The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-12-07
Commerce Chamber Committee
Says It Would Not Reduce
Cost of Living.
WOULD PROVE INADEQUATE
Result Would Be to Work Hard
ship on Farmers and Mer-.
. chants of the Country.

That embargoes on various food
stuffs would not serve materially to
reduce the present high living cost
but that such embargoes would i'm
pose hardships on farmers and mer'
chants OF this country, was a state.
ment made in report submitted to
the board OF directors Of the Chamber
OF Commerce last night by the sub.
.cemmittee appointed to investigate
THE, high cost of living. especially the
costs'kcC -four and other foodstuffs.
The report, which represents two
months work on the part OF the COM
pittee. was submitted by Col. John q.
Capers, chairman.
One OF the suggestions made by the
committee for reduction of living cost
is enlargement OF the parcels post
system AMI adjustment of the zone
rate system, so as TO make possible
service for the transportation Of foo 4.
stuffs, The report also urges that
greater powers In the matter of food
distribution and investigation OF con.
Secretaries OF Agriculture and Com
msrce.
Near War Conditions Here.
Referring to food emhsrgoes and
the taking over OF food distribution
at In very certain that we are real.
y living under near war conditions,
And some special relief Is Imperative.
Your committee does not feel that
remedial efforts to meet the present
situation should bring ab out discrim.
inatfor and injustice as between the
Agricultural and the labor Or wage.
earning elements OF the people, and
for that reason sees no wisdom In the
more drastic suggestions made In
w a tlr ~ cd m A m
siezo foodHtuffr, condemn thoin ana
resell them TO the public, and thus
punish both the farmer and the mer,
chantby going into the market bhsi;
ness itself In the hope OF selling food
At cheaper prices to the laboring man,
and all age earnerP,
Embargo Deemed Inadequate.
"your committee suggests that an
embargo upon the shipment abroad OF
wheat or other foodstuffs, would
serve not only a brief purpose Uf. In.
deed u served nrv NJ -
such a proposition does not seem to
take into consideration the many 9TH
or very important reasons which lay
at the base OF the present high cost or
food condition, especially, as u has
been very clearly demonstrated that
the expectation To Europe OF food.
clyothes. and other things, In much
less TOT the year itios Juet '"e.
I'D. than - was for the prior fiscal
SIT has been demonstrated. that this
10 true, not only as TO wheat, because
wrn6vt hHrvrsted 7uufy' thc proporttc'r
Of ak bushels OF wheat during the
past fiscal year. to ten bushels the
prior crop year. but II is true OF beer,
potatoes, cattle, fruit and grain. Tho
ehbargo, therefore. represents a dc
eveasing feilef and is but one OF the
many suggestions now demanding
speedy and Imperative consideration
FiogEinx with Hose Not Custom.
Plugging with a rubber hose Is not
the custom In boys training schools
throughout the country, according To
reports received from the governors
OF sixteen states by the special com
mIttee OF the Chamber OF Commerce
invcstlgstlng methodr Of punishment
school for Boys here. Colonel Capers,
who is also chairman OF this commit.
tee, told the board OF directors, Hs
said that In no instance could he ma
where rubber hose had been used In
Institutions In other parts or the
country, and stated that . small
strap, where logging was permitted
at NIL, was the only instrument OF
punishment In use.
The committee has requested per
rission from the president OF the
sonaify Investigate conditions there,
Chairman capers said. He was In
structed TO have his committee con,
tinue the Investigation and gather all
data possible as To existing conditions
IN the school.