The Nevada County picayune., 1919-08-14

life and industry are to be restored. All that we shall do in the mean | time to restrain profteeriug and put l the life of our people upon a tolerable 1 footing will he makeShist and proVi- ! sionai There can he no settled condi- 1 ton here or elsewhere uutil the treaty of pence is out of the way and the work of l!quidatng the war has be- come the chief concern of our govern ! ment and of the other governments of the world
 Europe will not cannot reeoup h"r i capital or put her restless, distracted peoples Co work until she knows exact y where she stands in respect tu peace, and what We will do is for her l the chief question upon which her qui- ctude of mind and confidence of pur- 1 pose depends. While there Is any pos ! ability that the peace terms may be changed or may be held long in abey- ancc, or may not he enforced because of divisions of opinion among the pow CTS associated against Germany it is ! Idle to look for permanent relief
 Immediate Relief Measures
 Ky way of immediate relief. surplus stocks of both food and clothing in the hands of the government will be sold and Of course solI at prices at which there Is no profit Nhd by way of d more per mdnent correCtion of prices surplus
 
 ef storage and put upon the market For tunately under the terms Of the food-eon- trpl act the boarding of foodstufTs can be checked and prevented, and they will be. with the greatest energy Foodstuffs can be drawn out of storage and sold bv legal action which the department of justice will institute wherever necessary; but as soon as the situation is systemati- ealiy dealt with II Is not likely that the courts will often have to be resorted to Much of the accommodating of stocks has no doubt been due to the sort of specu- lauon which always results from uncer- tainty
 Would Have Prices Plainly Marked. would also recommend that 1t be required that all goods destined for in- terstate 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 requirement. would bear close analogy to certain provisions of the pure food act. by which fl IS required that certain detailed in formation be given on the labels of | packages of foods and drugs
 And 1t does not seem to me that we could confine ourselves to detailed measures of this kind, If it is indeed our purpose to assume national control 1 of the processes of distribution take It for granted that that is our l purpose and our duty. Nothing less | will suffice. We need not hesitate to handle a national question in na- uonal way. We should go beyond the measures I have suggested. We should 1 formulate a law requiring d federal | license of all corporations engaged in | interstate commerce and embodyiug in the license. or in the conditions under which it is to be issued specific regu- l lattons designed to secure competitive selling and prevent uneonseionable profits In the method of marketing
 Law Would Do Much
 Such a law would afford a welcome op- | Pprtuntty to effect other mHch-needed re- | forms in the business of interstate ship | ment and in the methods of corporations which are engaged in it, but for the mo- | ment contine my recommendations to the object immediately In hand. which Is to 1 lower the cost of living
 We are dealing gentlemen Of the con ! gress. l need hardly say, with very critical and very difficult matters We should go forward with confidence along the road We see. but we should also seek to com prehend the wh Of the scene amidst Which we act There is no ground for some of the fearful forecasts | hear ut tered about me. but the condition of the world is unquestionahly very grave and Wr should face Il comprehendiuEly Tho situation of our own country is eXcep- tonately fortunate Ne of all peoples can afford to keep our heads and ta de termtue upon moderate and sensible courses of action which will insure us against the passions and distempers which are working such deep unhappiness for some of the distressed nations on tho other side of the sea
 But We may be involved in their dis tresses unless We help and help with en- ergN and tellisence
 Disregarding the surplus stock in the hands of the government. there was a greater supply of foudstuns in thls coun- try on June of this year than at Che same date last year. In the combined to- tal of number Of the most important foods In dry and cold storage the excess Is quite l9 per cent. And yet prices have risen
 Law Department Active.
 The attorney general has hecn making careful study Of ths situation as {, whole and of the laws#t that can be ap- piled to better it and is convinced that. under the stimulation and temptation ot exceptional circumstances. combinations ! of producers and combinations of traders have been formed for Che control of sup plies and of prices which are clearly in restraint of trade. and against these pros cautions will be promptly instituted and . actively pushed which will in all hkeii hood have d prompt corrective effect Fhere Is reason ta believe that the prices 1 of leather, of coal of lumber and of tex 1 tiles have been materially affected hy 1 forms ef concert and ee-oFera tion among the producers and maflzsters of tAese and 1 other universally necessary commodities 1 which it will be possible To redress Nc watChful or energetic effort will ba ! spared to accomplish this necessary re- suID crust that there win not bc many cases in which prosecution WJil be ueces- say Public action Wlu no doaht cause many who h4Ne perhaps HHattt4agIy adopted Illegal methods ta abandon them promptly and of their own motion.
 Retailers m Part to Blame.
 There can be little doubt that retail 1 CTS are iu part-sumetimeS in large part responsible for rxorbttant prices and tt Is quite practicable for the gov- l ernment thrnugh the agencies have mentioned, to supply the public with i fBA information as to the prices at ! which retailers buy and as to the costs 1 If transportation they pay in order th4f-tf rnaN he known iu0F nor