The Washington herald., 1917-12-24

Definite recommendation will come
from Congress in all the investiga-
lions now under Roadway.
The plan is to look very carefully
into present ways of doing things. and
then to consider very carefully where
improvement can be made. and rec
ommend that steps be taken at once
to correct the present inefficient
things. The aim is to suggest means
for dealing with problems. which will
make our system and our present
needs correspond.
The idea of Congress Is that in a
battle for the democracy of the world
in 1918 it is not to be conducted on
principles laid down in 1898. or in 1899
or 1900 or even in 1910. We want to
be up-to-date-and 1t will bring no i'll
results, thinks Congress, IL We even
get a little ahead of the present time.
1t Ii very evident that the business
principles which have been so proudly
vaunted in the face of all the world
by the private firms of this nation are
woefully lacking in the governmental
departments now under Investigation.
There are hints here and there that
the navy has made the greatest inn
provement, however, and that it has
been rapidly brought to the edge
of the state of perfection under the
spur of the war. But the War De-
partment and the shipping board ap-
pear to have been held back by prin-
ciples as antique as some of the his
torical sites hereabouts. The sooner
modern business principles are in
stalled in these departments, the soon
er We can be in a position to go ahead
with the war in a satisfactory fash
ion. Congress is beginning to see some
Of the defects and more are to be
disclosed as time goes on.
One very encouraging feature of the
investigation is that. officers who ap-
pear to give testimony are very frank
in their statements. This, of cours.,
Is necessary If the Investigations are
to go to the seat of the trouble and be
the means of correcting all the evils
which exist. Moreover. another en-
couraging feature is that where evil
dent weaknesses are pointed out to
the officers they are glad to supplanr
their previous methods with methods
designed to bring about quicker re-
suits.
The farther members go into affair 5
the more it becomes apparent that the
investig atoms are to nelp us In the
work rather than deterring US from
making a most effective battle against
the enemy and discoura ging the rank
and file of the people Of the Nation.
Good is coming from it, and morc
good is to follow. We are getting
around to point where in time we
will be on a most efficient basis ana
thus be prepared from all directions
to wage the most effectual warfare On
the Nation that boosted of its eff
cheney in all things.
Sugar beet growers Of half a dozen
Western States have been in Wash
ington for the past week. urging the
Food Administration to grant their plea
that the contract price for beets for
next year be fixed at not less than $lz
per ton.
They aver that IL this step is not
taken the beet acreage will be reduced
so per cent and that this will be a con-
sequent loss Of hundreds of thousands
of tons of sugar to the people next
year.
"At the present fixed price Of sugar
a s12 per ton rate will compensate us
for raising sugar beets Though how
much no one says), and will allow
the beet factories TO MAKE A
PROFIT OF 50 PER CENT" tho
growers have stated upon numerous
occasions.
And at this point. we interpolate,
Where in the deuce does the con-
sumner come in?"
What right has the factory to make
50 per cent? And what right have the
growers to ask of the Food Commits
sion that the price to them be fixed
so high that both they and the fac
tories can make such startlingly high
returns?
Who is most interested in this
game, anyway-the fifty or 100 large
factory owners In the country. the
1eoof sukar bet raiseus - ~ NJ
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