Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-09

operation and as to the commo dities
to which it shall apply. It's provisions
against boarding should be made to
apply not only to- food. but also to
to many other commodities which
are indisputably necessaries of life
AZ 1t stands now 1t is limited in
operation to the period Of the way
and becomes imperative upon the
formal proclamation OF peace. But !
should Judge that 1t was clearly with
In the constitutional power of the
Congress to make similar permanent
provisions and regulations with re-
gard to all goods destined for inter-
state commerce and to exclude them
from interstate shipment If the re-
Qnirements Of the law are not COM
piled with. Some such regulation is
imperatively necessary.
The abuses that have grown up In
the manipulation Of prices by the
Withholding Of foodstuffs and other
necessaries Of life cannot otherwise
be effectively prevented. There can
be no doubt Of either the necessity or
the legitimacy Of such measures. May
I not call attention to the fact, also.
that. although the present act prohib-
its profiteering. the prohibition is &C
companfed by no penalty. It is clear
ly in the public interest that a PEN
atty should be provided which Will
be persuasive.
To the same end. I earnestly recon-
mend. in the second place, that the
Congress pass a law regulating cold
storage as it is regulated. for exam
pie. by the laws of the state Of New
Jersey. which limit the time during
prescribe the method Of disposing Of
them II Kept beyond the permitted
period, and require that goods re-
leased from storage shall in all cases
bear the date of their receipt. It
would materially add to the service
ability OF the law. for the purpose we
now have in view. II it were also pre-
storage for Interstate shipment
should have plainly marked upon each
package the selling or market price
at which they went into storage. BY
this means the purchase would al
stood between him and the producer
or the Wholesale dealer.
It would serve aS q useful example
to the other communities OF the coun-
try. as we'll as greatly relieve local
distress, II the Congress were to reg
ulate all such matters very fully for
legislative authority is without limit.
I would also recommend that 1t be
required that all goods destined for
Interstate commerce should in every
case where their form or package
makes It possible be plainly marked
with the price at which they left the
hands OF the producer. Such a re-
quirement would bear close an
alogy to certain provisions Of the pure
food act, by which 1t rs required that
certain detailed Information be given
on the labels Of packages Of foods and
drugs.
And it does not seem to me that
81
measures Of this kind, II it IL indeed
our purpose to assume national con-
troll of the processes Of distribution.
I take it for granted that that il
our purpose ana our duty. Nothing
less win sufiice. We need not hesi-
a national way. We should go be-
yond the measures I have suggested.
We should formulate q law requiring
federal license OF all corporations
engaged In interstate commerce and
-embodying IN the license, or in the
issued. specific regulations designed
to secure competitive selling and pre-
vent uncomfortable profits in the
method Of marketing. Such q law
would AFFORD u welcome opportunity
to effect other much-needed reforms
nent and in the methods of corpora
tfons which are engaged in It; but
for the moment I confine my recon-
mendatfUns to the object Immediately
in hand, which II to lower the cost
Of living.
Bill Would Stop Speculation.
May I not add that there II . bill
now pending before the Congress
which. If passed, would do much to
stop speculation and to prevent the
translucent methods Of promotion by
which our people are annually leeced
OF many millions Of hASd-earned
posed by the capital issues committee
for the control Of security issues. It
is q measure formulated by men who
know the actual conditions OF business
and its adoption would serve q great
and beneficent purpose.
We are dealing, gentlemen of the
Congress, need hardly say. with very
critical and very difficult matters. We
should 20 forward with confidence
along the road we see, but We should
also seek to comprehend the whole Of
the scene amidst which we act. There
is no ground for some OF the fearful
forecasts I hear uttered about me, but
the condition Of the world is unques-
tionably very grHve and We should
face It comprehendingly. The situa-
ton Of our own country is exception
ally fortunate.
We Of all peoples can afford to keep
our heads and to determine upon mod
crate and sensible courses OF action
which will ensure US against the pas
sions and distemperS which are work.
ing such deep unhappiness for some
of the distressed nations on the other
side Of the sea. But We may be in
volved In their distress unless We
+ ~ III.
The world must pay for the appall-
ing destruction wrought by tho great
war, and we are part OF the world. We
must pay our share. For i've years
now tho industry Of all Europe has
been slack ana disordered. The nor
NAL crops have not been Produced; the
normal quantity of manufactured
goods has not been turned out. Not
until there are the usual crops and
the usual production Of manufactured
goods on the other side of the Allan
tic can Europe return to the former
conditions; and 1t was upon the for
mer conditions. not the present. that
our economic relations with Europe
were built up.
we help Europe to get back to her
normal life and production q chaos
will ensue there which will inevita bly
be communicated to this country. For
the present, IL ID manifest we must
quicken. not slacken. our own prpduc-
ton. We, and we almost alone, now
hold the world steady. Upon our
steadfastness and self-poesesafon de-
pend the affairs Of nations every
where. 1t n In this supreme crisis
this crisis for all mankind-that
America must prove her mettle. In
the presence Of = world confused, dis
tracted. she must show herself self
possessed, self-contained. capable of
sober and effective action. She saved
Europe By her action In arms; she
must now save 1t BY her action I'm
peace: In saving Europe she will save