Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-08-14
An Adventure in Lew.

The United States takes step liiIo
new and strange fields today by tho
enactment Of the law empowering the
president to control food and fuel II
il one OF the most important pieces Oh
domestic legislation ever devised Dy
congress-, and may be more FAR reach
ing than any other in its effects upon
the daily life Of the people.
II fully successful in It's scope anu
operation, this law will put an end TO
the manipulation Of prices Of food ana
fuel. It will enable the consumer 70
buy these necessities at price rep,
resenting nothing more than q reason.
able profit to a restricted number OF
persons actually and necessarily nan
ding the goods ON their way from the
ground TO the table or the furnace.
Can the president, thru his chosen
agents, accomplish this wonderful
ideal? We mean, can he accomplish !.
successfully and beneficially, without
strikes, shutdowns. bankruptcies or de-
moralization of legitimate business
Theoretically. the task can not be &C
complished. Practically, we believe IL
can and will be done.
In the first place, it will not be nee
essary to invoke the rigor OF the Ia"
against offenders, as a rule. The ter
ror of the law will be sufficient to put
nine out of ten food speculators to
fight. The fact that the president can
come down upon SPECTATOR hoarder'
manipulation or monopolist and put him
behind the bars will be enough TO
cause these criminals to seek otner
pastures. They are a shrewd iol, as
| Is evident by what they have accom-
plished without detection and punish
ment; and they know when to quit.
On this side Of the criminals are an
other lot, s:.I! shreWder. who operate
| within the law They comprise the IN
necessary middlemen, the hangers-on
| and leeches who suck profits out OF
| food and fuel as these necessaries pass
| along to the consumer. 1t will be dif-
| ficult to destroy this class, and the
process will take considerable time
! but the work can be done.
/ The way is open for the slmpinca-
ton and systemization of marketing
methods. The producer and consumer
can be brought within sight OF eacn
other by this law.
| great deal of the work must bs
experimental and tentative. The prope
lem is peculiar to the United States in
| many respects. altho in IFS greater fea-
| lures there Is much to be gained oy
| studying the experience OF other ma
| tons. Unfortunately, This war has al
/ ready shown US that nations are re-
/ luctant to take short cuts to efficiency
by profiting by the experience OF othel
nations. Each prefers to stumble aionA
In Its own way, often over ground tha1
| has already been trod by Its ally. The
| food administrator OF the oni.ce
States has had much experience in for
eign countries during this war, and 81
far as he can he will apply this ex-
perience. Taken by and large, now.
ever, his application of the law mus
be in the nature Of an experiment.
4 Bitter attacks are to be expected
from the interests affected by this law
/ From the president down, everybody
concerned in enforcing the law will Of
4 maligned. Nothing in the immediate
future Isl more apparent than the gain.
/ ering of sinister forces to hamper ar1e
embarrass the government In execut'
4 ing this great law. The people. how
il ever, are Overwhelmingly behind thu
i president and the food administration
and we may be sure thai the peopi'
will not be cajoied, intlmidated o.
swindled into abandonment Of the new
law.-W ashington Post