The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-03-29

The decline in retail prices of fool
since February, 1920 is estimated at
81 per cent. If a like reduction in
rents could be brought about working
men might easily stand a similar drop
in wages. But rents will not come
down while building costs remain at
existing figures, and building costs will
say up until there comes, a decline in
freight rates charged on material that
enters into house construction.
mo power but the United States
can halt the present march of events
which promises to make France tenn
porarily the military master of Eu-
rope, while the peace of the world be-
comes a house of cards." is a state
ment in a new book, while Europe
Waits for Peace" Just issued, by
Pierrepont B. Noyes, American Rhine
land commissioner. If Europe be
looking to the United States to lift it
out of its difficulties it is leaning on
a broken reed. President Harding
made this clear in his inaugural ad-
dress. Up to this time We have re-
sisted every invitation to NEEDLE and
probably will continue 10 do SO.
'Germany's refusal to meet the repa-
rations demands of the allies prob
ably has been based on the hope that
the United States would enter the dis
cussion ana bring about diseord
among the entente nations.
Lenin's effort to restore trade re-
lations with this country also has been
positively declined. II it be true that
Lenin has abandoned communism
and world revolution, as he is report
ed to have done, in favor of immedi-
ate plans for the resumption of pro-
duction and the restoration of the eco
nomic incentive to individuals, he has
by his ability to face facts-unex-
pectedly proven himself to be prac-
teal leader. He proposes, it is said, to
encourage small capitalism among
Russians and invite foreign capital to
take over the fields that call for large
scale production and exploitation. !
To his communistic colleagues Le-
min justifies his preference for for
eign capital in the larger fields upon
the ground that foreign capital will be
politically impotent and incapable of
interference with the political domino
ton of the proletariat-which means
interference with Lenin and his i'm
mediate coterie. The practically of
Lenin's nation that foreign capital
will be willing to take the risks of such
a regime may be doubted. His bold
ness in facing a fanatical following
with facts contrasts with the unwilI-
ingness of western European states
men to dfsillusion their presumably
more reasonable countrymen of ideas
which are threatening to destroy Eu-
rope just as surely as the BoIshevils
ideals threatened to destroy Russia.
Lenin has come back to the recog-
milton of the age-old truth that it is
the individual and his labor that after
all make the economic world go
round, while the western European
statesmen, who no doubt accept that
truth without question, are engaging
in an effort to prove it false by at
tempting to do the very thing Lenin
says he has found cannot be done
that is, force production without an
economic incentive. There is no dif-
ference so far as the result is con
cerned between prohibiting pfoduc-
ton for profit by decree and laying
down conditions which make, or
which the producers think make,
profit impossible.
1t is true that somebody must ap-
parently shoulder the burdens of the
that the burden be placed upon the
snouluers Oh those aoJuoged guilty, but