Evening journal., 1919-12-02

widespread condition OF political rest
/ lessncss OF our body polite. The
causes or this unrest, while various and
complicated. are superficial rather than
decp-seated. Broad y. they arise from
or are connected with The failure on
the part OF the government. 10 arrive
speedily at Just and permanent peace
permitting return 10 normal cond-
tions. from the TRANSMISSION OF radical
theories from seething European cen
ters pending such delay, from heart
less prOilteering resulting in the in
. crcaslng Of cost OF living, and lastly
from the Vaccinations Of passionate
and malevOlcnt agltatOrs. With the re-
turn % normal conditions this unrest
VIII rapidly disappear. In the mean
time 70 deOs much evil. 10 seems 90 be
that In dealing with this situation Con-
gross should not be impatient or dras-
tic, but should sccek rather to remove
the causes 70 should cndeayor 20 bring
our country back speedily 10 a peace
basis, with umCliOrated living cOndi-
tlons under the minimum OF reslric-
tlons upon personal liberty that IL con-
slstent with our reconstruction prob
lens. And Il should arm the Federal
government with power 20 dead In It's
criminal courts with those persons
Who, by violent methods. would abr0-
gate our time-tested Institutions With
/ the free expression OF opinion and
with The advocacy OF orderly political
change, however fundamental. there
, must be no interference, but towards
passion and maleyolence lending 20 in
cite crime and insurrectiOn under
Z guise Of political evolution there should
b be no leniency.
, Legislation 10 this end has been
! recommended by the Attorney General
. and should be enacted In direct con
! aectlon ! would call your attention TO
{ my recommendations on August 9,
pointing out legislative measures
, which would be effective i'm conlrOll-
) ing and bringing down the present cost
) Of living, which contributes 80 largely
q to this unrest. On only one OF these
{ recommendations has the \ Congress
D acted. II The governments campaign is
, 10 be effective it Is necessary that other
e steps suggested should be enacted at
{ once.
S Would Lower Food Costs.
IL renew and strongly urge the ne
s cessity OF the extension OF the present
e food control act 90 the period Of time
3D. in which 70 shall remain I'm operation.
S The attorney general has submitted a
b bin providing for an extension Of this
e net for a period OF six months. As II
y now stands, 10 IS limited in operation
I 30 the period Of the war and becomes
r. imperative upon the formal ? oclama-
tiOn Of peace. 10 is imperative that 10
should be extended at once. The De-
D partmcnt OF Justice has built up eX-
e tensiye machinery FOR the purpose OF
enforcing It's provisions, all Of which
must be abandoned upon The cOnclu-
sion OF peace unless the provisions OF
d this act are extended.
During this period the Congress viii
have an opportunity TO make similar,
permanent provisions and regulations
with regard 90 all goods destined for
interstate commerce and 10 exclude
them from interstate shipment II the
b requirements Of the law are not COM
- piled with. Some such regulation i
/ imperativeiy necessary. The abuses
that have grown up in the manipula-
tion Of prices by the Withholding OF
foodstuffs and other necessaries OF life
! cannot otherwise be effectively prevent
ed. There can be no doubt Of either
, the necessity OF the legitimacy Of such
b measures.
As pointed out In my last message
e publicity can accomplish q great deaI
in this campaign. The aims OF the gov
d ernment must be clearly brought TO tht
o attention OF the consuming public
Y civic organizations and State officials
+ who are in position TO lend their assist
e ance 10 our efforts. You have made
4 available funds with which 10 carry on
b this campaign but there Is no provision
r in the law authorizing their expendi-
Y ture for the purpose Of making the
s public fully Informed about the efforts
4 Of the government. Specific recOmmen-
datiOn has been made by the Attorney
General in this regard. / would strong
! ly urge upon you its immediate ad0p-
70 ton as it constitutes one Of the pre-
e liminary steps 90 this campaign.
e Would Price Tag storage Goods.
p Il also renew my recommendation
that Congress pass a law regulating
b cold storage as 70 is regulated, for ex-
D ample. by the laws Of the state Of New
b Jersey, which limits the time during
D which goods may be kept in storage
e | prescribe the method Of disposing OF
p them II kept beyond the permitted
e period. and require that goods releas
g ed from storage shall I'm all cases bear
Z the date Of their receipt. IL would
Z materially add 10 the service ability
Of the law for the purposes we now
:. have in view II 70 were ain prescribed
that all goods released from storage fol
interstate shipment should have plainl,
y marked upon each package the sellin.
q or market price at which they wen
. into storage. BY this means the pur
, chaser would always be able TO learr
h what profits stood between him and On,
n producer or the wholesale dealers.
: u would also renew my recommen
e dation that all goods destined for in
5 terstate commerce should In every cas-
where their form or package make 4
= possible be plainly marked with tht
o price at which they left the hands o.
z the producers.
i We should formulate a law requir
r ing a Federal license OF all corpora
o tons engaged in interstate commerce
4. and embodylng in the license or II
G the conditions upon which 10 Is TO b
IS issued specific regulations designed 4
n secure competitive selling and pre-
K vent unconscionable profits in ih
l. method OF marketing Such a Law
e would afford a welcome opportunity O
y effect other much needed reforms Il
j. the business OF interstate shipment an,
d in the methods Of corporations whicl
l. are engaged in 10; hut for the momen
/.