The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1921-10-15

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ment."
At the request Of the President, the
Federal Trade Commission made ex-
ploitation of the consuming public. The
commission, in it's report to the Pres:-
dent, states that it finds five principal
causes for this condition:
| (D. "The excessive price of many
/ basic commodities, prominent among
! whichis coal, which vitality affects the
| cost Of other commodities, to say moth
ing upon the effect upon the health and
comfort and upon the cost of living
and the buying power of the people,"
(2). "The existence of typical cor
porate monopolies, and agreements In
violation of the antitrust laws.'
(3). "Open price associations, in
! many cases not yet challenged by law
~. Interference with the chan
nels of trade by disturbers' trade asso-
Citations, :. :. :. while shutting out
new dealers seeking to sell at lower
| prices, and especially cooperative pur-
chasing and distributing organizations
Of consumers.
(5) Monopolistic control Of i'm
portations from foreign countries.''
Here is definite and dependable
statement of how both the farmer pro-
ducers and the city consumers are be-
ing bled white by the monoplists and
middlemen who control "the channels
Of trade.''
The Federal Trade Commission fol-
lows with equally definite recommen-
dations as to how this exploitation can
be terminated.
1t asks power to obtain and publish
information as to production costs and
profits Of industries affecting the neces-
stiles of life, shelter, clothing, food and
fuel.
1t wants prosecution of the monopo-
listic profiteers under the antitrust
laws.
1t calls for the elimination of gam
bling in Futures and other "unnec-
essary reconsignement and brokerage
operations.''
1t recommends "protection of the
farmer against the more closely organ
lied elements with which he deals'' by
the extension of liberal federal ASSIST
ance, especially in securing suitable To-
cal markets and proper storage facili.
ties.
Finally, the Trade Commission urges
positive encouragement Of co-opera,
tive associations Of agricultural pro.
ducers' and cooperative consumers
organizations.
Summarizing, the Trade Commission
says: "The cost of living must come
down as prerequisite to normal bust
ness. .. The first object should
be to increase rather than lessen the
purchasing power Of the consumer, This
will afford an immediate and double
relief to the agricultural producers.
Regardless of party politics, both
consumers and farmer producers-and
that includes all of us-have a right to
demand the reason why neither the
President nor Congress has acted on
these able recommendations. Govern.
ment figures show that prices and
profits are increasing, while wage
workers and farmers are being so badly
deflated' that they cannot maintain
a decent standard of living In fact,
instead of aiding the Trade Commission
IN bringing relief to the people, the
executive, the courts, and Congress
have rebuffed it, handicapped it, and
limited its power.
The department Of justice has failed
to bring to book the monopolistic vio-
lators Of the antitrust laws. The
courts have granted an Injunction to
the National Coal association and the
steel trust preventing the Trade CON-
mission from investigating their nro.
duct'on costs and profits. And con.
gress has not only failed to give the
Trade commission the necessary power
requested, but actually enacted the
Pseudo-packer-control bill with pro.
vision, alleged to have been drafted bv.
the attorney of the meat trust, DESTROY.
ing the power Of the Trade Commission
TO deal with law violations by the big
packers.
Ihere is only one thing left for the
people to do. They need not wait unt;,
their elected representatives decide n
punish the powerful profitecrs who
prey upon them. Nor need thew stand
stlll expecting any "positive encour-
agement' from Washington in the or.
ganization of producers and consum.
ers cooperative associations. But thew
can proceed now, without this enconr.
agement to root out the profiteers and
reduce their cost Of living.
Following the recommendo4;o, ~ 49,