New-York tribune., 1922-12-09
rswsrs bus wIlh 20 =

- Moe by surprise BY his Suggestions
,n ne railroad problem. A. a matter
fact the radicals 80 Tar are agreed
!. orlS two roints with reference 80
..lrnad legislation. One Is that
Ieiaht rates should be reduced and
la, Athcr. really a part cf The hrst,
..st the so.called guararty section Of
ae Fsch-Cummina law should be re-
Tbe Presldent made the point that
80 development Of good roads, By
rsrsferring 50 much short haul bust
- frorn the railroads. had cut into
a,ir eorninrs. he suggested that The
..od road system Ghould be utilized
a ferirs Of feeders Tor the rail-
al. rather than az great eompea-
NC system.
ireidentally the President rather
-reed with some of the campaign
eeches Of one Of the most virulent
.smbers OF The new radical bloc, Smith
irookhart. Of Iowa, IN urging that ,op-
ratin4 costs Of the railroads should De
iaced b. permitting mer@srs OF the
ires irto fystems and other economies.
,riudlng q facilitated interchange OF
eight cars. Senator Brookhart s
ne OF a very small minority IN tne
elicai block In favoring mergers IN
-der % cut costs. most Of the radicals
eorinr the continuance OF All the
smposition possible. The Presioent'
aorefore, is regarded as having struck
shrewd blow, whether Intentionally
~ not
: The radical bloc was also divided
athcr sharply BY the Presidents nat
astcmont that government ownerehip
r.r not the route 20 lower freiGht
-. having been demonstrated as an
sjcct failure during the sdministra..
on Of William G. McAdoo. Some ot
fc radicals are tremendously IN favor
if government ownership, others were
ssllusioned BY the failure during the
TAR.
Finds Labor Hostile
In urcinp that the rulings Of the
yailroad Labor Board, merged under
ac plan nc outlined to-day into the
G. c., should be made binding on
10Th labor and the railroad corpora
ons. the President runs up ageins,
.ao solid opposition Of the radical
ioe which IS determinedly set against
,svthine which would compel labor 70
,scopt an arbitration hnding. This
the more true because Of the demon
fration Of the power a. the polls Of
he railroad labor leaders, particularly
such states as Ohio, Indiana and
minnesota.
On the other hand. tho President
,fdcs with the labor leaders on the
question OF immigration. Far from ad-
coating letting down the bars, az
amy had thought he would, he sdvo-
ted close examination Of intending
l1migrants on the other side, and also
fi.tration Of aliens In this country,
eforo opening the gates from their
resent restricted angle.
The President showed himself fully
.9nversant with the discomfort Of the
rmers In the Middle and Northwest
q. Oeh played such havoc with the old
ne political crowd In the recent cleo
ors lie devoted n considerable por-
ON Of his message to the necessity
or relieving the farmers from their
resent financial distress.
sThat one-fouTth Of our population,
ts said, which produces the fooo OF
ie Republic and adds 80 largely 70
,ir export commerce, must participate
= TIE good fortunes Of the nation,
se there Is nothing worth retaining.
Agriculture, the President said, has
fe vicissitudcs which no legislation
.u prevent. but Congress can make
,..air-ffo 10 tho farmer "the financial
lcliities which have been built up
,,dsr government aid and supervision
'or other commercial and industriai
Tbe presldent praised what had
.aen donoi in this direction, telling
onrross that It's "measures OF fellei
"a fbo reduction Of the Federal re-
erye discount rate undoubtedly saved
e. country fro mwidespread disaster.
4. hen recommended that the Farm
osn Bureau, the usefulness OF which
.ss already been proven ~ the fea-
.rai land banks, might weli nave "
I0Wcrs enlarged 20 provide ample
arm production credit. rs wen ~ sn'
.rred land credits" He suggested
fvision In the Federal land banks 70
Loaf with production credits.
This the President intends as q
cans 20 prevent a recurrence OF the
rapedy this fall throughout the Middle
nd Northwest. The chief distress
las caused by the insistenee OF the
sanks on prompt payments By the
armers of crop moving loans. This
reulfcd I'm the farmers being com
,ellod 10 fling their entire crops on
bo market regardless Of pices, re-
.ardless of the supply Of freight cars
md regardiess Of the demand. II was
as fearful pressure which sent the
rice Of Data. potatoes, corn and wheat
I5,gn 10 below what the farmers figured
vas their cost Of production. II was
his tso hat led % the tremendous
fssatisfaction with present conditions
nat caused the radical sweep at the
lection. Lack Of freight cars, due
nrtly 10 the aftermath OF the coal
E,5ike. and partly 10 an actual short
&c aqd high freight rates. was blamed
sry largely by the farmers. II they
I'D been able 10 get the increased
.rcdifs the President Is now advoeat-
ffe tAany, & not all. Of these troubles
would have been eliminated.
Elastic Provision Helpful
The President spoke at some length
in one chase Of the new tariff bill. This
as the proviAo forced into the meas
iro by White House insistence giving
he President authority 20 readiust
4tes as developing conditions may re-
-uire.
oThe provision itself" he said, "ad-
its either the possible failibiiity Of
stes or their unsuitableness 10 chang
M conditions. believe that the
rant Of authority may be promptly
iftk discreetly exercised, ever mindful
t9sss.,a intent and purpose TO safeguard
sr1an industrial activity. snd at the
We time prevent the exploitation Of
l ~ American consumer and keep open
.se paths Of such liberal exchanges ss
ID not endAngor our own productivity"
The President insisted that there Is
=. desire for commercial aloofness.
pespite the comparative self-eontsin-
,sns OF this country, he pointed out IL
I..irnhlc 10 bnild tho foundation