The Washington herald., 1919-08-04
WILSON TO SPEAK
BEFORE CONGRESS
ON LIVING COST
FRoI PAGE ONE.

CONTINUED FRoI PAGE ONE.
Is to follow regarding the recommen-
dations by the Federal Trade Commits
sion for the prosecution of the big
packers.
Meantime the various committees OF
the House and Senate will have re-
ceived a budget of bills and resolu-
tions, all of which have been intro
duced in an effort to reduce the cost
OF living, or to provide Investigations
to learn the cause for the present ex-
orbitant prices.
Government o6lcials are eagerly
awaiting the results of the sale of the
surplus food supplies of the War De
partment to the public through
municipalities to see whether or not
their disposition will in any way af-
feet the market. The foodstufrs are
listed. in many instances, at less than
One-half the charge in the CONNER
cial market. and so large is the guam
tity held by the department that it is
deemed certain the sale will lower
market prices materially. The ulti-
mate test, though, will come when
the War Department, on August Is,
inaugurates in conjunction with the
Postoffice Department the parcel post
sale OF food products direct to the
home.
Too much stress cannot be placed
on the sale of the War Departments
food supplies. II their appearance
in the open market fails TO dent the
present prices officials will be con-
vinced that palpable profiteering
exists, and Department of Justice
will be called upon to act.
Continuation of the wage hear
ings of railroad employees coupled
with the impending strike of the
railway shopmen, will keep the cost
of living subject before the public
in material form, even though ac-
tion may not be forthcoming from
the executive heads of the govern
ment for some days
From 100000 to 100000 American
school children are not getting
enough to eat, according to informa-
tion made public today by the Chill
dren's Bureau OF the Department OF
Iabor.
Many OF these children, says Miss
Lydia Roberts. dietitian, go hungry
because their parents are not able to
supply them with a sufficient amount
Of suitable nourishing food.
Thousand of American families are
today living on an income which does
not permit Of an adequate diet" says
statement of the bureau.
These are the children which school
teachers and parents sometimes re-
fer to as delicate" lazy or all
ing" the statement says. Miss Rob-
erts says they are malnourished.
Estimate Conservative.
The statement adds:
According to DR.. Josephine Baker
more than One-ffth of the school chill
dren OF New York City are under
nourished. The percentage for the
United States is even higher. Dr.
Thomas Wood places it from Is per
cent to . per cent. Since this takes
no count Of the malnourished children
under school age. in the neglected
period" between ? and 7. when
malnutrition usually has its beginning,
from 1900. 900 to 100000 hungry Amer
lean children is probably a conserva-
tive estimate"
Poverty. says the bureau. is not
the sole cause of the condition.
Many mothers, it is pointed out. do
not know how to spend their money
to get the best returns in food
value, or how to plan healthful
nourishing meals for their families.
The bureau has plans under way to
improve this condition.
Food sgives promise this week Of
being the chief topic in both legis-
lative and administrative branches
of the government. yielding not
even to the league covenant or the
peace treaty in importance.
The Banking and Currency Commit
tee OF the Senate will begin work at
once on the Meyers resolution inquir-
ing into currency imitation, and will
report legislation if it is deemed
needful. Figures in the hands of the
committee show the volume of cur
rency at present circulating is nearly
double the amount in pCe-war days
and some economists see in this one
Of the chief causes of high prices.
Profiteer hunting will be in full
swing in at least thirty States within
two weeks. Justice Department Of
hCials predict.
In Ohio. Iowa, Massachusetts,.
Michigan and Maryland investiga-
tons already are under way. In
other States they will start soon.
Governors, mayors. State and city
legislative bodies. civic organizati tions
and local officials in scores of sec
tiOns are preparing to follow the lead
of Attorney General Palmer in plan
ming to prosecute profiteers.
The government departments now
are collecting data on the cost
of production and wholesale and
retail prices. The Agriculture De-
partment has comparative data
showing for years back the exact
prices paid for all farm products
together with the resulting whole
sale prices.
Retail prices are being collected
in all big cities by the Labor De-
partment. The Federal Trade Com
mission also has elaborate data
showing production costs for hun
deds Of commodities from bread to
steel.
Foreign prices OF most farm prod
ucts also are in possession of the
Department of Agriculture which
obtains them from the International
Institute OF Agriculture at Rome.