Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1917-05-05

Phones: All Departments, 6OO0
POWER IN RESERVE.

Whatever may bo the defects in de-
tail Of the proposed food control law
now in congress. The World can DO
no less than strongly approve II as q
whole. II is n very wise and neces-
sary precauuon; yea more; It rs
highly important. not only because
war necessities have created condi-
tions that only governmental power
can restrain. but because unless some-
thing of the kind Is done we are I'm
great danger OF having to face serious
internal uprisngs The common peo-
pie realize that they are powerless to
prevent many Of the great inIusticcs
which present opportunities make
possible even likely, and they are
even now feeling the weight OF op-
pressive business methods which seel;
TO find n short road to sudden riches
thru prcing oyn the necessities Of the
masses Unless repressive and regu-
latory measures can be promptly ap-
Piled there is bound to be much suf-
fering and that suffering will provoke
resentment that may eliminate in
violence. Secretary Houston thinks II
is wise to be cautious about asking
congress to pass such legislation, but
the new bill proposed by the house
agriculture committee Is not only
wide in its scope. but. as far as we can
see at present. is about the wisost act
yet proposed The intent of the bill
is to put large discriminatory powers
in the hands of the president not as
acts of universal application but to
form a reserve of power to be used
as occasion demands.
The bin gives him power to head
off greed by fixing maximum or mini
mum prices on necessities: to control
production. and. II needed, requisition
factories; to compel proper dstribu-
ton: to eliminate market manipula-
ton; to insure transportation prefer
ences; TO assess tariffs, punitive and
protective to cut down the waste of
foodstuffs I'm the production Of bev-
erages, and to license and control the
manufacture. storage and distribution
of foodstrffs. Many Of these provl-
sions are capable OF being used to an
evil purpose. We are asked to place
tremendous power in the hands OF
the president In the hands Of q bad
man they would be a source OF great
danger. But we submit that no one
could be more capable Of conscicn-
tious application OF these provisions
than Mr.. Wilson. and the great qucs-
tion before us is the wisdom Of taking
the risk Of his rcctitude rather than
submit further to the wrongs which
this bill aims to correct.
1t is not necessary. even. that the
fixing Of prices by presidential order
should he any infringement Of per
sonal liberty or any disturbance Of
legitimate trade. 1t is rather a prom
Use Of welcome relief Hardly a citi-
zen OF the country has failed TO feel
the heavy hand OF the speculator and
the market manipulation in his every
day dealings Prices have lcgitimatoly
and naturally gone up-neither the
president nor anybody else can stop
that process until circumstances bring
about n revcrsion: but this fact has
encouraged great many to arbitra-
rlly increase prices for their own
emolument trusting to the excuse OF
natural law to cover up their crooked
dealings Congress cannot afford to
be too slow in putting this bill. or
something equally as good. on the
statute books, and the president
should be prompt to put It into
operation.