Evening star., 1921-06-26
BY G. GOULD LINCOLN.

duStry and the expected pas
sage by the Senate of the Frelinghuysen
bills to stabilize the coal industry marx
a new milestone in the progress OF the
federal government in its fathery
attitude toward the people OF the
United States. Incidentally. members
of Congress who are opposed to gov
ernment in business, and to the gov
ernment's entering into private acti'-
tiles of the people. are asking "here
is all this government regulation ana
aid going to end.
The purposes of government pri-
marily are to preserve order 10 see
that the laws are enforced ana 10
protect the people. 1t was not 50
long ago that the measure of pro-
lection by government lay in the
armies and navies maintained to de-
feat any other nation or nations
that might attack the country.
But the government has gone 1ar
afield since that time. 1t has taken
on SO many extra-governmental func-
tions that it would require a volume
to list them. For instance, through
the public health service the govern
rnent looks after the health OF the
peon,e: through the postal service 1t
sees that communication among the
people is kept open; through the IN
ferstate commerce act and the inter-
state Commerce Commission it reg
ulates the transportation charges;
through the prohibition law it regu-
lates the appetites and the morals
of the country. These are Just a rev
of the most important governmental
activities.
Through the Department OF Agrl-
culture the government has done a
great deal to aid the farmers, through
education and advice. More than thls'
il has developed a comprehensive
scheme of crops reports and estimates
that give the people, the farmers ana
tho merchants a comparatively ac-
curate knowledge of what to expect
in the way of food products In any
one season. This has been OF IN
estimable value.
Proposed to Extend Inquiries.
And now it is proposed to do for
other basic industries OF the country
what has been done for the farmers
in the matter of collecting agricui-
tural statistics. Under the leadership
Of Secretary Hoover of the Depart
ment of Commerce, 1t IS pfoposeo
that that department of the govern
r,ent shall collate and publish SINH
lar statistics regarding the produc-
tion Of the industries of the country,
"a
public
Take the coal industry, for instance
which the F'relinghuysen bills oeai
with. 1t is argued that ii the peo-
nle had been fully informed as to
the production of coal. the amount on
on hand, etc, there would not nave
been the buyers panic last year that
resulted in forcing prices of coal to
SIS and even to $50 a ton. The buyers
would not have rushed into the spot
market offering all kinds OF prices
for coal.
But it is not proposed to stop with
coal. There is steel. another great
basic industry; and lumber. OIL cop
mar etc. There is the clothing in
dustry, and the meat-packing indus
try.
With the widest publicity regard
ing production of the necessities, it
Is believed that speculation in busi-
ness gradually will be reduced to a
minimum, and that business will have
TO be conducted upon a more stable
basis.
Men engaged in business are by no
means a unit in supporting such a
plan. They see their opportunity for
large profits vanishing with toe great
publicity. For instance, the coal
operators and merchants have pro-
tested vigorously against the FIRE.
linghuysen bills. and Senator Fre-
linghuysen charged on the floor OF
the Senate that some of them desired
to see unstable conditions continued
SO that their opportunities for undue
profits might be maintained. The
fight which the meat packers made
against the so-called packer bill, with
its provisions for full publicity re-
garding the meat packing business,
In 4 matter of such recent history
tnat it need hardly be referred to.
Government May Go Farther.
dertaking to guide and aid the people
in other activities beside the busi-
ness of accumulating dollars and
cents in farming and other forms of
industry, and the proposals contained
in legislation pending in Congress
indicate that the government is ex-
pected to go much farther even than
it has already gone. For instance,
there is the so-called maternity bill,
under which the government under
takes to contribute money, in cooper
alton with the states, to aid in the
proper instruction of mothers and
future mothers in the care OF their
children. The measure has the back
ing of many of the women OF the
country 1t passed the Senate at
last session of Congress, but failed
10 be acted upon in the House. 1t is
now knocking at the door for an
other hearing in the Senate.
In this connection may be men
toned the so-called Fess amendment
to the Smith Hughes vocational edu-
cational act to increase the amount
which may be used teaching home
economics to the women and girls OF
the country called upon to make and
care for homes in this country. I'm
der the Smith-Hughes act, which has
been in operation since 1917, the fed
eral government contributes money
which is covered by an equal sum in