New-York tribune. [volume], March 12, 1920, Page 5, Image 5

About New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924

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pric^Fixing By Government Assailed As Unjustifiable
?flated Costs
geen as Great
? National Evil
?epaklican Party Advised
to Condemn a System
* That Can Only Bring
?bout Special Benefits
Vo iaw ^'an Correct It
j^uimum Cost Scheme Is
Looked Upon As Dam in !
Channel of Distribution
|,'hc Editor of the Tribune.
S*? One plank in the Republican
???scei tt 1920 should say plainly
'.erice fixing is not a function of
-wwseat; that the exercise of this
s?r may have been necessary, but in
ite time the exercise of such power
rnniustiliaHe and indefensible.
"Price fixing ?cjislation is certain to
?olt ID. a special benefit to a part of
if'neople, for unless the prices of all
j,! i*ems of labor, material and ex
Z-%t of s?' Siven commodity are,
K and unchangeable, then the cost
'the production of that commodity
?Lates from day to day. It, there
fen follows that while a fixed price
:'..' be exact!\ right one day. it is
art to b? incorrect for other days.
v price fixing is delegated to a per
" ? g commission, the person or
KimiAion becomes subject to al! the
faience which cither party can com
n?sdin its own interest. This human
?JeMBt cannot be eliminated.
This argument is conclusive as
ininst a "fixed" price, but some per?
lons mav insist that a "minimum"
Trice established ostensibly to stimu?
li? production, may be right and jus?
tifiable in spite of this argument. Thid ;
1.? is fa''se reasoning, because if a
Birein of profit is established which is
?-?l* enough materially to increase pro?
duction it is evident that consumers
M*/a benefit to producers to the ex?
test of this margin.
?f the marg in established is not great
(tough, as is evident with the present
??i-at price fixation, it is of no pur
jese, for the product, by virtue of its
?carcity, will seek a bisher price leve'..
Price fixing defeats itself?by pro
lacing an unusable surplus if the prie?
is too high, by curtailing production if
tie price, is too low. \
Production will equal the demands of
?-.sumption in a free country only
?hen the channels of distribution of all
necessary commodities between pro?
ducer and consumer are as open as it
:j humanly possible to keep them. Gov?
ernment p?ice fixing by commission,
by proclamation or by legislation is
? dam ?n th;s ?*hsnnel of distribution.
A MEMBER OF THE GRANGE.
Washington, D. C.
. ?
Curb Autocratic Menace
Would Bar Any Candidacy for a
Third Term
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: In every age wo have come
:::Msan Alexander, a Cajsar, a Xapo
?0D, a Kaiser, etc., who wanted the
?Slid to pay obeisance to him. To
sroid this repetition. Congress should
?tact a law, whereby no man shall
serre as President for more than two
:erms. I also would go so far as to
?y, no man shall be nominated or be
?candidate for President for more than
twite.
We do not lack capable men who
f.ay assume the guidance of our ship
:f state, and give us a better adminis?
tration, especially, when they have
'.ev.ced the failures and shortcomings
of two successive administrations. To
hep them aloof is to throw so much
?ewels and diamonds into the sea.
Let us live by the experience wo
?avfl gained. Let us act in the living
present, taking; knowledge of the short?
comings of others, and correct their
Bistakes; and lest history should re?
peat itself and we shou'.d have an
?utocrat to rule over ua
JOHN MAZZEI.
Big Problem?i Confronting
National Republican Party
To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The big problems confronting
lie national Rep<?b::can party are:
1?How to weld men into a mass?
mto a higher, and better order without
?wnnelng the identity of the indi?
vidual.
-?How to advance the weal of all
?it-out losirlg the personal initiative.
?u How to maintain liberty under
To these problems the Republican
P^t-y pledges Itself to apply the sol
ent, not of an autocrat, nor of an
?Penmental legislature, but of those
Ptt?ples tested and tried throughout
?se peace and war of many adminis
'?ationa?principles conceived by VVash
WM, embodied by Hamilton, bap
W Ti!n i ood h>' Lincoln and confirmed
'' Theodore Roosevelt
WADE HAMPTON THOMPSON,
?ew Canaan, Conn
Conditions of the
Platform Contest
Tile Tribune invitea you to write
H*aka for a Republican platform
|H to write, lottere about planka
?n>P?aed by other rsadsrs through
"? eeiunmt.
*w the beat plank? and letters
* "toune offers theae pris?e:
'**?he heat pUnk.1500.00
** the second best plank.. 25?.0?
* **ch of the eight next
??eat planka . 100.00
r?' the best letter a dally
??of-. 10.0?
r? the beat letter In the
?tole competition . 100.00
Tie Tribune wiil make up a plat
?* ?* ten planks to be determined
J jour ?otea. The tea issues re
??"?t the most votes will be the
g? The ten planks that best
2**? the chosen issues will be
***?! for tne pm? award?.
el** plank I? ?mitad to 100 words.
*?o pUnks or letter? of equal
?""* the ahorter will be chosen.
??ry plank and letter must bear
sUkaT^ *nd addMM ?f the Mnder'
f8^ed if the writer deaires.
Kl *?20* Manuscripts wiU not
^??turned.
?k?? ?u?K" of the eont?rt wm bo
?jJV Tho Tribune'? editors. They
%ikk th*ir d<wlBlon" ?n ?wnd
,^5 ??d brevity, ?tearnea? and
**?Ith of ?tatemsat
Some Suggested Planks
inwng the mass of suggestions for planks in the Republican
platform are the following:
Protection for Americans
We denounce a national policy
which subjects American citizens to
humiliation and scorn in any part of
the world. We therefore pledge our?
selves to establish immediately a pol?
icy which shall secure to every Amer?
ican, anvwhere, consideration, pro?
tection and respect equal to that ac?
corded to the most favored national.
?Alice Darrow, 119 Hobart Avenue,
Summit, N. J.
Negotiate a New Treaty
Realizing that the safety of democ?
racy everywhere lies as much now
in the security of world peace as it
was dependent upon the suppression
and crushing of autocracy and mili?
tarism, and recognizing that upon
America, as the idol of democracy, is
imposed the moral leadership of
mankind, the Republican party
pledges itself to the ratification of
tho Versailles Treaty with reseiwa
tions, or to the negotiation of an?
other which shall be so drawn as to
meet these high aims.?Lucius Sum
ner Hicks, 702 Winthrop Bunding,
Boston.
Control of Corporations
Recognising the privation and suf?
fering inflicted on an unprotected and
patient public by the artificial con?
trol of production, prices and dis?
tribution of food products and fuel,
by corporations, firms and individuals
engaged in these lines of business,
we favor strict governmental super?
vision and control of such activities,
with drastic penalties for those
found guilty of engaging in such
ne arious practices.?Arthur Lenox,
Box 1214, Washington, D. C.
Morale Versus Militarism
We advocate the establishment of
military training in the schools. It
should be regulated by the Educa?
tional Department and not by the
army and navy. Let us not be a
second Prussia. Where there aro
alert, healthy minds and bodies,
short training will equip for. the
stoppage of war more surely " than
long military training for the prose?
cution of war. Remember, morale
Industrial Courts
To Adjust Labor
Disputes Is Idea
State Jurisdiction Over All
Wage Issues Is Advanced
as Mean9 for Abolishing
Strikes in United States
j To the Editor of The Tribune:
Sir: Here is my suggestion for a
new industrial relations bill.
? Each state to have one or more in?
dustrial relations courts which would
have jurisdiction over essential indus?
tries invested in a public interest. The
law to affect food, clothing, fuel,
conquered militarism.?Esther Van
Slyke, Virginia College, Roanoke, Va.
Inquiry Into Profiteering
A rigid investigation into all
phases of profiteering, making it a
misdemeanor to store in warehouses
any food products or goods for which
there is a demand.?Robert H. Sin?
clair, 173 West 141st Street.
Abolish the Death Penalty
There should be a law to abolish
capital punishment at once. Many
innocent men aie electrocuted for the
crimes of others. Give the man a
chance, and especially our minors.
It is about time for us to abolish
this terrible punishment for the ben?
efit of all humanity.?E. B. S.
Promotion of Economy
We approve and urge the adoption
of every measure, consistent with the
maintenance of our sacred rights and
liberties, tending to foster economy,
stimulate production and discourage
waste. Given the power, we will
leave nothing undone which reason,
expediency and justice commend to
lower the insufferable cost of neces?
saries.?F. H. F., Mount Vernon, N. Y.
Training for All Youth
We advocate compulsory military
training for young men from sixteen
to twenty-three years of age, during
a period of two years; and compul?
sory training in cooking, housewifery
and nursing for young women, from
fourteen to twenty-one years of age,
during a similar period, the two
courses to be so interrelated as to
convince the youth of our nation of
the necessity of working for the na?
tion, to the end that all the new life
that we receive t'rom other countries
may be joined in one harmonious
whole.? Lilian Washburn, Livermore
Falls, Me., R. F. D. 2.
Courts to Curb Unrest
The Republican party stands for
the settlement of all disputes be?
tween capital, labor or any organi?
zation by courts of equity, and fail?
ures to abide by such decisions shall
bo considered rebellion and be so
treated.- -E. H. M., Sparkill, N. Y.
i transportation, strikes and lock-outs
i in these industries and provide severe
i
j penalties for conspiracy to promote
strikes or to interfere with produc?
tion. Such industries to be under su?
pervision of the state.
Provision should be made that either
side of an industrial dispute may bring
in a complaint and obtain an investi?
gation and action by the court, or any
ten citizens or the Attorney General
! may call the attention of the court to a
\ controversy and compel an investiga
, tion and action.
The bill also should provide that in
event there is a dispute between
workers and employers in industries
! other than those mentioned above such
' controversies may be submitted for
j settlement. VICTOR H. BROCK.
Setauket, L. I.
War's Lessons
Seen Guide to
Readjustment
Solvency of Contented La?
bor Held to Depend, Not
on Secret Pacts, but Upon
the Law of Control
Public Good Foremost
| Equality of Opportunity
I % and Just Interpretation
of Law Are Advocated
1 To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: From the memorable year of
i 1620 to the present America has been
j known for its thrift and industry in de
i veloping the natural resources of our
land. During this time we have pro
I moted domestic enterprise and en
' couraged foreign trade. The products
! of our labor have not stopped at bound
! arles, but have crossed all frontiers.
And to-day, while this national pros
! perity has increased our wealth per
I capita, and the fat years of business
have added greatly to our? country's
> credit, valuations still mount higher
I and; httle heed is paid to our losses
j through lean years of growth and trade
or the lack of balance between our in?
creasing numbers and our decreasing
? agricultural worth.
j We have learned that capital and
labor are actuated by one supremo de
,sire, one pure and lofty purpose, one
common motive; that in peace, as in
war, both can work together, speeding
output and increasing production. We
see that when the public good is fore?
most in our mind, and we work together
j we do all things essential to the hour.
I Shall we not now make the readjust
ments necessary through the lessons
I which these most perilous times have
j presented1?
As a creditor nation, with foreign
? loans running high into the billions,
j we command wealth which can be re
t turned in benefits commensurate with
! our greatness. The solvency of well paid
I and contented labor depends not on
? secret pacts, nor in unusual demands
i at inopportune times, but upon the
law of control, which appreciates and
harmonizes with all such business. And
whether we take gold or the products
of foreign labor for our payment of
any of these friendly loans, our nation
must realize deserved benefits therefor.
We seek more liberty and more pub?
licity.
We seek equality of opportunity and
a just interpretation of the law which
opens the door of that opportunity.
We believe in graduated remunera?
tion, and to each according to his
needs; and, in our government by the
i people ail who represent us must real
I ize and ever remember that they are of
| us, and that they should favor only
i such laws as arc best for us.
And if honor and greatness be sought
: and a create.- name for America be
j aimed at, let us hold to that which
Washington created, which Lincoln
preserved, which Roosevelt defended.
Wc can take our place in the affairs
of the worid only as we perfect our
own, replacing expediencies by law
and preventing chaos by order.
C. F. G.;
Friday and Saturday at Saks
A Remarkable Sale of
Misses' Frocks
Regularly $49.50 and $55.00
At $39.50
Youthful frocks of tine Navy
Serge or Tricotine, and Lustrous
Taffeta in Flemish or Navy Blue,
Brown and Taupe, cleverly
trimmed with rich laces, kaleido?
scopic ribbon, and silk
embroidery.
The styles are in Prettily Pleated,
Bouffant and Youthful Straight
Line Effects
? the very newest for Spring.
Sizes 14 to 18
To Close Out1?
Misses9 Mid-Season Frocks
Reduced to
$49.50 and $75.00
Formerly $89.50 to $125. Fashioned of Silk Duvetyn, Peach
Bloom, Velour and Tricotine. Sizes 14 to 18 years. Second Floor.
Broadway
aks &?amj!atm
at 34th St.
To-Day's Prize Letter
To tho Editojj of The Tribune.
Sir: The present condition of in?
ternational affairs in which the
United States finds itself placed em?
phasizes the necessity for soma
change in the manner in which our
nation is in the future to direct
foreign affairs.
Three features of onr Constitution
should first be noted: (1) Article I,
I Section 8, Paragraph 11 confers upon
| Congress the right to declare war;
j (2) Article II, Section 2, Paragraph
2 gives the President the power "by
! and with the advice and consent of
? the Senate to make treaties, provid?
ed two-thirds of the Senators pres?
ent concur"; (3) Article I, Section 7,
Paragraph 3 provides that "every
order, resolution or vote to which the
concurrence of the Senate and the
House of Representatives may be
necessary shall be presented to the
President of the United States, and
before tho same shall take effect
i shall be approved by him, or, being
disapproved by him, shall be re
passed by two-thirds of the Senate
and House of Representatives ac
cording to the rules and limitations
prescribed in the case of .a bill."
From tnese constitutional provi?
sions it is evident that two-thirds of
Congress may declare war if neces?
sary, even though the President does
not approve; but that it cannot make
peace without his consent and, from
recent indications, In any other way
than his personal Inclinations dic?
tate. If present political prophecies
aro correct, that the treaty will bo
carried as an Issue Into the Presi?
dential campaign, it is thus evident
that one man may oppose the will of
a nation for eighteen months at l%ast
in this case, with possibilities of
longer delay in other cases. No mat?
ter what percentage of the Senators
?avor reservations, they cannot pass
because of this deadlock.
Such a situation in an enlightened
republic is an anachronism in this
new age. England and France, our
strongest allies or associates, have
long since abandoned such an auto?
cratic system, by which the Executive
had complete control of concluding
peace. The responsibility in Euro
pean democracies for the conduct of
foreign affairs rests with a Cabinet
minister under parliamentary con?
trol. The makers of our Constitution
were wise enough to make necessary
a declaration of war by Congress be?
fore our nation could engage In
actual warfare. However, they placed
the responsibility for the ratification
of treaties Jointly upon the President
and the Senate. In this present case
neither seems willing to give way to
the other.
What is the remedy? In the first
place we believe it consists in a
closer bond of consultation and "ad?
vice" between the Congressional rati?
fying body and the treaty negotiat?
ing Executive. In the second place, we
consider some change in the method
of ratification necessary. It was be?
yond the purpose of even the grand
old aristocrats of 1787 to give the
sole power of treaty making to the
President, and such a policy is unde?
sirable. Likewise, we believe that it
would be unwise and impracticable to
confer such sovereign power on the
Senate alone. We propose an amend
ment which shall place tha final
treaty making or ratifying power in
the hands of the two houses of Con?
gress, meeting jointly and voting as
one body. Two-thirds of such body
shall be necessary to ratify a treaty;
three-fourths shall be sufficient to,
make a treaty effective, if amend?
ments are necessary, without the
Presidential approval.
We believe such a change is In ac?
cordance with twentieth century de?
mocracy. The time has passed when
such a deadlock by an Executive and
his political followers should impede
the will of national representatives
responsive to the wish of a sovereign
people. R. H. L.
Danbury, Conn.
Old Age Pensions Advocated
As a Plank for Platform
To the Editor of The Tribune.
Sir: I advocate old age pensions, as
the majority of workingrr.cn spend mort
of their income supporting the home
and educating their children. With a
large family there is little chance for
him to accumulate sufficient means to
support his wife and himself in old
age, so as a means to relieve the pres?
ent unrest I hone vou and your readers
will indorse my plank of old age pen?
sions. Eventually, I believe, this plank
will be adopted. Why not adopt it
now? SAMUEL SCOTT.
95 Henry Street, New Haven. Conn.
Broadway
at 34th St.
Direct by Subway, Tube and "L
?i ?
SAKS & COMPANY
Of er for Friday and Saturday Only
A Superb Collection of
Women's Smart Coats
and Wraps
at less than actual cost
in today's market
In each of the two groups of coats and wraps of?
fered in this sale the values are wonderful ! The styles
are among the most beautiful created for Spring, tai?
lored with extreme care in the materials of the hour.
At $48
Handsome Coats and Wraps, reproductions of very
costly importations, in loosely draped, Cape, Belted
and Straight Line effects. Developed in Tricotine,
Poiret Twill, Yalama Cloth, Tinseltone, Gabardine
and "Velour, in all the fashionable shades. Sizes 34
to 46, but not in every model. Two styles pictured.
At $38
Swagger Sports Coats for street and all outdoors,
with large patch pockets, button trimming and shoe?
string belts. Carefully fashioned of All Wool
Camel's Hair Cloth, Silvertone and Suede-like Cloth,
fully silk lined. Splendid range of colors?
Tan, Beaver, Pek?n, Copenhagen Blue, Reindeer
and Mole. Sizes 34 to 46
One style pictured. Fourth Floor.
600 Heaiherbloom
Petticoats
in a special sale Friday and Saturday
At S3
"Heatherbloom" in a petticoat is a synonym for ser?
vice. These are all genuine Heatherbloom Petticoats, in
two very charming models. One comes with accordeon
pleated flounce, in Van Dyke style, and may be had
in solid colors of Rose, Grey, Purple, Navy, Green, Black,
and Copenhagen. The second model is in pretty floral
design with ruffled flounce. Third Floor.
Dainty Undermuslins
FRIDAY
At Liberal Savings in Price
\ye anticipated the greatly increased price
of all cotton and silk under-things.. by plac?
ing our contracts months ago for present
needs. Every garment in this special offer?
ing is priced lower than the present cost of
the same garments in today's wholesale
market.
Mm A
$1.50
Special at $1
Dainty Envelope Chemise, in three styles, made of
nainsook with trimming of lace, embroidery or
hemstitching.
Special at $1.35
White Nainsook Envelope Chemise; also others in
Pink Batiste, trimmed with hand-embroidered
French knots.
Special at $1.85
Beautiful Nainsook Chemise effectively trimmed with
lace insertion and embroidery motifs. Others in
pink batiste, trimmed with net and lace insertion.
Special at $1.50
Nightgowns of Good Quality Nainsook, prettily
trimmed with hand-embroidered design in pink and
blue.' Illustrated.
Special at ?1.85
Nightgowns in nainsook, tastefully trimmed with
lace or embroidery ; ot> ers are in pink batiste, trim?
med with hand-embroidery. Third Floor.
Women's
Sport Wrist Watches
Very Special
At $5
Not a cheaply made watch, but
a reliable 15-jeweled timepiece
with- radium dial, in nickel case.
Illustrated.
Genuine Pink Shell
Cameos, $5
Hand-carved cameos, in round and
octagon shapes, mounted on hand-engraved
solid gold frames. One as pictured.
Main Floor.