The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-10-24
CONCERNING HIGH
COST OF LIVING

The United States Council of De-
Tense makes the following state
ment concerning the high cost OF
living
To The Public: The United States
Council of National Defense, COM
posed of the Secretaries Of War,
Navy, Interior, Agriculture, Com
merce, and Labor, has made care
full investigation of the high-Co Of
living problem, and finds
That the Nations productive pow
crs have not been fully utilized
since the armistice.
That too few goods, notably the
necessities of life, have been pro-
duCcd, and that even some of these
goods have been withheld from the
market, and therefore from the pcu-
pie.
That the high cost of living is due
in part to unavoidable war waste
and increase of money and credit.
That there has been and is consid-
unintentional.
The Council believes that the rem
| edies for the situation are:
To produce more goods, and to
produce them in proportion TO the
needs of the people.
To stamp out profiteering and
stop unnecessary boarding.
To enforce vigorously present laws
and promptly TO enact such further
new laws as are necessary to pre-
vent and punish profitecring and
needless boarding.
To bring about better cooperation
and method in distributing and mar
kcting goods.
TO keep both producer and con-
sumner fully informed as to what
goods arc needed and as 10 what
supplies are available, so that pro-
duCLion may anticipate the country ;
demands.
Goods and not money are the
means of life. Better standards of
living are impossible without pro-
duCing more goods Men can not
consume what has not been pro-
duced
At the wars end our Allies had
desperate need of the essentials of
life. We have had to share our re-
sources with them, but this drain
will gradually lessen. In so far as
our shortage of goods is due to this
cause we can we'll afford to be pa
tient.
1t is just as essential that we have
patience with the economic situa-
ton here at home. The process of
production requires time. If pro-
duction is rapidly increased vastly
improved conditions will prevail ~
America when the results of pres
ent and future labor begin to APP
pear
Team work is imperative. 1t isl
just as essential between retailer
wholesaler and producer as it is
between employer and employee
One group of producers can not wait
on another group. The manufacture
er, the farmer, the distributor, must
each immediately assume his part
Of the burden and enter upon his
task. The Nation can not afford
curtailment of goods vital to the
people.
On American business rests a
grave responsibility for efficient CO.
operation in bringing about full and
proportionate production. On Amer
lean labor rests an equally grave re-
sponsibility to attain maximum
unit production and maintain unin-
terrupted distribution of goods if
labor itself is not to suffer from fur
Their rises in the cost of living.
The entire Nation-producer, dis
tributor and consumer alike--should
return to the unity which won the
war. Group interest and undue
personal gain must give way to the
good of the whole country if the sit
uation is TO be squarely met
Our common duty now fully as
much as in the war, is to work and
to save. In the words of the Presi-
dent in his address to the country
on August 25, 1919, only "by in
creasing production, and by rigid
economy and saving on the part of
the people, can we hope for large
decreases in the burdensome cost of
living which now weights us down"
Work. save, cooperate, produce.
(Signed)
NEWTON D. BAKER,
Secretary of War and Chairman of
the Council.
JOSEPHUS DANIELS.
Secretary of the Navy.
FRANKLIN *. LANE,
Secretay of the Interior.
D. F. HOUSTON.
Secretary of Agriculture.
WILLIAM c. REDFIELD,
Secretary of Commerce.
w. B. WILSON,
Secretary of Labor.
G.. B. Clarkson,
Director Of the Council