The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1918-09-27

war was declared. Our imports for
the first seven months of 1917 totaled
81, 778, 743,000 in value, and for the
last month of that period, July, 1926
100000. Imports for the first seven
months of the current year totaled
81, 1877 100000 and for July, 241 800
900. They were greater for that por-
ton of the present year ended July
81 than for the entire fiscal year 1915,
by $113,000,000. So Brother Claude
must have been spoofing when he
made that statement. Possibly his
eye caught the figures on exports.
| Exports of domestic goods for the
first seven months of this year totaled
| So, APT 100000 in value as compared
with $3,625, 100000 for the first seven
months of last year, decrease of
nearly $200,000,000. If Kitchin and
his conferees had the eyes of a mole
they would be able to see that there
is bound to be continuing decrease
in our exports as the Hun and the
U-boat are vanquished and the de-
mand for war munitions grows less.
But there is nothing to restrict the
flow of foreign goods to this coun-
try but the capacity of the country to
absorb them, under the Democratic
tariff policy.
The foreign activities of the Com
mittee on Public Information are be-
ginning to bear fruit. A Russian
newspaper has made it's appearance
in this country with long and ex-
ceedingly laudatory article on the
virtues of Secretary McAdoo and his
wonderful genius as railroad dicta-
tor. Evidently the paper had not been
posted on the fact that the first six
months operation of the railroads
showed loss of about 100000, 900;
that the discourtesy of the operators
had become so gross as to call for an
admonition from Mr.. McAdoo, and
that the service has been worse in
stead of better, despite a 25 per cent
raise in freight rates and a so per
cent increase in passenger rates. The
Committee on Public Information will
undoubtedly see that no such infor-
nation as that gets to Russia, just as
the committee saw to it that the SEN
atorial report on aircraft production
contained in the newspapers was not
permitted to get to France. Itswas the
belief of the people of thee United
States, who have to pay for the run
ming of George Creel's committee on
Public Information, that the purpose
of the committee abroad was to dis
seminate the propaganda of Ameri-
canism rather than act as publicity
agent for ambitious administrators.
Evidently the people were mistaken
in that belief. Kings of the olden
days had their minstrel choirs to
chant their virtues to a wide mouthed
peasantry. Now that we are of the
order of freemen, with ability to read
and reason, the Choir of Creel is sub
-stituted. Let's use our reason.
Z "Why 37:cent cotton and 1926
wheat asks, tn" New 'York TribGnteg,
at the head of an editorial showing
that if cotton had been regulated
as wheat has been, the price of cotton
would be about % cents. While en-
gagged in asking questions, the Tri-
bune might ask number OF others
of a similar character and equally
pertinent. The fact that the South
is in the saddle will answer them all.
Why a protective tariff on mohair
and none on wool? Why are nearly
all the important committee chair
mans in both houses of Congress held
by Southerners? Why price fixing of
wool and not of cotton?
In fixing a minimum price of 1920
for the 1919 wheat crop the President
gives the information that he intends
to appoint disinterested commission
in the spring to investigate the cost
of farm labor and supplies, and as
certain whether a higher price is JUS
titled. The appointment of such a
commission reminds one of the theore-
teal non-partisan tariff commission, so
highly recommended by certain stu
dents of national economics, but which
practical men know to be an impossi-
bility. Every economist worthy of
a place on such an important commits
sion has long since formed an opinion
on the relative merits of a protective
tariff and one for revenue only, and
is confirmed Republican or Demo-
crat, as the case may be. So it will
be with the proposed grain commits
sion. During the bitter debates in
the Senate and House over $3.50 wheat
every man in the country who has
made study Of the subject, espoused
one side or the other. No matter who
may be selected for that commission
they will be prejudiced either for or
against a price in excess of 1920, and
it is scarcely to be expected that any
further Investigations will alter their
convictions.