Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1922-07-07
REDUCED COST Of
LIVING DEMANDED
LETTERS OF PROTEST AGAINST
HIGH PRICES SWAPPING THE
MEMBERS OF CONGRESS.
ALL CLASSES JOIN In Wall
Wholesalers and Retailers Are
Gharged With Profiteering-Issue
Probably viii Have Great Effect on
the Elections Next Fall.
BY JAMES P. HoRNADAY

Ely JAMES P. HORNADAY
Washtngton.-The cost Of living il
UP for discussion again. Members Of
congress are disturbed by letters they
are receiving in increasing numbers
from their constituents protesting
against present living conditions. Sen
atofs as well as congressman, Demo
Gratis as well as Republicans, are il
receipt OF. communications, which come
from practically every section of the
country. The complainants declare
that the prices Of necessaries of life
are approximately as high as during
the World war, Notwithstanding that
their wages have been reduced one
Two, and In some instances three times
since the ending Of hostilities. They
set forth that there has been a notice
able upward trend In the last few
months, anG some make the fiat
charge that wholesalers and retailers
in practically all lines are guilty of
i protIteering. They apparently believe
that congress can control the situation
saying indeed, that unless official &C
ton is taken at once new faces will
be seen in the house and senate after
the, November elections.
The protests come from men and
women in every station Of life. The
day laborer complains that with his
wages reduced, it is all he can do to
feed and clothe those dependent upon
! him. Men and women who are for
i f11n 70 nTs 70 1nh fn own
automobiles are incensed over the in
crease in the cost of gasoline, which
i they declare to be unwarranted. Even
the manufacturer has a chip on his
shoulder. For the moment he is dis
turbed over the pyramiding of the cost
of coal and declares that, with prices
/ increasing and reserve stocks dWind-
ling, the time is not far distant when
/ plants will have to close and bad con-
ditions will become worse. These are
only a few of the complaints; a COM
plete list would cover a printed page
and would deal with practically every
commodity.
Likely to Influence the Election.
Some congressman, who are having
as much difficulty in making both ends
meet as their constituents, have point
ed out that, unsatisfactory as are some
conditions at home, they are much
more serious abroad. The replies to
these letters are to the effect that the
people are interested in conditions in
America, not in Europe, that they want
/ conditions improved and intend to see
that they are improved. AS a result
of these communications, some mem
bers of the house say that issues Of
yesteryear between the two dominant
parties will be pushed into the back
ground during the fall campaign, and
/ that the candidate who makes reduc-
| ton in the cost of living the most i'm
portant plank of his platform will
stand the best chance Of election.
That congress is awaking to the sit
uation is evidenced by bills and reso-
buttons which members are introduce
! ing, by addresses in both branches, by
| the taking Of legislative action and by
! frequent calls of members at the de-
partment of justice. A senatorial in
| vestigation of the recent increasing
cost of gasoline is about to get under
way Senators strongly suspect that
1 the advance made in the price of this
! fuel is unwarranted They know that
/ the reserve stocks are exceptionally
large and representatives of some of
! the greatest companies in America will
/ be asked some sharp questions when
/ they appear before the committee.
/ The house as well as the senate is
up in arms over the recent advances
! in the price of bituminous coal. For
the time being they are leaving this
subject to Herbert G. Hoover, secre-
/ tary of commerce. If he succeeds in
controlling the situation, no action
/ will be taken on Capitol Hill. If he
fails a resolution of inquiry will be
offered and adopted. The investigat-
/ ing committee will obtain the peril
nent facts in the shortest time posi-
/ ble according to present plans, and
then will ask the department of justice
to bring charges of conspiracy against
certain operators, wholesalers and re-
tailers.
congressman Themselves Distressed.
The members Of congress, as a mat
ter of fact, are having a hard time
keeping a jump or two ahead of the
bill collectors. At least, this is true of
those members who must live upon
the salaries they are paid by the gov
eminent. They are practically the
only class of people in the country
whose salary has not been increased
In the last decade. Time was when
a member of congress could live COM
fortably on $500 year; he cannot
do it today.
If it were possible to collect the
data, it would be most interesting to
set forth the number Of members who
have retired from public life in the
last five years because their salaries
were inadequate At least a score of
members so retired in 1920, and an
even larger number will not seek re-
election this fall. They include some
of the ablest men of which the house
has boasted in recent years. One was