The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1920-04-15

to interrupt the transportation of food
for the American people, but that is sim
ply surface eXpedient designed for moral
effect to prevent the growth of industrial
lawlessness. Every member of the cabi
net is aware, as is the President himself,
that industrial disturbances in the United
States are not alone due to the operations
of radicals but that cure must be
found for the system which makes it pos
sible for radicals and demagogues to har
rangue workmen and obtain their sup
port for strike tactics and rebellion
against the veteran leaders of organized
labor
1t all gets back to the high cost of liv-
ing with which the government has
wrestled in vain. The executive points
a blaming finger at the legislative where
for months the proposals of the President
to curb profiteering and cut out the
abuses of certain intermediate processes
between producer and consumer have not
been acted on any more than the sugges-
tons of the secretary of the treasury that
some of the bad features of the present
revenue laws be wiped off the statute
books. More and more is official Wash
ington coming to the belief that the ex-
cess profits tax is the foundation stone
of the high cost Of living. And now on
top of it all congress is proposing to add
a billion dollars in costs i'll order to sat
isfy the soldier vote and to meet that in
| crease it is seriously being urged that a
tax of one and one half per cent on all
| sales shall be added to the confusion of
the present taxation system without re-
moving any of the inquities in the tax
provisions that already exist.
| The railroad strike has accentuated the
relationship between the high cost of liv-
/ ing and industrial chaos. Samuel Comp
ers and the veteran leaders of the rail
road brotherhoods are emphatic in their
claims that the executive branch of the
| government ignored their warnings about
the demands of the employees and that
congress gave evidence in the railroad
legislation that it would not heed tho
warnings against radicalism which Mr.
Gompers and his associates feared. To
day the government finds itself working
side by side with the conservative lead
ers of union labor to influence the strik
ing workmen to come back to work Blu
those same leaders whose sincerity ha
been doubted again and again hav
warned the government against a polio,
OF neglect and while they are using ever,
effort themselves to keep control of thei
, men they insist that the present situation
, is the best proof obtainable that the de
mands which the railroad left at tn
White House as early as last July canno
be longer ignored.
Much is expected of the new railroa
!, labor board which has Just been name
nv prnc ID 49,
the coal strike the ultimate burden prof.
4 ably will be imposed upon the consum,
just as the man who wishes to meet IL
heavy excess profits taxes adds percent
age of that tax to his prices in ord,
that his own income shall not be dimiI
lshed. The economic cycle. in othC
words, still goes on and the railroad me
seeing no signs of a change with respe,
to the commodities they must buy Al
dlscontented because their pay remain
unaltered while living costs 90 up
/ The government will probably atteml
to punish the railway men who brougl
on the strike if conspiracy can |
l proved but there is a genuine appreheI
sion lest these tactics make it possib
j for more demagogues to accomplish il
dustrlal paralysis such as the coal mil
ers successfully carried on notwithstanC
ing the majesty OF the injunction pr,
cess Back of the industrial revolt {
the railways is the cost of living and il
1 equitable taxation. Congress is dodgil
/ legislation because this is campaign We;
and It's motto is to do the least that WI
1 cause political antagonsm The exec
/ tive branch of the government is equal
1 tlmld about pressing its case again
/ profiteers and those who are keeping ,
/ the cost of living. Indeed congress sa,
the executive departments can cut Il
cost OF living if they will but enfor
the laws ON the statute books. So b
tween Republican congress and Dem
cratic executive. very little has ha
pened though labor leaders have been 7
peatedly giving warning of such +
belllon as has occurred. The big que
ton now is whether the two host
branches OF the government will be at
to play any longer their political gam
IN the face of nation wide industri