The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1919-09-06
GOV Cl)NFERS
%3wU'K B&trs III II ~ A .
WITH PRESIDENT
Cooper Tells Of Recent Confer
ence in Washington of
Governors
PLAN 70 REDUCE
HIGH COST OF LIVING
Attorney General Palmer sug-
gests Fair Price Commissioner
in Each State ~,


Palmer, according to Governor Coop
ser, who returned to his Office today
after an absence of TWO weeks in at
tendance upon the annual conference
Of governors in Salt Lake City. Gov
ernor Cooper returned by Washington
where he. as a member Of com
.a--;ttee OF governors, had a conference
with President Wilson and Attorney
General Palmer relative TO State as
ssstance in the nation's war on prom
teers.
$. The plan as outlined by Mr.. Palmer
is TO name a fair price comnlissiones
IN each State, who in turn will desls-
nate fair price committees in each
community. Should the committees be
Gzable to determine a scale OF 1alf
prices, the attorney generals Office
VII have authority to name an equs-
table figure. Mr. Palmer emphasized
that those charged with boarding
necessities would be prosecuteds Gov.
srner Cooper issued the following
statement this afternoon concerning
fne government drive to cut prices:
1.-The attorney general of the Unietd
States regards the present crisis
growing out of the cost Of living as
Of very serious nature. He is putting
forth every possible effort to BRING
about an economic arrangement that
will be fair to all. To do this, the
intelligent cooperation of each COM
naunity is desired. The act OF con
gress regulating boarding and sell
ing of necessities during the war, IS
still in effect This being the case, the
plan Of the attorney general is. to
name fair price commissioner IN
each State, and this commissioner VIII
in turn name fair price committees
for. each community in his State. The
attorney. general will accept the
prices agreed upon bys these commit
tees. In case it is not possible to get
the committees to serve. the question
Of regulating prices, will be handled
directly from the attorney general
once, Information now IN hand reia-
five to the illegal boarding Of neces-
sites will lead to prosecutions, stated
dr. Palmer. -s~s
= in our conferences with President
wilson and with Attorney General
Palmer, each stressed the needs OF
Europe, where great shortage OF
food and clothes exists. The produc-
tfpn in Europe is now 40 per cent
Under the normal before the war.
Food, fuel and clothing must he sent
to- Europe. else. there viii result such
a serious Gripping Of European in
dustries, that they will be unable to
Iisy our raw materials This, obvious
ty; would be disastrous to as, as well
assto Europe Consider the case of
Italy. for instance. Italy.,has no coal;
for many years she has been buying
fuel from England, but England can
NOT now supply it. The need must be
Supplied by us. or the Italian indus
tries viii diminish.
Both the president, and the attor-
ney general appreciate the fact that
ia order to secure great production of
raw materials, the producers must
:.saye a fair profit 1t is not the in
tention Of any department Of the
government to injlre any producers, |
or; manufacturers: on the contrary,
their purpose is to assist every one
in the making OF fair profit. 1t
is shortsighted to kill the goose that
lays the golden eggs by reaping enor-
nous profits for aSwffife, and thereby !
cut of future sales.
The government sees that there is |
too great difference between the
prices paid for raw materials, and |
the prices paid for: the finished prod !
ucts made from these materials. 1t
IS, therefore, the purpose Of the gov
ernment to put an end, to the arrange
menfs which permit several unrea-
senab!e profits being made in the pro-
cess from the producer to the ulti-
innate consumer.
Tire public must, eventually solve
the problem that is now uppermost
in the thoughts Of the people. The /
solution resolves itself, TO a very |
considerable extent, into this propo-
sition: Raw materials in sufficient |
quantities to supply the reeds of the
world must be produced, and the fin
ished products must be consumed in |
a frugal manner. If the ultimate con-
sumer will buy only tie things that |
be must have, he will reduce the cos
OF, living. If the producer will set
TO it that the yield is adequate, he
will thus serve the world, be assured |
OF fair profit, and will moreover,
protect himself against high prices,
for he is, perforce, an ultimate con-
suner as well as producer.
I'VE are approaching crisis that
will demand of us all the best that
IS in u.s. We must economic and in
crease production and we must be
content to sell whatever we have to
sell at reasonable prices. We mus!
practice self-denial and live honestly
and simply The world is in con-
ait;on which is causing many we'll in
formed men more anxiety than was
csused by the war itself.
Here is the situation; the people
of European countries are demoral-
lzed. and almost disheartened. They
IRE short of food and fuel and they
re Cooking to America to supply
.hese shortages This does not mean