Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1919-12-04

acted on at once.
WOULD EXTEND FOOD ACT
| now strongly urge the necessity oil
the extension of the present food con.
troll act as TO the period Of time r
which il shall remain in operation. The
attorney-general has submitted a bill
providing for an extension of this ac
for n period of six months. AS it nov
stands 1t is limited in operation to the
period of the war and becomes inopera
tive upon the formal proclamation Of
peace. 1t is imperative that It SHOULD
be extended at once. The department
of Justice has built up machinery fol
all of which must be abandoned upor
the conclusion of peace unless the pro.
visions Of this act are extended.
During this period, the Congress will
have an opportunity to make similar
permanent provisions and regulations
with regard to all goods destined 70,
interstate commerce and to exclude tn err
from interstate shipment, IL the require
ments of the law are not complied with
some such regulation is imperativelS
necessary The abuses that have grown
up in the manipulation OF prices by the
Withholding of foodstuffs and othe,
nccessaries of life cannot otherwise bc
effectively prevented There can be ne
doubt of either the necessity or the
legitimacy of such measures.
PUBLICITY VALUABLE ASSET
AS | pointed out in my last message
publicity can accomplish great deal in
this campaign. The aims Of the govern.
mont must be clearly brought to the at.
tention of the consuming public. civic
organizations and State officials. who are
in a position to lend their assistance tc
our efforts. You have made available
funds with which to carry on this cam.
paign. hut there is no provision in the
law authorizing their expenditure for the
purpose of making the public fully in
formed about the efforts of the govern.
mert. Specific rccomme ndaton has beer
made by che encouragement in this re-
gard. 7 would strongly urge upon you its
immediate adoption, as it constitutes one
Of the preliminary steps to this cam.
paign.
BETTER COLD STORAGE LAW
! also renew my recommendation that
the Congress pass law regulating cold
storage as it is regulated, for example
by the laws of the State of New Jersey
may be kept in storage. prescribe the
method Of disposing Of them if kept be-
yond the permitted period, and require
that goods released from storage shall
in all cases bear the date of their re.
ceipt. It would materially add to the
serviceability of the law for the pur.
pose we now have in view, il it were
also prescribed that all goods released
from storage for interstate shipmen,
should have plainly marked upon each
package the selling or market price al
which they went into storage. BY this
means the purchaser would always be
able to learn what profit stood between
him and the producer or the wholesale
dealer.
/ would also renew my recommendation
that all goods destined for interstate
commerce should in every way. where
their form or package makes it possible
be plainly marked with the price M
which they left the hands Of the pro-
Queer.
We should formulate law requiring
a federal license of all corporations en-
gaged in interstate commerce and en-
bodying in the license storages the condi-
tons under which il is to be issued
specific regulations designed to secure
competitive selling and prevent uncon-
scionable profits in the method of mar
keting
Such a law would afford a welcome OPP
portunity to effect other much needed
reforms in the business of interest ate ship
ment and in the methods of corporations
which are engaged in il. but for the mo-
ment | confine my Recommendations to
the object imme tely in hand, which
is to lower the cost of living.
AS TO LABOR
No one who has observed the march Of
events in the last year. can fail to note
the absolute need OF definite program,
TO bring about an improvement in the
conditions of labor. There can be no
settled conditions leading to increased
production and a reduction in the cost of
living If labor and capital are to be
antagonstic partners.
The failure Of other nations to consider
this matter in a vigorous way has pro-
duced by bitterness and jsalousies and
antagonism the food Of radicalism. The
only way to keep men from agitating
against grievances is TO remove the griev-
ances An unwil!ingness even to discuss
these matters produces only dissatisfac-
ton and gives comfort 10 the extreme
elements in our country which endeavor
to stir up. disturbances. In order to pro-
woke governments TO embark upon a
course of retaliation and repression The
seed OF revolution IL repression. The
remedy for these things must not he
negative in character. II must be con-
structivc. II must comprehend the gen
eral interest. Any real antidote for the
unrest which manifests itself is not sup
preston, but a deep consideration Of the
wrongs that beset our national life and
the application OF a remedy
Congress has already shown its willing
ness to deal with these industrial wrongs
by establishing the eight hour day as the
standard in every field Of labor. 1t has
sought to find way TO prevent child
labor. 1t has served the whole country
by leading the way in developing the
means OF preserving and Safeguarding
lives and health in dangerous industries
1t must now help in the difficult task of
finding a method that with bring about a
genuine characterization of industry,
based on the full recognition of the right
OF those who work, in what ever affects
their welfare. 1t is with this purpose in
mind that ! called a conference to meet
in Washington on December | to consider
these problems in all the broad aspects,
with the idea Of bringing about a better
understanding between these two inter-
ests.
MUST PUT OUR HOUSE IN ORDER
The great unrest throughout the world
out or which has emerged a demand for
an immediate consideration of the diff
culties between capital and labor bids
us put our own house in order Frank
ly there can be no permane and last.