The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1917-06-26
CONGRESS SHOULD act.
Interests OF People Demand Passage
OF FoOdstufis Bill.
IC the Editor of The State:

Ic the Editor OF The State:
Our country has never felt the
pangs of hunger; We know not what
famine means, and the food problem
is a new proposition that forces itself
the front and must he considered
pd acted upon promptly. 1t is
uestion OF vast Importance to the
&@eople who are going to want bread
and who are going to suffer from
hunger and cold. The amount OF
foodstuff in this country should give
us -four at So per barrel and it is
selling at SIS. Coal that costs the
owners of the mines but little more
than it did in 1914 to mine now costs
at the mine more than double the old
price and will double up again if
something is not done by congress to
stop this extortion. The owners OF
the coal mines are growing enormous
ly rich at the expense of the country.
We see in the papers that steel plates
for which the government was asked
Ss5 per ton have been commandeered
by the government at $50 per ton.i
And one manufacturing company that
was to deliver 100000 tons per month
loses it's immense profits. Four
hundred thousand tons at $95 per ton
Is $4,000, 900, and 100000 tons at $50
per ton is s22,4oo,ooo, Being a diff;
feernee per month of s15,Soo,000, and
s1s7, 100000 per year. That is what
the government saves a year On one
contract.
The food question, the coal ques-
ton, the iron and steel questions are
the three vital questions that our rep
resentatives in congress are to de-
eide. And what is congress doing?:
What has congress done? What In
ffuenee controls and guides the oppo-i
sition to the government measures
and blocks the passage of important
bills? These are questions now occu-
pying the thoughts and minds of the
public in the quiet of home life. These
are questions that are discussed with
an earnestness unusual to our people.
The country has suddenly awakened
from it's apathy. The registration OF
100000 Of our young men, the dis
eussion and enthusiasm aroused for
the issue of the Liberty bonds, the
apbeal made for the ross have
stirred the hearts of the people. The
patriotic pulse beats strong and fast
and with a voice that will make itself
heard there is going to resound
through this land from the Atlantic
to the Pacific a demand that congress
deal promptly with the government
bills that are to protect the people
and prepare the country for the war
now upon US America realizes now
that a b,oody war is before her, and
she has gone into it with determl-
nation to sustain her gallant sons at
the front will never consent to a
peace that vill not give America
every right she has demanded and
make every other nation feel that she
will ever demand those rights in the
future.
German money and German infiu-
ence have been a secret power in this
country, but the revolution has come
and we are all Americans now. II
any congressman could be at home
for a day he would find wonderful
change in the openly expressed pub
lie opinion. President Wilson is the
head Of our nation as wise and
thoughtful leader and We all have con-
fdence in him and will sustain him.
America expects a patriotic duty from
each son and woe to the one that
salls by the way, or is found want
ing. His punishment IS sure and GER
tain.
JAMES MCINTOSH,
Newberry, June 81.