Evening star., 1921-03-11
Editorial Digest
The End of the Lever Act.

1ue GUQ Oh Cue AetcI ACt'
The stamp of "unconstitutionality'
placed upon the Lever act, originally
designed to protect the public from
war time profiteering. remains un-
questioned as to it's validity by the
American newspapers, but there is
large number of writers who feel
that the people will suffer when even
this false bulwark is removed. Con-
ceding that it was "a bluff' that
worked to some extent at least dur
ing war time, fear is expressed by
some that now that it has been call
ed" the profiteer will be encouraged.
There are those. of course. VINO thlhk
that the illegal law" is better out
of the way and the stimulus "hich
its removal has given business VIII
more than make up for the escape Oh
a few offenders.
The Portland Oregonian Gndepend-
ent republican, takes practical
view of the matter. Although 1T now
turns out that the Lever act was d
gigantic bluff in the sense that 1t hao
no support either in Constltutioh OF
law" it nevertheless worked ot
cause it was backed by the uniteu,
The New York Post Gndependen)
finds it unfortunate" that the de-
cision had to be made which permit
ted notification 'of hundreds OF
prosecutions and admits that IL is
lesson on the way not to drait Id"
The Boston Transcript. Gndepend-
ent republican, likewise agrees WIN
the soundness of the Supreme Courts
ruling but also feels that the law
G
Commercial independently, too, con-
siders that ait checked the greed or
the profiteer and the labor leaoer.
That the results of the act IN prac-
tice fell far short of the necessities
of the situation" the Baltimore Sun
(independent democratic) believes.
but grants that they had "a great
psychological effect.
Saws the Fort Worth 'Star-Telegram
'Gndependent democratic): the de-
cision of the Supreme Court puts an
end TO the intolerable interference in
business which has been practiced
under the Lever act. Not only was II
intolerable in time of peace, put ac-
,ually defeated. rather than served:
the purpose which it was lntenoeo
to serve
Probably no recent court decision.
tho Rrooklvn Eagle independent
democratic) believes, has done SO
much to settle business condlt1ons'
for, in the words of the Detroit r rec
Press independently it will place
uuietus on the activities OF some peo-
ple who have been trying to use the
I,aver act as an excuse for sticking
their fingers into things with "hlch
they have no concern
The Canton (Ohio) News (demo-
cratic) saws it "has repeatedly cues
toned the validity of law Wnich'
in peace times, should dictate to
dealer what he should charse iof
ANYTHING he had for sale.
In the opinion of the Pittsburgh Ga
zette-Tires (republican). the act was
Seizure of despotic power ny the
government of a democratic repup-
lie" assented to by the paople simply
.because the country was at war. and
they were willing to make any sacrl-
flee necessary to win.
However, another side to this phase
of the question is recognized by many
papers among them the Sioux CIV
Nowa) Journal (republican). which
erants that "the act was an interfer
ence with business" but continues.
."There is a point at which it becomes
the right and duty of the government
to interfere with business.
The st. Louis Star Gndependent)
suggests that now since the supreme
Court has CLEARED out some of the
trash" the peopIe can demand some.
thing constructive to take its place.
and the Fort wavne .Iournal-Gazette
fdemocratic) nredicts that sooner or
later there will be law in TINS coun-
try that will make it possible for or.
ganized society to protect itself
against exploitation" That this will
not be so easy of ACCOMPLISHMENT is
the fear of the Ohio State Journal
columbus republican,. which feels
that "the main thing the government
could do successfully to protect the
public to some degree against the
greedily powerful" would be negative
rather than positive. AS 1t is, the
abolition of the Lever act. the Hart
ford Times (democratic) regrets.
"leaves the country without any pro-
lection against price -gouging except
the little it NAV secure through the
antitrust act and conspiracy stat
ufes."
The moral" effect of the decision
Will he detrime ntal. the Birmingham
Aee-Herald independent democratic)
believes. for "it will give comfort to
unscrupulous firms and individuals"
and cit will strengthen the convic-
ton Of the proiteers' victims, who
constitute a considerable part of the
nations population. that their gov
ernment cannot prevent them from
being exploited" These Immediate
and lasting effects Of the ruling" the
Rochester Herald independently
thinks. will be profoundly harmful"