Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-08-09

the legitimacy Of such measures.
May not call attention to the fact
also. that, although the present act
prohibits profiteering. the prohibition
is accompanied by no penalty. It IL
clearly In the public interest that q
penalty should be provided which
will be persuasive.
| Regulate Cold Storage
| ITO the same end. / earnestly recon-
mend. in the second place. that the Con-
gress pass a law regulating cold storage
, as it Is regulated, for example. by the
laws Of the state Of New Jersey. which
limit the time during which goods may
| be kept in storage prescribe the meth
DDS Of disposing Of them II kept teyon
! the period permitted and require that
goods released from storage shall In
all cases bear the date Of their receipt.
1t would materially add to the service
ability Of the law for the purpose we
now have in view If it were also pre-
scribed that all goods released from
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 purchased would always be able to
learn what profits stood between him
and the producer or the wholesaler
"1t would serve as useful example
to. the other communities Of the coun-
try. as well as greatly relieve local dis.
tress. II the Congress were to regulate
all such matters very fully for the
Eistr,ct Of Columbia. where its legisla-
tive authority is without limit.
Mark Producers Price on Goods
| II 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 requirement would
| bear close analogy to certain provis-
ion Of the pure food act, by which il
is required that certain detailed infor-
ration be given on the labels Of pack
ages of food and drugs.
/ And it does not seem to me that
| We can confine ourselves to detail
| ed measures of this kind.>if it is in
deed our purpose to assume national
control of the processes Of distri-
button. / take it for granted that
that is our purpose and our duty.
Nothing less will suffice. We need
not hesitate to handle a national
question in a national way. We
should go beyond the measures
| have suggested; We should formulate
| law requiring a federal license OF
all corporations engaged in inter-
state commerce and embodying in
| the license or in the conditions under
! which it is to be issued specific reg
ulations designed to secure COMPETE
! tive selling and prevent uncon-
scionable profits in the methods Of
| marketing. Such a law would afford
a welcome opportunity to effect 9TH
er much needed reforms in the busi-
ness of interstate commerce and in
the methods Of corporations which
! are engaged in it: but for the NOM
! ent confine my recommendations tu
the object immediately in hand,
! which is to lower the cost of living
| May I not add that the bill now
! pending before the Congress which,
! if passed., would do much to stop
/. specializing and to prevent the
! fraudulent methods of promotion
by which our people are annually
fieeced of many millions of hard
| earned dollars. L refer to the mea-
sure proposed by the capital issues
/, committee for the control of secur-
| ity issues. 1t is measure formulat-
| ed by men who know the actual con-
ditions of business and it's adoption
! would serve a great and beneficient
| purpose.
| No Grounds for Fearful Forecasts
We are dealing, Gentlemen.
need hardly say. with very critical
and very difficult matters. We
should go forward with confidence
along the way 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 heard uttered.
hear uttered about me, but the
condition of the world is unques-
| tionably very grave and We should
face it comprehendingly. The sit
uation of our own country is excep-
tionally fortunate. We Of all peo-
pies can afford to keep our heads
and to determine upon moderate and
sensible courses Of action which will
ensure US against the passions and
distempers which are working such
deep unhappiness for some Of the
distressed nations on the other side
/ of the Atlantic. But We NAV he
involved in their distress unless we
help. and help with energy and in
| telligence.
Europe Our Best Customer
| And. if only in our interest, we
must help the people overseas. Eu-
rope is our biggest customer. We
( must keep her going or thousands #
| our shops and scores of our mines
| must close. There is no such thing
as letting her go to ruin without
ourselves sharing in the disaster.
! In such circumstances. face 10
face with such tests. passion must
be discarded. Passion and a disre-
| gard for the rights of others have
no place in the counsels of a free
people. We need light, not heat in
these solemn times of self examina-
ton and saving actions. There must
be no threats. Let there be only in
telligent counsel, and let the best
reasons win, not the strongest brute
force. The world has just destroyed
the arbitrary force Of a military
| junta. It, will live under no other.
All that is arbitrary and coercive IS
IN the discard. Those who seek to
employ it only prepare their own