The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1920-02-24
4, MITCHELL PALMER DECLARES
WARFARE ON PR0FITEERS AND RED
AG1TAT0RS, HELD EQUAL MENACE
Attorney General of United
States Attempts Defense of
Democratic Administration
and Tells of Problems Now
Facing Country Domestics
More Dangerous Than Aliens,
He Claims Trouble-Makers

=
Topeka, kans. Feb. 24.-Thc protl
tcer was classcd with the anarchist
and the alien asitator as one of Amer
icl's principal menaces by A. Mitchell
Palmer, attorney general Of the United
States, in addressing the Kansas
Democratic club here.
In part Mr.. Palmer said:
Foremost amongst he problems
which call for prompt and wise
solution has been that which the
French call he cost Of life ana
which we in America have come
living. The pressure upon men
for means whcrcwith to bring to them
selves AMI their families the comforts
which the American standard Of liv-
ing requires. has created discomfort
amongst a large body of our people
which is responsible for many other
problems Of the day. The relations
between money and labor in industry
have been strained by this preSsu"
and call for rcadjustmcnt. These
strained relations have in turn offered
excuse for dangerous agitatOrs to ad-
wise and pursue the short cut to re-
form through physical force and vi
olcncc, so that the peace and orde:
Of the country have been seriously
disturbed.
II. G. OF l..
"The campaign against the high
cost Of living has not been unsuccess:
full. While no general lower level OF
priccs to the consumer has been reach
I'd, there has been in many lines Il
marked tendency toward such level.
Last summer Indications pointed to
cvcr-mounting prices in all lines OF
commodities and it seemed to be Ger
tain that during the period Of scant
production when prices always
are higher. there would be distress
ing increase in the general cost OF
living. but the increase during the
winter has been less than in any pre-
yious winter for any years and l
think it may be stated with confidence
that the peak has been reached anu
passed. How much the activities OF
the government had to do with this
will doubtless always be a matter FOR
laws as we have had have been visor-
ously enforced with the purpose OF
controlling as far rs possible the arti'
ticial increase Of prices. Profiteers
have been caught and punished in
nearly every state and i'll almost every
line of trade. Great quantities OF
boarded commodities have been re-
leased into the natural channels OF
commerce. Untold numbers, Of men
have been deferred by this action
from boarding the nccessaJfes Of life
and from charging unjust and un-
rca asonable profits. Competition has
been restored by the entering OF DC,
crease under the Sherman ANTITRUST
law: while cooperation has been main
tanned with nearly all the states i'll
efforts. through fair price committees
and other agencies, to check the up.
ward tendency in the prices of ali
necessary commodities.
ut may not be improper. in this con
ncction. to mention single instance
where the government, Ivy urgent IN
sistence, has brought about Il decree
which is designed to restore freedom OF
connection and increase the oppor
tunities for individual initiativc III
business, which must i'll time beal
GOOD fruits for the public welfare.
refer to the packers case.
49, CLASS WARFARE
zone of the most serious aftcrwa'
problems is that which is involved II
what NAV be called the ultra a-radIca
class war movement in America. II
other martS of the world. men have
had the same desire which has stlrrct
the hearts Of men hcrc-thc desire fol
fuller liberty and more abundant lid
erty and more abundant opportunity
The difference is that in those coun
tries the desire has been rlgorOuSI!
suppressed. In many of them it has
rema ined almost inarticulate through
all the centuries. This long continued
rcprcssion brought the inevitable cx
posion: the people resOrted to forc'
TO bring a new day in government an'
industry, u day whose dawn did no
at first break bright and clear. Ih'
result has been far from the hope;
of those responsible for the new con
ditions. but it may be that time an'
q return to something like ortlcrl!
processes. coupled with an apparen
sympathetic understanding on the par
Of larger mass of the people. vii
eventually bring peace and happlnes
and very much larger share of free
dom to the peoples CT the old world
The mistake which seems to have bcel
made by many who have come her
recently from other parts of the worl'
and who have not yet brcathcd deepI.
the spirit of our institutions. is this
They affect to believe that the genera
movement for better conditions OF lii
in ether parts of the world must haV
it's counterpart in method in this ne"
er world. They have been forced t
live under conditions that have mad