The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1920-09-23


ton nor lessen prices nor stop wars, a
we see BY the Russian adventure,
Not by the intensifioation OF ma.
tional egotisfn, for that creates new
hatred and does no. open new mar
kets. not by domination Of the races.
There IL only one cure for the woes
OF Europe and our own--hot easy, but
bound to come unless we are looking
lot downfall. 1t is the reconciliation
OF peoples. burying OF old hatchets,
wipins out OF old villanies and CO.
| operating In q much closer union OF
mutual help under the direction OF 4
league OF nations, made democratic and
powerful by the free consent and ardent
impulses Of the common folk.
Before that can happen there must
| come new leaders. new enthusiasm for
the ideals OF life. new spirit Of un-
seihshness and service for the common
wealth-and Just now we do not see
Ithem coming"
To make the Wilson administration
the goat for the high prices shows how
much Ignorance and prejudice there ia.
and with fuller discussion before the
campaign ends we doubt II II will re-
main.
In what way could the administra-
ton nave fought the war any more
cheaply than was done? To have
stinted In expenditures OF money was
70 nave been extravagant In expendi-
lures OF human life and limb.
NOW these gigantic costs have been
charged into all that we eat, wear, and
into the value OF the houses we live
~ Nations needing money have
worked the printing presses on money
ana promises to pay. There was never
such war before. Consequently the
word was never before 80 burdened
with debt. Those who complain most
about the taxes and high costs now
OFTEN are those who were recipients
OF immense war profits. The trusts
ana great aggregate ms OF capital are
opposed to the democratic party be-
cause we would proceed on a plan for
disarmament. This hits the munitions
anc related businesses. 1t la remark
able how they are correlated In defeat
ing any contamination OF the League
OF nations. They were silent while
woodrow Wilson pledged the world for
our objects In the war. but as soon as
tho armistice was signed they began
hghting the terms he proposed They
prefer TO build $40,O00,000 battleshIps
rather than make navigable four great
rivers like the Tennessee, and could be
done with the same amount OF money.
We are not only likely TO be in the
position OF being perfidious to our
pledges. but we are likely to ruin in
ternational business. A war with Mex.
loo may please these imperlalsts ana
cannon makers. but we shall 20 on into
another rnaelstrom from which we may
not be able to draw out. Tho high
cost OF living cannot be made n party
question. Gov Cox has some specific
remedies he offers. He would have a
revolving fund put In the hands of the
president to purchase from time to
timosas much of the sugar as IL neces-
sary to prevent profiteering. He would
have law passed licensing and reg
ulating corporations engaged in inter-
state commerce. 80 as to prevent un.
considerable profits, a law limiting the
period In which goods may be kept In
Geld storage and requiring that price
be marked on them. and a law requ,r-
Ing that all godss entering interstate
commerce be marked with the pro-
ducers' price,
These measures seem practical. II
"hHo operators MAINTAIN tine nigh prices
on what they mine there win be a
movement in this country for the gov
eminent and states to take over the
mines.
The enormous prices due TO the war
wiz suggest from time to time the
bringing of producer and consumer
more closely together and no one can
succeed in eliminating private capital
or the middleman except the govern
ment. OF course these remedies are
soeiallstic. The war will greatly slim
ulete socialism. Monopoly and big
business should Il succeed In the alec
tion OF Harding, will but the more
surely precipitate radical movement
In this country such as has occurred
Ia Europe ana In few years we shall
face socialist party. The democratic
| candidate offers tho remedies and II
VIII be unfortunate II he is not needed