The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1921-06-06
BY DAVID LAWRENCE.

war. The cabinet at its Friday
meeting discussed what the govern
ment could do, but unfortunately
the. government cannot do much
more than guide certain currents
that may have an influence on the
situation. After all, it is the feel
ing Of the president that the big
industries will themselves find the
way out America, he thinks. will
recover from the shock of the Euro
pean war just as she did from the
Civil war-in a natural and or
derly way. 1t is the agricultural
situation, however, which causes
concern for while the big industries
can in a sense help themselves, the
farmer needs to be financed and
needs to have an export trade and
at the same time must be projected
In his home market. All these Diff
ferent desires are the basis for the
so-called agricultural block In con-
gress, composed of members Of
both parties, mostly from the west
and south, who are able to put
through congress practically any
measure of relief that the farmers
may want. And President Harding
Is unqueationably sympathetic with
the agricultural group.
Profits Inaccessible.
Meanwhile. the president himself
recognizes that the chief trouble
OF tho present moment in the Geo.
nomic situation 10 the fact that the
profits OF yesterday, out OF which
It might be possible for the Amer
lean business man TO recoup losses
Of today, are inaccessible. Large
portions Of those profits have been
paid into the treasury Of the Unit
ed States as income taxes and have
in turn been expended by the gov
ernment. We're it possible for the
business people OF America to
have paid taxes over q period OF
years rather than over q single
year as a unit, they would have
been better able to finance them
selves In the trying era Of recon-
sruction when goods bought at
steep prices must be sold below
cost to clean shelves and empty
warehouses for new supplies.
But this 10 impossible. The gov
efnment faces a condition and not
a hypothetical case, And Mr..
Harding realizes that the full
strength OF the electorate IL be-
ing exefted to make the administra-
ton move in this or that direction
70 a. to hasten q return to nor
maicy. 1t is fact that the Hard
ing administration has given more
time and thought to domestic prob
lens and particularly business re-
adjustment than anything else but
even the folks In the aAministra-
tion admit that the tide Of cifcum-
stances over which no one In the
government has control is almost
Irresistible,
Rates Should Dfop,
During the week President Hard
ing broke q precedent In order to
speed up one form Of relief for
American producers. By Implication
he suggested reductions in freight
rates to the Interstate commerce
commission and found upon inquiry
there that already the commission
was trying to work cut a program
of voluntary reduction by the car
riers of burdensoms rates, Inei-
dentally Mr. Harding seems to
think that tho days of herisaHtal
incReases or decreases in freight
rates are about over and that the
inequities of that system ought not
to be repeated in any revision Of
freight rates.
The farmers have been ciamer-
Ing fer an adjustment of freight
rates. The carriers have been re-
luctaat but the power Of the agri-
cultural elements Of the nation in
the Harding administration doomed
up as too great to resist and the
carriers are trying to work out a
program that will be least harmful
ta them.
Of course II there vesa q definite
tax program available, the air
would be cleared but congress is
having trouble enough with the
tariff, let alone a revenue bill, and
the prospects are not as bright as
they weFe for an early cleaning up
OF legislation affecting business.
The chances ara that Rext fall con-
greas viii still be here haranguing
about taxin or taxes, Everything
moves slowly in the esavalescent
period-even the wheals Of oon-
srses. The administration Is pre-
ceeding steadily but it would
brsathe much sasiar Il the peaaie
diant sxDsa % much af tho gev-
es1nent