Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 30, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 February 1920 — SECRETARY MEREDITH TELLS HOW TO THWART H. L. C. [ARTICLE]

SECRETARY MEREDITH TELLS HOW TO THWART H. L. C.

I Washington, Feb. 2.—EMminaI tion of useless employes in nonproductive business, the speeding up of all lines of industry commensurate with the present activity of the farmers and determination of retailers and wholesalers to exact only a reasonable profit, were recommended as a solution of- the high cost of living, made by Edwin T. Meredith on'taking the oath of office today as secretary of agriculture. The high cost of living problem, the new secretary asserted, cannot be solved through the efforts of one class, bht all business and all labor must recognize the solution as a common duty “or less and less will there be of farm products to divide among the whole people and higher and 'higher will go the price of that which is produced.” The farmers of America, said Secretary Meredith, “are willing to assume- their part of the responsibilities as American citizens, in meeting any problem threatening the welfare and stability of country, but this high cost of living problem is a mutual one, and they ask that it be approached by all the people as a common problem. They ask that those engaged in distribution eliminate the-lost motion and' not put so great a burden upon production as there is upon it today. In other words, they ask that there be an adequate number of producers of wealth, and this 'lncludes property and food of all kinds, and only such number of distributors as necessary to -perform the services required. ‘“They ask that the banks, railroads, wholesale houses, retail establishments, factories, all of which are vitally necessary to the farmer and recognized by him as such, be speeded up along with him, that the work now done by three men may be done, if possible, by two, and the burden of transportation and distribution be thereby lightened. v “Business men must' look to the operation of their establishments, no matter in what line they may be engaged, and see,that no useless employe is retained to add to the/cost of distributing what the farmer now produces.”