The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-11-22
Representative Fitzgerald Says
Will Push 1t Thru.
WILSON OPPOSED TO PLAN
The President Will Ignore Issue
in His Message.
Farmers Ready to Fight for
Continued High Prices.

Washington, Nov. 22-Represent-
ative Fitzgerald, Democratic chairman
of the house appropriation committee,
announced today that he favored an
embargo on foodstuffs and that it was
his purpose to prepare a bill and to
press the subject early at the coming
session of congress.
1.-TWO reasons chiefly impel me to
favor embargo on food stuffs.'' said
Mr.. Fitzgerald.
TT is the most effective weapon in
our controversy with Great Britain
with her unwarranted, outrageous
and indefensible blacklist of American
merchants. AS our foodstuffs are
needed abroad, an embargo will be
more effective than weary months of
diplomatic negotiations which end in
the continuance of the indefenSible
practices against our rights.
Lower Domestic Prices.
1.-The embargo also should be i'm
posed for purely domestic reasons.
The price of foodstuffs has reached
levels that are bringing widespread
distress to the country. Many hum
dreds of thousands of our people are
suffering from the lack of the neces-
saries of life. Wholesale prices in
many commodities are less abroad
today than they were a year ago
here. The retail prices have ad-
vanced alarmingly.
THE argument that nothing should
be done to interfere with the expan-
sion of our foreign trade does not i'm
press me. Of what profit is it if our
foreign trade is to grow with leaps
and bounds while our own people are
brought to the verge of starvation as
a result of it. The time is ripe for
the embargo and l hope to see legis-
lation speedily enacted to impose it.
Let America be for Americans first
1t seems 20 be generally agreed here
that the coming session of congress
will see a fight over the embargo pro-
posal which is backed by monster pc
titions signed by thousands of persons
and organizations.
BY III. HI. STANSBURY.
Washington, Nov. 22.-President
Wilson will ignore in his message to
congress a score of petitions from the
thickly populated districts of the east
urging an embargo on food exports.
He has been informed such a move to
conserve the food supply for home
consumption would antagonize the
element which reelected him. He
also believes we should share gener-
ously with hungry, suffering Europe.
Democratic leaders who have ar
rived in Washington are expecting a.
hot fight, both in the house and the
senate They are receiving hundreds
of letters protesting against the send
ing of food products abroad as long as
the home supply is not equal to the
demand. But for the same reasons
which are in part guiding the pres
ident, they do not expect the legisla-
ton to be successful.
Representatives Oppose Embargo.
The majority of the representatives
in the house are from agricultural
districts. They are solidly opposed
to legislation by congress that will
prevent them from enjoying the high
and profitable prices which enable
them to share in the prosperity of the
country. The farmers are organized
and the representatives of these or
ganizations are already gathering
here.
Mayor Curley of Boston, is one
among many who has informed Presi-
dent Wilson there is most urgent need
of federal legislation to protect the
classes hard hit by the high prices of
food commodities
Drastic recommendations will be
made by President Wilson in his mes
sage for a law under which individ-
uals guilty of improper speculation in
food stuffs may be punished. He
will charge that the middlemen are
for the situation that prac-
tically confronts every household in
the country
This section of the message along
with the renewed demand has been
and is understood to n,oet
with the approval of the cabinet men,
bers with whom President Wilsol has
discussed the food situation.
The session of the cabinet meeting
held Tuesday was devoted almost ex-
to the Mexican situation.
President Wilson comm Inicated to
the body as a whole the details of the
report made by Secretary Lane,
chairman of the American delegates.
at the conference Saturday night, in
which Secretary Baker and Secrc tary
participated.
Force Mexican Issue
The conclusion said to have been
advanced by the president and con-
Cured in by his official family was
that First Chief Carranza must give
the guarantees demanded in the last
American delegates will be withdrawn.
These guarantees concern definite
promises for the restoration of order
in Northern Mexico and the withdraw
al of confiscatory taxation schemes as
well as the border patrol.
The impression prevailed among the
members of the cabinet after the
that Mr.. Wilson expects the
Mexican-American conference at At
lantic City to disband with negative
results before the end of the week.
it was said, will be an attitude of
hands off Carranza will be left to
paddle his own canoe. without hope of
having either the moral or financial
support of the United States.