The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-08-15

SELL SURPLUS FOOD AND END
PRoFITEERlNG," is ADVICE
OF EXECUTIVE
SEES NO IMMEDIATE RELIEF
Methods of Raising Prices Are Illegal
and Criminal, He Tells Joint Ses-
sion of Congress-No Short
age of Supplies Exists


son laid several specific proposals bt
fore congress yesterday for checkin
the high cost of living, but at the sam
time declared permanent results coul
not be expected until peace time basi
were fully restored by ratification o
the peace treaty.
High prices, the president told con
gress, were not justified by shortage
of supplies either present or prospec
tive, but were created in many in
stances ''artificially and deliberately
by vicious practices" Retailers. he
for extortionate prices.
Strikes, the president warned the
labor world. would only make matters
worse and those who sought TO employ
threats or coercion We're only ''pre-
pairing their own destruction" Lead
ers of organized labor, he said, he was
sure would presently yield to second
sober thought.
Illegal" and terminal" were the
words the president used in character
iZing the methods by which some
present day prices have been brought
about.
Present laws. he said, would be en-
ergetically employed to the limit 10
force out food boards and meet the
situation as far as possible, but to
supplement the existing statutes he
specifically urged the following:
Increase of production
Careful buying by housewives.
That there be no threats or undue
insistence upon the interest of a
single class.
Correction of "many things" in the
relations between capital and labor in
respect to wages and conditions of
labor.
eve. and we almost alone" he said,
''now hold the world steady. Upon our
steadfastneSs and Self-possession de-
pend the affairs of nations every
where. 1t is in this supreme crisis
this crisis for all mankind that
America must prove her mettle."
Following is some of the remedial
legislation recommended by the presi-
dent:
Licensing all competitions engaged
in interstate commerce with specific |
regulations designed to secure COM
petitive selling and prevent "uncon-
scionabIe profits" in the methods of
Extension of the food control act to
peace times andsthe application Of its
provisions against boarding fuel,
clothing and other necessities Of life
as we'll as food.
A penalty in the food control act for
orofiteerinq.
A law regulating cold storage, linn
ting the time during which goods may
,e held; prescribing a method of dis
posing. of them-if held beyond the per-
nitted period and requiring that when
eIeased goods bear the date of stor-
Ige.
Laws requiring that goods released
rom storage for interstate commerce
ear the selling prices at which they
vent into storage and requiring that
II goods destined for Interstate COM
,erce bear the price at which they
1T the hands of the producer.
Enactment of the pending bill for
ne control of security issues.
Additional, appropriations for gov
rnment agencies which can supply the :
ubic with full information as to
rices at which retailers buy.
Early ratification of the peace treaty
, that the "free processes of supply :
i'd demand can operate"
Immediate steps by legislative aaen- =
es Of the government promised by !,
e president included: },
The limiting and controlling of wheat \
ipments and credits to facilitate the
Irchase of wheat in such way as
t to raise, but rather to lower the
ice Of flour at home.
Sale of surplus stocks of foods and {
,thing in the hands Of the govern +"
mt The forced withdrawal from 9
,rage and sale Of surplus stocks in
Ivate hands. Il
Congress received the address on the m
III cost of living with varying COM ia
mt, for the most part favorable Al q
,ugh some senators and representa- IN
es disagreed with some of the presi-
nt's specific recommendations, there
S an almost unanimous expression eli
It his address probably would have be
beneficial effect on conditions His in
erence to sober second thought on Iy
part OF labor leaders was generally tn
de