Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1919-08-15

"HAT wars come to an end four months
or so "after you begin to get twenty
cents pound for your pigs is the
racily original theory of a Pennsylvania
farmer, whom Golfers quotes in this wise:
ST remember" he said, "the fall of 1864. 1
was a boy on the farm. The farm had a
mortgage of one thousand dollars it, and
the interest was eight per cent-eighty
dollars a year. We owed it to the
man who owned the adjoining farm,
and on the first of January, 1865,
just four months before the Civil war
ended, we paid the interest with one fat pig.
helped my father drive the pig over. The pig
weighed four hundred pounds, and the price
was twenty cents a pound. Now" he con-
cluded, give watched the price of pork ever
since I've raised pigs every summer and I've
sold pigs every winter, and from that day to
this the price of pork has never again gone
up to twenty cents a pound until right now,
and figure that wars always come to an end
four months or so after you begin to get
twenty cents pound for your pigs
Some Americans doubtless feel that war
has just begun when breakfast bacon and
other needments are costly as to be we'll
nigh unaffordable. It cannot be denied that
in some such prices profteering, at one point
or another, has played considerable part.
1t is evident, moreover, that an 1nefhclent
system of distribution and marketing is re-
suners now bear; we believe, indeed, that
adequate improvement in this particular
would make profiteering almost Impossible,
and at the same time would rebound to the
best interests of producers as well as con-
sumers Whatever can be done by the Gov
eminent and other public agencies to amelio-
rate present conditions ought to be done
speedily and with vim.
Meanwhile however, we may gather deal
of suggestion and morsel OF assurance from
the theory Of our Pennsylvania philosopher
Whether or not it be true that wars always
come to an end four months or so after you
begin to get twenty cents pound Tor your
pigs' there is unquestionably some connec-
ton, and vital one, between the close OF
wars and the trend of prices. 1t was lneVl-
table that the world conflict, with it's diversion
of millions of men from productive fields and
it's destruction of vast quantities OF wealth.
should send virtually all commodity values
soaring. 1t is impossible, moreover, that con-
ditions in this respect shall become normal
again until the worlds productive powers are
freely functioning and it's mind is fairly easy
REGARDING the future. President Wllson
spoke the common sense Of the situation wnen
he said in his recent message to Congress that
there can be no settled conditions here or
elsewhere until the treaty OF peace is out or
the way and the work of liquidating the war
has become the chief concern OF our Govern
ment and Of the other Governments OF the
world Further:
s'Until then business will inevitably
remain speculative and will sway now
this way and then that, with heavy losses
or heavy gains as it may chance, and the
consumer must take care of both the
! gains and the losses. There can be no
peace prices so long as our whole eco
nomic and financial system is on war
! basis"
The Senate can render the people no greater
service at this juncture than to hasten the
ratification of the peace treaty-and no
greater disservice than to delay it. When the
processes Of trade and, above all, the processes
of production are restored to normal activity
then shall we see settling of prices not, IN
deed to pre-war level, but at least 10
basis that is economically sound and secure.
The present campaign for the removal o! OF
artificial and indefensible price raising Will
helm, Improvement in distributing and mar
.keting systems will help more. But what Will
help most of all will be increased production oa
-tbe world over, and the final peace assurance
that will give courage and impetus to this
movement.