The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1920-05-03
Shoe and Sugar Investigation

WASHINGTON d. C.-That there
can be no normality in production
until the world is at peace IS assert
ed in a letter Bernard NJ. Baruch,
former chairman of the War Indus
tries Board, has sent to senator
McNary, chairman of the special
Senate S ubcommittee investigating
conditions in the sugar and shoe IN
dustry.
Mr.. Baruch, a business man OF
wide experience, an economist and
student of conditions in this country
and aboard says in the light OF his
experience as chairman of the War
Industries Board that peacetlme sup
ervision and regulation of the shoe
and other industries by the govern
ment may be necessary. He discus
ses at length prevailing high prices,
and shows that they are partly due
to fear of a shortage, reduced pro-
duction and the eXtravagances of
the people.
Mr.. Baruch shows how high
prices are inevitably linked with the
prevailing conditions in the world.
Since this country is still technically
at war with Germany because of the
refusal of the Senate TO ratify the
peace treaty, the observations OF the
former chairman of the War Indus
tries Board are pertainent to con-
ditions at home and abroad.
In his letter to Senator McNary,
Mr.. Baruch says in part
Il do not see how normality in
production or distribution can come
until the world is at peace. And it
must be a firmly established peace.
Hundreds of thousands of men are
still in arms in Europe, facing one
another across boundaries that
should have been determined long
ago. They dare not drop their arms
and return to production for fear
they will be overrun by their neigh
bors. There will be no peace until
this is ended, no return to normality
and production. Think of how much
beet sugar could have been produc-
ed in Germany, Poland and Russia,
how many shoes they could have
made, how much coal they could
have dug. how much clothing they
could have made, how much hope
and optimism they could be giving
to the world instead Of the pessim-
ism and fears which come from de-
struction.
THE problem you have in hand is
what can be done to reduce the high
cost of shoes and clothing? The on
ly thing legal l know that can be
helpful, is to remove and illegal
barriers which make for a restricted
distribution of foods and clothing,
and the prevention of propa ganda
inh folS
state the scarcity of or impossibili-
ty of obtaining these things. The
people have become so alarmed by
what | think are unreliable state
ments, that they have been willing
to pay any price, l believe now that
the continuity of the thought of
scarcity has been broken. Another
helpful thing would be to get our
people to conserve and wear for
longer time their shoes and cloth
ing. The overall movement would
be valuable. 1t will teach people not
to be afraid of wearing clothes and
shoes that are somewhat worn, fray
ed or patched Old, patched clothes
are evidence of courage and self-es-
TEEN. If people would use their
shoes and clothing for ten or TWEEN
&per ceS,. more time, it would prac-
lily ineEasSS q sbs44s-z.aAOduntion nv ten
there are people who cannot extend
the usage of apparel because their
limited means have already forced
them to the limit. 1t is the people
of better means who should mike the
effort and set an example for econ
omy and self control. 1t is unfort-
innate that the spirit of sacrifice and
self denial so prominent during the
war, is not more in evidence now.
During the war, when we fixed the
prices of materials we also limited
the uses to which they could be put
/ do not know whether the people
of the country would be ready to
support a program of that kind.
In my opinion, the situation is
now correcting itself. 1t is unfort-
innate that we had to go through the
cruel rise in prices, much of which,
it seems to me, has been unnecessary
After all the law Of supply and de-
mand works all these problems out.
But the difficulty with that law like
the law Of the survival of the fittest
is that it works terrific hardships
upon those who cannot protect them
selves. 1t is the duty of the state
to protect the weak clements in it. !
If one fixes price, one has ito limit
the demand. But it is a curious
thing that there seems to be food and
clothing enough for all. Yet the
whole community is bidding one
against the other for the available