Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 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
charged With Profiteering-lssue
Probably Will Have Great Effect on
the Elections Next Fall.
BY JAMES P. HoRNApAY

BY JAMES P. HoRNADAY
NaSAington.-The cost of living Is
up Tor discussion again. Members of
congress are disturbed by letters they
are receiving in increasing numbers
from their constituents protesting
against present living conditions. SEN
ators as well as congressman, Demo
Gratis as we'll as Republicans. are in
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 hostilitles. They
set forth that there has been notice
sole upward trend In the last few
months, and some make the flat
charge that wholesalers and retailers
IN practically all lines are guilty of
prOnteering. They apparently believe
mat congress can control the situation
saying indeed, that unless official &C.
llon Is taken at once new faces will
De seen In the house and senate after
he November elections.
The protests come from men and
women in every station Of life. The
lay labore- complains that with his
wages reduced, 1t is al he can do TO
'eed and clothe those dependent upon
Nm. Men and women who are for
innate, or unfortunate enough to own
automobiles are incensed over the in
'rease in the cost of gasoline, which
hey declare to be unwarranted Even
he manufacturer has chip on his
houlder, For the moment he is dis
urbed over the pyramiding of the cost
If coal and declares that, with prices
increasing and reserve stocks dwind-
Ing, the time is not far distant when
! 1lants will have to close and bad con
| titlons will become worse. These are
nly a few of the complaints; com
1lete list would cover printed page
md would deal with practically every
| commodity.
Likely to Influence the Election.
Some congressman, who are having
IS much dif5culty 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
yesEeryear 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-
Iutions 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 sc justice. A senatorial in
vestigation of the recent increasing
cost Of gasoline is about to get under
way. Senators strongly suspect that
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
theN 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 investlgat-
Ing committee viii obtain the peril
nent facts in the shortest time posi-
BILE 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 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
ernment 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
2ortably on $500 year; he cannot
do 1t today.
If it were possible 10 collect the
data. 1t 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
we're inadequate. At least a score Of
members so retired In 1920, and an
even larger number viii not seek re-
election this fall They include some