Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-12-02

ana crop estimates. i would urge
also, the continuance of Federal par
ucipation in the building of good
roads, under the terms of existing
law and under the direction of pres
ent agencies; the need of further
action on the part of the states and
the Federal government to preserve
and develop our forest resources. es-
pecially through the practice of bet
ter forestry methods on private hold
| ings and the extension of the public
ly owned forests; better support for
country schools and the most def
mite direction of their courses of
study along lines related to rural
provision for sanitation in rural dis
tricts and the building up of needed
hospital and medical facilities in
these localities. Perhaps the way
might be cleared for many of these
desirable reforms by a fresh, com
prehensiye survey made of rural
| conditions by conference composed
of representatives of the farmers
and OF the agricultural agencies re-
sponsible for leadership.
Political RestIessness
would call your attention to the
widespread condition of political
restlessness in our body polite. The
causes of this unrest, while various
/ and complicated, are superficial
rather than deep seated. Broadly
they arise from or are connected
with the failure on the part of our
government to arrive speedily at a
Just and permanent peace permit
| ting return to normal conditions.
from the TRANSMISSION of radical the
| orles from seething European CEN
ters pending such delay from heart
| less DrOfltnnrinU
crease of the cost of living, and last
ly from the Vaccinations of pas
slonate and malevolent agitators.
with the return to normal condi-
| tons, this unrest will rapidly dis
| appear. In the meantime, it does
much evil 1t seems to me that in
dealing with this situation Congress
should not be impatient or drastic
but should seek rather to remove the
cause.
Speedy Return to Peace
1t should endeavor to bring our
| country back speedily. to a peace
basis with ameliorated living condi-
lons under the minimum of restric-
tlons upon personal liberty that is
consistent with our reconstruction
problems. And it should arm the
Federal government with power to
deal in its criminal courts with those
persons who by violent methods
would abrogate our time-tested in
stitutions. With the free expression
or opinion and with the advocacy of
orderly political change, however
! fundamental, there must be no in
terference, towards passion and
| malevolent tendency to incite
crime and insurrection under guise
| or political evolution there should be
| no leniency. Legislation to this end
has been recommended by the At
torney General and should be en-
acted. In this direct connection
would call your attention to my
| recommendations on August s,
pointing out legislative measures
which would be effective in controll-
ing ana bringing down the present
cost of living, which contributes so
largely to this unrest. ON only one
OF thGse, recommendations has the
Congress acted. If the governments
canlpaign is to be effective, it is
necessary that the other steps sug-
gested should be acted on at once.
Extend Food Control
1 renew and strongly urge the
necessity of the extension of the
present food control act as to the
period of time in which it shall re-
III he AIIOTneS
General has submitted a bill pro-
viding for an extension of this act
fol- period of six months. AS il
now stands it is limited in operation
TO the period of the war and be-
comes imperative upon the formal
proclamation of peace. 1t is i'm.
perative that it should be extended
at once. The Department of Justice
has built up extensive machinery for
the purpose of enforcing its pro-
visions; all of which must be aban-
doned upon the conclusion of peace
unless the provisions of this act are
extended.
Publicity an Aid
During this period the Congress
Will have an opportunity to make
similar, permanent provisions and
regulations with regard to all goods
destined for interstate commerce
and to exclude them from interstate
shipment, If the requirements of the
law are not complied with. Some
such regulation is imperatively nee
essary. The abuses that have grown
up in the manipulation of prices by
the Withholding of foodstuffs and
other necessaries of life cannot 9TH
erwise be effectively prevented. There
can be no doubt of either the ne
SeSSily oI lne IeBlllIudCy OI SuCH
measures.
AS 1 pointed out in my last mes
sage, publicity can accomplish a
great deal in this campaign. The
aims of the government must be
clearly brought to the attention of
the consuming public, civic organi-
cations and state officials who are
in a position to lend their assist
ance to our efforts. You have made
available funds with which to carry
on this campaign but there is no
provision in the law authorizing
their expenditure for the purpose of
making the public fully informed
about the efforts of the government.
Specific recommendation has been
made by the Attorney General in
this regard. 1 would strongly urge
upon you its immediate adoption, as
it constitutes one of the preliminary
steps to this campaign.
Regulate Cold Storage
also renew my recommenda-
tions that tfS Congress pass a law
regulating cold storage, as it is reg
ulated, for example, by the laws of
the State of New Jersey, which limit
the time during which goods may
be kept in storage, prevents the,
method of disposing of them If kept
beyond the permitted period and
require that the goods released from
storage shall in all cases bear the
date of their receipt. 1t would ma
terially add to the serviceability of
the law, for the purpose we now have
in view, If 1t were also prescribed
that all Qoods raleaaad from, etor