The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1917-03-03
100000 PROVIDED FOR FOOD
INQUIRY,

AS urged by President Wilson, an
appropriation of 100000 to enable the
Federal Trade Commission to make
an investigation of the food shortage
| and exorbitant prices charged, was in
serted into the sundry civil appropria-
ton bill last Saturday night, and Rep
Preventative Fitzgerald of New York, in
| fighting the amendment on the floor
of the House, said:
Last October member of parlia.
ment stated during a debate on the
prices Of foodstuffs in Great Britain,
that nothing had so angered the people
of that country during the last two
years as the enormous profits made
on the supply of food, unless it had
been the shameless excuses put up for
them by the government spokesman.
THAT statement not only can be re-
peated as to the situation in this coun-
try, but it can be added to by the state.
ment that we have shown the incapac-
ity of Congress to deal with the most
vital problem affecting the American
people today.
"The riots that have taken place"
he said, ARE not the riots of the thrift
less and the worthless. 1t is the out,
rage and indignant protest of the
thrifty, the industrious and frugal who
cannot meet the demands for prices of
food that now exist"
Mr.. Fitzgerald referred to his two
embargo measures, saying:
Il was met. with the charge that to
stop expectation of foods necessary for
our own people would be taken as an
ofense by some powerful, great nation
now engaged in deadly war. Mr.. Chair
man, have never got over my indig-
nation that the Congress of the United
States changed the Panama Canal tolls
because, we had displeased a great
power. And that we could not regu.
late our affairs for the American
people unless our action happened to
coincide with what was for the best in.
terest of Great Britain and her people.
1--WE cannot put an embargo on food
stuffs because it may offend some one.
But Great Britain, by her orders in
council, can prohibit the importation
into Great Britain of things she does
not want her people to have.
Il understand the important reasons
for not prohibiting the export of mum.
lions. But II it is necessary to prohib.
it the export of munitions in war, in
order to put food within the reach of
the great suffering masses of this
country, am ready to prohibit the ex.
portation of all commodities and prod.
ucts of the United States.
when l suggested last November
that we put an embargo on foodstuffs,
the President directed the Attorney
General to conduct an investigation
through the Department of Justice
into the situation; report was made
that there was no evidence that the
laws had been violated.
AND now when the people are COM
PEELED to struggle and fight and become
disorderly for food, it is suggested that
we spend 100000, and take eight
months time, in order to find out what
the trouble is and why they are
hungry.
Can there be any greater -indict.
ment of the incapacity of a govern.
ment than that when the people are
dying for food we should give them
an Investigation? When food is need
ed now, when the little children are
crying for help, we say to them that
at the end Of eight months we will
tell them why the prices Of food are
SO high"