The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-08-09
Complete Text Of President s High Cost of LiUing Address Before Congress Yesterday

take care of himself if he knows the facts and influences he is dealirg with and purchasers are not disiH- clined to do anything, either singly or collectively, that may be necessary for their self-protection. The Depart ment of Commerce. the Department of Agriculture, the Department of Labor and the federal trade commission can do a great deal towards supplying the public, systematically and at short in- terYals with information regarding the actual supply of particular com modities that is in existence and avail able, with regard to supplies which are in existence but not available be- cause of boarding. and with regard to the methods of price fixing which are being used by dealers in certain food stuffs and other necessaries.
 s.There can be little doubt that
 retailers are in part--sometimes
 in large part-respOnsibIe for e1-
 Orbitant prices; and fl is quite
 practicable for the government,
 through the agencies I have men
 tioned. to supply the public with
 full information to the prices
 at which retailers buy and as to
 the costs of transportation they
 pay, In order that it may be knswn
 just what margin of profit they
 are demanding. Opinion and con
 
 purchasers can probably do the
 rest.
 That is. these agencies may per form this indispensable service pro. vided the Congress will supply them with the necessary funds to prosecute their inquiries and keep their price lists up to date Hitherto the appro- priations committees of the houses have not always, I fear, seen the fuil value of these inquiries, and the de- partments and commissions have been very much straitened for means tS render this service.
 MUST HAVE FUNDS
 That adequate funds be provided by appropriation for this purpose, and provided as promptly as possible, is one of the means of greatly anchor ating the present distressing condi tions of livelihood that 1 have come to urge, in this attempt to concert with you the best ways to serve ehe country in this emergency. It is one of the absolutely necessary means, uu- deriving many others, and can be sup piled at once.
 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 urtee, in the first place, that the present fdbd control act should be extended both as to the period of time during which it shall remain in operation and as to. the commodities to which it shall apply. Its provi- sions against hoarding should be made to apply not only to food, but also to feedstuffs. to fuel, 70 clothing. and to many other commodities which arc indisputably necessar1ee of life. As it stands now. it is limited in operation to the period of war and becomes in- operative upon the formal proclama- ton of peace But I should judge that it was clearly within the constitutional power of the Congress to make sim liar permanent provisions and reguia- tions with regard to all goods des tined for interstate commerce and 10 exclude them from interstate shipment if the requirements of the law are not compiled with Some such regula- tion is imperatively necessary.
 sSThe abuses that have grown
 up fin the manipulation of prices
 by the within oldins Of fOOdstuffs
 and other necessaries of life can
 not otherwise be effectively pre-
 vented. There can be no doubt
 of either the necessity the le-
 gitimacy of such measuWrs. May
 I not call attention to the fact,
 also, that. although the present
 act prohibits prOffteering, the pro-
 hfbition is accompanied by no
 penalty. It is clearly in the pub
 lie interest that n penalty should
 be provided which will be per
 suasive.
 STORAGE REGULATION NEEDED
 '"To the same end I earnestly rec