Cleveland County herald., 1919-08-14

paCllN, our economic processes are ln- | extrcably interwoven with those of
 other nations and peoples--most inti- 1 mately of all with the nations and peo- | ples upon whom the chief burden and
 confusion Of the war fell and who
 are now most dependent upon the CO., | operative action of the world.
 Exports Greatest in History.
 We are Just now shipping more goods
 out of our ports to foreign markets than
 we ever shipped before-not foodstuffs merely, but stHffs and materials of every l sort but this is no index of what our
 foreign sales will continue 10 be or of l the effect the volume of our exports will have on supplies and prices. II is l impossible yet to predict how far or | how long foreign purchasers will be l able to find the money or the credit to | pay for or sustain such purchases on l such a scale, how soon or to what extent l foreign manufacturers can resume their
 former production, foreign farmers get 1 their accustomed crops from their own l helds foreign mines resume their former | output foreign merchants set up again | their old machinery of trade with the ends of the earth. All these things must
 remain uncertain until peace is estab- lished and the nations of the world have concerted the methods by which normal life and industry to be restored All that we shall do in the mean l time to restrain profiteering and put | the life of our people upon tolerable | footing will be makeshift and provi sional. There can be no settled condi-
 tion here or elsewhere until the treaty of peace is out of the way and the work of liquidating the war has be- come the chief concern of our govern ment and of the other governments of the world. Until then business will inevitably remain speculative and sway now this way and again that, with heavy losses or heavy gains, as it may chance, and the consumer must take care of both the gains and the losses. There can be nc peace prices so long as our whole financial and economic sys- tenn is a war basis.
 Europe Must Know Situation.
 Europe will not. cannot recoup her capital or put her restless. distra cted peoples to work until she knows exact ly where she stands in respect to peace; and what we will do is for her the chief question upon which her qui- etude of mind and confidence of pur- pose depends. While there is any pos ability that the peace terms may be changed or may be held long in abey- ance, or may not be enforced because of divisions of opinion among the pow CTS associated against Germany, it is idle to look for permanent relief.
 folntS out HreSent Duty.
 But what we can do we should do, and should do at once. And there is a great deal that we can do, provision al though it be. Wheat shipments and credits to facilitate the purchase of our wheat can and will be limited and con trolled in such a way as not to raise but rather to lower the price of flour here. The government has the power, within certain limits. to regulate that. We cannot deny wheat to foreign peo- ples who are in dire need of it. and we do not wish to do so; but fortunately. though the wheat crop is not what we hoped it would be. it Is abundant If handled with provident care The price of wheat is lower in the United States than In Europe. and with proper management can be kept so.
 immediate Relief Measures.
 By way of immediate relief, surplus stocks of both food and clothing in the hands of the government will be sold and of course sold at prices at which there is no profit. And by way of a more per manent correction of prices surplus stocks in private hands will be drawn out of storage and put upon the market. For tunately under the terms of the food-eon- trol act the hoarding of foodstuffs can be checked and prevented, and they Hill
 
 can be drawn out of storage and sold by legal action which the department of justice will institute wherever necessary; but as soon as the situation Is systemati ti- cally dealt with it is not likely that the courts will often have to be resorted to- Much of the accumulating of stocks has no doubt been due to the sort of specu- lation which always results from uncer- tainty. Great surpluses were acculnu- lated because it was impossible to foresee what the market would disclose and deal CTS were determined to be ready for whatever might happen, as well as eager to reap the full advantage of rising prices. They will now see the disadvan- tage, as we'll as the danger, of holding off from the new process of distribution.
 Significant Facts Quoted.
 Some very interesting and significant facts with regard to stocks on hand and the rise of prices in the face of abund- ance have been disclosed by the inquiries of the department of agriculture, the de partment of labor and the federal trade commission.
 They seem to justify the statement that in the case of many necessary commod- ties effective means have been found to prevent the normal operation of the law of supply and demand.
 It would serve as a useful example to the other communities Of this country, as well as greatly relieve local distress if the congress were to regulate all such mat ters very fully for the District of Colum- bia. where its legislative authority is without limit.
 Would Have Prices Plainly Marked.
 1 would also recommend that it be required that all goods destined for iu- terstate commerce should in every case where their form or package makes it possible be plainly marked with the price at which they left the hands of the producer. Such a requirement would bear a close analogy to certain of the pure food act, by which it is required that certain detailed in formation be given on the labels of packa ges of foods and drugs.
 And it does not seem to that we could eonfine ourselves to detailed measures of this kind if it is indeed our purpose to assume national control of the processes of distribution. l take it for granted that that is our purpose and our duty. Nothing less will suffice. We need not hesitate to handle a national question in f na- tional way. We should go beyoSd the measures have suggested. We Should formulate a law requiring a federal