El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1919-08-13

DRESIDENT WILSON'S speech to congress on the high
cost Of living has him more whole hearted praise
from the American press and the people generally than
any utterance Of his since he addressed congress to ask
declaration Of the existence Of state Of with Ger
many His speech has been endorsed in all parts Of the
country presentation Of practical means TO zeal WIN
the exorbitant Of living and there has been any
dissent whatever exist in the minds Of those whose
fortunes linked secretly with prohteerng and who
naturally quiet at this time
The president recommended that the food control act
Of wartime be extended 10 peace operation and that
gress exclude from ntrastate and interstate
goods which did not comply with its provisions; that the
food law be provided with substantial penalty for
proteerng; cold storage law modelled after that Of
New Jersey be enacted to limit the time products may be
kept in cold storage that all goods released from storage
marketed at the prices at which they left the producer
(tis would remove any incentive to store for higher
prces) federal licensing system for firms engaged N
interstate commerce in order to insure competitive market
ing and prevent profiteering methods of selling.
Whatever laws enacted should be broad enough to
include than food for profiteeng in other lines IS
pracced to extent disgraceful as that IN meat
canned goods and the other things eat Shoes out
Tageously high and many medicines Clothing has
reached unjustable prices The worst Of It IS that We
have been notified that all these things are going stu
higher enormously higher with no apparent altitude alt
whatever.
There Is constituencies extorion pIacced the people,
without doubt II VIII be found that the blame attaches
to multitude of big and little firms, many lines Of COM
nercs and the government itself Revelations Of lazity
and bunderng within the government departments have
the public has suffered at the hands Of proeers
while the government has kept accommodating great stocks
Of food after the signing of the aTsce much Of which
food has spoiled because Of careless storage
The vicious cold storage system IS as much an aid to
profteerng as the combinations OF heavily capitalized or
CARNATIONS that have coneTed the marketing Of many OF
our foods But all the extoron IS being pracloed
BY powerful firms combines. Much Of It is done by
relatively small concerns. In fact the prevalent theory
now seems to be: The American people are making more
money than ever before They ready spenders and
they want they want and ready to any poe
for it No price is too high long as they viii pay It
That theory Of the petty FL Paso dealer who thinks
he is entitled to all he gouge the public for, whether
that is SOC 1000 percent profit It may not be the
theory Of majority Of the retail merchants, but they
are one and all less at the mercy Of others who
do figure along that line and who put out goods to the
retailers accordingly.
There is a proposal at Washington to sting profteers
BY the publication Of their That's silly bunoombe
Publicity denuncaon Teproof and anger mean no more
to them than reasoned argument and pleading. Any
profteer whose might be published would merely
deny the charge Immediately and at length, citing framed
up facts and figures" to back him up-and 90 on as
before The riot spoil has become so fragrant and so
heartless that nothing viii stop It but rigid enforcement
Of drastic laws a resort to armed force.
IF congress viii heed the president and tackle the
menace with utter courage there is yet time to save the
situation It is not merely matter Of cheap bread OF
cheap meat for temporary relief Of dangerous condition
What must be made IS nationwide readjustment Of pro
duction wages distribution and consumption. Nearly
everything we buy and sell is too high and must come
down.
It was rather noteworthy that members Of congress OF