The star-progress. (Opelousas, La.) 1917-1921, 1920-04-17
LEGION BOYS HIT
HARD BLOW AT OLD
HIGH LIVING COST
DENoUNCE PRoFITEERlNG IN
NECESSITIES OF LIFE AND
COST OF CLOTHING
MASS MEETING IS CALLED
Wearing of Overalls as Method of Re-
ducing High Cost of Clothing is
Urged by Service Men of War

sas post, American Legion, held last
night, much interest was dis
played by the members at the pros
pect of taking active steps to reduce
the high cost of living, and in We
hement language they denounced as
un-Americant and pernicious the prof
iteering in the necessities of life.
After much discussion as to the
ways and means by which the situ-
alton might be relieved, and as to the
advisability of starting an overall
movement" in this community as one
method by which the high cost of
wearing apparel might be lowered, it
was unanimously decided that a mass
meeting of the people of the city and
parish be called to meet on Sunday,
April 1s, at p. m, for the purpose
of considering this plan now being
instituted in numerous other cities
throughout the country.
Along these lines, the following res
olution was unanimously adopted:
whereas, the present cost of wear
ing apparel has reached proportions
incompatible with the earning capa-
city of vast majority of the people,
and it is especially hardship on the
ex-service men; a condition which
we believe wholly inconsistent and out
of all proportion to the cost of the
raw material of which it is made, plus
the cost of manufacturing and trans
portation, and not based on the fun
damental law of supply and demand;
and,
Whereas, we believe this state of
affairs to be solely due to profiteer-
ing in this necessity of modern life, a
system Of -psrnieious exploitation
that has been primarily responsible
for fostering in our nation period
of industrial, social and political un-
rest that is at once danger and a
menace to our free institutions and
the welfare Of our government; and,
Whereas, through either the mad
equacy, or the interminable delays in
our present. laws we have thus far
failed to obtain the necessary relief,
or to even partially abote the cause,
which, however, we believe to be. rem
ediable; and,
Whereas, two cardinal principles
of the American Legion are to IN
culcate a sense of individual obliga--
ton to the community, state and ma
tion; and to combat the autocracy of
| both the classes and the Masses
therefore, be it
/ Resolved, by 0pelousas Post No.
i45 Of the Aemrican Legion, that we
heartily approve of the spirit and in
/ tent of the movement now being in
stituted in other towns and cities
throughout the country, known as the
I'overall movement the design and
purpose of which movement is to re-
Eduee the high cost of wearing appaf-
ii bv substitution of overalls for ex-
pensive clothes; and, be it further
! "ResoHed, that a mass meeting Of
the people of this community be call
ed for Sunday, April 18, at 3 o'clock
D. M, for the purpose of discussing
the advisability Of organizing such a
movement here, and to consider other
ways and means by which profiteer-
ing in the necessities Of life might be
effectively dealt with. And, be it
further
"Resolved, tnat a copy of this res
olution be given to the press and that
copy be forwarded to the state
comamndery with the request that
that body use its influence in institut-
ing some rational movement of nat
ionaI scope which might be effective
in reducing the present high cost Of
living"
Everyone is cordially invited to be
present and join in the discussion at
this meeting.
The Legion is in receipt of the me-
mortal certificates which France is
giving to the nearest of kin to all
those whcRdied in the service. during
the war, and is planning to hold a me-
mortal service for their missir com.
rades some time during the latter part
of May, provided the government does
not require that the certificates be
distributed before this time. Ques
tionaires are now being sent out tC
the nearest relatives of those mer
who died in the service, and it is i'm
perative that these should be answer
ed before any definite arrangement
can be made for the memorial serv
ice.
The plan now under consideration
of erecting memorial building on tn
campus at Louisiana State Universit
in memory of those who deid durinI
the war, and to commemorate tn
deeds Of the boys during the late wal