Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1920-03-29
BolES, or STU ELEVENTH DIS
TRicT, HELPING FORMULATE
IMPORTANT LEGISLATION.
bNe MEASURE DESIGNED
TO CUT LIVING COSTS
Aims a. Control Of Monopoiies and
Regulation 81 Prcf;ts-committs
Also Making Inquiry Into Recent
Advances in Price Of GasoIsns-
Investigate High Cost Of Sugar.
IBy Z. G. Daugherty.l

Washington, March ga far
reaching bill to control monopolies
and the regulation of profits in busi-
ness has just been introduced in the
house by Representative Frears Of
Wisconsin. The measure is now be-
fore the house committee on
judiciary for action.
Judgea w. d. Boises, Of the
Eleventh Iowa district, who Is the
lone member Of the Hawkeye dele
CATION on this important committee,
is now studying the bill to ascertain
IL its provisions can be legislated
into law as means OF reducing the
high cost Of living.
Mr.. Boises was today appointed
member of a sub committee of five
members to the judiciary committee
TO tackle another item in the cost of
living-sugar. His committee is in
structed to proceed Immediately
with an investigation of the high
cost of sugar. to determine the
causes for the radical advances in
that commodity recently and to as
certain the authority, If any, the at
torney general mad in sending his
now famous telegram to the Louis
lana sugar growers to sell their crop
for II and is cents. The effect of
this governmental approved price
fixing on the market price Of sugar
is to be sought by the committee of
which Judge Bosses is a member.
Another price probe in which the
Eleventh district representative is
vitality interested in the resolution
jus, reported to the house INSTRUCT
ing the federal trade commission to
inquire into the recent advances in
the price of gasolene, fuel oil and
other coal products. This resolution
calls upon the commission to report
ito the house by June on the
reasons for the steady advance in
price of fuel oils.
The bill introduced by Representa-
tive F'rear was today referred to the
members of the lower house as the
most drastic and at the same time
strictly scientific law that has been
suggested. The substance Of the
measure is that 1t confers powers on
the federal trade commission to de-
termine. from evidence when a mon
opoly exists in any commodity neces-
sary for the comfort of human life
and fix maximum price at which
the commodity shall be sold. This is
to be done under the same operating
principle as that under which the
intrstate commerce, commission ]
proceeds in regulating railroad rates.
The federal trade commission isn't
to have power to estimate the values
properties, patents and methods.
including all tangible and intangible
values. If on complaint and after
investigation the commission shall
find that in any preceding year to
the time of the proceeding any per-
son, partnership or corporation shall
have made profit in excess of rs
per cent the commission may declare
such excess to be usurious and I'M
reasonable and notify the concern
that no license to continue business
will be issued to it except on terms |
that will reduce such profits.
Fair Price Bill.
Another measure in which an Iowa
representative is vitality interested is
the Rogers bill Ito protect the public
against fraud .'by prohibiting the
manufacture. sale or transportation
in Interstate commerce Of misbrand-
ed, misrepresented or falsely describ-
ed articles. Representative Burton
e. Sweet. of the Third Iowa district,
is member of the house committees
on interstate and foreign commerce
before which hearings are now in
progress on this bill, which is COM
monty called the fair price and
truthfully labeled fabric bill. Textile
manufacturers and the commercial
and Industrial interests Of the coun-
try are present giving testimony on
this bill. II it is enacted into law,
all wool goods will be marked plain
ly asN"all wool" and the other COM
modities will clearly be marked SO
that the purchaser may know exActly
what he is paying for.