South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1920-07-11
WHERE TO HIT.


MUCH has been said and written as to the causes
INl and reasons for the high cost Of living dur
ing the last three years. Numerous Investigations
have been started several points and shown more
or less speed for time. Some of these investi-
cations are yet going, and some are gone. But no
decrease in the of living has been noticeable.
few dealers in LIES necessities have been
prosecuted. found guilty and have paid fines. And
the high cost of living goes merrily on
The prosecution and conviction of few small
profteers semi occasionally will not bring down the
cost Of living long present conditions which
control the supply of necessities exists Neither
wholesale retail dealers in foodstuns and wear
ing apparel in the cities and towns produce any
part Of that in which they deal Every article from
the greatest to the smallest comes originally. in
some form, from the farm. Many articles of food
and clothing put through many processes of
manufacture. refining. etc. before they reach the
ultimate consumer. Nevertheless they are the pro-
duct of the farm-not of the manufacturer or the
refner.
a concentrated effort the part the countrys
consumers TO get and keep more people interested
in farming will solve the problem of the high cost
of living.
Tenantless stores dwellings in any city or town
bring about low rents and the longer they remain
tenantless the lower the of necessity goes.
prices of foodstuns wearing apparel And the
longer farms remain tenantess the higher go prices
OF these commodities.
The war called boys from the farms Thou
sands of them gave up their lives for their country.
Thousands disabled for life and other thou
sands have found other occupations more to their
liking Consequently have thousands of tenant
less farms
Just long these farms remain tenantless.
Just long will the cost of living soar sxywari,
though hang a profteer every morning before
breakfast.
And not alone in the agricultural sections does
this condition exist. In Allegheny county, Pa the
county in which lies the industrial of Pitts
burg for instance. there are 200 tenantless farmf
according a report of the state department of
agriculture 1t says:
state agricultural experts who have been
going reports in regard tensntless farms
believe there 200 in Allegheny cOun-
~. Almost 100 have been listed and in some
cases photographs have been taken
buildings idle farms which I'm a good
condition and could be worked at a profit. In
Armstrong. Butler. Washington and westmore-
land counties there also a number Of idle
farms Of which state reports saw look
as though they have been abandoned entirely
by their
any thinking person could hope for worth
while relief from the high cost of living with con-
ditions like this existing is quite clear. 1t is
not a matter of legislation and litigation so much
adaptation. Every encouragement possible should
be offered able-bodied men and women up
farm life. They needed the farms today just
much boys in France in II. And
they will find the task much more pleasant and
particularly remunerative than did the boys
there,-despite the absence of movies and the
snob veneers of city life.