The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1920-12-31
CONGRESS- CAN'T
HELP FARMERS
Official Washington Helpless to
Check Decline in Prices
of Commodities.
TALK or IMPORT EMBARGO
Secretary Houston Is Opposed to War
Finance Corporation Grant
ing Government
Loans.

Washington.-Leading members or
Congress, familiar with the operations
of the laws of commerce and the IN
creasing depressed business conditions
resulting from after-war trade ADJUST
ments, do not expect to see Congress
afford any relief to the farmers
through the operation of the war FIN
ance Corporation or the imposition OF
a temporary tariff on farm products.
lust agreed to by the Ways and Means
Committee.
These students of affairs are In
agreement with Secretary Houston,
who gave his opinion, in appearing De-
fore committees considering the reso-
luton to revive the War Finance Cor
ptration, that mo government can
check the operation of the law of trade
nov operating in all directions TO re'
duce the cost of commodities.
In the first place. it is pointed out
that President Wilson. if he accepts
the conclusion of Mr.. Houston, will not
approve the resolution restoring the
War Finance Corporation, which the
senate will be called upon to recon-
slider again because Of the amendments
made by the house. Even should the
President give way to the demand from
the farming sections Of the West ana
South, as Congress did. and SigL tne
resolution. Secretary Houston, insist
Ing rpon sound financing, may refuse
to t.ltend credits. Mr.. Houston Is firm
in his belief that the credits OF Europe
are absorbed and that tie government
cannot afford to enter upon an unw:se
policy, even though the emergency may
be urgent.
The law creating the War Finance
Corporation gives the corporation. OF
which the Secretar' Of the Treasury
is ex-oficio chairman, discretionary
powers regarding the granting OF gov
ernment loans. Should this corpora
ton be restored and money obtained
for it's activities 1t would be bound
under the law 20 satisfy itself that
loans made would be repaid and that
the government wcnd not suffer. 1t
went out of business md returned
1886, 100000 to the t easury because, In
the opinion of the treasury authorities,
further loans could not be safely ex-
tenCed Ind all those that actually re-
quested assistance to do sound business
abroad could get it from banks. II it
is restored the first problem will be to
get capital This can be done only by
an appropriation or by Issuing bonds,
both Of which would increase the
present pressing burdens upon the tax
payers in general.
The belief Is that it will never func-
ton; that the President will veto the
bill and that those seeking relief will
be forced to look forward to the doubt
full hope contained in the proposed tenn
porary tariff on farm products.
The enactment of tariff is no easy
task even with all the Country prom
ised protective duties. In the proposed
bill no prohibitive duty is imposed upon
manufactured products and thousands
of schedules are left untouched to DE
prote cted in the final tariff bill tn :
will be enacted sometime in the extra
session, to be called by President Hard
ing. AS soon as the bill fppears in
the house there will be Lemand for
protection oy other interests. There
will be an insister ce upon higher duties
- protect the dye industry, tungsten
concerns and thl pearl button industry
whic- grew up duling the war.
1t is tsEen for granted that the
manufacturers will then descend upon
the Senate Finance Committee and ask
for at least a temporary relief from
foreign competition. In the opinion OF
Republican senate leaders there wi.
be such flood-tide of demands as o
embarrass the writing of temporary
tariff. The expected result is that
there will be no piecemeal revision
such as is proposed by the Ways aid
Means ommittee.
The only relief that can come as q
temporary measure senate leaders say
Is the establishment of an embargo