Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1919-07-31
FIRST STEPS
To CUT HIGH
PRICES NEAR
Government Launches In
itial Attempt-Mail
Men to Sell Food.

Washington, July 31.-Pres-
ident Wilson is giving "deep
and very thoughtful consider
alton" to the high cost of liV-
ing, 1t was announced today at
the White house, and all
branches Of the government
that might aid in solving the
problem are at work.
The president is understood tC
have been deeply impressed by the
statement presented to him yester-
day by Warren S. Stone, chief oi
the Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers, describing the unrest over
the country because of the decreas-
ed purchasing power of the dollar.
In this connection, it became
known today that the Brotherhood
of Railway Trainmen had presented
to the railroad administration a
statement similar to that of the en-
gineers, setting forth that the train
men must have increased wages un-
less immediate steps were taken to
reduce living costs.
First steps in the federal govern
ment's attempt to reduce the high
cost of living were taken today
with the Inauguration of a plan for
the sale of SIPS. 100000 worth of
army food stocks direct to the peo-
pie with every postmaster and car
rier over the country acting as a
salesman.
Distribution Of the surplus food
in this manner was requested by
thss house of representatives and
&etails were worked out at confer
ences between Secretary Baker,
Postmaster General Burleson and
Representative Kelly, Pennsyl-
vania, author of the house resolu-
tion.
War department officials today
were preparing a price list cover
ing the entire available surplus.
The list will Re sent to each of
the postmasters throughout the
country as well as to rural mail
carriers, who will inform consum-
ers of the prices and methods of
sale and also take orders. Pay
ment must be made at the time
that the order is taken, for which a
receipt will. be given in order that
purchaser may be reimbursed in
event the order cannot be filled.
The army food which will be
available to the public at much
lower prices than those prevailing
in the retail trade, consists chiefly
of canned vegetables, corned beef,
bacon, hashed corn beef, roast beef
and fresh frozen meat and poultry.
Wilson Has Protest.
While this program was being
~
had before him a statement from
tnV Brotherhood of Locomotive En-
gineers which declared that "con-
scienceless profiteering by the
great interests who have Sc
cured control of all the necessities
of life" had brought about such
conditions that the engineers felt
they must demand increased wages
unless living expenses speedily
were reduced.
There were 16 men in the dele
cation of men who visited the
White house and their mission
practically chronicles a new era in
the industrial life of the nation.
Briefly, what they said was this:
Mr.. President, we do not want
another increase in wages, for an
other increase simply means high
er prices-higher correspondingly
than whatever increase we might
receive-will follow for the neces-
stiles of life. What we do want is
a decrease in the cost of living"
Earn Less Than Before War.
A statement presented by Mr.. |
Stone declared that despite the re-
cent wage increases members of !
the brotherhood found themselves /