The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-11-29
'HUDDLESTON WOULD FAVOR AN EMBARGO Should Be Moderate and Not
 Retaliatory
LOWER LIVING COST
Congressman Calls Attention to the Growing Drift of Sentiment in Favor of Government Owner
 ship of Railroads

The proposed embargo on food has an advocate in George Huddleston. repre- sentative from the Ninth congressional district
 He believes that the cost of foodstuffs. meatstuffs and breadstuffs should be re- duced, and would be reduced by an em- bargo. To insure this reduction, MT. Huddleston would be inclined to support such an enactment in Congress during the approaching session.
 Furthermore, it is his opinion that there is distinct inclination toward govern ment ownership of railroads Although he does not commit himself as favorIns this step, he sees possibilities of the move ment.
 With the prices of food advancing daily I feel that the government ought to take some means to check the in- creased cost of living" Representative Huddleston said yesterday. T do not know whether or not an embargo will be urged to accomplish this but l would favor it. While 1 feel that the farmer and food interests should be entitled to pTSfits, I do not think that the tax on the consumers in this country should be as heavy as it is. Furthermore, I think that we should be protected before other countries.
 NO RETALIATORY EMBARGO
 T would not favor a.retaliatory embar- go, as has been urged by some. It is purely a matter that concerns our own protection. Other countries, even the warning nations, are conserving their food supplies and we ought to do likewise. Tt is absurd to think that an embargo will be placed on cotton. The measure would affect only foodstuffs, breakstuffs and meatstutffs. l would riot propose an absolute embargo, but a partial check on the eXportation of food. It Is not urged for any other reason than to lower the cost of living.'
 Would you favor the creation of a commission to regulate the prices of food, as the interstate commerce com mission controls railroad rates and other matters?'
 No I would not favor such A meas ure.
 GREAT RAILROAD QUESTION The matter of railroad regulation brings up a rather interesting develop
 ment. The railroad problem is the great est question that we must meet. We are making an experiment with regulation
 and the tendency is to carry it so far as
 to mean government ownership. At the present time the government
 is regulating, through the interstate com
 merce commission, rates to insure that ex- cessive charges are not made Now the railroads are requesting that the commits I sion also regulate rates so that they are l given reasonable profits. Thus the up-
 ward and downward movements of rates ! are supervised.
 The railroads have asked that the reg
 ulation be nationalized so that the state | be eliminated from the harasslng mat ter. The railroads have requested that there be regulation of stocks and securi- | ties to the end that the government be-
 come guarantor of the value of the se- curities.
 ! Congress has now been asked to pre- ! vent by legislative enactment the possi- i bility of a strike of the employees. This means that the government would order 1 employees to work for private interests. Tn view of the fact that the govern
 ment is engaged in so much regulation, l it would seem that there is an unmistak-
 able tendency toward government con | trol and ownership. The government is already the owner of one railroad con- trolling the Panama railroad. It IS en-
 gagged in the hauling of freight through 1 it's parcel post. 1t virtually owns equip
 ment that is used in moving the mails. 'I do not commit myself at this time l as being in favor of.sgovernment owner l ship of railroads, but there is certainly
 a strong possibility that the government. | by the issuance of bonds, will take over ] the carriers"
 | Representative Huddleston will leave
 Friday morning for Washington for the approaching session of Congress.