The Elk Mountain pilot., 1919-08-14
President Addresses Congress on
Subject Of High Cost
Of Living.
LAWS, ARE NOT ADEQUATE
Chief Executive Declares 'VIeious
Practice" Are Responsible for
40 Peritous Situation Which Faces
the Nation-Makss Impor-
tant Reeomme Rdations.

and proposing remedies to cheek the
high cost OF living. President Wilson
declared that existing laws were innde
qunte and that high prices were not
Justified by shortage of supplies, pres
ent or prospective, but We're created In
many cases ''artificially and deliber'
ntely" by vicious practices"
The president recommended that the
food control act be extended to
peace time operation and that congress
exclude from Interstate as well AS
tntrastate shipments goods which did
not comply with its provisions.
His address was rs follows:
Gentlemen of the Congress:
I have sought this opportunity to ad-
dress you because It is clearly my duty
to call your attention to the present cost
of living and to urge upon you with all
the persuasive force OF which am capable
the Legislative measures which would be
most effective In controlling 1t and bring
ing 1t down.
The prices the people of this country are
paying for everything that 1t il necessary
Tor them to use in order to live are not
Justified by a shortage In supply, either
present or prospective, and are in many
Eases artifcialiy and deliberately created
.oiately TO be checked by law.
They constitute a burden upon US which
II the more unDearable because we know
that It II wilfuly Imposed by those who
have the power and that 1T can by vigor-
GUS public action be greatly Heightened and
made to square with the actual conditions
OF supply and demand.
Profiteers lawbreakers. ---
Some of the methods by which these
prices are produced are already Illegal.
come of them criminal. and those who
employ them will be theoretically pro-
ceeded sKainst. But others have not yet
been brought under the law. and should
be dealt with at once by legislation.
s.lsnced not recite the particulars OF this
critical matter. the prices demanded and
paid at the sources of supply. at the fac
tory, in the food markets. at the shops,
In the restaurants and hotels. alike in the
city and In the village.
They are familiar to you. They are the
talk of every domestic circle and of every
group of casual acquaintances even. II Is
. matter of familiar knowledge also that
o process has set In which is likely. unless
something 10 done. to push prices and
rents and the whole cost of living higher
and yet higher. in a vicious cycle to which
there 10 no logical or natural end.
With the increase in the prices of the
ncccssarles of life come demands for in
.rresses in wages-demands which are
jns,'ced II there be no other means of
or e5ling men TO live.
Upon the increase of wages there fol-
lows close an Increase In the price of the
products whose producers have been &C
corded the increase-not a proporttonate
increase. for the manufacturer does not
content himself with that. but an In
crease considerably greater than the
added wage cost and for which the added
wage cost is oftentimes hardly more than
an excuse.
The laborers who do not get increase
in pay when they demand 1t are likely
to strike. and the strike only makes mat
ters worse. --..
1t checks production; II II Affects the
railways 1t prevents distribution and
stripA the markets: so that there IL pres
entity nothing to buy. and there is another
excessive addition to prices resulting from
the scarcity.
Conditions Not "Natural."
THESE are facts and forces with which
We have become only too familiar: but
we are not justified because of our famil-
iarity with them or because of any hasty
and shallow conclusion that they are
natural and inevitable. In sitting mac
lively by and letting them work their IA
tai results II there is anything that we
can do to check. correct or reverse them
] have sought this opportunity TO in
form the congress what the executive Is
to suggest where effective legal remedies
are lacking and may be supplied.
We must. / think. frankly admit that
there is complete immediate remedy
TO be had from legislation and executive
action. The free processes of supply and
demand will not operate OF themselves
and no Legislative or executive action car
force them into full and natural operation
until there is peace.
There is neither peace nor war
tai. ale hat
nerving fears and haunting doubts wht
can adequately sayr-waiting to know
when 1t shall have peace and what kin'
OF peace It will be when 1t comes-a peace
In which nation shall make shift fo
itself as IL can, or peace buttressed ant
supported by the will and concert o
the nations that have the purpose and thu
power to do and to enforce what is right
Politically. economically. socially. tn
world is on the operating table. and 1t ha
not been possible to administer any nnaes
thetic. 1t is conscious. 1t even watche
the capital operation upon which 1t know
that its hopes of healthful life depends
1t cannot think Its business out max
plans or give Intelligent and provident di
rection to its affairs while In such a case
Where there Is no peace of mind Their
can be no energy In endeavor.
Must Know Terms Of Peace.
There can be no confidence in indus
try. no caiculaDie basis tor credits' n
confident buying of systematic selling
NO certain prospect of employment, n
normal restoration of business, n
hopeful attempt at reconstruction or
proper reassemblins OF the a.slocate
egements Of enterpriae until peace he
heeu established. and 10 far rs may b.
euaranteed. Our national life has n
doubt been less radically disturbed an
Aism~mbered than the national life @
64her peoples whom the war more di
rec,iy affected. With all its terrtbl
v,v- flag and destructive force. but
80 r.en nevertheless profoundly al
( it, md disarranged. Hnd our indua
,r.e.. eur credits, our productive ca