Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1919-08-09

N~SSAA NA0yS mug SAOS ~
be required that all goods destined
for interstate commerce should in
every case where their form or pack
age makes 1t possible be plainly
marked with the price at which they
left the hands of the producer. Such
a requirement would bear close
analogy to certain provisions of the
pure food act, by which it is required
that certain detailed information DE
gwen on the labels of packages Of
food and drugs.
And it does not seem to me that
we can conf!ne ourselves to detailed
measures of this kind, if it is indeed
our purpose to assume national con-
troll of the processes of national dis
trib9tion. I take 1t for granted that
that is our purpose and our duty.
Nothing less will suffice We need go
beyond the measures | have suggested.
We should formulate a law requiring
a federal license of all corporations
engaged in interstate commerce and
embodying in the license. or in the
conditions under which it is to be is
sued specific regulation designed to
secure competitive selling and pre-
vent unconsCionable profits in the
methods of marketing. Such law
would afford a welcome opportunity
to effect other much needed reforms
in the business of interstate shipment
and in the methods of corporations
which are engaged in it; but for the
moment / confine my recommends.
! tons to the object Immediately in
hand. which is to lower the cost of
| living. ~
Would Control Securities.
May | not add that there is bill
now pending before the congress
which, if passed. would do much to
stop speculation ana 70 prevent the
! fraudulent methods of promotion by
which our people are annually fleeced
| of many millions of hard earned
money, / refer to the measure pro-
posed by the capital issues committee
! for the control of security issues. 1t
is a measure formulated by men who
know the actual conditions Of business
and its adoption would serve a great
and beneficient purpose
I'VE are dealing, gentlemen of the
congress, l need hardly say with very
critical and very difficult matters
! We should go forward with conf
dence along the road we see. but We
should also seek to comprehend the
|
act There is no ground for some of
the fearful forecasts | hear uttered
about me, but the condition of the
world is unquestionably very grave
and we should face it comprehending-
! ~. The situation of our own country
is exceptionally fortunate We of all
| peoples can afford to keep our heads
and to determine upon moderate and
sensible courses of action which will
ensure us against the passions and
distempers which are working such
! deep unhappiness for some of the DIS
! tressed nations on the other side of
the sea. But we may be involved in
their distresses unless we help, and
! help with energy and intelligence.
The world must pay for the appall'
| ing destruction wrought by the great
war, and we are part of the world.
| We must pay our share. For five years
now the industry of all Europe has
| been slack and disoTdered. The nor
NAL crops have not been produced;
/ the normal quantity of manufactured
! goods has not Oeen turned out. Not
| until there are the usual crops, and
I the usual production of manufactured
/ goods on the other side of the Atlantic
| can Europe return to the former con-
ditions; and it was upon the former
! conditions, not the present that our
| economic relations with Europe were
| built up. We must face the fact that
! unless we help Europe to get back to
| ner normal life and production a
| chaos will enSue there which will in
j eVitably communicated to this coun-
try For the present, it is manifest
we must quicken, not slacken our own
| production. We, and we almost alone
! now hold the world steady. Upon our
i SteadfaStneSs ana self-posSeSSiOn de
4 pend the affairs of nations every
/ where. 1t is in this supreme crisis
> this crisis of all manklnd-that Amer
lea must prove her mettle. In the
presence of Il world confused dis,
tracted, she must show herself self
possessed, self-contained, capable OF
; sober and effective action. She saved
Il Europe by her action in arms; she
must now save it by her action on the
peace. In-saving Europe she will save
herself, as she did upon the battle
fields of the war The calmness anC
capacity with which she deals will
; and masters the problems of peace
will be the final test and proof of he1
place among the peoples of the world
Must Help Europe.
And, if only in our interest, We
must help the people overseas. Eu
rope is our biggest customer. We mus
keep her going or thousands of om
shops and scores of our mines mus
close. There is no such thing as let.
ting her go to ruin without our.
! selves sharing in the disaster.
In such circumstances, face to face
with such tests, passion must be dis
carded. Pas sion and a disregard fol
! the rights of other have no place II
the counsels of free people. We neel
light. not heat, in these solemn time!
of self-eXamination and saving action
There must he no threats. Let Their,
be only intelligent counsel and let thu
, best reasons win, not the stronges
7 brute force. The world has just de
strOyed the arbitrary force of a mill
q tary junta. 1T will live under no other
I All that is arbitrary and coercive is il
the discard. Those who seek to EN-
ploy it only prepare their own de
, struction.
.s,vl,