New-York tribune., 1920-01-04
Facts Relating to High Cost
of Living and Other
Questions of Day Will Be
Compiled by University
Civ Officials Are Blamed
Dr. Butler Explains Plan to
Give Public Accurate Data
on Important Questions

Dr.. Nicholas Murray Butler, presi-
a.nt Of Columbia, announced yesterday
,h.t through its Institute Of Arts and
Sciences the university would under
,ake during 1920 the task of assem-
bsnv end disseminating the facts
,aou;site for the formation of a fair
and intelligent public opinion regard
inc the solution of such vital prob
,ems Is labor readjustments and re-
dsction Of the cost of living.
.sThe labor question and the question
Il the metropolitan food supply, as re-
,sted to the high cost Of living, will
particularly engage the university's at
sention," said DIR. Butler. "It will not
Ia as regards labor, to invoke legal
successes after strikes have occurred" )"
he added, NOR will the prosecution
Il few proateers have any effect to-
v,rd the reduction Of prices. For re-
sdiustments Of permanent character In
18th cases, it Is necessary to base pub
IL opinion on fundamental facts, and it
i tie uriversity's purpose to supply
those facts"
One of the prime requisites Of the
present situation, Is It affects tho city,
d. Butler said, WAS to remedy the
bck Of foresight on the part Of sue
cessive municipal administrations
which has resulted In placing millions
ef people at the mercy Of an antiquated
and sbottle neck system" Of food sup
ply distribution.
All Try to pass the Buck"
sWhen anything goes wrong or goes
badly IN our complex modern life," Dr..
Butler continued, "the first thought Of
many Of Us is to abuse somebody or
to put blame somewhere or to propose
to cyerturn everything with a view to
discovering whether the situation
which ccnfronts Us may not be either
Yemedied or avoided The university
point Of view, on the contrary, is to
Try to get at the facts. In a demo-
cratic country like ours we have only
one court of appeal and that is an in
structed and informed public opinion.
Our whole fabric of government and
society rests upon the assumption that
the public opinion of the whole people,
Il informed and instructed, will make
sound and correct judgment as to
what course should be- pursued in the
public interest About thirty years
ago. when Abram s. Hewitt was
Mayor of New York, he proposed that
the city Of New York, instead of charg-
ing rental for its piers and docks,
should take them under it's own con-
trOi and allot them free of charge to
the various shipping lines and ships
that might use them for the taking on
or discharging Of cargo.
"Of course there was a howl. Mr.
hewitrs suggestion was hooted at
SotnIng was done, and to-day we are
confronted by the great question az
% how We are going to maintain the
sapplng Of this great port; how the
dy Of New York is to keep its su-
wemacy as a shipping center, because
xe have problem directly in front OF
y without funds with which to solve
Il IN large way.
transportation Problems
During the last ten or fifteen years
tseIe have been expended perhaps
41se00o, 600 or more to improve the
passenger approach to the city. How
much has been expended in that period
e improve the freight approach ? How
much has been expended to get here
ns.s quickly, more cheaply. more con-
ssn'sntly, all that great mass of sup