The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1919-08-09

hibition is accompanied by no penalty.
1t is clearly In the public interest that
a penalty should be provided which
will be persuasive.
Need Cold Storage Law.
To the same end, earnestly recon-
mend, in the second place, that tbs
congress pass law regulating cold
storage as it is regulated. for exam
pie, by the laws of the state of New
Jers ey, which limit the time during
which goods may be kept in storage,
prescribe the method of disposing OF
them if kept beyond the permitted Pc
Rod, and require that goods released
from storage shall in all cases bear
the date Of their receipt. 1t would
materially add to the serviceability OF
the law, for the purpose we now. have
in view, II 1t were also prescribed that
all goods released from storage for
interstate shipment should have plain.
ly marked upon each package the sell
ing or market price at which they went
into storage. BY this means the pur-
chaser would always be able to learn
what profits stood between him and
the producer or the wholesale dealer.
II would serve as useful example
to the other communities of this ocun.
try as we'll as greatly relieve local
distress, If the congress were to regu
late all such matters very fully for the
District of Columbia, where its legis.
lative authority is without limit.
would also recommend that 1t be
required that all goods destined for
interstate commerce should in every
case where their form or package
makes 1t possible to be plainly mark
ed with the price at which they left
the hands of the producer. Such re-
quirement would bear a close analogy
to certain provisions Of the pure food
act. by which 1t is required that GER.
tain detailed information be given on
the labels Of packages of food and
drugs.
No Limit to Remedies.
And it does not seem to me that we
can confne ourselves to detailed meas
ures of this kind, if it is indeed our
purpose to assume national control Of
the processes OF distribution. / take
it for granted that that is our purpose
and our duty. Nothing less will suf-
flee. We need not hesitate to handle
a national question in national way.
We should go beyond the measures l
have suggested We should formulate
a law requiring federal license of all
corporations engaged in interstate COM
merce and embodying In the license,
or in the conditions under which 1t Is
to be issued, specific regulations de-
signed to secure competitive selling
and prevent unconscicnsable profits in
the method of marketing. Such law
would afford welcome opportunity to
effect other much needed reforms In
the business of interstate shipment and
In the methods of corporations which
are engaged in it; but for the moment
I confine my recommendations to the
object imediately in hand which Is to
lower the cost Of living.
May l not add that there is bill
now pending before the congress which
if passed, would do much to stop spec |
ulation and to prevent the fraudulent |
methods of hard earned money. / re- |
fer to the measure proposed by the |
capital issues committee for the con- |
troll of security issues. 1t is meas !!
ure formulated by men who know the
actual conditions of business and its
adoption would serve great and ben
eficial purpose. =
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