The daily star-mirror. (Moscow, Idaho) 1911-1939, 1922-08-12
CONGRESS RESUMES
FRENCH GOES EAST
CONGRESSMAN GIVES VIEWS ON
STRIKE SITUATION AND
PENDING LEGISLATION

The unexpected cOnvening of the
House Of Representatives made it
necessary for Representative Burton
l.. French to leave today for Wash
1ngton. The cOnvening of the full
congress at this time, which fs some
what two weeks ahead of the time it
had been expected, the house could
take up the tariff bill, is occasioned
by the coal mine and railroad strikes.
Before leaving for Washington, Mr..
French said:
"The convening of the house at this
time is on account of the strikes in
the coal and railroad industries,
though l am still very hopeful that
amicable adjustments of both strikes
may be accomplished, without the nee
essity of any dractis action on the
part of the government In fact
believe in both industries the trend
at this time is toward peaceable ad-
justment
Government Ownership Dangerous
Zone Of the means urged of adjust
ing both strikes is through the govern
ment taking over ownership Or control
of the industries. I am very frank
to say that this would be about the
last alternative that ought to be con-
-ernment ownership or management
may sound well, but my observation
touching the actual experience of the
government is that it is one OF the
most costly propositions that could
be contemplated for the American
people. Over and over, there is point
ed out the success of the postal sys
tenn, and yet we should remember
that the railway industry, for instance,
Involves expenditures vastly beyond
anything contemplated under the pos
tai service. ou mail a letter at Mos
cow to Pullman or Lewiston and it
costs you two cents; it costs you the
same for mailing letter to New York.
This principle is doubtless all right
as applied to letters, yet it would not
work at all economically as applied to
railroads, though undoubtedly there
would be tremendous pressure to bring
about just such results 1t might not
take the form of such results in the
actual hauling of freight from point
like Moscow to New ork, as it would
seen this would be too absurd, but it
would take the turn of extrayagant
favOritism IN the construction OF and
operation of railroads in places where
there could be no possible justifica-
ton for the existence of a railroad.
/ have seen this principle applied time
and again in various government ac
tivities. Even in the early days of
reclamation, two or three projects
were undertaken that had no justifica-
ton, just because Of the opportunities
of delegations in congress and local
business organizations. Again today
one of the reasons why the shipping
10 AMI ov-io m
fleet under such heavy loss is because
under the law it is not being operated
altogether on economic lines. For in
stance, arbitrarily the law provides
that certain zones or ports shall be
recognized as ports of entry. 1t makes
no difference whether such ports are
justifiable as ports of entry; it makes
no difference whether the government
Is losing hundreds of thousands of
dollars, the zones must be recognized
and necessarily zones of entrance to
the markets of the United State main
tanned that could not be defended
upon economic basis. Furthermore, in
practically all government manage
ment there is such extravaganza in
expenditure of money that as applied
to the railroad business would pile up
billions of dollars in expense that
would need to be met by taxation or
by enormously increased freight and
passenger rates. Hence, I say govern |
ment ownership or immediate manage
ment is most undesirable
Sees Tariff Amendments
On the tariff question Mr.. French |
believes that the senate will have
concluded it's work by about the first
of September, and that the measure
will then be thrown into conference.
Mr.. French groups the essential
amendments Of the senate under three
heads. First, an amendment providing
for administrative adjustment of tar
iff schedules within limitations to
meet changing conditions from month
to month. Second, the foreign valu-
alton of commodities imported instead
Of American valuation of such COM
modities. Third, increases in the rates
Of duty on imported articles generally.
Mr. French in speaking of these
said that as regards the
first one touching administrative dis
cretion, he believes in it absolutely
and that it should receive the prompt
approval OF the house. As for tie
second and third amendments he be-
lieves they are unsound. In the mat
ter of increasing rates, the increases
In the rates are in large part the re- ;
suit of change in the plan Of valu-
alton. If the American valuation plan
we're adhered to, there would not need !
70 be an increase in the valuations ex-
:epting touching items where the
house may not have provided the ade-
luate rate. These two features will :
1eed to be worked out through con- :
erence between the two houses. :
Mr. French does not look for ary ac- :
ion on other pending legislation pri- :
u to the convening Of the congress in
December. If the strike questions
hall be determined speedily he be- ]
ieves that the congress will be able ]
o dispose of the tariff question and
adjourn the latter part Of September
,r in early October. OF course, if the {
'trike questions do not yield readily.