The labor journal. [volume] (Everett, Wash.) 1909-1976, 1919-09-26
CBy Patrick McEvovD

creased cost of living are profiteer-
ing, enormous profits in financing
and unchecked storage of foods %
said Frank P. Walsh, former Joint
Chairman of the National War La
Dor Board, who for many years has
/ been one Of the most widely-known
advocates of the rights of labor in
an interview a few days ago with
the writer Mr. Walsh has been
asked whether he thought the con-
tinued demands of labor for higher
wages would tend to cause CORE
spending increases in the cost Of
living Mr. Walsh answered:
That question implies that there
| has been an increase i'm wages cor
responding with the increase in the
cost of living. That is not the case.
Living costs have advanced out of
all proportion TO wages.
Labor usually is an inconsider-
able item of cost in agriculture,
manufacturing and commerce. 1t
would be the height of absurdity to
allege that had this one item of
the cost Of goods also should be
doubled. The fact Is that only a Few
workers, those who contribute in
valuable brains and artisanship TO
society, have been able 10 have their
wages kept abreast OF the increased
cost of living The great mass Of
! labor is farther from obtaining de
/ cent and comfortable living condl-
uons than ever before. The obvious
. reason is that manufacturers ana
commercial companies have retained
| their pre-War profit percentages.
When food, clothing and other
necessities pass through seYera !
hands 'and pre-War percentage OF
profit is maintained in the first
handing, the consumer is forced TO
pay profits pyramlded on profits.
The world would laugh at business
men who doubled the cost OF their
goods because their rent or the
price they pay for coal had been
doubled, vet it takes seriously the
claims that because labor has had
a material though nowhere near a
100 per cent increase, goods should
double and triple in value. The
cost Of living Will continue to in
/ crease as lonS as these shameful
rortir,,, 70 .-a+ 1ass o,,1 Lee fo,. -
wnrlt
"Profi+aerinr Is the greatest fac
/ tor in the increase Of living costs
| and the money handlers are the
worst offenders i'm this respect
| They command unlimited mower not
only from the people. hut also from
! governments. The national banks
| Of the country sy-Dhon ont of the
/ pockets of the people every wear
| the value Of the entire cotton crou
and half the wheat croD 10 SUPPORT
! their dividends and add to their sur
| pnIses. A huge toll is also taken on
! the toll and sweat of mon and wo.
men hy the trust companies. state
| banks bond houses. fiscal agencies
and other financial institutions.
THE most C0nspicu0us instance
/ Of profiteering. but one which shows
in a striking way how profiteering
affects every worker is narrated by
Nj L. r. Greene, marketing ex-
pert al Notre Dame University. Ac-
| cording to Mr.. Greene. a farmer i'm
! the Northwest drove to a flour mill
with a ton Of wheat After unload
ing il. he drove to another door OF
| the same mill and bought ton of
bran. the husks Of the wheat He
paid nearly ten dollars more for the
! bran than he got for the wheat. He
would have done better had he fed
/ the wheat to his cattle.
"Nlr Greene cites other instances
/ Of profiteering. For instance. sweet
I Fl