New Britain herald., 1921-08-19

cities and large communities, saw themselves threatened with ruin, while riot and disorder ravaged the country
 The laboring classes "noated" from one community to another, seeking the most advantageous wages, or, failing in their attempts, tried beg ging or more ofteen adopted the code of the bandit in lawless self indul- gence.
 Royal proclama tions were issued and statutes passed requiring wages, l as existing before the plague, should | only be paid, but without effect, for corn rose to so high a price that a 1 days labor at the old figure would | not have purchased enough for a mans support. Like the present day a form of so- ] cialism arose, occasioned by the l teachings of Jahn Ball, to whom 1 F'roissart referred as ''the mad priest Of Kent His doctrine was equality and rights of man, a theory which placed him far in advance of his age. These teachings were the natural result of l the social conditions of ''gentlemen and villans," or land holders and serfs, prevalent at the time. Balls socialistic tendencies went further, however, for he preached that things will never be we'll in England so long as goods be not common" and which to a greater and more radical degree, are the bo1shi- vik doctrines of today.
 l It $ not shown, however, that he advocated the doctrine of direct ac- ton, O. urged his followers to pursue the methods of force, assassination and rapine, but preferred to accom- iplish his theory by the more peaceful course of reason.
 l We are inclined to place the re- isponsibi'ity of the present industria and social unrest upon the World war. To great extent this is correct though corefu1 study of conditions existing prior to 1914, will show tha1 the war was but a means to an end.
 Present Conditions
 It is well known that for more thar two years prior to the war clouds hat
 been lowering on the industrial hori
 zon and a feeling of unrest was II
 tho air
 That the war had saved the coun
 try from a serious business depres
 sion has often been stated, and it ma. be remembered that at the beginning
 of Wilson's first administration, busi
 ness conditions were far from being
 stable, and that foreseeing the possi
 bility of a financial panic, the admin
 istration advocated and passed tht
 bill establishing the Federal Reserve
 bank.
 l For some years berore the war, the
 general tendency of prices was up ward while protests were heard or every side against the increasing higT
 cost of living. Manufacturing con
 cerns were in a state of uncertaint!
 and it was serious question whether
 the conditions of 1908 were to be re
 peated.
 So far as America was concerne,
 the question was answered throug, the outbreak of the war when tn ) ma nufacturers were called upon ~t supply the demands of the war F ~iations.
 An abnoral market was further en
 hanced by the entrance of the sub marine warfare, necessitating tn speeding up to the greatest possibl limit. Of all production and the em 7loyment of the maximum of labor
 Demand Increased. This increased demand natural, threw the wage market into an un settled condition, but it was not un ; il the enormous Wastage of food anf
 supplies winch he submarines sent te
 the bottom, was beginning to be felt that he real seriousness of the situ alton dawned upon the people Supplies destroyed must be dupli