The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-07-31
BREAD RIOTS If
prices STAY UP.
Purchasing Price Of Dollar Far
Below What It Was
1. Before War.
DRASTIC ACTION NEEDED
Nations Officials Aroused
Over Situation of Living
Cost.
raw JoHN HOWARD NEVIN.)

{fThat in effect is the chief slogan nov
@fbeing imp cssed on President Wilson
and his chief aides by national labol
land sociological leaders. 1t is sale
TSlcre that President Wilson viii u
1.-THE very near future ask congress X
take drastic measures to end a sit
uation that daily is becoming mor'
and more intolerable.
"a The president last night and agniI
Il today was studying the reports pre-
sented to him by Warren q. stone
and the advisory board of the Broth
erhood of Locomotive Engineers
~ Their fiat declaration that "a wide
NJ spread spirit of unrest exists amont
NJ all classes, especially among wage
N #earneTs,s whose wages will no Longer
&proHide adequate food, shelter ant
VI rairnent for themselves and fami'
Flies" has stirred the chief executive
very deeply, his friends declare. This
i concrete warning by the. chief of th'
q engineers of the dangers confronting
Il the American people furnished
y complete summing up of many sim,
u liar statements which have beer
pouring into the White House anc
II the various government departments
NJ ever since the president came bach
8 from France 1t now ~ expected thai
a the cabinet will be asked at once tt
n have the experts in the various de-
partments initiate an inquiry into
4 the soaring prices of foodstuffs.
Z Buying Power Of Dollar.
Meanwhile the, president personally
will look into the charges that the
buying power of the American dollar
y has been reduced through manipula-
y ton by food profiteers who are oper-
ating in9eyery part of the United
States.
washington, July s1.-President
Wilson is giving deep and very
thoughtfuI consideration" to the high
cost of living. 1t was announced to-
day at the White House and all
branches OF the government that
might aid in solving the problem are
at work.
The president is understood to have
been deeply Impressed by the state
ment presented to him yesterday by
Warren s. Stone, chief of the Broth
,erhood of Locomotive Engineers, de-
scribing the unrest over the country
because of the decreased purchasing
power of the dollar.
In this connection 1t became known
today that the Order of Railway
Trainmen had presented to the rail
road administration a statement sim
liar to that of the engineers, setting
forth that the trainmen must hayf
increased wages unless immediate
steps were taken to reduce living
costs. y, -. ~, 3, !. .sa
y3ss Fist step Taken.
FIRST steps in the federal govern
nient's attempt to reduce the high
30 MIN fal fnAaU xuif oh
the Inauguration of the plan for the
sale of 1925, 100000 worth Of army
food stocks direct to the people with
every postnlast r and mail caVier
over the country actirG as salesman.
Distribution of the surplus food in
this manner was requested by the
house of representatives and details
were worked out at conferences be-
tween Secretary Baker, Postmaster
General Burleson and Representa-
tive Kelley. Of Pennsylvania, author
of the house resolution.
Program Outlined.
While this program was being put
into effect, President Wilson had be-
fore him statement from the
Brotherhood of Locomotive Engi-
neers which declared that con
scienceless profiteering by the great
interests who have secured control
OF all the necessities of life" had
brought about such conditions that
the engineers felt they must demand
increased wages unless living ex-
penses speedily were reduced.
At the department of justice in
vestigations into causes of increasing
living costs were under way with
particular attention being given to
the question of whether producers or
dealers had combined in violation of
law to raise prices Of necessities.
Meantime there was pending in the
house a resolution proposing that
the federal trade commission investi-
gate rising costs of coffee, sugar,
shoes and clothing.
In a statement presented to Presi-
dent Wilson late yesterday, Mr.. Stone
declared that despite the recent wage
increases, members of the brother
hood found themselves today actually
earning less money than they did be-
fore the war, because of the great
depreciation in the purchasing power
of the dollar. Attention also was
called TO the widespread sririt of
unrest among all classes whose wage
no long er will provide adequate food,
shelter and raiment for themselves
and families"
No plan of action by the govern
ment was suggested further than
that some adequate measure be taken
to reduce the cost of necessities of
life to figure that the present wages
and income of the people will meet.
President Wilson, it was said at the
White House after the conference,
which lasted half an hour. was much
impressed with the statement pre-
sented and promised to give serious
consideration and study to the ques-
tion of what the government might
be able to do. .
Previous to their conference with the
President the brotherhood officials con-
ferred with Director General Hines,
who expressed sympathy with their re-
, quest that governmental action be
taken to lower living costs.
Widespread Unrest.
The president was told by the
brotherhood board that widespread
spirit OF unrest exists aRong the classes.
especially among wage earners whose
wages will no longer provide adequate
food, shelter and raiment for themselves
and families.
AIIeT requesting tldL SUITE dCllOn De
taken by the government the state
ment read by Mr.. Stone and which also
was addressed to members Of the cab
met said:
Increase Of Wages.
Should this not be considered fea-
sible, we will be forced to urge that
those whom we represent be granted
an increase In wages to meet the de-
terioration of the purchasing price of
the dollar, be that what IT may, which
can easily be determined by competent
authority.
This action may be unique and II
may be properly termed pioneer
movement in the history of labor or
ganizations in seeking an audience
with the chief executive Of the country
\ and, IN a manner, suggesting to him
ahn nn,rnnlnr q IA n,ann,,l.crn II hin