The sun., 1919-08-09
President Sees Interference
With Production as
Fatal Error.
JAIL FOR PROFITEERS
"NO Threats" He Says, as
Rail Men Are Told to
Avoid Crisis.
PLEA MADE FOR LEAGUE
Retailers Get Part Of Blame
for High Prices-Sales
Plan Outlined.
PLEA MADE FOR LEAGUE
special D.spatcA 10 THE suN.

WASHINGTON, Aug. s, President
Wilson went before Congress in joint
session to-day and recommended
specific measures of legislation with
which to deal with the present acute
problem of living costs. His actual
recommendation for legislative ac-
ton are summed up as follows:
I Extension of the food control
act both as to time and the
commodities to which 1t shall
apply.
9 A law regulating cold storage
patterned after the cold stor-
age law of New Jersey, limiting
the time foods may be kept In
storage, prescribing the methods
of disposal, and requiring that
goods released shall bear the date
Of their receipt.
g A law requiring that all goods
destined for interstate ship
ment have plainly marked upon the
package the price received when
they left the hands Of the pro-
ducer. ..'t
a A law requiring Federal IL
cense, providing conditions to
insure competitive selling, and pre-
venting pronteering in methods of
marketing.
A law to check fraudulent
methods of promotion through
Government control of security Is
sues.
In addition to these recommenda-
tions to the Congress the President
made a direct appeal to producers,
middlemen and merchants ito deal
fairly with the people" and to every
householder and housekeeper in the
land to exercise the most thoughtful
care and discrimination In marketing
and dealing with merchants.
Strikes Called Menace.
The threatening and ominous atti-
tude of the employees OF the rail
roads, as their actions directly affect
living costs, we're dealt with too by
the President in his address. He de-
clared 1t to be his belief that "the
more extreme leaders Of organized
labor" eventually will "think and act
like true Americans" Strikes now,
he said, will make matters much
worse and accomplish nothing. The
President declared with emphasis that
1.-THE most fatal thing that can he
done now is to stop or interrupt pro-
duction or interfere with the dlstribu-
tion Of goods by the railways an
shipping Of the country. "Unity, not
division, is the only hope of solving
the question" Mr.. Wilson declared.
Mr.. Wilson's illusions to the labor
situation, and his stand toward It.,
we're heartily cheered by Republicans
and Democrats alike.
There must be no threats" the
President declared, and the Congress
applauded vigorously. He virtually
repeated what he said in his letter to
Walker d. Hines, Director General OF
Railroads, made public last night.
Retailers have in many cases been
In large part responsible for exorbi-
tant prices too. the President de-
clared
While appealing for the forms of
legislative aid enumerated the Prcsi-
dent declared there is no complete
remedy available through legislative
and executive action, and then man
aged to make a plea for early ratlti-
cation Of the peace treaty. with the
| League of Nations embodied in 1t, as
the panacea for the high cost Of llv-
ing situation and practically all other
national ailments.
League Plea Amazes All.
This part of his address to-day nc.
tually amazed Congress, even the
Presidents blindest and most ardent
supporters.
The Presidents reception at the
Capitol was cordial. Republicans
and Democrats were keenly interested
| and ready to cooperate In any sound
plan the President might advance to
deal with the living cost problem. re-
garded as by far the most important
Question to he solved by the agencies