The Washington herald., 1919-08-05
WILSON PERSONALLY
DIRECTS BATTLE TO
LOWER LIVING COST
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE

was productive of several moves,
chief Of which was the favorable re-
port by the Interstate and Foreign
Commerce Committee Of the resolu-
tion of Representative Tinkham,
which directs the Federal Trade
Commission to make an investigation
Of. the sugar situation, and to learp
whether or not a shortage exists, and
If the present price is fair.
If the program of recommendations
to be made to Congress by the Presi-
dent falls to bring about needed re-
lief, Representative Madden, Repub-
lican of Illinois, said yesterday he
would introduce a measure providing
that the Government acquire the
wheat crop ct the guaranteed price,
and sell wheat to the millers at a
charge of $50 a busheL He said that
IL his recommendation were carried
out flour could be sold to the public
at 81 a barrel Mr.. Madden also rec
ommends an embargo on food prod
ucts selling at higher prices than
which prevailed on the same COM
modities on January l of this year.
or even a time previous to this.
s233, ,sss,1s7 Army stores.
The War Department announced
that the surplus foodstuffs IL held
are worth 1872, 1910, and that the
grand total value of all surplus food
stufrs and materials is s233, Sss, ,ly7.
10-A
Profiteering has been the burden
of complaint on the part of the
public thus far, 1t is admitted. and
for this reason the government will
make its first move in the direction
of the persons who wilfully have
gouged the public on prices for the
necessities OF life. Profiteerfng was
the complaint of the railroad men.
and it is the complaint of all other
workers.
Profiteering has reared it's ugly
head so consistently during the war
period that an investigation is al
most unnecessary. Only a short
time ago the Department of Agri-
culture issued a report which
showed that a bushel of wheat, for
which a farmer received $2.26, cost
the consumer exactly $14.05 when
reduced to food units.
Moreover. the government has in
the reports on income and excess
profits taxes plenty of material to
show the existence of profiteering,
for these reports give in detail the
capitalization of corporations. the
percentage of their earnings, and
all other data necessary to show
whether or not swollen gains were
acquired lawfully or that the poor
paid the profits and went hungry
as a result.
The presence of Assistant Secre-
tary of the Treasury Leffingwell on
the Cabinet subcommittee, which is
preparing a report for the Presi-
dent. is an indication that the tax
reports will figure in the govern
ment's activitie sagainst profiteers.
While the imitation Of the currency
has so far been a subject which has
been Nven outward attention only in
the Senate. administration officials are
nevertheless concerned with the dwin-
ding purchasing power of the dollar,
and their concern is expected to be
manifested in the Presidents recon-
mendations. Senator Myers has had
adopted resolution providing for an
investigation by the Senate Banking
and Currency Committee to ascertain
whether or not there has been undue
imitation of the currency. and II so,
what to do about it. The process Of
turning out money by printing presses
has already reduced the value of the
dollar one-half and precipitated a sit
uation which is comparable to the days
of the 16-to-1 issue.