The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1940-04-04
CAPITOL
.-NeZxS
CONGRESSMAN KnutSOn
Administration Wins

First blood was drawn by the
Administration in its fight for a
three-year extension of the Recip-
rocal Trade Agreement Act when
the Senate last Friday, by a vote
Of A to Al, turned down an amend
ment which would have required
Senate ratification for all future
trade treaties. Ere this letter ap-
pears in print the resolution ex-
tending the program for three
years will have been passed by
Congress and approved by the
President.
I am strongly opposed to the
present method of tariff making.
Granted, that the old system was
slow and cumbersome, it neverthe-
less gave all interested parties full
opportunity to be heard before
anything definite was done. Under
the new system there is no redress
for anyone who feels himself ag-
grieved.
The Treadway resolution to
create a special committee repre-
senting both the Congress and the
general public to formulate and
recommend to Congress a per-
manent tariff and general trade
program, to be administration by
an Independent government
agency, appeals to me. That would
be a continuing body that could
make adjustments in rates almost
over night. Under the existing
plan trade treaties are made for
three years, or until repudiated by
one or both of the contracting par
ties which, of course. ties our
hands for at least that length of
time. AS I have repeatedly pointed
out in former letters, when peace
has again been restored in Europe
and Asia and the millions of men
now under arms return to produc-
tive work our markets will again
be flooded with agricultural pro-
ducts just as was the case back in
1920, after the World War.
Well, What Then?
Station WCNY of New York, is
on the same wave length as WCCO
and is trying to take from the lat
ter some of its time, especially in
the evening. A hearing was held
by the Federal Communications
Commission last Friday. at which
Mayor LaGuardia of New York
City appeared in be half of his
station. During the course of the
proceedings he dramatically asked
What will happen if We go on the
air anyway without your permits
sion?"
Mavor LaGuardia is a LAWYER. At
the time of his admission to prac-
tice law he took an oath to support
the constitution and uphold the laws
of the land. He must realize that
he is setting a bad example when
he threatens to flaunt the law that
he swore to uphold. The Mayor
defines himself as a Progressive. :"
7 served with him in Congress. He
was originally elected in 1915 as
a Republican: later he was elected
as Socialist. and then he came
as a plain maverick without anv
label. He loves the dramatic and
he Is not always meticulous in his
methods.
We have some rights out in our
section of the country and lust
because WCNY happens to be in
the great city of New York does
not mean that they can ride rough
shod. LaGuardia or no LaGuardia,
over the rights that we in the
Northwest have. There Is alto
gether too much of this cheap
grandstanding on the part of some
public men these days but it seems
to make a big hit with a certain
type of our people. More is the
pity.
Would Tax Chain Stores
A House Ways and Means sub
committee last week began holding
hearings on the interstate chain
store tax bill. One of the first wit
nesses to appear in it's support was
former Governor Theodore Christ
hanson, now manager of the As
sociation of Retail Druggists. Mr..
Christianson made an excellent
statement, which showed great
care and thought in preparation.
He stressed the danger of mono
poly in our food supply, also the
possibility that once the chains Sc
cure full control Of the food mar
ket they could dictate the prices
maid by them for their merchan-
disc. can see merit to that con-
tention. Today the chains have 30
odd per cent Of the market They
have made rapid growth in re-
cent wears and the expansion con-
tinues.
asked Governor Christianson
II the independents would be sat
isfied with a law that would freeze
the present set-up as was done in
switzerland several wears ago. To
this he replied he personally would
he satisfied with such an arrange
ment but could not speak for the
organizations for which he appear
ed.
A large number Of cooperative
creameries have written me in 90
position to the chain store tax bill.
sowing thew market ninety per cent
OF their product through the chain
stores and receive on an average
one per cent per pound premium
under that arrangement. Then too
property owners have written and
expressed apprehension as to what
would happen to business property
values If the bill became law.
The tax is graduated. being bas-
ed on the number Of stores operat-