The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1919-08-20
QUICK ACTION IS
URGED ON CONGRESS
High Prices at Bottom of
Unrest
SHOE PRICES
GET ATTENTION

IOWA representative, but Louisiana
Representative Says Eject Would
hc Horrible. Defend Sugar Price
T Fixing.
Washington. Aug. lS.-Quck action
by congress in the campaign to reduce
the cost of living was urged today in
senate and house Senator Walsh de-
clarcd high prices were at the bottom
OF all the unrest and charged that con-
Grcss was wasting time when some
thing should have been done already
in response to President Wilson'S rec
concentrations.
Mayors Of New Jersey cities appear
ing before the house agriculture COM
mittce said action was needed at once
to stop the rising scale Of prices. Reg
ulation Of imports was one means sug-
gestcd. The amendment broadening
the food control act will be consider
cd tomorrow by the committee and
will probably be reported to the house.
Sale of surplus army food began to-
day at storage centcrs throughout the
country. Definite reports were not
available, but it was believed that or
ders had been received for many mil
lions Of pounds Of canned mea IS, beans
and other staples, to be sent out by
parcel post.
Debate in congress was occupied to
a great extent by living cost problems
Absence Of quorum in the house
delayed until tomorrow final action Of
resolution calling for the federal
trade commission to begin immediate
inquiry into the increase in the price
OF shoes"
Representative Siegel, Republican,
said were obained by New York cloth
ing manufacturers and showed that
in most cases the retailer makes SO
per cent profit and in some places 100
per cent" The manufacturers cost,
he said, was due to the cost of labor.
He presented figures to show that an
overcoat costing the manufacturer
$lO.S5 in 1917. advanced to Sits in
1918, anJ to $22.62 by last week. He
urged that dealers be required to
mark the cost prices on all commodi-
ties.
The United Fruit Company was at
tackled by Representative Fitzgerald,
Democrat, Massachusetts, who assert
ed it had made 40 per cent profit and
aid off millions Of dollars OF bonded
Indebtedness, not due for some time.
Investigation of freight charges to
determine whether there was fraud in
capitalization Of railroads as charged
before the interstate commerce COM
mission was urged by Representative
IIuddlcston. Democrat, Alabama, who
asserted the transportation charges
affect retail prices three or four
times"
IF you want to bring down the
tive Good, Republican, Iowa, call that
is necessary is for the president to
put an embargo on shoes and leather
temporarily" Similar action on meat
the domestic market, he added, de-
claring exports from the United
States are tn" greatest volume in his
tory. Congress, he said. could do lit
tic to reduce the cost OF living, while
the punishment Of proflteers, he add
q, was the only suggestion "that will
set anywhere and that not very far"
The cmbarGo proposal Of Mr.. Good
was attacked by Representative San
dcrs, Democrat, Louisiana, who said
lis 'cliccts would bo too horrible" by
starving the world IIc defended the
government Price fixing OF sugar, as
sorting that without it the cost would
Navc been - TO 20 cents a pound de-
spite the fact that sugar was plcnti-
ful.
There is no reason why the grocer
can not sell 100 pounds to one pcrson
as well as one pound" asserted Mr..
Sanders, unless it is that tbs mar
kct is dominated and controlled by
the American sugar trust"
Cotton manufacturers also were at
tackled by Sanders asserting that thR
could pay 60 cents n pound for tho
raw product and Still make a reason
able profit" Producers of both cotton
and sugar, he said, did not get high
lpricc.