The Chattanooga news. [volume] (Chattanooga, Tenn.) 1891-1939, 1919-08-08
EUROPE CAUSE OF U. S.
H. C. OF L.
Asks Congress to Cooperate
in Lowering Living
Costs.
MUST GET TOGETHER
Financing Europe Response.
BILE for High Costs
Today.
(BY DAVID LAWRENcE.)

| WdSnlH9ton' aug oI--TTeeiueHs
Wi son believes the economic crisis
facing America is in part due to the
unsettled conditions throughout Eu-
rope and he therefore wants the
peace treaty ratified and a definite
reconstruction program to be passed
by congress.
his first address to both houses of
congress since his return from Eu-
rope, to appeal to the legislators, as
we'll as the American people to CO.
operate in these critical days that
America may pass safely through the
storms of industrial disturbance
growing out of the worldwide war.
The president first says that every
shred of wartime and peacetime law,
namely, the statutes already on the
books, aimed at profiteerlng and
boarding will be invoked to reduce,
| if possible, the cost of living. But
while the executive branch Of the
government may be busted in prose-
cutions under various statutes def
mite, coherent working program must
be passed by congress which will last
through the entire transition period,
whether it is a few months or tew
years.
Mr.. Wilson also bespeaks recognl-
ton Of the fundamental fact that
there are many devious and diverse
routes between producer and con-
, sumner and that the channels OF trade
are choked and blocked by various
impediments that can and must be
removed if America is to obtain
lower prices for necessities of life.
The president makes definite sugges:
tions aimed at those who would stand
between the tiller OF the soil and the
ultimate consumer and extract ex-
orbitant profits by methods OF COM
bination and restraints OF trade.
Must Ratify.
But Mr.. Wilson drives home point
that affects the tagging consideration
given the peace treaty in the senate
when he asks how the world can pos
sibly be restored to normal If there
are delays in ratifying the agree
ments made in Paris; how trade can
be carried on and credits extended
unless our relations with the powers
of Europe is definitely placed on |
peace basis.
The president asks the American
people for cooperation and appeals
to their sense of patriotism, no less
needed in the perilous days or re-
construction than in the trying hours
of war; but he urges that everything |
which can possibly impede a resump-
ton of world trade be cleared away.
And he therefore points directly at
the peace treaty containing the
league of nations which in Mr.. Will |
sons opinion gives the world a new
basis for international cooperation
that affects not. merely its political
life, but it's economic processes.
The president weaves together the
situation abroad with the problems
at home. To him they seem to have
a definite connection. Europe has
been counted upon by American
producers to buy heavily of Ameri-
can goods. Heavy drains on Ameri-
can stocks would mean, of course, a
shortage and export trade inevitably |
boosts American prices. 1t was to
prevent Europe from bidding against
the American consumer and forcing |
the price of wheat to soar that the
United States government estab-
lished a food administration and |
bought up the export crop for re-
sale to Europe at a fixed price and
the price of one basic commodity has
been reflected in the price of other
goods. America is expected to make
private loans to Europe to finance
purchases in this country. A sit
uation in which the United States
would furnish the money to
Europe wherewith the latter would
act as bidder against the American
consumer is in prospect unless credit
can be controlled and foreign pur-
chases supervised or regulated.
Economic cooperation has long
been sought by England and France.
To get on their feet the new states
of Europe like Czecho- Slovakia and
Poland need raw materials and need
also money with which to purchase
them from America. President Will
son believes the solution lies in in
ternational cooperation Of peoples
and governments and that anything
which tends to inject uncertainty and
unrest prevents an orderly rehabil-
itation of the worlds trade and busi-
ness.
Executive action is therefore
planned by legislation, and above all
action by the senate on the peace
treaty is sought by President Wilson I
to avert suffering in America and to
help the world to its feet after the
most terrible and most destructive
war in history