The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-08-09


bctrr used ~ dealers in certain food
Stuffs and 9th. nCcessari"s. Th"r" can !;
be httlr doubt that retailers are Ill !
part something in large part. response
bic for exhQrhilant prices: and II - |
quite practicable for the government !
through the agencies have mentioned
to supply the public with full intorma-
ton as TO the prices At which retailers j
bny and as 10 the cost Of transportation !
they nav, in order that it may be known /
lust what margin OF profit they arc de-
handing. Opinion and concerted acton :
on the part of purchasers can probably |
do the rest
Need Of Funds.
That Is. these agencies may perform !
this indispensable service provided that
congress will supply them with the /
necessary funds to prosecute their IN
| ouirics Hitherto the Appropriation !
committees OF the house have not al |
ways. fear, xcen the full value OF these ;
| Inquiries and the departments ana COM
missions have been very much straiten- !
Cd FOR means 10 render this service
! That adequate funds be provided for ap-
propriallon for this purpose and pro
vided as promptly IS possible, Is one or !
! the means of greatly amelloratinS the |
! present distressing conditions OF llFl!-
| hood that have come TO urge: III inns
attempt I concert with you that tne
| best ways 10 serve the country in TINS
emergency 1t is one Of the absolutely
| necessary. underlying many olhcFS anu
| can = ~i.nI.,."l ut on.
TIL, "r. rIHHy her ways Existing
! Law - .unL-THHl". There are many per-
! fcctlv Estimate methods By which the |
| govcrnm, n; can exercises restraint and
| guidance.
FOR Food Control.
! Let me urge, IN tn" first place. that
! the present food control act should be
extended both as To the period Of tim"
during which il shall remain importation
! ana as TO The commodities to winch II
| shall apply. is provisions against
boarding. should be mad" TO apply not
! only 10 food hu, also 10 foodStuffs. coal.
clothing and TO many other coWinodl-
| ties which are !ndisputably ncccsS"r'rS
| Of life. As IT stands now il is limited
| in operation TO the period OF the war and
| becomes imperative upon the 1ornat
proclamation Of peace. But l should
Iudsc that il was clearly within the con-
| stitutional power OF the congress 10
make similar PERMANENT provisions and
| regulations with regard TO all goods dcs-
J tined for interstate commerce ana 10
| exclude them from Interstate shipment
| n the requirements Of the law are not /
complied with.
Some such regulation is imperattveiy
| necessary. The abuses that have. grown
I up in the manipulation OF prices by the
! withholding Of foodstuffs and other
! necessaries OF life cannot otherwise bk
effectively prevented. There can be no
| doubt of either the necessity or the
| legitimacy of such measures. May NOT
! call attention to the fact. also. that al
| though the present act prohibits prof.
! lccring, the prohibition is accompanied
IL ,r1.E ,NNF 4 h
! lie interest that penalty should DC pro-
vided which will be persuasive.
Law to Regulate Storage
| To the same end l earnestly recon-
mend in the second place. that the con-
grcss pass 4 law regulating cold storage
~ = rs regulated for example by the
| laws of the state OF New Jersey which
! limit the time during which goods may
| 90 kept in storage prescribe the methods
! If d!spoSing Of them IL kept beyond
| the permitted period. and require that
| goods released from storage shall in all
| cases bear the date Of their receipt. II
! would materially add to the serViceaoll-
-. o3 rs law il IT were also prescribed
that all goods released Tor interstate
! shipment should have plainly marked
! upon each package the selling or market
! price at which they went into storage
By this means the purchaser would al
|
between him and the producer OF the
| wholesale dealer.
Recommends Price n6arH1ng.
| II would serve as useful example
! TO tho other communities OF the country.
as we'll as greatly relieve local Distress
If the Congress were to regulate all such
matters very fully for the District Of
! Columbia, where its legislative authority
is without limit.
| would also recommend that II be re-
aured that all goods destined for inter-
| state commerce should in every case
where their form OF packing makes VI
possible. to be plainly marked with the
price at which they left the hands OF
the producer. Such requirement would
hear a close analogy to certain prcris-
ions Of the pure food act. by whlch II -
required that certain detailed informa-
tion be given on the tablets OF pacNdStS
Of goods and drugs.
Must Control Distribution.
| And II does not seem to ME that we
can conflne ourselves to detailed meas
lures OF this kind, If II Is indeed our pur-
nose To assume national control OF the
processes Of distribution. / take II for
| granted that that is our purpose and our
duty. Nothing less will suffice. We
need not hesitate to handle national
question in a national way. We should
go beyond the measure have suggested,
w.. should formulate q law requiring a
| federal license Of all corporations en-
yaged in interstate commerce anu en-
ibcdying in the license or in the conul-
lions under which it Is to be ISSUED
specific regulations. designed to secure
lcompetitivc selling and prevent uncon-
scionable profits in the method or mar
kr,iny. Such law would afford wei
come opportunity to effect other much-
nodded reforms in the business OF inter-
stotr shipnrnt and in the methods 7f
corporations which are engaged IN H.
but for. tho moment. I CCntinC my recon-
mcndations to the object immcdLtcly IN
hand. which is 10 lower the cost or Nv
ing.
An Important Law.
Nav not add that there ~ hill now
n.ndinr before the Congress which. Al
nassed would do much TO stop specul2-
lion and 10 prevent the fraudulent meth
DDS Of promotion by which our people
i,re annually fecccd Of many millions OF
Ibord-carncd money. l refer TO the meas
ure proposed by the capital issues COM
rn,ttee for the control of security issues.
II ia a measure formulated by men who
know the actual conditions OF business,
and its adoption. would serve great AID
| beneficcnt purpose.