The Glasgow courier. [volume] (Glasgow, Mont.) 1913-current, 1917-05-25

out the country, irrespective of state
lines.
The purposes are to stimulate pro-
duction, to reduce waste, to clear the
channels of distribution, to prevent
boarding, to assure fair prices, to
eliminate injurious speculation, to
prohibit evil practices on exchanges,
and to protect the public against ex-
tortion.
The suggested legislation recogniz-
es that the war will disturb the nor
NAL courses of trade. Accordingly, it
provides machinery, first, for stimulat-
ing production and regulating distri-
button so as to assure a fair profit
to those entitled to it; secondly, for
preventing the exploitation of neces-
saries of life by those who aim to
take advantage of the war emergency
to amass unearned fortunes. With
these objects in view, the bill vests
wide authority in the government to
control the situation.
The mere comforting of the more
extreme new powers it is hoped may
be sufficient, without its becoming
necessary to exercise them. There is
nothing in the measure to disturb
legitimate business activities. If it
hereafter appears essential to x
else the new powers, provision is made
for prescribing the limitations on the
conduct of these activities with such
certainty that those affected should
experience little difficulty in meeting
the requirements. On the other hand,
heavy penalties are provided for
those unwilling to fall in line.
The president is empowered to eff
feet preference movements by COM
mon carriers in order to assure an
adequate and continuous supply of
ne%cessaries. He may also prescribe
limitations, regulations, or prohibi-
tions upon the use of foodstuffs in
the production of alcohol and of alco-
holic or non-alcoholic beverages, and
may require reduction of the alcoho-
lie content Of beverages. Factories,
plants, mines, OF other establishments
engaged in producing n~ecessaries may
be requisitioned and operated by the
government if it be essential. Just
compensation for the use is provided.
The government is further authorized
to purchase, produce, OF otherwise to
procure necessaries and to sell them
at cost.
Power is granted to compel holders
to disgorge and put on the market
necessaries held by them in excess of
legitimate individual or business re-
q~uirements for a reasonable time. The
president may regulate exchanges, in
GLIDING their practices, quotations and
the like, so as to avoid their employ
ment as instrumentalities to effect un-
just market manipulations, injurious
speculation, and undue enhancement
of prices.
The president is empowered to fix
minimum prices, assuring fair and
just returns to producers or owners,
whenever, in an emergency, he finds
such action essential in order to en-
courage greater production. In such
case, the government will guarantee
producers of necessaries within the
United States, who act in reliance
upon the guaranty, that they will re-
ceive not less than the minimum
price prescribed for their products.
The bill also contains an antidump-
ing clause. This vests power in the
president to find what rates of duty
on the importation of necessaries, for
which minimum prices have been pre-
scribed, are required to prevent flood
ing of the American market with such
excessive importations as to defeat
the practical operation of the mini
mum price plan. When he determines
these rates, by force of the statute
itself they go into immediate effect.
Whenever the president shall find
that an emergency exists requiring
such action, he is also empowered to
fix maximum prices of necessaries, if
essential in order to prevent extor-
ton. If a maximum price for any
particular n~ecessaries be established
it is made unlawful thereafter to deal
in the article at a higher price.
The secretary of agriculture is au-
thorized to establish and enforce STAN
dards for grade of foods, food ma
t~erials, feeds, seeds, other agriculture
al products and fertilizers, and for
the capacity of their receptacles; also
to require proper labelling 20 as to
prevent deception. In addition, he is
given power to license and control the
manufacture, storage, and distribu-
ton of foods, food materials, and
feeds when essential to prevent un-
economical manufacture or inequitable
distribution of the articles. He may
prescribe the percentages of flour
which shall be milled from wheat;
and, when essential to increase the
food supply, he is authorized to regu-
late the mixing of wheat, wheat flour,
or other wheat nrOductS with anv 9TH