davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Cordova daily times., 1922-10-12
PUBLIC PAYING INDUSTRIAL
 WAR COST

WASHINGTON, Oct 12.-The pub, lies pocketbook nerve-most sensitive of all nerves in the body politic-is now feeling the effect of industrial war losses. These losses are huge. The public has begun liquidating the bill for the frays between capital and labor by paying higher prices on some of the chief necessities of life. Higher prices on articles that are indispens- able in the households of the land may go through the entire winter and into next spring because of this years peri odical labor scrap
 High cost of coal will be at the root of most of the financial burdens of the people. Everything that industry man. ufactures will take on an added cost, because the overhead charges of oper- ation are thereby increased.
 COAL RARQNS PAINFUL
 Only the coal barons will derive COlLlolI HUH tIllS iC" Si ei VI ihlld tion. State price control, now relied upon by the Federal government to hold prices of fuel in check, can be at best only a partial success in restraining extortion. The coal oper- ators figure to win in any event. It is no secret that they have laid their plans to double their normal profits on all coal sold this winter In the end they will lose nothing by the long tie-up of the mines.
 First results of the industrial war which has embroiled both railroad and coal industries was recession in commercial and industrial activity. Industrial activity slowed down con- siderably because of scarcity of coal supplies. The difficulties of transpor- tation have also been a retarding fac tor to business. As winter approaches these troubles probably will become aggravated.
 Along with this slackening of in dustry there is a sudden shortage of some commodities and a sudden ad- vance in prices. Official figures show the most notable increases in prices have occurred in coal, animal products, cotton and sugar. The increases have been general in the wholesale and re- tail trade.
The Cordova daily times., 1922-10-12
MAY BE SUFFERING

When mid-WinteE comes, the country may witness not only high prices but widespread suffering, especially among the poor unable to pay extortionate prices for fuel needed to keep them warm. None of the responsible off cials of the government, studying the coal situation, can see far enough ahead to predict that the country will escape a period of great distress during the cold months.
 One thing is certain and that is the country is so far behind in it's coal supply that the mines even at top speed operation cannot mine enough coal to supply the needs of the people. It will be a hand-to-mouth supply for all consumers. And it will be obtainable only at famine prices The millions of poor people, it now seems certain, are doomed to gC through freezing weather in thousands of cities and towns without fuel.
The Cordova daily times., 1922-10-12

Let the Daily Times figure on your job work.
The Washington times., 1922-04-02
Wages Stayed Up.

Tho wages Of labor and the
prices which labor pays for COM
modities DO not matter 30 very
much as long as they are MAIN
tanned Upon a parity. ono with the
other; tho importance lies in the
relationship between them.
IAN idenl situation 10 ono In
which service and products are
sold at prices which keep the
whole scheme in balance.
mo such ideal condition marked
our changing situation after the
wars end.
Commodities went down.
Labor. through various devices.
maintained. or nearly maintained,
in many important industries, its
wartime wage rates.
"A little thought OF basic facts
will be Of value. The farmers and
the people living in small towns
directly dependent on the farms
together with those in other pri-
mary Industries, comprise one
half Get US say) Of our total work
ing population.
when their income sinks one
half their buying power must sink
one half and therefore, they are
The Washington times., 1922-04-02

PROSTATE and a great foreign de-
mand was made upon the United
States. Moreover. We had a great
packed up demand at homo, and
tho combined results was an after
the-war boom which reached its
climax in the first three months Of
1920.
THE real check came first from
our own buying public. Large num-
bers Of people in the aggregate had
not had their incomes increased to
correspond with the rise of living
costs and many found themselves
unable to buy even as they had
bought before the war began.
Stocks Of merchandise were
large. A period Of rising prices de.
velops the practice of carrying
largo stocks.
The Washington times., 1922-04-02

rsctiy affected by freight rates.
The small farmer. one would
say. 10 affected very little
rs that sol Stop and consider.
He has some hay to sell. High
freight rates affect that hay to
the point at which II cannot be
moved. Local demands are very
quickly satisfied. Ergo; he has
his hay upon his hands. his sea-
son shows no profit: for tho year
involved he II no customer for
anything beyond his absolute me-
csssities.
These are among the factors
which cause me to hesitate about
Joining in the confident prediction
that we arc about to take q sud.
den spring upward into our old
condition Of prosperity.
That will como eventually, be-
yond . doubt; but no magic wand
can bring 1t quickly while there
10 such reluctance TO accept wage
readjustments In some industries
while Establishments arc compelled
In Others.
Uneven readjustments forbid
immediate restoration Of tho old
high level Of prosperity.
''Of course. all Of these condi-
lions will adjust themselves In
time. and the process il constantly
going on. but temporary incon.
venience. temporary hindrancs of
prosperity results.
IF they win not stand shipment
1t will be eventually consumed
where 1t II grown. and shipped In
The Washington times., 1922-04-02
Position of Banks.

"It is not the practice Of banks
arbitrarily to compel customers to
pay their loans. They do not do
30 unless the credit Of the Dor
rover is impaired.
when the fall in prices came
many credits were impaired, end
then 1t became the bounden duty
Of bankers to protect themselves.
It is not the business Of bankers
to sustain prices or share in the
risks of merchandising.
Bankers are not dealing with
their own funds. They are using
the public money and they must
be careful what they do with 1t.
ANY bank known to be bolster
ing UP prices against downward
sending conditions would lose the
confidence of the public.
ut never was reasonable TO
suppose that war prices would
keep up. Taking mon out II In
dustry for military service had to
raise prices, and returning them
to industry was bound to lower
them"
Copyright, 1929, Edward Marshal
Syndicate. Inc)
The Washington times., 1922-04-02
KARL II. Won wIBGAND,


Staff Correspondent Of The washingtos
Times.
TERI IN, April The Soviet
X government has made . lam
entabls failure Of its much
Wanted reforms along the lines Of
marriage. divorce and mother
hoodr' This II the verdict Of Paul
Scheffer, = writer in the Berlinsr
Ta9eblatt, who seems to have gone
to Russia neither to condemn nor
to condone. but simply to appraise
the situation in an objective and
judicial manner.
Among other things. he says:
There In not the slightest doubt
but that one Of tho cardinal prin-
ciples of the Soviet creed was the
loosenins, II not the dissolution, Of
the marriage bonds. And this
principle was accepted by the peo-
pie in tho first flush Of fanatioism
following upoi. the revolution. But
popular sentiment already ID
swinging hack to the old conven-
lions and traditions.
I'm other words. the masses Of
the people are at heart unchanged,
despite tho disinesratins influ-
snces that have been at work un-
dermining moral and social values.
But such manifestation inevitably
accompany every world catas-
trophe. and. taking all things into
consideration. I do not believe that
Russia today IL any moro immoral
than any other country In Europe.
I'm many circles unmarried
couples Are received and treated
a. II they were legally married.
but. on the whole, 1t In astonishing
that 10 little change has taken
place In the essential Significance
of the marriage institution, despite
all the Communist party has done
to snlishten people on this sub
1ect- "A woman member OF the
party confided to me that she was
secretly married. but the religious
ceremony had not yet been per-
formed, ns this would mean CLEO
ton from the ranks Of the Com
munists.
DIVORCES COME EASY.
Divorce fsr been made incredi-
lily easy. Indeed. It II possible for
a wife to divorce her husband. or
vice versa, without the other
knowing snyt' ing Of this action.
But the fight for the children has
been the cAus. Of 20 much trouble.
that even the Communicate state
u beginning to realize the neces-
The Washington times., 1922-04-02
Crisis Followed War.

Under the pressure Of these de.
nnands prices more than doubled
and the wage level rose accordingly
with, in consequence. a second re-
action upon prices But all influ.
ences worked fairly we'll together;
as prices rose. wages went up: the
balance was reasonably complete.
Then. suddenly. when wars un.
natural demands had come to seem
almost the natural thing. the war
ended.
But that did not finish, instant.
iy, the unnatural prosperity In
many American lines of effort.
Stocks Of goods all over the world
were low: European industries
were low; European industries were
The Washington times., 1922-04-02

progress b promoted on that
basis.
'Full-time work IL . necessity
Of happiness, happiness b .
necessity Of national progress.
I'm the clothing industry some
what similar conditions now exist.
At the present moment employers
are negotiating in all the principal
clothing oenters with the en-
ployss, for some sort OF . readtust-
ment which viii make It possible
to meet the emphatic demand for
cheaper clothing. and thus restore
prosperity and full time In that
industry.
I'm this industry wages wSnt
up moro than 100 Per cent during
the war. and. although there has
been the mentioned demand for
lower prices, there has been a.
yet practically no reduction Of
tho wases.
This IL true IN Rochester. .
great center Of the nations cloth
ing industry. There, the workers,
very highly organized. have 70
fused thus far to make oonoes-
sions. except that they have per
mitted moro piecs-work at rates
which fully maintain their former
earnings.
The Washington times., 1922-04-02

and simple cakes on sale at the
buffet were beyond the purses
Of the majority Of the partici-
pants.
But they danced wildly. madly.
something which was q cross be-
tween . mAzurka and q polka,
and which they called . "foxtrot."
in their effort to keep abreast
with the rest Of the dancing
world. All these pleasure starved
people returned to unlighted and
unheated rooms.
ITO European ears the thought
of cannibalism Is repulsive. and
the world at large would like to
believe that stories to this effect
coming from Russia are not true.
But, alas! they are only too true!
There are so-called danger zones
in the famine district. where II
eating Of human flesh has not
yet become q custom It Is appall-
ingly frequent Eating Of corpses
Is no uncommon thing.
1T know Of ono case where an
old peasant by agreement with his
wife killed her and kept himself
alive by eating her flesh.
Everything points to the
spread of the famine this year
The Soviet government is doing
everything humanity possible to
ameliorate conditions at a fright
full sacrifice Of It's evacuating
agents, who are sent to the ty-
phus-riddsn villages to remove
those for whom there 10 still hope.
1t is true that Russia is slowly
returning to normal conditions,
but in the same breath one must
say that II Is not true.
''One can only speak of Russia
in terms Of the crassest contrasts;
on ono hand. development: on tho
other. Generalization. Everywhere
a contrast between hope and end
less misery"
The Washington times., 1922-04-02
Only Farmer Gut

But ono must remember tho
farmers prices have como down.
This makes the cost Of clothes
for the farming population abnor-
mally high. out Of proportion to
tho prices which that population
gets for what 1t produces. Tho
Same applies. Of course. to that
part Of tho wage-earning popula-
ton which has been compelled to
accept income reduction either
through wage reduction or work
ing hour reduction.
Tho thought that employers
pay their workers wages ID .
fundamental error. Tho consumer
pays all wages.
Tho high cost Of clothing has
. bearing on the situation as i'm
portant as the high cost Of fuel
and tho high freight rates.
There are many lines in which
reductions have occurred. but
there are many others in which
they have not yet occurred.
I'm some tho reduction has
been great enough. as much AZ
should be tolerated. Those which
have not been reduced. however,
retard tho readjustment Of the
mass situation
And they thrust hardship into
the lives Of those workers who
have taken lower pay, for such a
situation must mean that these
workers are compelled to pay high
prices for the work Of other work
ingmen when they have been COM
PEELED to take reduced prices for
their own efforts.
The Washington times., 1922-04-02

the form OF butter or beef. But
It takes years to make such
changes, and high freight rates
will force them throughout the in
dustriss. and meantime We suffer
from hard times.
These and hundreds Of other
illustrations Of existing condi-
tons may be cited a. reasons why
We cannot expect . sudden 70
turn Of prosperity.
Business mon and wage earn
ers must alike conform to oon-
ditions. but they are slow in
doing 20.
Large groups. closely organ
lied and competent to struggle
with effectiveness. are detsrm-
ined that there shall be no re-
adjustment OF their particular in
come though they demand . re-
adjustment of their costs OF liv-
ing.
IF we could go magicaIly back
to all the conditions existing be-
fore the war we could re-establish
before-the-war prosperity forth
with; but too many interests that
ought to work in harmony are
working at cross-purposes.
Consider railways for another
moment. The great items of rail-
way expenses are: First. the
wages Of employees, and second,
coal.
We'll. the wages OF the miners
are 100 per cent higher than they
were before the war. 30 It is
obvious that as long as this r.
The Washington times., 1922-04-02
Swap Between Labor.

''The labor of every worker is
principally sold to other workers;
in the end the wages Of each man
who labors must be assessed on
the other men who labor"
Mote the effect of the high cost
OF transportation upon the prices
Of iron and steel
Five tons Of raw material must
be transported to the steel mills
for every ton of finished product
which goes out of It. 1t Is stated
that the high cost Of transporta-
ton amounts to more than the diff
ference between the cost Of iron
and steel now and before the war.
Until we gct that down. we can
not hope to get construction costs
down; we cannot hope for a full
revival in the building trades, and
until we restore activity In the
building trades. we cannot hope to
get rents down.
THE housing shortage Ii felt
almost every where. and is a very
serious matter, A considerable
amount of building is going on un-
der the inducement of very high
rents. but that is not a normal sit
uation.
"Such rents sre in themselyes
an obstacle to wage adjustments.
People hesitate to invest their
money freely in construction when
they feel that within two or three
years construction costs will be
lower, and they invest only under
the spur Of high rents.
High wages in the building
trades and in the trades which feel
It are principally responsible for
this unfortunate condition.
"Of course. no one likes to talk
about reducing wages. Heaven
knows that I do not, even in
friendly way. 1 advocate lower
wage rates only ~ a means Of in
creasinr nctua, wage payments.
Industry In mutually sustain
Ing. and It must be brought into
The Washington times., 1922-04-02

sity Of r,orc stringent divorce
measures, which. in turn. will lead
to 4 desire for greater stability OF
the marriage bonds. I am told
that mary persons had married
and unmarried five times within
the year: but this epidemic Is abat-
ing.
The question Of motherhood
also was ska,ply Influenced by the
revolution. A story was told me Of
. teacher. of the most advanced
type Of Communist. who called a
fourteen.year-cld girl to her desk.
and. in the presence of the entire
school. commended her for her pa
triotism in having presented the
Soviet state with a child.
ULTRA RADICALISM DYING.
Tho legality of preventing
motherhood was another matter
taken In hand by the state. and
within q few days after this decree
was issued 1000 cases had pre-
scented themselves at the hospitals
in Kronstadt alone. But this ques.
ton IL no longer one Of the ideal
points" Of the Communist pro-
gram. and along the entire line,
there IL q noticeable tendency to
retreat from these ultra-radical
viewpoints.
1T would be extravagant to
claim that the old tradition had
yet won a victory over the new
idea, but at least II IL surprising
that tradition has been able to as
ssrt itself at all, in the face of
such radical reforms. 1t Is well
to speak Of these things, as 1t is
the belief Of the western world
that every woman in Russia has
become Communized or National
lied. ~ the popular phrase goes.
IT have already said that Rus
sia Of today IL not moro immoral
than any other country in Europe.
The inner kernel Of the nation
seems to BE- . strong and perma-
nsnt element, able to outlive
everything imposed upon 1t by the
The Washington times., 1922-04-02
Wage MIDDLE Effects.

Unemployment 10 the inevitable
result Of such conditions. When
for example. the high price Of coal
curtails acu, ity In the manufac-
turing industries and affects the
business Of the railroads. II causes
short time and low earnings for
the coal miners even when their
wage rates are high.
Consider the railways and their
employees.
In transportation w have bufIt
UP the principle q the low rate for
the long haul Under this w have
developed great Industrial osnters.
widely ssparatsd. which. because
Of that very wide separation, serve
the entire country.
Double freight rates and At
once the whole system II thrown
out Of gear.
"AbnormaIiy high wages ON the
railways necessitats freight charges
out Of proportion to the value of
many Of the products transported.
High freight rates are inevita-
bly, enemies of the long haul.
If maintained for q considerable
period industry. in order to avoid
an intolerabls tar. must readjust
itself upon the basis Of local rather
than national service.
1T must plan to supply IT.
neighborhood only. It means q far
reaching readjustmsnt which can
not be accomplished immediately.
and thus 10 an obstacle TO prompt
business recovery.
The Washington times., 1922-04-02
Lesson From Past.

But really the situation diff
fers widely from some past expe-
riences which it specifically re-
sembles; It must be met by meth
DDS especially suited to 1t. Cry
ing LET'S GOA doing nothing
else is not one of these.
at IL pointed out that less bus
mess is being transacted now than
usually has been the case after a
period of ordinary depression.
such as a great reimbursement is
certain to bring to any country.
For instance, the panic of
1907 caused loss of confidence.
suspension of construction work
and unemployment; RAILWAY COM
panies, which at the time were
extensively building, stopped work
Tor the time being.
"Such tendencies were general.
but there was no widespread
change Of industry. no extraordi-
nary dislocation.
"Of course. this period of de-
flation followed one Of infla-
ton, but during that initiation
there had been no general in
crease in the prices of ordinary
necessities comparable with the
change In prices of nearly every
article essential to living during
the period OF the war.
Between the two periods pre-
ceding depression there was thi,
great difference; that which fore
ran the panic Of 1907 was one Of
ordinary credit expansion, in which
the usual banking facilities Of that
time were used to the full, that
which followed the great war and
preceded today's depression came
after a time Of extraordinary in
ration, due to influences outside
ourselves, born of the unprece-
dented European demand for al
most everything which we could
supply, together with the war
needs of our Government. and n.
nanced by a new banking system
which greatly enlarged our credit
making facilities.
The Washington times., 1922-04-02

"Obviously. under such circum.
stances, every family must bear
its share Of the excess weight.
High coal prices affect every
family directly - well - ind
rectlH through advanced cost Of
goods which Il must purchase
and which are affected b. freight
rates.
tho worst Of Il = that the
high wage rates for mining coal
DO not make the miners good
buyers IN the markets, because
while they are paid the high rate
for the time they work they are
employed only on part tina
They work less and the uiti-
mate weekly income II consider
ably iess. although the wags per
hour employed L. moro. Their
real wages are low. while the cost
of coal IL high. and the cost Of
GOAL II vital to all industry.
Tho miners leaders urge that
the men work but part time and
therefore must Be- paid high
wages for the time during which
they are employed.
An obvious answer IN that
at lower wages they would work
more hours, which would give q
greater output. which would
bring down tho cost of coal. which
would solve one Of the trans
portation problems and an I'm
portant problem of tho manufac-
turers. which would lower costs
Of production in every line re-
curing fuel, then lowering costs
Of transportation.
This lowering inevitably would
be passed along to the consumer
and would increase his purchasing
power for all commodities.
That. in turn. would mean
more wage-earners at work in all
the industries.
TT seems obvious to me that
prosperity cannot be restored upon
the basis Of double pay for half
time work.
Nor can happiness and national
The Washington times., 1922-04-02
Must Be Reasonable.

Merchants and manufacturer
cannot build their businessSs By
charging exorbitant prices for
their commodities; wage-earners
cannot get steady work, at full
time, by demanding wages which
arc higher than their employers
can pay and distribute tho prod
uct.
There II q normal level At
which all will be comfortable,
busy. happy. The adjustment to
It Is inevitable. The sooner We
all find our places on It the
sooner we all shall DO happy. II
any of US shall insist on getting
far away from the Same normal
level he will have q hard time till
he yields. and while he suffers he
will pass on suffering to all the
rest Of u.s."
asked Mr.. Roberts II he
thinks the banks, which have
been 30 generally criticized. really
are doing all they can.
IT do" he answered. II be-
lieve tho banks are doing all
they should.
"They have taken heavy losses
on the decline OF commodity
prices. When I see them charged
with having brought that de-
cline about, wonder where the
reasoning powers Of tho accusers
can be.
Nothing could be more foolish
than to think that banks would
force down the prices Of COM
modities upon which their Gus
toners depend for their ability to
pay loans and make deposits. The
banks make their earnings or the
deposits which the public leaves
with them and prosper as their
customers prosper.