New-York tribune., 1920-05-08
Wood .Justifies
Complaints of
PrOfiteeriin.g. G.
Cost of Feeding Man in
Army Is Still Only 49
Cents a Day, He Asserts
in Speech Before Club
Control System Blamed
Laws Either Are Ineffective
or They Are Not Prop
crly Enforced, He Holds


General Leonard Wood, in an ad-
dress yesterday to the Four-b -Four
Club. 12O West Twenty third Street,
said Uncle Sam is still able to feed
man in the army very we'll at a cost
of 40 cents a day. Because of that
fact the general said there is no ques-
ton about the existence Of proiteer-
ing.
"Either the laws are ineffective, or
they are not properly enforced" he
declared.
About 500 men and women heard the
generals address. The club is an or
ganization of industrial workers.
Alice Mckay Kelly, who was in the
Philippines when General Wood was in
command there nearly twenty years
ago, introduced the general. On the
subject of prohteering he said:
"The cost of living is going up. The
people are keenly interested in finding
who is keeping US out of potatoes.
sugar and other necessities of life.
Either the laws are ineffective or they
are not properly enforced. There is
no question that profteering of food
stuffs is general in some sections of
the country. We are still able to feed
man in the army for 49 cents a day
very well. These figures are incon-
sistent with the prices which you
have to pay in civil life.
"Push forward business in every pos
sible way at home and abroad. We
built a number of ships during the
war; we need this shipping and we
should keep it under the American flag.
Build up q merchant marine.
No Time for Experiments
"This is no time for new expert
ments. We do not want executives
| overriding Congress or Congress over
riding executives. We need team work.
We must come to a peace standard as
soon as possible. Cut every unnec-
essary expense, eliminate every un-
necessary employee. Spread the war
burden over longer period of years.
We want to give our labor the fullest
employment, the best possible wage.
eve want a good, strong foreign
policy. In the words of Roose
vclt, Speak softly, but carry a big
stick We must protect our citizens
wherever they live, whether that
country be China or Mexico.
"Our military policy depends on
and efficient army. Not a big army,
but one large enough for the peace
needs of the nation and a small train
| ing force. We want good navy, but
not the biggest navy in the world.
The army | recommended was a very
small one; 225.0OO is the maximum,
100000 would be sufficient. We want
some kind of a training system. | think
we can safely depend upon the recon-
mendatons Of the ex-service men, es-
pecially the men of the American
Legion. We can safely trust those
men to build up a sound military pol
| icy.
II am strongly opposed to militarism,
but what we do need is a good, efficient
army of 100000.
Urges Protection for Labor
"Protect American labor against i'm
migration We want the right kind Of
American men and women who live
up TO our ideals.
The Red element is only danger
Gus because of our own Indifference.
An alien should not be deported un-
til he has received full, fair trial
"Thirty seven millions Of our people
work on a wage. Each of them has at
least two persons dependent upon him
or her, making 80,000,000 dependent
upon wages. When we speak of labor
we speak of large number of the
square deal. We do not want an au-
tocracy Of either wealth or labor, but
real democracy of both. We want
to establish a normal relationship be-
tween capital and labor. Absolute hon
esty on the part of labor means a full
days work for a good days wage.
Honesty on the part Of capital means
liberal wage.
eve have not sound public opn,
ION. The people in this country do not
realize that the coal strike in the West
was for shorter hours. Canada has a
good system. They make an investiga-
tion at once. board is appointed,
consisting of two from the government
and one from the public, and this COM
mlttec makes an investigation. This
committee reports it's findings, which
is published in every paper. This sys-
tenn enables you to build up sound pub
lie opinion. We should build up in
this country some machinery through
which we may be able to know the
truth.
Found the Workingman Square
Il have had great dea! of expert
ehce with labor disturbances in this
country in the last year. and | have
found that 95 per cent of American
labor is as square as a die and wants
to run straight.
We should look out for public edu-
cation. There are too many school
rooms vacant.
Now, l suppose you want to hear
something about the league of nations.
There can be no league of nations
which is not thoroughly Americanized.
America must be the judge when her
men are TO go to war.
DO not underestimate the women.
When the women take hold of politics
with their energy they are going to be
a power in the land. They are going
to be an unqualified influence for good
I'VE want to do everything to keep
up peaceful relations. We want TO
live in peace and harmony with all
the nations Of the earth, but we can
best do this by keeping ourselves ready
and strong"
General Wood, after sleeping at the
Harvard Club on Wednesday night,