The Idaho recorder. [volume] (Salmon City, Idaho) 1886-1927, 1919-08-15
PRESIDENT TALKS
on LIVING COSTS
sSEUl SURPLUS FOOD AND END
PRoFITEERiNo," is ADVICE
OF EXECUTIVE
SEES NO IMMEDIATE RELIEF
Methods Of Raising Prices Are illegal
and Criminal, He Tells Joint SEES
s,eo OF conQress-ko Short
ACE OF Supplies Exists

Washington. Ang o.--President VIII
son laid several specific proposals be-
fore congress yesterday for checking
the high cost Of living, hui at the same
time declared permanent results couli
not he expected until peace time basis
were fully restored by ratification OF
the peace treaty.
High prices. the president told con
gress. were not Justified by shortage
Of supplies either present or prospec-
live. but were created In many IN
stances ''ariifIcialIy and deliberately
by vicious practices" Retailers. he
snid. were responsible In large part
for extortionate prices.
Strikes, the president warned the
labor world. would only make matters
worse and those who sought To employ
threats or coercion were only pre-
pairing their own destruction" Lead
ers Of organized labor, he said. he was
sure would presently Yield to second
sober thought.
illegal and criminal" were the
words the president used In character
ixlng the methods by which some
present day prices have been brought
about.
Present laws he said. would be en-
ergetically employed 10 the limit T.,
force out food boards and meet the
situation ms far as possible, but "a
supplement- the existing statutes he
specifically urged the following:
Increase Of production.
Careful buying by housewives.
That there be no threats or undue
inAstence upon the interest Of q
single class.
Correction OF "many things" In thu
relations between capital and labor II
respect to wages and conditions Of
labor.
I'VE. and we almost alone" he said
''now hold the world steady. Upon on
steadfastness and self-possession de
pend the affairs Of nations every
where. II IL IN this supreme crisis
this crisis for all mankind -- tina
America must prove her mettle."
Following Is some of the remedia
legislation recommended by the presl
dent:
Licensing all corportlons engage
In interstate commerce with specifl
regulations dssioned 10 secure corn
petitive selling and prevent "uncor
sciorabls profits" In the methods Q
marketing.
Extension Of the food control act I
peace tlmes and the application Of u
provisions against boarding fue
clothing and other necessities Of ~
~ vel, ~ food.
A penalty In the food control act IA
profitserino.
A law regulating cold storage, lin
itino the time during which goods ma
be held: prescribing . method Of di'
posing Of them " held beyond the pc
rnittsd period and requiring that whs
released goods bear the date Of sto
AGE.
Laws requiring that goods release
from storage for interstate commsre
bear the selling prices At which the
went Into storage and requiring N,
oil goods destined for interstate con
meree bear the price At which the
left the hands o. the producer.
Enactment Of the pending blu :,
the control Of security issuss.
Additional appropriations for 90
eminent agencies which can supply u
public with full information a.
prices ut which retailers buy.
Early ratification Of the peace trea,
90 that the ''frse processes OF supp
and demand can operate"
Immediate steps by legislative age
eles Of the government promised
the PRECEDENT included:
The limiting and controlling Of whe
shipments and credits TO facilitate Il
purchase Of wheat In such . way
not 70 raise. but rather 10 lower Il
price Of flour at home.
Sale Of surplus stocks OF foods a.
clothing In the hands Of the Cover
ment The forced withdrawal fro
storage and sale Of surplus stocks
private hands.
Congress received the address on q
high cost Of living with varying col
ynens. for the most part favorable. !!
slough SOME senators and represent
tives disagreed with some OF the pre-
dents specific recommendations, the
was AN almost unanimous EXPRESSES
that his address probably would ha
a beneficial effect on conditions. Il
reference To sober second thought
the part of labor leaders was general
approved
a-~A@N nre@s A<As