The news scimitar. (Memphis, Tenn.) 1907-1926, 1919-08-09

] have mentioned. to supply the public
with full information as 20 the prices
at which retailers buy and as to the
cost Of transportation they pay, IN
order that 1t may be known Just what
margin Of profit they are demanding.
Opinion and concerted action on b
part Of purchasers can probably do p
rest.
That fs, these agencies may perform
this indispensable service provided the
congress will supply them with the nee
essary f0nds TO prosecute their m
quiries and keep their price lists up
10 date. Hitherto the appropriations
committees OF the houses have not al
ways. fear. seen the full value Of their
Inquiries, and the departments and
commissions have been very much
straitened for means TO render this SER
vice. That adequate funds be provided
by appropriation for this purpose, and
provided as promptly as possible, Is one
Of the e OF greatly afneHorating the
present distressing conditions OF llveli-
hood that / have come to urge In this
attempt 10 concert with you the best
ways TO serve the country 10 this emer-
gency. IL is n OF the absolutely nee
Cssary means, underlying many others,
and can be supplied at once.
Laws Inadequate.
There are many other ways. Exist.
ing law Is inadequate. There are many
perfectly legitimate methods by which
the government can exercise restraint
and guidance,
LET me urge, in the first place, that
the present food control act should be
extended both as to the period Of time
during which It shall remain in opera
ton and 80 as the commodities to
which II SOIL apply. Its provisions
against boarding should be made to
a,rt,g ..nV .,1r -, F,,A k,,k aIaA 20 tad
stuffs, 70 fu0, to clothing. and 70 many
other commodities which are indisputG-
bly, necessaries Of life.
'As ii now stands IL Is limited in
operation to the period OF the war end
becomes inopei alive upon the formal
declaration OF peace. Bus should
judge that II was clearly within Che
| constitutional power Of the congress te
make similar permanent provisions end
regulations wiNh Se0ard to all goods
Aestined Tor interstate cOmNherc0 and
to e8clude Them from interstate ship
ment 10 the requirements of che Law are
noe complied with. Some such regula-
ton IL imperaeively Necessary. The
abuses that have GfoWn ny in other
be effectively prevented. There can be
no doubt Of either the necessity or the
legitimacy OF such measures. May
not call attention 20 the fact, also, that.
although the present act Horbids PROF
iteerinG, the prohibition Is accompanied
by no penalty. II 10 clearly In the pub
lie interest that Q penalty should b
provided which wall be persuasive,
ITO the sAne end earnestly rec
ommend, in the second place. that the
congress pass = law regulating cold
storage az II is regulated, for example
by the laws Of the state Of New Jersey
which limit the time during which goods
may be kept In storage. Prescribe this
methods OF d~isposing Of them II kept
| beyond the permitted period. and re-
Quire that goods released from storage
shall In all cases bear the date OF theiI
/ receipt. II would materially add TO the
s~erviceability OF the law, for the pdr-
pose we now have in view. II II were
| also prescribed that all goods released
| from storage for interstate shipment
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 b
able TO learn what profits stood between
him and the producer or the wholesale
dealer,
ut would serve as a useful exampl,
to the other communities OF this coun
| try, as well az greatly relieve loca
| distress, If the congress were 10 reeu'
| late all such matters very fully fol
legislative authority Ito without limit.