The Washington herald., 1918-08-02
DEMAND RELIEF FROM
PROFITEERING IN WAR
Investigation to Precede
Law Enactment to Limit
Living Costs.
PRAYER SETS FORTH ACTION
WOULD REDUCE BOND NEEDS
And Lessen Necessity for Revenue
Taxes. Besides Tightening Post
War Burdens of Interest.

The great associations of farmers In
the United States have formally gone
To congress for relief from the war
profiteer. They demand an investiGa-
ton Of prices. and a price-fxing law
effective until one year after the war
ends.
The American Agricultural Associa-
ton, which has offices at LIS Four
teenth street. northwest, initiated the
movement by a petition to both
houses OF Congress. The National
Grange. the American Society OF
Equity. the Farmers Cooperative
Union and a number Of labor unions
join in enforcing the demands set
forth in the petition.
This union OF forces of agriculture
and labor is regarded in Washington
as formidable and as calculated to
impress Congress-
The petition calls for "compre-
hensive survey or investigation ~ a
joint committee for the purpose Of de-
termining the practicability Of enact
ing a general law applicable to- all
Btates and Territories, as wen as tie
District Of Columbia. fixing n maxi
mum limit OF prices for all materials
and commodities produced. n5anufaC-
tured or offered for sale in this coun-
try during the war and for one year
after the war. at least.
A similar maximum limit or sal
aries end wages is asked.
To Press This Session :
II the joint committee decides that
such a law is practicable and bene-
fetal to the government and the reo-
pie, says the petition, then such n bill
shall be. pressed for passage during
the present session of Congress as a
war emergency measure.
In a letter of explanation which ac-
companies the petition. the cause Of
the present inflated prices Is laid at
the door of the. profteer. The fact
that presnt- high cost Of living Is
falling with unbearable weight on the
shoulders of salaried clerks, laborers,
teachers and similar employees Of city,
state or Federal governments Is also
suggested. Seven desired results OF
such a measure are also pointed out:
Such a bill would probably reduce
the cost of conducting the war from
the date such a law went into effect.
until the termination Of the war; by
approximately one-halk
Would Reduce War Costs.
When ii is realized that the war
has cost us just s1,0o0,OoO,0Oo less
in the year we have been in than
il has cost Germany for the entire
war, the force of reducing the cost
is seen. 1t costs US now Just $40
to do what Germany can do for 81.
For this reason alone. IL no other,
the authorities of the American
Agricultural Association demand an
Investigation of a price-fixing law.
-
maintenance Of his family last year,
and Immediately the price of reces-
stiles rose at least 100 per cent. 1t
was the same as asking his family
to live on SIS under the old system.
He had to pay $500 for his equip
ment at the rate OF S35 for a pair
of shoes. and this. according to the
Agricultural Association authorities,
when never before were there SO
many hides in storaFN. throughout
the United States.
Also Save Bond Issues.
1t would reduce. by approxi-
mately one-half. the amount of lib
erty bonds and war savings stamps
our government would have to is
sue and sell
1t would lessen the outstanding
fnterest-bearing debt of our govern
ment-at the termination Of the
war-by approximately one-half
and, in like degree, tighten the debt
and interest burden of future gen.
erations of Americans.
II would reduce, by approx
rnateIy one-half. the amount which
must necessarily be raised by tax
atfon-through revenue legislation
by Congress-
II would tend to strengthen the
credit Of the United States in all
II would reduce, by approxi-
rnateIy one-half, the cost Of living
for all of the people OF the United
States.
n would have a strong tendency
70 stabilize business-including
farming-by eliminating uncer-
tainty and speculation with respect
10 the future maximum limit on
prices of materials and commodi-
ties and the scale Of wages and
salaries
Their Letter.
The letter sets forth:
'sThe Unprecedented and unjustifia-
bile advance In the price of practi-
cally all materials and commodities
during the past three years, includ-
ing coal. iron, steel; oil, copper, tin.
Ieather, lumber, wood. furniture.
farming implements and tools and
machinery, twine. rope. shoes, cloth
ing, groceries. provisions .apd practi-
caIly all Of the other necessaries of
life-such advance In price amounting
In some instances to much more than
100 per cent-has, In our opinion. ben
eAted no one but profiteers.
The enactment Of a general law.
.applicable to all the States and Ter
coSTISuED os PAGE rwo