Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-08-16
EVENTS or WEEK

The cost Of living, which has been the most interest
ing in the personal experience Of the individual for gone
time, has absorbed public attention during the past week,
almost to the exclusion Of everything else. The presi-
dent started the ball rolling in his address a few days
earlier. and his remarks and recommendations brought
the subject forcib1y to the attention of the general pub
lie ana Of congress and the public authorities generally.
Acting under the authority which he already has.
the attorney general has set the machinery of the depart
ment Of Justice in motion in the effort to ferret out cases
Of profiteering. and to have suitable penalties imposed
where the o1enses are already penalized. Following suit,
local authorities all over the country have shown activity
In the same direction. Certain stocks of goods which.
It is alleged, were being boarded for speculative purposes
have been seized. The total amount of such seizures has
been insignificant as compared with the total supply or
consumption, but their moral effect has been shown in a
marked drop in food prices all over the country.
. . .
So urgent is the situation believed to be that the in
formal recess in the congressional session is to be cut
short. and members who had left Washington for their
homes or for the seaside have been summoned to return
to Washington at once in order that there may be prompt
action on recommendations which have been made by
the attorney general for additional legislation. Some
objection has been raised to some Of the provisions pro-
posed, as, for instance, those relating to licensing dealers
in various commodities. The opinion has been expressed
th4t Such legislation would be permissible only as war
legislation, but would be unconstitutional If continued as
. part Of the permanent policy Of the country. Attorney
General Palmer, in reply to this suggestion, declared
that il the requested authority were given, in sixty days
the backbone of the whole profiteering system would be
20 thoroughly broken that there need be no question Of
constitutionality. Work sufficiently comprehensive and
effective could be accomplished, in his opinion. to be COM
pleted while all the war legislation is in force.
.
AS a part of the program for the lowering Of prices
1t was announced some time ago that the government
would sell to the public at cost a vast quantity Of army
food stores. There has been a good deal Of discussion
as to the best means of disposing Of these stores. and for
. time it was assumed that the goods would be sold in
large lots, probably at auction. The later decision has
been to distribute them in small lots to the general pub
lie through the medium Of the postonace. and orders for
such goods may be filed at any postofhce on Monday,
Tuesday and Wednesday of next week. Army blankets
are also to be sold to individuals. but the exact manner
Of distributing these has not been announced as this is
written.
In connection with one feature of food handling
there is likely to be a good deal of confusion. There
Il a disposition quite evident and quite general, to con-
denim the whole cold storage business as being very
largely responsible for unreasonable prices of some COM
modities. 1t will be obvious to anyone who takes time
to think that there is nothing essentially immoral or
criminal in buying butter and eggs in the summer, keep
ing them in cold storage, selling them in winter, and
charging whatever may be the proper profit on thu whole
Transaction. Because of certain climatic conditions,
which are entirely apart from the laws which men make,
not many eggs are laid, and not much butter is produced
in the winter months. The surplus production, il there
u any. is in the summer. If the summer surplus is stored
and kept in good condition until winter, and is then sold
It . reasonable advance in price, the producer is bene-
Efed nv Mains oouurod - - rIox -. IL. ..A.- -.
the dealer is benefited by the profit which he derives
from a legitimate enterprise. and the public is benefited
by having available in winter food which otherwise could
not be obtained at any price.
1t is necessary to discriminate between the use and
the abuse Of the cold storage system. Its uses-its lee1t,-
mate use--has been indicated above. Its abuse lies in
making it a means Of speculation and an instrument Of
extordon. and, while the exact facts remain to be ascer-
tanned. it is charged that this use has been made Of it.
Is 70 charged that in some cases perishable foods have
been bought 1t manipulated prices. boarded in immense
quantities. and then. under the monopolistic control thus
established. have been sold to the public at fabulou. nrof.
III Obviously. it is this abuse Of the cold storage bust
neS against which the guns Of the government must be
lsvessd. and not against its legitimate use.
Es .A
The committee on foreisn relations has decided,
somewhat tardily, It would seem, to confer personally
with the ~president with reference to the peace treaty
md the League OF Nations. Individuals more or lem In
n dmAfsty Identified with the formulation Of the treaty
hays bsen called before the committee and have COM
Aunicatsd csrts4h Information. Finally the COMMITTEES
49, decided TO accept the presidents invitation to q Der.
aeAai conference. ana the committee will be received on
sH7nesaay q the White House. TO a good many people
ssst 49, sselned thst the natural course would have been
ssIAe - into psrsonalS with the president Il
Mz STUDIES iable TO lead to da1
4%MSzsaSC = ~ ~. -----..~ In tho cass Of the