The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1919-08-05
errnent.

! eve are nearer war IN this world
today, I believe, than when the kaiser
threw down the gauntlet. Our law
makers are to blame, in my opinion,
because the masses of the people
would be behind them if they would
attempt to correct it and surely there
is power to correct it; but instead
they are playing politics, as some of
these labor organizations are playing
politics, and it is the same all down
the line"
Answering these questions Mr.. Lee
said he did not believe in giving any
one class advantages at the expenses
Of another, but said as long as pres
ent methods continue he believes in
everybody getting his share as nearly
as he can, until the final upheaval
comes, and in my opinion it is look
ing US in the face
He declined to suggest how prices
could be reduced, saying the country
was paying millions of dollars to the
men on the hill (capitoD who are
supposed to have all the brains in the
country" and they are not acting to
stop the increases.
81 am not red card man, but am
coming close to it, if this thing keeps
up," Mr.. Lee said.
Asked what would be his opinion
as to wage rates based on present
r.! .,,--,;;cc5, Il the price level should
recline materially, Mr.. Lee said he
did not feel justified in going into
the question, but asked:to be allowed
to tell Of his experiences in the re-
cent strike at Winnepeg, where he
said he found conservative home
owners, members of his organization
throwing away all they had gained in
25 years of membership and joining
the general strike because they were
told "to hell with all this: we can not
stand it any more. Come with us and
we will correct it,
Mr.. Lee said they could not make
contracts for the future, not know
ing what tomorrow would bring forth.
He declared he could not justify the
fact that wheat is $2.26 in the coun-
try and flour perhaps $14 barrel,
when flour made from the same
grade of grain sells in England for
$6.11.
81 want, if possible, to see some
plan devised here that will permit
somebody to say that beef, pork and
commodities of that kind can not go
above certain per cent? Mr.. Lee
said.
Mr.. Lee also expressed emphatic
disapproval Of "cost plus war con-
tracts by which he said owners of in
feribr factories had obtained fine
plants and big profits at the expense
of the tax payers.\ 1t was such things,
he declared, that caused the railroad
employees, faced by growing ex-
penses, to be willing to follow cred
flag or anything that comes along"
AS step toward breaking the high
prices, plans are being made by Sec
retary Baker, Postmaster General
Burleson and Representative Kelly of
Pennsylvania to sell through the par
eel post surplus army food stocks
valued at s124,00o,O00.
{ als who attended the attorn-
ey ge. leral's conference declined to
discuss what took palce.
Mr.. Palmer said the conference
was called chiefly for the purpose of
making survey of the situation, de-
veloping any information on which
the head of nations law enforcement
machinery might apt to curb profit
eering.
No Direct Law.
''It seems to be universal pastime
putting this thing up to the attor-
ney general" Mr.. Palmer said smil-
ingly. Gwen the governors have
taken to blaming this department for
existing price levels"
In response to questions MIR. Pal
mer admitted that there was no law
by which prices could be lowered di-
rectly but he declined to say whether
new legislation was needed to enable
the department to punish men who
may be guilty of profiteering.
"There is great deal of good law
on the statute books" the attorney
general declared.
When a course of action is decided
upon, the federal trade commission
is understood to be ready to supply