South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-08-09

Gentlemcu ~ the congress.
have sought TINS opportunity 20
address sou because 10 is clearly my
duty % cali your attention 20 the
present cost OF living and 20 urge
upon YOU VIth al the persuasive
force q which ] am capable. the
legislative measures hlch would
become effective in controlling il
and bringing 10 down. The prices
the people Of this countrs are pas
Ing for every thing that 10 is neces-
Sary FOR them to use Don order 10 live
are not justified ty a shortage IN
supply. IH either present or pros
pective and iu many cases artihCially
and deliberately created By vicious
practices which ought immediately
90 be checked by law They cOnsti-
tlte a burden upon us which is the
more unbearable because we know
that DO Is Nilfully imposed by those
who have the POWER ana that IL can
gy vigorous public action BE greatly
l-htencd ana MADE 10 square with
tine actual conditions OF supply and
demand Some or the methods by
whicn these prices are produced are
already illegal some Of them GRIM
NAL, and those who employ them
viii be encrgeucally proceeded
against. bat others have not yet Deeu
brought under the law and should
be dealt with al once by legislation.
need not recite particulars OF this
critical matter. the prices demaEded
and paid AT the sources OF supply. at
the factory, in the food markets, at
ne shops. IN the restaurants and
hotels. alike In the city ard in the
Village They are familiar 10 you.
Thcy are the talk of every home
circle and Of every group of casual
acquaintance, even. 10 is a matter
20 familiar knowledge, also, that d
process has set in which is likely,
unless something IS done. 10 push
prices and rents and the V hole cost
OF living higher and vet higher, in
vicious cycle Us which there is me-
logical or natural end. With the in
crease i'm the prices Of the necessi-
ties OF life come demands for in
orcases I'm waees-demands which
are justified IL there be no other
means Of enabling men 20 live. Upon
The increase OF wages there follows
close an increase In the price OF the
products whose producers nave been
accorded the iuCredSe-nOt pro-
uortIonate increase. for the manu-
faCt1rer does not content himself
with that. but an increase coHsiO-
erab;y greater than the added wage
cost and for which the added wa5e
cost is ofteu-tines hardly more than
au excuse The 'dbOrers who do
not get an increase in pay when
they demand it are likely 70 strike.
and the strike only makes matters
worse. IL checks production. II ~
affects the railways il prevents dis
trIuution and strips the marHets 50
th1t there rs presently nothing To
bay aud there Is another excessive
addition to prices resulting from
the scarcity.
MUST NOT SIT IDLY
IIN. DECLARES PRESIDENT.
These are facts and forces with
Witch we have become only too ia
maliar. but so are not justified. be-
cause of our familiarity with them,
cor because of any hasty and shallow
conclusion that they are natural
IS ana letting them work their
iaJal results IL there is any thing that
we can DO To cneck correct or re-
worse them. have sought this OPP
pOrtunity TO inform the congress
What the executive - doing by way
%: remedy ana control, and TO sug-
.,st where effective legal remedies
are laCkIns ana may oc supplied. ~ s.
must. 1 think. frankly admit that
there IL no complete immediate rom
cdv 20 be had from legislation and
,x,cutivc action. The free process
as OF supply ana demand Will not
operate Of themselves and no legis-
Ia.lve or executive action can force
them into FUN and natural opera
tior until there Is peace.
There is now neither peace ror
var. All the world is waitnS-witG
what unnervius fears and haunting
doubts. who can adequately say -
waiting TO know when 20 shall nave
peace and what kind of peace IL will
I've whom 30 concS-a peace IA which
each nation shall make shift for it,
SELF as DO can. or q peace buttrcsst q
ami supported hv the will and COM
cert Of the nations that have the
purpose and the power 10 do and To
enforce what Is ri-ht
Politically. economically socially.
the world is on the operating table
and 10 has not been possible to adj
minister anY auesthetic 10 rs con-
scious. 10 even watches tic capital
operation upon which d. knows that
lts hope OF healthful life depends.
no cannot think its business out or
make plans or give Intelligent ana
providcnt direction To ITS affairs
while i'm such a case. Where there
is no neace OF mind tuCre can be mo-
energy in cn6eIvcr There car DE
no confidence IN industry. uo caI-ui-
able basis for credits no confident
buyin- or systematic selhrg. no GER
tain prospect of employ ment mo-
normal restoration of business uc
hopeful att -inpt "a, reconstruction or
Tho proper assembling Cf fhC dislo-
c..ted elements OF enterprise uutii
peace has been established tud So
lar as mey bee. -u4rdntee.
our national lie has no doU'i
been less radically disturbed and dis.