Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-12
JOHNSON BLAMES
HIGH COSTS ON
THE PRESIDENT
California Senator in Indian
apolis Attacks Wilson's
Insistence on Treaty

indianapolis, Sept. II. - Senator
Hiram W. Johnson, of California,
continuing his speechmaking cam
paign in the Middle West in opposi-
ton to the ratification of the League
of Nations Covenant in an address
here last night declared that if re-
sponsibility for the high cost of liv-
ing rests upon any agency or man, it
rests upon the present national ad-
ministration and Woodrow Wilson.
president Wilson adds to his fear
some harsh names, appeals TO our
material interests, and even taxes the
two months that the League and
Treaty have been before the Ameri-
can people and Senate with the high
cost OF living" said Senator Johnson.
He conveniently forgets the eight
months he spent abroad, secretly
pledging our resources and our man
power to European and AsiatiC Gov
ernments. The two months of dis
cussion by our people and our Sem
ate in the open of what he discussed
secretly for eight months has had,
OF course, no bearing upon, and the
reasonable discussion in the future
cannot possibly affect, the high cost
OF living.
'If any single individual can be
charged with responsibility for the
high cost of living that man is
Woodrow Wilson. The living costs
in December and January last were
substantially what they are to-day.
Mr.. Wilson then had exactly the
game laws he now invokes.
Never Even Touched Subject"
He had neither time nor inclina-
ton to deal with a problem then
practically as acute as it is now. He
never even touched the subject, eX-
cept patronizingly and as an ephe-
neral Ill OF no consequence or inn
portance. He makes its solution de-
pend now upon the immediate rati-
tiCation OF his Treaty. He would
frighten us by a cheap and specious
statement, devoid of economic logic,
and wanting in any sound reason.
lie covers his own dereliction by an
unfounded counter charge. Remem-
Der his address TO Congress, De-
cember last.
The moment we knew the arm
istice TO have been signed, we took
the harness OFF. 1t is surprising
how fast the process" of return to a
peace footing has moved in the three
weeks since the lighting stopped.
His idea of reconstruction then
was, 1t will not be easy TO direct
II any better than it will direct it
self. When he had ample time for
action last December and might
have prevented the subsequent con-
tinuance OF high prices, these are
his words: our people do not wait
TO be coached and led. Any leading
strings we might seek to put them
in would speedily become hopelessly
entangled, because they would pay
no attention to them and so their
own way The American business
man is of quick initiative
Smashed Food Administration
AT that time we had a competent
Federal Food Administration. COM
pletely organized throughout the ma
tlon. Mr. Wilson deliberately scrap
ped this vast organization, which
might have removed a part. at least.
Of the causes of high prices. Now,
months after he has dismissed the
Federal and State agencies. he is
calling them together again to deal
with the question"
Speaking OF Article Y OF the Cow
enant of the League, Senator John
son, after quoting President Wilson's
Interpretation of the section, said:
1T makes America underwrite
every territorial grab of every other
nation, every wrong and injustice
done peoples, every bargain by
which human beings have been
handed about from one sovereignty
to another, every violation of nat
ural right and self-determination
every oppression of the strong over
the Mea -