Republican farmer., 1919-12-05

should endeavor to bring our country
 back speedilyfto a peace basis, with ameliorated living conditions under
 the minimum of restrictions upon
 personal liberty that is consistent with our reconstruction problems.
 And it should arm the federal gov.
 ernment with power to deal in it's
 criminal courts with those persons who, by violent methods, would abro- gate our time-tested institutions. With
 the free expression of opinion and with the advocacy of orderly politica. change, however fundamental, there must be no interference, but towards
 passion and malevoIence tending to incite crime and insurrection under
 guise of political evolution there
 should be no leniency.
 Legislation to this end has been recommended by the attorney-gene and should be enacted In this direct connection, I would call your atten- tion to my recommendati tions on Aug.
 Sth, pointing out legislative meas ures which would be effective in con- trolling and bringing down the pres ent cost of living, which contributes so largely to this unrest. On only one
 of these recommendations has the Congress acted. If the governments
  sary that the other steps suggested should be acted on at once.
 I renew and strongly urge the ne- cessity of the extension of the present food control act as to the period of
 time in which it shall remain in op- eration. The attorney general has submitted a bill providing for an eX-
 tension of this act for a period of six
 months As it now stands it is linn tied in operation to the period of the
 war and becomes imperative upon the
 formal proclamation of peace. It is imperative that it should be extended at once. The Department of Justice has built up extensive machinery for the purpose of enforcing it's provi- siOns; all of which must be abandon ed upon the conclusion of peace un-
 less the provisions of this act are ex-
 tended.
 During this period the congress will have an opportunity to make sim
 liar, permanent provisions and regu- lations with regard to all goods des- tined for interstate commerce and to exclude them from interstate ship ment if the requirements of the law are not compiled with. Some such
 regulation is imperatively necessary. The abuses that have grown up in the manipulation of prices by the withholding of foodstuffs and other necessaries of life cannot otherwise be effectively prevented. There can be no doubt of either the necessity or the legitimacy of such measures.
 As l pointed out in my last ,ues- sage, publicity can accomplish a great deal in this campaign. The aims of the government must be ! lsl1x, the consuming public, civic organiza- tions and state officials, who are in a position to lend their assistance to our efforts. You have made avail able funds with which to carry on this campaign, but t.lere is no provi- sion in the law authorizing their eX- penditure for the purpose of mak- ing the public fully informed about the efforts of the government. Speci- fife recommendation has been by the attorney general in this regard. would strongly urge upon you it's inn mediate adoption, as it constitutes one of the preliminary steps to this cam paign.
 I also renew my recommendation | that the congress pass a law regulat- ] ing cold storage as it is regulated, for example, by the laws of the state of l -NeW UcISGN, WHICH L4lflll the IlIllG uuT- 1 ing which goods may be kept in stor- l age, prescribe the method of dispos- 1 ing of them if kept beyond the per
 mitted period, and require that goods l released from storage shall in all l cases bear the date of their receipt. i It would materially add to the ser vicea bility of the law, for the purpose i we now have in view, if it were also
 prescribed that all good released from | storage for interstate shipment should 1 have plainly marked upon each pack l age the selling or market price at
 which they went into storage. By this 1 means the purchaser would always be
 able to learn what profits stood be- 1 tween him and the producer or the 1 wholesale dealer.
 l would also renew my recom- 1 mendation that all goods destined for ! interstate commerce should in every 1 case, where their form or package
 makes it possible, be plainly marked
 with the price at which they left the | hands of the producer.
 | We should formulate law re- l quiring a federal license of all cor | porations engaged in interstate com ] merce and embodying in the license, i or in the conditions under which it is ! to be issued, specific regulations de- 1 signed to secure competitive selling ! and prevent unconscionabIe profits in i the method of marketing.
 | Such a law would afford a welcome 1 opportunity to effect other much | needed reforms in the business of in | terstate shipment and in the methods l of corporations which are engaged 1 in it; but for the moment I confine 1 my recommendation to the object 1 immediately in hand, which is to | lower the cost of living.
 I No one who has observed the march | of events in the last year can fail l to note the absolute need of a deff- 1 nite program to bring about an i'm provement in the conditions of labor 1 There can be no settled conditions i leading to increased production and | reduction in the cost of living if la | Dor and capital are to be antagonists 1 instead of partners.
 ] Sound thinking and an honest desire | to serve the interests of the whole
 nations as distinguished from the in terests of a class, must be applied to the solution of this great and press ing problem. The failure of other
 nations to consider this matter in vigorous way has produced bitterness
 and jealousies, the food of radicalisn. The only way to keep men from