Carroll County democrat. (Huntingdon, Tenn.) 188?-1971, 1919-08-22

other nations ana neoples--inuaN AHtA
mately Of All with the nations and peo-
pies upon whom the chief burden ana
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 foodstuns
merely, but stuffs and materials OF every
sort. but this Is no index Of what our
foreign sales win continue to be or Of
the effect the volume Of our exports
win have on supplies and prices II y
impossible yet to predict how far or
how long foreign purchasers VIII Dc
able to find the money or the credit 70
pay for or sustain such purchases on
such scale; how soon or to what extent
foreign manufacturers can resume their
former production, foreign farmers get
their accustomed crops from their own
fields: 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 are to be restored,
All that we shall do in the mean
time to restrain prefiteerlng and put
! the life of our people upon tolerable
| footing will be makeshift and provi-
| sional There can be no settled condi-
| ton 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 off 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 II may
chance, and the consumer must take
care of both the gains and the losses
| There can be no peace prices so long as
our whole financial and economic sys-
tenn is on war basis.
Europe Must Know Situation.
Europe will not, cannot recoup her
capital or put her restless Distracted
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 quiz
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
ers associated against Germany, II Is
idle to look for permanent relief.
Points Out Present Duty.
But what we can do we should do,
hand should do at once. And there is
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 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-
pies who are in dire need of it, and we
dc not wish to do so; but fortunately,
though the wheat crop Is not what
we hoped it would be, 1t is abundant
II 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 oui
Of storage and put upon the market. For
tunately under the terms of the tood-con'
troll act the boarding of foodstuffs can
) be checked and prevented, and they viii
be, with the greatest energy Foodstuts
) can be drawn out of storage and sold by
legal action which the department Of
r Justice will institute wherever necessary
l but as soon as the situation is systemau
cally dealt with 1t is not likely that the
courts will often have to be resorted to
Much of the accommodating OF stocks ma!
no doubt been due to the sort OF specu
lation which always results from uncer
tainty Great SURPRISES were accumu
: lated because it was impossible to foreset
e what the market would disclose and deal
: eYs were determined to be ready fo
e whatever might happen as well as cage
I to reap the full advantage of risini
: prices. They will now see the disadvan
e tage. as we'll as the danger, of holdin!
off from the new process of distribution
Significant Facts Quoted.
: Some very interesting and -significan
facts with regard to stocks on hand ant
the rise Of prices in the face Of abund
ance have been disclosed by the inquire
= of the department Of agriculture, the de
= partment of labor and the federal trad
:, commission.
: They seem to justify the statementftha
= in the case of many necessary commodi
ties effective means have been found t
prevent the normal operation OF the LAY
of supply and demand.
h 1t would serve as a useful example I
1t the other communities of this country a
l. well as greatly relieve local distress If tn
v congress were to regulate all such mat
re ters very fully for the District OF Colun
e. ba, where it's legislative authority
h without limit.
'e Would Have Prices Plainly Marked.
n l would also recommend that 1t b
is required that all goods destined for in
I'd terstate commerce should in every cas-
Is where their form or package makes
possible be plainly marked with IN
at price at which they left the hands
ly the producer. Such a requiremer
We would bear close analogy to certal
i'd provisions of the pure food act by whic
S, it is required that certain detailed II
IN formation be given on the labels
IN packages of foods and drugs.
And it does not seem to me that "
II. could confine ourselves to detaile
n | measures of this kind, If 1t is indee
10 | mr. purpose to assume national centr'
w 81 the processes Of distribution.
I'D take it for granted that that is OF
ce purpose and our duty. Nothing LEI
or win suffice. We need not hesitate
al handle a national question in nj
OF tional way. We should go beyond u
II.