The Alaska citizen., 1917-06-11
FEDERAL, NS. PRIVATE. CONTROL

FEDERAL, NS. PRIVATE CONTROL
 The action of the Chicago board of trade m fixing a maximum price on gram, corn and wheat having both been ad uSted, brings up the question of whether 1t should be the duty of individuals or the government to settle this important question. That the ac- ton of the board was taken to prevent speCu- lators from boosting the prices so high that the government would be compelled to inter vene is obvious It is a means of self-pro- lection, and was probably taken to forestall the closing of the stock exchange, or at least the elimination of all speculation on 1t, by the government, and not to be considered as the result of a study to determine price at which these commodities could be raised, marketed and placed in the hands of the consumer and allow a reasonable margin of profit to both the producer and the legitimate dealer.
 Any price fixing by any man or body of men, whether 1t be producer, broker, whole sale dealer or retail merchant, will naturally be influenced by the viewpoint of the class which does the fixing. That is the human nature of the problem and will have to be considered in settling how it is to be handled, The prices fixed may be fair to dealer broker and producer and obviously unjust to the consumer.
 The one necessary thing to be accom- plished in the governments effort to keep down prices on all necessities to within the reach of all people is the elimination of all superfluous handling. Every time any article changes ownership there is an addition to the price oi it. Naturally the more times it changes owners the higher the price. This unnecessary handling also carried with 1t the bad feature of unequal distribution Certain commodities are concentrated i'll central points and stored for a rise ln prices, and these raises are oftener than not brought about by questionable methods of the un- necessary middleman
 Ii there Is any need for fixing of price limits, and t seems that even those who Op- pose government supervision of prices are convinced that there is, there is only one disinterested party whose plain duty it is to do the limiting, and that is the federal gov ernment. It has the facilities to determine the reasonableness of any price that may be set that no other power can afford It's dlC- tum will be fair alike to everyone.
 When the Chicago board of trade sets the price of delivery of corn contracts at Sl. .05 a bushe it affects none except the parties to the trade and the producer, but the retailer and the consumer might still be forced to pay double this amount on the open market for their wants. Even the producer could pos sibly be held up with this figure set, since he cannot hope to control the sale of his product Practically every small farmer is forced to dispose of his product at the buyers figure, since he is working on a small mar gin and in many instances on borrowed capi tai hampered by mortgages on land, stock and implements. He is forced to market his crops in order to protect himself, no matter what the figure is It is this situation that the administration is now seeking to remedy and that must be changed if America is to keep up under the prevailing conditions
 GERMANY tells Spain that she regrets the sinking of Spanish passenger vessel and is willing pay indemnity for the loss. We suppose that the kaiser is also willing and able bring back to life those who were killed by the mistake" of the submarine mander. The United States had to purchase filing cabinet the state department to file similar notes from Germany which proved to be but mere scraps of paper
 NOW that the senate has agreed to the conference report the sundry civs bill. Alaska may get some money the government railroad work. always pro- vding of course, that the house does kick the traces.