ORGANIZE OR PAY!
By Adolph Germer
You, perhaps, are one who voted for President Wilson and feel that you won. You may have voted for Hughes and regret that your candidate lost. Or, you may have voted for Benson, the Socialist. In the latter event you are not disappointed, for you knew that he would not be elected. You voted for what you wanted even though you knew that you would not get it.
Perhaps you voted for Wilson fearing that if Hughes were elected Wall Street would rule this country with an iron hand. Most of those who voted for Hughes feared the same thing of Wilson. Be that as it may, the prices of foodstuffs are climbing up right along. Does that mean anything to you and your family? If it does, what are you going to do about it? Are you just going to grumble and stop at that? Do you think prices will come down by your growling and snarling? If you think that you can bring prices down by quarreling with the grocer and butcher, you are mistaken. Your grocer and butcher are only the errand boys for the well organized speculators. You will have to do more than growl and quarrel. Food prices are fixed by a well organized group of food speculators. These food speculators know how valuable it is to be organized. They know that unless they are organized they will work to each others' disadvantage. Being thoroughly organized they can hold us up at their will when we buy flour, sugar, potatoes, butter, eggs, meats, etc., etc. Organization spells power and advantage for the speculators in foodstuffs and other necessaries of life.
Here are some comparative prices that tell you where your wages go, and why it is getting harder to make both ends meet. The prices quoted are WHOLESALE. Retail prices—those the housewife pays—are higher:
| Commodities | 1914 | 1916 |
|---|---|---|
| Flour, per bbl. | $5.10 | $9.50 |
| Milk, per qt. | $5.06 | $5.08 |
| Eggs, per doz. (best) | $5.34 | $5.50 |
| Hams, smoked, per lb. | $5.16½ | $5.22 |
| Butter, creamery, per lb. | $5.33½ | $5.43 |
| Lard, per lb. | $5.11 | $5.18 |
| Sugar, granulated, per lb. | $5.05½ | $5.07¼ |
| Beans, per 100 lbs. | $6.00 | 13.00 |
| Potatoes, per bu. (60 lbs.) | $5.50 | $1.80 |
| Tomatoes, per doz. cans | $5.80 | $1.50 |
| Corn, per doz. cans | $5.65 | $1.35 |
| Peas, per doz cans | $5.65 | $1.25 |
| Baked beans, per doz. cans | $5.85 | $1.40 |
| Tomato ketchup, doz. bot. | $5.80 | $1.25 |
The above skyrocket prices are the result of organization among food speculators.
Organization means power for you. When you are organized with your fellow workers, then you have power and advantage and can do things for yourself. Don't you think it is your duty to organize and deal with these vexing problems? Let us briefly talk this matter over.
Those who raise prices support the democratic and republican parties. The Socialist party holds out the hopes of the workers. It is always on the side of the victims of organized speculators. It is the one party to which the profit mongers and speculators do not belong and contribute money.
You have undoubtedly read Socialist literature and attended Socialist meetings. You have certainly learned that the Socialist party is the political organization to which you should belong. It may be that you agree with the Social-