The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1917-06-26
TREAsoNAsLE FEW.

! taking advantage of the situation t
put prices far beyond what they ough
to be. Then follows this sound an
patriotic bit of reasoning, says the Al
lanta Journal:
In this time of war. instead of
scramble being made by people to en-
large their profits, the effort of tn,
country should be to maintain bust
ness activity with a minimum of prof
it as compared with the volume O
trade. This is not time for gouging
not time when a man should expec
to make more than normal profits
There never was a time in the worlds
history when unselfish devotion t6
the welfare of the republic was more
needed than at present. and when
men should forget themselves in
seeking to advance the nations vel
fare and the saving of civilization"
That is good sense as we'll as good
sentiment; and it is the attitude, we
believe, of the great majority of the
country's business concerns as well
as of the rank and file of the people.
1t is only here and there that one
finds the money-gluttons who would
rob the public and imperil the ma
tons very existence in order to brim
their own flesh pots That such per
sons exist, however. and are schem-
ing to advance prices to still more ex-
tortionate lengths next winter is not
to be denied The problem and duty
of the hour is to stop their atrocious
scheme before it goes any further,
And that is the object of the food
control bill pending in congress.
In his recent statement to the SEN
ate, Mr. Hoover. whom the president
has selected for the post of food ad-
said that in repeated con-
ferences he had held with farmers
millers, packers and
he had found 1.-The sense
of national service predominant; but.
he added, even the majority would
be powerless to eliminate bad prac-
tees unless a law to govern the sit
uation were in existence" Once en-
acted and fairly in effect. the food
control law will operate without fric-
ton as far as legitimate, patriotic
business interests are concerned In
deed, it will help those interests by
them, along with the con-
sumers. against monopolists and spec
ulators. Merely as a stabilizer OF
prices and a preventive against vio-
lent fluctuations. system of food con-
troll by the government would be of
great value to business.
The administration will depend on
enlightened and loyal public senti-
ment in effecting economies in the
use of food, and will administer the
greater part of the entire system on
a basis of voluntary cooperation. Just
what is meant by voluntary cooper
alton" Mr.. Hoover explained in ans
wering Senator Reeds question, how
he would handle a thousand bushels
of wheat bought in North Dakota
and shipped to Chicago? The sub
stance of his reply was this:
"The first matter would be trans
portation, the rates of which are fixel
by the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion, consequently there was no prob
lem there. A proper milling cos
would be fixed by the millers them
selves by agreement with the govern
ment, voluntary on their part ant
sufficiently remunerative to be salts
factory without extortion. The SAM
agreement as to profit would be made
with the Association of Wholesalers
1t was not intended. however, to fi1
the price at which the retailers should
SELL but the government would pub
fish at certain distributing centers
the standard of prices showing wha
the flour cost at retail, and public
pressure would do the rest
These plans for voluntary cooper
alton will work out satisfactorily pro
vided there Is a law to force the un
i,,tn limo pI1t ii