The Oklahoma City times. [volume] (Oklahoma City, Okla.) 1908-1984, 1918-02-27
EFIxIle BY
)k ms PROVED
FlILURE-LoDeE
Sen ator Says PrcflteerIOg
Goes on the Same,

euf price fixing =, a method Of pre-.
nalng psofiiserins has proved a fail
y Senator Lodge Of Massachusetts
kelDed today Ia giving the senate CON
11icas he had drawn from the recent
mvssol9asions OF the coal and sugaf
HAossges. In the case OF coal, Senator
lodge sah, price fixing had only served
= cugtsil production while the food ad.
Illustrations price plan for sugar had
II western beet sugar from the east
- states and in the meantime retailers
u coal and sugar had profiteered.
All Prices FIXED.
"To prevent proiiteering BY a Jew,
the Massachusetts, senator explained
I .slhs fundamental error Of the admins,
trstion was that a policy fixing all
pricss--deelared a failure in both Ger
many and Franee-was adopted, instead
81 one stimulating and increasing me
trade" 49,,
The coal shortage Senator Lodge laid
u b the fuel price-fixing plan, together
with railroad difficulties and the clos
ing order he described as a complete
confession OF impotency and failure
He denounced the fuel administration
a an unnecessary agency" which was
composed largely Of amateurs.
Sugar Famine Artificial.
The senator dealt 10 a mildeT manner
with the food administration, although
asserting fixing the price Of sugar was
q mistaken policy" and the sugar
famine largely artificial lie added
an Justice TO Mr. Hoover, he made
every effort to get rail distribution
and get Java sugar
How much he was thwartcd by the
railroad situation and the tangle OF
pfiority orders. | do not know, but |
am certain that II he had been elf
GENTLY aided instead Of being crossed
BY other commissions there could have
been no sugar famine IN the eastern
states
Coal Price Too Low.
Discussing the procedure OF o., iucI
administration, Senator Lodge SAID
"They fixed a ptEe which made II
impossible TO work mary miners,
frightened the producer and tended to
reduce production
"Not content with tn, they also set
20 work to change the whole system OF
distribution. No more reckless expert.
ment could have been better calculated
TO make railroad difficulties almost
insuperable. Al a single blow they
partially paraly all the machinery
Of disr,butioa J u economic laSs could
be offered as an excuse.
. No Nerd Of Garfield.
There vas no need Of the fuel ad.
sninistration, no reason why II should
exist at all and the powers. however
smiable and patriotic the purposes OF
thsir po,ssssor, have been employed to
snake a situation worse and do nothing
bu harm. Tbe.yi;al poini Of the whole
coal situation was the railroad prob
,tlu,r
2 Either Secretary Lane or Francis S
Peabody. Senator Lodge said, should
kaye change Of the coal situation. AM
nalment 6y Secretary Baker Of the
agrcement Mr.. Lane brought about at
. conference OF operators, dealers and
consumers was criticised by the SEN
nor. He also denounced comforting
of vast powers upon state fuel admin
isirators.
$50 far as can learn aid Mt
Lodge, "thc only qualification oi these
uentlemen is that they should be dem
Scrats"
Z Senator Lodge also warned the sen
ate against official interference with
Stnt some government bureau may dc
eide TO he a non-essential industry
Ntither. he said in conclusion. should
those who criticise government affairs
be charged with being friends Of Ger
many
y War Savings Stamps-thc answer OF