The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-03
INCREASED PRODUCTION

During the war the farmer performed a vital and willing service to the nation By materially increasing the production of his land he supplied America and the a lilies with the increased amounts of food necessary to keep their immense armies in the field. He indispensably helped to win the war But there is now scarcely less need of increasing the production in food and the necessaries of life. I ask the Congress to consider means of en- couraging effort along these lines. The importance of doing everything possible to promote production along economical lines, to improve marketing and to make rural life morea attractive and healthful is obvious. I would urge approval of the plans already proposed to the Congress by the Secretary of Agriculture to se- cure the essential facts required for the proper study of this question through the proposed enlarged programmes for farm management studies and crop estimates would urge also the continuance of fed eral 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 or the part of the states and federal gov ernment to preserve and develop ouI forest resources, especially through the practice of better forestry methods or
  the publicly owned forests; better suppor for country schools, and the more defi- nite direction of their courses of stud, along lines related to rural problems ant fuller provision for sanitation in rura districts, and the building up of needed hospital and medical facilities in these localities Perhaps the way might bs cleared for many of these desirable re- forms by fresh, comprehensive suryey Q 60 nf rJfv- composed of representatives of the farm. CTS, and of the agricultural agencies re. sponsble for leadership
 UNREST
 I would call your attention to the Widespread condition of present rest lessness in our body politic The causes of this unrest, while various and com plicated, are superficial rather than deep. seated. Broadly they arise from, or arc connected with the failure on the part or our government to arrive speedily at a just and permanent peace, permit tlng return to normal conditions from the transmission of radical theories from seething European centers pending such delay, from heartless profiteering re- sultlng in the increase of the cost of living, and lastly from the machinations of passionate and malevolent agitators W itA lHc ISluIu u HOrIIldl COnulllOIS this unrest will rapidly disappear. In the meantime it does much evil It seems to me that in dealing with this situation Congress should not be impatient or drastic, but should seek rather to re- move the causes. It. should endeavor to bring our country back speedily to a peace basis, with ameliorated living con- ditions under the minimum of restric- tions upon personal liberty that is con sistent with our reconstruction prob- lems, And it should arm the federal government with power to deal in its criminal courts with those persons who by violent methods would abrogate our time-tested institutions With the free expression of our opinion and with the advocacy of orderly political changes however Fundamentally there must be no interference, but toward passion and malevolence tending to incite crime and instruction under guise of political evo- lution there should be no leniency. Leg islation to this end has been recon mende1 by the Attorney General. and should be enacted. In this direct connec- tion I would call your attention to my recommendations of August 8, pointing out legislative measures which would be effective in controlling and bringing down the present cost of living, which contributes so largely to this unrest. On only one of these recommendations has the Congress acted. If the governments campaign is to be effective, it is neces- sary that the other steps suggested should be acted on at once.
 l renew and strongly urge the necessity of the extension of the. present food con trol act as to the period of time in which i. shall remain in operation. The Attor- ney General has submitted a bill provid- ing for an extension of this act for a period of the war and becomes inopera- tive upon the formal proclamation of peace. It is imperative that it should be extended at once. The department of justice has built up extensive machinery for the purpose of enforcing it's provi- sions: all of which must be abandoned upon the conclusion of peace unless the provisions of this act are extended
 During this period the Congress vii have an opportunity to make similar permanent provisions and regulations With regard to all goods destined for in. terstate commerce and to exclude then from interstate shipment. if the require ments of the law are not compiled with Some such regulation is imperativel, necessary. The abuses that have growI ur in the manipulation of prices by tn, withholding of foodstuffs and other nee essares of life cannot otherwise be eff fectively prevented. Therc can be n, doubt of either the necessity or th legitimacy of such measures.
 As l pointed out in my last message publicity can accomplish great deal i, this campaign. The aims of the govern