The Lancaster news. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1905-current, 1919-08-12
Wilson Lays Before Congress
Proposals for Checking Cost
of Living.
NO LASTING RESULTS YET
Present Laws to Be Employed to
Force Out HOards and Meet
What Seems to Be a Critical
Situation.

washington, Aug. o.-PreSldent
Wilson laid several specific proposals
before congress today for checking
the high cost of living, but at the
same time declared permanent results
could not be expected until peace time
bases were fully restord by ratifica-
tion of the peace treaty.
High prices, the president told con-
gress, were not justified by shortage
of supply either present or prosp, c.
tive, but were created in many cases
"vicious practices" Retailers, he said,
were responsible in large part for ex-
tortionate prices.
Strikes, the president warned the
labor world, would only make mat
ters-worse and those who sought to
employ threats or coercion were only
preparing their own destruction"
Leaders of organized labor, the pres,
ident said, he was sure would pres
emily yield to second sober thought.
Illegal and criminal" were the
words the president used in charac-
terizing the methods by which some
present day prices have been brought
about.
Present laws, he said, would be
energetically employed to the limit to
force out food boards, and meet the
situation so far as possible, but to
supplement the existing statutes he
specifically urged the following:
Specific Recommendations.
Licensing OF all corporations en-
gagged in interstate commerce, with
specific regulations designed to Sc
cure competitive selling and preven.
"unconscionable profits" in the
method Of marketing.
Extension of the food control act to
peace times and the application Of it's
provisions against boarding to fuel,
clothing and other necessities of life
as well as food.
A penalty in the food control act
for profiteering.
A law regulating cold storage, linn.
iting the time during which goods
may be held, prescribing a method OF
disposing of them if held beyond the
permitted period and requiring that
when released goods bear the date of
storage.
Laws requiring that goods released
from storage for interstate commerce
bear the selling prices at which they
went into storage and requiring that
all goods destined for interstate COM
merce bear the prices at which they
left the hands of the producer
Enactment OF the pending bill for
the control of security issues
Additional appropriations for gov
ernment agencies which can supply
the public with full information as to
prices at which retailers buy.
Early ratification of the peace
treaty so that the free processes OF
supply and demand" can operate.
Immediate Steps Promised.
Immediate steps by executive agen-
cies of the government promised by
the president included
The limiting and controlling Of
wheat shipments and credits to facili-
tate the purchase of wheat i'm such a
way as not to raise, but rather to low
er the price of -four at home.
Sale OF surplus stocks OF food and
clothing in the hands OF the govern
meDt.
The forced withdrawal from stor-
age and sale of surplus stocks in pri-
vate hands.
General Recommendations.
General recommendations includ-
ed:
Increase OF production.
Careful buying by housewives.
Fair dealing with the people on the
part OF producers, middle men and
merchants
That there be no threats and un-
due insistence upon the interests of a
single class.
Correction of many things" in the
relation between capital and labor in
respect to wages and conditions OF la
Dor.
Continued on Page Eighty