Evening journal., 1920-10-25
Chapter /
BY MARSHALL OLDS
Copyright 1920. New York Trlbur


from the lighter to the Erie Railroad
by truck and sent in 10 New York as
Jersey freight. These extra and spe-
cial operations cost little over 81 a
barrel, but the shortage OF potatoes at
tne time was so acute that the New
York market eagerly absorbed them,
oven at this tremendously higher cost.
AS soon as the strikes from these
three boat lines started and these
FORMAL arteries for supplying one OF
New Iork's chief food necessities
we're closed It was necessary, OF
course to fall back on the railroads
from the South. But these, because OF
strikes OF their own, lack Of equip
ment and other dsOrganizatiOn
which had lasted over from the war
were having the utmost difficulty In
taking care OF their own traffic and
were IN no way prepared TO bear this
Immense and unexpected new volume
Of traffic.
Moreover, 1t Is absolutely necessary
Tor fruit and vegetables to be handled
with the utmost dispatch, and this
these railroads We're entirely unable
10 do. IL was necessary, therefore, TO
load these fruit and Vegetables into
any kind OF freight cars that could be
secured, generally without any chance
Tor icing, and then to pay not ordi-
nary freight, but special express
rates, In order TO rush them TO New
York. Yet even with all these pre-
cautions, literally hundreds OF cars
OF fruits and vegetables reached New
York in such a spoiled condition that
they had to be dumped Immediately
into the Jersey meadows.
Due thus directly and entirely Ia
this strike OF a few hundred dock la
b0rers and 10 no other cause, hun
dreds OF thousands OF families in
New York and this whole section
paid, according 10 all competent esti-
mates, at least 100 per cent. more for
all the fruit and vegetables they
bought this spring.
Moreover, the indirect results-in
the shortage and so the higher prices
OF all the other commodities VII ich
the Southern railroads could not
handle because they handled this
normal boat busness-all the other
indirect results which always follow
any such general upsetting Of the
normal operation of industry, though
they cannot be estimated, unques-
tionably ran up the real cost OF this
strike to the public far higher even
than This.
Eat more fish" was one OF the
slogans OF the war, and numerous
government bulletins emphasized 20
the whole country the specially
healthful and palatahle qualities OF
tuna fsh until II has become, even in
these few years, almost a staple prod
uct OF national consumption.
Tuna fish are caught and canned or
oil hH aIt 1ta
coast OF California, where an impor-
tant new industry has been started
by their increased general popularity
The tuna fish comes to the California
coast in great schools during a GER
tain limited season Of each year, the
fishers and canneries being occupied
the rest Of the year in catching and
preparing sardines and other fish.
Now, there are few sections in the
country In which the general cost Of
living, according 10 the best official
figures had gone up more than i07
per cent. since 1911. In California it
had gone up very much less than
this. Yet last year Just as the tuna
fish began TO run the California fish
ermen struck for a 500 per GEN.. raise
in wages and stayed on strike til
after the schools of tuna fish had left.
As a result there was practically no
tuna fish packed last year and the de-
mand throughout the country put the
price up about 80 per cent. The price
OF sardines and other fish handled in
the same industry was OF course also
more or less seriously affected.
Again this year just as the tuna
fish began TO run the fishermen
struck Again also for a 500 per cent
increase in wages, but they finally
compromised on a $50 per cent. in
crease. This necessitated a still fur
N er. advance OF 80 per cent in the
price OF tuna fish. In other. words, all
the rest OF US whose incomes have
not even kept pace with the high cost
OF living must now pay 80 per cent
more for our tuna fish simply and
solely because certain California fish
ermen decided TO use The weapon OF
the strike to increase their own in
comes over four times their increased
cost Of living.
Authorities do not agree as TO jusi
which is the most important anC
which is only the second most i'm
poriant contributing factor to th'
high cost OF sugar. There are thosl
who say that the honor Of being the
primary cause goes 10 an arbitrary
I " NA NNNN AANAAMN NNAANl lMMNANM NAf
sugar situation with far more regarC
20 the feelings OF certain southern
| politicians than with regard 10 tn
| pockeibooks Of the rest OF the nation
Others maintain that the trOubl,
started when a fully-develOped high
powered modern strike bacillus. es
Gaping from warning civilization
strayed in come unaccountable wa,
into the iungles OF Cuba.
For years h. dark-skinned gentle
men. who since the end OF reVolu
tionary days have used their wide
famed nachetes in the peaceful occu
patton OF cutting sugar cane hav
\ been paid at the rate OF 80 cents pc
100 arrObas, Of about p pounds each
for this work Now, however. sine
the modern strike bacillus found 10
way into Cuba, he receives $50 70
The same work. As a result the fins
lcost in The production OF sugar is III