As
a rule 1t does. The mill, the factory, or
whatever the plant though at the
penalty Of the elimination Of profits,
must put down its prices, so that the
economic readiustment may begin.
II Is idle TO say that the mill. the
factory, or whatever the plant, cannot
sacrifice its profit without sacrificing
its existence. OF course It can't II the
thing woes on. But it will sacrifice its
profit and it will sacrifice its existence
II Il does no business at all. It must
meet the consuming public, therefore,
by temporary sacrifice or quit for good
and all
The wise merchant who cannot sell
his goods does not hesitate to slash
his prices TO the point where his
shelves will be cleared. To do so may
mean a severe loss; not to do so, with
his capital tied up, his organization
deadlocked his credit decaying, means
death. All industry and all business