Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1919-08-09
Warns Labor World Strikes
Make Matters Worse-Those
Who Use Coercion "Prepar-
inq Their Own Destruction.
PROPOSES REGULATIONS
TO ASSURE COMPETITION
Asks Appropriation for Gov
ernment Agencies to Keep
Public Informed as to Whole
sale Prices to Dealers.

Washington, Aug. 8.-President
Wilson laid several specific pro-
posals before congress today for
checking the high cost of living,
but at the same time declared per
manent results could not be ex-
pected until peacetime bases were
fully restored by ratification of the
peace treaty.
High prices, the president told
congress, were not justified By
shortage of supplies either present
or prospective, but were created in
many cases "artifcially and deliber-
atelN" by "viciops practices" Re-
tailers. he said. were responsible in
large part for high prices.
Strikes. the president warned the
labor world, would only make mat
ters. worse and those who sought
to employ threats or coercion were
only preparing their own destruc-
ton. Leaders of. organized labor.
the president said he was sure.
would presently yield to second
sober thought.
Illegal" and Criminal" were the
words the president used in char
acterizing the methods by which
SOME present-day prices have been
| brought about
Resent laws, he said, would be
energetically employed to the limit
70 force out food boards. and meet
the situations so far as possible. but.
to Supplement the existing statutes
he specifically urged the following:
Would License Corporations.
Licensing of all corporations en-
gagged in interstate commerce with
specific regulations designed to se-3
cure competitive selling and pre-
vent "unconscionable profits" in the
method of marketing
Extension of the food control aci
to peace times and the application
of its provisions against hossding
of fuel, clothing and other Hneces
s;ties-ef life as we'll as food.
Penalty in the food control &C,
for profiteering. J
- A law regulating cold Storage
limiting the time during which
goods may be held; prescribing
method of disposing of them if hello
beyond the permitted period and re-
quiring that when released goods
bear the date of storage.
Laws requiring that goods re-
leased from storage for interstate
commerce bear the selling prices al
which they went into storage and
requiring that all goods destined for
interstate commerce bear the price
at which they left the hands Of the
producer. -
Enaetment of the pending bill for
the control of security issues.
Additional appropriations for gov
ernment agencies whichN can supply
T the public with full information as
to prices at which retailers buy.
7 Early ratification of the peace
treaty so that the free processes of
supply and demand can operate"
Immediate steps by executive
agencies of the government prom
ised by the president include:
The limiting and controlling of
wheat shipments and credits to
facilitate the purchase of wheat in
such way as not sto raise, but
rather to lower the price of flour
at home.
Sale of surplus stocks of food and
clothing in the hands of the gov
ernment.
l. The forced withdrawal from stor-.
age and sales of surplus stocks in
private hands. s.,-.e ~
General Recommendations.
General recommendations in
cluded:
Increase of production.
Careful. buying by housewives.
Fair dealing with the people on
the part of the producers, middle
men and merchants.
That there be no undue insistence
upon the interest of a single class.
Correction of many things" IN
the relation between capital and
labor in respect to wages and con.
ditions of labor W
In concluding the president made
a plea for deliberate, intelligent ac.
tion, reminding congress that an un-
balanced world was looking to the
United States
"We and we almost alone" he
said. now hold the world steady
Upon our steadfastness and self
possession depend the affairs OF na-
tons everywhere. 1t is in this su-
preme crisis--this crisis for all man
kind-that America must prove her
metal"