Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1920-05-15
HOOVER PREDICTS
SUGAR SHORTAGE
FOR THREE YEARS
Pressing Need at Present
Is Rationing and
Control.
DECLARES OPEN SHOP
PRINCIPLE OF FREEDOM
Dcnounces All Forms of Legal
Repression in Settling
Labor Disputes.
DEGREES COURSE OF PALMER
Says Attorncy-GcncraI Took Wrong
Turn la the Food
Situation.
DECLARES OPEN SHOP
PRINCIPLE OF FREEDOM
DEGREES COURSE Of rAL,rEI,
Says Attorncy-GcncrnI Took Wrong
Turn la the Food
Situation.
LEY As.ocln,cl prc.A1

WASHINGTON. May li.--IIcrbcrt
Hoover. former food administrators,
and candidate for the Republican
nomination for President. gave his
views TO Congress today on the su-
gar and Industrial situations.
Appearing before House commit /
toe investigating the sugar situation.
Mir. Hoover declared that the world
shortage OF the product WAS likely
20 continue two or three years. The
pressing need was rationing. lie said.
with Immediate government action
20 control the supply through com.
mcrciai. not lcgaIistic. methods.
Although the hearing related pr!-
mari!y to the action OF At;orncy-Gcn-
cral Palmer In approving u maximum
price for the Louisiana crop. IL
reached out Into a broader nold after
Mr.. Hoover said he could give only
an off hand" opinion as TO that pro-
cccding. Mr. Hoover said. however.
that the government shou:a have
bought the Louisiana crop last year.
pockc,!ng the loss or elise Collin; 10
the luxury trade nt AN advance
Agninst LcEni Action on Labor.
Earlier in the day Mr.. Hoover. who
was member OF President Wilson'S
second industrial conference, told the
Senate Labor Committee he did not
believe that tho relationship between
employers and employees could bc
settled by any form of legal rcprcs-
sion. whether II be by Injunction. com. {.
ruisofy arbitration or industrial
courts.
Fundamentally he declared. "all
such efforts lead inevitably to the uge
OF jaiis AK n solution Tor disputes as
10 respective participation of labor
and capital in industriaT rrofits. and
proceeds swiftly toward compulsory
lnbor or compulsory wages. or martyr
dom"
lie said labor unquestionabIy had
been affected by reports Of the exces
sive prohts OF some employers. al
though lie was emphatic in asserting
that unlike Europe, the United states
had not been threatened by any at
tempt by labor leaders to use the
strike as 4 political weapon
Fn,ors Open shop.
The principle OF individual rrcc
dom requires the open shop" Mr..
Hoover added.
He heartily approved the plan OF
the conference for voluntary settle
ment OF labor troubles through CO.
K operative agreement
1T avoids tho pitfalls" he said. ITO
my mind it is the best and only step
TO be taken until The whole broad
question between employer and en-
ployc has developed" /.
While large audience heard Mr.
Iioover's views before both commit
tees, the greatest interest was dis
played by crowds that sought en-
lightenmcnt on the shortage and
high price of sugar. with its result
ant tax on the family pocke tbook.
Answering multitude OF questions
bearing on the Louisiana crop aad
price situation, Mr.. Hoover OK
plained that he had no know!edg. OF
his own On the subject but thar I;
influenced cuban producers to :tin.-
maze prices, and thar. except :ur T..
The rise in prices would have L..cn
less rapid.
DisnErees with Palmer.
Mr.. Hoover frankly disagreed WIZ,
re policy adopted by the at,,-c.,r
general, saying that II he had becn
IN the lattcr's place he "ce:ta;nlv
would not nave attempted sue, an
operation" Prices never could ~.
fixed by threats of Jail. he I'D. add
ing that the proper course was
through commercial process
In making reply to members who
wanted to know what should have
been done to keep the present high
sugar cost off the people. Mr. Hoover
reiterated that the government
should have bought the Cuban crop.
as well as the Louisiana crop. and
tnat even now there was n chance to
help by limiting the supply TO non
essential industries. In this con-
nection. he told the committee that
prohibition had stimulated the use
OF sugar in manufacturing of sweet
drinks. and thus had added to the
drain on stocks needed for home
consumption.
furchase Of the Cuban crop with
OUT continued government control
throush the Sugar Eqallzation Board
wouu nave been impractical, said
MT. hoover. who added that con-
,ihuation OF tho life OF the board
haa oeen urged upon government Of
hciais. Cuban planters were nh
solved from any endorsement OF
price advances. Mr.. Hoover explain-
ing that this created speculativc ac-
tion' which was regarded by tho in
dustry as disastrous.