The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-12-02

formed a Vital and Wiling SeTNiSe ~
the nation. By materially increasing
the production of his land ne sup
piled America and the allies with the
increased amounts OF food necessary
TO keep their immense armies 10
the field. He indispensaoiy helped
to win the war. But there Is now
scarcely less need of increasing the
production in food and the neces-
saries OF life. l ask the congress 10
consider means OF increasing EFFORTS
along these lines. The Importance
/ of doing everything possible to pro-
mote production along economic
lines, TO improve marketing and to
make rural life more attractive and
f; healthful, Is obvious. would urge
approval of the plans already pro.
posed to congress by the secretary
/. OF agriculture to secure the essen.
/ tial facts required tor the proper
study OF this question, through pro-
posed enlarged programmes for
farm management studies and crop
estimates.
Good Roads.
II would urge also the continu-
ance of federal participation in the
building of good roads, under the
terms of existing law and under the
direction OF present agencies; the
need of further action on the part
of the states and the federal govern
ment to preserve and develop our
forest resources, especially through
the practice OF better forestry
methods on private holdings and the
extension of the publicity owned
forest; better support for country
schools and the more definite direc-
ton of their courses OF study along
/, lines related to rural problems; and
fuller provision for sanitation in
rural districts and the building up
OF needed hospital and medical faciii-
ties in these localities. Perhaps the
way might be cleared for many of
these desirable reforms by a fresh.
survey made of rural
conditions by conference composed
of representatives OF the farmers and
of the agricultural agencies respon.
sible for leadership.
Il would call your attention to the
widespread condition Of political rest
lessness OF our body polite The
causes OF unrest, while various and
complicated, are superficial rather
than deep seated. Broadly they arise
from, or are connected with, the
failure on the part OF our govern
ment to arrive speedily at a just and
permanent peace permitting return
to normal conditions, from the trans
fusion of radical theories from seeth-
ing European centers pending such
delay, from heartless profteering re-
sulting in the increase OF the cost
of living and lastly from the machi-
nations of passionate and malevolent
agitators.
Causes Of Unrest.
With the return to normal condi-
tons this unrest Will rapidly disap-
pear. In the meantime 1t does much
evil. 1t seems to me that in dealing
with this situation congress should
not be impatient Or drastic, but
should seek rather to remove the
causes. 1t should endeayor to bring
our country back speedily to a peace
basis, with ameiiOrated living condi-
tons under the minimum OF restric-
tons upon personal liberty that is
consistent with our Reconstruction
problems. And it should arm the fed.
leral government with power to deal
IN its criminal courts with those per-
sons who by violent methods would
abrogate our time tested institutions.
with the free expression OF opinion
and with the advocacy of orderly
political change, however funda-
mental, there must be no interior.
ence, but towards passion and malev
oience tending to incite crime and
insurrsctlon under guise of political
evolution there should be no leniency
Legislation to this end has been
recommended by the attorney gen.
erai and should be enacted. In this
direct connection I would call your
attention to my recommendations on
august 9Th, pointing out legislative
measures which would be effective
in controlling and bringing down tho
present cost of living, which con.
tributes SO largely to this unrest. On
only one of these recommendations
has the congress acted. II the gov.
ernments campaign is to be effec.
tive, it Is necessary. that the other
steps suggested should be acted on
at once,
Il renew and strongly urge the
necessity of the extension OF the
present food control act as to tho
period of time in which It shall re-
main in operation. The attorney
general has submitted a bill proyid.
ing for an extension or this act for
period Of six months AS it now
stands, 1t is limited in operation to
the period of the war and becomes
imperative upon the formal procla.
nation Of peace. 1t is imperative
that IL should be extended at once.
The department Of justice has built
up extensive machinery for the pur-
pose OF enforcing its provisions
which must be abandoned upon the
conclusion of peace unless the pro-
visions OF this act are extended
During this period the congress
will have an opportunity to make
similar, permanent provisions and
regulations with regard to all goods
destined for interstate commerce and
to exclude them from interstate
shipment, if the requirements of the
law are not complied with. Some
such regulation is imperatively
The advances that bava