Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-28
Reduction in Expenses
OF Masses Is Disputed
70 the Editor Of The star:

Tc the Editor OF The star:
Certain fll-advised leaders IN the po-
litical and industrial circles are putting
out erroneous statements claiming that
the cost Of living has decreased 90 and
so per cent and that therefore wages
should come down. The middle class
cannot be deceived. They know what
they have TO pay for the necessities Of
life. It is true that Injuries have come
down, and so have high-pficed articles
Of all kinds, but the middle class and
working class have never been able 70
buy those at any time.
Now let us see. Has the cost of edu-
cation decreased No. 1t has in
creased. Can the children OF the poorer
classes go TO school in overalls and
coverallS CHEAP, substantial materially ?
No. The children OF the well-to-do
would laugh at them and point their
fingers at them in derision. so their
parents must dress them in clothes
mostly cottop) that the parents would
have been proud to wear as Sunday"
clothes only when they were children.
The American standard of living" has
become an oppressive feature the past
five years, because it has gone up, while
the income Of old generations of honest.
w-abiding American citizens has
shown Q constant decrease when 1t has
not ceased altogether. Only those with
racket" seem to be getting any
where, and they do that by violating our
laws with impunity. This class revels
IN luxury. rivaling the ruling class in
extravaganza.
The middle and working classes have
Invested heavily in insurance to protect
their families. Has insurance gone
down in the postwar decade? Not at
all. The large increases voted insurance
companies, fraternal and otherwise,
during the war period are stil in eff
feet, and some rates have increased
since the war. No 40 or so per cent
decrease there.
Has street car fare decreased for the
District of Columbia adult? Certainly
not. The fares have increased except
for children, and the wreco is fighting
bthat. it is declared. No 40 or so per
cent decrease there
Have freight rates decreased in the
past decade? Not so any one can notice
them. Have passenger rates decreased?
No, except on excursion trains, and
those are exceptional. Where does that
40 or so per cent decrease in the cost
of living come in?
Have rents decreased in most locali-
ties? If so, the average renters re-
ceipts don't show it. What decrease
have we in cost of living there?
AS W kIOCCT1CS. bA1A1ko I1dNG
shown a temporary decrease, but before
the Winter is over there will be found
to be no substantial saving Where
there is a decrease in one item there
Is usually an increase In two or three
others. Such items as butter, eggs,
cheese and substantial foods seem to
be about as high as they ever were.
Potatoes and cabbage are sometimes
cheaper. and sometimes not so cheap.
Meats have decreased. but many fam
lilies never could afford the better cuts
anyway and must use meat sparingly.
Take it all in all, there has been no
general substantial decrease In the cost
OF living on most articles that the
average person buys. What few de-
creases there have been amount to so
little in the total cost Of living as to
be really negligible in percentage.
Yes, the ultimate consumer and the
original producer are still holding the
bag" And yet the distributor is not
prosperous. Thousands Of small stores
have gene under, thousands of banks
There must be something fundamentally
wrong with our capitalist system.
Conditions will ever be thus chaotic
under system of universal exploitation
of the masses of the people which do
the actual toll of the world. The
schemer who grabs millions exploits the
conscientious toiler, People had better
wake up soon from their vain dreams of
luxury depicted in Hollywood moving
pictures to the stern realities of life.
Capitalism has failed them. They must
demand Socialism now and vote for it
in Self-defense. Otherwise millions
VIII perish in a cataclysn Of poverty
worldwide in extent.
Socialism not cure-all, but it GER
tainly will rectify numerous injustices
that cannot be touched under the pre-
vailing system. A. j. .JENTSON