Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-12-16

ternational disarmament. 1t Will new
ertheless, be policy of obvious pru-
dence to make certain of the success
full maintenance of many strong and
well-equipped chemical plants. The
German chemical industry, with which
we will be brought into competition,
was, and may well be again, a thor
oughly knit monopoly capable of exer-
cising a competition of a peculiarly
insidious and dangerous kind"
Increased Production Is Vital.
During the war the farmer per
formed vital and willing service to
the nation. By materially increasing
the production of his land he supplied
America and the allies with the in
creased 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. | ask
the congress to consider means of en-
ceuraging effort along these lines. The
Importance Of doing everything pos
sible to promote production along eco
nomical lines, to improve marketing
and to make rural life more attractive
and healChful is obvious. l would urge
approval of the plans already proposed
to the congress by the secretary of ag-
riculture. to secure the essential facts
required for the proper study of this
question, through the proposed en-
larged programs for farm management
studies and crop estimates.
would urge, also, the continuance
Of federal participation in the build
ing Of good roads, under the terms of
existing law and under the direction
of present agencies; the need of fur
ther action on the part of the states
serve and develop our forest resources,
especially through the practice of bet
ter forestry methods on private hold
ings and the extension of the publicly
owned forests, better support for coun-
try schools and the more definite di-
rection 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 facilities In these
localities. Perhaps the way might be
cleared for many of these desirable
reforms by fresh comprehensive sur
vey made of rural conditions by con-
ference composed of representatives Of
the farmers and of the agricultural
agencies responsible for leadership.
Unrest and Its Causes.
/ would call your attention to the
widespread condition of political rest
lessneSs in our body polite. The
causes Of this unrest, while various
and complicated, are superficial rather
than deepseated.. Broadly, they arise
from or are connected with the failure
on the part of our government to ar
rive speedily at just andspermanent
peace permitting return to normal con-
ditions, from the TRANSMISSION of rad
zeal theories from seething European
centers pending such delay, from
heartless profiteering resulting In the
increase in the cost of living, and last
ly from the Vaccinations of passionate
and malevolent agitators. With the
return to normal conditions, this I'M
rest will rapidly disappear. In the
meantime it 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
endeavor to bring our country back
speedily to a peace basis with ameli-
grated living conditions under the
minimum of restrictions upon personal
liberty that is consistent with our re-
construction problems. And it should
arm the federal government with pow
er to deal in it's criminal courts with
those persons who by violent methods
would abrogate out time-tested institu-
TONS With the free expression of
opinion and with the advocacy of or
derby political change, however funda-
mental, there must be no Interior
ence but toward passion and malev-
olence tending to incite crime and in
surrection under guise of political
evolution there should be no leniency.
Legislation to this end has been recon-
mended by the attorney general and
should be enacted.
To Reduce Cost of Living.
In this direct connection l would
call your attention to my recommended
lions on August s, pointing out legisla-
tive measures which would be effec-
tive in controlling and bringing down
the present cost of living, which con-
tributes so largely to this unrest. If
the governments campaign is to be
effective, it is necessary that the other
steps suggested should be acted on
at once.
1 renew and strongly urge the neces-
sity Of the extension of the present
food control act as to the period of
time in which it shall remain in opera
ton. The attorney general has SUBJ
mitted a bill providing an extension
of this act for a period of six months.
AS it now stands it is limited in opera
ton to the period of the war and be-
comes imperative upon the formal
proclamation of peace. 1t is impera-
tive that it should be extended at
once. The department of justice has
built up extensive machinery for the
purpose of enforcing its provisions,
all of which must be abandoned upon
the conclusion of peace unless the
provision 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 COM
piled with. Some such regulation is
imperatively necessary. The abuses
that have grown up in the manipula-
ton of prices by the Withholding of