The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1919-08-16
! capital or put her restless. distracted

|
" whore she stands in respect e
peace; and whae we viii do is for he'
the chief question upon which her Qui
etude OF mind and confidence of pur
pose depends While there is any pos
ahility that the peace terms may h'
changed or may be held leug in abey
Fanee or may not he enforecd because
of divisions Of opinion among the pow
7 crS associated AGAINST Germany il is
idle to look for permanent relief
Immediate Relief Measures.
by WAY of immediate relief. surplut
stocks Of both food and clothing I'm tn,
! hands of the government VIII I've sold an,
! 81 course sold a prices Mt which there
| IS no proiit And by way OF a more rcr-
! Wauent correction Of prices surplus
| stocks I'm private hands VIII be drawn ont
of storage and put upon the market For
! tunatoN under the terms Of the fool-cnu-
/ troll act the boarding Of foodstuns can
! be checked and prevented. and thcv will
| he with the greatest energy Fnodstuns
| can he drawn out of storage and sold by
| legal action which the department of
| justice VIII Institute wherever necessary.
! but as soon as the situation is systcmati-
| tally dcait with il is not likely that the
! courts viii often have to be- resorted to.
! Much of the accommodating Of stocks has
| no doubt been due to tho sort of specu-
| tainty.
Would Have Prices Plainly Marked
| would also recommend that At be
required that all goods destined for in
terstate commerce should in every case
whore their form or package makes II
possible be plainly marked with the
price at which they left the hands OF
the producer. Such Il requirement
would bear a close analogy to certain
provisions of the pure food act. bv which
it Is required that certain detailed in
formation be given on the labels of
packages Of foods and drugs
And it does not seem to me that we
could conhnc ourselves TO detailed
measures of this kind. If it is indeed
our purpose to assume national control
OF the processes of distributions
take II for granted that that is our
purpose and our duty Nothini, less
viii suffice. We need not hesitate ia
handle national question in a ma
tional way. We should go beyond the
measures | have suggested. We should
formulate law requiring a federal
license Of all corporations engaged i'm
Interstate commerce and embodyinp I'm
the license. or in the conditions under
which It - to be issued, specific regu-
latons designed to secure competitive
selling and prevent unconscionable
profits in the method OF marketing.
Law Would Do Much.
such law would afford = welcome op-
portuntty to effect other much-needed re
forms in the business of interstate ship
ment and In the methods Of corporations
which are engaged IN It. but for the mo
ment ! confine my recommendations To the
object Immediately in hand. which is TO
lower the cost of living
We are dealing gentlemen of the CON
sress. need hardly say, with very critical
and very difficult matters. We should go,
forward with confidence along the road
we see. but we should also seek to com
prehehd the whole of the scene amidst
which we act There is no ground for
some of the fearful forecasts | hear ut
tered about me. but the condition of the
world Is unquestionably very grave and
we should face it comprehendingly The
situation OF our own country is excep-
'lonateiy fortunate. We of all peoples
can afford to keep our heads and to de-
tefHlne upon moderate and sensible
courses of action which will insure us
against the passions and distempers which |
are working such deep unhappiness for
soma of the distressed nations on the |
other side of the sea
But we may be involved in their dis |
uesses unless we help. and help with en- |
ergy and intelligence.
b's' esdi uihE inc surplus stock In the |
hands of the government. there was n
greater supply of foodstuffs in this coun-
try on June of this year than at the
same date last year. In the combined to-
tai or q number of the most important
FOODS in dry and cold storage the excess
Is quite 10 per cent. And yet prices have
risen.
Law Department Active.
Inc attorney general has been making
careful study of the situation as a
whole and of the laws that can be ap-
phed TO better 1t and is convinced that
under the stimulation and temptation OF
exceptional circumstances. combinations
OF producers and combinations of traders
nave been formed for the control of sun
plies and of prices which are clearly in
restraint of trade. and against these pros
ecutions will be promptly instituted and
actively pushed which will in all liken-
nood nave prompt corrective effect
mere Is reason to believe that the prices
d leather, of coal of lumber and of tex
lies have been materially affected by
,orms of concert and cooperation among
he producers and marketers of these and
'tner universally necessary commodities
"hich 1t Will be possible to redress No
or energetic effort will be
spared to accomplish this necessary re-
'ult | trust that there will not be many
"SVs ia WHICH prosecution VIII be neces- |
AIRY Public action will no doubt cause
many who have perhaps unwittinelv
'dopted Illegal methods to abandon them
promptly and of their own motion.
Inc department of commerce. the
apartment OF agriculture the depart |
nent of labor and the federal trade
ommission can do great deal toward
Implying the public systematically
nd at short intervals, with informa-
ion regarding the actual supply Of
articular commodities that is in ex-
stence and available with regard to
upplies which are in existence but NOT
With regard to the methods of price fix
ng which are being used by dealers in
ertan foodstuffs and other necessities
Retailers in Part to Blame.
There can be little doubt that ret,tI
RS are in part--sometimes in large
art--responsible for exorbitant prices.
nd 1t is quite practicable for the gov
rnment through the agencies I have
ientioned, to supply the public with !
nll information as to the prices ut
Thich retailers buy and as to the costs
transportation they pay in order {
nat IT may be known just what mar $
In or profit they are demanding. Opin- 9
IN and concerted action on the part of l
urchasers can probably do the rest 7
Let me urge. In the first place. that t
he present foodstuff control act should I
extended both as to the period of time :
1rlns which ii shall remain In operation |
M as to the commodities to which II d
nall apply
Its provision against boarding should no r
lade to apply not only to food but also .
teed stuffs. to fuel. TO clothing. and to a
ANY other commodities which are in :
sputably necessaries of life As II ! .
u tcl in, l