Norwich bulletin., 1921-04-13
setnial to the minimum of expenditure.

setnial to the minimum of expenditure. Cost of Living.
 One condition in the business world l may well receive your inquiry. Defiation has been in progress but has failed to reach the mark where it can be proclaim | ed to the great mass of consumers. Re- duced cost of basic production has been l recorded, but high cost of living has not yielded in like proportion. For example, the prices on grains and livestock have been defated, but the cost of bread and meats is not adequately reflected therein. 1 It is to be expected that non-perishable staples will be slow in yielding to low cred prices. but the maintained retail costs in perishable foods cannot be justiL | fed
 1 I have asked the federal trade com mission for report of it's observations. and it attributes in the main the fall ure to adjust consumers cost to basic nroduction costs to the exchange of in- formation by "onen-price ,associations " which operate, evidently. within the law. | to the very great advantage of their members and equal disadvantage to the consuming public Without the spirit of 1 hostility or haste in accusation or profit
 eering. some suitable inquiry by congress might speed the price readiustment to
 normal relationship with helrfulness to both producer and consumer. A measur- ing rod of fair prices will satisfy the | country and give us business revival to
 end all depression and unemployment
 The great interest of both the producer
 and consumer-indeed. all our industrial
 and commercial life. from agriculture to finance-in the problems of transporta. ton will find its reflex in your concern fa af1 foh ctn 4n o6d c;encv and bring transportation cost into Ia helnful relationship rather than con.
 f+irun it as a hindrance to resumed ac.
 tivities.
 Railroad Situation.
 It is little to be wondered that ill-con.
 sidered legislation, the war strain gov.
 ernment operation in heedlessness of cost and the conflicting programme, or the lack of them, for restoration have broughf
 about a most difficult situation. made l doubly difficult by the low tide of busi ness. All are so intimately related tha no improvement will be permanent unti the railways are operated efficiently at cost within that which the traffic car : bear.
 If we can have it understood that con gress has no sanction for governmen ownership, that congress does not lev, . taxes upon the people to cover deficit:
 in service, which should be self-sustain l ing, there will be an avowed foundation , on which to rebuild.
 l Freight-carrying charges have mounted . higher and higher until commerce i
 halted and production discouraged. Rail } way rates and costs of operation mus be reduced.
 l Congress may well investigate and le l the public understand wherein our sys ! ! fada "A 1on nly } ing in helpfulness or hindering in re 2 strictions. The remaining obstacles whicl } are the heritance of capitalistic exploita 3 tion, must be removed, and labor mus } join management in understanding tha the public which pays is the public to b served, and simple justice isA the righ 5 and will continue to be the right of al the people.
 P Transportation over the highways i little less important, but the problem 5 relate to construction and development and deserve your most earnest attention 5 because we are laying foundation for 3 long time to come, and the creation 5 very difficult to visualize in its great pos l abilities.
 F The highways arc not only feeders t
 l the railroads and afford relief from thei : local burdens; they are actually lines 0 l motor traffic in interstate commerce l They are the smaller arteries of tn larger portion of our commerce, and tn : motor car has become an indispensabl l instrument in our political, social an 3 industrial life. Highway Constructions.
 There is begun a new era in highwa
 construction, the outlay for which run
 far into hundI eds of millions of dollars
 Bond issues by road districts, countie
 and states mount to enormous figure. lI and the country is facing such an outla that it is vital that every effort shall b ei directed against wasted effort and un 8 justifable expenditure.
 :. The federal government can place Il ) 1 inhibition on the expenditure in the sev t eral states; but since congress has em g parked upon a policy of assisting tn : states in highway improvement, wisely,