The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1920-09-11
FOOD RIOTS, PRICES SOAR.

bureau Of labor statistics convey the
discouraging information that during
July the average price Of % food sta
pies increased 2 per cent. They are
higher now than at any time since
1919 IN seven years prices have H.
creased from l2l to 139 per cent, and
the prediction is made that tie tend
,ncy is still upwards. NJ" high levels
are indicated for the fai' and winter.
Coincidently with this stttement
comes report from official sources
that throughout the country great guam
titles Of food products are rotting in
HE fields because tn. farmer cannot
afford to gather them at the prices
offered. The tieup Of trans1orta tion
is material factor in this s!:uaSi -,
but is not solely responsible for the
exploitation of the consumer and the
ruin of producers. The profteering
middlemen, as usual, shows his hand,
and where it is present the. public is
bound to get the worst Of it.
Farmers complain that commission
men and distributors offer them prices
at which it is impossible to operate.
They are offered 81 for a barrel Of
beans that cost $1.25 to pick. The
same beans are sold to the public at
prices as high as SO. Cabbage brings
80 cents a. barre. and is retailed at
prices ranging up to $3.50. At leading
markets farmers get 10 cents a peck
fer tomatoes that s.e retailel for 20
rents per quarter peek. And similar
discriminatory prices prevail up and
down the line.
There is. something radically wrong
with system that starves both pro-
duccrs and consumers. Unless it is
remedicd the farmer will be compelled
to produce just enough for his own
needs and leave the cit" folks shift
for themselves. They canuo5 in req
son be expes!,l - give their capital
and their toll to 8 losing business, and
vet that is just what they ere nov
doing
Inability to get transportation is
given rs one reason why there is glut
Of food in some sections and scarcity
elsewhere. Shippers are compelled to
dump their products ct Immediately &C.
ressiblc points, and the ensuing accumu-
lation invokes the law IF supply and
demand, with adverse results to the
farmer, but with 70 appreciable effect
so far as the consun er il concerned.
We're it possible % SECURE ar intel
'igent distribution Of food. tacre would
be plenty for every distric; aid there
would cnsue sterilization of prices
that would benefit both producer and
consumer. But In, railroads are in bad
shape and there is no prospect that
there will be improven: emit during thn
...resent year. y { natural result is That
hrr4pg the o,::t .cductive months *he
''''on wilt ~ :: ing FOR locJ tiot is
NJ" being w~s'>,. and re rrokteer
will step up prices and be IN his glory.
There is not domestic problem thas
dccs not run directly back to ineh1-
rient private railroad operation The
oretically the railroads are intended to
serve the public, but j. is ius5 the
other way around. Nov the people
are compelled to serve the railroads
and their demands are ms Alta BILE. All
of which directs attention anew to the
shameless betrayal of the national vel
fare by congressman who supported the
Cummins-Esch bill. They knew, OF
should have knoWn-it amounts to the
same thing-that any effort to recr
ganize transportation tina: left ont OF
consideration the public Interest would
certainly and with crushing effect bring
about conditions similar to those thu
nation is now experiencing.
CHURCHES SPEAK OUT.