Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1931-06-25

The American Standard Of Liv-
ing" is an expression which has been
exploited so much and defined So often
that ii has taken definite shape in the
minds of our people. 1t has nothing
TO do with the living standard Of the
rich or even that of the well-to-do.
1t means that the American laboring
man lives Tor at least should live)
upon a plane higher and better than
that which obtains in other countries
Of the world. II was not coined by the
working man himself but by large
employers of labor.
1t all happened in this way:
The phrase, American Standard of
Living" was a by-product of pressure
and agitation carried on for a higher
and always higher protective tariff.
At first the argument that our infant
industries should be encouraged ap-
peared to be sufficient and satisfac-
tory. This appeal served the purpose
until the infants" had outgrown their
swaddling clothes and were to all ap-
direct bounties. The old appeal had
lost its force. 1t was no longer con-
vincing. A new solgan was necessary.
The claim that the tariff was boon
to the working man was not stressed
until in 1888. 1t was then vigorously
pointed out by the advocates of a
constantly increasing tariff rate that
the tariff wall which kept out foreign
competition enabled our factory work
ers TO live upon a scale or standard
far above that of the European toiler.
Full Dinner Pail.
1t was in support of this argument
that the full dinner pail found its
place in campaign parades as a SYM
Dol of plenty and prosperous days for
the American worker.
1t is not my purpose to here discuss
the question as to whether high tar
ifs have any effect upon or benefit
TO the man who tolls or to the coun-
try at large. What / want to point
out is that the tariff has been ad-
vanced, step by step, to its present
high level by reason Of the assurances
given by manufacturing Industrial
lists, and their political spokesman, to
the American people that if their de-
mands for ample protection were
Living" could be and would be main
tanned and constantly improved as the
tariff increased.
Promises to Farmers Also.
Not only was labor appealed to
upon this basis but the farmer was
given to understand that ultra-protec-
ton for American industry engaged in
manufacturing and dealing in pro-
tected goods. would create a home
market for the farmers butter, his
eggs, his potatoes his wheat and all
his products. These promises and as
surances were abundantly made by
responsible political and industrial
leaders as late as 1929, when the re-
cent Grundy tariff was placed upon
the statute books.
The points l am seeking to drive
home are these:
(A) The American people have a
definite and fixed idea that they have
a right to live, and are entitled to
live, according to better and higher
standardized they are not asking
too much when they make this de-
mand.
OBJ That this fixed idea has been
created by the promises and the as
surances held out to the common man
by the leaders of industry and politi-
cal thought
(C) The voting masses, having
complied with the wishes of leading
politicians and captains of industry
having given them all they asked
now demand their share, as promised,
of the benefits of protection-steady
employment and a fair wage which
will enable the American family to
live as Americans.
Cd Having made these promises,
having held out these hopes, having
obtained what they sought and COW
eted, ii is now up to the industrialists
to make good on the promises made.
We all agree that we must and